Junk Junk Junk...

How can we accumulate so much junk/clutter in such a short amount of time? A year and half ago we went from a 1600sq foot house to a 2400 sq foot house. We tried to declutter then and thought we did well. Well in that short amount of time we've allowed ourselves to accumulate more and more.

Yesterday as I was telling a friend at church about a book I'm reading "Living Simply:Choosing Less in a World of More" by Joanne Heim, I decided that it was time. Time to concour my closet, my chest of drawers and my craft closet. My friend Amber also inspired me.

So I finished my closet, my chest of drawers and craft closet. I have at least a foot of hanging clothes for the yard sale and at least 2-3 boxes of clothes. I also got them all priced for the yard sale along with all the other stuff I had already pulled out for the yard sale.

My craft closet more or less needed organization. I'm good at just throwing things in. I did find out that I tend to accumulate old note cards and Christmas cards that I have good intentions on using and not as good follow through. So those are now in the yard sale stack.

I now have at least 2 sacks, 6 boxes, a childs rocking chair, a childs picnic table, a air purifier, and a steamer (that I just thought I had to have) ready for the sale. I now have to go through my kids rooms and see what I can do to declutter their toys. That'll have to wait until school starts.

I showed my husband the results...that I was clearly thrilled with... and his response was "Looks the same to me" and "I never look in this closet anyway". I love him anyway!

Thanks for all the inspiration guys!!!

Dresses, Dresses and More Dresses

This is what I have been doing the past week....

The first is candy corn
The second is abc's
The orange and white dots with the pink and orange flowers is my favorite!!!

If you know anyone that needs a little dress let me know!

I love Fabric!!!!

Well I went to HS today for the jurying of our items for the Hot Springs Arts and Crafts Fair. I had to be there at 8:30 so that meant leaving at 7:15. It was worth it though b/c we got in!!!! I'm not going to be able to put my bows in b/c we had to many categories but oh well. I can focus on the dresses. I'm getting pretty quick at it now. I finished 2 yesterday and should finish another tonight. Hopefully I can finish another tomorrow. I'll try to post pics of the dresses tomorrow.

There is something about a fabric store that makes me crazy. I could spend so much time and $$ in one. I bought about 10 yards of different fabrics. The fabric I love the most is candy corn. It's not too halloweenish. I got some Christmas fabric and some alphabet fabric that is really cute. Now I can't wait to put them together. I thought I'd be able to do A's winter wardrobe but right now it doesn't look like I'm going to have time. I'll have to do a few things for little miss cutie!

One of my favorite fabric websites is Over the Rainbow. They have some of my favorite brands...Moda, Michael Miller, Robert Kaufman, & Amy Butler.

Off to the sewing machine!!!!

I've been tagged

I've been tagged!! Thanks, Amber

Here are the answers to the questions...

1. If you could inherit a comfortable home in any city in the world that you could use, but not sell, where would you want it to be? I think that it would have to be in the mountains...I love the Appalachians near Gatlinburg but out west in the Rockies would be ok too.

2. If you could be instantly fluent in one other language that you currently do not read or speak, which would it be? Why? Probably spanish...I think there are probably a lot of amazing Spanish speaking people in our country.

3. If you were given an hour to spend an unlimited amount of money in any store in the world where would it be? Clothes....Ann Taylor Loft; Any Fabric/Craft Store :)

4. If you had to give your children to the care of someone famous, whom would you pick? HMMM...that's a good question. Do I have any famous friends?I think that I'd have to defer this question...

5. If you could cast an actor now alive to play you in a new film, what kind of film would it be and whom would you choose? It have to be a Comedy...b/c life with my kids is a come

6. If you could have an elegant dinner alone with anyone presently alive, whether you know them or not, who would you want it to be? I'd have to go with Amber on this one....Just a dinner alone with my husband would be great!!!

7. If you could resolve any single dispute, anywhere in the world what would you solve? Iran/Iraq/Afghanistan...I know that's not one but oh well

8. If you were instantly able to play one musical instrument perfectly that you have never played before, what would it be? I'd love to play the guitar....and sing of course too...but I can't do that either.

Welcome David & Paul!!!

A good friend of mine had twins today. I am so excited for their family!! The combined weight was nearly 14 lbs...that's a lot for this little mama. She's about my size if that tells you anything. I know she is glad they are here...now the real excitement will begin!

On a different note...I found out that a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. From what I hear she is doing well and will have surgery soon.

God is good and will be with both of these families as they go through these life experiences. He will not give us anything we cannot handle!

Please be praying for both these families...as I will.

Weekend of fellowship and fun

This weekend has been full but it has been great!

Saturday morning started with going to a wedding of beautiful couple that is so in love. Their ceremony was so sweet and you know that God has his hands in their marriage. I am so thankful to know them and have gotten to spend time with them. We got to hang out with some friends at the reception and it was fun to get to know them more. It's fun to get to just hang out with grown ups with out the kids. Sometimes I forget how much fun that can be. But I love my kids and nothing is better than spending time with them.

L turned 6 yesterday. We had a Veggie Tale party for him last night. 2 of his friends were able to come and 1 had a little sister that came that is A's friend. They had so much fun. Smaller is better when it comes to birthday parties!!!! We missed our good friends that weren't able to come but understand completely! He had fun and that's what counts.

We had a church fellowship tonight at our house and it's so fun to get to visit with people you don't see on a regular basis. It was on forgiveness. I normally don't have many problems forgiving people. I normally have to ask for the forgiving. Just like now....Aaron....I'm sorry for the way my children were acting on the Wii. I'll make sure we make you tall and skinny before the next time you play!!!

Parenting is so hard!!!!! I'm finding it harder each day. Bed time is so hard right now...both kids want me to lay down with them...how do you choose? It's about to be where I let them both cry and sit out in the hall between their rooms until they fall asleep. I just feel like a heal doing that.

You never know what kids are going to say and how to explain to them about things that can be offensive to others.

I've got a lot of work ahead of me!

Refuge and Dwelling Place

I have a feeling quite a few of my post are going to be about the book "The Simple Life". So hope that's ok with you all.

As I was reading today is about Simplifying your home. She was talking about how God is our Refuge and Dwelling Place and how we feel safe knowing that. Well our Home should also be that place where we can go to find Refuge and feel safe.

As a SAHM, household manager, homemaker, etc, I feel an increasing burden to make our house a HOME a place of Refuge, Relaxation, Peace and Love. (that sounded kind of corny) But it's true. Is my house this for my family...sometimes yes. Most of the time...No.

E came in tonight and the kids were fighting, not listening and just loud. After a day of hard work he should be able to come home and not worry about the kids and be able to just love them and take care of what he needs to at home and REST. Does he get that....Most of the time NO. How do I change this? I don't know...Any help???

I've learned the hard way...Discipline from the beginning. Yes I discipline my kids but not consistently enough. When I was working I didn't want to come home and constantly be on there case. Well a lot of good that has done me. At 3 and 6 it's going to be a lot harder to train than if I would have started at birth. Maybe it will help when school starts.

I about lost it tonight when A said she needed to go potty so I went in there with her and turned on the light. She then began playing with a toy and I reminded her why she was there and not to go in her panties. Well I go back into the kitchen and hear a weird noise. I proceed to go check on her and she is wetting her pants in the bathroom. Mommy wasn't very happy!

Day by Day hopefully it will get easier. I did good and spent time with God. I know that he needs to be the center of our home to bring Refuge to our Dwelling Place.

Can't wait to see what the book has to say tomorrow. I've got to finish cleaning house and hopefully can start on some more sewing. I got 5 tshirts done today and hopefully I can finish at least 4 more tomorrow. I've got some really fun fabric that I can't wait to make into some dresses.

I've also decided that I'm going to go through the kids winter clothes and get an outline of what they need for the fall and winter. Make some things for A and get the essentials for L. I'm going to try and not have more than 10 outfits for the winter for A. I know that seems like a lot but you should see her closet. (My mom buys most of her clothes on sale the previous yr end of season) I think that I have most of Logan's stuff for this fall and winter. I bought some things for him on sale at the end of last winter season. He'll just need some jeans and khakis. I'm doing laundry every other day anyway so something will be clean. Who cares if it's the same thing. Like Kindergarteners are going to remember.

The coolest God thing happened last night. My good friend Amber (goodrumfive.blogspot.com) posted on her blog how she felt God calling her to spend time with him. Amber and I have not talked about this recently. Well that's what my blog was about last night. I feel like God's telling us something...Accountability. I know there are others out there that are feeling the same way right now too. Hopefully we can all hold each other accountable.

A is finally asleep so I'm going to go converse with my husband in peace and quite :).

The Simply Life by Joanne Heim

I won a book!!!! My friend Meredith (lifeat7000feet.com)was having a book giveaway on her blog and I won...I guess technically Becky and Amber won also and anyone else that wants to read it around this part of the world.

I have read 50 pages and after reading the first 2 I felt like she was in my mind. For at least 6 months I have felt like life was getting to be more than I could handle. I know that everyone is able to handle different levels of busy, but I believe for my family Simple is better.

In part of it she talks about doing a job and doing it well and how when we multi-task we don't always do things well, and for me a lot of times don't finish the job. That's something that I really need to work on. That and procrastination. She mentioned getting things done so that if something comes up you have time to do it. I need to remember that. She uses a lot of good scripture too.

I thought I'd have more time to spend with God know that I'm home. Well it hasn't happened yet. I do feel myself spending more time in casual conversations with God as I'm driving or spending time with the kids but not the indepth conversations of listening to God and reading his word. I'm going to try and start getting up earlier and doing that. You guys hold me accountable.

I would love to have a wicker chair or settee(sp?) for the front porch to sit on and read in the mornings so if anyone comes across a cheap one let me know. It's a want not a need!!! Got to watch those things.

I'll have to let you know what else Joanne has to say in her book. She has a blog...check it out sometime. thesimplewife.typepad.com

Back to the real world

Well we are back in full swing in the real world. We've been cleaning house, (A just loves doing laundry...I wish I could get L more motivated), running errands, going to the waterpark and wearing ourselves out.

We have gymnastics and story hour tomorrow and then the waterpark tomorrow night. I'm hoping I can get a few more rooms knocked out so I can have everything done by Friday.

L's birthday party is Saturday. He wanted Veggie Tales again. I went to order the cake and guess what...G was out of town. The only person in town that decorates cakes the way you want them is out of town. So I called Mom and asked her if she could get one done. She lives close to a town of 50,000 so of course she has a lot more options. Well guess what 2 out of the 3 places she went were out of town. So we are getting a cake from Kroger's. Who knows what it looks like but it should have Bob and Larry on it.

Well I think that I better get to bed. The kids haven't slept normal since we've been home so I'm hoping to actually sleep in my own bed tonight.

Never Let Go

Oh I wish I would have just had my video camera. It's 11:08 p.m. and I'm trying to get A to go to sleep. She was sitting on the toilet using the bathroom and started saying the words to one of her favorite songs(not singing but saying). It just hit me how God can work through even the youngest of his children and how impressionable they are. Here are the lyrics below and no she doesn't know all the words just the chorus. It was priceless.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuVQWhCAu4A&feature=related

Matt Redman's-You Never Let Go
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Chorus:
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We’ll live to know You here on the earth

Chorus:

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

Paradise for a week

All I have to say is that I have been to paradise and now I'm back. We went to Aventura Spa Palace just south of Playa Del Carmen in the Mayan Riviera for almost a week. It was beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a wonderful and relaxing time and I don't think that we got on each others nerves too bad. This was my favorite spot to relax....



And my favorite thing to listen to was...


Here is the view from my favorite breakfast spot...



The spa was fabulous. We had 2 free massages in with our package. Of course E didn't want his so I got his too. Well I was able to upgrade from a 25 minute back massage to a 50 minute hollistic massage for only $38 each. Let's just say...worth it!!!! I went an hour early to go to the hydrotherapy area. I could have stayed there all day if E would have not missed me too much. They had a sauna, steam room, foot soacker, cold shower, hot tub, warm tub and cold plunge pool. They also had chaise loungers that you could lay on and they would bring a warm towel and lay over you and a cool rag that smelled like eucalyptus or something like that to put on your face. All the while relaxing music was playing. AAAAHHHHHHHHH Paradise!!! So I got massages on Wednesday and Friday.

The food was not the best. They try and get to fru fru. The mexican was not what you would think of mexican. No enchiladas, burritos etc. Not even salsa. Very disappointed. But the Italian and Argentinan restaurants were fabulous. And of course breakfast was always the best.

Drinks....yes I had a few drinks believe it or not. E wouldn't let me be a prude this year. My favorite drinks were the Riviera Maya (strawberry daiguiri, oj and something green) and then a Mudslide. I don't know how many Riviera Maya's we put away.

We had several pools and a lagoon. The lagoon was pretty. We snorkled (at least I did) and took a kayak out. Below you'll find several pictures from that including a huge school of fish near the edge and a crab.





There was no beach but the waves crashing against the rocks was worth it.

Iguanas were everywhere. In fact, we caught one sunny by the pool.



Our room was on the 2nd floor with a partial ocean view. It was great. It had a hammock that I laid in every night and we would watch people walking back to their rooms. A lot of the time they were a little tipsy and we would get good laughs. There was also a labrinth below our room so that was funny to watch people do also.



I guess that about sums it up. The pics will tell the rest of the story.