Confessions of a Bridgestone Arena Widow...

For those of you who don't know.... Chris is working a lot .... like, I am not sure if the kids will remember him come Christmas. I won't specify how much because I am trying not to think about it... but here are my confessions at the halfway point:

1. the sparse-ness of these closets makes my heart happy. Some kind of order in a chaotic week, I guess. (thanks mom for the help)

2. My children ate lunchables for dinner in their carseats while driving home from Walmart last night

3. I almost knocked a woman's head off in Walmart last night because she told me that she "couldn't BEEELIEVE" that I would bring the kids to Walmart without their coats and asked did I not know that it was "FREEEZZZING" outside. (thankfully I chose to be the bigger person and totally ignore the comment, otherwise she may have left the store sans a cranium.)

4. We've eaten Quinoa in various forms twice so far this week

5. I've allowed the kids to watch almost one full length movie per day (and I'm not even ashamed to admit it)

6. Harper has been sick for over a week and I finally took her to the walk-in clinic today... OOPS we left with an ear infection, upper respiratory infection and possibly a virus. Awesome

7. The kids have had O.N.E bath this week... yes, I said it... one.

8. We've eaten Chick-fil-a once

9. We've driven around to look at Christmas lights (aka kill time before bed) every single night this week

10. I don' think my kids have had more than one cup of liquid and one cup of milk each day... and I didn't realize it until the doctor today asked me if Harper had been peeing less....

11. Cleaning and organizing has been kind of therapeutic

12. I have forgotten almost everything I said that I would do this week

13. I really am not sure if today is Saturday or Sunday

14. At this moment, the small kids table is sitting on a tablecloth in front of the TV, and the kids are eating.... you guessed it... Quinoa... while watching a movie... (don't judge)

15. I am not sure that all their teeth have gotten brushed every night...

16. I did 4 loads of laundry today and gave away almost half of the clothes I folded simply because they would mess up our newly organized and cleaned out closets, and I have decided that 'stuff' is gross.

17. I am so thankful for family who has helped and friends who have hung out with us this week even though we probably smell rank by now!!

18. I don't remember how many showers I have had... but I'm thinking it's about 2

19. I know there's more... but I really can't remember them!!!

Lord, give me patience...

This one may be cute (even with the Justin Beber hair) but she sure is a handful. Today she yelled at the top of her lungs at me: "NOOOOOO LISTEN, NOOOOOO OBEY!" all while stomping her chubby little feet.
Needless to say, she got a swift spanking... but LORD, give me patience with this one. WOW.

Actually Lord, I need patience with BOTH.... This is going to be a hard 2 weeks! Please pray for us if you think about it... Mama's on her own for the next 13 days and I am trying not to get discouraged... I need an extra measure of patience and love for sure.... and maybe a Cosmo or something?

Doors and Windows

I feel bad about directing yall over to my other blog sometimes... my idea is to keep up both... but this time of year, I think it's too much! So, here's a link to post on my other blog of some things that have been going on recently!
Check it out!

and see where you can buy this gorgeous print!

Oh my goodness... make my day, my week and my whole holiday season!!! I am featured in the HGTV.com gift guide!!! WHAT??? I can't believe it. This is nothing but a blessing from the LORD... I mean, really...How exciting is that??? Here's the link if you want to check it out!!!

Thank you to NALA Photography for taking this amazing picture! Check her out too!

Forget fear of failure...

I posted on my other blog... I am being a blog slacker... SORRY!

here's the link:

http://lovelynestdesigns.com/2010/11/22/forget-fear-of-failure/

I swear I am going to keep up both blogs!!!

LOVE....

If you are friends with me on facebook, by now you already know what Chris did for me this weekend. Apparently he'd been planning a trip to Chicago since this summer! He left no detail out.... my name was even printed on the menu at the uber fancy restaurant where we dined for my birthday dinner.

Everything about the trip was amazing, but one thing in particular spoke more to me of Chris' love and care than anything else...

You all know that I love shopping, but not in the traditional sense... I love THRIFT shopping. I love the thrill of the hunt and the musty smell as you walk in the door evokes pure excitement. I love digging through people's discards to find the diamond in the rough, and even better is the feeling when you find the perfect thing that you didn't even know you were looking for! I don't know, if you aren't a thrift-er, you probably won't understand...but I love it. It's in my blood.

Chris knows this, but doesn't necessarily share the same passion. OK, maybe that's an understatement... let me say it like this...if he never had to step one foot into a thrift store in his entire life, he'd be happy. But he did... AND he walked TEN miles with me so I could do it. As we were walking and walking and asking for directions, and walking, my heart was so full I couldn't explain it. I felt LOVED. Don't get me wrong, he makes me feel loved all the time, but for some reason, I was at a loss for words in trying to tell him how much this meant to me. I hope he got it.

We found 3 stores, and one of the coolest vintage shops I've ever been to, I bought some great things... but that wasn't the highlight for me... it was the fact that he went with me. So, in total that day, we walked about 13 miles... dude, we walked a half marathon... I am still sore from walking that in flat boots with no support, and I think Chris pulled a hammy... but that's LOVE... He didn't complain, he even acted like he liked walking that far... which may have been true because we walked through some really cool parts of town, and we burned a bajillion calories, but he went with me and I felt so loved.

The whole trip was amazing, we hung out with friends, ate good food, talked a lot and rested... but for some reason, my heart was bursting at the seams on our 10 mile walk.

Ann Burton loved her son's heart, his thoughtfulness and tenderness. I was thinking about her while we walked...and I know that if she caught a glimpse of this from heaven, her heart was swelling with pride and love too.

On peeing in a cup and princess costumes.

You can probably tell by the title of this post, I am about to get on my horse about something. Well, yes you are right, I am.

Let me start off with a simple question: Why in the H-E -double hockey sticks does the darn pediatrician require children out of diapers to pee in a cup??? I don't want some medical mumbo-jumbo about how they need to test for proteins, infections, etc... I. DON'T. CARE. Thank you very much. If my child had an infection, I, as the super mother that I am would be able to tell immediately, and at that point would bow in defeat and take my child in to pee in a cup. But until then... I don't think so.

Do you realize what a complete and utter disgusting debacle this turns out to be for the parent??? If not, let me give you a little run down. (Now, I am sure this only applies to parent's of girls...but, read on)....

Let's stop and pause for a second here and consider the location: Bathroom in a children's clinic. GROSS. Everyone and their mother (literally) RUNS there to puke or crap when they have the flu, which they are coming into the doctor's office to cure....

Kids, especially boys are not neat when they pee, and there are probably millions upon millions of disgusting pee particles from the sick and non sick alike floating uncontrollably around.... AND keep in mind that I also had a one year old in there with me, who is touching everything, and rolling on the floor.

Anyways, they give you these little OB wipes and you are supposed to wipe your child from front to back, twice...with a new wipe each time. THEN, is the child supposed to hold their own pee cup..... ???? I DON' THINK SO....in turn, that means I have to hold the cup!!!
Picture this....(Oh yes I am...)

A one year old laying prostrate on the bathroom floor, crawling around, licking the sink and yelling rhythmically because she likes the echo.

A 4 year old on the potty, trying to concentrate to pee, griping the seat of the germ infested toilet with all of her ever loving might.

Then there's ME holding a cup under the 4 year old...hand obviously in the toilet, 2 inches from the toilet water, trying to guess where the pee will actually land all the while not remembering that my long sleeve is DOWN and in the line of fire. Can we just mention that for girls, pee just kind of flies out willy nilly... no aim and splashes a lot. N.A.S.T.Y. But the only good thing about the situation is that at this particular moment, Harper is quiet and we are about to get this mother over with... UNTIL...

....in the middle of the silent concentration, Harper decides to get up off of the floor and run full speed ahead INTO the bowl of the sink. She almost knocks her head completely off, and the screaming ensues (remember the echo)... and therefore sounds like a chorus of 10 children shreaking at the top of their lungs. I am still holding the cup, eyes closed, tense as a tight rope waiting for the inevitable, ignoring Harper because, what can I do, really... if I miss the pee...we are screwed.

NO Pee. The concentration is all thrown off now, and there's no way in H-E-double hockey sticks that she is going now. I am halfway hoping that they will feel sorry for me and tell me not to worry about it. Not so much.

We go back to the examination room and wait. The nurse gives her cup after cup of water....and asks us to try again. LOVELY. Repeat above scene, almost exactly, and no pee. Finally I ask them if we can just have the shots and at least get that over with.

Good.... now I am holding Grace down with all my might, while she screams, kicks the nurse and thrashes around uncontrollably. (I am not exaggerating...) We finally get 6 shots in her... 3 in each leg, the nurse promptly runs out and opens the sticker drawer and tells us we can get our own stickers before we go. Done and Done. We sprint out of the building before they realize that the pee cup is sitting empty on the counter. HA. No pee on me today, thank you very much.

Oh, and I bet you are wondering what the heck the princess costumes have to do with the situation... the girls were wearing them. Yes, out of the house, in the doctor's office. For the record, this is the first time in their entire lives that I have let them wear them in public. I know, I am in therapy about it...

Blue Cricket Design

Come learn now to make your little girl's shorts last all winter!






or click HERE

Friends

Do you have any friends that, no matter how long you go without seeing each other, you can pick right back up where you left off... even if it's been 3.5 years since you last laid eyes on each other?? Well, here's one of mine: Sarah.... We've been friends pretty much since the day she popped out of the womb. We are about 9 months apart in age and our parents were friends when we were born. So, it's kind of like I've never known life without her. They moved to Texas quite a few years ago, like I think before Junior High and we have lived in different states ever since. But our friendship remains.
I had not met her little one, and she had yet to meet Harper. She loves fall in Tennessee, so this was the perfect time for them to come! We had some great quality time, though it felt like we didn't do much because coordinating 3 kids who have different schedules was hard! But it was so much fun! We went to the hockey game one night, the kids had a blast for the most part... minus the car ride down there, and the fact that Harper almost broke her hand at the game... but what's new with Harper, really?
Hayden's first popcorn... the really unhealthy kind...! I only say that because his mother is a nutritionist.... :) Needless to say he had LOVE in his eyes for that salty, buttery goodness!
Harper taught Hayden all kinds of mischief... like removing shoes and socks immediately upon being trapped...I mean strapped... into the car seat, climbing on EVERYTHING in site, and how to properly empty cabinets in order to make the biggest mess.
They really warmed up to each other but seemed to play best when it was just the two of them.
We tried the zoo and went out to eat and hung out at my parent's house one night... No real big fancy outings, but it was so refreshing to see them! We reminisced about old times and talked about the unbelievable fact that we both have kids now!

I hope it's not 3.5 years until we hug each other next, but even if it is, it's so refreshing to know that it will be as if no time has passed at all!


I am 100% positive that Sarah and I have a picture almost exactly like the one above... I really need to try and dig it out. Oh, and just for the record, I potty trained her... Isn't that hilarious!

Picnic in the park

This was the perfect fall day. So, we took a picnic to the park. I am running out of ideas and today was no exception. They get bored too easily and staying at home all day turns into a whine fest.....and that makes me want a wine fest... I'm just sayin'...


Just to prove that Harper was actually there.... this is about all of her I could get into a picture. She is on the move. She was doing things like

This...and

This... and was much too busy to stand still for a picture. Can I just interject here, that the entire time Harper was scaling this plastic cargo net thing, Grace was right beside her saying "Harps, be careful... I DO NOT think this is a good idea....you really might fall...Harper this is really not good..." Needless to say, Harper just blew her off and kept right on climbing and sliding head first down the tallest slide. Wow, our future with these two could be interesting.

preview!

Alana at Nala Photography is amazing. She came over Monday to take ETSY pictures for me. Check these out. I am going to try and re-populate the shop in the next day or two!
Check out Lovely Nest Designs website... you can go to the "SHOP" tab at the top to see what's new!

Pottery Barn Chair Refashion: Mini Tutorial

Click HERE to see my newest PBK anywhere chair refashion... and mini tutorial.

Clemson and other October happenings

Clemson...Oct 2, 2010
Pre-game practice.
This was taken about t-minus 3 hours before the virus from hell took over my body. I think this was taken right after I told Chris that we had to go because I just knew I was about to blow chunks. I look pretty good...eh?

Forcing the biggest smile possible so that maybe, just maybe I could talk my stomach out of revolting. Didn't work.
This was taken Friday, right after we got there... I was feeling pretty good at this point! Woo hoo! I promise, Grace was there too...but all the pictures with her in them were taken with Chris' blackberry.

All in all, I was so glad we went to SC. We had such a nice visit with the most gracious hosts ever. They even kept the kids for us all morning Saturday so Chris and I could go experience game day alone! It was awesome. I hope everyone has a couple in their lives like Dave and Judy Woodard: God-fearing, hilarious, kind, and oh so wise. We love them.

Other October happenings.... PUMPKINS and glitter, of course.
We've painted and glittered pumpkins twice in 3 days. Easy, cheap and fun activity for the kiddos...that will possibly keep them entertained for more than 15 minutes! (For Harper, that is a record.)

Pumpkin tip! If you are glittering pumpkins... and why would you not... BE SURE and spray them with a generous coating of acrylic spray after the paint is dry. This keeps most, if not all of the glitter on the pumpkin!

Our other October activity: Playing in the sprinkler and water table. It's still pretty warm in our neck of the woods- and it's yet another activity that keeps Harper entertained for more than the blink of an eye.

Also, shipped box #2 to NYC yesterday! I am still in awe that I have this opportunity. Thank you Lord!

top 10!

I made the top 10 in the stashbusting september challenge!

Pearl and her new coat made it to the top! I am trying to figure out how to vote...so if you figure it out, let me know!

New Website!

Check out the new website! I will still be using this blog for family updates etc, and will be using the new website for the business side of things! It's still in the works, but doesn't it look fabulous!

Thanks to Matt and Shayna Hobbs at Taproot Photography for building the website for me! Shayna drew my new logo... A-mazing.... and she thinks she's not talented....! You should have seen the other 10 options she drew... The hardest part was choosing one!

Matt and Shayna are so creative and talented, the Lord is using them in mighty ways. Check them out. They have some awesome things in the works!

We'll be tweaking and updating the look, but all Lovely Nest Designs, tutorials etc. will be listed there from now on!

We are creating(I say we... what I really mean is Matt is creating) some buttons with HTML code that you can grab and put on your blog if you want to, so stay tuned for that!

I am humbled that they would take the time to help me. For awesome photography, incredible website design, graphic design, you name it... they can do it... contact them!

TMI Warning:

Let's just say I warned you.

There are only 2 times in my life when I've felt like i was on death's doorstep. One was when I went into preterm labor with Harper and was hooked up to Magnesuim Sulfate (??) for what seemed like eternity... and the other.... last night.

Driving home from Clemson, at the height of a stomach virus. In the car. 6 hours. 100 Ingle's bags. Not pretty. You know when you feel SO BAD that all you can possibly utter is "Oh, God...help" and with the last round of puking, you are sure you've already tasted death. Yup. That was me.

I was trying to hold it together all day, to no avail. How embarrassing to come down with the vomit virus at someone else's house whom you haven't seen in a while and are toting your 2 kids along!!!

Well.... let's just say that the hubs really stepped it up. After my 3rd round of puking and some other unmentionable acts...at their house, he decided that it would be best if we just loaded up in the car and drove home just in case one of the kids, or worse, he may come down with what I had that night....

I took some more Phenergan and walked slowly to the car. Within 10 minutes I had already filled a bag and was seriously miserable, body aching, head hurting and stomach in knots. I was watching the clock and praising the Lord for every minute we were closer to our house.

All the while Chris was driving, patting my head as I was puking into a bag and making sure the kids were OK in the back. Keep in mind that this is the same husband who is as afraid of puke as let's say a venom filled cobra about to strike.

We made it back to Nashville in about 5 hours.... and everyone was tucked soundly in their beds... Me, still miserable, but thankful to be home.

As we speak (or type) Grace is holding a bucket because she feels like she could puke, Chris is in bed and has already taken Phenergan, and Harper is running around looking at us all like "what the heck is wrong with you guys and why aren't you playing with me???"

This could be a long night. OH, and I left my phone charger in Clemson, so if you try to call and get no answer... My phone is probably dead!

There she goes...

There she goes.... she's been prayed over, loved on and is ready to try her wings in the big city. (Why do I feel like I am sending off my first born to college or something???)

Psalm 118:6 (new living translation) "The Lord is for me, so I will not be afraid!"

This is the memory verse we are working on with Grace this week. (She memorized it on the first day...like a sponge... Me, on the other hand had to repeat it over and over and over... and still sometimes get the numbers transposed... ) How fitting to be working on this verse this week.

the sweetest shout-out

Today I am honored by a shout out from a seriously cool, totally hip, awesome gal who lives in Chicago and just got back from Fashion Week in NYC. UM, yes, I already expressed my jealousy! I met her through ETSY and she has the greatest website full of eye candy!

Today she featured me and my Lovely Nest brand! So sweet! Check it out HERE. Hover over the needles until you see the one that says LOVE IT... and click on it. There we are!

She makes really beautiful jewelery and when she gets her ETSY shop up and ready, I'll show you some of it!

Front Page #4

check, check, check it out. Love all these things!!! Woo hoo!

Look what God has done!!!

Only by the grace of God can I say what I am about to say: my children's clothing will soon be available at a boutique in NEW YORK CITY! ..... ahem...yes, you heard that right... NYC, the Big Apple, baby! Stoopher and Boots will be carrying my items!

I am so humbled and honored to have this opportunity, and let me tell you that it was totally the Lord! The owner of this shop (who is incredibly sweet and kind, by the way) found me through ETSY and contacted me to see if I'd be interested in selling my clothing in her shop! Out of the 6.5 million listings on ETSY, she found mine and that's only by the grace of God.

Just the night before I got the email, I was praying for direction, for peace and for open and closed doors. Wow, talk about answered prayer. Be encouraged, God hears our prayers!!!

So, once I get enough items made, I will be hugging them goodbye, wishing them luck, boxing them up and sending them off to the BIG CITY to fend for themselves! Can you believe it!???

It's not about me anyways...

There is freedom here; in these words: It's not about me. Ahh, I'll say it again: It's not about me. Gosh, that feels good!

The past 2 Sundays at church, God has dropped this little nugget in my spirit through some of the things Pastor Chris has been talking about. The first Sunday, it scared me, but this Sunday it set me free....

.....Set me free from the pressure to succeed, to stand out, to be the best. I am already sanctified, saved, signed, sealed and delivered and what else do I need??? Therefore I can step out in faith in the areas I feel God is leading me with confidence because it's not about ME... all that I have is a gift from God, so I pray that I will just use my gifts and talents to His glory and be reminded that it's not about me anyways.

Front Page #3!

This little lovely made it to the front page of etsy this morning! Seriously, this is awesome!


Click HERE to see the FRONT PAGE treasury!!! Can't believe it! This is unreal, yall.

Excuse me, what did you say???

I know I shouldn't laugh, but YOU try and keep a straight face!

Pearl and her new coat.

Meet Pearl. We just adopted her yesterday. She's a beauty. Here she is wearing her new coat. It was made by yours truly from scratch...from the stash...! One part green fabric that I've had for ages, and one part vintage floral sheet + 4 vintage buttons = pearl's coat.

Here's the lining... cut from a vintage sheet. Yes, she's fully lined, shined and simply divine. (Sorry, that was corny.)

The back with an almost 4 inch pleat. So cute.

Here she is again, in all her glory.

Now the only question is: Pockets or no pockets? I had the pockets on... but then took them off... now I need some advice. Pockets or no pockets... and if pockets are the verdict, which ones??? See below. Floral pockets??

Or green?... Hmmm, I can't decide. What do you think?

Ok, truth is, I made this coat for Harper, but don't tell Pearl, she really likes it and thinks it's her color. I've got to break the news to her sometime, but maybe I'll wait just a little while... since she's new to the family and all... I want her to feel welcome here, you know. So... pockets or no pockets? Pearl isn't giving me any indication what-so-ever... so I turn to you.

Front page again! I can't believe it... so cool... and so the Lord. A friend told me the other day that people wait years to be featured on the front page of etsy! And the 2nd time in just a month. Don't know what will happen from here, but I am thankful and I am enjoying the process.

Had another blessing today related to the little clothing business. I was able to buy a really nice child sized mannequin for 40$... that's a seriously good deal! I've been dying for one of these for a while... Thankful, and God is faithful and he is working although I have no idea what the plan is. That's Ok.

Oh, and in the world of sewing for my children... I started making an absolutely adorable coat for Harper... as in facings, linings, interfacing, plackets etc... And from a vintage 70's pattern. It's turning out so cute. Can't wait to finish and publish pictures!!!

Blue Eyed Beauties

Took a little trip to the Farmer's Market...

Lest you think Harper started this fight....Here's the picture to prove Grace threw the first blow!

Retaliation at it's finest.... go for the hair...

Harper's new line: "papi did it"