I Am Not a Pinford Wife

Remember that film, "The Stepford Wives" with all the fake, perfect women masquerading as real women?

I think that's what my Pinterest account has become. 

Now, don't get me wrong. This is not a Pinterest problem. 

This is a ME problem.

And what I am about to show you is NOT a cry for help.

This is not a "Before and After" project.

This is REAL LIFE.

This ridiculously large and organized living room is not mine.

This is my living room and what it looks like on a daily basis.

This is not what our dinner this evening looked like.

This is what our dinner looked like.

This is a dream kitchen.

This is my real kitchen, certainly not every night. But tonight, yes.

And contrary to the pictures you see, I have found and used some great, realistic tips from Pinterest.  

 But I have also spent hours coveting other women's craftiness. 

I have made idols out of ideas. 

 I have ogled at others' organization skills.

And there is always an idea more clever than the last.

There is usually a cuter outfit to be seen on the next page.

And look! There's an adorable, athletic family posing in a garden of fairies!

I have been hoarding images of what society (myself included) is telling me I should value.

But God wants the exact opposite from me!

 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." 

Matthew 6:19:21

My heart has been storing up the wrong kind of treasure lately. As a baby step, I am cutting myself off from Pinterest for a week. My hope is that instead of perusing for pins, I will spend that time on things of more value in REAL life and on the eternal treasures. 

And here are some real people now, in our real living room. 

 Can you believe this isn't a professional, airbrushed photo?

Autumn is for Orchards: Part 2

As is tradition, for our friend Maria's birthday each year, we go to an apple orchard. 

She chose a new-to-us orchard this year and it was quite lovely.

Last year, it was about 80+ degrees. It was somewhat nippier this time around.

Adeline and Delia are SO ready for some orchard fun.

Birthday girl Maria! with Delia and Adam. 

Adam was actually trying to look awkward and ended up looking more normal than usual. :)

If you couldn't tell from our faces, we were struggling to take a semi-decent family picture. My hair was static-y; Adeline was hating her life; and Gerrit....actually looks very nice. Well done, babe.

And then this was happening. Autumn carolers! Everywhere we went--there they were! 

I was tolerating them when we began, but then they started a caroling version of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance." If there's anything I hate more than a Lady Gaga song, it's an off-key a Capella version of one.

Our last hoorah at the orchard was the store (where I bought apples to make a delicious pie). 

The girls took it all in. 

"Delia, look over there!"

"Now over there."

"No, Addie, look right here."

"No. No.No. Let's just hold hands for a while."

"Fine."

Good times were had by all, even during choral performances. And Maria was celebrated in true Autumn fashion.