A Make-Over

Blake came home this past week with some paint color options so that we could make a plan to freshen up our island in the kitchen!

We painted our island white two years ago, but it was very dirty and chipping in places.


I like the island painted white very much!

Besides how dirty it always looked, I mean!

Blake and I decided to put a pop of color on the island this time.

I have always been drawn to the teal color of a wire basket hanging on the wall behind the kitchen table.


We started on the back side of the island and after one coat I stepped back and snapped this photo.


I loved it!!

Then I panicked and wasn’t so sure!

Then I loved it!!

(If you have never met someone who cannot STAND change – well, now you have, ha, ha!)


Yesterday we painted the drawers and put a clear coat of wax on everything because we had painted with chalk paint.

Thankfully all of our bigs were home yesterday so they helped us finish it all up.


It looks fresh and beautiful and the color is growing on me just a little bit.

By the time it is time to freshen it up again, I won’t want the teal color to go away!

It was a fun project for a freezing, below zero temperatures weekend.

The kiddos gave the teal color rave reviews, but they are good with change and all!

I heard some whispers about our next project – time will tell!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend too!

Wisconsin friends, stay warm and safe!

Meeting Baby Aspen

What a sweet season this is!

A new grand baby will do that!

We have enjoyed these last (almost) two weeks SO much!

Having Twin Oaks full of the grand babies during Aspen’s delivery was the BEST!

I grabbed those grand babies another day since Aspen’s arrival and brought them to Twin Oaks for the afternoon.

They love to be here and we love to have them here!

Can we just have a moment about this kiddos freckles??

I love those freckles!!

Meeting Aspen after she was born was super sweet!

Her brother’s and sister’s got to meet her hours after she was born and they were SO excited!

The Aunts and Uncles all enjoyed meeting Aspen and getting a turn to hold her a few days later!

I think Tate’s favorite thing about being a Moschel is his role as Uncle to his nephews and nieces!

GPa had a cough, so he had to wait a bit to meet her!

He was so happy to finally hold her this week!

We all think Aspen looks like River!

There are times and angles of her face when she looks like Briar!

It will be fun to see who she resembles more as she grows!

Kayla and Aspen are doing so well!

Aspen is an easy baby so far, is eating like a champ, and the Kozelek family of SEVEN is settling in to their new normal!

I need to hurry up and publish this post because we are headed over to Aspen’s place to get some snuggles!!

And play with some grand babies!!

WE LOVE YOU, ASPEN PRAISE!

And we are so happy the waiting is over and you are HERE!!

Our Sweet Anaya

It is with a heavy heart that I type this post.

This is Anaya, Kayla’s 18th birthday gift, the sweetest pup ever, and so loved by us all.

This is my favorite photo of her, looking up at Kayla, from our days back on the farm.

We had to say goodbye to Anaya hours after our granddaughter Aspen was born.

There were SO many tears – sorrow amidst all of the joy.

We already miss Anaya so much.

It is hard to drive up to David and Kayla’s farm and not have her running down the driveway to greet us as we arrive.

I know that time helps heal….and we are counting on that.

We miss you Nay Nay.

The Lord’s Handiwork

We had the most beautiful frost last week which lasted for days and days.

Those days of frost were also very overcast and cloudy.

It was AMAZING, but I was praying that the sun would shine while that frost was still hanging on everything!

Very early last Tuesday morning before Blake left for work he said to me, “You better get your good camera ready – it’s going to be a good one out there!”

I snapped my long lens on my Canon Rebel, headed outside, and JUST LOOK WHAT GOD DID!!

It was FREEZING, so I would wait about 10 minutes and go back out again and again as the sun got higher and higher in the sky.

BREATH TAKING, isn’t it?

There is nothing that fills my soul fuller with the nearness of God than His beautiful creation.

His hands made THIS!

He did it for HIS GLORY!!

Let the glory be His!!

I enjoy photography so much, especially when I am taking photos of creation.

A day like that one will not be soon forgotten!

Chad comments often how glad he is that we live in the north.

I agree!

The winter season is extreme, yes, but we would all miss it very much!

Make sure you stop and enjoy what the Lord has provided with His handiwork!

Don’t forget to praise Him for it too!

The heavens declare the glory of God!