For This Season

{yawn. just another day at the office}

2012-01-26T18:19:00.000-08:00

uneventful day.

the building pretty much clears at 5.

except for a few. me included.

i am alone on the 6th floor with air one blaring loudly.

brandy and some lingering attorneys were on the 5th floor.

going through mounds of boring medical records.

unknown to me that the building was secured by the bomb squad.

a "situation" on the first floor.

and, you know me, my phone was silenced and i wasn't answering it.

nice.

needless to say, we got sent home.

in one piece, thank God.

{this n' that}

2012-01-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

i have been working so much my to do list of organizing is

having to wait. so, i'm making small changes when i can.

the new and impoved junk drawer for the boys.

it has actually stayed like this for well over a week.

the above was actually a Christmas gift.

but, it serves the purpose of getting rid of that

ugly yellow bag that the dogs are constantly

getting into. they'll be on a diet soon!

and, it's super-cute!

{is it......}

2012-01-18T14:25:00.000-08:00

a bird, a plane.....a

a popcorn machine??

Sometimes.

Some days.

It really doesn't take much.

And, it just make my heart smile.

{my drug of choice today}

2012-01-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

Mt. Dew

{someday}

2012-01-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

this may be funny.

but, not today.

at the office yesterday, i commented to everyone

that i was running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

and, then, i saw their faces freeze and mouths drop.

and, then the tears sprung.

again.

{2012: THE year of change}

2012-01-14T10:07:00.000-08:00

for me.

I don't make New Year's resolutions.

But, like so many, LOVE that clean calendar

{okay, so maybe I like the idea of the clean

calendar as mine is a two year and is already

scribbled on tremendously for 2012}. But,

you get the idea. A fresh start!

Personally, something in my soul craves simplicity.

Always has, and maybe it does for everyone, I

just don't know. I'm a definite Mayberry gal. I know

I've had that discussion here a time or two. Okay, maybe

three. But, I am DROWNING in chaos and have been for

so long. The vast majority of it at my own doing, sadly.

I've also broached this topic here several times. I

always have the very best intentions, but then I fall

short in a huge way of getting to the prize. Well,

a few months ago, I started having health issues as

a result of this chaos. I was not {and still am not

doing a great job at it} sleeping, my hiatal hernia

issues from college began rearing their ugly head,

my attention span was that of a knat and the list

could really go on and on. But, the things that I hold

the most dear to me...my family, friends and health were

suffering in a huge way. The only positive I can truly say

was occurring during the peak of all of this was that I clung

to my relationship with God. No matter what was swirling

around me....exhaustion from lack of sleep, stomach pain,

chasing myself in circles and getting nothing accomplished.......

I still carved out my quiet time with God. I craved it actually.

{thank you RAE DEAL}. I type all of this with tears in my

eyes because I was spinning too many plates and they

were crashing around me. There was no time for breathing.

And, I know that different seasons of our life are simply

a juggling act, but this was different. It was taking it's toll and

I was crashing. So, I began seeking changes through Him.

It started off small. First, I was determined to clear out the

physical clutter of my home. If I spend 15 minutes in the morning

looking for shoes or keys with a child crying because he just knows

we're going to be late......well, that breaks my heart and sets the

start of the day not in the sunrise kind of morning way. And,

my house wasn't all that bad to the eye, but I knew what was

lurking in cabinets, closet, on my desk {now, that was bad!}

Basically, I had lost all organization. Something that I was once

known for. Crazy. But, I am wired in a way I cannot function

with things being out of order. So, basically, I simply wasn't functioning.

I was determined to get rid of everything that wasn't necessary,

treasured, and valued in my home. I started with my closet. And,

to be honest, although it looks much better.....there is still so much excess.

I am still working on the excess. Because the excess of anything is

what was eating up my time. I have almost made my first "quick

round" throughout the house, every nook and cranny. Then, I will

go back and do a true purge over every item. I have thrown or

given away bags and bags of "stuff." When you get to the point

you cannot sit down and balance your checkbook and because of that

you have A LOT of money zapped from that account and because

you did not notify the bank timely, it was money well-spent by someone else.

I am already feeling a difference, but have so, so far to go. The garage. Gasp.

The attic. Oh, my. But, things are slowly coming together and I have

to remind myself, my life did not spin out of control overnight, so

all of my pieces will not get back into place that quickly as well.

But, I'll post some pictures about my little journey or since I'm into

labeling now..."project: simplify" may visit here occasionally.

On my kitchen counter sits the supplies for a new coupon binder.

I am tackling finances as well. So, I will keep you posted!

{a girl can dream}

2012-01-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

after the horrible and crazy week I've had.

A week I've spent pretty much away from my home as

I agreed to work on a production project at the law

firm......unknowingly that it would be as big of a deal

as it is. It's just been very hard. Leaving to the office

the moment I drop the boys off, still trying to manage

the MD appts, arriving back at home anywhere between

8-10 pm at night. Let's just say I've been a bucket

of tears this week between my chicken incident and the

fact that my littilest man is not coping well with me being

gone so much. But, neither is his mommy to be honest.

So, during my hours and hours with these medical

records, I started daydreaming of a beautiful

drive and a table for two in the corner.

Let's throw in some breathtaking views while

we're at it. A roaring fire on a cold, cold night.

Good conversation, laughs and food.

You know, like the good old days???

Well, a girl can dream or she can do something about it.

This girl chose not to succumb to the utter exhaustion she

was feeling and go ahead with that January date

sitting in that envelope. The moment I got off work

{early, yay!} at 5 yesterday. I filled the tank with gas

and raced home to pack an overnight bag and we

headed out {sporting my new-do, thanks Amber!}.

The boys were enjoying steak and lots

of movie time with their mimi and poppy.

So, we did enjoy the beautiful drive, albeit in the dark.

A quiet table for two since we arrived for dinner at

8 pm and the dining room was dwindling. We looked

out over the mountain of the lodge at all of the twinkling

lights below and above. Felt the warmth of the beautiful

fireplaces. And, had that good conversation,

good laughs and good food. A night without

taking the puppies out, doing any homework {for

the boys or me}, staring brain-dead at the television,

or folding laundry.

It was wonderful. And, we are back at home already

as it is a busy weekend for us. But, the boys are playing

outside, I am listening to great music, watching

the puppies play and daydreaming about our

February Date Night. Completely refreshed.

Operation: Date Night, a definite success!!

I love you honey, thanks for smiling at the mess I am! :)

{devastating farm day}

2012-01-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

I went face to face with a huge bobcat hiding
in my coop this morning.

That was after he slaughtered 19 of my chickens.

{aging gracefully}

2012-01-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, during break, I had the television on for some

background noise as I was too busy to watch anything.

{reality: I may watch one show a week other than CNN/Fox}

But, as I was sitting at my desk a "soap" came on that I had

never really watched and never knew any of the story lines, but

in the years had noticed two of the women on the show, two

that I thought were very beautiful. In my opinion, probably

the two prettiest ones in that industry.

Gasp!

What I saw a few weeks back made me stare. And, sad. They have

succumbed to the worldy standard of fighting age with everything

they have. Which equates to way too much botox and surgery. I

do not envy them at all. I know I apply my night cream faithfully

in hopes the promises of diminishment of fine lines and wrinkles will work.

But, I know there is no miracle in that bottle.

And, I'm not against plastic surgery for a myriad of reasons. But, when

it comes to changing you into someone that you wouldn't recognize as

you....that makes me sad. And, into a face that is

actually pretty scary. Again, I cannot imagine being in an industry

where you are always under the microscope for flaws; I am not envious

of that in the least. They were absolutely beautiful, and now distorted.

As the years pass a lightening speed, I know I will {and do!} have

my personal battles; I hope I can make the best of what I have

without drastic measures....or more than anything, true contentment

in the beauty of aging gracefully.

My "soap box" for the day. Pardon the pun!

{making memories}

2012-01-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

This year, instead of exchanging gifts {that would very likely eventually be purged;},

Angela & I decided to have a craft/play day for the kids with yummy, healthy

foods like donuts and coffee cake, Christmas cokes and some coffee with our cream.

Perfectly healthy.

And, as funny as it was that the kids were much more interested in playing

than completely our fun, well-thought out projects.....memories were definitely

made. It was much better than any gift exchange. Here are a few pictures

of our memory making day. The only negative was when it ended!

We will definitely be making this a tradition!

A PREASSEMBLED Gingerbread House!
That solves many issues of years past!
It is the first one ever that didn't collapse.

Maybe we should use one for the barn rebuild. ;)

And, this idea from pinterest as well. I forgot to "turn" the picture.
And, it still needed a trunk.

Well, to be honest, still does. Maybe I'll paint that
before I display it next year.

But, I love looking at their little hand prints.
Well, on anything but the windows.

And, really that makes me swoon too!

{purge fest}

2012-01-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

I have been chomping at the bits to PURGE in a big way!

I had worked and worked and planned on the time after Christmas

to REALLY get after it. That was my target time frame to begin.

So, I held off with anticipation and finished up my photography work

and then........a HUGE project hit the law firm and they asked for my

help. I said yes before I realized exactly what all it would entail.

Stupid, stupid me!

I am a grumpy bear because I gave up so much time with the boys

over break and as much as I wanted to purge and clean....it was

the last on my list compared to the boys. As mentioned,

tomorrow we head out to Houston and should be back home either

late Tuesday night or Wednesday. Then, I am suppose to report back to duty

on Thursday morning. I have some serious pondering to do. I want to help out

and above all do not want to leave my sweet friend in a lurch. But, I

think based on everything else going on.......I am going to have to draw

some boundaries for certain. No more working until 8:45 pm when the boys

are in school. I cannot keep up like I used to.

But, over the weekend, when I should have been billing and wrapping up

a report and final edits and orders.....I squeezed a little purging in to get a

fix! I had a fiasco in the pantry a couple weeks ago and to solve that from

every happening again {I hope!!} I have invested {truly, an investment}

in different containers. I've been buying some here and there. I also

got some cute tags from etsy, but need a chalk pen as I don't like

using the true blue chalk. I've also completes various other

small tasks around the house and am literally going to hit

every, single nook and cranny, every drawer, every closet eventually

moving on the over the top garage and ending with the attic. Then,

it will likely be time to start over again! ha!

But, I need some space in this house and in the effort to decorate

something went horribly wrong.......clutter invaded in huge way. In an

eventual overwhelming way. I do not function well at all {if AT all,

with clutter}. I have already collected bags of things and there will

be many, many more to come I'm afraid. It's a disgrace really.

But, a lesson learned for certain. I'm ready to breathe in every

area of my life!!

I got a new camera for my purse recently and wouldn't you know

I can't work the stinkin' thing. Give me a crazy, complicated one and

it's a breeze, but a point and shoot is a disaster for me. For example,

I had gone through some terribly mismatched photo boxes and gave them away

and replaced them with very standard, but matching black photo boxes.

The change was dramatic. BUT, when I took the pictures, I failed

to have a card in the camera. My big camera would not have allowed

that. ;) And, since all of those old boxes are long gone, I can't reshoot

that one, so you will have to take my word for it, or come over and see. ;)

But, here is a quick peek at an area on the kitchen. We are all loving

the new containers and once I finish up the labels, they will be

functional and cute. Cute is always important. ;)

{prayer request}

2012-01-01T18:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is a big, big day for us.

Something we have waited for only about 6+ years.

We head to Houston with Scott to visit the post-traumatic brain

injury rehab hospital. We will be meeting with the team on

Tuesday about 10 am.

I am praying for God's will and if this is the place, then we

will know without any doubt. If it is, we are planning on

going back for the hospitalization after the boys are out

of school this summer as they are anticipating a minimum of eight

weeks inpatient. However, we have the option to begin it now and

that is not totally out of the question, but not very likely as we

could not stay with him at this point with school and the farm.

So, we are asking for prayers of wisdom and safe travels!

{happy new year!!}

2012-01-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

ALTHOUGH, I cannot for the life of me believe it is already 2012??

Didn't we just go through Y2K like last year??

Yes, the years are definitely picking up speed in a big way.

I enjoyed so many blessings in 2011, some heartache, some growing

"opportunities", deepening friendships I've been blessed with,

watching my children grow and laugh, growing {older, ha!} with

Scott {there is no one I'd rather share that experience with}, failing,

succeeding, praying and praying some more, many "ah-ha" moments

spiritually, a great birthday celebration {one, I will never, ever forget},

changes on the farm, falling deeper in love with scripture, adding

a critter or two {or 30+}, challenges, deep breaths, and a lot of laughs.

Thank you God for another year, I'm excited to see what is in store.

A few weeks ago, I discovered my year verse. I was so looking for something

along the lines of "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" and

during a morning of quiet time...I came across exactly what was on my heart.

Here is to 2012.....

"And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend

to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight, so that you may

surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real

value." Philippians 1:9-10

Oh, how I love that!!

Happy New Year family and friends!!

{spring, anyone?}

2011-12-31T15:07:00.000-08:00

I have ALOT to write about.

But, still so many things to get completed
before Monday.

So, I will be back to visit some VERY important

occurrences, Christmas, Christmas Eve, etc, etc.

but, for today. The only thing worth documenting

that was any fun at all........

The spring chicks are ordered.

So many pretty ones.

Maybe it was this beautiful weather?

Shipping Date: 2/20/12.

Now, I am back to the not so fun stuff!

{the reindeer}

2011-12-23T19:54:00.001-08:00

have landed.

the elves have retired.

and, santa has left the building.

2011 complete.

now, to enjoy my family &

celebrate our Savior!

{dear nikon}

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

it seems that i do not work for food

but,

for your upgrades.

although i am VERY excited,

it is also a painful experience.

just sayin'.

{hear that??}

2011-12-20T14:40:00.001-08:00

the angels are SINGING!!

all major deadlines met.

tomorrow will be wrap up day.

I SEE THE LIGHT!

O' happy, happy day!

I'm actually giddy.

{and sick,...but, giddy!}

{24 more}

2011-12-19T15:05:00.000-08:00

well, 48 would be a more accurate description.

{hours}

i think i can. i think i can.

and, then,

i'm going to christmas party like

there's no tomorrow with my

boys come thursday.

and, wow, i may even have wednesday

to get ready for thursday.

i am beyond ready.

christmas music, coffee for pleasure not for survival,

my quiet time during a quiet time all wrapped up in

blankets, wrapping with no huge cloud hovering,

staying up late with the boys watching every Christmas movie

we can find, yummy treats and precious time with family

and friends. yep. i'm ready.

now, back to the 24-48 hour stretch. ;)

{forwarding address}

2011-12-19T11:02:00.000-08:00

i'm moving to the beach.

well, at least in my dreams.

nothing is hectic at the beach.

well, until you see a shark like we did that time.

for the most part anyway.

BUT, a girl can dream!

{the giver or the gifts?}

2011-12-18T19:43:00.000-08:00

hmmm....a very pertinent article.

{click and read below}

Where Will You Be on Christmas Morning?

The author had a few points I wouldn't have

likely thought of or mentioned - particularly about other faiths.

But, it is true, this issue was raised in my heart several

weeks ago as I felt I needed to "prepare" the boys. I must say,

their responses shocked me. But, made my heart smile

all the while. When I explained that Christmas fell on

a Sunday and that we would be disrupting our normal tradition

of staying in our pj's all day, eating yummy things from the oven

all morning, playing with our new toys uninterrupted I truly

expected whining at the very least.

They looked at me like I was stupid.

Of course they would be in church on Jesus' birthday.

Where else would we be?

Noah even asked if he could wear a tie.

{they are getting it much more than I give them credit}

{update, operation: date night}

2011-12-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

check.

it's pretty much wrapped up.

i am so lacking in the gift department for the boys??!

i'm a tad stressed there.

but, as it was stated in bible study just last week {how soon

i forget}...is it really about the number of present they have?

really.

okay, breathing again.

{a ray of sunshine}

2011-12-18T17:58:00.000-08:00

i did take some time tonight to make some

goodies with the boys. the gingerbread house

is still in her box because i just haven't had it in me. yet.

these little pretzel hugs were so easy and so yummy!

we were rolling along quite nicely until i got distracted

removing a batch from the oven, colliding with the heating

elements above and losing half the batch to the bottom of the oven.

the next batch tasted of nothing but burned hugs.

that little endeavor ended quickly. :(

{bye-bye!!}

2011-12-18T17:53:00.000-08:00

weekend.

u were not very nice to me.

you made monday something i

looked foward to for a change.

let's just say i have a very organized panty.

again.

{banned from blog: scott walker}

2011-12-14T08:47:00.000-08:00

holy moly, i'm excited!!!!

who knows?? maybe that painful Bible study on the song of solomon struck

a chord somewhere.....maybe. {wink}

but, this is too good not to share with my girlfriends.

and, i'll get brownie points from the husbands too! and, i need

all the help i can get there too as they all think i'm a nut.

to put it lightly. ;)

okay, back to the task at hand.

operation: date night

i absolutely cannot take credit for it but got the

idea from none other than my latest addiction: pinterest.

but, it is a year of preplanned {for the most part} date nights.

i am going to spruce mine up a bit with some red leopard ribbon and embellishments.

i'm so excited, i've even printed some labels/envelopes for a friend.

but, the date nights can be very simple and budget friendly to all out

weekends away. i want a mixture of both.

i also purchased christmas cards for every month. well, 13 actually, one to give with

the gift and one for each month, some serious, some totally hilarious!

i can't put all of the ideas here because i want to surprise him and he is banned

from reading the blog until christmas. but, i will post the monthly date nights

as they are opened per month.

this has been so fun! i've basically taken an idea

and will fill the envelope with simple things such as gift

cards, tickets, maps, printouts, etc and then on the day of the date
i will have a basket of goodies, picnic basket,
a suitcase.....whatever may be applicable.

i think he will be a very happy guy!!
but, i know that i am probably more excited in all of
the planning, collecting, reserving, etc than he will be.

now, we just need to establish a date-night childcare

coop for all of the friends and we'll all be good! ;)

{check!}

2011-12-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

i finished my last shoot of 2011 last night.

it was beautiful, but all i can say is THANK.YOU.GOD.

i survived.

i'm very thankful for the business, but very tired at this point.

so, i will finish up my edits and orders and enjoy Christmas

with my little family. church will not be happening for us

this morning as scott is down for the count and evan has upper

respiratory havoc going on. so, although unplanned, we will be staying

home and in our pj's today. i will finish my marathon on loading and ordering

{it is expected to last until the wee hours of tuesday morning}. and, then, hopefully

finished for the most part except for orders. whew! it's been a busy time and

i'm ready to settle down. i've met with my photog friend jess and we

are both revamping once again this year. little tweaks to help us

stay in better balance with business and family. i'm excited to start the new year.

our barn pad is clean from debris. starting over there as well, ha!

{i can really only laugh. really}

although, a gingerbread house may be built today instead. and,

if you know my reputation with gingerbread houses. the outcome

will not likely be pretty. fun maybe, but not pretty.

the boys are going to start some Christmas gift projects today they've

been dying to do and i will supervise from my desk. probably, not the brightest

idea in the world on my part. but, i've put them off long enough.

praise music in the background.

peppermint mocha in a new polka dot Christmas coffee mug.

{you know, i drink from them all year long, so i added a few this year}

i may even get brave and post some snaps of the Christmas decorations

today. i do have one outside wreath out of eight hung outside. i finish things

promptly like that. so sad! maybe they will all be hung the d day of tuesday.

i'm looking forward to a cozy but productive day!!

{peeking above}

2011-12-02T15:37:00.000-08:00

I am literally up to my eyeballs in edits {a + for a small business regardless of the lack of sleep}, ornaments, mesh ribbon, wreaths {I'm hanging them on the windows this year, I love how southern that looks}, tubs and tubs of more Christmas decor, dogs, boys, cookies to bake, presents to wrap, dirty laundry, clean laundry, chickens and well, the demolition/clean up and redo of the barn, etc, etc, etc....}

BUSY weekend ahead, but thankful for all of it!

and, surprise, surprise our family session got cancelled due to that crazy wind a couple of weeks ago. I decided to forgo the family idea and bought new outfits for the boys. Chapped lips for both boys to the Nth degree have postphoned that session as well.

Maybe, just maybe I'll get cards out this year.

{last week}

2011-12-01T15:25:00.000-08:00

My good intentions to have things blogged before I got consumed with my Christmas rush....well,

let's just say.....eventually. ;) But, I did see this on my desk today and laugh everytime I see it.

Notice: Evan's shoeless feet. His shoes were too big {thanks to Daddy}. And, Scott

is reaching across the table for my hand, I am oblivious. Noah is smirking.

We are the picture perfect fam!! HA! Totally kidding!

{highlights of our thanksgiving holiday}

2011-11-27T19:22:00.000-08:00

or, low lights - depending on the perspective.

BUT, we had a great time together as a family. We missed

our other family members but truly savored this time together.

We just walked through the door, boys are in bed, laundry is humming

along and suitcases are in piles. But, before I get busy with two edits

that need to be completed by morning and hit the ground running

when that alarm clock goes off....I wanted to post some of the things

I definitely want to come back and revisit in the very near future.

*totally planning on pulling out of our driveway headed south by 6 am -

only to pull out of that driveway at 4:15 pm. Lost a tad bit of time there.

*driving 6+ hours before I could not drive another mile. Considering I had

been working since 3 am, I was okay with that. Well, until we could not

find a hotel room. We had no forethought of it being a holiday weekend.

We stayed at hotel #6. It was a {clean} bed is all I can say.

*waking up somewhere in Louisiana realizing I had left every.bit.of.

my.makeup.at.HOME!! Not way to start a relaxing vacation. Scott

got directions for the nearest Wally World {very poor directions I might add}

and I had to restock every piece of makeup I use. A huge chunk of my souvenir $$. :(

*making it to the port terminal and the minute we walk in are in the midst of a sea

of purple and gold LSU fans. BUT, we had high hopes. No worries at this point.

*sitting in the terminal {famous yellow seats} realizing that NEW bag of makeup was

NOT in my carry on. Noah forgot he had kicked it out of my bag and had not put

it back in as we were on the interstate. We were already through three security levels.

I was on the verge of tears. Okay, maybe a few spilled. I was TIRED.

After Scott ran to the rescue, I opened another bag as I realized he didn't have

his passport only to find my original bag of makeup. There are no words really.

*night #1 on ship - pretty uneventful. Thank God.

*#1 morning on the ship - SEASICKNESS for me!

I held the walls as I made my way for the meclinzine.

A big reminder of how horribly bad my morning sickness was.

*days 2 & 3 on ship - relaxing. And, lots of swimming for the boys!

*day #4 - Scott's first real day out of the cabin. He had a bad, bad time. :(

Port: Jamacia. I had fretted over this one the most and it ended up

being my very favorite. Pictures to follow.

#day 5: Port: Grand Cayman. Let's just say we got into a real, live

boating accident as we crashed into another boat at Stingray City. And,

in that same accident 6-8 people snorkling almost got hit by our out of control

boat. Not the way to start a scary experience anyway. I'm thinking that

Captain lost his job when we returned back to the bus. At least by the amount

of yelling I observed from one of his superiors.

#6: Port: Cozumel. Our bus broke down. And, then with only 30 minutes

to be on board the ship, we got completely stalled in traffic because a taxi broke

down in front of us and we were wedged in. Needless to say, the taxi FAKED

being broke down as he was simply waiting for his customer for that 20 minutes. We

made it back to the boat 10 minutes after required loading - just in time for

the 4th quarter of the LSU game. In a sea of purple and gold. It was painful.

I'll be back with much more later. There is much more to tell. But, I have

to get editing the night away!!

{i am extremely thankful...}

2011-11-15T07:56:00.000-08:00

this week for things that are not typically the norm such as my family, friends, health, a home....etc. but things that i have been particularly thankful for that fall outside of that box....

a two-week-old insurance policy that was pretty much an after thought
a swift and reassuring agent and adjuster
pain medication {all is well there, i am VERY thankful for that!}
friends that pray and rally
the fact i tend to be a night owl with my head hitting the pillow at 3:30 am and i don't even feel the effects after my coffee. don't ask me tomorrow though ;)
children who seem oblivious to the stress swirling inside my brain
those same children who calm me down with their excitement about the upcoming week
a mom who is cleaning my house, doing my laundry and scrubbing my toilets for me today
a SIL who offers to come help me with whatever i may need
a friend who offers to put up my Christmas tree when she needs and wants to get hers up
a puppy who seems to finally be "getting" the whole potty training idea as that makes life so much easier
my crowing rooster. he makes me smile. i'm sorry, it's strange, but a fact. ;)
friends who text and call me and don't get too terribly upset if it takes 7 days+ for me to respond. they know me and love me anyway!
and above everything, my God who loves me despite the fact i am completely insane and trusts me to handle my life as crazy as it is

{and, the storms blew in}

2011-11-13T08:04:00.000-08:00

This was early last week before it was closed in, wrapped and the final

trusses and top trusses put up....I didn't take any pictures of it more recently.

On Friday, they were decking the roof in hopes to begin the shingles next week

but it started getting too windy so they had to stop.

This is what happened this morning about 5 am.

It really was pretty difficult to see. Just knowing how much

work {and $$} we've put into it and how excited we all were really.
I had not been excited about the studio too much; but once
I saw it closed in, my wheels started turning and I was
anticipating finally being able to separate working in the
house pretty much 24/7. The stroll across the front yard, coffee in
hand was becoming very appealing, very quickly. The boys
cleaned it up all day yesterday - picking up every single stray nail.

In fact, we have worked very hard to have it in the dry before leaving

this weekend. BUT, as with life, not every storm shows up in the forecast.

And, as disappointing as it is, it is not tragic by any means. But, honestly,
as nice as that is and sounds, it still stinks. ;) On most days,

we wake up with anticipation of a great day or week and before that

day even starts, we have the storms blow through.
Some much bigger and damaging than others.

We will clean up, pick up {as the wrap is blowing all over south
Sebastian County} and rebuild. Although the foundation was
strong and "it was almost there" it needed a roof to keep the winds out.
There was just enough space to allow an exploding disaster.

I am CERTAIN there is a lesson for me in the midst of this rubble.

{should i be worried?}

2011-11-13T06:27:00.000-08:00

this is a "writing" i found of evan's last night...

"I'm going on a cruz. I hope that it wote {won't} be like titantit! {Titanic}

If you've read the book you know what I mean:

the name of the book is I Sourvird. {Survived}"

I don't even know what to say.

{kk & savannah}

2011-11-07T11:14:00.000-08:00

trying to figure out how in the world to get up there??

is that not the craziest picture ever??

and then.....there is Kit Kat.....

KK and Savannah = not a good mix.

The above was right before she bit him. :(

He still loves her though!

{these are the days i savor....}

2011-11-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

sunday afternoons, fall and hay bales.

it doesn't get any better for these two as they spend

HOURS and HOURS out there. it's the first place they

want to go when we pull in from school and the place i have

to call them in from at night. simple joys.

{such a beautiful fall}

2011-11-07T09:38:00.000-08:00

despite the heat wave of the summer

His beautiful creation is shining through....

{a little treasure}

2011-11-05T13:54:00.000-07:00

Today, on the way home with the boys, I took an unplanned detour to "The Mountain";

my grandpa's old farm homestead. The house has collapsed but I was so hoping

I could at least salvage a good window frame to bring to my home.

No such luck. I spied a door in an area that was still standing but way too

dangerous to ever attempt to remove without the house collasping around it.

I will admit, I was suddenly very saddened that I wouldn't get to walk away with

a piece of this house. A huge history to most of our family.

A home that housed a family of 6 children through

some very lean, very difficult and very joyous times.

If only those walls could talk.

Then I spotted my jar. Cast aside at the back of the house were several

old bottles and jars. So, I claimed my prize and was immediately overwhelmed.

Such a simple, simple thing, but one that was instantly very special to me.

You could not pry it out of my hands in exchange for the prettiest vase in the world.

As it sat in the kitchen a bit ago in all of his dusty glory, Noah asked me what

I thought had been in it. Well, I knew my grandpa very well. So, that jar

had housed something that sprouted from the seeds he planted in the garden plot

I stood near today. He had weeded and watered and harvested. Then, he or a

family member had canned whatever fruit or vegetable they had washed and prepared.

And, at some point it was opened and prepared for dinner. I'd like to imagine

that they ate a family meal together in that kitchen that sat on a creaky, creaky floor.

Or, he may have eaten it alone years later. While sitting in his chair by the door

either looking out the window or watching Andy Griffith on his fuzzy black and

white television. And, maybe, just maybe it held something that as I little girl

I helped him with in the garden. I like that thought.

That jar absolutely captivates me. A treasure I didn't expect to find!

and, then... the tears became happy.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12:34

{sweetness}

2011-10-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

since molly claimed the other one...

this little one has found her boy....

probably because he slowed down long enough

for her to catch him {wink}

and, then there's molly,

ignoring it all....

{oh, how i love....}

2011-10-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

ribbon.....

at the rate i think we all purchased from the same store,

we should probably have a yard of ribbon swap to mix it up!

i'm not sure i can use 50 yards per design! that's A LOT of ribbon....

but, i'm certain i'll have fun trying ;)

{this & that}

2011-10-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

the barn/my office-studio. it's coming along.

he is sick again.

low grade fever, aches and a big case of the blahs.

aka crankiness. :)

i must say he looks pretty good in pink. :)

below is right when savannah got caught eating crayons.

i've totally lost it.

it's not quite nov 1st yet. my declared D-day.

so, i've got a mix of fall, halloween and christmas going on.

a very small mix.

but, if i don't, i won't by the looks of my calendar.

{never, ever, ever}

2011-10-28T07:53:00.001-07:00

bake a spice cake with homemade cream cheese icing again.

on the very same day i start weight watchers.

epic fail.

here's to day 2!

{rain on me}

2011-10-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

although I feel bad that some have had to reschedule their

sessions this week for various reasons, i've used it to make

some lemonade. and, i've savored it.
it rained us out today, thus the above title.

i have three unexpected nights off this week.

and, in saying that, i've used them to edit like a mad woman.

but, it has also afforded me some much needed time with the

boys. for me, as much as them.

i've cooked.

i've cleaned.

they have clean laundry.

the laundry is in a huge pile, but it's clean.

we've read books, history articles, and devotionals

wrapped up in my pink quilt in my fluffy chair.

i've studied them.

every freckle, the lines of their faces, their toes

we've laughed so much i could barely breath {due to a book

we were reading}

we've worked on scripture memorization.

we've researched george washington

{have you ever read the rules of civility?}

we've researched vikings, the revolutionary war and

the bermuda triangle.

in no particular order i might add.

i purposely avoided the titanic.

we've planned a big family dinner for tomorrow night.

we are bracing for impact.

the next crazy, busy three+ weeks.

and, then.....

thanksgiving break.

glorious thanksgiving break.

{big words}

2011-10-19T18:06:00.001-07:00

"Children should have the best of their mothers........"

Charlotte Mason

I LOVE that!

And, need to remember that often.

{is it only wednesday??}

2011-10-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

i feel like a month has passed since last week. whew!

the normal, frantic pace of the fall season.

throw in a little guy who gets sick.

and a mama who follows close behind.

flu-like symptoms of aches, headache, EXTREME

fatigue minus the flu part.

a photo session in which i left not one battery charging AT HOME

.....but, two. and, session was in fort smith.

a little one who couldn't "hold it" and decided against brothers

advice he could pee into a cup inside my vehicle. well, he got

a bad case of the giggles and missed the cup. i won't even go into

details, but, just know my car is having to be detailed and some

major damage to areas of lining was done.

two boys who locked my keys and phone and dog inside my running

vehicle and no one at home to answer the phone i borrowed.

nice.

a barn that is underway and all that goes with that.

i feel like i am building a house.

pto program to decorate for with instructions not being

changed once.........but twice.

a sick molly. a very sick molly. she has the most
sensitive stomach EVER. and, she gets stressed when she
is left anywhere. so much for the nice grooming she had received
the day before. :(

a little guy who is still sick and exhibiting some worrisome symptoms - trip

to md with not the greatest news being received but not the
worst either. we are praying this round of medication

works and we do not have to go to round two of diagnostics.
a mommy brain in overdrive unfortunately.

i am absolutely missing my friends like crazy. i haven't really

even had time to text let alone chat. seeing everyone may be reserved

for 2012 by the way it looks.

{November 1st = D Day}

2011-10-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

in my world at least.

Since I already know that November

will be zipping by at a very rapid pace,

the fact that I won't be home for a little stretch,

and the fact that the bug bit me early....

I am going to start decorating on that first day of November.

In spurts. Otherwise, it won't be done until Easter.

And, you know me......

I wouldn't be able to take it down until

the 4th of July. So, although an early start for me,

it's the only way I'll manage.....

so excited!

Notice the Whimsical aka "crooked trees" perfect for me as

all of mine are typically crooked by accident. ;)

I've got a stockpile growing!!

I haven't bought much of anything for years, so this

year I am strategically stalking the Christmas aisles early.

{blah}

2011-10-16T12:26:00.001-07:00

e woke up thursday sick.

he was well for friday.

i woke up sick yesterday.

i'm still sick.

NOT the way to spend a busy weekend.

{laundry room redo}

2011-10-10T12:27:00.001-07:00

i made my purchase.

now, i'm pretty certain i'll be calling h.g.

{this is what i heard}

2011-10-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

as they were playing just dance II on the wii.

evan: "okay, noah, i'll let you make me do the pussy cat dolls song

if i get to choose next time."

noah: "okay"

evan: "man, i hate that."

{isn't she lovely??}

2011-10-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

i am tickled pink!!!

sorry, i couldn't resist....

but, when we turn 40 in the walker-wiggins family,

the sister-in-laws get a quilt from our uber-talented

SIL, angie.

dentist by day, quilter by every other moment in between.

i kid you not.

so, i have known for years i would be a lucky girl the

year i turned 40. another bit of icing on the cake.

when she asked what i had in mind, i told her....

i wanted pink, pink and more pink.

my house and everything that surrounds me is

not girly. at all. i think i shyed away from pink

living in a house full of boys so i wanted my quilt

to surround me in girly-girl colors and patterns.

she did not disappoint.

i received it last night and it is perfectly beautiful

in every way. i can't keep staring at it as i continously

find a new detail. i can't thank her enough!

i am in love!

the back.....so pretty!

the boys will hate it, but i think i'm going to incorporate this in our

family pics this year. they can suffer for a bit!

i plan on many hours snuggling under this blanket, being

wrapped up with a sick child, watching movies with the mr.,

dreaming, rainy days, and simply taking in its beauty.

thank you so much angie! it is such a treasure!

{yum-O!}

2011-10-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

i've been waiting anxiously.

and, despite TWO broken coffee pots....

with a new one purchased this morning.

these are filling my shelves.

LOVE this time of the year!

{love}

2011-10-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

homemade dishwashing detergent.

VERY inexpensive.

huge batch {this is only half of it}

works GREAT.

will probably last me for years....

{fun night}

2011-10-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

we had a great time tonight.

the movie caused tears. that's a good thing, i guess.

evan told me countless times how much he loved the evening and

how "perfect" it was. he was almost giddy.

noah hung with friends. ;)

lots of popcorn and candy.

tons of quilts.

a pretty sky full of stars.

wonderful friends and family.

all was good.

if it doesn't get too cold....our next showing will be cars 2. ;)

it releases nov 1.

{getting ready for the red carpet to the field}

2011-10-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

not! :)

just making loads of popcorn and packing up goodies.

i know it's a super-busy weekend,

hope to see you if you can!

{i "no bake cookies" anymore}

2011-10-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

after seeing this....

never, ever, ever.

again.

like a i did two nights ago.

and, i think i'll run tonight.

i do.

{our children}

2011-10-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

i read something this morning that made me stop in my tracks.

{my paraphrase....}

it was concerning decisions we make as spouses and parents that have

an undeniable effect on our children. and, although our children may ultimately

"be okay" through whatever consequence they have to live through because

of our choices and our actions we should filter every choice with.....

"will this or i be a stumbling block or a stepping stone" to our children.

i most definitely want to be a stone.

{ahhhh.....}

2011-10-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

a starbucks mint mocha frappuccino....

enough said. ;)

{movie night + WPS}

2011-10-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

fyi, the game will be on here as well as the outdoor movie. ;)

{first feature}

2011-10-04T17:30:00.000-07:00

okay, our first movie feature in the field this saturday will be....

"the secrets of johnathan sperry"

although it came with rave reviews from a friend, i also pulled it up on

amazon and read numerous reviews that netted it a 5 star rating. here is

a description from amazon.....

A Christian family film about faith and forgiveness, The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry is a leisurely paced story concerning an elderly man who shares his faith with a young boy and how that simple act helps shape the lives of many. The movie is set in the simpler times of the summer of 1970. Dustin is a respectful 12-year-old boy who mows lawns for the neighbors, has just developed his first crush on a girl, and is spending the summer hanging out with his two good friends Albert and Mark. When elderly neighbor Mr. Sperry asks Dustin if he'll start mowing his lawn, Dustin gladly agrees, and soon Mr. Sperry begins sharing the Bible and his faith with Dustin. Before long, Dustin and his friends find themselves enjoying regular Bible study at Mr. Sperry's home. Through gentle words and engaging activities, Mr. Sperry helps Dustin and his friends discover how faith and the Bible can improve their lives, not only in the broadest sense, but also with some very specific lessons about forgiveness, problem solving, and even effectively dealing with bullying. This film delivers a wholesome message about faith and seeing things from another's point of view, but the pace is deliberately slow and the complete absence of normal preadolescent energy may well cause some contemporary viewers to lose interest. Gavin MacLeod and Jansen Panettiere give solid performances as Jonathan Sperry and Dustin, respectively, and it's great to see Robert Guillaume in a highly effective appearance as Mr. Sperry's neighbor Mr. Barnes. Bonus features include a 39-minute behind-the-scenes featurette with Gavin McLeod, director Rich Christiano, and producer Chad Gunderson; a full-length commentary with Rich Christiano and Gavin McLeod; a look at the various houses used in the film; interview footage with composer Jasper Randall; a special message from director Rich Christiano about his own faith; and contact information for related ministries. (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

i hope that several of you can make it but i know that there are football games

that evening. we will start at dusk, around 7:10 or so - so even if your late,

you are more than welcome. hoping for nothing more than a relaxing night

under the stars!! i have a "vision" for the area, but don't be surprised at all

if you drive up to find nothing more than a basket of blankets and bowls of

popcorn at the rate my last couple of weeks have gone. ;)

{yesterday}

2011-09-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

was overwhelming.

i knew with every part of me it would be very,

very difficult. but, it ended up being even beyond that. i hate, hate

goodbyes. my family was overtaken with grief and it was hard

to be in the midst of it. i have much to write, but i need to 'be' in it

myself for a while longer. i haven't even been able to verbally

share it all with scott yet. just too, too much.

{outdoor movie night}

2011-09-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

well, our plans went a little off schedule due to immediately going from the spring

floods to the desert heat. All 116+ degrees of it, with no in between relief.

soooo, now that i've made it through several weekends of weddings,

we our planning on hosting our first outdoor {as in the pasture} family

'inspirational' movie night. so, if you can bring your family,

your rolled-up quilts and snacks and drinks {we'll provide the popcorn}, &

your kiddos in their comfies to spend some time together

under the stars - we would love to have you!

it will begin at dusk {likely around 7:15ish} on October 8th. There are at least two

additional evenings that we will likely host before it gets too cold. And, then we will

crank it up in early spring. I'll post more specific information next week.

And, feel free to invite anyone you would like....the more the merrier!!!!

if you plan on coming, if you wouldn't mind to message me or comment

as it may be a tad easier on the first go around to have somewhat of a

number....and, any movie ideas as well. i know we will not be able

to show one that not everyone has seen but i think it's about being

together as much as about what we view. and, as it gets going, i think

it will be easier to "hold off" on buying/renting a dvd if you know that

it will be in the queue here. this may seem like such a strange idea, but

i'm so excited. i love anything under the stars and with my family &

friends makes it that much better!

{new to our home...}

2011-09-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

halloween.

well, not really, but I have only ever decorated for

fall, not halloween. as many of you know, my

upbringing was rather strict and skewed and i

always just stuck to fall. it was "safe." so, my

mom can blame mrs. t.h. for this. TOTALLY kidding! ;)

but, the boys are REALLY into halloween this year.

and, of course, the scarier stuff. no longer will they let me

drape a super-hero cape on them. so, what's a mom to do?

i prayed. i know that must sound so silly to most. i get that.

but, when you were raised as i was...it's pretty much a part

of who you are now...good or bad. so, i started trying to

come up with answers for our family. and, in doing so, i will

completely admit to having flashbacks of some of my VERY favorite

halloweens...the ones in witch i was a witch. i made a VERY good

witch with all of that 80's hair. and, my witch days were before things

went really awry at home in that department. i LOVED it and it didn't

damage me and i didn't go to the dark side. it was just FUN.

so, a couple weeks ago, i started collecting a small supply of

halloween decorations. today, after i got back from the oil change,

tire rotations, wiper blade change, etc...i started pulling it all out.

i had about 45 minutes between returning home and picking up the boys.

i am spent. primarily because of the events of the last 24 hours which

led to probably about 2 hours of interrupted sleep last night.

and, i felt almost "wrong" for pulling it all out when so many in my family

are so sad. and, didn't think i would blog it at all. but, then, i realized...

terry was a GREAT mom. i feel like i've let so much work and just

life circumstances override the part of my mom heart that loves doing

little things for the boys. the little things i always want to them to remember

long after i am gone. unfortunately, me putting so much off because

of all of my deadlines and unexpected interferences, i am not guaranteed

a next halloween nor a tomorrow. so, i pulled it all out and the smiles

i got from the boys said it all. it is nothing much at all. and, it is contained

in just our little area off the kitchen that will probably always be termed

the "train room" thanks to our lifelong friend thomas. ;) but,
they were so surprised and keep telling me how much they love it. evan
does say it could be scarier and his favorite thing is the spider. yuck.

and, this is the "after after" pictures thanks to having to baby proof due

to savannah. at picture time all lights were unplugged and all things "dangly" as in the

cute spiders were piled in heaps thanks to puppy teething.

and, overall i think it looks much more whimsical than "scary" anyway. ;)

i have many fires that need to be put out tonight, but, for tonight

i think i will wrap myself up with the boys and savor.

tomorrow, i will start fresh again.

{another goodbye...}

2011-09-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

way too soon.

I came out of church last night to many missed calls

and texts; as I was texting one of my cousins to see

what was going on....my mom finally rang through.

It's NEVER a good feeling, because

you know at that point whatever you are about to learn,

is.not.good. And it wasn't. As I sit here and type it, I still cannot believe

it. But, my cousin from Sapulpa had died about an hour

before I got out of church. She had undergone a routine cervical fusion

on Thursday....everything had gone great. Saturday, she suddenly

became nonresponsive, had to be placed on life support and had

passed away soon before the phone calls and messages

started coming in.

She and her brothers would come in every summer and

split about a 3 or 4 week stay between our house, my grandpa's

and my aunts. She was only about 3 years older than me. I have

not yet grasped it. At all. She had a heart of gold and no matter

what was going on, always had a smile on her face.

I saw her at another funeral about 8 months ago or so. Last

night I relived that conversation over and over in my mind.

Today, I did not want to stay in the house

all day by myself, so I ran errands to get ready for the trip

for her funeral. Truthfully, I do not want to see my aunt or my cousins,

it is going to be so painful. I'd honestly rather avoid, but I can't.

My heart is so heavy.....

{playground chatter}

2011-09-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

e has a stalker. still.

she is the one who had declared her

love for him all over her refrigerator.

her parents had to be called a few

times last year. a specific request

was made that it was probably a great

idea that they not be in class this year.

well, they are not, but there is always the playground. :)

this week, this conversation occurred.....

"evan, i will look different when we grow

up and you may not recognize me. so,

marry me now!!!!!"

he told her that definitely wasn't a good idea.

at least he didn't get pinned down this time. ;)

{in the bag}

2011-09-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

if it's not in your bag, trust me, it should be....

I love it so much, I have no reservations to say that.

In fact, I can't say anything negative about it.

It's not sticky, doesn't taste bad and is pretty much the perfect color

either alone or over pretty much any shade of lipstick.

The color is pink petal.

And, with all of the coupons out there for Revlon products,

you can get it at a SUPER price!

My opinion only, girls. ;)

{quick plug!}

2011-09-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

I'm in LOVE!

I have tried numerous powders over the summer, all

with really good reviews. But, I've narrowed it down to

my favorite. And, it happens to be the least expensive as

well, go figure?? But, this is Rimmel, Stay Matte. And,

it really does. I wear the translucent and it goes on so smooth

and stays put without being heavy or cakey at all.

LOVE it! Wanted to share!

{to: mr. james}

2011-09-19T08:01:00.001-07:00

I have a new chapter for the book/film.

It involves Evan feeling 'rain drops' in the back seat.

Kit Kat relieving herself in the trunk area.

In.the.kennel.

It's kind-of a long story.

Sob.

{a sweet sunny spot}

2011-09-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

in our dreary weekend.

Welcome sweet Savannah!

That's all folks!

{no energy}

2011-09-19T02:54:00.000-07:00

to even post everything that has happened since Thursday.

Emotional or physical.

It has been so tough, almost surreal.

But, in the midst of that nightmare, we picked up

a little bright spot Friday evening. Little Savannah

is precious!

Then we woke up to no electricity, phone or internet from the

storms Sunday morning. And, that led to a security

system that beeped every 3-5 seconds. The.remainder.

of.the.day. It finally gave up too and all is finally quiet.

Except for the puppies playing chase right now.

At 4:45 am. On a Monday morning.

They have too much energy for me.

I'm pretty much spent.

Praying for a productive day at the home office! :)

{life as we know it}

2011-09-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

......the occasional calm.

is about to change in a big way.

well, actually, in a little way that is big.

scott and i head out tomorrow at 8 am to

bring our sweet savannah home.

We are all a tad excited!!!

And, after next Monday, there may be more winds of change

around here. But, I'll wade in before I put it all out there. :)

{dreaming}

2011-09-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

I was suppose to be here this weekend.

At least I will edit when they return.

Eat a cupcake {or two} for me!

Love you Hobbs Family!!!

{which is more painful}

2011-09-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

Evan and I check for eggs several times a day.

He and I have completely enjoyed the entire process of the chickens.

Is it bad that they know me by name at Atwood's? They say

I have spoiled chickens. Maybe??

I went and peeked earlier this morning as on weekends we

gather in the morning and evening because he just can't stand it. I spied

3 in one spot, one dropped in the doorway of the coop and a new

one sitting who looked scared out of her mind. Can't say I don't blame her.

I quietly closed the door and returned to the house and left her in privacy.

I reported everything to Evan. He of course wanted to go gather, but

I reminded him how scared this new mom was and we needed

to give her some time alone.

His reply, "Oh, I can imagine her face being scared. It probably looks

just like mine when I sit down to AR test. That scares me to death!!"

Funny Boy!

{pretty much perfect}

2011-09-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

i.am.savoring.

today.

it has been pretty great thus far.

actually totally great.

after weeks and weeks of stressful chaos,

the skies are parting and i'm beginning to breath.

a bit.

still so much to do, but some major projects have been

tackled and completed. yay! i still have my nursing

license despite the hurricane hitting my testing center last week.

so, i have 40 hours under my belt instead of the required 15.

all is good.

i had my quiet time on the patio this morning with a wonderful

devotion and a yummy cup of coffee.

while listening to my rooster crow.

laundry on the clothes line.

working in my pj's in the living room. with the

boys playing and reading around me.

music playing all morning. no television.

a freshly cut lawn.

a sleeping dog.

and, a sleeping husband with a headache. :(

that part is not good at all.

a playful kitty.

boys i can hear a room away playing legos.

and, giggling.

a pumpkin spice candle burning.

razorbacks with starting quarterback tyler wilson

playing at 6 pm. WPS!!!!!

family coming over with pizza to watch said game.

heading out early in the morning for a final weekend

with summer. our last hooray. the smiles on the boys face will make

the crowd worth it. {praying daddy gets to go this time}.

my fall calendar looks good. balanced.

i've learned to say no.

and, i'm proud as terrible as that sounds.

countdown is on for new puppy, savannah.

cannot wait to get my hands on her.

i am feeling overly blessed.

overly happy.

overly content.

and, even though a to-do list that would

make any sane person cringe is still staring at

me. i know the end is in sight.

my goal for getting everything under control: to spend

more quality time with my family & friends both near and far. :)

{coveting}

2011-08-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

I have searched for this website since I ran across it months ago when

they were just beginning the building project.

Tonight it is finished.

SOMEDAY

I want one of these in my backyard.

Just like hers.

I am coveting, salivating and scheming. ;)

Check out the entire bunkie on her blog: Just Beachy

LOVE.

{if our flies could talk}

2011-08-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

I know it seems as though I only blog about Evan.

But, tonight Noah was up to his eyeballs in homework.

And, Evan is the one usually pulling all of the antics.

It's just in him really.

At bedtime.....

Me: Boys get to bed it's past bedtime.

Evan: pllllleeeaaasse let me just finish this game.

Me: no, to bed now.

Evan: seriously, it doesn't take me long to die, so

it won't take me long to get to bed.

Me: refusing to give in.

Evan: mom, please, just let me die! And, then

I'll obey I promise!

Did he just really say that?

As he kissed me....

Evan: and, can you lay my clothes out?

I need an early start in the morning.

And, where is Noah at this time?

In bed where he should be.

{raw}

2011-08-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a very emotional day thus far.

I sat in my car with a lump in my throat the size

of a pineapple as a friend who sat in my

back seat dialed the number to a new man in her life.

Not a man she had wished for, prayed for or had hoped for.

This new man in her life is married to the woman who is

having an affair with her husband.

She never dreamed 3 weeks ago she would be
having this conversation with a stranger who understood
the pain and anguish she is in the midst of.

She never thought she would be here.

Life can be turned upside down for many by
wrong choices. As I sat there and listened to the raw

pain that is being experienced by the two spouses

on the phone and their children, my heart broke into

so many pieces. It's a huge eye opener that even

when things seem untouchable.....we need to always

be on guard with our hearts as well as never get too

complacent {which is sooo easy to do!} in our marriages.

Very.raw.pain.

Praying for these families.

{sarcasm}

2011-08-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

I wrapped up a phone conversation as E patiently

waited for me to finish up his reading homework with him.

When he was certain the conversation had ended.....

"okay, mommy, let's get on with it, I'm not getting any younger."

{hiding them in my heart}

2011-08-29T17:07:00.000-07:00

This is an area of my life that I have neglected since childhood.

I say that with complete embarrassment.

But, thank GOD for that childhood as I actually hid

more in there than I ever thought I did.

It's not that I haven't started this journey before. But, I always

quickly stopped because I was "sooo busy." Very.poor.excuse.

There is no excuse. We've been challenged in Bible Study

of late. A challenge I needed to get me in gear.

My life verse is:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and show me the way everlasting."

Psalms 139: 23-24

It was beyond humiliating when we started back a couple

weeks ago and I couldn't even remember what my life

verse was. Just being brutally honest here.

But, I started myself a scripture notebook today.

Angela had made the the cutest one a couple years ago

when we were determined to do this together. I'm using

a notebook this time so I can just throw it in my purse.

I'm not trying to sprint here, I may be the turtle and not the hare.

But, that's okay. I had rather soak them up so they stick.

And, I am going about it differently this time. I've written the

ones as mentioned above that I did graft into my heart as a

child. I honestly didn't realize how many I actually carried with me.

Now, many of those actually do need brushed up on, but,

the framework is still there. That was a very nice discovery today!

After I "refresh", I am going to keep it very, very simple.

No deadlines, no quotas. And, I don't want to simply memorize

the words, but, I think if I carry them with me throughout my days -

they will embed much more quickly with staying power.

I am only going to work on one at a time. And, plan on carrying

my little notebook along with placing them in different places

written through the house. And, many of them, I plan

on working with the boys concurrently. That will take

care of two {well, three} birds with one stone. :)

I'm sure I will fail at this much more often than I succeed.

I'll keep you posted!

And, before I "refresh" I found this today and LOVED it, so

I'm going to memorize it next....

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow

of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord,

"He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Psalms 91: 1-2.

{fighting it like never before}

2011-08-29T16:14:00.000-07:00

BUT, I am ready.

I've become the nut that usually irritates me. I always like

to keep the seasons within the appropriate seasons and

not decorate for Christmas in July. Like HL.

BUT, this year something is off-balanced.

{ME!}

I am beside myself wanting to turn everything green and red.

But, I resist.

For now.

{get your cartons ready}

2011-08-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

we are getting about 35-40+ per week.

So fun, it's Easter every day!

{last girl on the planet?}

2011-08-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

to know that I really should be using a heat protectant before I dry my hair?

Well, this little bottle gets RAVE reviews by the "powers that be out there".

Where ever out there is?? I've been using it as religiously. Well

religiously in terms of as often as I can remember to use it.

Not quite a given yet; but, I try.

I must say, for me....going without a trim all summer

long without it being totally fried is something that has probably never

happened before. I'm not saying I don't need a trim, but it hasn't

been mandatory yet.

I suspect that MAYBE this had an impact of some sort.

{counting down the days}

2011-08-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

Be still, and know that I am God. Psalms 46:10. 

I am counting down the days.

We have planned a little get away to

totally unplug. I am beyond excited.

Work is overwhelming right now.

We have six MD appointments this week.

I have a nursing class for CEU's today & tomorrow.

We are definitely in need of a respite.

It is booked, so no backing out now. ;)

C.A.N.N.O.T. W.A.I.T.

{neglect?}

2011-08-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

I'm on a roll tonight.

I was tucking Noah in and he made a verbal note of

the fact that he has been wearing only underwear and t-shirt

to bed x the last three nights. This is quite odd for him since

he is VERY modest. Yes, I had noticed, but hadn't said a word.

Then he quips in, "yes, I've had to wear this because no one seems

to be doing the laundry around here anymore."

Nice.

{oh, yeah, I forgot about that}

2011-08-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

8:27 pm - Me: Evan stop playing that game and go brush your teeth, it's bedtime.

8:28 pm - Evan is still playing. Me: Evan stop playing that game, it's bedtime. Evan: can I try this one more time, it doesn't take very long. Me: No, Evan. Are you obeying right away, all the way and with a happy heart?

8:29 pm - Evan: ohhhhhhhhh noooooooo, I forgot about that. Me: What part did you mess up on? Evan: well, all of it really. But, it isn't really my fault because it's been like a year since you used that on me. Me: Do you think you should start back at it? Evan: yea, pretty much.

Breathe.

{great day}

2011-08-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Today was a really, really great day.

I plan on wallowing in it all week as the week ahead

does not look too appealing.

Our sermon today was great. We are still in

Ephesians and I'm soaking in every word.

Now, to apply it like I should.

And, we started our new Life Group class today.

It was somewhat bittersweet as we left the one

we had been in since we began at FBG.

Although, for a significant amount of time we

have not even been hit or miss in our old class -

more like miss and miss some more. Terrible actually.

But, we started fresh today and absolutely loved it and

am looking forward to the new journey. It is

focused on parenting, particularly middle school parenting.

Troy quoted a portion of the following from J.C. Ryle and

it hit my heart directly....and, I know it will be read over

and over by me for many years to come.....

“Precious, no doubt, are these little ones in your eyes; but if you truly love them, then often think about their souls. Nothing should concern you as greatly as their eternal destiny. No part of them should be so dear to you as that part which will never die.

“This is the thought that should be uppermost on your mind in all that you do for your children. In every step you take about them, in every plan, and scheme, and arrangement that concerns them, do not leave out that mighty question, ‘How will this affect their souls?’

“A true Christian must not be a slave to what’s currently ‘in-fashion,’ if he wants to train his child for heaven. He must not be content to teach them and instruct them in certain ways, merely because it is customary, or to allow them to read books of a questionable sort, merely because everybody else reads them, or to let them form bad habits, merely because they are the habits of the day. He must train with an eye to his children’s souls. He must not be ashamed to hear his training called odd and strange. What if it is? The time is short—the customs of this world are passing away. He that has trained his children for heaven, rather than for the earth—for God, rather than for man—he is the parent that will be called wise in the end.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Awe.

I have only read a bit about J.C. Ryle, but, it looks as though I will be reading more.
From what I have quickly read, his writings are very intriguing.

And, from a little research, there is a lot to read by this man.

But, how true is the above?? It made me stop dead in my tracks and really
examine some things in my life.......our family life.   It is amazing how even
the smallest decisions we may make on a day to day basis as just part of the
ebb and flow can/may/will have a most definite impact on their literal souls.

Yes, my perspective changed instantly.
We didn't really discuss the following, but, I have
been pondering it all day. And, likely will be all night.

I think I've always tried to be the best mom I could with their souls
always very apparent to me. I've always tried to make the moments
matter, etc.

But, it was easier to keep my eye on the prize when
I was thinking in those terms with my "mom-brain."
But, this quote took me much deeper.
What about the "little things"
that I may personally do, or not do;
those things that are not necessarily associated
with me being their mom,
but maybe as a friend, wife or daughter.
The things they see or hear me do, or maybe the things
that only I would know about such as holding grudges, judging,
holding onto bitterness..."the hidden things".

The things that actually separate me from God.
They don't have to be one of the "big ten" to be
disastrous nonetheless.  And, honestly, those are probably
the most dangerous of all to all of those around us.

Things I think they may not be aware of because I'm not necessarily
in mommy-mode when I am harboring them.
If I am separated, how can I effectively be cultivating the utmost of their little souls?

The truth is, I can't.

Every moment matters.
Every thought counts.
Every unconfessed sin corrupts.

Yes, this mommy had a major eye-opening experience as
I fought back the tears when I heard the above quote.
It took me to a much deeper examination of my own heart.
Because if my heart is not in the right place, how can I help
authentically lead theirs to the right place.

The eternal place.

Heavy? Yes.

Easy? No.

But.......I'm honored to be the one. :)

A definite work in progress.

{it's a keeper!}

2011-08-26T19:29:00.000-07:00

LOVE!

This is definitely a "where have you been all my life?" find.

Apparently hair masks = moisture and not necessarily for repair such as

intense conditioners. Well, whatever this is for....I love it. I read

amazing reviews and although I used to be a Pantene girl years ago,

I veered away from it for whatever reason. I still use different shampoos

and conditioners, however, they are also carrying the shampoo and conditioner

in the above - so, I'm sure I'll be trying that in the near future, and, I'll let

you know. But, I use the mask about once a week and it is amazing.

And, it smells good. ;) I threw that in because usually if I like

a hair product I HATE the smell, not this one though. Very nice!

But, the results are smooth and soft hair that feels very well conditioned.

For whatever, reason, I've been on a growing it out kick and haven't

even had a trim this summer.

{not saying I don't need one, just haven't had one}.

But, I really like this so well, I think I'll probably always have it around.

If you try it out, let me know what you think!

And, remember, this is my opinion only; I just wanted to share

some great finds with my friends. :)

{summer beauty haul}

2011-08-26T19:17:00.000-07:00

remember the few posts i did way back when re: beauty product finds? well, i continued my quest, but failed to blog about it. with my schedule this summer, i was lucky to keep the main things, the main thing. I still have quite the way to go before I can declare a status of being caught up...but, i may be able to start 'sprinkling' some posts with my finds. the good, the bad and the ugly. the above is not the haul. it's a small fraction. the majority of things...i either really like or love; some were fails. and, if you remember....the catalyst of this was seeing women come in the location i was at and drop TONS of $$ on products that I was getting samples of when I would go in. the samples, well they were okay to good, but, nothing outstanding and because of the name brand....these women were not giving a second thought to what was coming out of their pockets. so, my research began. it's been rather fun actually.

so, stay tuned, i've got LOTS to share!

{Birthday Boy Part II}

2011-08-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

and, here is the rest of the story ;) ....

The kiddos played and splashed in the pool.

I LOVE this - Britt will splash and splash the boys. In hopes

they will splash her back. They have always refused as they

think they are being mean to her. I finally convinced them that

she actually wanted them to splash her back and then...

it was on! And, she loved every second of it!!!! :)

Watch out, Noah's dancing!!

Notice: no candles. But, they are still making wishes!

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! Just please, please, please

slow this growing up stuff down. Please!

{happy birthday big boy!}

2011-08-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

Lil' man is now seven.

I know that has to be a mistake.

Seven???

How does this happen?!?

I will say, my perspective on the speed of

life with my boys is something that is becoming

more apparent each and every day.

I am really striving to take in as much as I can

and be away from this desk more.

Legos anyone? :)

Okay, on to the BIRTHDAY....

Of course he was ready to open his presents the moment

his eyes opened. And, OF COURSE, he was nearly in

his birthday suit. Still not cute pj's for that one. So, pardon

the undies that are too big {of course!}.

In the first one below, he had a chicken dance card and

he broke right into it.......

Their Wii was broken most of the summer. And with the price

difference being LESS than a repair considering it came with a game,

we opted to buy another. Hopefully this one will last longer.

His breakfast of choice: donuts and milk.

They toast everything, even the donuts. ;)

That evening we headed to Uncle Shawn, Aunt Sheshe and Britt's for

some swimming, pizza and cake.

I interrupt this program..........to skip to HB Big Boy II because

my pictures will not load.

I'll be back when they decide to cooperate. :(

{Happy Anniversary}

2011-08-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

On August the 7th we celebrated our 18th Anniversary!

So hard to believe that we've been together 22 years now.

Seems like it was literally yesterday he came strolling into the

little drive-in I was working at. :)

We tried for a little photo session by the only two

residing photographers in training in my house.

Let's just say, it didn't go so well!

But, it's pretty funny!

The majority could never be printed as they are so blurry.

Noah fell off the fireplace with camera in hand.

Both landed well. :)

80% of them look like the ones below. ;)

The session was almost over here. ;)

A little distraction to my left with another child about to fall.

And, here, we called it a wrap!

Happy Anniversary Babe!

Our life has been about as chaotic as that mini-photo

session, but there is absolutely no one in this world I

had rather be in the midst of all of our chaos with! :)

I love you!!!

xoxo!

{Happy Birthday!}

2011-08-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

I'm very late in posting a lot, so I'm trying to catch up in reverse order.

Scott celebrated his 39th birthday on August 7th.

We had to convince him he was going to be 39 as apparently

he thought he was 39 all of last year.

He lost a year????

He did not feel well, so we stayed very low key.

Just a Reese's cake and dinner at home with the boys.

Evan "built" him a present. :)

I forced him into some pictures. ;)

{self-diagnosis}

2011-08-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

Although no clinical term exists.

I would do just about anything to avert a photo.

Crazy, huh?

I'm at complete ease on the other side.

But, go into fight or flight when it's aimed at me.

This is what it took for me to get a single picture

with the infamous cake.

The Outtakes.

Telling them just how painful it is.

Okay, maybe if I look away. It will gooooooo away.

Okay, I look quickly.

But, notice the wrinkled up nose.

I do that when I'm extremely uncomfortable.

Or, about to pass out.

Okay, maybe if I look at that fly on the ceiling.

IT will go away.

Let's keep looking far, far away.

The blurriness is good.

Really good.

MUCH better in the group.

Maybe I should be hypnotized.

{Fab Party Part II}

2011-08-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

Me and my Honey! A HUGE thanks to him! He had a pretty

big part in this party too. As in the funding. :) And, alot of the prep.

I think the prep part almost did him in. He's been down all day today.

But, seriously, thank you so much! It was the perfect evening

and I'm very happy to have shared it with you! We may not be

17 anymore........but, I'm exactly in the perfect place in my life

right where I am ....age and all. ;) I love you, babe!!

Okay, SOMETIMES we get to see a very different side of Heather.

She doesn't come out very often, but, I LOVE it when she does. ;)

I think Mr. Eric does too!

Oh, and Mr. Justin. We all saw flashes of little E tonight. Love it!

Sweet, sweet couple, love you guys!

And, the sweet Carters. I seriously can barely remember

life before all of these couples. James was one of the photog's

tonight. I think I seriously need a 2nd, 2nd. :)

I can't type above the Curry's picture down below.

But sweet Gary Don and Tracy. Smiling as always!

Okay, I'm really not sure what happened here?? I know I saw several

pictures being taken {and, viewed, ha} but only this one remained on my card.

Girls, you couldn't take a bad picture???

The sweet, sweet Hobbs!

I'm thinking I may need to drive to the beach and snap a few.

Don't talk to my husband about it, he'll be packing us up!!

Angie and Shawn! Angie's Dad and Scott's Dad are best friends since childhood and

Scott grew up with Angie. I'm very happy that we have become friends and the boys,

who are cousins with her girls, adore M & M! Evan's just a little sad they are related. ;)

Sweet Nick and Mischelle! Love you to pieces!

Another couple I feel like I've known forever. :)

And, they have an AWESOME Vet Clinic too.

{I get a plug in any chance I get}

I type that as Molly and Kit Kat are there....

I wish I would have thought to do this before some left....but,

group shot of the remaining girls.....

Okay, I wanted a fun picture.

But, we had no ideas.

Zilch.

You would think I never took a picture or something?

I think Tonia came up with the Charlie's Angel shot.

Well, it didn't go so well needless to say.

but, fun?

Fun we had!

Heather, I can't even look at this picture without hurting from too much smiling!

We finally got it together.

A bit.

I am positive at this point, Mandi was realllllllly questioning what she got herself

into on that fateful day in her friends kitchen. :)

Super-model pose.

She was on a roll.

Snowman??

I'm shocked he wasn't brought up?

Who has him anyway??

James made his round again to his beautiful wife. :)

Me and my friend. :)

{aka blessing}

Me and my other friend. :)

{aka blessing}

I'm a very blessed girl with amazing friends........

and, another blessing.

With all these two did all day long....not sure how they are sitting upright.

I hope you rested today!

To the girls above.....thank you.

To the friends that came.....thank you. And, we

missed the ones that weren' t able to join us.

You gave me a night I will always remember.

Love you! And, what a HAPPY, HAPPY

birthday to me!