Our Lovely Nest

Come visit on the other side...

2011-02-08T17:34:00.004-06:00

Ok, so I guess by now you all have noticed... I am not blogging over here hardly at all. So why don't yall come visit on the other side... I'm blogging a lot more at my new site.

Here's the link! Check it out!

LovelyNestDesigns

Confessions of a Bridgestone Arena Widow...

2010-12-18T19:53:00.003-06:00

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...

2010-12-13T13:58:00.002-06:00

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

2010-12-06T08:56:00.002-06:00

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!

2010-11-23T08:59:00.002-06:00

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...

2010-11-22T08:33:00.001-06:00

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....

2010-11-08T08:18:00.004-06:00

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.

2010-10-27T15:47:00.004-05:00

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

2010-10-23T06:57:00.002-05:00

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

or click HERE

Friends

2010-10-21T14:11:00.003-05:00

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

2010-10-15T21:44:00.002-05:00

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!

2010-10-14T19:05:00.003-05:00

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

2010-10-09T09:59:00.001-05:00

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

Clemson and other October happenings

2010-10-08T13:40:00.004-05:00

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!

2010-10-06T10:13:00.002-05:00

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!

2010-10-05T19:31:00.003-05:00

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:

2010-10-03T16:57:00.003-05:00

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...

2010-09-30T11:33:00.001-05:00

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

2010-09-29T20:02:00.003-05:00

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

2010-09-26T09:45:00.003-05:00

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

Look what God has done!!!

2010-09-24T17:22:00.001-05:00

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...

2010-09-22T16:23:00.003-05:00

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!

2010-09-18T14:33:00.003-05:00

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???

2010-09-17T15:41:00.004-05:00

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

Pearl and her new coat.

2010-09-15T16:29:00.006-05:00

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.

2010-09-14T20:58:00.000-05:00

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

2010-09-13T13:40:00.005-05:00

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"

Harper's First Day

2010-09-10T08:09:00.003-05:00

It went something like this:

Wake up girls: 7:15am...about 1.5 hours earlier than they normally arise.
"Harper, it's your first day at school!...
Good morning, Grace, SMILE...!" (See picture)

Harper says: "mama! IDEA!...."
"What's your idea, Harper?"
Harper says: "School, Gracie" (translation: school with Gracie!)
"Oh, that's a good IDEA, Harper!" (See picture)
"Harper, you are going to take your lunch, and take a nap and play on the playground at school today, but your pappy (paci) has to stay in your locker." (see picture)
"Here's your lunch box Harps, do you want to give me your pappy?" (see picture)

"You're gonna have a great day at school, and Gracie will be there and you don't have to worry because mommy will come pick you up after your nap!" (see picture)

Off to school... babies on the bus (aka: dad's car)... Mama does a little happy dance after she closes the door to the house.

Harper was fairly sad all day the first day... cried most of the day, but she got to go see Grace and her friend Marlee which made her feel better. She was rocked to sleep and got to sleep with her paci the first day, but refused to eat.... she is a little bull-headed I think.

The second day, she did much better! Only cried about 5 minutes after Chris dropped her off and slept without her paci on her mat! Woo Hoo! Still had a hard time with transitions, and still refused to eat...you know, she is stubborn like that.

The third day (yesterday), I dropped her off for the first time and she wasn't really a fan of that. She threw herself on the floor, launched her lovie across the room and refused to be comforted by the sweet teacher who was trying to help.

On my way back down the hall after dropping Grace off at her class, the fit had calmed and she was relatively pleasant. I didn't look in her classroom, of course, rather I slinked on the floor like a snake so as not to be seen by you know who.

When I picked her up that afternoon, her teacher said she'd had a better day than Tuesday! She even played (nicely) with her friends and laughed a little at circle time... and dare I say, she ate a little of her lunch!

This is progress, people! She will eventually love it, I have no doubt and really come into her own... (as if she needs to do any more of that... :)

Grace has been so sweet to Harper during this process, she comforts her during school, talks to her about her day in the car on the way home and tells her what a big girl she is for not crying when mommy leaves. She reminds her that mommy will always come pick her up and that school is really fun. (G is such a little nurturer, it's just adorable)

On a side note, I am feeling a little more rejuvenated with those few hours to myself. It's amazing what that time does for me.

Etsy Photo Preview

2010-09-02T07:24:00.002-05:00

Check this out! Here is a preview of one of the shots Alana took for etsy. Isn't she AMAZING?

CLICK THIS LINK to go see the picture...I don't want to post the pic here yet without her permission... More to come!

Etsy Update

2010-08-31T21:19:00.001-05:00

Etsy, Etsy... so many things to say about Etsy. I've learned a lot these past few weeks, some good, some not so good! Still no sales yet, but BIG news...

One of my sweaters made it to the FRONT page of Etsy! That's big time, I tell ya... with the millions of items listed there, I feel HONORED to say the least.

I've been listed in several Treasuries this week by other shop owners and I made it to a blog tonight with over 800 followers, so that's exposure. All these things are great!

I've gotten emails asking if I could make a dress currently listed in a different size, which I knew may be a problem... but that's the nature of the beast I guess. If I am trying to create one of a kind hand crafted items, using 99% recycled materials there usually can't be one in every size... you know? It's something that may or may not work on Etsy, but I've gotten great feedback. People like what they are seeing, and when they tell me they are looking for a certain size, I am able to create something similar in the size they are looking for.

All this is so new, I really in the scheme of things have no idea what I am doing, but that's OK... I'm working on it and learning things along the way.

I'm adding some vintage things to the site as well to diversify my offerings. We'll see how that goes!

Some things are in the works for the fall... so I've got to be pretty busy sewing, which I love and that's good. I've said it many times: the more I sew the more myself I feel. My favorite thing to do is sew while listening to a Fred Hammond or another gospel singer on Pandora. Talk about inspiration...although, one time I almost stitched my finger to the garment because I was dancing. Scary, I know.

Today Alana of Nala Photography came over... talk about talent. She is amazing, and just one of the sweetest hearts you'll ever meet. Don't get me started on her baby yall... just adorable. We took pictures of a bunch of stuff for Etsy. I can't wait to see how they turn out!

So, things are moving. I've been praying for direction with this whole thing... so we'll see where this leads, if anywhere.

Princess Procurement

2010-08-26T13:47:00.003-05:00

Thankfully, my soon to be 4 year old can't read all the words in this post yet... but I have a confession to make:

Gulp. Here goes nothin'.... Every single present Grace is getting from us for her birthday IS or is directly related to a Disney Princess.

There. I said it... I admit it. I am embarrassed now, but feel better that I got this off my chest.

I have no idea what other family members or friends will get Grace for her birthday, but I will be OK if every single thing she gets has to do with princesses. Why? Well, I'm not sure. She loves them, that's all she talks about and because I want her to like her gifts and feel special because we listened to and value what she thinks is cool... I don't know, I guess that's it.

Confession #2: She is getting 2 princess shirts, but they will be night-night shirts only, and I think it's OK that I am setting that boundary.

So, there you have it.

On a totally unrelated note, listen to this song. If you are on facebook, you probably saw that I posted this link there too... but man, wow... this is my prayer.

Sometimes you feel like you need a fresh touch from God... like everything around you is stale and icky. Well, this song came on Pandora today, and was exactly what I needed to hear. Like a cool drink of water and a breeze on my face... Refreshing. Take a listen. Good stuff. I love Fred Hammond.

Upcycled Love

2010-08-21T09:36:00.003-05:00

Click HERE if you want to see the latest Upcycled LOVE

random thoughts

2010-08-17T21:16:00.002-05:00

It was a great day up until tonight, I had not one, but TWO children who were throwing a royal hissy in the church nursery as I was trying to get plugged in with the women's ministry.

Awesome. So, I tried to bring both girls into the meeting with me, but Harper proceeded to SCREAM (the blood curdling, she must be dying kind) at the top of her lungs and I had to take her out twice, finally she calmed down, but after a few minutes, I was still asked to leave (SO EMBARRASSING) because they were being too disruptive.

Chris was in the men's meeting, so I could not leave when we were kicked out. They ran the halls for an hour and a half and I sat against the wall trying not to cry or throw a hissy myself.

I have totally dropped the ball on the etsy thing right now. Since last week was wedding week, I totally wasn't thinking about it. (Because who really wants to think about anything but a wedding on wedding week, right?) So, I am trying to refocus and see what I can do here.... if anything. That was probably the WRONG time to open the shop, but what am I going to do now...??? We'll see. I'm not totally worried about it which is probably good and bad. Good in the since that it's not consuming my thoughts, but bad in the sense that my motivation to work on it has waned (is that the right spelling?).

Thankfully I have a sweet new friend who is going to help me with photography. I am going to try to get the button on my blog but for now, check out Nala Photography!
She is really creative and talented and has one of the cutest babies I've ever seen.

I am just slightly done with motherhood right now... so I am zoning out in front of the last episode of Project Runway, and Chris put the kids to bed. I love this show.

It rained today and we had a great playdate with some friends, so those were 2 good points. We'll end on a good note!

Oh Happy Day...

2010-08-15T09:36:00.004-05:00

Happy, radiant, confident and peaceful. I have never seen a bride more calm, cool and collected on the morning of her wedding. She was beautiful. She was so relaxed in the chair getting her hair and makeup done, I swear I thought she was going to fall asleep!

I felt so honored to be there! The day included a trip to the salon, a forgotten veil, a little lunch, a little Ellen, some ridiculously expensive (but delicious) drinks at the Oak Bar, a few tears and some sweet conversation.
A couple hours before the wedding we walked over to the reception site to check it out. It was breathtaking... I cried...but I am a baby like that. Everything was SO Amy...

How lovely was the day! Full of love and hope and peace and it was breathtaking, the whole thing.
The day started with a beautiful bride and ended with an awe-inspiring pink sunset as the bride and groom were saying their vows. Truly breathtaking, indeed.

Love you Chris and Amy!!!!

A hard thing...

2010-08-11T21:29:00.002-05:00

Well, this new thing is turning into a hard thing! I guess I am realizing how much time and effort goes into etsy. I was chatting in some etsy forums this morning and wowza... these people are serious.!!

Here are some tips I heard (read) from today:
-post new items every single day, at different times each day
-re arrange your items several times a day to stay at the top of the feed
-blog and link around the blog-o-sphere so that you will become well known
-basically pay a professional photog. to take pictures for you
-marketing, marketing, marketing...
-create interesting blogs like tutorials with professional pictures none the less
-spend money to make money
-consider paying for advertising
-buy lots of things on etsy so you can get good feedback

I mean the list goes on and on... So, when do I actually get to sew and create things and do what I love to do? I don't know.....but supposedly to be successful on etsy you've got to do a lot of side work to get things going... it's apparently tough in the beginning, but it gets better once the wheel is turning.

So, while I try to figure out my strategy and marketing and all kinds of crap that makes my stomach hurt... tell people that I make really cute clothes!!!

OK, that's all... just a little rant. Thanks for listening....

A new thing...

2010-08-09T19:31:00.003-05:00

Take a look on the right sidebar...

" When you are unsure which course to take, totally submit your own judgment to that of the Spirit of God, asking Him to shut every door except the right one. But meanwhile keep moving ahead and consider the absence of a direct indication from God to be the evidence of Hi s will that you are on His path. And as you continue down the long road, you will find that He has gone before you, locking doors you otherwise would have been inclined to enter. Yet you can be sure that somewhere beyond the locked doors is one He has left unlocked. And when you open it and walk through, you will find yourself face to face with a turn in the river of opportunity- one that is broader and deeper than anything you ever dared to imagine, even in your wildest dreams. So set sail on it because it flows to the open sea."
-from Streams in the Desert

Yes, folks... I've done it, finally. Stay tuned... more to come.

Pray for me yall....

Oh Harper.

2010-08-05T19:32:00.004-05:00

Spirited lover of life

Lovely mix of tomboy and girly girl

A little mischievous, a lot sweet

Boot-scootin, booty shakin', dare devil

sassy and scrumptious

I usually don't get into this but...

2010-07-26T11:49:00.003-05:00

I usually don't get into things like this, but today I am fuming! Have yall heard of the 'barefoot bandit'? (White teen male who went on a 2 year crime spree that spanned the US and the Bahamas, maybe even Canada, I can't remember) The kid has tens of thousands of fans on facebook. (Really????) Young people all over the world were rooting for him to continue to evade arrest. The story is alluring, captivating and draws people in. Kids are idolizing him and living vicariously through him. Dude's even got an extensive Wikipedia page.

Let me back up... here's the reason I am fuming: while on our morning walk I was listening to NPR. There was an hour-long call in show dedicated to Colton Harris-Moore (the barefoot bandit.) Callers were hailing his crime spree as nothing more than a need for adventure, a challenge and an escape from his 'hard life.' Young and old alike were defending him, making him out to be a sweet kid who just needed a little more love and attention. Some agreed that he needed help, but the overarching theme was that he was a harmless thrill seeking child.

The article I linked to above quotes a woman who called him 'intelligent, polite, and friendly.' She even started collecting donations before he was ever caught to cover his legal fees and defense costs.... Is this outrageous to anyone else?

Ok, here's my question and the main reason I am so upset by all of this madness: Change NOTHING about this kid but the color of his skin...and do you think the reactions would be the same?

It's sad to say, but if he were of Middle Eastern descent, he would most likely be labeled a terrorist in training or something of the sort; if he were Hispanic, most likely he would be called 'illegal'; and if he were an African American teen, Lord knows he would most likely be suspected of unsolved murders, rapes and the like in every state where he had committed other crimes.

If you really look at this story, you can't tell me that racism is dead in our society! We think we have come so far, and pat ourselves on the back for all our efforts toward racial equality, but look at this??? Is this sickening to anyone else?

Almost surely 90% of teens (race aside) who commit crimes of any sort could be classified as needing attention, love and have probably come from less than ideal backgrounds, but lets say this kid was black, who in their right mind thinks the media would portray this side of him?

Instead they would use words more closely related to thug, gang-banger, violent, dangerous. You can bet your bottom dollar that you wouldn't be reading words like "smart, intelligent, and friendly" in a newspaper article about the African American teen who went on a 2 year crime spree.

This makes me sick. Maybe I am more sensitive to it because of some of this things we are talking about at church these days... but I was about to jump out of my skin as I was listening! If only I would have had my cell phone at the time I probably would have called and posed the question to them. "What if ONLY his skin color were different?" (actually, do you think the phone screener would have even put me through?)

bathtub painting

2010-07-21T19:31:00.004-05:00

Kids love painting. I hate the mess. This afternoon we needed an activity, and this one lasted for at least an hour. That's success, if you ask me.
Tape butcher paper all around the walls of the bathtub...strip them down to their skivvies and give it a go. We used finger paint and Crayola art paint.

When they have finished the masterpiece, just take a bath, spray out the tub and done!

Harper learned a new word during this activity: V-jay-jay.... um, because she started painting hers....Of course, both girls thought this was the funniest thing ever... I'm like, whatever, you are laughing and not crying or fighting... so I'm cool with it.

So, you don't want to take a nap???

2010-07-18T14:00:00.002-05:00

Grace told me that today she didn't really want to take a nap.

I responded: "Oh, Grace, I have been waiting for you to tell me that! I am so happy! Now you can help me clean, sweep, mop, do the dishes and laundry! So, what do you want to do first?"

Immediately she responded with a fake yawn and stretched her hands back and said "But I am really tired, and I think I want to go to bed..."

my.job.done. :)

one year ago....

2010-07-16T15:40:00.006-05:00

One year ago...July 09

Looking back at these pictures, I can not believe how much they have grown!

Look at this baby!!! Harps isn't really a baby anymore, she's a toddler! I am in shock....
...And this toddler is no longer a toddler, she is becoming a big girl, learning to sound out her letters and to write her name.
I have a love/hate relationship with the baby stage... Looking at this scrumptious picture, I want another one (Chris just keeled over in his chair... someone revive him please)... but then I quickly remember the screaming, sleepless nights and the lack of communication skills... and I come back to reality and realize that I still want to wait a few years before even thinking about another...

Every parent knows that some days you simply don't 'like' your children. I mean, you always love them, but you know what I mean... so when I have days when the 'like' factor is low, I need to remember to go back and look at their cute little chubby baby faces, because it's really making the 'like' factor go up!

(grace... Sept 08)
I needed to look at her cute chubby baby face today, if you know what I mean...:)

Lovely things about a sick day

2010-07-09T14:35:00.002-05:00

Sometimes you just have to look on the bright side, when all you really want to do is crawl under the covers. No one is feeling exceptionally lovely today, but after a few doses of ibuprofen we had a couple moments of greatness: Exhibit A: RAIN. I love it, it is refreshing, soothing, and a summer storm is just the ticket, if you ask me. A little dance in the rain is sure to make a girl feel better, even for a moment.
Exhibit B: Magazines, glue, scissors, crayons and the like. Although Harper smeared almost a whole stick of glue on her face, under her nails, and in her mouth, we still managed to have enough to make a pretty sweet collage. This used to be one of my absolute favorite things to do as an older child, and I think the girls liked it too. Grace's cutting skills are pretty darn impressive these days. She can now cut objects out of a magazine with precision...in other words, when she is done cutting it out, you can actually still recognize what the object is.

And here are some other pretty great things that happened today:
1. Mom found me an absolutely gorgeous Anthropologie dress, and shirt, and a couple things for the kids (at the goodwill of course) and dropped them by.
2. It is still raining
3. The girls seem to be napping well
4. There have only been a few fits and fights despite the very fragile feelings that sickness brings out
5. We all ate yogurt and baked lays for lunch
6. I know there are a couple more things I was going to write, but my ibuprofen is wearing off, and I need to go take some more so I can get my clear head back!!!

Crazy Lovely Fun

2010-06-30T13:40:00.004-05:00

Look at this kid heaven!
I Googled the words "splash pad Tennessee" this morning and I found this! Not sure how long it has been there, but this piece of kid heaven is located in Smyrna. Sounds far, but it took us right at 30 minutes to get there from Franklin. Why has no one told me of this gem before???
It was totally free, provided by their parks and rec department. Anyone know who I have to beg to get one of these in Franklin???

This picture shows about half of the splash pad. It is the perfect size, not too big, (although I would still recommend dressing your kids in something brightly colored and easily recognizable), and not to small. 2 hours of pure bliss for the kiddos. TOTALLY worth the drive!

First Impressions = squeals of delight and of course the inevitable full body quiver that Harper has when she just can't contain her excitement, complete with the birdy hands.

Apparently nothing is as good when daddy isn't there because the whole time Grace is saying: "Moooooommmmm, can we bring Daddy here.....um, like today?"

Harper does funny things to show her excitement... and this was just so awesome that she had to experience it right side up and upside down!

"Seriously Mom, can I catch a break here... what's with all the pictures?"

I'm seriously up for going at least once every 2 weeks this summer... who's with me???

A flapper and a fairy

2010-06-28T15:14:00.003-05:00

The fairy is having a mental meltdown in her bed right now. Come to think of it, she is about to cause me to have a mental meltdown too!

The flapper is fast asleep, snoring in the monitor. I don't know how she can sleep through all the noise. This is such a Free People catalog pose. I love it.

The IOP continued... a little late.

2010-06-22T16:59:00.003-05:00

I somehow thought I'd have all this extra time while on vacation, but it never happens... I know better... so I didn't get a chance to post again after the first one! Sorry. Anyhow, here is what my dad brought home to put in the hot tub: Dry Ice. Yes, only Frank... it was pretty cool, I must admit.

We had such a good time. I am trying to decide which I like better: South Carolina or the Gulf beaches...? Hard choice! Still haven't decided. The city is charming and somehow captures my heart every time. The house we stayed in was lovely and it made all the difference in the world to have the pool and hot tub right out back. We spent the majority of our time on the lovely screened in porch... heavenly. I even finished a 400 page book (The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux). I know nothing about whether or not this is a 'worthwhile read'- it was on the shelf at the house... but it was pretty good, and I can't tell you the last time I read an entire book! (sad, I know... I'm not a big reader, but I am trying)
We had lots of night swims and the girls thought the hot tub was build as a baby pool just for them. We cooked fresh shrimp and had some good meals on the porch.

So thankful that my parents were able to come with us. The kids LOVED every minute of it. Chris and I even had a date night in the city alone. We ate at a place called S.N.O.B, and while it was excellent food, snob was a pretty fitting name, if you know what I mean. I guess Chris and I are just not food connoisseurs. We'd rather have tons of food for little money than tons of money for little food.

I am trying to upload more photos, but blogger is not working well for that at the moment!

The IOP

2010-06-14T09:57:00.001-05:00

Here we are in the IOP, SC... (as the locals call it) anyways, it is beautiful, lovely and there is no threat of oil!

This is the one thing that Grace loves and Harper is not so sure about... sitting at the shoreline and letting the waves crash on them... They both had a BLAST on the beach yesterday. Loved every minute of it.
Grace even let the ocean waves crash on her and got water all in her face... and liked it!!! Can you believe that??? Maybe it's the fact that Chris is here, she feels really comfortable with him in the water... whatever it is, she loves it!

This is at 3:30am in the morning... when we left Franklin... Look at these smiles!
They were great in the car... no crying, whining, no fits! They each only slept about 30 min or so the entire ride.

I love South Carolina... such a lovely state... more to come later. Just wait till you see what my dad brought home last night.... only Frank. The pictures are on his camera and he and Chris have it with them... they got a fishing guide this morning and are out doing guy things.

Summer Sewing

2010-06-11T07:50:00.003-05:00

You know you've got some kind of obsession when you are watching a basketball game and wonder about the sewing techniques used to make the uniforms. Yes, I will admit, I did it.

Actually... anytime I see something that catches my eye, I don't look at the tag to see how much it costs, or even look to see if they have the size I need... I pick it up, look at the fabric, examine the seams and make mental notes on how to recreate it at home... N.E.R.D. It's embarrassing. I am sure people think I am crazy. Ok, enough with the confession: Here are a few things I've made in the last week or so.

Let me just proclaim here how much I love elastic thread and shirring. From a cost-saving standpoint, it is the wonder thread! Above is a dress I made for Harper... She seriously may be able to wear this for 4 years... with the tie straps, and the shirred bodice, it will fit almost any size. I could probably wear it as a shirt! When it gets too short, throw it on with some leggings or shorts and you have an adorable boho-chic top! Actually, Grace could wear it like that right now. LOVE it.

Here are a couple of dresses I made for the girls to wear on vacay... Again, elastic thread, awesome. I just barely had enough 'designer' fabric left over from a project to make these dresses. I don't buy designer fabric, usually because it is so darn expensive... we are talking 12$-25$ per yard and sometimes more... Ummm, no, I don't think so.
Confession #2. I broke my own rule recently because my fav fabric store had all their fabrics 50% off... but that is literally the first time I've ever splurged like that. Now I have to try out a million patterns to make sure I have the perfect one before I dare cut into that fabric-gold!

(when I tell the girls I am going to take their picture, this is the reaction I get...silly poses.)

Here's one of the patterns I am trying out. Love the round yoke, and I think I like this pattern... but we'll see. Grace's is made from some vintage fabric and a lady's skirt... Harper's is 100% vintage fabric, baby. I love that.
Ok, so if you don't care anything about sewing, I just bored you to death... sorry about that! Off to cut some more patterns.

reason for the delay...

2010-06-07T14:46:00.004-05:00

Well, the reason I haven't blogged recently is simply this: My primary job these days is to keep Harper from accidentally killing herself. Plain and simple, that's it....

Take today for example... we were slip-sliding away at a friends house... somehow, Grace managed to lock herself INSIDE their house, having to pee and not being able to get her bathing wet suit down...leaving me helpless to get to her because like I said, we were locked OUT... all the while, Harper is rambunctiously climbing up the stairs so that she can give her input to the situation, and somehow slips and falls down the stairs... landing on her head, I might add. Lovely. Now she has another goose egg to add to the collection, along with some bruising and scrapes...

Saturday night, she was climbing...because that's what she does...climb... anyhow... she was standing on top of an art bench we have in the kitchen, and of course, loses her balance and falls down, feet first... which sounds well and good, until we realized she could not walk on her foot anymore... We debated taking her to the ER (because of course, that's the only place that is open...) to have it checked... but just gave it some time, and she seems to be fine today.

OH, and Friday night we had a babysitter for the first time EVER, and Harper decides that would be a good time to climb out of her crib and fall to the floor. She's never done it before, but why not when we have our first babysitter...right???

This child could not be more different than Grace was. In all honesty, I could not imagine how different they would be. Night and day, oil and water different.... and I guess that's good. The only problem is that I am having to learn a whole new set of 'parenting rules.' I can't just do the same thing I did with Grace... My brain is tired and I really don't have the capacity to learn anything else right now... So, this is all kind of annoying... but we'll get through it.

I love to see Grace and Harper's relationship because they get along so well and they love each other. They literally roll on the floor and laugh at each other and have the best time. That is such a blessing. I am not having to constantly break up fights or work out compromises... ahhh, I love it... so nice. ..... Now if I can just keep the younger one alive... that would be fabulous...

I heart knoxville

2010-05-25T14:45:00.005-05:00

I heart knoxville, I am sure all of you know that by now.... Although there were a lot more ladies lovin' ladies (if you know what I mean) than I ever remember seeing during the ole college days. I was actually frightened a few times. Anyways, the picture above just makes me laugh....

Dear graffiti artist... Yes, tuition sucks, but you are in college, soak in the glory days while you can... they are over too quickly!

Ahhhh, the annual orange and white impatiens are planted... in the checker board fashion... maybe this will give our football team a boost?? Maybe not.

Of course we visited all our old stomping grounds, drove by my college house, although we didn't have the pleasure of seeing Wang heading to the law building for a bath in the sink...(God forbid he pay for his own water to keep up his hygiene...) but that's a different story.

We had some time with some sweet friends, saw my brother and Kristin, and walked all over the city. All in all, great weekend. Knoxville, thank you for being so glorious!

Slightly Disgusting

2010-05-20T14:10:00.002-05:00

Well, we ended our fabulously great swim lessons with Grace ralphing on the teacher the very last minute of the very last lesson. I was on the phone with a friend, in the middle of a conversation and I think I said: "O S***, Grace is about to puke on the teacher!" and hung up! I am sure she was thrilled to be cussed at and hung up on all in the same second! Sorry, friend!!!

Harper started her week with disgusting neon yellow puss like nasty-ness coming from her left ear. I took her to the doctor and she had ruptured her ear drum. Apparently she had acquired such a bad ear infection that the ear drum burst in an effort to heal itself... The doctor didn't believe me that Harper did not show any symptoms and gave me the "really?? where have you been all her life" look, which if you've ever gotten it, makes you feel like one hell of a mother....if you know what I mean!

Other than that, things have been relatively quiet around here. Chris and I are heading to Knoxville this weekend. It's our anniversary, and we love K-town. It is one of my favorite cities...and I think it's just because of all the good memories I have there. If I could go back and live my college days all over again, I would do it in half a second. I just loved it.

That's all for now... Toodles.

little swimmer girl

2010-05-16T09:03:00.004-05:00

Grace is a little swimmer girl! Here's a rundown of the week:

"Excuse me, you want me to do WHAT??"

Day 1: Grace goes into the water willingly with young, nice teacher. They attempt to go under water and hold breath, get used to blowing bubbles, putting ears and face in the water... She looked terrified, but did whatever the teacher said.

Day 2: New teacher, older lady, swim coach-type, very loving towards Grace. She started 'mermaid dives' today. The entire time Grace was about to bust out some tears... but she kept them in. She still doesn't 'get' the concept that when you go under water you should hold your breath... Grace is smart and ended the lesson early by telling the lady she had to pee. I took her to the bathroom and all hell broke loose... a fit like you could never imagine ensued. When I carried her kicking and screaming from the bathroom, buck-naked under her cover-up, everyone stared... and probably thought I was kidnapping the child. Keep in mind we had to walk to the Burtons from the pool...and she screamed at the top of her lungs the whole time.

Day 3: Grace a little hesitant to get in pool, but she does anyways... Teach starts off with a few mermaid dives (going under water and swimming to the steps, or the side of the pool) and Grace tells the lady she has to pee. She'd already peed 5 minutes before this... so I say: "Grace, you just went to the bathroom, are you sure you have to pee?" Grace responds: "Oh, I mean I have to poop." (Yea right, I am thinking to myself)
We go to the bathroom and she doesn't poop, just sits on the potty and tells me how she doesn't want to do anymore mermaid dives.
I suggest that she talk to her teacher about it rather than lying... so she gets back in the water and starts bawling... She finally tells her teacher that she doesn't want to do anymore, and the teacher kindly complies and they work on other things.
*highlight of day 3, her new Ariel goggles, which she wore proudly.

Day 4: Grace is a different child. No crying, almost no hesitation to do anything. She has finally 'gotten' it and can now hold her breath without sucking in through her nose or mouth when she goes under... She is swimming from the steps to the teacher and back with no problem. She can float on her back, ears in the water and all... completely relaxed in the water. She is jumping off the side of the pool, and going under water on the way in... Totally different child! I was so proud and amazed. Iz texted me and told me she was praying for Grace and God totally answered all her prayers that day! Today Grace started to realize how well she was doing and was a little proud of herself too!

Day 5: These are videos from Day 5, and I really never thought she would come this far in a week! We have 2 more lessons next week, and no telling what she will be doing by mid week.

Check it out:

alive underneath

2010-05-06T12:55:00.002-05:00

Today I drove around parts of downtown Franklin that were previously completely under water. You can tell exactly where the water was, and in many cases, how deep just by looking at what's left. Everything that was submerged now has a thick film of mud covering every surface: trees, branches, blades of grass, grave stones, buildings, doors, homes, everything. In most cases the water is gone, but the devastation remains.

Something struck me as I was looking at a field... upon first glance, it looked dead; brown everywhere, with no hint of green... but the truth of the matter is that those trees, bushes, blades of grass and the like were STILL ALIVE underneath all the muck. There is still life in them, but in order to see it, they just need a little help. It is supposed to rain again this weekend, I think, maybe early next week, so with the gentle rain, God will wash away the mud from the grass, and trees, and reveal LIFE.

I think He is doing this in our city. People helping people, communities coming together, I am not sure there could be anyone who feels alone in their struggle this week, because people are rising up and standing together. We are pouring life into each other.

I am just praying for the families who lost everything, praying that they will know that they are still alive underneath, and that they will feel the love of a diverse community standing around them.

Click here for pictures from the Tennessean.

It rained and it poured

2010-05-04T19:27:00.005-05:00

A farm on the other side of Forrest Crossing near the driving range

For some reason blogger has decided to give my photos a home on the left side of the page, rather than the center... so we'll go with it.
So, here are a few pictures of the flood. If you live in Nashville you've been hearing about this for days...but if you live elsewhere, you may not have heard a thing!

Our neighbor's fence, which is now busted up and on the ground. This is when the Harpeth River was still close to being within it's banks....

Praise the Lord for the golf course in front of us, because it was our saving grace. I would be willing to bet that there was water to a depth of at least 15 feet in many parts across the street. The water crept up the hill in front of our house, but never made it to the street. We know several people whose homes were completely destroyed. Nothing left to salvage. I can't imagine the feeling. It breaks my heart even thinking about it. It reminds me that the 'things' we so often trust in could be gone in an instant.

Cart path bridge that is normally 20 or so feet above the water...

There's our mailbox. This is taken from our front porch.

The rain is coming down so hard, the picture looks foggy... those trees are well over 20 ft tall, probably.... And this wasn't where the water crested!

I've heard this so many times in the past 2 days, but I am proud to live in Nashville. People are helping wherever and however they can. There is such a resilient spirit here and it is so obvious.
Here is a picture inside the Bridgestone Arena... (where Chris works)... and thus the reason he has gotten to stay home for 2 extra days... (the girls are in heaven, I am in heaven... it's been nice!) From what we've heard, the water did not rush in here, it came up from the drains... which is even more disgusting...

...and we've got a pulse...

2010-05-01T06:51:00.004-05:00

"Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back everything is different...." -C.S. Lewis

What does one do on a day when no one will call us back??? Well, get out the sprinkler, of course! That's what we did today. The weather was warm, but the water was REALLY cold. Harper paid no mind to that fact, of course... but Grace was keenly aware. But she played because Harper played and she had a great time!

The screams and squeals of delight didn't seem to make the mid-day golfers very happy...but, you can't please everyone, can you?

I love that quote by C.S. Lewis... As I was ordering 800+ pictures on Shutterfly today I was struck by it. I mean, just in the last 4 months, the girls have changed so much! I can't really believe my eyes. It seems like Harper should still only be a few weeks old! I need to remind myself what a privileged it is to stay home and watch them grow. ( I will admit that it is so much easier to do that when hockey season is over!) I've felt about 700 pounds lighter this week, and I know it's because I finally feel like a family again. By March/April...I am so ragged and tired that I don't enjoy things and I am bogged down by every detail of life... But now... Ahhhh, I feel like I can breathe again. And that feels good.

Thoughts on Motherhood...

2010-04-26T21:17:00.000-05:00

G.K.Chesterton:

"How can it be a large career to tell other people's children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one's own children about the universe? How can it be broad to be the same thing to everyone and narrow to be everything to someone? No, a woman's function is laborious, but because it is gigantic, not because it is minute" (What's Wrong with the World)

Do you remember The Many Faces of Graces....? Well, Harper has a few of her own!!!

Failure is a 4-letter word.

2010-04-19T08:43:00.003-05:00

I am afraid to fail. I have been thinking about this a lot lately...even back to my high school days. I had terrible knee problems that prevented me from really playing basketball, but inside, I was secretly glad because I didn't have to miss a shot or get the ball stolen from me in front of hundreds of people.

I did enjoy cross country, but that was more of an individual sport and, sure, you could get a slower time than last week, or someone could sprint past you at the very end, but it wasn't so glaringly obvious that you failed at your task. There were kids who would finish a 3 mile race in over an hour and people were cheering them through the gates because they simply finished.

Even into adulthood, I was absolutely paralyzed with fear when I found out I was pregnant because I was afraid I would fail as a mother...

I have been thinking about selling my clothes on etsy lately, but I just can't get over that hump to actually try it because I am afraid that no one will buy them, and if they actually buy them, I am afraid that they will not like them. I am scared that I won't have pictures that will draw customers in, I am scared I won't have time to devote to running a crafty blog so that I may direct people to my etsy site, the list goes on and on... Bottom line: I am afraid of FAILURE.

I remember the feeling I had before presenting my clothes to the owner of Over the Moon. I sat in the parking lot across the street for at least 30 minutes, praying that I would have the courage to overcome my fear of failure and walk through the front door. Even just walking over the threshold, brought a feeling of bliss because I knew that no matter what the outcome, I had done something that the Lord was placing on my heart to do.

So now I sit with a somewhat clouded head. I can't figure out what the Lord is putting on my heart to do at this moment. But when I figure it out, I don't want to allow fear to dictate my actions. Sometimes we just need to take a step of faith, and know that it's not what the world thinks of us, but how the Lord sees us that is important. Jesus is not guaranteeing that I will succeed in my efforts as a (very, very amateur) clothing designer. Even if it is HIM that is telling me to go for it, that is not necessarily a shoe in for a favorable outcome...but that's OK.

I am praying that the Lord would give me the confidence in Him... that even if all my efforts fail, what matters is not how I look in the world's eyes, but ultimately that I am walking in the Lord's will, and even if I fail by the world's standard, that's OK.

This picture really had nothing to do with the post, I just think it is hilarious, and it makes me smile... so here ya go. I think this was sometime last year. I think this is their super-hero face.

Weekend Project

2010-04-12T08:54:00.003-05:00

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Isn't the black lovely???

Word to the wise... Painting shutters is a real pain in the you know what... But a little tiny foam brush made it so much quicker and easier. I just love how much more clean and fresh the black makes our house look. Now for some flowers and a little more mulch and wa-laaa....!

Ahhhh, starting and finishing a project is like balm to my soul. I love it.

What a difference a day makes....

2010-04-05T08:19:00.005-05:00

Saturday and Sunday were so refreshing, compared to Friday. Thankfully! Here are some pictures from Easter weekend.

All the gals on Mom's side.

And another wardrobe change... this dance outfit was in her Easter basket

Laurelbrooke Easter egg hunt.

Playing on the bridge

Sister love

Done. and Done.

2010-04-02T08:25:00.003-05:00

Today when Chris walked out the door to go to work... (yes, on Good Friday...) I burst into tears. I am done. Don't know exactly what has happened this week to completely undo me, but I just feel like I can't do it today. I am tired. I think weary is a better word... and there is no specific reason. That is frustrating, in and of itself, don't you think??? Nothing particularly bad has happened, but I still can't do it??? I. hate. that. Harper went to bed late, and was up at 6:45am screaming her head off. So, I did what every good mother would do... I left her, and didn't check on her and just let her cry, or rather, SCREAM.

Meanwhile, I am silently envying Chris who is leisurely taking a shower, picking out 'real clothes' (if you are a mom, you know what I mean by that...) brushing his teeth and preparing for a day of golf.... (oh, I mean, work....) all the while ignoring the screaming... because, after all, what can he do? He is about to walk out the door and if he tends to her, he's just going to pass her off to me when he leaves.....2 minutes later.

So, really, what else can I do... ???? Nothing... so I cried. I don't cry often, but today I cried, the ugly kind. My house is a wreck...it looks like a bomb went off, smells like dirty diapers and unfinished projects are everywhere... Do you know how annoying that is?

Some days I just want to move. Move to a new house, that includes all new furniture, an organizational system that is foolproof, even for a one year old, a maid....and a nanny, of course.

So, here's what I read from Streams in the Desert (and because I have no recollection of what the MLA says about titles of books, plus I don't know how to underline on Blogger, I am just going to put it in italics....)
"The very instant you wholeheartedly turn away from every symptom of discouragement and lack of trust, the blessed Holy Spirit will reawaken your faith and breathe God's divine strength into your soul. Initially you may be unaware that this is happening, but as you determine to uncompromisingly shun every attack of even the tendency toward doubt and depression, you will quickly see the powers of darkness being turned back.
Oh, if only our eyes could see the mighty armies of strength and power that are always behind our turning away from the hosts of darkness toward God, there would be no attention given to the efforts of our cunning Foe to distress, depress, or discourage us!"

Pretty perfect for today. It doesn't mean that I am past the point of tears at any moment...but it does give me some hope.

So, please excuse me if you see me making this face at any point today. Thanks.

Easter dresses... maybe?

2010-03-29T16:41:00.002-05:00

Click here if you are interested in seeing the Easter dresses I made... :)

Chris, Chris and Kris....

2010-03-28T16:09:00.004-05:00

You should have seen her face, it was radiant! You should have heard her voice on the phone when she called to tell us she was engaged... it was lovely. There was an excitement, a softness, and a sparkle all around her last night. Amy is lovely. I am so proud of her and so happy that she has found this incredible man in Chris. He adores her, and it is evident. Smitten is an understatement. I love it, it is so refreshing and encouraging to see them together.

I somehow copied this picture from Ellie's facebook page... I think she took it with her phone... I don't know! (I hope you don't mind!) It is the only picture I have yet. I love it, look at Amy's face. Isn't it priceless!!!???

I am so excited! I will have a new brother named Chris! Yes, so this means that obviously, I married a Chris, my brother married a girl named Kristin... and Amy is marrying another Chris.... Wow, this may get confusing! For some reason, I think it is so funny!

Ames, we are so excited for you and can't wait for you guys to be married! Congratulations!

Sanibel in pictures

2010-03-21T20:07:00.004-05:00

Enjoying the beach together

The new 'life coat' that helps Grace swim!

Happy baby

Iz and Gracie

Building a sandcastle

Happy Harper in the water

sandy face

Riding a killer whale

This seemed to be the pose of the week

At the famous Mucky Duck... we've been going there since I was Grace's age

Peek a boo!

Papa helping Grace swim

This is what dad did most of the time... paddled around and fished. I think this was the best fishing he's ever had in FL.... said he was catching 30-40 inch fish!

Love this face. Harper was in HEAVEN in the water.

The attack of the seagull

2010-03-17T19:19:00.004-05:00

** Sadly, I can't upload any pictures while we are here... I don't have my computer, and the thingy I brought that was supposed to attach to mom's computer for the purpose of downloading pictures isn't working... BUMMER. I'm sad that Chris can't see any pictures of these things while we are here... Oh well... I'll upload when I get home.**

Harper is part fish. When we first got here, she literally ran toward the ocean, and tried with all her might to dive in head first. Keep in mind that she was still in her clothes because we hadn't gotten the key for the place yet. It was hilarious. Seeing this, I think, gave Grace courage. She too, put her feet in and let the water splash on her. Harper walked in the sand with no problem, and Grace would do it also. Harper would pick up a shell, and Grace would do the same. It is funny that the younger one is giving the older one courage. I never expected that to happen. It's been great.

Last year, Grace had a hard time doing anything. She still has sensory issues with her feet and hated the sand. She is scared of pretty much everything, and she doesn't like trying new things... but this year, Harper's willingness to do any and everything has really influenced her.

So, back to the assault. Yesterday we were playing on the beach and Grace was feeding the seagulls some cheerios. All was well, and then the birds got a little too close for comfort and I shooed them away. Meanwhile, Iz was holding Harper who was enjoying a lovely wheat saltine for snack..... UNTIL a darn bird ATTACKED her and took the cracker right out of her hand!!! I am not kidding. Izze quickly covered Harper's face so her eyes would not get pecked out.... and the bird's talons whacked her in the head. Poor baby cried, but was quickly over it. It was actually pretty funny. I am SO glad this didn't happen to Grace, because honey, our beach days would be O.V.E.R.

We got Grace a life jacket (aka "life coat") and I got in the pool with her this afternoon to try it out. She did pretty well. Most of the time she was either clinging to me or the railing near the steps, but hopefully she will gain more confidence in the water with it. (In preparation for swim lessons this summer)

Harper on the other hand can almost swim. She kicks her legs and doggy paddles her arms and heads for the side of the pool. She moves herself along the edges of the pool, hand over hand, hanging onto the edge. She can go under the water and pretty much holds her breath, she LOVES it. NO fear.... which could be kind of scary, but for the moment it is kind of refreshing...a nice change from Grace's temperament. I can't imagine having 2 like Grace; or 2 like Harper, for that matter.

Today it rained a little and we had a cold front, but all should be back in order by tomorrow and the sun should be shining again. All in all, I am really proud of how Grace has done this week. It has been so interesting to see the dynamic between Grace and Harper change... I never thought that the younger would be helping the older one grow in so many ways.

Saniblel Part 1

2010-03-16T08:48:00.003-05:00

We've had a great time so far. The plane ride was interesting. Grace did wonderful. I was worried because the night before she had a complete meltdown and told me that she did not want to go to the beach because she didn't want to fly on a plane. Now, when I say complete meltdown, I mean HUGE sobs, crocodile tears and drama to the max. I could tell that she was genuinely afraid. So, we called down all the angles, bound the devil in the name of Jesus and prayed for freedom from fear. And, by golly, it worked! She wasn't scared at all, she even laughed when our plane went through a few rough patches and liked it when her tummy 'looped' around.

Harper was pretty good on our first 45 minute flight, due largely in part to the nicest man that I was sitting by. (Who turned out to be the previous head coach of the Alabama basketball team, who now works for ESPN.) Can't remember the name, Chris knows.... but I can not say enough nice things about this man. We were on one of the SMALL connection flights where the seats are 2 to each side and right on top of each other. He got to know Harper, gained her trust, played with her, picked up countless dropped things for us and was overall just the most gracious man. By the end of the flight he was playing peek-a-boo with her and had her cracked up.

The second flight was a little bit different story. Grace was perfect, but before we even got off the ground Harper was screaming that HIGH PITCHED, shrill scream that she does when she is REALLY mad. I heard the stewardess walk by and say under her breath "Lord, let me get that child a cookie, because Lord knows I do not have enough tylenol for that...." Not to mention all the people chattering about us.... It was awesome (ha ha) The truth of the matter is, what can a parent actually do with a very young toddler who is launching everything you are trying to distract her with, and when actually all your attempts are making it worse...? People, give parents a break. Eventually she did calm down, but had another screaming episode before we landed. Oh well, turned out to be just fine.

To be continued: time to put the sunscreen on and head to the beach!!!

One Cushy Tushy

2010-03-09T19:33:00.002-06:00

Click HERE for more.

Sunday, Sunday....

2010-03-07T13:50:00.003-06:00

One kid with diarrhea means no church. Husband had a game, so he went to small group (sunday school) and then off to work... leaving me home with the kids....Soooooo in an attempt to let him know what a wonder woman I am... here's a list of our day, and it's only 1pm.

Kids wake up, change nasty diaper, 2 kids fed and dressed, vacuumed and put away laundry, did 2 loads of dishes, sorted and started 2 more loads of laundry, picked up kids rooms, walked 3 miles, played soccer and catch in the field near our house, cut coupons, made a list, went to grocery with 2 kids in tow, saved $40.00 with said coupons and store sales, spent $100.00 for the weeks groceries, and a few special snacks for the airplane ride to FLA, came home, unloaded groceries, fixed 3 lunches, sat down, ate lunch with the kids, unloaded dishwasher, loaded it up again, cleaned kids up from lunch, changed diaper, put kids to bed.

Can I do this now????

So there. I am wonder woman today.... And it's only 1pm.

Another 'First'

2010-03-05T16:31:00.002-06:00

As kids get older, I guess their 'firsts' change a little bit. Today Grace had a 'first' that really tugged at my heart. It is the kind of first that all parents dread. She got her feelings devastatingly hurt by a little friend.
We were at the zoo playing with several kids and I was engrossed in conversation with a friend of my own. Anyways, Grace comes over to me with a dejected look on her face. I proceeded to ask her what was wrong and her lip started quivering and she burst into tears. Heaving kind of tears, the kind that make it almost impossible to talk, 'ugly cry' tears. After a few tries she finally got the message across that "{friend} (sob) said (sob) that he (sob) didn't (heave) want me (sob) to help him (sob, sob, sob)..."

This is the first time I have ever seen her react this way. Now, I know that said friend wasn't trying to be malicious or even mean, therefore I was very calm in my response to the situation. "Grace, {friend} likes you and wants to play with you, he just didn't need your help with that task...it's Ok honey..." Then her friend came up to apologize, hug and just like that, it was over... they were playing and running and tackling each other....But it still doesn't change the fact that she was hurt. Her heart was hurt. And that hurt me.

Now, let me just interject here... If someone was actually mean or malicious or hateful to her, I am almost positive that my inhibitions would have gone out the window and that child would have gotten an earful and possibly a foot in the 'ole can... if you know what I mean... The mama bear would come out and that child would probably never be the same.... But, that wasn't the case, thankfully.... (Maybe I need to pray about my response in the future... ??? Or, maybe the bully just needs his/her colon re-adjusted... I don't know...)

Anyways, back to the point... It is a little daunting to know that we'll have to let her go... Let her go to Kindergarten, most likely at a big public school, with kids years older than her attending the same school... Let her go.... to sports practice where inevitably she will miss a goal, or make a mistake in front of people....Let her go {maybe in the DISTANT future} get on a bus that will take her to school... Let her fail, let her make mistakes, let her LEARN and grow....

Ok, I have to stop, because I am fighting the urge to search the internet for a giant bubble in which to insert her so she will not have to feel any of the adversity, injustice and cruelty of the world.
I am reminded of Nov. 08 when we were told that there was something wrong with Harper's heart, but they weren't sure exactly what it was or how it would play out after birth. I remember feeling so much trust and faith in God... but also remember thinking how much easier it was to just purely TRUST...because I couldn't do anything else. I couldn't reach in there and fix it myself. I had no choice but to trust. Why do I feel like I have more control over them when they are out of the womb???

The truth of the matter is that they are still God's... they are still completely loved and protected by Him... I am trying to let that balm cover over my fear.

Look at this little face... Wouldn't you want to maim any kid that hurt her too?

Sad News...

2010-02-28T16:08:00.002-06:00

Well, I kind of thought this may be coming after my conversation with the owner in January.... but Over the Moon is closed. She just sent the email today. I am sad for her, I think it was such a good concept and such a cool store, but there seemed to be some necessary elements missing, and the poor woman has about 5 jobs on her plate. You can tell she is sad too.

Hopefully she will be able to reopen sometime in the future, but I think the economy is taking it's toll on everyone!

Soo..... Now what to do... should I just jump in and fill my etsy shop? Should I look for another retail store... I don't know. All I know is that I need a creative outlet, so we'll see what happens with that! I have been praying for clear direction in whether to delve into the etsy thing, so what exactly does clear direction look like???

I am the type who prefers God to print a banner, maybe even attach it to a plane and fly it over my house, or something of the sort... You know, I'm not asking for much here... do you think???

Hockey Hoedown

2010-02-26T08:49:00.002-06:00

Busy week, but a good week. Hockey hoedown happened on Wednesday night. Actually, I think it was called Hockey Tonk.... but I think my name is better. Anyways, got to wear fun clothes, have good food and drinks and mingle with Nashville's finest.

Please take note of the awesome vintage boots (on both of us) and my favorite dress.... Seriously, I think it was someone's wedding dress back in the day. It is so old that I had a back up in the car, just in case something ripped!

Grace and Harper are well. Just enjoying life. Harper walks 3 or 4 steps alone and quickly remembers that it is much faster to crawl. She intently watches Grace and copies everything she does. Grace is really sweet, and has exhibited so much patience with Harper these days. Harps is really rough and tumble and hits Grace about 20 times a day, instead of retaliating, Grace just leans over and kisses Harper...

Harps has probably 10 or 15 words... uhoh, mama, dada, snow (it kind of saddens me that this is one of her first words, I hate the cold... But I guess it's a tribute to the amount of snow we've had this winter) , bye bye, hi, book, papa, baby, booyah, look, sorry (this is a new word, but as you can imagine, she has to use it frequently), she is starting to say something that sounds similar to 'thank you' at the appropriate times, and that is all I can remember at this point!!!

Kind of a blah post, but just a little update!

The view from here 2.15.10 and thoughts from the cabana

2010-02-15T19:11:00.003-06:00

Here is Chris, coming down the long, long water slide. All these little kids were coming down one after another, fairly slowly.... and then here comes Chris....like he was shot out of a cannon... water, splashing everywhere, almost propelling himself off of the side of the slide itself while coming around a turn. Yes, he had fun.

Thoughts from the cabana:
Where do I begin. First of all, down here, if you smile at people, they do not smile back. It's a little disheartening. I went out of my way to smile at every person I saw, and I'd say only about 20% returned the favor. I think that these people consider niceness as a weakness...

Anyways, here are a few rules from the pool that I have observed:

-Heaven forbid a person carry their own towels to their chairs.....and to have to place chair covers on your own chairs, is a travesty.

-If you feel the whim to move your chair even the slightest to catch a different ray of the sun... Oh, but you can't get off your butt to do it yourself... you must call a pool boy to do it for you.... and just for affect, make sure you speak in a really condescending tone, and then throw him a single to make yourself feel better.

-If you see a chair with some one's stuff on it, but you, in fact want that chair for yourself... you must then summon a pool boy to move said person's stuff off the chair, get you new chair covers and towels and then assemble the whole shebang for you.

-If you get the urge for a drink or maybe some food while you are sitting by the pool. Raise your hand and wave it vigorously. If as much as a minute elapses and no one runs to your aid... begin to raise your voice and call each pool attendant by name over and over and over until your immediate need is met.

-If you have children and have brought them with you to the resort, first of all, you must not only have a bugaboo stroller, but one designed by none other than kate spade, burberry or juicy couture. Also, you must have a nanny with you at all times, and if you don't have your own, the Fairmont will supply one for you. (at a small additional cost. wink. wink)

-If you go down to the restaurant for breakfast in the morning, you must make a scene and call the manager because the hostess dared try to seat you at a 2 top table, when in fact you would prefer a 6-top (even though there are only 2 of you in your party.)

-If you bring your small, tiny, fancy dog to the resort with you, make certain that you smuggle him (or her) into the restaurant, disregarding all hints otherwise, and feed him from you plate whether directly or indirectly.

-If you have teenage daughters that want to sit down at the pool patio for lunch (at peak lunch hour) and all the tables are full you MUST make a scene and throw a fit. Because of course, it is the staff's fault that they have not set out enough tables and made sure that one was open at all times just in case your daughters got hungry. Heaven forbid they wait for a table to open up.

I could go on and on, but I won't. I have to say one thing though, the staff here is so gracious, patient and attentive. I have gone out of my way to be nice to them and you can tell they are not used to that.

Another guest mentioned to me that people from Tennessee 'are SO NICE.' I've heard that before, but I totally get it now.

Wow, after this week, I feel like I live in a little 'nice' bubble.

The view from here 2.14.10

2010-02-14T18:20:00.002-06:00

South Beach... not thrilling. Above is a picture of a cool building we encountered. The rest of that part of the city was, well... Gross. So many people, all wanting to be noticed by someone. Some ways of grabbing attention were more overt than others, but overall this place made me sad. It was a good experience, glad we saw it, but I don't know if I ever want to go back. I am so glad we are staying where we are. Much more relaxing, low key, and more my speed.

Having a good time! Loving the time alone and with Chris~ Love the warm weather, and the lack of anything cold and wet falling from the sky! Yahoo. Just praying that the snow will skee-daddle before we get back to Nashville!

The view from here 2.12.10

2010-02-12T20:21:00.003-06:00

This is right outside our balcony. It's beautiful. The people who work here are very nice... the people who stay here are, well, I'll just say... uppity. (is that a word?)

I have to say, I can't remember the last time I was this relaxed.... It's nice. The pool cabana is my favorite thing about this place. You can't even believe how comfortable they are.
Chris had his first massage today. He liked it... I think his exact words were "I could spend all day in this spa thing."

The lady who gave me my massage was, well, a little less than gentle... and I think I may have bruises tomorrow. But maybe she worked out some kinks because I feel surprisingly good right now.

We skyped with the kids last night and tonight. What a great invention! I sound like a grandma right now, but it is awesome. We are first timers, you know. Never skyped before. I love it. Harper is not so sure, she doesn't understand why we won't come out of the computer and gets a little upset, but Grace likes it. I miss them! I like missing them. I guess I haven't been away from them long enough to miss them yet, so it feels good.

Anyways, here's our walk on the beach this morning, it was so windy and the clouds were rolling in, but we got some good sun and it only rained after the sun went down today. Supposed to be clear tomorrow. I am happy!

PS. Update on the bathing suit: The ruffles don't get water logged! Yahoo! I love it, and I saw a girl with a MUCH MUCH more expensive version on today, and I think mine was cuter. I saw her eyeballing it, she was jealous, I'm sure.

The view from here: 2.11.10

2010-02-12T09:59:00.002-06:00

More on this later.... More pictures to come.

PS. The 8 Bentleys (SP?) parked around the entrance to this place has made me question my inclination to ask the concierge directions to the nearest Goodwill. Do you think he would even know what I was talking about?

Drastic times call for drastic measures: A tutorial

2010-02-08T15:59:00.003-06:00

Click here for a little tutorial on making this bathing suit top.

Significance

2010-02-05T08:23:00.003-06:00

Yesterday was our first day back at bible study after holiday break. We are reading Captivating by John and Staci Eldredge. What great timing.

I was talking to a friend the other day about how I find it really hard some days to find significance in the every day, mundane tasks I do as a stay at home mom. I long to do something more, to be something, to impress people, really make a difference in the world, to have something to offer.

Doing 10 loads of dishes, laundry, changing dirty diapers, and incessantly picking up messes is not my idea of making a difference. I am almost embarrassed some days when Chris comes home and asks, "what did you do today...?" and I run down the list of tasks I accomplished and then look around the house and everything is now undone, as if the kids and I had been sitting around eating bon bons all day! Now, I know he doesn't feel that way, and never implies it, but I am having a hard time really believing that this little stuff really matters. I want to be significant, to feel important, needed. I want to do something AMAZING. I guess, in a nutshell, I want to feel worthy.

Enter Captivating:
What I am about to summarize hit me like a ton of bricks this morning. Gen 2:18 "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a companion who will help him." Now in the Hebrew 'a companion who will help him' is actually ezer kenegdo. (the following quote is from pg. 31) " The word ezer is used only 20 other places in the entire Old Testament. And in every other instance the person being described is God himself, when you need him to come through for you desperately." Here are some of the references they give: Deuteronomy 33:26, 29; Psalm 121:1-2; Psalm 20:1-2; Psalm 33:20; Psalm 115:9-11. They offer the suggestion that a better translation of the word would be 'lifesaver' (and kenegdo means alongside or counterpart.)

Wow, when God created women, when he created me, he created us in his image, to be lifesavers... we are crucial, we matter, and we are...well, significant....NOT because of what we do, but because of WHO we are. Gosh, doesn't that just take a weight off? It isn't what we accomplish, how much money we make (or don't make), or what the world thinks of our 'jobs'....it's the fact that God created us for a purpose, we were created with a significant role.

Back in the day of Adam and Eve, there were no glass ceilings, corporate ladders to climb, or Martha Stewart's to live up to. But Eve was created with significance, with a role that only she could fill.... Isn't that refreshing???

Matthew 18:5 "And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me."

I've never thought of this in the context of motherhood before... but all these little things I do on a daily basis, over and over and over for my children, I am doing for Christ.

So, I'm just going to chew on all this for a while... and pray that it sinks in and I will be changed by it!

Trash to Fash

2010-02-03T15:08:00.003-06:00

Click here to see some of my latest refashioning projects...I started another blog just for sewing/crafting/thrifting... you know...

Harper fears nothing

2010-02-01T11:07:00.002-06:00

Here's a little background on the situation. Grace is afraid of almost everything. We are working on conquering some of her fears... It took me about an hour of tiny baby steps to get her to jump off the couch last night. This morning she wanted to try it again. Harper watched for a second... and you will see her first jump. That child is not afraid. I laughed so hard... maybe it's only hilarious to me, but I laugh so hard every time I see this.

Spring Fling Garland Tutorial

2010-01-26T15:47:00.015-06:00

This is my first tutorial, so hang with me here!!! I love this garland and I love the fact that you can use scraps and things you already have around the house in order to make it!!! I am open for feedback, so either leave a comment or email me at jamie.burton@comcast.net. I have a couple more tutorials in the works, and am going to make it a goal to do one every couple months throughout the year! So check back!

*Materials:*
-scrap fabric (can be old clothes, scraps left over from projects, really anything)
-rope, ribbon, hemp string ( I used 6/32" cord filler because it's what I had on hand)
-needle and thread
-good fabric scissors

*Here are the easy steps!!*

Flower Style #1

1. Cut fabric into circles. I cut 2 inch circles (by hand, no template) but any size will work. The bigger the circle you start with, the bigger your flower sphere will be! You can either combine different fabrics when you stack them, use all one pattern or solid color, it all will look cute! I used 20-30 circles to make one flower.

4. Thread 3 or 4 more triangles onto your string as pictured above. At this point, I stopped adding the triangles in a row. Instead, I pushed the needle through the thickness of all the fabric so that I might add triangles to the other sides of the flower. Keep adding petals in various places until you have a spherical shape. *this step is kind of hard to explain, so email me if you are confused! It will probably make more sense as you do it.

Here is a picture of the 'flower number 1' coming together.

Flower Style #2

5. I used THIS tutorial to create the pom pom flowers except I substituted strips of torn fabric (1/4 inch wide). You can also cut the strips, but tearing will always ensure a straight line and will give you a more 'fuzzy' look, which I like. But if you want less 'fuzz' you can surely cut the strips.
Snip the fabric with scissors about every 1/4 inch, and then then tear into strips. The more strips you use, the bigger your flower pom will be. (for the one pictured above I used about 11 strips that were about 12-18 inches in length)

6. Continue making flowers of both kinds with lots of wonderful fabrics until you have enough for the length of garland you wish to make.

7. Time to sew them onto your rope! ( I used what I had on hand, which turned out to be 6/32" filler cord, but you can use a thicker rope, ribbon, hemp, or whatever tickles your fancy)
I threaded the flower onto the needle close to the center, this way it won't flop around once it's sewn onto the rope.
Simply stitch your flowers in place and fluff the petals! Mine are spaced about 5-6 inches apart.

8. Continue stitching on the flowers until you are satisfied with the length of your garland!
9. DONE... Isn't it wonderful and beautiful, and doesn't it make you long for spring????

"But God will fix it"

2010-01-23T21:10:00.002-06:00

Last night we were talking about the earthquake in Haiti. We talked about how the earth cracked open, buildings fell, people were lost and broken. In the middle of our conversation, Grace said with all the confidence in the world... "But Mom, God will fix it." And she is right... The faith of a little child, so sweet.
And, here is Harper, she takes in every little thing Grace says... which is, for the most part, good.

Weary vs. Rest

2010-01-13T08:50:00.003-06:00

I have felt very weary for a couple weeks now. Not sure exactly why, but I just can't get it together. I have little patience with the kids, when they don't follow their 'schedule' I am thrown for a loop, and by the end of the day, I feel like I am going to lose my mind. I have been getting up early most days, around 5:00-6:00 so that I can have a little more time to myself.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that this is unheard of. I LOVE sleep, I need sleep and I am not so nice when I don't get it. But I need some time alone, with God and with myself. So, maybe the lack of sleep is causing me to go emotionally wacky some days...but the lack of time by myself does the same! What is a girl to do??? Seriously, I am in a catch 22 right now. Currently I am adopting the less sleep, more time to feel like a real person mentality....

Today I am resting. The Burton's graciously asked yesterday if the girls could spend the night last night and hang out with them today. Now, I don't think they knew how much I needed this right now, but, Oh, how the timing was perfect! I still got up early, so as not to waste the precious few hours alone I had, but I am praying for true rest today. I am hoping to stock up on some materials for my sewing projects, get some sewing done, get some items ready and tagged for the store, and enjoy a mid day massage. Ahhh, doesn't that sound heavenly?

I am also praying that I will learn how to rest in the midst of day to day life. In the midst of the crying and screaming that H seems to be doing for hours in the middle of the day, in the midst of the emotional meltdowns G is having... I want to learn how to breathe deeply and just roll with it.

When I pick them up this afternoon, I want to feel relaxed, rested and ready to give them what they need. Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest."

**this picture is one that we took for a project that one of Amy's close friends was doing for her... just happen to be the same verse I mentioned above... Please take note that we are ALL wearing long johns....Ha!

Harpers First!

2010-01-03T21:19:00.004-06:00

I think this was the first handful of cake she grabbed to shove into her mouth. It was awesome.

All my pictures uploaded backwards... So, we'll just go with it. Above is Harper towards the end of the night. After shoveling fist fulls of cake into her mouth, she was definitely drunk on sugar. Here she is trying to rally, and she did...
Thanks to Pops, Harper had a real fireworks show at her party. Here are the brave waiting in the bitter cold to watch from outside. Everyone else, including the birthday girl was watching through the window. It was fantastic. Big, real fireworks... none of these pansy sparklers!!!
Harper's birthday banner.
This is one of the only smiles I captured, although she was mighty happy once she became the center of attention... I really need to look at mom's pictures as well as the ones Linda took to see if I can find some cute, smiley pictures of Harps.
First thing in the morning... (10:00am for us) getting ready to venture out in the snow (all 5 flakes of it) to Harper's first birthday breakfast!
I've just realized that I haven't posted about Christmas yet, so hopefully that will be soon... or maybe not, who knows...

Anyways, on her first birthday she has 8 teeth. 4 on top and 4 on bottom... (which all reared their ugly heads in a matter of about 5 weeks, MISERY)

*She has several words she uses regularly: good job, mama, dada, papa, all done, ball, yes, no, bye bye... (there may be several more, but it's early in the morning, people) And she can repeat almost anything you say, if she is in the mood.

* She is crawling, cruising and standing all the time. I think she will be walking in about a month... or maybe less.

*She is into everything, yesterday I set her down for one second to grab a cup out of the cabinet and hear the sound of splashing water... turn around and she is gone. She is in the bathroom playing in the toilet, which I am ashamed to say, had not been flushed.... luckily no poop though...

*She is sleeping better at night, and (knock on wood) for her nap also.

*I don't know how much she weighs yet, but at 11 mos she weighed just under 20 pounds.

*Climbing the stairs is her fav activity, and she would prefer to come down head first. It's more fun that way, right???

*Favorite foods: veggie burgers, yogurt, bread, and apparently sugar from her mad cake devouring skills (hmm, is she my child or what???)

*She has just started calling herself "Barper" and tends to answer simple yes or no questions appropriately

*We just got a video monitor for her room and 2 more baby gates because, like I said before, she is into EVERYTHING. I didn't realize what an easy young toddler Grace was until now. (physically speaking)

*She is a daredevil, and is more social than Grace was at this age.

*I think her favorite activity of the day is going in to wake Grace in the morning. She shivers with excitement as we approach her door. It is adorable.

She is hilarious and just so sweet. She has been such a blessing to us. I can't believe that this year has gone so fast. SLOW DOWN, life!

Good Morning Ann

2009-12-31T09:34:00.003-06:00

Good morning Ann,

Today is the day that you got a new body and were healed in heaven! We miss you desperately down here and think about you every day. I hope you get a glimpse every now and then of how incredible your son turned out. He is the best father anyone could ever ask for and he loves his girls so well. Thank you for raising him right. He misses you. You would just love Grace Ann and Harper. They are wildly adorable and I think Grace Ann takes after you in a lot of ways... she is passionate about life, laughs a lot and really loves people well. Harper is just so sweet and fears nothing. She would just snuggle on your shoulder all night long. Grace is asking a lot about you and we try to tell her everything we can. She has the picture of you and my mom in her room and looks at it almost every day.

I can't say enough how much you mean to us even now. Thank you for your prayers for Chris as he was growing up, thank you for the tears you shed for him. Thanks for loving him so well, thank you for loving me well too! We can't wait to see you one day. Happy Anniversary with Jesus!
~J

Zephaniah 3:15-17 (NLV)
"And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you! At last your troubles will be over, and you will fear disaster no more. On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, Cheer up, Zion! Do not be afraid! For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song."

It's Christmas Eve!

2009-12-24T13:03:00.001-06:00

Matthew 2:23
"She will give birth to a son and he will be called Emmanuel, meaning God with us."

Luke 2:68-70
"Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited his people and redeemed them. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised."

Can't wait till tomorrow!!! Merry Christmas!

toot toot!

2009-12-22T12:57:00.004-06:00

I am tooting my own horn here, but I am proud of myself... Here is my second attempt ever at a pin tuck dress. This one is for Grace and I am making another one for Harps with opposite colors... I mean, I think I love it. I even think it would be cute with the buttons in the front... Please notice the vintage sparkly button at the top. I love this!

And, here is a close up of the pin tucks, no one really cares about them but me... but they were so much work that I thought they should get their own picture.

I am thinking about making some of these for the store. (if I did, they wouldn't be that cheap because of all the work... but aren't they cute!???)

You won't believe it...

2009-12-18T14:18:00.002-06:00

Grace actually tried ice skating! I almost didn't believe it myself when I heard her say... "Mom, I want to put some skates on!" Yahoo! And thanks to the efforts of Kat, a girl Chris works with... we have proof! (Thanks Kat!!!) Anyways, here she is, skating at the arena:

(See the kiddie cart thing??? Well, Chris doesn't want me to let the whole blogging world know, so just between you and me... he had to use it on a few laps around the rink....)
And there she goes......

....and that's about as far as she got on the first try, but hey, proof that she did get out there!!!

Later on in the evening, after Harper and I had gone home, she decided she wanted to try again. There wasn't enough time to put her skates back on, so she ran and slid around in her crocs... Those darn shoes are good for everything, right? So proud of her. She is scared of trying almost anything new, so this was a huge accomplishment!

First Date

2009-12-13T15:05:00.003-06:00

Chris took Grace Ann to her first theater movie yesterday, The Princess and the Frog. Grace had been looking forward to this for days. It had been a rough week with Chris gone every night but one, so every night when I'd put her to bed, she'd say..."Mama, when daddy gets done workin, he will take me to the movie...right???"
She'd told me what she wanted to wear on Monday, of course, the twirliest dress she owns and her new striped sweater. She loved the movie and afterward they got some yogurt from Sweet CeCe's.
Here they are, all ready to go.... and Harper really wanted to get in the picture too:
This is Harper's newest camera face... it's the cheesiest grin in the world and she keeps doing it because we all crack up when we she pulls it out of her repertoire.

S is for....

2009-12-03T10:32:00.003-06:00

Well, my Goodwill days may have just come to an end.

"WHAT" you say, "this is your favorite thing to do, it's an integral part of your new 'job' and a major stress reliever... what ever could have happened?"

I am so glad you asked... Here's the story:

So, yesterday after our play date, I took the girls to mom's house to take a nap while I went thrifting to restock my supplies. I had hit 3 stores and hadn't found hardly anything, so I went home to see what I had to work with.

I checked my email and found that the owner of the store had sent a message that a customer wanted a custom order for a wreath. Great! But I would have to run back out to the Goodwill (which is almost never a chore, I might add) and pick up a few sweaters. It was 99 cent Wednesday, so it couldn't wait.

I jumped in the car, drove over there (in rush hour, rain included). What a joy when I saw a friend from church that I got to chat with for a few minutes... I found a couple of things I could work with and was headed for one last looky-lou through the sweater aisle.

Feeling great that I had my first custom order from the store and even more thrilled that Christmas music was playing over the loud speaker, I hummed along and searched through the neatly hung clothes for that last diamond in the rough.

"When, what to my wandering eyes should appear...?"** but a SNAKE... and I can't finish the rhyme because I just pooped my pants again... (just kidding) But SERIOUSLY, a SNAKE slithered out from between the sweaters I was perusing, over the top of the neatly hung clothes and over into an abandoned basket sitting next to mine.

Hold on, I need to breathe.... Ok, so I FREAKED. And promptly freaked a lady who was shopping next to me. She agreed to stand guard, armed with a plastic hanger aimed in the general direction of the beastly creature, while I ran to get someone to help.

After regaining my composure and when the dizzying 'I'm going to faint' feeling left, I ran to the front desk to tell the guy that the devil himself had almost just slithered onto my hand... His first reaction: "No, there's not a snake..." Um, really dude, do you see the color of my face??? I am a Caucasian woman, but not usually this shade of white!

When he realized I was serious, he ran over with the excitement of a little boy, picked the thing up and ran to the back with it. From that moment on, we would hear faint little screams of varying pitch and degree coming from the stock room at the Goodwill. He had a little fun with it.

So this brings me back to the first sentence.... There were about 3 or 4 hours after the terrifying event that I seriously thought my days of going to the Goodwill may be over. I've seen roaches bigger than my foot, and various and sundry other gross things, but this takes the cake. The one and only thing that I am deathly afraid of and the one thing that you would NEVER in a million years expect to see..... I saw. Now, the only reason I've come back around, is because the actual probability of this ever happening again are slim (at least that's what I've tried to convince myself).

I am just glad that the ole ticker continued to tick and I didn't fall dead of a heart attack right then and there!

**Of course these are the words to the beloved poem by Clement Clark Moore "Twas the night before Christmas" Gotta give credit where credit is due.

It's Here!

2009-11-30T14:07:00.003-06:00

Well, Folks, it's here... tomorrow is the open house at Over the Moon. Let me tell you what the menu will be... Your mouth will water and you'll want to be there... I promise!

Turkey and Red Pepper Pesto on Focaccia
Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
Cheese Spread and Crackers
Mini Chocolate Kahlua Cakes
Mini Butter Pecan Cakes
Mini Fruit Tartlets
Mini Chocolate Raspberry Tartlets
Fruit Tea
Egg Nog
Sparkling Water

I got the time wrong earlier... It is going to be from 11am-1pm. The displays and food/drinks will be out until close I think if you can't make it during that time... But the other artist and I will be there during the lunch hours... SO, come on by!

And just because it is cute, here is Grace trying to explain to Harper the ins and outs of all things Tinkerbell. You can tell that Harper is just happy to be included.

Hooray for the Christmas season! Grace exclaimed to me the other night while driving through our neighborhood looking at lights... "MOM, this is berry berry what I always wanted... I LOVE lights and these sparkly trees and the Santa clauses and the Tiggers...." She has definitely realized the wonder of Christmas this year....

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T11:33:00.002-06:00

Grace is so proud of the turkeys she made for several families this Thanksgiving.

Look what H is eating for Thanksgiving. Biter Biscuits... Yummy. It is the only thing she's decided she will feed herself. Doesn't it look delish?

Don't forget about the open house at Over the Moon on Dec 1 from 11a-2p! This is a shameless plug, but hey, it's my blog, isn't it???

43 days...

2009-11-12T14:02:00.003-06:00

43 days till Christmas!!!! Here's a little preview of a few of the ornaments I am making for the store Over the Moon. On December 1st from 11-2, there will be an open house featuring ME and another artist! I don't have all the details yet, but if you would like to be included on the mailing list to receive info about it, please email me (jamie.burton@comcast.net) your address and I will get you on the list! Of course, you don't have to have an invite to come, so please do!!!! This is so far out of my comfort zone, it's not even funny, but I think it is a good opportunity although it scares me out of my mind! I just know that I am going to have nightmares about no one coming. Or this one... worse, maybe....showing up and forgetting to clothe myself, you know, reminiscent of those nightmares you used to have about showing up to the first day of school in your birthday suit... Hopefully I won't lose too much sleep over this! So, this is a shameless plug, but please tell your friends, and bring the kids and come on down to Over The Moon! In reality, they do have some beautiful things for sale, and with Christmas just 43 days away, Lord knows, we need to start our shopping, right????

Going....Going... Gone.

2009-11-12T13:20:00.002-06:00

Harper thought she was the bees knees when she made her way over to the tupperware cabinet the other day(...in about 30 seconds, I might add.) I came back from the laundry room and feasted my eyes upon this:

"Mom, do you see what I just did... all by MYSELF???? Why have you not previously introduced me to this baby heaven?"

Going.....
Going.....
Gone.

A good hour of entertainment was had by all. I got to cook dinner, and she got to crawl in and out of the cabinet, launching plastic with each and every whim. What more could a baby want?

Switching gears now to Grace...She is a smart girl... a little too smart for her own good maybe... Yesterday I caught her in her first lie. (Well, I am sure she's told a white lie or two in the past, but this time, she was really trying to work in a story. What? Lying? She's only 3... should I be worried? Do we need to seek counseling now?

I'll try to be brief (ahem.)
As I was fixing Grace's lunch yesterday, she was in charge of helping Harper eat her little puff snacks. I wasn't paying attention, just trying to get the mac and cheese cooked without burning it, when I hear Grace say: "Mama, look, Harper ate her vitamins! Yay!" I whirled around with a look on my face that made Grace uncomfortable, and I said, "What? Harper doesn't have vitamins honey, what did she just eat?" About that time, I noticed the little bottle of teething tablets in Grace's hand. I ask her: "Grace, are you talking about the teething tablets?" "Uh-huh" she replied. "Grace, did you give some to Harper?"
"Nope, I didn't"
"Are you sure you didn't give some to her?"
"No, I didn't do nuthin"
By this time, she is squirming in her pants and can't stand still.... and I notice some spilled on the floor, and she knows good and well, I've got her number. So, what does she do? Confess??? Tell the truth? Oh, no... she blames her sister!
"Mom, Harper did it, she opened it and ate some. Harper did it."
So, this goes on for a few more minutes, and I just said: "Grace, you will not be punished if you tell mama the truth, but if you do not tell me the truth, you WILL be in trouble." So she tip toes around and with her head down, she looks up at me and says... "yes, I gave her some... and I 'filled' (spilled) 'em too."
So, she did not get punished and we talked about lying and telling the truth.....But when we got home later that night, and Chris asked her about it, she lied AGAIN! Going through the whole story just like she had before... and I was sitting in the room! Dude, seriously???? Please tell me that there are other 3 year olds who have lied and have tried to talk their way out of it!!! I guess now's the time to teach her, when the things she can lie about are so small in comparison, but geesh... is this a sign of bad parenting already???? Noted: my fault for having the teething tablets somewhere she could reach them in the first place....

advice? encouragement?

"Price Match Please..."

2009-11-04T14:36:00.004-06:00

Grace earned all the money she would need to buy her Tinkerbell Movie! Above is a picture of all the leaves she help me rake in the yard... $1 for each bag. To say that she was eager to do 'chores' is an understatement. She asked me 100 times a day if she could clean my room! This morning, I printed out 2 ads, one from Best Buy and one from Walmart. Best Buy's price was listed at $19.99, Walmart (store) was $19.99, but online it was on sale for $15.86, so I printed out that add. Since Best Buy price matches plus 10%, I showed her how much money she'd have left over if she bought from Best Buy and took in the ad from Walmart (which was her 'coupon.' She is really into coupons these days) or if she bought it at Walmart without the 'coupon'. Well, I am proud to say, she chose wisely and picked Best Buy. I am not sure if it was because she'd have more money left over, or if it was because she got to give a 'coupon,' but whatever it was, it made me happy!

It took about 10 minutes for us to count all her money, give the coupon and get all the price match stuff worked out, but it was a crack up to hear her give the lady the ad and say "price match please!" (Personally, I think the cashier was impressed too! I bed she'd never had a 3 year old price match a DVD before...!)

So, here is the happy girl with her new DVD and money left over. What a smartie she is.

And, so as not to leave out Harper, she turned 10 months old on Nov 2!
She tipps the scales at right under 20 pounds, not sure how tall she is now, and has popped through 4 teeth. She isn't crawling per say, but can find a way to get wherever she wants to go. She says 'Mama' 'Dada' 'All Done' 'UhOh' 'Papa' and has said 'Izze' once or twice.

She loves to stand and is pretty much obsessed with anything Grace does. She gets so excited that her body shakes when we go into Grace's room to wake her up in the mornings. So cute. Grace is pretty fond of her as well. I can't believe that she will be 1 in 8 weeks! It doesn't seem right!

Halloween, an excuse to look like a......

2009-11-01T15:03:00.005-06:00

Ummm, maybe I won't go there to start the blog, OK, so maybe I will...

Have you ever seen what the tweens and teens (well, any female for that matter) wear on Halloween???? Did you know you could turn a referee outfit into a sexy little nighty...? Don't worry, you can, we saw it at the Preds game. Oh, and butterflies? Did you know that they usually wear corsets and push up bras? The same goes for angels... I didn't know until last night that we'd all get big fake boobs when we got to heaven, did you know that???? Cats are most definitley sexy creatures that wear black tights torn in very seductive places, bunnies too. Witches...? No more big black capes, their new wardrobe consists of very tight, very small black shorts, teeny tiny black shirt and a pointy hat. Who knew??? Seriously people, I'm just here to present the facts...

Ok, transition to the cute little kids we spent Halloween with:

We've got a purple tinkerbell, the cutest chicken you ever saw, a little ladybug and a shark, aren't they adorable?
Harper and Bennett enjoyed themselves in the stroller together, and carried on their own little conversation.

Grace and Corbin loved every minute of the preds game. I think the favorite activity was dancing....
I heard Harper whisper to Grace: "Let's get outta here, Izze will let us eat more candy!"

Tinkerbell update

2009-10-30T09:37:00.003-05:00

Here' s the plan: Grace has to do chores around the house and she gets paid... when she has enough money to buy the movie for herself, we will go to the store and she can use her own money to buy it. I know, I know it's an allowance, but we haven't started that with her yet, so I thought this would be a good introduction! What I am really excited to see is if she will understand the concept of finding the lowest price so that she can keep more of her money! I can't wait to get all the ads printed out and show her the different prices... Maybe that's a little above her head, but maybe not! We'll see. (I am a D-O-R-K, that's OK)

So, if any of you have any chores around your house that you'd like for Grace to do, she is available.... well, that is, when she finishes the chores at my house!

Confessions and Advice

2009-10-26T19:46:00.004-05:00

Ok... I have a confession... I caved. I caved and did something I said I would NEVER do. I bought Grace some Tinkerbell PJ's. {GASP} I know, I know.... it's not Disney Princess, but it's close enough. If you'd seen her face when she realized they were hers, you would have melted too. Don't worry, I only paid .50 cents for the stupid things... (I am making myself feel better by including this statement)

She is totally obsessed with Tinkerbell. Those brilliant people at Disney have done it again. They have sucked my child in right along with every other 3 year old girl in the world. I mean, seriously, a 30 second commercial, and she now wants to be freakin' Tinkerbell when she grows up. Unless she is learning about it from her friends at school, I am at a loss.

Here's where I need the advice: Should her I let her watch the new Tinkerbell movie that is coming out this week????? She is well aware, from all the darn commercials that it's coming... And I know that it would make her so happy... but it goes against anything I thought I'd EVER do with my daughter..... I always said I would not have one of those girls that had every Disney princess, Tinkerbell, sparkly thing ever invented.

She now owns a Tinkerbell phone (potty present this summer) and the PJ's. {CRINGE} How does every 3 year old girl get sucked into Disney's spell???? It's uncanny. Mom says I'm encouraging the obsession, but I seriously don't think I am.

I think the reason I was against all the princess stuff in the first place is that I didn't want to encourage a 'sickie-sweet girly girl' if you know what I mean. But somehow Grace is the perfect balance of tomboy and girly girl. If you ask anyone that knows her, they will tell you the same. Everything she wears these days is required to twirl, and all things sparkly are her favorite... but somehow she holds this incredible balance. And to be honest, I like that.

So, what to do... make my child so happy by letting her watch "her" movie.... or be stubborn and just say no?

tooth fairy

2009-10-20T09:09:00.002-05:00

She has the tooth....

She is the fairy....

Still not holding my breath on Harper crawling, although these past few weeks she's given it a go. She'd rather stand up.

These toofers have given us a run for our money... things are calming down this week, but I am not convinced that our sleepless nights are over. If' she's had this much trouble with the teeth she has, and they have only just eeked through the gums... Molars are going to push the child over the edge.

Grace wore these wings to a wedding on Saturday. In the family pictures and everything. Awesome. She is going to be purple Tinkerbell for Halloween. Is anyone surprised???

What is your destiny?

2009-10-15T13:22:00.003-05:00

I am a little nervous about posting this, but I was encouraged by my sweet friend earlier today that this is GOD's story, not my own...So true, so true...

Earlier this summer, I was reading one of the Williamson County newspapers. There was an article about a new store that had opened in the Grassland area. Their mission was three-fold: Carry only goods made locally; Sell items made out of recycled materials; and re-sell antiques and other vintage items. Of course, it immediately tickled my fancy. I knew in my heart after reading that article that I needed to contact the owner of the store and show her some of the things I'd been making. Pride and fear of rejection got the best of me and for over 3 months I did nothing about it, but I couldn't get the thought out of my head.

Last week, I decided to take Harper and just go walk through the store. Immediately after walking through the door, I got a sense that this was something I was supposed to do. I mentioned to the guy working that I may be interested in selling some of my items there, he told me to email the owner, tell her my story, send pictures etc. and she would contact me back.

So, I'd gotten up enough courage to actually walk in the store, now I had to muster the guts to pitch this to the owner. I stewed over it for a while, and just felt it was something I had to try. I am the type of person that would rather prepare myself for the worst possible outcome, than hope for the best and be disappointed.

I waited for the reply email nervously, and almost didn't open it when it came. I finally opened the email and the owner seemed really excited about what I was doing and wanted to meet with me. Ahhhh! What???

I made several things over the next few days, created labels and tags, and again, prepared myself to be rejected....

When the time came, the owner took one look and said "This is exactly what I've wanted to carry in my store!"

This could only be a God thing. I signed the contract, left her with my items and walked away in shock that this had actually happened. I know this really isn't that big of deal, but for me, I finally felt like I had taken a step that God wanted me to take. The items are not out yet, and obviously, nothing has yet sold, but I feel like I've taken a step in the right direction.

What a perfect fit??? Maybe this is part of my destiny, maybe this is what God has created me to do? I will never know if I don't try, and I am thankful that God gave me the courage to put myself out there. We'll see what happens! Whatever it is, good or bad, I know that it is God's story, and He will be glorified.

So, go check out this awesome store: Over The Moon The owner is exceptionally nice, the collection is unique and you can find some exquisite one of a kind items!

Bonfires and Marshmallows

2009-10-09T09:18:00.005-05:00

Grace spent the night with Izze and Papa last Saturday night. She got to experience her first bonfire and marshmallow roasting! Needless to say, she was thrilled. Here are some cute pictures:

Notice that half the bag of marshmallows have mysteriously relocated into Grace's cheeks... ????

At the end of the night, Iz wondered why she couldn't calm down and go to sleep.... Ummmm, how many marshmallows did she actually eat??? (Almost a whole bag.) Maybe that's why...
They also went to Disney on Ice, but nothing could be better than the campfire and playing hide n go seek with glow sticks in the yard. Doesn't that seem like a kid's dream?

3 little devils...

2009-10-05T15:10:00.005-05:00

So, 3 little devils have found their way into our home over the past 9 weeks (NO, that's not a typo...I said NINE weeks.) Very sneaky little devils... sometimes they show up with a vengeance, sometimes they are quiet, but when they are here, boy oh boy, you better watch out. I had no idea that something so small could cause so much ruckus, or so little sleep. They are so elusive that I haven't even been able to get a picture yet...

What are they, you say??? Harper's first 3 teeth. Barely there, but somehow so incredibly present. Until last week, when they finally revealed their identity, I wasn't sure what had come over my sweet little innocent, perfectly behaved baby. I'd taken her to the doctor, sure she had some kind of serious internal bleeding or a terribly awful disease.

Grace had no problem with teeth. I didn't even know she getting teeth until one day she bit my finger and drew blood. She wasn't bothered at all. Harper has turned into a monster. I am thankful that there may be an end in sight....but the prospect of getting Lord knows how many more teeth is enough to make me a little nauseous.

The little devils laugh in the face of Tylenol and Motrin, cold rags do nothing because she won't gnaw on them, I've purchased the homeopathic teething tablets (I know, I know, they are not FDA regulated.... but people, we need HELP....) Oragel....HA, it numbs her whole mouth but apparently doesn't help the pain...because she still screams.

Last week, I think I got about 10 hours of sleep the entire week... granted, the puke virus plus a little touch of the flu went through our house, but Harper wasn't the one who was sick, yet she screamed for 7 of the 9 hours at night...Lovely. By the end of the week, I couldn't compose a coherent sentence, my body was sore, my eyes were blurry and driving was probably not the safest thing I could have done.

Thankfully, last night I heard silence for the first time in a while. Silence.......... I slept. It was like a little piece of heaven. To be quite honest, I don't know if she woke up or did not. I was so tired that I very well may have completely slept through the yelling, I don't know. Those 3 little teeth are through the gums, so maybe we are in for a little respite from the storm. Anyone have a secret remedy they want to share??? If I had a million dollars, I'd give it to whomever can find the magic cure for the screaming.

Anyways, as soon as I can catch a shot of the little culprits themselves, you better believe I will post it.

neglect

2009-09-27T13:30:00.014-05:00

Mom says I am neglecting my blog. That I used to write at least twice a week, and now it's down to once every 7-10 days... Sorry Mom, I will try to do better.

Don't have really a whole heck of a lot to say today... Actually, I haven't had a whole lot to say lately... maybe it's due to lack of sleep. Harper was on a 7 week run of not sleeping at night, hardly at all... We've had about a 2 week respite where she decided sleep was a good thing again, and we are going on the 2nd night of no sleep again... so maybe my mind is just tired and has no capacity left for writing... ? I'll go with that. So here are some pictures...

Trying to get a cute sister shot, and this was the best we could do.

I think it has rained for 10 days straight... I love it. I love rain, and cloudy skies and the calm, peaceful feeling it leaves with me. I love rain...Grace had a little fun playing in it on several occasions. Harper didn't like it so much... and I thought it cruel to sit her in the middle of a puddle to get a cute picture of both girls in the rain (although I considered it)... So I just got a couple of Grace.
And here's Harps in all her glory. This is her "I am a baby model and I work the camera face..."
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And these are the faces the girls made after talking to aunt Amy the other night...wahoo!
(thank you Ann Haley.)