Thriftiness - DIY Recycled Pallet Creations

 This post is unlike most of our parenting/adoption blog posts. I wanted to share all our pallet creations. Pallets are free (most of the time) and pretty easy to find, most any retail store that gets in large shipments has pallets. We pick up free pallets and free wood from ads on craigslist or as we happen to find them on the side of the road.

 

We (mommy and the kids) have made many structures with pallets, here is our kid's favorite:

 

 

Two Story Playhouse

  
Just 5 pallets held together with 12" wood scraps. I replaced the flimsy plywood roof with an old metal door. That made a sturdy surface to build up. Then add a slide from the side of the road!

We used 4 more pallets, two on each side. Again attached with scrap wood and using 7 cut pieces of 2x4 we constructed an A-frame and stapled an old tarp to it for a high roof. Old pool ladder was trash.
                       


Our two story playhouse cost $20, just for a box of screws! (That box lasted for all our other creations too!)

 

 

Rabbit Hutch

  
Using a pallet as the floor, all recycled wood and an old sheet of plexi-glass we built an oversized rabbit hutch. The chicken wire and hinges we did buy new. The paint was just left over exterior paint.

So our entire rabbit hutch cost $20 for chicken wire and new hinges and hooks. 

Chicken Coop (small)

                       
We used 3 full pallets, some recycled wood and one small pallet cut in half for the door. We put up 3 shelves from old plywood and the roof was an old metal "detour" street sign that was left on our property.

Total for the hinges and hook we spent $10 on our chicken coop!

 

 

Donkey Stable

  
This was by far our biggest pallet project. It took 15 pallets and lots of strength!!! The 2 big kids and mommy pulled it off though! For a pallet wall we laid 4 pallets next to each other and using 5 scraps of wood we screwed them together at the corners and middle. Then we raised the walls!
  
To attach two walls we used 3 wood scraps to brace walls together at corners.
  
Once three walls were raised we added 2 more pallets for a half wall and recycled deck beams as roof support. Mirabel drilled in the thin plywood pieces we had and we nailed a tarp on top.
  
It is ventilated and roomy for our donkey and goat herd on a rainy or hot day! Now just to add a pallet door!

Our stable cost us just $10 for hinges!

Duck Coop

  
We found an old cabinet on the side of the road, perfect nesting boxes for our duckies and it came with free hinges! Plus two pallets for side walls and one more cut in half for the front.
  
We covered the entire pallet house in chicken wire and added a sheet of recycled plywood as the roof. On the opening pallet door we added a small white door as a duck entrance.
  
With a thin plywood piece we hammered small scrap wood on to make a duck-friendly ramp. We also shingled the roof with leftover trashed shingles.

Our duck coop cost a total of $1 for a hook and eye hardware set!

 

 Chicken Coop (large)

  
Using 5pallets, one left over pallet cut in half, some trashed plastic siding and chicken wire we built a double wide chicken coop. This one is lower to the ground but my little kids have no problem gathering eggs!
  
We lined the side and back wall with shelves and added roosting poles on the far right side. We may add box dividers if needed but for now our chickens love it!

Our chicken run panels were given to us when a neighbor was cleaning up there yard. Our coop cost $20 for chicken wire and hardware.

You can do it!

When building your chicken coop or animal habitat remember it is going to be covered in poop! They sell such cute little rabbit hutches and backyard chicken coops at the stores for over a hundred dollars and they look beautiful but the moment your bird or bunny is well fed and happy they will change it's appearance and value forever! Paint makes anything look good! You can't mess up, your chicken won't chew you out, your bunny won't turn her nose up to it, if it has a roof and a comfy spot to rest they will love it and your wallet will feel nice too!

 

Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone



Has It Been Two Years Already!?! Happy Adoption Day Anthony, Mirabel and Risa!!!

Two years ago we adopted three siblings that would change our lives forever!

(Photo Commentary: May 2012 taken at the school they grew up in after their adoption)

Happy Adoption Day Anthony, Mirabel and Risa!

These three siblings joined us on June 11th, 2011 in foster care, almost three years ago!

(Photo Commentary: June 2011 taken the first day in our home)

It was a hard road of training, teaching and choosing to show love in the difficult and trying times. It has been a road of earning and learning to trust. A road of loving and being loved. A road paved with tears, prayer and laughter. A road that I would travel again 10,000 times to make them mine!

(Photo Commentary: December 2012 taken in Gatlinburg, TN)

We have learned many lessons along the way. Grown in our knowledge of disorders, behaviors, grief, loss and needs. We made it our goal to point them to the one true Counselor and Physician for ALL their healing. To show them their great need of a Savior. To show them the lovingkindness of Jesus in our words and deeds!

(Photo Commentary: March 2013 taken in Gatlinburg, TN first time seeing snow)

 

We have all been down a road of so much healing that our mended hearts are closely knitted. These children have taught me so much about kids, about love and about myself! They have pushed me closer to my Jesus and given me a joy unspeakable!

(Photo Commentary: April 2013 taken on the Wizard of Oz parade float)

These kids have shown me God's amazing healing power! He has made Himself so much more real to me as He faithfully renews my children's hearts to trust again, to love again, to live again! I post a lot about my very real struggles as an adoptive mama. (Click here for Healing in the Hurt)

There is always hope! Here is my proof! My kids and my struggles were healed over time through the grace and love of Jesus Christ!

(Photo Commentary: November 2013 taken while making homemade applesauce)

On May 30th, 2012 moments before we walked into the courtroom to adopt our first sibling group of three I wept. Not tears of joy. Tears of sorrow. I had so much worry. Worried that I would never be able to help these three children with all their labels and behaviors. Worried that they would never be able to heal. Worried that they would never know the Lord. Worried that they would never be able to give or receive love. I cried tears of fear, not of hope. I was right, I couldn't heal my kids, only Jesus could. My kids labeled with RAD, PTSD, ADHD, and ODD, that failed and got suspended and were delinquent in school and at home, have become NEW. No amount of medications, counseling, therapies or treatment centers can heal them. Although we have used all of those tools at different points in our journey. Only Jesus can take away their hurt heart of stone and give them a new, healed heart made of flesh.

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

They are healing despite our parenting mistakes and ignorance as we try to be the committed family, with unwavering structure, with consistent guidance and with the endless love that they desperately need. I remember feeling so ill-equipped for so long. Asking "why me?" over and over. I know now why God chose me, not for me to help them but for Jesus to help me. Jesus wanted to teach me more about Himself and the joy of joining in another's suffering. If we don't see the suffering, how can we see the transforming healing?

(Photo Commentary: May 2014 taken in honor of their 2nd Adoption Anniversary)

We are by no means perfect, and neither are our children. We are just a normal, crazy family. We are just parents raising children with childish hearts that still need love, direction and guidance. But we strive to seek the Lord in all things and live to glorify and honor Him alone! We praise God for these children that have strengthened and grown our faith as we walked obediently trusting the Lord. Although we had no idea what was in store, we adopted them and learned what unconditional and unshakable love truly meant! Nothing can separate our hearts from theirs! Adoption is FOREVER!

 

Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone

Turner's Adoption Story Journal - Part Three - Forever, Love and Family!

***This is part three about our 90 day wait until adoption, to read part one which explains the two month process that led up to the big trip click here: Turner's Adoption Story Journal- Part One - Paperwork, Prayers and Miracles! To read part two that tells all about our big trip to Michigan and meeting him for the first time click here: Turner's Adoption Story Journal- Part Two - Trials, Chaos and Hope ***


Turner fit right in from day one. Seriously, it was as if he had always been there. Like we had a hole in our family that only he could fill. God knew what He was doing when He brought us Turner! Since we had moved only a month and a half prior to taking a trip to Michigan we still had a lot of work to do! Turner got to get his hands dirty right away and learned a lot of new things like the character-building task of putting up wire farm fencing through wooded property!

Only days after we arrived home Turner got to witness his new sister, Mirabel, being baptized as a follower for Jesus! (Click here to see baptism video on youtube)

               

On February 25th, only days after Turner joined us we got to celebrate his 8th birthday. I think he got 3 separate cakes and parties that day from all our friends in our church, homeschool and adoptive parent support community!         

On February 26th our 2 week "honeymoon" had ended and some anticipated behaviors began to emerge. This is the first mild angry outburst, crying and shutting down event we had:

When one child was helping another child by cleaning up all his legos so they could come to lunch, he let her know, with much anger, that she was not doing it right and he didn't want her help!

"NO, NO, NO! Those are MY legos! I didn't want you to do that! You ruin EVERYTHING! FINE! Just ruin this too!"

Insert mom to stop the crazy stomping and throwing tantrum, scoop him up in my lap, hold him and begin to whisper: "I am not mad at you. I love you. I need you to listen to me and answer me or we will have to take a break from Legos today and they will have to spend the night in mommy's room. Okay?"

He calmed, but huffed under his breath, "Oh-Kaaay!"

"You are SO smart and creative. You have been given a talent to build anything you think of with legos. You build such wonderful and beautiful creations. Do you know you have legos inside you? Legos to build relationships. You can build beautiful word and actions that help relationships and build others up or you can build mean, ugly words and actions that hinder relationships and hurt others. What kind of word legos do you think you used?"

"Bad ones," came as a whisper.

"You used mean words with your sister, ugly legos. You know how sometimes when we have a big bin of legos the ones you use a lot end up on top but the ones you really need, but don't use often fall to the bottom? I know you have legos that build sweet words, beautiful legos somewhere in there. But because you use the ugly ones, the ones of disobeying and yelling and anger so often they are the easiest to find. Right on top. I would like to help you dig deep and bring out all those legos that I know are in there! It might take a while and a lot of digging. Can we, together, dig down deep and find the beautiful legos of truth and love? And use those legos to build relationships and encourage each other?"

He nodded, wiped the tears from his eyes, "yea I think we can."

So many times, including this one, after we are done talking and hug, I praise God in awe of the words He formed on my lips. In awe of the ceaseless grace He gives me to parent these little ones. I praise Him for the legos He filled me with to build a relationship of love and attachment with my child. 

That was just one of the patience testing fits and angry outbursts that filled up the month of March. Shutting down became a reaction to everything, everything was ignored and he would pick a spot and sit still as stone, sometimes for 10 minutes sometimes for 4 hours. Then all of a sudden he would happily run over to show me a toy or picture and the angry spell was broken. We had many occasions to walk through the process of reconciliation. You can't just get angry and ignore someone you love then act all happy when its conveinent for you. I would stop him and say, "I would love to see what you want to show me but first we need to talk about why you got so angry and ignored me all afternoon and wouldn't play with the family." At first he would blame it on something small like, "I hurt my toe" but as time went on he really began to open up and tell about past hurts and struggles and memories.

I purposed that from the time we picked him up to the time we adopted him we would make sure he knew he was very wanted. Everyday I told him how glad I was that he was with our family. On March 30th he finally responded.
Me: “I am so glad you are here, Samuel!”
Samuel: “You have said that everyday since I came here! Why to you say that!?!”
Me: “Because I am so overwhelmed with joy that you are here that it just overflows. I am truly glad you are here. Would you rather I stop saying it?”
Samuel cracks a smile: “No.”

As March ended and Turner began to mellow out and mesh again we began our search for the perfect name. We gave him four choices to choose from. Samuel was our favorite as it means "heard by God" or "answered by God" and God sure did hear us and answer our prayers for this little boy! We had prayed specifically for a boy Risa's age and here he was, her Chinese twin as she says :) After taking two weeks to really decide one day I called for Turner to come here and when he came he said, "By the way, it's Samuel now. You can call my Sam." That was that. Everytime a sibling or Brian or I would stumble and say Turner he would correct us right away, "it's Sam now." We decided that he would be given the new first name Samuel, we would keep Turner as a middle name in honor to the place his previous adoptive parents had in his life, Tianqi was his name in the Chinese orphanage and that would stay as a 2nd middle name and he would inherit our family name as his new last name.
           
April came and went like a blur, our mini farm was in full swing, it felt like we were being called to take in unwanted pets every day! Plus our two week family vacation to TX made the month fly by! Samuel was blossoming more and more everyday! He was becoming an excellent helper, was great during school and such a joy to be around. He began to talk about how much God was doing in his life and caught me off guard when he interrupted me one morning to tell me that he now knows why God purposed him to come here, to this family. Sam told me that, “God said, I will put him in a home where he will learn more about Me.” And learning about Jesus he is!

It has been amazing to see how tender his heart is and how he just adores learning what God has said in His Word. Samuel talks often of how he wants to go back to China, how there is so much idol worship there, and how he wants to become a missionary to tell them about Jesus. What an amazing little boy God has sent us!

  

On May 21st, 2014 our 90 days wait period was over and Samuel Turner Tianqi became legally ours! The court adoption was beautiful! Over 25 of our church and homeschool family came to witness. The judge had Sam come right up next to her and told him the story of Samuel from the bible and how his name means, "prayed for" or "heard by God"! She even had Sam sign the Final Judgement of Adoption with his hand on hers saying "if you sign this it means FOREVER!" She then had all our guests join hands and called our pastor over to pray over us! It was more like a church service than an adoption! A moment of pure bliss! The perfect memory of how our Sam was born into our family!

  

Watch Sam's adoption video here!

Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone

Fun and Fellowship in Big Sandy, Texas!

We are tearfully headed home from our 2^nd trip and week spent in Big Sandy, TX for the annual ATI Homeschool Conference. We arrived early on Saturday morning and enjoyed 4 days of camping fun with our family, meeting new friends and fellowshipping with the families we met last year. We were encouraged in our journey and were encouraged by what the Lord is doing in other families’ lives. From the moment we pulled up our big kids were off finding all their penpals and friends from last year. Once the 3 day conference began it was go, go, go! We would quickly grab breakfast, get some dinner in the crockpot, run the kids to their activities and programs and be filled with great speakers’ teachings and sermons. The conference itself was so encouraging and gave us a year’s worth of application to pursue in our Christian walk, the number one teaching we will bring home is the Power of Prayer by David Gibbs. We hope to pursue of journey of nonstop and very powerful prayer this year!

Here is our blog post from our 1^st year attending this conference, when our discernment was peaked and ready to decipher theological and doctrinal error: A Week in Big Sandy with the Duggars
 

This blog post is to share some pictures of the fun we had during this year’s conference but before I share, I would like to address the current Gothard issue so this is not read as if I am naïve to happenings. Gothard was not present at this conference as he has resigned and has released a statement online (click here for Gothard’s statement). ATI as a whole is not a person but a ministry, a ministry that truly strives to equip families to love and serve the Lord, their families, and others. The families we have met and continue to meet (including the Duggars and Bates) are real people, saved from real sin and serving a very real Jesus. As humans we can and still do fall into sin and temptation, it is why we need a personal, loving Savior. Whether innocent or guilty we do feel Gothard did the right thing in stepping down and stepping back to evaluate his own walk with the Lord and reconcile with those who feel or were wronged. This is just another homeschool conference with great and encouraging speakers to help strengthen Christians, parents and families in their walk with the Lord. I do believe that the ATI’s ministry began to encourage families and provide teaching and curriculum to help them along their homeschool journey, but along the way instead of worshipping Jesus and using ATI as a tool, ATI and Gothard have been worshipped and followed to the point of idolatry. We must always evaluate our own heart and motives, the Lord tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to “guard our heart.” Our heart focus should be Jesus! Gothard needs prayer, he and many other men of ministry are not perfect, they are men like David, who although may be men after God’s own heart they are human and can fall into lust, temptation and great sin (James 1:14-15). It should hurt our heart when we see a man fall and hurt our heart all the more when they bring a whole ministry with them. We were thankful that the conference continued this year under new management, it was an encouragement to our family.

Here are some pictures from our trip:


                The twins Sunday best!                                       Risa and Sam with Jim Bob Duggar!


  
     Anthony and Sam chillin' with Jason.                                  Daddy walking with the twins!

  
       Six little children standing on a log...                                             Cool Dudes!

                             
             Mirabel and Sam on a family walk                    Maggie hitching a ride from big brother

  
        1st fun-filled day at planned activites                                            Mom & Dad

 

  
       Risa and Titus at Children's Institute                               Samuel and Anthony at ALERT

                             
                   Mirabel at Pre-Embassy                                 Maggie hanging with mom and dad

  
               Best friends when awake...                                                     ...and asleep!

Stop by our 5 Kids 6 Months Facebook page where I will be sharing some other wonderful families’ websites and blogs that we have met while camping here! They are real, imperfect and in love with Jesus just like us!

Click here for our blog post about the 2013 conference
Click here for our blog post about the 2015 conference

Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone