Dreaming Out Loud

Do you have a lot of Summer projects that you are trying to finish? 

I do! 

We have family coming to stay for a week and I am scrambling to finish up a few of my lovely ideas.  

I found two adirondack chairs for $5 at a yard sale this past weekend. They will be wonderful to have when people visit. My son is out pressure washing them now in preparation to sand and paint them a glossy white. 
Isn't he the sweetest?!

I am also staining our large outdoor farm table. I keep looking for mismatched wood chairs, but have not been able to find any. I might just settle for benches. 
I would love it to look like this... 

Country Living

Here are some other wonderful spaces.

 Country Living

Country Living

The picture above was my inspiration to build our big outdoor table:). 

SuzieBeezie

I am somewhat of a daydreamer. 
But isn't it fun?

Contentedness does not mean we have to stop collecting ideas on our wish list. 
You can be perfectly happy with what you have and still dream a little. 
The trick is to not let your dreaming make you think that what you have is not right, or practical, or worthy. 


For instance...this is my dream house...

Gast Architects

Or even this one... I'm not picky:).

Houzz

Inside is my dream bath...

Nicole Hollis 

Five wonderful bedrooms, PLUS an extra....for all of our treasured guests.

Rie from Home and Harmony.


On warm Summer nights, our kids would sleep on the porch.

apartmenttherapy.com 

I'd cook them pancakes and eggs in the morning in my big beautiful kitchen, complete with  wainscot on the ceiling.

Country Living

Open beams are nice, too:).

Houzz

I just adore white.

Nicole Hollis

It's fun to imagine what it would be like.

But do you want to know a secret?

It's not so much that if I had these things everything would be rosy and peachy keen. 

The images above evoke a feeling. 

And I know that by implementing some of the ideas into my own home, I can create the same presence.  

That's why I love to dream.

The Lord blessed us all with talent to create warm and inviting spaces...and that doesn't mean we have to spend a million dollars:). Being happy with our current homes, inviting those who need rest, using our spaces to bless those who enter through our doors...this is what the Lord wants from us. 

For me, it is one of the ways I feel God uses our family.

So, we are getting ready for our guests.

We will be doing a lot of outdoor dining and some of us will be sleeping in tents for fun!

We will spend hours talking and laughing...catching up together. 

Even though having a bigger house would be wonderful, I know that giving our guests a lasting memory depends upon our caring and loving them for who they are while they are in our cozy home.

Good luck with all of your projects this Summer!

I will leave you with a really yummy recipe from the Penzeys catalog.

It is great for a Farmer Hubby who needs high calorie meals right now:).

Jen's Pesto Chicken

1 lb. new red potatoes

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

16 oz. Penne pasta

1 lb. cooked chicken breasts/ 4c. shredded

8 oz. pesto sauce *

1/2 c-1c. pine nuts

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut potatoes into cubes and season with olive oil and garlic powder. Mix well and bake on a roasting pan for 35 minutes, turning at 25 minutes. Cook pasta. Add shredded chicken, pesto, potatoes, pine nuts, and olive oil to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and enjoy!

Easy Pesto

Blend together...

2/3 c. olive oil

1 c. fresh basil leaves

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

3 minced garlic cloves

{Makes 8 oz.}

* I am going to make this recipe, freeze in ice cube trays and seal in bags for the Winter.

Yum!