Category Archives: everyday stuff

New Beginnings

13 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by in Country Life, everyday stuff, Farmhouse Style, heart and soul

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Happy New Year friends! (A few days late…but still.). I hope that all is going well with you.  I have been feeling better lately and that is something to shout “Oh Glory!” over.  It has been a long several months.  Anyway…new beginnings. 

  
I love January.  It’s my favorite month.  I am actually one of those weird folks that tends to enjoy winter.  At least for a while.  I love the coziness of it.  I don’t love icy roads…but I do enjoy softly falling snow.  How about you?

  

(PERSPECTIVE. My word for the year.)

I also love to organize and clean out things in January.  Our big thing so far has been moving the microwave off of the counter.  Can we live without it?  We aren’t sure yet. 

(By the way:  The egg famine is finally over. They love us again. That big one!  Yowch!)

  
  
We have had another new beginning in our family.  A sweet baby nephew.  He is all things wonderful.  A gift from a above.  His tiny little life has done big things to our hearts.

  
I hope that you guys are enjoying the New Year.  I plan to post more now…and to try to get back in the swing.  Life is good and God is amazing.  This blog is a place to treasure all of that.

  
Love from the Farmhouse,

Kelli Belli

Christmas Cheer

18 Friday Dec 2015

Posted by in Country Life, everyday stuff, fluffin' the nest, heart and soul

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You guys!  I promise…I didn’t move to Mars.  I am here…trying to stay sane.  That is always a good thing…right? Right.  So…are you needing a bit of Christmas cheer?  I might be able to help with that.  Let’s see here…

  
Oh wait…those were our Brussels sprouts from last light.  But…..if you need a very easy side dish that is well…delish…here you go.  Slice fresh sprouts…drizzle with olive oil, season to taste, and pop into a 425 degree oven until browned. Yuh-um.

  
So…we have been going to Christmas programs…running around like chickens with our heads cut off and all sorts of things that are Christmasy like that. We did celebrate our twentieth wedding anni in there. It was an amazing day. I felt very, very, thankful. (And full.  We ate at Zio’s and laughed about all of the food that we ordered…um…for two.)

  
I waited until after Thankgiving this year to put out our decor. It was good…but I felt a little rushed.  Other than that…we are enjoying the coziness of all things twinkly. (And the simplicity lover in me…is longing for Dec. 26th.  Jk!!! Kinda. Okay…not kidding.)  

 
  
I know that I am not on here a ton lately. To be honest…I have had some health issues this year that have symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis.  It has been a long process…and if you know anything about that…it is nerve related and painful. (Nerves?  What are nerves?). Anyway…I appreciate you guys constantly stopping in to check for a new post…even when there hasn’t been one.  I would love for you to say a little prayer (or big) for me…and I would love to feel like blogging more often. Sharing the love of Jesus and the love of family…is my life.  I want to do that for Him.

  
So…that is my story and I’m sticking to it.  God is good…He sees us…and He hasn’t brought us out here to leave us.  That is the best pot of Christmas Cheer…that we could ever hope for!!!

  
Love from my heart to yours!!!

Kelli

To Tree or Not To Tree

18 Wednesday Nov 2015

Posted by in everyday stuff, RaMbLiNgs, Uncategorized

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(Warning: The photos in this post have nothing to do with the topic.  You are welcome.)

Ha!  What a title!  Plain and simple, I have a question for you on this week before Thanksgiving.  To tree or not to tree? Do you already have yours up? 

  
Our girls wanted to put ours up last Saturday.  It was way in the back corner of the basement…so it’s still not up.  I used to always wait.  I love Thanksgiving so I like to savor it first.  Plus…the simplicity lover in me can only handle seasonal decor for so long.  (Weird, I know.) We shall see how it goes.  When it comes to my babies…I tend to cave on things that don’t have to be set in stone. I like that about me. 

  
I would love to hear your take on it.  It’s fun to appreciate the perspectives of others. Leave me a comment.  Let’s hash this thing. 😉 To tree or not to tree…

Love from the Farmhouse,

Kelli

Epantry and Other News

08 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by in everyday stuff, Farmhouse Style, fluffin' the nest

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Hey friends!  Hello to you from the house of the puny folks.  We have been hit with various ailments and no one feels very grand except for one little guy.  He needs to put his bubble suit on.  Okay…enough of that.  We will survive…I am believing for that. I do want to share some important news with you though about Epantry. Have you heard of it?  You are getting ready to. 😉

Epantry is this really cool company that you can buy household supplies from.  They send them right to your door.  They sell natural products that are very good for our health and for the environment.  Can anyone say Mrs. Meyers? Woo hoo!  Anyway, my sweet IG friend Natalie of Natalie Creates is the one that introduced me to Epantry.  She was always getting this awesome stuff in the mail that fit perfectly into her monthly budget.  Now that speaks my language.  They have yummy smelling soy candles and just all kinds of amazing stuff.  You want to hear some REALLY fun news?  For the month of November when you order…you get 10.00 off of your order AND one of those amazing candles.  A great deal!  I am super excited to be a part of Epantry…especially because we live in a small town…that doesn’t always carry the stuff that I love.  Check it out!  It will be like your birthday once a month.  lol!  Here is the link: https://www.epantry.com/referrer/271608/ Enjoy!!!

Now for other news.  Last week I cleared out a few pumpkins.  Last year, a while before we decorated for Christmas, I did this.  It was nice to have a little breather before decorating for another holiday.  I still have our favorites and some Thanksgiving things out.  I’m not rushing the holidays through.  I am just starting with a clean slate.  It’s not for everyone.  Just the obsessive.  😉

The Mr. brought me these beautiful flowers last week too.  He is a keeper.  I love us…twenty years later and I am so thankful for the husband that God gave me.

I also spruced the couch a tad.  I used this afghan that I got at the thrift store to layer our couch a little.  (I love the gray and cream.) Cozy should have been my middle name.  Mom and Dad what were you thinking with Lee Ann? 😉

Last but not least…here is another wild hair that I got.  I had a moment where I felt halfway decent and I jumped out of my chair and came up with this little wall.  I am head over heels.  It’s everything that I love.  Industrial, simple, handy, and pretty.  I hope that it inspires you to move things around and freshen things up. That is so much fun!

Well Dirt Roaders, that is my scoop on Epantry and a few things that have been going on around here.  We will perk up…you will perk up…and we will live in the sunshine.  My prayer for you right now is…that God blesses each and every one of you from your crown to your toes.

Love from the Farmhouse,

Sigturquoise

Being Thankful

09 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by in everyday stuff, heart and soul, Uncategorized

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It makes a huge difference in every situation, this being thankful business.

It especially makes a difference when life is a bit bumpy.

Looking for brightness in the middle of the overcast…takes emotional muscle. It also takes dedicision making.  Do we give into despair or continue to hope?

We have learned in our home that bad attitudes are banished by thankfulness.  Wrong spirits are snuffed out by looking for the blessings of God.  We have learned that a negative heart is not what He intended as a day to day countenance. It takes thought…but an attitude of gratitude is possible.

God wants us to expect good things.  He wants us to hope in Him.  He wants us to love others and not assume the worst. He wants us to be thankful.  How do I know?  It’s in His word.  It’s not naive or immature to hope for the best and to live in thanksgiving mode, but it is childlike. 

I hope that this little post has inspired you.  Don’t wait until all of your problems disappear to be thankful.  That is wishful thinking…because life is hard.  If you and I can just grasp a thankful way of life (It takes practice.) in the now…we will have a life full of light and love.

  
Happy Weekend!

Kelli

Soup Weather

29 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Culinary Style, everyday stuff, Simply...living, Yum for the Tum

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I have been making soup here at the Farmhouse.  I have made it two weeks in a row.  I can eat soup homemade, at the Chinese place, or out of a can.  I just enjoy it.

  
Soup is comforting.  When you have been sick or emotionally distraught…a big bowl of soup nourishes all of the above. Soup is like a warm hug.  

  
It’s not uncommon to hear the term “soup weather” in these parts.  Most of us don’t cook a huge stockpot of soup in the middle of our humid summers.  My soup making fires back up when school starts and a bit of briskness is in the air.  I love that!!!

  
Soup is just cozy…and feels a lot like home.

Love from the dirt road,

Kelli

I Smell Soup

09 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by in Culinary Style, everyday stuff, Uncategorized

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Guys!!!!!! I’m back!  Please don’t be frowny at me. I have had lots of life going on.  You too?  There ya go.

  
The trees are starting to change here and it’s feeling a bit on the fall side…so I am making a big pot of chicken noodle soup today…hence the title of this post.

  
It has seemed very cozy today with that big Dutch oven bubbling away.  It has also seemed very exciting…because supper is already done.  I love that!

  
I hope that you are having a great middle of the week and that you smell soup bubbling at your house soon!

Love from the Farmhouse,

Kelli

Coffee…oh how I love thee!

21 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by in Culinary Style, everyday stuff, Farmhouse Style

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Piddling around a bit this morning…so I spruced up our little spot for coffee.

  
Isn’t coffee a good friend? Okay…not really a friend…but the very smell is comforting to me.  It reminds me of grandparents. It says all things…cozy.  Coffee…oh how I love thee.

  
I know that not everyone loves it…so maybe a little tea station instead?  Okay…a soda fountain on the counter.  Now there is an idea!  Lol!

  
Have a wonderful weekend Dirt Roaders!

Love from the Farmhouse!

Kelli

Life in the Slow Lane

17 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by in everyday stuff, heart and soul, livin' a little healthy

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Does that sound like a dream?  Does it sound dreamy?  Are you like “Kel…what planet are you from?”  If you are a mom with lots of little ones running around…you might have just given a big ol’ eye roll.

  
Life in the slow lane doesn’t have to be a life of ease on the beach somewhere.  In the middle of this crazy, chaotic, sometimes really hard life, it is your choice to switch to the slow lane…or not.

   
People that drive in the fast lane all the time…are always on the defensive.  They don’t have time to gaze out the window…because they are always passing people. (We tease the Mr. and tell him that he thinks that lane belongs to him.) On the other hand…folks in the slow lane…are just enjoying the journey.  They are also enjoying their regulated blood pressure.

I know that life is busy.  Yesterday we had three church services to attend…and my husband ministered at two of them.  Before all of that…early in the morning…he got a cow in the squeeze chute and gave her shots.  (Ox in the ditch.) I’m not complaining or bragging…it’s all for  the Lord.  Even the cow…because ultimately she belongs to God.  I am just saying that we understand…busy.

  

Fast forward to after church last night.  Where could you find us?  We switched over to the slow lane.  We were at the Tropical Sno booth.  Why?  It was time to take a break.  It was time to slow down a bit.  This is a learned way of life.  It doesn’t usually come naturally.  It’s easier to stay busy and in turn wear ourselves thin.  Switching to the slow lane…is actually using wisdom. Did you know that Jesus totally approves of that?  He does.  

  

So…sweet one…that is burned out, tired out, cried out, whatever…take a little time for you today.  Be kind to yourself.  Ease over into the slow lane for a bit. Take a deep breath and let go…even if it’s just for a few minutes.  Heaven approves…and really…that is the main thing.

  

See you at the snow cone booth,

Kelli