Every Breath

Let’s Talk Design

Nope, I didn’t fall of the face of the earth. I’m still around, it’s just been a busy past week!

Sweet baby Ella was born Saturday morning, adorable and healthy as can be.

We took advantage of my first (full!) weekend off in a long time and got things done around the house, plus, the weather’s been too nice the past few days to be inside on the computer!

That being said, let’s talk about design and space-planning.

Space planning is one of those make-or-break parts of a home. A well-designed room (or better yet, home!), creates areas for a steady flow of traffic,  crucial in any space, whether it be a teeny tiny apartment, or a larger home for a family of 6. While studying design and creating floor plans in school, space planning is one of the first they taught, and was required before every floor plan got under way.

Plan out your space. Visualize it in your head. Sleep on it. Use tools like the | make room planner |. Even if you’re not designing a home from scratch, you can still plan what your space will look like if you’re moving into a new-to-you place.

The best circulation path placement through a room us usually a few feet from one wall, straight through, like so:

Path placement here allows users of the room to be uninterrupted by traffic and enjoy conversation while the traffic paths are still usable.

Undesirable traffic locations are those that run directly through a room or parallel to the long axis of them room. Sounds like a bunch of gibberish, right? Here’s some examples:

It’s hard to find examples of “bad” design photos on | Houzz | so let’s just pretend that there’s not enough room behind that couch and one must walk directly through the center of the room.

Typically, comfortable seating arrangements are hard to achieve when there’s a walkway running directly through them and those seated in the area feel like they are in the way of those passing through. Doesn’t quite work, right?

Moral of the story: Plan your spaces (if possible) so that there’s a comfortable walkway that doesn’t run directly through the center of a seating area.

Aaaand…just for fun how about another giveaway today! The shop has been replenished so how about a pair of these for one lucky reader:

Simply leave a comment and you’ll be entered to win, winner will be announced Monday!

Enjoy your weekend!

Responsibility

Happy Thursday, folks! We’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of our newest niece around here.

That will make numero 8.

Yes, 8.

(soon-to-be) 3 nieces + 5 nephews.

By the time Ian and I get around to having kids, we’ll have enough for an entire soccer team. Maybe even football.

Anyway…Ian and I made our way up north a few weeks ago to go to | this | church that I attended while going to OSU. While we were there, they did a baby dedication, and the pastor said one of the most amazing things I’ve ever heard:

I was blown away. And to be honest, I don’t think I listened to a single word the rest of the sermon, because I was so focused on this simple thought.

Ian and I don’t have children yet, but this is already the desire of my heart for when the Lord decides we’re ready to be parents. As I look towards the future, I find joy in knowing that the Father will entrust us with this enormous responsibility, and that we get to be a light and let Him shine through us, especially to our kids.

Upon leaving church that Sunday, I began to pray this over Ian and I for if, and when, we get to become parents.

That He would shine through us in every single thing we do, both in the presence of our children and when they’re not around. That less time would be spent disciplining our children and more time would be spend disciplining ourselves. That we would be Godly. That we would be an example for our children.

Not the world.

Not the media.

Ian + I.

“Point your kids in the right direction- when they’re old they won’t be lost.”

Proverbs 22:6, The Message

Disciplined children begin with disciplined parents.

Can someone remind me of this when we actually have children and I’m pulling my hair out and just want to set them in front of the television for 30 minutes so I can get a thing done?

Just kidding.
But seriously.

P.S. While writing this  post, I had Teen Mom on in the background. What is with this show? It’s like a car wreck- you don’t want to watch, but you can’t look away. Note to self, don’t let our kids watch that show.
Ever.

Chocolate Chip Peanut-Butter Bites

You can’t really go wrong with chocolate and peanut-butter, can you? If you disagree, just stop reading now.

These are my favorite sweets to make mostly because they’re easy and Ian loves them. (Let’s be honest, I do too.)

Bonus: The dough is amazing.

Want to make ’em? Here’s the recipe.

– Chocolate Chip Peanut-Butter Bites –

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 cup peanut butter (I use crunchy Jif)

1/2 teas. salt

1/2 teas. baking soda

1/2 teas. vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

handful (or 2!) of chocolate chips

Nestle semi-sweet chunks are my favorite, but chocolate chips work just as well.

Combine all of your ingredients in a mixing bowl, there’s really no rhyme or reason to it, I just throw everything in, chocolate last.

Form balls and bake at 350 for 9 minutes. (The actual recipe says 10, but I find that 9 makes them perfectly doughy).

They can be made into cookies too by pressing them with a fork as soon as they come out of the oven, but we prefer the bites around our house.

Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy

…as if you can after all the dough you’ll most likely consume while preparing them.

Moments > Things

Don’t we all need to be reminded of this a little more often?