Dear Future Daughters-In-Law

As I watch my little boys grow up to be men, I reflect on how I have tried to prepare them for life. It is very important to me that they have well-rounded skills that will be helpful to them as husbands.

Lifeskills, if you will, that will be useful to them and also be appreciated by their wives. My husband has been consistent to teach them manly things, yet he was never taught to notice or do things that would have helped me out around the house, especially when i had just given birth, or was working a night shift.

So the list of things he has been teaching them includes minor car repair, and maintenance, yard work, small engine work, plumbing, electrical, appliance repair, farm maintenance, driving a stick, etc. I am eternally grateful to have married a man with these skills. He has saved us countless dollars by being an all around amazing handyman.

He has also led them on the path of a strong Christian man. They know what a faithful Christian leader looks like, and they have been practicing diligently in prayer and study and worship. They see how their dad leads our family, yet works together with their mama to lead their home.

I have added to those skills the daily, often overlooked kind of skills, like cooking, meal planning, washing dishes, laundry, cleaning a bathroom, first aid, babysitting, managing money, sewing, reading for pleasure, etc.

I want you to know that I have put my heart into preparing them for you. Whether they retain these skills, or recognize when they are needed, is on them. They cannot plead ignorance when there are no clean plates, or underwear. So don't let em fool ya!

I am so excited at the thought of having precious ladies in our family who are loved deeply by my sons. I look forward to sweet babies that I can spoil and love on! You are the reason I can let go of my sadness over the passing of time. I cannot wait to know you!

P.S.  Dear Future Son-In-Law.......... Good Luck!

Toy Kitchen

I have so much to share that I still can't! I can't wait till February to share pictures of our family!! For now here are a couple pics of the toy kitchen we built for Minnie. It turned out exactly like the vision in my head, thanks to my personal carpenter, the Farmer. Here is the only before shot I took..... sorry.

This was a small tv cabinet with glass doors on the front and a swivel top so the tv could move around. We had already removed the doors and the top before I got this pic.....again, sorry.

Now for the after, because I didn't take a single during pic.......... bad blogger, sorry.

So, we used the board that swiveled as the oven door and a divider for the oven and the shelves. We used the magnetic thingies (technically correct word, of course) as the closure for the oven. It works great. I didnt take a pic inside, but we used old wire shelving for a rack. The sides and back are left over beadboard from my pantry redo (I haven't blogged about that either, sorry). The shelves were some I have had for years that I never found a home for. The sink is a dog food bowl. The knobs for the stove and the faucet came from Lowes. The faucet was the most expensive thing for the whole project. If I had planned better I would have gone to the Habitat store. Oh well, I probably spent less since I didn't burn the gas to go there. The stove eyes are cds, I just hot glued them for now, so far so good! The window was made of scraps, it is open on the top so I can change out the scene. For now it is snowing outside, haha! I sewed the curtains, a potholder, and an apron out of the same fabric. I don't looove it but the colors match my kitchen so it will do for now. I made some felt and fabric food too! So far, bowtie pasta, ravioli, strawberries, and eggs. I didnt use any real patterns but the general ideas found on pinterest and other blogs. I am not the one to teach how to sew, I tend to fly by the seat of my pants. It usually works out. I got various accessories from walmart and the dollar tree. The mickey mouse salt and pepper shakers came from target. I knew Minnie would looove them.

She is sooo tiny! I like decorating the shelves since she can't reach them!!!

The kitchen total cost was almost $50. Not bad for a one of a kind awesome toy that will be used for a long time. All the accessories was another $20. So it was still way cheaper than a comparable storebought version.

I forgot to take a pic of the fridge. We have a small antique icebox that a friend was throwing away, so I spray painted it white and the inside aqua blue. Minnie keeps here plastic fruits and veggies in there.

So there it is! Come on over and play some time!