Look Who Turned 1

The pictures tell the story - so it's a Wordless Wednesday!

New adventures with old stuff

I am working on a new adventure with some sweet friends and I am naturally obsessed and want to spend all of my time playing. I've always loved to pretend to be "crafty". Once upon a time I loved to cross stitch. Then I turned to appliques and sewing. I gave scrapbooking a try for about two mintues. I decided that I would put together Senior year scrapbooks for the girls and well - they decided they wanted to - so I just made the purchases and they scrapped! My friend, Deborah, brought her sewing machine to my house one saturday and we began making purses. As is usually the case, I got bored with that also.

Recently four of us rented a booth in a downtown market. We have all of these ideas racing through our heads and are gathering stuff like crazy to be creative. Hmmmmmm - it takes lots of time for this little venture and we have full time jobs. So our great plans and ideas are very slowly coming to life. Hopefully, we will get things rolling and have a booth full of wonderful crafy finds that will be of interest to others.

Naturally there is a however, or some sort of but! I have made some things that I like and want to keep. And then Ashley likes other stuff and wants it and then there are the things I am making for Spenser. You get the picture. Not sure how I will ever make and sell anything!

I've managed to get one thing painted and taken to our little booth. This was my first attempt at lamp shade covering. The key for me is to make something that won't go with any of my decor! I'm sure I can find a place for this little lamp - but for now - it's in the booth!

Thanks to my husband for helping me get my shade patterns cut out.  Some days my little mind is all blank!

Our booth is looking up - the pictures below are from our  work day -adding a little fresh paint to the walls and shelves.  New life to an old room.   

Look it this little helper. 

So far - it's been fun and keeps my mind busy. It's been a great diversion to the hand that life dealt us recently. So - if you are downtown Natchez, stop by and look around. There are some super creative chicks renting spaces and some others with some great bargains from their treasures.

What have you been up to lately?  New adventures with old stuff  - the theme for my life right now.  Still not sure what adventure God is planning - but He's preparing all the same. 

Love you guys,
Diane

While you are here - go take a look at what these talented ladies are up to.


      

Cake Mix Cookies

The blogging world is negating the need for cook books. You can hop around blog land and find some of the best cooks around and they are kind enough to share their recipes. I think I live in the dark ages. I use the same cookbook that has no cover and food splatters all over it. It's trusty and I wouldn't part with it for anything. BUT - (isn't there always a but?) the wide world of internet has certainly enriched my life with recipes. (and my waist with pounds).

The recipe for these little beauties came from here at Cooks.com. I had to go and look up the recipe since I had read it while blog hopping and naturally could not remember where I found it. But here is what they look like in my kitchen on my pan.

It is just as easy as the recipe says: 1 box cake mix, 1 egg, 1 8 oz. carton cool whip and some powdered sugar. That's it! How easy is that?

I love my new recipe find. You don't like lemon? No problem - change the cake mix to strawberry or chocolate or yellow - add some flavoring such as rum or almond. The sky is the limit with these little guys.

Enjoy - and if you make some - come back and share your results with me - especially if you try a new flavor.

Love you guys.

Diane

Headed over to link to some parties - since I'm such a party animal! Yes indeed - I sure am.

Happy Birthday Brenden

One year ago today - this little miracle came into our lives!  We are better for it and love him to pieces!

Happy Happy Birthday Charles Brenden Sebille.

P.S. Our little man will be featured on the ParentLife Blog this Friday. My sweet friend Vanessa tood the picture on baby dedication day. So be sure to check it out Friday.

http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/parentlife/

Wake UP - Look UP

I've pondered all week about how I wanted to share with you what I learned (what God said to me) at the Going Beyond conference last weekend with Priscilla Shirer.  First thing is that she is a fantastic speaker and anointed.  I seriously mean that God speaks through her.  She is the real deal.  I love to learn from Beth Moore and I love to worship with lots of women.  I am one blessed woman to be able to hear both of these women in a 7 day span of time. 

God has been obvious about working in my life lately.  I am clear on what He is telling me but not clear on how things will unfold.  I am approaching the unknown and it scares me yet it thrills me all at once.  He's not written on walls but I am getting the point.  I've been led to blog about it recently and didn't realize that He would continue to add fuel to that fire.  He is clear that He intends for me and my family to live less and give more.  I often get tired and wonder what more God wants me to give time-wise.  Well - I'm thinking time is not the issue here.  We often feel that we sacrifice financially - but now I am clear that what we do is most certainly NOT sacrifice.  We have given up some things in order to raise more children.  We have not afforded ourselves some luxuries that would be so nice in order to help raise other children.  We laugh out loud over the raising of more kids.  If you remember or care to read about it here, I have already covered that subject.  Recently I blogged about financial stuff here.  And most recently I blogged about the conference right here.


God laid a song on my heart and then a verse.  I was searching scripture for the right verse that fit my moment and He led me to Zephaniah  3:17.  I don't often hear Zephaniah quoted and really liked the verse.  Decided that I should memorize it (not quite there yet) and recall it often.  Do you believe in co-incidence?  Me either?  While I was being broken down to a puddle on the floor at the conference Priscilla quoted that same scripture.  Hmmm hello!  Really?  I thought  - who quotes that?  She spoke to me in ways that I was having a hard time grasping.  She talked about sleep walking through entire periods of our lives.  Wishing away days, months, years of our lives because we want something more or different.  We complain about cranky babies, finances, singleness, pain, illness and countless other areas of our lives that God is at work.  We want Him to rush through something that He is refining.  Oh my - when are we happy?  Are we only happy when things are going as WE choose to orchestrate them?  Oh how guilty I was.  I was hurting because the pain of losing my mom was so fresh.  I was not sure I could handle the emotional strain.  I was right - I didn't handle it well - but I survived it and I am so thankful I did. 

I learned ways to study scripture that had never been revealed to me.  (maybe I'll give you a peak at that later)  I just felt like God spoke LOUDLY to me to WAKE UP.  I asked and prayed for Him to fill my cup - fill me up and make me whole.  Boy did I NOT like His answer.  He gently reminded me that I needed to empty out the junk so there would be room for Him.  I stated the afternoon I left for the Conference that she would be talking directly to me and boy was I right.  It was clear why I was there and what God wanted me to hear.  I am nervous of what God's plan is but I pray that I will be ready to listen and follow Him.  I am having a little deja view of when my father and mother-in-law died - I stated that whatever God had in store  - it was big.  We are here again - losing both parents within 16 days and feeling the pull that God has something big planned.  I did a big no-no because of it already, but timing was really poor.  Two weeks after my father-in-law passed away and one month from my moms was my Oncology check up.  Reminiscing that two weeks after my mother-in-law passed away I was diagnosed with breast cancer - I was a no-show for that appointment.  Just couldn't do it.  I don't feel at all that I have any issues regarding my breast cancer - but I just was not ready or willing to visit that part of my life.  Don't worry - I will re-schedule - just not that soon.  If that is where God leads then that's where I'll go again - but just not that soon Again! 

So - now to this weekend.  The topic is "Look Up - giving the results to God!"  How fitting is that?  One week He tells me to Wake up and the next to Look Up.  Oh how I look forward to what God has to say to me again this weekend and see His plans unfold in the life of my family.  I just can't hardly stand it.  Satan has spent a lot of time working on me through these past six weeks but my God can handle him.  I know that the tweet that was just delivered to me phone "be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might" was for a purpose and it was by no means a co-incidence. 

Don't know where this road is heading - but I'm in it for the long haul.  These pictures show some of the strongest Godliest women I know.  They are special and I am thankful to be a part of their lives.

Lunch after the Conference

Cheryl Givens with Priscilla

Donna Dixon with Anthony Evans

Me and Donna with Anthony

Me with Anthony

I love you guys and look forward to seeing lots and lots of you Saturday - let's give those results to God. I feel sure the message will reach beyond me.

Refreshed Furniture and a grown up girl!

Our little girl (sweet barney loving thing) wanted some new big girl stuff - so we turned her boring white wicker into some bright fun things.  She has put away all things "princess" (or most) and has become a young woman.  Seriously - she was just turning one and her daddy making her learn to walk.  We went to sleep and she was in College.  It's like a soap opera - fast forward aging.  Anyway - this post is about her furniture - so I'll get back to the power of spray paint!

She had lots and lots of pink and white! So - change it is - No pink and No white. I am all about easy - so here are some poor quality images of her transformation to Young woman through spray painted furniture.

Those are the just started and during pics of the project. Then we moved her into her new grown-up apartment and I forgot to take my camera to get pics - but the trusty old IPhone works just fine in a pinch.

And here are her items placed in their new home with their new color. Sorry the quality is bad!

Where oh where does the time go? My baby girl is all grown up and that is a reality. Not just grown up furniture but a beautiful young woman inside and out with some refreshed furniture.

Love all my babies and I love you guys too!

Diane


I'm going to head over and link up to some fun parties.  Come check them out.

http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/2010/09/furniture-fix-up-creative-chick-parade.html

http://wearethatfamily.com/2010/09/wfmw-linky/

Going Beyond

I'm heading out shortly for a girls get-a-way. Not just fun but refreshing renewal kinda fun. I have gone through the past few weeks on auto-pilot. but that pilot has not been Jesus. It has been me trying to fly my own plane and that's not working. I can just picture how this is working though. I'm an airplane sitting on the shoulders of a very big God and He is simply looking at me shaking his head - thinking "I wonder if she thinks she's going anywhere?" Really - He's not allowing me to crash - He's just watching me make a really bad effort to fly this plane alone. I just know He has a sense of humor. He must have one to be my father.

Satan has waged his war for the past few weeks and now its time to shut him up and out. For two wonderful weekends I get to hear the most annointed speakers I know. They speak to women and they know women. They will be ministering to me alone. They won't even realize other women are listening (at least that's usually how I feel when they are speaking). God uses them to talk to me - He uses the worship music to break me down and be ready for the word He has in store for me. I am ready - I am ready to have my cup filled up - I'm lifing it up - Come and cleanse this thirsting of my soul - bread of heaven feed me til I want no more - fill my cup - fill it up and make me whole. I've not heard that song in a long time but God put it on my heart yesterday and I just keep singing it.

Zephania 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." He has sung over me - He wants to fill my cup.

I love you guys and pray that you have an awesome weekend. I know that I will.

Filling my cup with His Word,

Diane

Brenden's a busy boy

Brenden has had a busy summer. He's finally mobile and that is fun yet keeps us on our toes. Took his first three steps at my house on Aug. 28. We acted as if it were Christmas morning when he made those little tiny steps. What else has he done - you asked?

He stayed "cool"

He ate some birthday cake.

He chilled!

Took his first horse ride.

Had his first ride through the car wash - and maybe his last!

:)

He mastered his sippy cup!

He's just grown cuter by the days - we blinked and he was 11 months old. How does that happen?