Got an itch...

This blog may be the most inconsistent thing I've ever done... or not done...  I have grand dreams of writing and printing every year with hopes of having a great annual keepsake to help me be able to recall the events of our years, our kids, and whatnot...  kinda like exercising- hoping it's never to late to start again I guess.

We are about to embark on, wait for it... our 10th year of CrossCamp.  TEN YEARS...  that landmark of a number is in all honesty one of the biggest reasons I'm going back.  Definitely not because I'm eager to chase around wild child #3 all week.  And I have poison ivy again.  (Hence the title...) and shortly after that's all said and done, I head back to the Buckeye State for several days to welcome nieces #4 and #5 into the world, only to then leave my littles there, bring my big kid home, pack us up again and fly to Europe for 10 days.  All of these things are reason for great excitement, but instead tonight, my heart is just overwhelmed with it all.  ALL of the preparation, the emotion of leaving my babies behind, (and being away on the youngest's 2nd birthday) and not to mention the LAUNDRY... I think I just wanna stay home and take 'em to the pool every day instead.

But tonight I stumbled on this lady...  www.aimee-weaver.blogspot.com one of my favorite home decor/thrifting bloggers... and was reminded of a picture she painted that I really wanna put in my house... if you look back two posts you'll see it...  it says

so I think I'll take it to heart.  Thank you God, for speaking your restful spirit into my heart tonight.  Let it resonate through my mind as I sleep and make this reminder carry over into my day as I worship you tomorrow.  In all of your mercy and grace, whisper this to me everytime I need to hear it... 

When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Gordon/Charnik Wedding Teaser

Here are just a few pictures of the beautiful wedding I shot out at Evins Mill in Smithville this weekend. Congrats to Mary-Gray and Andrew! More to come on Facebook...

Gotta Paint This...

I need one for every room in my house. :)

The Morning After

Yes, this post is a little late. Or alot late, seeing as how this occurred about a month ago. Our little European excursion will have to take the blame, but I figure it's better late than never...

Big Girl Baby as she calls herself (because a baby is obviously the thing to be at our house) had her fourth birthday party, completely with cookout, cake, ice cream, and a whole slew of presents. (This whole foods market birthday cake is absolutely delish might I add...)


When it was all said and done I was just too pooped to clean up, and when I woke up the next morning to assess the damage, I thought... what a fun house we had last night. :)

Here's what I saw...

Judging from that last shot, I'd say the day was a success. :) Now someone please get that girl a cup of coffee...

1, 2, 3, 4

I love being a Mama... I really really do. There's truly absolutely nothing else I'd rather do with my life than raise my babies. Don't get me wrong... like all moms, there's not a point in every day of my life where my kiddos aren't driving me absolutely insane and I long for a few uninterrupted hours of quiet to myself... even if that only means I get to clean up my kitchen without being nagged for something that will cause me to have to mess it up again. Even with that said though, I wouldn't trade a single day of the past four years.

My Reese Cup made me a Mama exactly four years ago today. Seems I can't have a kid without there being some kind of dramatic story that goes along with it. For this one, it was the eternity that it took to get her out. Already four days past her due date, sunny side up, and she. wasn't. budging. From the time we showed up for our scheduled induction (8am August 29) to the time she finally showed herself to the world (11:27am August 30) 11+ people in both of our families had spent the night in the hospital waiting 27 1/2 hours for her to arrive. She finally did so, when she wanted, and without anyone telling her how she was gonna do it.

If you know Reese, then you know that not much has changed in four years. :)

Now this beautiful girl of mine (who I can barely claim as my own to look at her) is one year away from Kindergarten and I really can't tell you where the time has gone. Her imagination keeps me in stitches. Her brilliance and intelligence, well it shocks me so often at what she's able to comprehend. (The girl can spout off verses and chapters of scripture without blinking an eye.) I would be absolutely beside myself without her help each day now living with and taking care of two babies. She is responsible and able beyond her four years, and I'm so grateful to have her as my daughter. All that to say, she's still four... and the things she comes up with and says sometimes (insert story last week from April Willett) well, let's just say Lord knows I need a reminder every once in a while that she really is only four... :) I get really excited to think of how sweet I know our relationship can be as she grows older, and pray to God he gives me the wisdom to guide her little heart to love Him well as she matures. Oh how I loooove my Reese Cup. Happy Birthday sweet girl! I'm so grateful that you're mine!

Thank You, Mr. Craig

Dear Mr. Craig. Not exactly sure of your last name, but I would love to meet you, shake your hand, and tell you how much I love that list of yours. I'm not quite sure why anyone would ever buy retail again after truly experiencing what you have to offer. You see, patience is not always my forte, but when it comes to you and your list my friend, you have always delivered. Every time. And at this moment I am enjoying the cool night air from the comfort of the loveseat out on my deck. As much as I love to be outside, and as the mornings and evenings eventually become cooler and cooler (at least I think they will... they have to, right?) I'm sure I'll be spending many of them right here.



I would be remiss however, if I didn't give a huge shout out to this guy right here...


without whom, none of this would've been possible, seeing how he was so generous to lend me his truck. Thanks Bobby Billy. I owe ya man.

Those TSC staff peeps really blessed my socks off that day... cause on top of the wonderful truck lending generosity of our middle school pastor, a certain preschool ministry assistant who caught me in the act of trying to load carseats into the back of said truck came out to my rescue and suggested that instead, I let 'em hang out with the awesome ladies in the office for a bit...

Really? Do you know what you're saying? I mean, we're talking about these sweet adorable little faces right here...

Before you agree to this, please believe me when I tell you- you won't get anything else done while I'm gone. Here's your chance to totally back out on your offer. But you'd better hurry, before I run...

But she didn't. Wow. And it was suuuuch a treat to handle this without kiddos in tow! So thanks a MILLION each to Amber, Alicia, Christy, Angela, April, Joanna, and anyone else that I'm unaware of and unintentionally leaving out for keeping my kids out of the heat and out of my hair while I fetched up my latest treasure. Y'all absolutely made my day. An invitation to lunch on my deck sitting in my new furniture will be extended to y'all hopefully very soon!

Happy Weekend Everyone! Enjoy it!

A New Face

So I've been wanting to re-enter the blogosphere for quite some time now. Turns out, this afternoon's naptime demanded absolutely nothing of me but two and a half glorious hours of whatever the heck I wanted. After 45 minutes of craigslisting and searching every store's website known to man trying to find patio furniture that I wanted and could afford (to no avail, might I add) I became extremely frustrated with the amount of money someone thinks they can charge for CUSHIONS (for crying out loud) and decided I needed an avenue to vent my frustration. This led to a visit to my very outdated blog, and then the decision that it was indeed time to say hello again.

But first, a facelift...

A new title, (because since I stopped blogging I have gained two more children and lost all sense of quiet, control, and time to myself) and a new look (since I have become slightly obsessed with DIY, turning someone else's junk into something beautiful, and "cottage white" and would cover every wall in my house in white beadboard if I had my way.)

So here it is. And speaking of facelifts- what I did with my weekend...

Before: Found on an obliging curb awaiting a trip to the dump

After...

And my favorite part about this little project was the cost. $0.00 Absolutely zip, zero, zilch, nada... you get the picture.

The shelves were leftovers from my garage in our former home, and the paint was left here by the former owners of our new home.

It's sheer therapy, I'm telling you! Didn't even mind looking down at my feet in church this morning and admiring the white speckled skin on my toes from the splattered paint. :) Marks of a great weekend. Now if only I'd take the time to make the paint on my toenails look half as good...

And just as an added bonus...













Sweet girl sleeping off the Cowboys defeat in her Romo jersey. :) Love her...