Quick takes: Edition 2

Here's my second (official) edition of quick takes.  The usual blog hostess, Jen, is still in need of our prayer - although her delivery went well, the sweet baby has some breathing issues (unrelated to her pregnancy complications) and is in the NICU.  Grace @ Camp Patton is hosting today's link-up instead.

Here's my thoughts for this rainy Friday:

1) Isn't this beautiful?

My photography, as usual, leaves something to be desired, but seeing this abundance this morning made me feel happy and very thankful.

2) The fruit picture reminds me of a very random, quirky memory.  For years, as a child, I had this idea of having a photo contest titled "Aren't you glad God made..."  I don't think I even owned a camera at the time, but I was prepared to enter a picture - in this hypothetical contest - of fruit.  Maybe someday I'll make it happen, haha!

3) While we're on the topic of pretty things we're glad God made, let's add flowers to the list.  And we can be thankful that a factory somewhere made this iron greenhouse that my mother-in-law gave to my gardener husband before we were married.  It's probably the material thing I was most excited about acquiring when we got married!

4) I discovered this week that the laundry basket is an excellent safe spot to keep Anna from licking furniture.  She also thinks it's hilarious when I pile the clean clothes on her lap and carry the whole kit and caboodle upstairs.  

 5) On one of these beautiful spring days [excluding the last three really rainy ones!], I finally got to take the run I've been craving for over a year.  (Seriously.  When I was waddling my big pregnant self around last year, I'd see people running and be so jealous.  I craved a good jog more than any of the other pregnancy-forbidden things.  And then, by the time I was ready to run again, it got cold, and since I slipped on the ice once while jogging to the gym in college, I wasn't about to start running in the winter!)  Anyhow, I somewhat pictured myself collapsing after a block or two, but apparently the laundry basket maneuvers (and other 20-pound baby hoisting activities) have kept me in better shape than I thought.

I haven't mentioned on the blog yet, but my 3rd New Years Resolution (more like a goal, I suppose) is to run a half marathon.  The first two goals (learning to crochet and making chicken broth from scratch) were already accomplished (although admittedly far easier than running 13 miles!) and - true to form - not blogged about, either.  No promises on which aspects of any of the 3 will appear here in the future.

6) I think I may have earned some sort of badge for finally buying something at a thrift store and spray painting it (that is the initiation to being a true do-it-yourself-er and blogger, right?)

This is another of those waiting FOREVER to do it projects (although with this one, the pregnancy & weather are again legitimate excuses to put off spray painting).  This chair in the laundry room is where we toss the dirty kitchen towels & dishcloths to be washed.  Since we're switching to cloth napkins soon (we figured if we can wash and reuse diapers - with the accompanying ceiling floods -  we can do napkins!), we needed a better solution.  This basket isn't exactly what I envisioned looks-wise, but it's plastic, and that's important for storing damp things!

7) If you missed it earlier in the week, I've decided to have a weekly "Wisdom Wednesday" in which I share quotes I've found that speak to the home we're trying to create.  You can find them all to date on the "Home Inspiration" tab.  Today's post has been pretty "stuff" centric, but in general, I'm trying to focus on the heart of our home both on the blog and in person.

Happy Friday!