iSonto #31

This week we are so thankful for our new kitchen! Kitchen renovations were certainly not something we anticipated doing. I had been content for a long time with our kitchen as it was, aside from the dishes that were hard to keep up with and hurt my back to wash. In the end our drawers and cupboards were also wearing out. It came to a point where we realised keeping up with our work and managing my pain was not going to get any easier until we took the plunge.

Here is our old kitchen:

I did a lot of research, talking, and prayer to try and determine the best company to go with for our kitchen renovations, and which parts to renovate. We had to pull out all the cupboards and replace them in order to fit in a dishwasher. In the end we decided to do the whole kitchen, including the pantry, and to go with O'Brien Joinery as our renovator. We are so glad we did, and thankful to God for the whole process. There were some delays but overall great care was taken and the result is excellent.

Day 1, Monday - the whole kitchen was ripped out! Day 2 - there was a supply delay and we were waiting for them to come back, and going out a lot to keep the children out of the area! We did things that are unusual for us like visiting friends for hours and hanging out in the McDonalds play area! God's provision was evident each day and the children were so happy considering their change in routine.

 

Day 3 - cupboards arrived. When I first saw one of the drawers waiting in our garage, I was so thrilled with it and thought "this will be worth every bit of time and money we have put into it".

 

The step in pantry in the corner took a long time to fit in, meaning a delays.

Day 4, Thursday - the remaining cupboards were put in and electrical and plumbing work was completed. Look - our computer finally has a place other than the kitchen table with cords going everywhere!! We have a wonderful shelf in front of our fridge/freezer section. Nate familiarized himself with the new kitchen, rushing back and forth with containers and trying to climb into the new drawers.

 

Day 5 - plastering was completed and final doors put on. Nate runs out to the kitchen and says "we are going to have a beautiful dinner". We were busy cooking up the home grown tomatoes we had been storing in the fridge.

 

We are just starting to familiarise ourselves with the kitchen and find places for everything, but it is incredible how lovely it feels. We have heaps more cupboards and yet it feels larger! Our bench height is now 93cm which is much better for us both.


Encouragement, ideas and inspiration came from these poppies flowering in our autumn garden. I planted heaps of seeds and only got a few plants. Yet if I hadn't bothered to plant seeds there wouldn't have been anything! Another little reminder that even when we don't see much of a result, it is important to plant those physical and spiritual seeds if we want to see something beautiful one day.

 

One funny moment was on one of our many outings, Nate became a back seat driver and began to inform me "there is a car coming Mum, be careful" or "watch out Mum, there is a car coming".

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iSonto #30

This week we are thankful for the . . .

* Fun engagement anniversary trip we took to the foreshore at Howden where Dave proposed. We ate strawberries and cream on the rock where we sat all those years ago chatting about all kinds of things during our courting days!

 

* Squirmy, messy children playing on the shore where I used to play as a child! Dave and I used to talk about our "hypothetical children", who are now thankfully very real.

  

Children who love books, which makes life more peaceful.

 * Easel set up outdoors, painting on it for the first time. Prior to this all our painting has been done at the dining table, which is easier to contain.

Elnathan had an imagination in over-drive this week. His imaginary friends little bear, whale, octopus, duck, and more came to visit us and went in the car and all sorts of things!

Natey's memory verse was "Let the peace of God rule in your hearts" from Colossians 3:15.

Mercy was delightful when we took them to the beach on Sunday after church.

Mercy made circles in the sand.

  

Then she raced for the waves.

  

Water doesn't frighten this one.

  

I spent a happy twenty minutes or so following her.


 

From garden to tummies . . . corn, tomatoes, basil, oregano, capsicum, eggs, zucchini, potatoes, and more! I had to feel blessed when I was able to dig a few potatoes up just before boiling them for a potato salad.

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iSonto #29

This week we are thankful for . . .

* Two tiny people eager to help with the vacuuming.

 

* Picking a flower with Nate helped him not to be upset after a fall. These events are precious little reminders of God's care for us as expressed in the beauty around us, and how this helps us get through the troubles in our daily lives.

* Dave's presentation of his work in QLD went well.

* Frozen meals to help with the workload while he was away.

* Beautiful tomatoes to make into sauce.

Elnathan was happy with the gift his Daddy brought him from QLD, and has hardly parted with it since he received it. It is a van with a surf board on top.

 Natey's memory verse was Luke 6:31, "And just as you would have men do to you, you also do to them likewise".

Mercy was happy to have Daddy back again. She is saying Daddy now and often looked for him while he was away. Mercy has also begun to say 'Hi, Hi, Hi" and "Amen".

 

From garden to tummies . . .  

We are still enjoying the apples we harvested last month. It brings joy to be able to feed the children our own apples.

Encouragement, ideas and inspiration came from What the Duggars Can Teach You About Going With the Flow, as patience and flexibility are sorely needed around here! It was also helpful to read tips for keeping children in worship and reasons why this is beneficial.

 One funny moment was when I asked Nate what type of pet he had (in the context of a book we were reading). He replied "Mercy".

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iSonto #28

This week we are thankful for the toys we have, including this dolly I played with as a child.

Elnathan was very happy to be able to go to playgroup this week, after missing it last week due to a cold. It is sweet the way they both stand at the gate, eager to go out. It is great to have the opportunity to go out and greet and pray for people in our community.

Nate also loved pretending to be an ambulance driver and coming up and asking if I was alright and if I wanted a "arm band" (known by others as a "band aid")! He would rush up to Mercy and say "oh the teeth" and try to stick his fingers in her mouth, imitating me trying to sooth her teething.

Natey's memory verse was "Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have" Hebrews 13: 5.

Mercy was busy learning new words. At playgroup she went straight for the dolls and said "dolly". Here she is joining in with chalking.

From garden to tummies . . .  

Corn, tomatoes, carrots, basil, chives, parsley, potatoes, beets, beans, capsicum, and more were on the menu this week. It is the time of year when it becomes necessary to cook a lot just to get through all the produce, and we can be grateful for all the variety as we change seasons.

A book we enjoyed together was "Wow City", a picture book about a tiny girl who goes on an aeroplane to a city and says "Wow!" all the time.

Encouragement, ideas and inspiration came from "Homemaking" by J. R. Miller. Quiet reading with Nate was a rich time of inspiration for me as I read about cultivating the right spirit in our home. It was also wonderful to skim read "The Comforts of Home", which really encouraged me in my love for order and beauty.


One funny moment was Nate saying at a meal "Jesus takes our sins away". Mummy basked for a few minutes in having taught him something. Then he said "that's not good. Its not good to take things away". I didn't laugh at the time, but tried to explain that it is good to take away bad things!

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