brothers

big brother

little brother

little brother wants to be just like big brother

I'm glad Luke has such a good role model to follow.

Hebrews 13:1

"Let brotherly love continue."

The Family Room is Finally Finished!!

I have been reading a couple of decorating blogs lately. One of my very favorites is Layla Palmer's The Lettered Cottage.

After several months of reading Layla's creative posts, I decided that I was going to actually incorporate some of her ideas into my own home.

I decided that the family room was going to be my first adventure.
 

We ripped up the carpet (to find beautiful hardwood just waiting to be refinished) and started putting up a wall treatment called board and batten.

I am absolutely in love with the results . . . it's amazing what a little architecture can do to a room.

(I just want to warn you that if you put up board and batten, it will take you FOREVER to paint . . . it took me two complete days)

 

We splurged a little and bought a TV to mount on the fireplace. John figured out how to lower the fireplace mantel and install it on the bricks . . . I was very impressed.

I scored two of these from my sister's garage . . . one for each side of the fireplace. (thank you, Diane!)The curtains are the Matilda Curtains from IKEA . . .they were only $19.99 for two panels . . . I got 3 sets to make them look full. I hung them close to the ceiling and let them pool on the floor. I love them because they are so long and they are just so fresh-looking. 

The bamboo shades are from Target . . . $30 a piece.(we haven't painted the windows white yet)

The wall color is Benjamin Moore's Shaker Beige. (It was in "my plan" to buy tan furniture and paint the walls a grayish blue color, but that will have to wait . . . $$)

So, there ya have it . . . the finished product . . . I really love how it turned out.

(still looking for the perfect area rug)

Thank you, John, for all the hard work you put into this room.

And thank you, to my brother, Steve, and our friend, Peter, for the beautiful job you did on the board and batten.

Celebrating Grandmas

Our kids love PARTIES!

Who doesn't??

Both grandmas have summer birthdays, so when they came to visit recently . . . the kids threw them a little party.

Grandma Eckstrom Grandma Koz

We love you, Grandma and Grandma!!

Layered JELL-O Recipe

I am not one to make JELL-O molds frequently, but on the Fourth of July . . . we just have to because we have this perfect USA mold!! (can't let it go to waste!!)

I got it free many, many years ago at a grocery store in Virginia. (it was one of those buy 2 boxes of JELL-O, get the mold free deal)

Even though you probably don't have a mold like this, I thought I would give you the recipe so you can make the layers in a different shape.

3 3/4 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) or 2 pkg. (4-serving size) any red flavor JELL-O
1 pkg. (8-serving size) or 2 pkg. (4-serving size) Berry Blue Flavor JELL-O
2 cups cold water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Lemon JELL-O
1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

Spray mold (or shallow dish) with no stick cooking spray.
Stir 1 1/2 cups boiling water into red and blue gelatin in separate bowls at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir 1 cup cold water into each bowl.
Pour red JELL-O into prepared mold. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set but not firm. Reserve blue JELL-O at room temperature.
Stir 3/4 cup boiling water into lemon JELL-O in bowl. Stir in ice cream with wire whisk until melted and smooth. Spoon over red JELL-O in mold. Refrigerate 30 minutes longer or until set but not firm. Refrigerate blue JELL-O (not in mold, just in bowl) 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Spoon blue JELL-O over lemon layer in mold. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Unmold.
Wow! Enjoy!!

Making Memories at the Beach

Last weekend, we went to Bethany Beach in Michigan. We stayed with my dad's brother, Dan, and his wife, Marg.

We had a wonderful time.

Many beautiful memories were made in the 24 hours we were there.

I'm in love with this picture . . . I love how the younger two are always leaning on their big brother.
I really liked the "Lifeguards" at the beach. :)

This one was especially cute!! I had my eye on him the whole time!
Pizza on the beach.
Run!! This sand is sooo hot!!
Nap on the beach.
Uncle Dan
Grandpa showing off his muscles.Quick!! Take the picture!! This sand is sooo hot!!

The dunes. (we ran up and down those, but I didn't have my camera with me)

brothers

Walking a mile from Bethany Beach to the dunes.

brothers (I wonder what they are talking about)

sand castle

Gotta love that Swedish lifeguard post!

(I'm 100% Swedish, by the way . . . if you don't believe me, look at my youngest son, Luke)

buried

Grandma and Grandpa Eckstrom in the shade

I am so grateful for times like these.

Easy Raspberry Trifle

Raspberry Trifle
* 1/2 white angel food cake (either store bought or homemade) . . . freeze other half for later

* 1 package (4 -serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling

* Skim milk

* 1 container (4 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

* 1/2 cup raspberry preserves

* 2 cups fresh or 12 oz. frozen (thawed) raspberries ( I added blueberries for the Fourth of July)

* 1/4 cup sliced almonds

1.) Cut cake into 1 inch cubes. Prepare pudding and pie filling as directed on package for pudding using skim milk. Fold half of the whipped topping into pudding.

2.)Place 1/3 of the cake cubes in 2-quart serving bowl; dot with 1/2 of the raspberry preserves. Layer 1/2 of the raspberries and 1/2 of the pudding mixture over preserves.

3.)Continue layering with 1/3 of the cake cubes, the remaining preserves, raspberries and pudding mixture.

4.)Top with remaining cake cubes and whipped topping. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours. Sprinkle with almonds before serving. Garnish with raspberries, if desired.

Enjoy! So easy and so pretty!!

**I got this recipe out of Betty Crocker's Cooking for Today cookbook.