Is there anything that peaks your anticipation more than seeing party tents going up?
The big ones. Colorful ones. White ones. Ones with fringe. Ones with curtains or even tassels.
I love to see a party tent…it means that a celebration is getting ready to happen, or is in the midst. I just love to celebrate. Whenever I see one of those big tents….I always want to stop in and find out what is being celebrated. I love the octagon ones that are covered in brightly-colored elaborate fabric, and have tassels hanging around the edges. I also love the big, snow-white ones. They are incredible with lights strung underneath. Just magical.
Well, yesterday a big, white tent went up in our yard. It pretty much covers the whole backyard. And, of course, has white lights zig-zagging down the entire length.
This weekend we are celebrating No. 1 Son’s graduation. Twelve years of hard work….graduating with highest honors, and my utmost respect. He’s one of the coolest teens I know.
It was so much fun seeing the big tent go up…..even though I’m the one that has planned and orchestrated the upcoming celebration it was almost like I was on the outside…looking in…anticipating. I love to anticipate a celebration.
I wonder if God feels the same way. All the lovely things he is preparing for us….anticipating a most wonderful celebration. Even though He is the party planner……I feel assured that His anticipation is incredible.
What is something that when you see it, it fills you with wonderful anticipation of a coming celebration?
{If you have a spare second….I’d love your prayers for wonderful weather on Saturday. =) We have some special things planned that will need nice weather. Thanks, y’all!}
Small or great….I hope you have a wonderful celebration this weekend~
1. You can make chores more fun by pretending to be Cinderella.
2. Dads catch baseballs, Moms catch vomit.
3. There is no sleep in sleepover.
4. If you want to get carried….fall asleep in the back of the car.
5. When you hear the smoke detector….breakfast is probably not too far behind.
6. All projects are due on the same day: TOMORROW.
7. Check for dog poop before you roll down the hill.
8. Hell hath no fury like a teenager on a bad hair day.
9. One day when your kids are getting ready to graduate you will find a petrified french fry under the car seat…..and get teary-eyed.
10. In-laws teach kids stuff. Weird stuff. Bad stuff.
11. It’s not a good idea to jump off the shed with cardboard wings.
12. If the flowers you draw don’t look like anyone else’s…..that’s good.
13. No one will ever put you in time-out, no matter how badly you want to go.
14. Your definition of clean changes dramatically after having children.
15. Your capacity to love will astound you.
16. Once you have a child, time passes 400x faster. True story.
17. You will teach the basics of logic: ”Because I said so, that’s why!”
18. You will become great at teaching endurance: “We will sit here until you eat all the broccoli.”
19. Only in motherhood will you experience the strange sensation of wanting to strangle someone that you’re willing to die for.
20. You are responsible for making sure your child knows their origin: “You were not born in a barn!”
21. When you lay your head on their little chest and hear their heartbeat…you’ll swear to do everything possible to protect them.
22. Motherhood is discovering a you that you didn’t know existed.
23. When you are worried you will do better research than the FBI.
24. There will come a day when you will miss getting homemade Mother’s Day presents.
25. Labor is the easy part.
To all you wonderful mothers out there……..may you have a wonderful Mother’s Day! I hope your weekend is full of blessings and fun times with the ones you mother……..
This has been a tough week. If I shared all the fires that have had to be put out and craziness….you would think my life was a sitcom. {Even though I haven’t gotten to sit or be ‘com’ hahahaha!} Oh my gosh….I’m loopy.
So, I needed a laugh…..and I thought I would send some to you…….
{You can find all the fun pics above on my Pinterest board here.}
We love to open our home to others; so, over the years, we have several things that we like to do to prepare for guests that will be staying with us overnight. I thought I would share a few…..
I want our home to be a wonderful experience for anyone that stays here…I know I have had some not so pleasant experiences as a guest. You know when you have been anticipated….and it makes all the difference in the world. There are a few places that I know I will not visit ever again. Regardless of what anyone may say….there was no ‘welcome’ or ‘so glad you are here’ atmosphere. I would never want anyone feeling that way after staying here at our cottage…so, I’ve put together a few things that I think help to create a welcoming and gracious atmosphere for guests. Our homes are very powerful places of ministry….just with the environment and atmosphere, no need for words.
1. Clear clutter..especially on front porches and entryways.
2. Make sure there are no burned out lights…especially in the rooms that your guests will be using.
3. Dust…dirt stinks.
4. Brings me to my next one….give your home the sniff test. If you have pets….bathe and clean them. After cleaning well, light a candle or put out pot pourri. {Once again…dirt stinks. Even lighting a candle will not cover up dirt…so clean first!}
{The cleaning products that you use can help out with this tremendously! I love Mrs. Meyers and The Good Home Co. Not only do they clean well…..but everything smells amazing!}
Here’s a great cleaning plan from Better Homes & Gardens:
5. Vacuum…thoroughly. {I’ll say it just one more time. Dirt stinks. }
6. Take out trash…even if you cannot smell it….others can.
7. Scrub bathrooms really well….especially whichever one your guests will be using.
8. Remove personal items from the bathroom and make sure there is extra toilet paper and fluffy towels available to them. A robe hanging in the bathroom is a great addition for guests.
9. We keep a basket of stuff just for guests…..sample bottles of shampoo, hairspray, mouthwash, shower gels, disposable razors, toothbrushes, hair clips, soap…..this makes people feel at home, especially if they have forgotten something. We keep this basket in a closet until its needed. {You can collect many of these samples when you travel, etc. Or just stock up on razors/toothbrushes, etc. at the dollar store.}
10. Make sure the bed is made with fresh, clean sheets…..extra blankets are nice, too.
11. Put out some current magazines on the nightstand for them to enjoy if they’d like to…..
12. It’s also fun to have a little basket of snacks, water bottles, etc. in the bedroom they will be staying in…..and fresh flowers are always a wonderful addition to any room. =)
{A great list of how to prepare for guests can be found here.}
13. Make sure when your guests arrive that they know where all the necessities are if they need them.
14. Once your guests arrive you are not preparing anymore…..you need to focus on them. Enjoying them, laughing, talking, fellowshipping. They need to be the focus…..not a perfect home or a detailed plan. You’ve prepared….now just enjoy.
Here’s a fun article about preparing for overnight guests from Pottery Barn…of course, they are plugging some of their great items, but the suggestions are wonderful and will bring things to mind that you may not usually think about. You certainly don’t need to do all of these…just pick out some fun suggestions. I love the one about a ‘Hot Chocolate Station’…for the summer a Lemonade Station or Izze Station would be fun. {We do that for just us…even without guests!}
It is an honor to have guests in your home…..and a great way to serve others.
Keep in mind that the ones that live in your home are the most special ‘guests’ of all….we want to remember to show hospitality to the most precious people in our homes. Almost all of the suggestions above will make your family feel special…even when no one else is staying the night.
The atmosphere of your home will create the most powerful memories for your family.
+++++++++
Do you have a lot of guests? What is your favorite way to prepare for overnight guests?
I have a passion for excellence. Not power….but excellence. There is a difference, a world of difference. It is the spirit behind the passion that can go either way.
I love this excerpt from Max Lucado’s book, The Applause of Heaven…..I thought I would share it with you. I think it’s great encouragement to start the week….to keep in mind as we go about our days.
A Passion for Excellence, by Max Lucado
Remember playing “King of the Mountain” as a kid? The object of the game is to get high on the heap and stay there. You push, claw, and climb until you get to the top. And once you get there, you fight to hold your position. Don’t even think about sitting down. Forget enjoying the view. Slack for even one minute, and you’ll be slapped down to the bottom of the hill. And then you’ll have to start all over again.
As grown-ups we still play “King of the Mountain,” but now the stakes are higher.
The push for power has come to shove. And most of us are either pushing or being pushed. I might point out the difference between a passion for excellence and a passion for power. The desire for excellence is a gift from God, much needed in our society. It is characterized by respect for quality and a yearning to use God’s gifts in a way that pleases Him. Recall the words of Antonio Stradivari, the 17th-century violin maker whose name in its Latin form, Stradivarius, has become synonymous with excellence:
“When any master holds ‘twixt chin and hand a violin of mine, he will be glad that Stradivari lived, made violins and made them of the best…If my hand slacked I should rob God—since He is the fullest good … But He could not make Antonio Stradivari’s violins without Antonio.”
He was right. God could not make Stradivarius violins without Antonio Stradivari. Certain gifts were given to that craftsman that no other violin maker possessed.
In the same vein, there are certain things you can do that no one else can. Perhaps it is parenting, or constructing houses, or encouraging the discouraged. There are things that only you can do, and you are alive to do them. In the great orchestra of life, you have an instrument and a song, and you owe God to play them both sublimely.
But, there is a canyon of difference between doing your best to glorify God and doing whatever it takes to glorify yourself. The quest for excellence is a mark of maturity. The quest for power is childish.
Happy Monday, Friends~
daune
PS If you haven’t already….be sure to head on over and RSVP for the show tomorrow, “Think Outside the Pot – Creative Planter Ideas”. I’d love for you guys to join me! Click below to RSVP and register to win a set of 6 vintage blue Ball jars!
I had fun writing a post about one of my favorite Southernisms….Bless Your Heart last year. I’ve had several requests for some more Southernism enlightenment….so, here you go…today’s the day!
This would be for all ya’ll that don’t know the difference between a hissie fit and a conniption..and the fact that you don’t have them…you pitch them.
Probably the most used, right after Bless Your Heart, would be Fixin’ To….I’ll start with that one.
Fixin’ To: getting ready to do something. About to do something. Planning to do something in the near future. Ex.: ”I’m fixin’ to go to the store”. Keep in mind that the amount of time ‘fixin’ to’ covers is completely subjective…and only the one who said it knows. It could mean within the next five minutes, or the next few years.
Now..this one really gets messed up by non-southerners. I’ll try to break it down for you:
Ya’ll : two people {southerners would never refer to one person as ya’ll..always two.}
All Ya’ll : three or more. That’s waaaayyyyy more than one.
Mash : what southerners do to elevator buttons. Never push. It’s mash. Ex: Mash floor 3, please.
Yonder : a general direction that could cover anywhere from over in the corner of the kitchen to 500 square miles in any given direction. Ex. “It’s over yonder.”
Short End of the Stick : you received the least desirable of all choices. Like, if your chore for the week was toilets, or you got the blind date with the short, not-so-cute guy…you would say, “She got the short end of the stick on that one.”
Heebie Jeebies : the way crazy creeps! This is far beyond your regular feeling of creepiness. Like..the guy beside you in the elevator that has high waters and really bad breath, and tells you he likes wearing white socks….you would say, “He gives me the heebie jeebies!”
Like White on Rice : two things that always go together or that can’t be separated. For example: “She was all over him like white on rice!”
Well, I don’t want to overwhelm you…that’s probably a lot for just one day for all ya’ll. I’ll share more later. Any fellow southerners out there that might have a favorite southernism…share it in the comments. I I haven’t said it, I’m sure my grandmother has. Be sure to head on over and get a complete understanding of Bless Your Heart.
Thank you so much for all the sweet comments and e-mails, and gifts that many of you guys sent in honor of the 2nd Blogoversary of Cottage in the Oaks! I have the best readers in the world!
So, who’s ready to find out the winner of the SUPER HUGE Giveaway???? {a.k.a. “tons of stuff arriving in many boxes….so get ready!”}
Comment #45! Rhonda Till!!!
Rhonda…e-mail me at cottageintheoaks [at] me [dot] com with your mailing address so I can contact the 18-wheeler and send out your fun goodies! =)
Looking forward to another year of fun with you all!
DON’T FORGET: only a few more hours to enter the Blogoversary Giveaway! If you haven’t be sure to head to this post and enter……it closes at midnight EST tonight! Winner will be announced Monday!
I think the tragedy in Boston yesterday hangs heavy on all our hearts.
I watched as the videos played over and over again…how as soon as the blast went off the first responders did not run away; but turned toward the tragedy and ran straight into it. Breaking down fences..doing whatever needed to be done to get to those in need.
I grew up with a Dad that was a first responder. He was an EMS trainer and Fire Chief. Even though he is retired…to this day he runs toward tragedy any time it strikes. Never away. Spending my whole life watching a father that did that…..I tend to do the same. I learned it from him. It has been a great reminder to me of what our Heavenly Father does, as well. He goes into the tragedy. Right in the middle. He’s the first one there. He’s the ultimate first responder.
What would happen if we would be first responders in life? When we see a tragedy….be it spiritual, emotional, mental, marital, relational, etc…….what would happen if we would run toward those in need; instead of away? It might be messy. It might not be convenient. It might even be risky.
What if when tragedy strikes our own life we had someone like that run toward us?
I’m thankful for the first responders….the power of their calling in times like this horrific tragedy yesterday at the marathon are so evident as we watch it unfold.
I may not be a policeman or a fireman or an EMT…..but I hope to always be a first responder in life. Running toward those in need, and not away.
}
