Salvaged Wood Trees with a Story

 They don't build

them like 

they used to.

 

This is all that was left when I drove by.  As soon as we were in view my husband heard an audible gasp of disbelief and saw my watery eyes and knew exactly what had caught my attention.  His response was "oh, I'm so sorry honey"  an automatic response of condolence, like this was a personal affront to me.  In reality, although I have driven past this house pretty regularly since childhood this was not my house, I never knew the people who owned it or where the family is now, I've never been inside or walked the wraparound porch that graced most of this home.  Even so, to see it like this was heartbreaking to me and even worse is knowing that many more grand old homes are being torn down to make way for fancy new subdivisions.  

I know it's economics, housing for people moving into our area by the masses, people bring money, they find and create jobs, they boost our economy.  But it's just hard having been raised here and remembering all the dirt roads and barns and fields and ponds that have all disappeared and been replaced with houses and shopping.  I get it... I love to shop too. 

Thankfully I had my Hubby with me and we were riding in his big red truck!

 As my sweet and charming husband got out to talk with the demolition crew I sat patiently waiting all doe eyed in the passenger seat while our three year old was singing ' Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ' in the back (in broad day light). 

I saw the foreman look my way and shake his head, apparently his wife is crazy too because just then my hubbs waved me over.   He was sweet enough to walk around the perimeter with us and pulled out any planks of wood I pointed at.  Unfortunately most of the house was already down and carried to the landfill, so all we could see was just a pile of wood.  

We were able to get enough beaded board planks and trim for some projects but not much more than that.  So the other day I fired up the chop saw and went to work.  

 I loved how these trees turned out and that I know exactly where they came from.  Even if I can't save a whole house I'm happy that I can at least make something joyful from the destruction of it.

   *Angela*

A little Valentine Love

 Cupid came early this year....

 We have been so fortunate to be surrounded with an amazing group of friends in our area, these are friends that we have come to love like family, friends that you can pop over unexpected and sit on the kitchen floor drinking wine and eating cake together,  friends that realize they can not do this life thing wholly on their own and may ask you to come over and help clean their toilets, friends that trust enough to share their deepest secrets and fears.  Friends that will love, clothe, and feed you if you need it.  We are so grateful to have friends like these and hope that our children can grow up together and start that bond at an early age.  

To give these wonderful people a little break from the daily grind and some alone time, I hosted a Valentine party for the kiddos with some help from a very brave friend.  

We had eight little young ins ranging from one year to almost five running wild around this house,  it is nearly impossible to keep eight toddlers occupied at the same time (God bless preschool teachers)!

What worked out best was Peter Pan and a their own little buckets of Valentines Trail Mix.

Seriously this stuff is sooo good,  I've been eating the left overs for a few days now. 

Hope everyone gets a little extra lovin this weekend ;)

*Angela*