I have spenta littleenough time on Pinterest in the past couple of months, and among other things I got the idea to make my own headboard. I didn't actually use the idea I saw on Pinterest- with the help of a few creative people I came up with a unique plan. After my dad cut the boards I needed to size, it wasn't that difficult. However I really don't see myself ever being a DIY fanatic- as much as I like the idea, I just don't have the patience!
It turns out I didn't take as many pictures as I thought I did, but here is a little of my headboard making process:I started out with a sheet of plywood for the main part of the head board and some 4x1 trim to frame and support it.
My make shift workplace: garbage/recycling cans and the plywood for the headboard
I used stain that matched the rest of the furniture in my bedroom and a polyurethane top coat.
With a layer of upholstery foam cut to size on the plywood I covered the entire thing with vinyl fabric (foam and fabric both from Hobby Lobby) and eventually wrapped the fabric around the back and stapled it in place.
Everything laid out- the white chunk of foam in the background is leftover from what I used
The trim boards were laid on top of the fabric around the edge of the foam and attached to the board with screws from the back of the plywood. I then used hex bolts to attach the headboard to my bed frame. Pretty nifty!
The finished product It actually turned out way better than I thought it would, and to make things better it was pretty inexpensive (especially since my dad gave me the plywood and trim from his own supply-thanks dad!). Not too bad for my first project if you ask me :)
Close up of the headboard- I love it!
It's true...my mom is the best mom. She is one of my best friends. She has always been there when I needed someone to listen or give me advice. She has always been supportive of me. My mom has been an excellent role model and example. I admire her faith and courage in everything she has been through. I am so thankful for all of our chats, shopping trips, and fun times we have had together.Today happens to be her birthday. I wish I could be with her, but we got to celebrate early while I was in Iowa this weekend. Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!!
Isn't she beautiful? :)
....Ahmed and I went on our first date. We went to Victoria's (an Italian restaurant in Rochester) and took a ridiculously cold walk in the snow (I'm pretty sure it was just because he wanted to have an excuse to put his arm around me:). Obviously, the date went pretty well. I never could have imagined what the next five years would hold for us. We have been through so much together already, and I wouldn't change anything.
Then...
December 2006
...NowI am so thankful God put Ahmed in my life- I love you so much!
October 2011
I love seeing blog posts and facebook updates from friends sharing things they are thankful for in the season of Thanksgiving. I don't have the patience to update things every day, but I have actually been trying to remind myself of things I have to be thankful for in the past few months. I have so much to be thankful for, so why is it so easy to be unhappy?
There are a few things I have been struggling with that make me feel unhappy. I have to constantly remind myself of things like "God is in control," "it's not about me" and "God's plan is better than mine." These are all things that I have personally learned through experience many times. God is always faithful and good; why do I need to keep reminding myself of that? I often end up feeling disappointed in myself and frustrated that being content seems to be so difficult.Rejoice always, pray continually, give things in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The truth is, being content shouldn't be a struggle. When I think of all I have to be thankful for, it's not difficult to come up with a big list. Here is a small list of things I'm thankful for:
- I have the most amazing family. We are not perfect, and there's a lot of struggles within my family, but we can all be supportive of each other. I love them all so much!
- My mom is my best friend. I admire her faith and courage and am thankful for her love and support.
- I have a caring boyfriend. I'm thankful that he has put up with me for almost five years- we have been through a lot together
- I have two charming nephews and the sweetest niece ever. I love spoiling them and am thankful for the pure joy that they bring to my life
- I have a job. Even if it's not what was in my plan- it's a really great job, and I enjoy what I do
- My church
- Friends
- Music
- Sunshine
- Dessert
Thinking of all of these things that I do have help me put things into perspective. Even if my life isn't going the way I would like it to, it's still a pretty darn good life. I am ultimately on this earth to serve God- not myself, and I know that He has a better plan than I do. More than anything in my list, I am thankful for God's love and faithfulness.Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3: 22-23
- I could go on, but I need to go to bed, and I don't like really long posts :)
I love to take pictures. I am definitely not a professional, and I make a lot of mistakes, but I’m learning! If you know me at all, you know that my most popular photo subjects are my niece and nephews. These pictures are no exception, but there is a special occasion. These two special kids have birthdays this month!
Miss Emma is turning two soon. She is growing to be a sweet girl and is starting to be quite the little chatterbox!
Elvin is turning four, but this will be the first birthday we get to celebrate with him, so it's extra special. He is a cute little guy with a big personality.
And of course James had to get in the action too. Aren’t they the cutest? I sure think so :)
On Wednesday nights I volunteer at Awana at my church. In a room of 20ish 3-4 year old kids. Some weeks are just plain chaotic, but most weeks I leave with my heart full. It is so precious and powerful to watch little kids get excited to learn about God. Plus the kids are very entertaining.
Tonight was one of the chaotic nights, but it still put a smile on my face. A little conversation with two 4 year old boys:
Boy 1 (completely out of the blue): "When I turn 16 I'm going to change my name."Me: "Oh yeah? What are you going to change your name to?"Boy 1: "Mario"Me: "Wow- that's a cool name!"Boy 2: "When I turn 16 I'm going to change my name to Optimus Prime!!"
I have to wonder- where does a four year old learn about name changing? And Optimus Prime? Happy Wednesday! The week is more than half over!
I started using a couch to 5k running app on my phone in August. I ran very diligently at first, but I started to lose motivation over the past few weeks. There was a 4k road race in my home town weekend, so Ahmed and I decided we were going to give it a try. I have to admit it took a lot of convincing from Ahmed, but I participated in the race, and I'm so glad that I did! I made it the entire 2.5ish miles without walking. That doesn't sound like much, but it's a big deal to me. I don't even care that I ran pathetically slow. I made it.
what a beautiful morning!
Still smiling post-race
I also spent some time taking pics of these two cuties- they both have birthdays this month! A little sneak peak:
This sweet girl is going to be two. LOVE her!
...visit Lake City, MN- the birthplace of water skiing (for real- google it- I dare you!)
It was a quick trip that made for an enjoyable and relaxing Sunday afternoon.
Ahmed gets sick of taking self portraits. Too bad :)Here's a few more pictures:And then I had to leave for work at 5:45 this morning (yuck)...hello Monday!
I have been at my new job for about a month, and I was more than ready for a day off yesterday...ha! It has been a challenging, overwhelming, tiring month, but I have learned a lot and am so thankful that I have a job. And a little bit of a challenge is good for me, whether I like to admit it or not.
One perk of my job is I make my own hours, so I have been choosing long days Monday through Thursday and then working just a few hours on Fridays. Early Friday afternoon I headed to Iowa to spend the long weekend with my family. What a great weekend it was! Some highlights and pictures:
Giving James and Emma a bath and then watching them "run free" for a few minutes before getting jammies on. Emma peed on the floor. I laughed.
James and Grandma
Emma refused to say my name most of the weekend and thought it was funny to call me Heidi- what a stinker. She's not even two.
Love
Hiking at Oak Grove (state park near my parents' house) with some great people...which there are no pictures of because I brought my camera, but no memory card :(
Grandpa is such a pest
James and Emma yelling and trying to boss Petey (the dog) around while at Oak Grove...he didn't notice.
What a cutie
Spending a little (not enough) time with Ahmed before he left to go hiking in the Montana wilderness for the week.
"Hey Lenae, come take my picture!"
Great conversations with my parents and sister while spending a couple of hours in the car together Sunday afternoon.
She's as sweet as she looks...really.
Having a picnic and playing at the park before heading back to Minnesota. The only time I didn't fail at taking pictures.
My dad is a little obsessed with taking cell phone pics of the kids.
Have a good week!
Ahmed said he didn't want a birthday cake, but last night I decided to make him one anyways. It's a good thing I did, because he told me it was the BEST birthday cake he ever had! Aftertwothree trips to the grocery store, here is the final product:
Like his new watch? :) Happy Birthday!
After the multiple store trips I had a broken mixer and a bad batch of frosting... but I still finished it! Don't judge my decorating skills. By the time I frosted it I was tired and had lost all patience. Happy 29th Birthday, Love!
Recipe for White Almond Cake:1 package white cake mix1 cup flour1 cup sugar3/4 teaspoon salt1 1/3 cups water8 oz sour cream2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 teaspoon almond extract1 teaspoon vanilla extract4 egg whites
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 11x13 cake pan (I used two 9 inch round pans and made a few cup cakes).Stir together the cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.Add remaining ingredients and mix for 2 minutes (still will have some lumps).Bake about 25 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean- took more like 30 min for me). Allow to cool before frosting.
After my failed frosting, I ended up using store bought cream cheese frosting. Ahmed liked it, but I thought it would be better with a lighter whipped frosting. YUM!
If you are unfamiliar, Norwex makes environmentally friendly cleaning products. No need for harmful chemicals or paper towels. And they work.Last month I had a Norwex party, courtesy of Mandi, and I got some pretty sweet stuff! (Thanks to everyone who made a purchase!)My Norwex collection:
Some of it is actually Ahmed's...but we decided to share :)
Products pictured: envirocloths, window cloths, travel pack, body pack, make up removal pack, mop starter pack, rubber brush, dusting mitt, sportzyme, de scaler, mattress cleaner, cleaning paste, and spirinetts.
Why I heart Norwex: I have found that all of the products I have are excellent. My favorite is the basic pack (envirocloth and window cloth). The envirocloth removes bacteria from surfaces without cross contaminating (so you don't move bacteria around...not even to your hands!), plus the microfibers are of such great quality that it is great for deep cleaning. For example, I cleaned a bbq sauce stain out of beige carpet using nothing but my envirocloth and water. It took less than a minute.
That's just the envirocloth. If you want to know about anything else, ask me- or check out Mandi's website. I would recommend hosting a party...it has some pretty good kick-backs.
PS- I'm only sharing this because I want to share something I think is pretty great :)
PS- I'm only sharing this because I want to share something I think is pretty great :)
I had my second interview for a Mental Health Practitioner job at Community Technology and Services (CTS) in Austin on Friday. About an hour after my interview, I received a call and was offered the job! That was after they told me I could expect to hear from them by Tuesday or Wednesday, so I was totally blown away. I asked if I could have the weekend to think about it, but was then asked if I could come to work Monday. Wow!
This job is going to be challenging and full of new responsibilities, so I am a little nervous, but still excited! I have to say goodbye to sleeping until 8 am every day since I have to be there at 7 tomorrow, and it's a 35 minute drive. Yikes...I guess it's time to grow up :)
As for what I'll be doing at CTS... I am going to be working with people (kids, teens and adults) with mental illnesses, helping them come up with a plan to be more successful. I am not quite sure what that all entails, but I do know it sounds like a big responsibility. I'll have to see what day one brings.
I am so thankful and blessed to have found a job already. I only went two weeks without one. God is good--all the time!
I LOVE spending time with my family, and I love that I can make frequent trips to Iowa to see them. But sometimes it's nice to have my family here. Last summer everyone came up to Rochester for a weekend, and it was so much fun that we decided to do it again this year. Unfortunately not everyone could make it this time, but it was a fun weekend for those that did! In our 48 hours together we packed in shopping, great Chinese food, a bonfire at Ahmed's, a trip to the House of Bounce, grilling/pool party at my apartment, church, an engagement photo session for Heidi and Preston, lunch at a wood fire grill, a tour of Niagara Cave, and a little bit of sleep. The weekend went way too fast, but I enjoyed every minute of it. For the family member who takes pictures of everything, I don't have a lot of pictures from the weekend (besides the ones of Heidi and Preston). It was really busy, and I was just plain enjoying the time with my family. I did manage to get a few though:
Love those big baby blues!
Sweetest little face EVER!
My two best friends :)
Not having a job is hard work! (Sort of) I've been sleeping in a little bit, but still staying busy. Looking for a job is kind of a full time job itself, plus I have been getting ready for my family to come to Rochester this weekend (I can't wait!). I decided it was a good opportunity to do some cleaning, and I convinced Ahmed to hire me to do some painting in his house :)
A couple of people have asked me about the quote from my last post. Dr. John Stumbo was the senior pastor at Salem Alliance Church in Oregon until he had to deal with a terrible illness in 2008/2009. He happens to be friends with the senior pastor at the church Ahmed and I attend in Rochester. When Dr. Stumbo stepped down from being a pastor, he made a video clip that we viewed in our church. The quote is from that video, and I wrote it down because I found it really meaningful. I've held onto it for the past 2+ years (it's even on my Facebook page).
I was rather surprised this past Sunday when we got to church and found out that John Stumbo was giving the message (the day after I shared his quote on my blog- it was a little freaky). He shared the story of his illness and had an amazing message to go with it. I couldn't begin to do his story any justice if I tried to retell it, so trust me- it was good -as in tears-streaming-down-my-face-while-listening good! And the moral of his story: It's okay to grieve. We don't always have to pretend everything is all unicorns and rainbows...it's not. But no matter what, God is good.
Here's the quote one more time since it goes so well with his message:"Sometimes He's the God who delivers us from. Sometimes He's the God who walks us through. Either way, He's good. Sometimes He rescues. Sometimes He teaches us different lessons. Either way, He's good. You're going to learn something different about God if he rescues you or if He walks with you. You're going to learn something different about yourself if He rescues you or walks with you. God knows what you need. Our job is to trust Him." -John StumboGod is SO good!
I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while, and I now have some extra free time on my hands, so here it goes...
The wonderful family I spent the last year nannying for is moving to Seattle. Yesterday was my last day of work, and I have not found a job yet. Things aren't going anything like I planned, but they never do. About this time last year I started looking for a new job. My intention was to leave Rochester, and I thought finding a nanny job would be a great way to pick a new location for no reason other than I wanted something different. Then I was contacted by a family in Rochester, and everything changed. To say that the past year of my life has been nothing like I planned is an understatement, but it has been better- in a lot of ways. Rochester isn't my favorite place, but it is close to my family, and Ahmed is here. And it's where God wants me to be...for now.
I have no idea what's next or how long it will be until I find a job, but I have complete faith that God is in control and has a plan. I've had a few freak-out moments, but I keep reminding myself God has showed me (numerous times) that worrying is unnecessary. Things always work out."Sometimes He's the God who delivers us from. Sometimes He's the God who walks us through. Either way, He's good. Sometimes He rescues. Sometimes He teaches us different lessons. Either way, He's good. You're going to learn something different about God if he rescues you or if He walks with you. You're going to learn something different about yourself if He rescues you or walks with you. God knows what you need. Our job is to trust Him." -John Stumbo
"Our job is to trust Him." Easier said than done, but it's what I'm trying to do. I know that no matter what happens I will be okay, because God is faithful.
