Life at Gray Gables

Monday, January 5, 2015

Let's Embark on a New YOU!

We have embarked on the beginning of yet another New Year. I have spent many days...and nights...thinking about How I can make this year better? How I can better myself? How I can find something that makes me truly happy. I doubt I am alone in this line of questioning.

I feel like I am in some what of a FUNK. I am not happy with my current situations in life - not the ones that call me Mom or the one that calls me Wife..but the one that pays the bills. It's tough because I feel like I should feel so appreciative and grateful to have the opportunity that I do...but I still feel like it is just NOT the what I was looking for...not what I can see long term and just not it. (let's just be clear, right!)

I mean, I am so creative and I feel like I have had a cover over that creativity for the past few years...and I am bored..stale..stuck in a pattern of dull!

It is time to reach up and figure out the WHAT that I am missing.

Is this the year? I feel like every year there is some sort of re-evaluation going on..this year it just feel bigger. I feel like I am listening past myself to a higher power...and that I am kind of in the throws of the what...that I am seeking. I just hope that I find it, I am great at it, I give it my all and maintain my seriousness in wanting to make it HAPPEN!

I guess it helps that this

Christmas I did not get 1

Cricut...I got 2! I think my

Hubby and Mom are trying to

tell me something...I just

have to listen. They are both

different and I am in a real debate

... do I keep 1 or both?

Decisions...Decisions...

I think that for me, I love to write (thanks to my Blog Readers!) and paint, I love doing Stained Glass and finding antiques...it is time that I find my way.... I think...wait...I know BIG things are about to happen!

Keep your eyes peeled because Gray Gables is going BIG!.

What are some of your goals for 2015?

What are some random things you want to change?

Let's get back to it - peeps!

#feelingpumpedup

#letsdothis

Don't forget to follow me on:

@KelleyAmstutz

KAMSTUTZ09

Thanks all!

~Kel

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Year...Enough Said!

What are your New Years Plans? Parties? Low Key? Dinner & a Movie? Relaxing on the couch?

Maybe your just planning to pop the top on some Asti and kiss the one you love as the clock strikes Midnight? Maybe you have a Gala event where you get to dress up and drink bubbly out of real glasses, wearing masks and confetti fills your hair and glass at Midnight?

How about plans for 2015? Aspirations? Goals? Resolutions?

Think it through. It is not an easy process. I mean, how many years have you made those darn resolutions and then...come April...your have already ruined them? (Maybe even sooner!)

Why don't you be clear and honest with yourself? I mean setting goals is a great thing, setting limitations and working hard at staying on track, but don't forget to be REALISTIC!

I chose a banner with Art on it because my 2015 is going to be HUGE! I am listening to God and following his lead when it comes to my future. I am going to start being more artistic, more shabby chic and putting the things that I LOVE TO DO on the forefront. Gray Gables Glass and Goods is my aspiration. I have this old Carriage House that has been roofed, but that is it and it is time to make it my own. It even has a loft, which will come in handy with inventory, as I grow. My plans are to get started with the new year and hopefully have sales, small at first, by February and by mid- to- end year have my shop set up. The best part is that my Hubby has tapped into my dream and channeled my own creativity and is ecstatic to help me make this OUR reality.

I would also love to say that I want to get fit again...(like every year!) and work on being a BETTER Mom (Hey, I have made HUGE leaps and bounds this past year!), of course patience still needs some handling and I would love to get things here at Gray Gables Farms tied up. We are so close but yet...so far away!

Another BIG goal is to unload our former residence. Right now it is a Rental and I hate that! I mean, it is such a great house, clean, nice and a lot of love went into that home that I am hoping to put it on the market and find a buyer that will appreciate it as much as we did.

Let 2015 be THE YEAR of greatness! It is time to make my Dreams come true, do what I truly love and become more inspired than ever in my life!

Here's to hoping you are able to make your dreams come true, your resolutions meet fruition and a great start to a great year!

Happy New Year all!

~Kel

Diary of a Sick Kid (from a BAD Mom)

Am I a BAD Mom? I am starting to wonder. The treatment that I have experienced in the past 24 hours from Family and Friends is making me feel as if I did something wrong.

I have kids. Kids, who are sick ... A LOT! We started with this coughing crap (pardon my french..but that is what it is!) on the 18th. I debated every morning...do I let my five year old go to school or do I keep her home. I chose to let her go. We talked and I found that a) she is not the ONLY kid sick at school and b) it is 2 days and then break.

The sickness followed well into her break, through Christmas Eve and Christmas Day even. Long days. She was wore out and it showed. She was a trooper though- cranky, but not to bad and she knew when to fold 'em and head her butt to bed for some rest!

So, that brings us to Monday. We had a sick weekend. We laid low, relaxed, watched movies and she was carrying a less than normal appetite. We tried to just get food in her belly...broth, tomato soup, spaghetti o's. Anything she liked that was warm and easy to eat/drink and would provide substance but not weight in her sensitive belly.

I called first thing in the morning to the Peds office. Busy.... I tried again... Busy... I decided to get sneaky and find another number. BINGO! It was shortly after 10 when I finally got through, thanks to my Super Mom Detective work, and tried to pull the feel sorry for me and just write me a script...please! No go. But, we did get an appointment for early afternoon, same day!

Off to pick up my girls and head to the office. Surprisingly happy, my children were, and sat pretty well while we waited for my oldest's name to be called.

Off to the room we go. Number 13...as my daughter pointed out. I have no idea what the significance is, but she made a mention of it twice, so it must mean something to her. As the nurse is going through the motions she notices that my youngest is stuffy as well and lucky for me, pulled her chart for a quick go over with our doc too!

At last, the Doc comes in. She is good. I mean on the level with my kids, asking them what they got for Christmas and not looking to me for answers. (If you are a MOM, you get this.. It's a language thing)

The News...

My oldest jumps on the table and Doc starts listening to her "deep breaths" and then I hear it... "Oh, it's Pneumonia" - OK...I was like "OH NO." I am sure my face said it all. Fear, scared, concern- all bubbled from me. She reassures me that this flu season has been one for the books, even telling me that her average for pneumonia is 5 cases PER WEEK. That is insane.

Then comes my youngest and I swear I prayed and prayed audibly. Lucky for us, she just has a cold. And let's hope it does not develop into anything further.

Our PLAN of ACTION.

My oldest is under an antibiotic (without penicillin, since last year around this time we found out she was allergic!) and breathing treatments on the Neb, 4 times a day. You can image how this went over. We have had the Neb since last year, when my then, two year old, had to use it. My big girl was NOT HAPPY about this news. It took a little tough love and explaining that she has a lung infection and we either do our breathing treatments or we are heading to the hospital for a stay. "OK Mom, I will do these Breathing Treatments, anything to not have to go to the Hospital!"

We are now in day 2 and we are noticing some changes with her. Color is good, cough is getting better and she seems almost back to normal. We have a recheck on Friday, and I have been sending a lot of prayers up for this to be behind us.

Friends are now telling me that once you have pneumonia, your chances of getting again are high, or anything respiratory in nature. EEK! I am still in utter shock that my five year old has pneumonia. It is terrifying. I make her bundle up to even go near the outside air- scarf over mouth, hat and hood up, gloves on. It's no joke there.

But, when we do our recheck and hoping all is good to go - I will be asking about the Pneumonia Vaccine- which honestly, up until a day ago, I had NEVER even heard of.

Word from a Mother:

If you kid is sick, maybe it IS best to take them to the Docs- better safe than sorry. All I keep thinking is that if I had taken her in at the beginning of the week, maybe it would not have turned into pneumonia at all. I guess that is the should-a could-a would-a talking.

I wish all of you LUCK during this season. I think it is going to be BRUTAL!

Until the new year!

~Kel

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

T swift Mashup and its effin Ah-Mazin

If you have NOT checked this out yet...prepare yourself!

Its the best thing I have seen and even has T SWIFT herself going twitter crazy over it!

Well...what are you waiting for....

CLICK HERE:

Blank Space // Style (Taylor Swift Mash-Up)

So, who is responsible for this totally awesome mash up?

Nashville-based singer Louisa Wendorff enlisted her friend Devin Dawson to help sing an acoustic mashup of Swift's 1989 hits "Style" and "Blank Space."

The clip was uploaded on Dec. 23 but didn't get that much traction until Swift herself Tweeted out a link to it four days later, saying she was "obsessed."

Would that not be AMAZING!!

In response, we find a pic of Louisa on Twitter:

With the caption "What is Life?!?" - I am sure she is asking herself this all to often now.

Be sure to check her out on YouTube and her album is on ITunes also!

Arrow- Louisa Wendorff

And last but NOT least- check out her website:

http://www.louisawendorff.com/

where you can WATCH/ BUY and JOIN her mailing list!

This girl is one to watch! She has a ton of great songs in her portfolio and definitely had our family in awww of her talent and beautiful vocals!

I can't wait to see where the future takes her!! (And yes, I approve, I endorse and I will promote!)

~Kel

Monday, December 22, 2014

Christmas Break.... December 22nd-January 5th

Be back in January!

With kids off of school and taking some much needed time off of work...Hubby is on shutdown- so we are going to turn off the cell phones...the computers...the tablets... and enjoy some family time!

Don't worry! If you enjoy my Blog, I will be back December 5th with tons of updates on our holiday...our life and our projects! I am working on pictures as we speak! We have been BUSY working on Gray Gables Farm!

Happy Holidays ALL!

~Kel

Saturday, December 20, 2014

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Christmas?

Ehh....I am trying so hard to whip this place into shape. It has been such a long road to even get to where we are sitting right now.

Pictures of our girls in the living room.

Chandelier in the Dining Room

Last night my Hubby hung the pictures on the bare walls, hung my valance and curtain rod in the dining room and I took on the challenge of cleaning the disgustingly dirty windows. It started off super exciting. I mean, I have brand new Hanson windows in this house and they are the ones that you hit the button and can clean both sides because they POP out!

How wonderful...ly...awkward!

Mirror over entry table
and Otis too!

I mean, to clean the top outside you have to POP the bottom one and have the top lean on that one and doing this by myself was NOT THE WAY TO GO! But, I fought through the challenge and came out on top! Cleanest windows around!

Living room picture hung!

I am happy with the way things are shaping up. We have a lot to do still, as we are hosting Christmas at our house- it's an HONOR and our FIRST time! I have been OVER and OVER my Menu and OVER again!.

Dining Chairs

On our agenda tonight - recovering these 1890 Jacobean style dining chairs. Wish us luck! I have pinned a bunch of things- so here's hoping to a success on our quest!

I will be signing off for a while during the holidays, but have no fear, I will return and have pictures and content to share (to say the least!).