and take a nap, in which i will dream of my new Polaroid camera and the memories that will be made).
Sunday, February 28, 2010
i can't give up now!!! i'm soooo close
and take a nap, in which i will dream of my new Polaroid camera and the memories that will be made).
Thursday, February 25, 2010
A favor to ask?
However, I AM going to ask for your VOTE!!!
Oh, be still my heart!!!!
So, here's where the favor comes in!
The winner will be the one who receives the most votes!
Voting ends THIS SUNDAY NIGHT AT MIDNIGHT!
Oh, dear readers, don't let me turn back into a Polaroidless pumpkin!!
Would you go to her site and vote for my story??
THANKS SO MUCH and I'll keep you posted!
If I win, I'll celebrate with a giveaway!!
OH WAIT, I'll be doing that anyway in about one week:
to celebrate my 400th post!!!
Okay, so like my Mom use to forbid me from doing,
I'm going to "boss you around"
and say, GET TO VOTIN' YA'LL!!!!
(If I use that beautiful Southern accent, it sounds nicer doesn't it??)
"Winning is not everything,
but the effort to win is."
~Zig Ziglar~
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Another BIG one!!??
"A snowflake is one of God's most fragile creations,
but look what they can do when they stick together!"
~unknown author~
and for all of you have had it up to "here",
(outstretched arm above my head) with all this snow, here's a quote for you:
"A lot of people like snow,
I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water!"
~Carl Reiner~
and lastly, one to make us all chuckle:
"Don't knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people
couldn't start a conversation if it didn't change once in awhile."
~Kin Hubbard~
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
So you want to be cute.....
If this is something that is important to you please give her blog a visit.
isn't it the sweetest swimsuit ever?? (I had to send it back though because
it didn't fit my milk filled self~~sad, sad day).
Cute Covered. Don't you just love that!!??
Monday, February 22, 2010
Creative Correction
The author of this book was sharing~~
Here are the five things that stood out to me the most, in no particular order:
1.) Don't just correct the flesh~train the heart! So this would probably mean I should stop opening the "drawer" with lightening speed and breaking out the "stick" and so delicately lying it in PLAIN view for the next repeat offender! But to actually take 20 minutes and PARENT! Talk about what they did, why they did it, confess it, ask for forgiveness, pray. If I can find 20 minutes to blog each day, I can probably find 20 minutes to TRAIN MY CHILDREN!! ouch! *p.s. this isn't a forum to talk about how we agree/disagree with spanking, thanks*
2.) Do I correct just for CONTROL in my home? What is my parental attitude, (yes, we have them, all of us Moms and Dads out there, we.have.our.own.attitude.problems, well I DO anyway). Lisa said something that really RESONATED WITHIN ME~~~"sometimes I resort to yelling, or just ignoring it for my own peace, MY OWN COMFORT. Or I correct just for NO GODLY REASON, just because I want control in my home. And that unfortunately is so short-sighted. Sometimes our attitude is just PEACE AT ALL COSTS instead of the big picture which is training them to RESPOND to God. Yikes, that one stung!
3.) Even in the mistakes I make~God in His mercy can cover them and turn them for good in my children's lives. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who fears I am "messing up" or "not doing a good enough job" with my children. But if I am the only one, I'm sure glad I heard these words because they have encouraged my Mother heart.
4.) Recognize our children have their own choices to make~many people refer to that verse about training up a child in God's ways and they will not depart from it when they are older. And yet, there are beautiful families that have children who do not walk with God. We must recognize that we have done our best to raise them according to God's ways. You cannot take the blame and get under that heavy load of guilt or it will break you. As my sister said well last week, "we cannot take the glory and we cannot take the blame!" In the midst of all of this, it takes me to number five.
5.) Stay on your knees.
Here is my prayer for myself today, from my heart through my fingers, you can pray it along with me in agreement or you can pray it over your own household....or you can click that x in the upper right hand corner of your screen and call it a day!!
"Lord~You have given me these children, called them into THIS home and saw a good thing when you made me their Mom. Please help me to train them according to Your ways and not mine. Fill me again today with the fruits of Your sweet Presence so that they can learn about patience and kindness through my example. Quicken me to see the teachable moments in this day, this week....not just for my children, but for me, mostly for ME! Bring your peace into this home through me, through my actions and reactions. I want to be LIGHT within my four walls, not a dark, looming, stressed, angry Mom. Thank you for caring about me and about my children. You are a good Father and I trust You. Amen."
"Your children become what you are;
so be what you want them to be."
~David Bly~
Friday, February 19, 2010
a new trick
*Went and survived Target with 3 boys 5 and under, napless boys at that! And just between you and me, I picked up some adorable things for my upcoming 400th post giveaway! (As inspired by my friend Jeane` and her delicious blog)!!
*Just had a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato about an hour ago....and it wasn't decaf! Hey, I've got to have SOMETHING to keep up with these boys all night!!
*Hot tub with all the kids and now they're all bundled up on the couch watching "Toy Story." I'm sitting in our cozy kitchen listening to Miles Davis and dreaming about Springtime! My mind is reeling with grand ideas for the 50's Cocktail Party I'd like to host! in our backyard. Oh, what lovely, vintage masterpiece will I wear?? *To top it all off, the boys will be sleeping in the ginormous tent that is currently pitched in.our.living.room!!! Remember how wonderful sleepovers use to be? I have such fond memories of my childhood.....and for some reason, my friends and I use to have farting contests when the lights went out! GROSS! (I won't name names)!! And I thought I was such a lady. I suppose your aren't BORN a lady, but BECOME a lady, right?!!
I hope you have a happy weekend.
Be back Monday.
"In childhood, we press our nose to the pane,
looking out.
In memories of childhood,
we press our nose to the pane,
looking in."
~Robert Brault~
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Blogging 101
THE 5 GOLDEN RULES OF BLOGGING:
1.) CONTENT is KING. You don't have to have the most "blingingest blog", (my quote there), because what it SAYS matters most. And how can you be sure that you have good content? IF you're writing about what you're passionate about, then it's good to go.
2.) Keep it FRESH & CONSISTENT. If there isn't a post for a week to 10 days and someone happens upon your blog, they probably won't be back.
3.) Be scannable. People are lazy readers online so give them PoP fOr ThEiR eYe!! Make it interesting.
4.) Be opinionated! Tell people what you think so they can get to "know" you! If you want some comments then write something that people disagree with!
5.) edit. edit. edit. Try writing one day and posting the next.
5 WAYS TO GET NEW READERS:
1.) Comment on other people's blogs.
2.) social networking~facebook, twitter, etc.
3.) Guest posting, posting on another blog. Do you have a favorite blogger? Just ask them if they would be willing to have you post something that YOU have written.
4.) write good CONTENT. Make people want to visit again and again and again.
5.) Links. They are like the currency of the blog world.
Lastly, Bryan made an interesting point that I think about quite often;
"I DON'T HAVE TIME TO BLOG,
I MAKE TIME TO BLOG."
So, on that note: it's HAPPY MINUTE, 11:11 pm which means I better be on my way to my happy place ~ under my down comforter in our freezing cold room, (we like to sleep in a cold room) on my fabulicious pillow next to my Man!! I've already made enough time to blog for today!!
LET YOU VOICE BE HEARD AND
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME HAVING BLOG ENVY
just get STARTED....everyone has to start somewhere!!!
Here's my first post!
"Wheresoever you go,
go with all your heart."
~Confucius~
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
How to bring the bling to your blog!!
Monday, February 15, 2010
being 4
~curious as to why Paisley sucks on her fingers so much~
"Yeah, I don't want to get holes in my hands!!!"
then that means the cold is coming out."
he's been gone since Christmas.
oh, and I found the other Thomas slipper as well.....it's amazing what
you'll find under a bed.
"Between the innocence of babyhood
and the dignity of manhood,
we find a delightful creature of a boy."
~Author Unknown~
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
He picked ME!!
I'd say YES all over again!
I LOVE YOU JAKE!
hiding out behind the leaves,
I was difficult to reach,
"Chains do not hold a marriage together.
It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads
which sew people together through the years."
~Simone Signoret~
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The link to 2009!!
January-"before I was a Mom" a poem by an unknown author that spoke volumes to me.
February- Seriously, you guys ROCK!! I asked for some recomendations for my ipod and ya'll came through!! Check out the comments and upload some good tunes for yourself!!
March- Grammie, (Jake's Mom) turned 70!! And our sweet Luke turned 2!!
April- a little photoshoot and some crockpot granola before OUR LITTLE GIRL WAS BORN!!
May- celebrating Memorial Day, just a delightful day in so many ways! Hometown parade, picnic by the creek, new Baby girl napping on Daddy's chest, and the boys helping give Paisley a bath in the sink! O Sweet Summertime!
June- Tyler turned FOUR and we had a PARTY. This is one of my favorite photoshoots with the children and I....to make Father's Day gift for Jake.
July- going to Cherry Hill Orchards, (a new tradition to be sure). My new bike from Jake that I took thru the McDonald's drive-thru, riding the little hummer around the empty Costco parking lot and basking in the day that was July 4th. Enjoying Ocean City, NJ with some precious souls!
August- The boys' first ever Baseball game!
September- the day my husband almost burnt down our barn, going for a hike with the children.
October- making applesauce with my Mom, Paisley's 1st tea party!
November- Our road trip to YWAM- Charlotte, North Carolina!!
December- a tour of Paisley's darling nursery, going to the Fulton Opera House with my favorite 4 year old, and our 2009 Christmas Card photo shoot and my husband's awesome skills installing our new woodstove.
not a place."
~Syndey J. Harris~
A little Taste of Summer ~ 7th Annual Campout
For the past 7 years we've hosted my nieces and nephews for our annual backyard campout!! Each year we try to have some different/new for them to experience. This year it was THIS:
and it was a HIT! The kids, (and adults) loved it and bounced around until the sun went down....and kept bouncing after that because we had spotlights shining on it!! It was quite the sight! Taylor Swift's "Fearless" album blaring over the outdoor speakers, (with constant requests to play #12) all kinds of candy and drinks galore and the bouncy house!
We had pizza, chips and drinks for dinner....
And when the sun went down, we had smores and popcorn.
And then we had ice cream cones at 9:30 pm because, well, it's SuMmErTiMe
and the livin' is easy!
Sleep came at some point, not sure when!!
RISE and SHINE, it's time to bounce.
was still dew on the ground I was being tackled by certain little boys in an inflatable house! Breakfast was served!! I get the sugary cereal and the mini donuts,
you know, all the stuff you aren't NORMALLY allowed to have!
Oh, and they wanted the leftover pizza for breakfast too!
Hey, why not??