Finer Things Friday - Togetherness

Lately during our bedtime prayers with the girls (which is a Finer Thing in its own right) we've been asking them to tell us one thing they're thankful for. (Ack! Ending a sentence with a preposition - someone will revoke my Grammar Snob card. Oh, well. I also plan to use a lot of sentence fragments in this post. In for a penny, in for a pound.)

The answers to this have been varied and pretty much what you would expect (our family, a house, clothes, all my toys) Then last night Tigger (the picture above is Tigger earlier this year) looked around their bedroom. Their tiny bedroom.

The bedroom with bunk beds, a toddler bed and a pack n play all crammed together in as artful a way possible. The room that is one of the main reasons we're hoping to sell our house next year.

"I'm thankful that we all get to sleep together!" She said. Her sisters {well, the ones who talk already. Miss Lili said nothing but she was smiling} all agreed. Despite the cramped quarters, despite the occasional disagreement ("She put her toe on my bed", anyone?), despite the struggle to keep a room which four girls, their clothes and their toys share even remotely tidy: they enjoy their time together.

Which is definitely a Finer Thing in my book.
This post is linked to Finer Things Friday at The Finer Things in Life.

Things I Love Thursday - Times of Encouragement

I spent Tuesday and Wednesday mornings sitting in a conference {primarily} for preachers. The host church fed us breakfast and lunch. They offered a staffed nursery and children's program. (Which the girls are still talking about.) The ladies of the host church prepared a sweet gift for each preacher's wife.

But all those things were not my favorite part. There were four sermons by four different preachers each morning. Yes, the sitting and listening was my favorite part.

Before we went to the conference, I knew we were facing some significant spiritual challenges. I knew that there are some things our church must do better. I knew there were things I must do. I knew I was tired and weary but I don't think I would have admitted to being burned out.

But God is good to send us where we need to be just when we need to be there. I hadn't really considered attending this conference both mornings. I thought we would go the first morning just to say we'd gone and to say hello to some friends. (The church hosting the conference is about 30 minutes away, so it did not require us to be gone overnight. We just drove home each afternoon.)

It turned out the 8 sermons were just what we needed to hear. (Including one where my dad knocked it out of the park. Not that I'm surprised by that, he's always a great preacher -if I do say so myself -but it's just sometimes he really, you know, Brings It.)

Restoration from God, fellowship with fellow laborers, and a temporary change of scenery: definitely things to love.

This post is linked to Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

Things I Love Thursday - Vintage Goodies Edition

Vintage thread spools, that is.

These belonged to my great-aunt and now they belong to me.

My {non-existent} photography skills are really not doing these beauties justice but you'll just have to take my word for it: they are adorable.

And I love them. Spools of thread today just don't have the same cuteness factor, do they?

I haven't even mentioned the vintage buttons that came my way. Pinterest is overflowing with ideas for vintage buttons. I'm just not sure I can bring myself to do anything with mine. I rather like just looking at them and counting them and...

OK, I'm starting to sound a little {a lot} nuts.

Thanks to my Grandma for passing these little treasures along to me!

This post is linked to Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

Pitcher Picture, Or: Where I Store My Utensils

A Bowl Full of Lemons is talking about utensil storage today: drawer or container?

I just had to share my little pitcher. Some folks (coughPhilipcough) think this pitcher is ugly, but I love it. Maybe because it's ugly, who knows. I can be contrary like that.

Any way, these are the utensils we keep right by the stove. We also have a drawer for the over-sized and smaller items. These wooden spoons and spatulas are the things we reach for most often.

I guess that makes our answer to the drawer or container question: both. (That happens a lot around here. "Both" or "all of the above" must be our favorite answers to life's little and big conundrums)

I love this pitcher and seeing it every day. I will not being sharing a picture of our drawer. No way, no how. Maybe some day. It's organized and pared down to the essentials (small house dwellers here, remember) but it is not picture worthy. I dream of new cabinets and drawers. Someday.

So, where do you keep your utensils?