Mama D's

I have a girlfriend at church who makes fabulous baby accessories with her mother. Joan and Jenny are women after my own heart! Not only do they both sew fabulously, they also have THE GIFT of decorating! Oh, how I wish I could decorate. But alas, I do not have a décor bone in my body.

Anyway, Jenny and Joan began making these gorgeous bags and then started making the rounds at all of the local area craft shows and festivals. They are quickly making a name for themselves with their high quality handiwork.

In this picture I am modeling a diaper bag that I'm sending to a friend who recently had a baby. (Shout out to Angie and Addison!) I wanted to show pictures of this beautiful bag and just how BIG and ROOMY it is! Just perfect for a new mom, don't ya think?

So, go check out Mama D's online Etsy store and see all of the beautiful things they have to offer!

Soccer Fall 2009

Book Giveaway - AND THE WINNER IS...

Kristi, I'll run this by your house this week! Enjoy!

Give Away!

My dear friend Leigh Ann got me hooked on the author Mary Kay Andrews about two years ago! Her books are positively Southern!

A few weeks ago, LA sent me Mary Kay Andrew's latest book called, The Fixer Upper. It was a fun, lighthearted, easy to read "chick-lit" book. So, now it's time to pass it along to another reader.

If you are interested in winning this book, leave a comment in the comment section. I'll draw a winner on Sunday and mail it out on Monday!

Goodluck!

THE birthday present for girls!

Elisan got a gift card to a local toy store called Kaleidoscope for her birthday. This is what she bought. Let me say that this is THE best craft I have ever seen and Elisan has enjoyed it thoroughly.

This particular kit is called "Jewels" by The Orb Factory and it has 5 different designs. The kit comes with various foam sheets and jewels. The foam and jewels are self adhesive so there isn't any messy glue.

You simply apply the foam pieces to the cardboard design! It's kinda like paint by numbers. And that's it!

She sat for over an hour doing one design and when she was done, she had something she could hang on the wall in her room. And, the best part... there is no mess... did I mention that already?

Kaliedescope had different varieties of foam mosaic kits for ages 3 and up. This kit cost $17.00. I'm definitely going to buy this for future birthday party presents!

Stuff heard 'round the house!

It's been a long time since I've posted a "Stuff Heard 'Round the House!" I was inspired by my friend IRL, Stormi of "Hanging with the Boyds" who recently posted a "Stuff Heard 'Round the House" installment.

The other day, Kyla was acting particularly mean to Elisan. I called her downstairs so I could have a chat with her about her behavior. I asked her why she was being so mean and she said, "I don't know." and I said, "I don't want a little girl who is mean, I want a little girl who is nice!" Right then and there, she burst into tears and began blubbering... "YOU DON'T WANT ME!"

Ah... little kid logic is the best!

Wear it like a badge of honor

I have a lot to say today, so I'll dive right in.

I quit my job. (gasps heard 'round the world) Yes, yes I did.

Didn't I have the dream job working at my church part-time in the creative department? Wasn't it something I felt God was calling me to do in my effort to 'be more' for the kingdom of God? Yes! All of that is true.

But here's the kicker... I never felt peace in my home life. Never. I realized about 2 months into my job that I would probably not last, but being the stubborn person that I am... AND recognizing the honor it is to work at my church, I persevered. And the longer I persevered, the harder it was for me to find a balance in my home life.

Truth be told, my heart was no longer with my job... it was with my kids. I was no longer able to do the simple things, like attend class parties or field trips. When we would get home from school, I'd find myself checking work email and doing another hour's worth of work, when in reality, I should have been helping my kids with their homework and getting dinner ready. In addition, it was necessary for me to attend more meetings and church-wide events that took me away in the evenings or on weekends. For a job that was part-time, I felt like I was working full-time and in effect, my family and I were struggling.

Throughout this entire process, Randy has been amazing. Because honestly, I did not want to quit. I enjoyed working for my church. I enjoyed having a creative outlet for myself where I could make money in the process. And speaking of money, I enjoyed having money that I was able to freely spend for the first time since having kids! I did not want to quit because I would let down a lot of people, let alone Randy. And honestly, I did not want to quit, because I didn't want to let down my God. But thank goodness for a husband who has stood by me, supported me and encouraged me to follow my heart's desire. And thank God for a God that is full of grace.

Now... here's the important part! Why was going back to being a housewife and full time mom my heart's desire? Because it is THAT IMPORTANT TO ME. Taking care of my family by making sure my home is a safe haven for them at the end of their long day IS my heart's desire. I want to be available (mentally, emotionally, physically) to my girls at all times. I don't want them to have to compete for my attention because I'm preoccupied with work emails, deadlines, etc. I want my husband to not have to worry about the well-being of our children, when he has many more things to worry about, including working to care for his family. I believe God has placed mothering on my heart for a reason... because the reality is, they will not be little forever and I don't want to turn around one day and see that my kids are all grown up (or trying to grow up too fast) because I was too busy trying to fulfill my own fruitless endeavors. Because at the end of the day, I don't think I'll ever be remorseful for quitting my job to spend more time with my family.

So, I'm wearing my housewife badge with honor. It is a privilege and I do not take it lightly. So, take a moment to congratulate me, because I could not be more happy about my decision!


(Disclaimer: I realize there are mother's out there who have to work to make ends meet. I also realize that there are mothers out there who simply enjoy their careers outside of the home. I recognize that there are mothers out there who would rather be housewives, but cannot do it at this time.

This blog entry was not written to make YOU feel bad. It was written for me, by me, regarding my decision. I hope that clears up some ideas that I am possibly standing on a soapbox here, because I'm not. Oh, and for those who are curious, my last day is September 30th.)

Happy Birthday Randy!

Today is Randy's 36th birthday!
I'm so honored to be apart of his life. I love you Randy!

This is my favorite picture. It speaks volumes about Randy and how much he loves us.

Don't mistake my silence for anything but busyness!

And man, have we been busy!

I was looking over my calendar and next week alone, I have something going on EVERY NIGHT. Sure, don't get me wrong, I love being active, meeting other people, going to events/parties and hanging out with my kids at soccer practice, but wow... it gets tiring if there is no relief in sight! And from what I hear... nope, that's not the case. It is only just beginning. (Sigh...) I seriously could just quit my job and become a full time event coordinator for my own family.

Speaking of quitting jobs... Randy has retirement on the brain. Like seriously. Something about owning enough dividend paying stocks, etc. to be able to sustain our current lifestyle, etc. I listened intently to his dream and while I have some reservations, I've trusted Randy this far in our marriage... I might as well trust him now. Right now, my prayer is that got give him the desires of his (Randy's) heart and help him make the right decisions for our family. I know Randy is just plain tired, frustrated and not challenged right now in his career. Honestly, I agree... he needs a break. Maybe he could get a job at Auto Zone selling car parts.

Finally, I'm able to say with great excitement that Elisan has passed a milestone in my eyes. She finally took my advice and read "Ramona Quimby, age 8" over the weekend. It has taken me over a year to convince her that she would love any books by Beverly Cleary (much like her mama did when she was a girl!). The verdict? She loved it and wants to head back to the library to check out more of them. But, I have a better idea. I plan on heading to Goodwill and buying them for her. I'd rather her have the option of owning, than renting. Plus, Kyla will want to (here's hoping!) read them as well! I'm so proud of my girl! She had taken up the love of reading just like I did.

And Kyla... my sweet loud talking Kyla. She is the loudest talking person I HAVE EVER MET. In fact, just two seconds ago, I had to hush her. She is so loud. Like uncomfortably loud. Randy and I have actually discussed the possibility of hearing loss in Kyla because she talks so loud. But, according to our redneck hearing check performed by Randy, her hearing is fine. She just talks LOUD. Maybe she talks loud to be heard over non-stop talkin' Elisan. Who knows...

And that's about all for today. I have to get the girls ready for school. Oh, who am I kidding... I need to get ready too.

(Just hushed Kyla again! She's SO loud!)

Baptized!

My sweet BIG GIRL Elisan was baptized on Sunday! I am so proud of her!

Baptism is basically... "going public with your faith" and letting others know that Jesus Christ is the Lord of your life! In our faith, we believe that a person chooses for themselves to be baptized!

Thank you Lord Jesus for a daughter who is following after you!