Finding Joy in Vegas

And the winner is....

2012-01-17T21:47:00.000-08:00

<p><br /> The numbers generated by this widget come from RANDOM.ORG's true random number generator.<br /> </p>And the winner is.....LEANN!!!!!

Congratulations and have tons of fun playing with your new MyMemories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software!! I need to for you to email me within the next 48 hours at butterbug73@yahoo.com

Monday :)

2012-01-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

Time sure flys when you're having fun...or when you have kids :)

I've been so busy lately I haven't had time for a lot of things...blogging being one of those. Since the kids are out of school today, I had the chance to take them out to lunch and just enjoy them. With school, after school activities, homework, chores, and bedtime I am finding that I don't get a lot of time just to enjoy them...

Lunch was fun and I am very happy that I had that chance.

So...have you checked out my very first giveaway??? There is still time to enter if you think that you might want to try your hand at digital scrapbooking :) The software is awesome and really easy to use.

Don't forget to enter!!!

2012-01-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

Welcome January!
     For some reason, today I feel renewed and inspired by all of the possibilities that lie ahead in 2012. I know that there will be obstacles to overcome, mountains to climb, tears to cry, but I also know that there will be successes, happiness, and lots and lots of smiles.
     The first goal I set for myself is to read the One Year Bible each day along with the Life Application Bible Daily Devotional. I know that we are only 4 days into this year, but I am still on track and feeling awesome. I am so excited about this renewed opportunity to draw closer to God and to see the plans that He has for me unfold in my life :)
     The second goal that I set for myself was to keep my blog updated! I have lots of things to share and would love to grow this blog so that I can spread some of the JOY that I am finding on my journey. 2012 offers the opportunity for me to finally reach some of my goals, personal and professional. I am looking at the chance to reach my goal weight with the help and support of my family, friends and Weight Watchers! I see the chance to organize my house, be an example for my children, turn my hobby into a profession....so much to choose from! Is there time to sit still??? Actually there is, and that time will be spent with God. In His word, in prayer, in fellowship with family, friends and my brothers and sisters in Christ. What an amazing year ahead!
     Finally, for today that is, I would LOVE to be able to bring to my readers useful and fun product reviews. I just did my first one and absolutely loved doing it! I am looking forward to the chance to bring you more!!!
     If you haven't had a chance to check out my first review and giveaway, click here. My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software is an awesome product if you are at all interested in scrapbooking or card making. It also makes picture books, calendars and videos. It is so much fun and is so easy to use. Honestly, I think that I found my inspiration for personalized birthday and Christmas gifts for years to come!!! Check it out!!!

With that, I must go and switch the laundry ;) Have a blessed day!

Review and Giveaway: My Memories Suite Digital Scrapbooking Software

2012-01-02T21:34:00.000-08:00

My Memories offers an award winning digital scrapbook software that is extremely easy and fun to use. My Memories Suite is rated #1 by Amazon and TopTen Reviews. Using this software, anyone can create digital scrapbooks, photobooks, cards, calendars and gifts without having to buy expensive and complicated software programs.

My Memories Suite Version 3 digital scrapbooking software is a fun and creative way to keep and share memories, whether you have a Mac or PC. The software's design tools will help you to build entire albums effortlessly using one of the many installed templates, or designing your very own pages from scratch.

(gathered information from My Memories)

I was so excited to have the opportunity to use My Memories Suite and let me tell you, I had a lot of fun!! I am not normally a digital scrapbooker. With that said, I found this software very easy to use. The program walked me step by step through downloading it to my computer. Once the product was downloaded it was easy to upload my photos and start playing. I found that there are many FREE templates available in pre-made themes or do it yourself pages. I was able to quickly create a scrapbook of some of my son's baseball pictures. I was also able to create a photobook of my son's 9th birthday party! It was so quick and easy. Of course I will be posting some pictures of what I've been doing on the My Memories Suite software over the next couple of weeks! While playing with the software I was dreaming of all the gifts I could make for friends and family using My Memories Suite.
Did I forget to mention that you can also create cards, calendars and videos with this software??? Awesome!

Interested in buying it?

My Memories is offering Finding Joy In Vegas readers

$10 off your purchase of My Memories Suite Software

when you use this code:

CODE - STMMMS51590

Want to WIN a copy just for your self??

My Memories is offering one lucky reader of Finding Joy In Vegas

a copy of the My Memories Suite Digital Software!!!

Mandatory Entry:

Visit My Memories and please choose your favorite paper pack or layout

and leave your choice in a comment.

*mandatory entries must be completed first1 entry follow My Memories Via Twitter

*Must be a follower of Google Friend Connect for entries to count.

Additional Entries:

*each additional entry calls for an individual comment post

1 entry: Like My Memories Facebook

1 entry: Follow Via Twitter @FindingJoyVegas
1entry: Visit the My Memories Blog and leave me a comment that you did so!

1 entry per day Tweet:

#win scrapbooking software

@MyMemoriesSuite My Memories Suite...

@FindingJoyVegas via

http://tinyurl.com/7q3kbsp 1/16

5 entries: Grab my Button and add it to your side bar

3 entries: Blog about it linking to this post and leave link in the comment

**Contest will end 1/16 and the winner will be chosen via random.org

The winners have 48 hours to contact Finding Joy In Vegas

If the winner fails to contact another winner will be randomly picked.

I received samples of the products for review purposes.

I was not financially compensated for this review.

This review is 100% the opinion of Finding Joy In Vegas!!!

My very first review and giveaway!!!

2012-01-01T21:52:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to share with you all that I am doing my very first product review and giveaway!!!
What a wonderful way to start off 2012!!! I am hoping that this will be the first of many this year. I am really looking forward to all of the new opportunities and directions that 2012 will lead to.
Check in on Tuesday, January 3rd, to read about an awesome product ( I truly am loving it!!!) and to enter a just as awesome giveaway :)

Hello Friends!

2011-12-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been a long time since I've been on my blog.
2011 has definitely been a crazy and challenging year, but God is good and He is always true to His promises!
So, with the New Year quickly approaching I've started thinking about what it is that I want to accomplish in 2012. I feel confident that I will be able to stay on the path that God leads me to. While driving the kids to school this morning, I was reminded that "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength". That verse kept running through my mind and before letting the kids out of the van I reminded them of it too :)
A few things that I would like to do in 2012:
* Grow my blog! I have neglected it for way too long and I love it way too much to keep that silly behavior going. My goal is to blog daily. I love to share my life and my testimony and this is a great platform for me to do that. I am also hoping to do some product reviews and giveaways :) I have a fantastic review/giveaway in the works for the new year! Hopefully more will follow.
*Make GOAL! I have been a member of Weight Watchers for almost a year now and have had great success. I have lost 43 lbs. to date but have really fallen off program over the last couple of months and am looking forward to getting back on track and creating a much healthier lifestyle for myself and my family. I will work at posting my journey. I would like to post recipes and menu plans and create a safe environment for discussion and support.
*Intentional Planning! I need to get on track and stay on top of my house and my schedule. I would love to come up with a schedule that works and share it with others. I would love learn for others what works for them and support each other.

Whew! What a list! I believe that 2012 is going to be an awesome year! So, here's to ending 2011 with a bang and moving on!!!

Now I'm off to find a blog hop and get to know some more awesome bloggers! I'm sure I've missed a lot in my absence ;)

End of Summer. Time to Regroup!

2011-08-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

I think I need to make this my new theme song :)

I've been a little scattered this summer. I've not been able to find the time to do what I want to do. My control journal and intentional planners are gathering dust somewhere. The piles of stuff that needs attention have taken over my bedroom and my desks. We aren't even going to talk about the laundry...
I had every intention of being organized and sane this summer when the reality is that I've been the exact opposite.
The past week has proved to be challenging. There are a lot of challenges facing our family over the the next couple of months and I'm sure that other challenges will continue to pile on (sort of like the mounds of stuff to be dealt with in my room).
In the midst of it, I found myself praying and asking God, "Where are you? Please, I just need to feel you right now. I know that we have not been promised a life without struggles. I know that I've been blessed and have no right to cry or complain, but I feel so alone. I just need to know that you are here with me."
As the days go on, I realized that I was praying the same prayer and started to feel defeated. Yesterday was no exception. My mom put it best when she said that I lay the biggest guilt trips on myself and that's what yesterday was like for me. So I went to bed praying for His presence again.
What I realized is that He has been ever present and it's been me that has been absent.
How am I going to hear God when I don't seek Him in His Word? The bible and I have been strangers lately when in reality it should be my daily companion.
So today, in answer to my prayer, God told me what to do. He told me while looking through blogs. He told me while cruising on Facebook. He told we while going through my emails. Three separate places, totally unrelated and random people, same message:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for me with all of your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11-13

I don't know...could it be more obvious what I am being asked to do. I cry out to Him and ask for His guidance and for His help, but do I seek Him? Do I give any time of my day to reading His word and letting His love and His promises soak into my soul?
I know that I don't. So that's my starting place. Daily time with God. Be it early in the morning, middle of the day, late at night...I need to make time spend with Him.
I didn't do so well with my 30 in 30 goal, but with September 1st right around the corner I am so ready to set some goals and work at achieving them!!! My daily time with God will start TODAY however, because I can no longer ignore the fact that sometimes I am not looking for an answer to my prayers, I am looking for MY answer to my prayer....that will never work out well :)

If I needed more proof:

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."
Matthew 6:31-33

Seek FIRST the kingdom of God....
Search for me with all of your heart...

I think I have my answer :)

I've been challenged :)

2011-07-31T14:08:00.000-07:00

I've been challenged to participate in the 3 in 30 challenge. It's actually just what I've needed. I had a whole list of things that I wanted to accomplish this summer and so far I've done nada...I need to get moving again!

What better time than August to replan and regroup and get ready for the chaos that will start with the beginning of school in just a few weeks?

My 3 goals for August:

1) Menu Plan for the month.

2) Create and utilize my Household Notebook/Flylady Control Journal

3) Responsibility Lists w/ rewards and consequences for the Family, posted and being followed.

These goals all have a homemaking theme, but it is where I struggle the most so it is where I want to start.

7/19/2011

2011-07-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

I know...it's been a while. Sorry.
I love to blog. I really do. It's just been so hard to string 2 thoughts together this summer with having both of my kids home :) Don't get me wrong. I love having this time with my kids, but things are a little bit different this summer. My kids don't want to hang out with me anymore. They are no longer interested in movie marathons or pillow and blanket parties. They want to play with their friends. Go figure. Guess that means that I have totally normal kiddos and that I am doing an okay job...

So with that said....I have not been accomplishing any of the goals that I set for myself this summer! It's time to kick it into gear. I've been wanting to get my living room clean and my desks cleared off and that is what I am going to do today! It can't be that hard...

I am also really enjoying the woman's bible study that I am participating in this summer. We meet tonight so I need to be ready. I have to finish the chapter that we will be working in tonight. The study is about becoming Free from Worry...It's something that I really need to work on!

My weight loss journey has stalled a bit. I have lost a total of 40 pounds, but I am off target for my goal. New goal is to be at a total loss of 50 lbs by my birthday! Totally doable if I stay away from McDonald's and cookies :)

Okay- I need to get moving now or I will miss the opportunity that this day gives me to get something done!

6-23-2011

2011-06-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

So summer vacation is not really a vacation for me. Don't get me wrong. I love my kids and the fact that I have them all to myself for the duration of the long days of summer. Then again, these are not the same little kids that were home with me last summer...these children need a lot of attention, want to hang with their friends, think that I am really boring and no longer are interested in pillow and blanket parties in the living room :(
Having them home has meant a serious change in my routine also. My weight loss journey is at a stand still right now. I am praising God that I haven't gained weight over the last couple of weeks, but I have a feeling that when I hit that scale this morning I will see the +. It's not a surprise and completely my fault. I have stopped exercising and am finding it difficult to locate my food journal let alone write things down in it....I have been making bad food choices and have boycotted exercise all together. Not a good thing.
So this week is going to be a little different. I am going to dust off my sneakers and start walking again. I will use my wii fit board and start using the Y membership that I am paying for. The only person that I am really hurting by falling off the food wagon is me and I am not ready to be that person again. I need to stop the downward spiral before I gain all of the weight back that I've lost.
I really want to see myself reach my goal weight. I really want to feel good about myself and improve my health so that I can be the best me that I can. I want to teach my children good food habits so that they do not have the same struggles as I've had.
Today is a new day and I haven't messed it up yet. It's a great place to start fresh and stop self sabotaging myself.
Happy Thursday, my friends! I think that you will see more of me here on this blog. I will share my experiences with you in the hopes that we can help each other survive and thrive this summer :)

5-16-2011

2011-05-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my daughter, that's her sitting on the ice wearing the gold jacket, went ice skating with her girl scout troop. It was her very first time and she amazed me.

She laced up her skates, walked out to the rink and up that ramp. The fact that she did this facinated me. She had no problem keeping her balance or holding her ankles strong. She walked in those skates like she's been doing it for years.

Once at the ice, she quickly realized that the rink offered "walkers" for the newbies. She grabbed one and was off. Just like that. No hestitation. She went around the ice slowly, getting her bearings, and then she started to straighten up and I saw her using her skate to push off and gain speed. What she was doing was watching the more experienced skaters and learning.

Before we left, she was skating without the walker. She was out on the ice, away from the wall, and she was doing it.

I learned a few things about my daughter yesterday.

She is fearless. Although she might be uncertain at times, there is nothing that is going to stop her from doing what it is she puts her mind to.

She is going to be who she is. She has a strong sense of self and isn't going to let anyone take that away from her. My daughter and I are not the same. I do not understand her and I fear for her, but I realized yesterday that she knows who she is and that she is not afraid. She is blazing a trail and if you want to join her you are welcome, if not- you will be missed, but it won't slow her down.

She is going to be the person that God designed her to be. She has a purpose and she has value, not only to me but to God. What better realization than that??

She is a blessing and a learning experience. I can learn from her even as I teach her. I will not have to teach her to spread her wings, she is doing that all on her own. It does fall on me to teach her to be more aware of others, to be a little more compassionate, and to always keep her heart open to what God is saying to her.

Is she really starting middle school next year?

Where did my baby go?

Monday :) 5-9-2011

2011-05-09T09:04:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it's Monday morning already! Wow! The weekend flew by. I have a ton of things to do today and I am really dragging. Waiting for the coffee to kick in I guess. Or maybe just feeling overwhelmed...either way I need to shake off the funk and get something done today.
So I will be doing the following:
-guest writing on a friend's blog :)
-a few loads of laundry
-cleaning off the kitchen table
-menu planning for the week

I think that is a good enough list to attempt to tackle this morning. I've got the greatest hits station playing through the house this morning and I need to hit the ground running :)

Happy Monday to all of you!

5-7-2012

2011-05-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

It's not fun to be invisible.
The thing is, as mothers, we might feel invisible but we aren't. Everything we do is watched. Every decision we make is judged. Every mistake is caught by the sharp eyes and ears of the same children that will not control their tongues or listen to any instructive words that we say.
We are more visible than we can even imagine even if we feel invisible.
Today I am trying to hold my tongue. IT IS NOT EASY.
Today I am questioning my choices.
Today I am questioning my lot in life.
I will survive today. I will try my best to survive today without making any major mistakes or making use of my very bitter tongue.
I will survive today with a quiet voice and a heart open to God's direction.
Things I will not do today:
I will not strangle my children.
I will not strangle my husband.
I will not say what I am thinking. Today I will keep my thoughts to myself because no one wants to hear them.
I will not treat my husband like he is one of the kids.
I will not get buried under the tumbling wall of my circumstances today.
I will NOT let go of the joy in my heart.
I will NOT lose sight of my blessings.

It's Saturday. My kids and my husband have decided that they don't want to get along. They have all decided that they don't want to listen to me.
I guess it's my choice how to deal with it...
Good or bad, I set the example for my kids. What I do and how I react matters. My actions, good or bad remember, determine theirs. I really hate to admit that and maybe that is the little piece of information that I've been missing, but it's so very true. My kids watch ME and they act like ME right now.
When they are older, will they have the arsenal of tools to deal with situations correctly? Did I give that to them?
My children have a very different life and a very different world to grow up in than I did. Sometimes I lose sight of that. Sometimes I lose sight of the fact that although they are growing and they are no longer "little" they are still kids and full brain development and the ability to make informed choices and the knowledge that all actions have consequences is something that they don't have yet.
Some days it is easier to understand that than others.
I am still learning and wonder most days if I've achieved full brain development yet.
What I do know is that today is going to be a long day. Today is going to be a hard day and although it is my job as a parent to discipline it is also my job to teach and to show love...
Today I will love my children.
Today I will love my husband.
Today I will love myself and weather this storm.

Have a blessed day :)

Blog Hopping again :)

2011-05-04T10:05:00.001-07:00

I'm blog hopping again! Oh, how I've missed this :) Anywho- come join me and wander through some great blogs!

The Definition of Me

2011-05-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

I am redefining myself.
I am.
For reals.
I am changing the page of my life that says that I messed up. I am turning the page on the story of my life that always seems to be whispering in my ear that I am not worthy, that I've screwed up, waisted too much time, missed the bus again.
Wanna know something?
I've built my life around those lies. I've created a safe place for me to exist and I've protected myself from the possibility of getting hurt again. The thing is, my walls are hurting me daily. They are squeezing the life out of me. The negative thoughts that tell me that I can not do it, that I am not good enough...they are causing me great sadness because I remember a time when I could. I remember a time when I was fearless. I was of course ridiculously stupid during that time and made too many bad choices to list, BUT I wasn't afraid...I think that it's the fear of everything that I've grown the most tired of.
I am tearing down my walls.
I've decided that I would rather be hurt than feel nothing.
How can I live the life that God has designed for me if I continue to keep Him from directing my path?
I've decided that I will be a student of His word. I will embrace the promises that He has placed in my heart.
Will it be easy? No.
Will I always be motivated? No.
Can I do something different each day? Yes.
Can I do something for 15 minutes each day? Yes.
I need to be an example to my children. I have been blessed so much in my life I think that it's time to focus on the blessings and start to share them!

So, here is my song for today:

Do you love to Scrapbook? Want to have some fun?

2011-05-04T09:01:00.000-07:00

Lots to do today. Lots of blog ideas....
But here is a good one if you are a scrapbooker like me :)

http://ceceschallenges.blogspot.com/

This is a very cool new blog created for the purpose of challenging us to scrap outside of our comfort zone. Do you have projects waiting to be done? Are you tired of doing the same layouts over and over? Would you like to learn new techniques? Do you need motivation to get started, get finished, or just get going???
I will be actively participating in these challenges. I think that it's an awesome opportunity not only to challenge myself to get to scrappin' again but also to get to know each other a little better. I truly believe that we can meet new amazing friends through the blogging world and what better way to start than by sharing our passion for scrapbooking and paper crafting!

Check it out, follow it and let's face these challenges together :)

Thoughts for today :)

2011-05-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

I spent my weekend at the Women of Faith conference. And I am so glad that I did! Although Nicole was not there this weekend, Deborah Joy Winans performed this drama and it really hit home with me.
To be honest, almost every word that was spoken this weekend seemed like it was spoken right to me.
I have been struggling with my daughter and her need for "credit". It seems that she desires to be acknowledged for every little thing that she does...and as I fight to figure her out I am realizing that maybe we are not that different. Just maybe I crave and desire the same thing and fail to see it in myself.
So I am sharing this with you today. Not just for you, but as a reminder for me also. I need to keep focused on the important things to be able to teach my daughter.
As I start my day today, I also need to share a song with you. I strive to be a better me with each passing day and I want to be defined by my character and not my circumstances. This song is an inspiration to me and my prayer this morning is that it is just what you need today as God is speaking to your heart :)

My weight loss journey- week 14

2011-04-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

I am suceeding at Weight Watchers (WW) this time and it feels really good :)
I can say that because I started my relationship with WW started when I was in high school and continued through college and even after that. I never stuck with it and always cheated. Cheating on WW is so just cheating on myself, but I did it and thought that I was getting away with something when I kept losing and regaining the same 3 lbs.
This time is different. This time I am ready to be free. It is truly a matter that I don't want to be a prisoner inside this body anymore. I don't want to let the garbage that I was putting in my mouth continue to poison my body and my brain. One thing that I know for sure is that eating poorly does not lead to a positive attitude or actions. The more I sat on the couch and did nothing, the deeper and darker the pit got that my thought were swimming in. Does that make any sense? I was unable to help myself or be a positive role model for my kids because I was slowly killing myself with my food choices.
I have a long way to go. I know that it won't always be easy but I know that it will be worth it. I know that with each pound loss comes a new ability to enjoy life. With each healthy choice comes a more positive attitude, an ability to cope and to overcome.
I see myself achieving my goal and then starting a new journey to help other achieve their own goals. I never would have thought that was what my future would hold, but the more that I invest in myself and look to God for direction the more I believe that I am on my way to being the woman that God created me to be.
So with 26.8 lbs gone I now have less than 100 lbs. to lose until I reach my goal and I am looking forward to the rest of this journey.

Happy birthday Mackenzie!!!

2011-04-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

Today my baby turned 11.

Over the last 2 weeks she has been changing right before my eyes. She seems so much older. She seems taller and her hair seems neater (which is saying alot when you are talking about my girl. She doesn't like to wash her hair. She doesn't like to brush her hair. Most of the time she looks like she hasn't done either in weeks). She is growing up and although she still has a lot of kid in her I can see it slipping away. I see the tween emerging and I know that soon she will be discovering the person that she will grow into. She will be making mistakes and thinking that only she knows what it feels like to go through what she will be going through. She will soon experience her first crush and with that will come her first heart break. In the fall she starts middle school. She will officially no longer be a little kid even though she will always be my baby.
She will always be the miracle that I never thought that I would be blessed with. She will always represent the love that I was so desperately looking for and found in her father.
She will always be the best part of me.
I know that in the upcoming years I will not be her favorite person. I will no longer be Mommy and will turn into Mom. I will be the person that she believes hates her, doesn't understand her and generally exists to make her life miserable...
Until then I will hold tight to every moment I have with my little girl who is not so little anymore ;)

3/14/2011

2011-03-14T07:14:00.000-07:00

Weighing in at the WW meeting always makes me nervous. I know that I am not being judged by anyone, but I so want to see a good number written down in my little log...Well, this week was a good week! I lost 3 lbs! That makes a total of 19.2 lbs down :)
I love seeing the progress that I am making. Each week I try to meet a new goal. Try a new food, adjust my diet to be just a little more healthy, more exercise/less couch potato... Finding something new to accomplish every week helps keep this process fresh.
The way I look at it, if I lose an average of 2 lbs. a week I will be down 104 lbs. in 52 weeks. In just one year I can lose this weight, change my mind and lifestyle, and weigh less than I did when I graduated high school.
I would love to see the numbers dropping faster, but I've been there done that before and gained it all back plus some. This time it's about changing me, changing my habits and becoming the woman that God has always seen me as. Becoming the mother that my children need. Becoming the wife that my husband deserves.
Did I tell you that my hubby has joined me on my journey? He started the PointsPlus lifestyle a week ago and is down 10 lbs! He's a man and he has a lot to lose...I won't say anything about the fact that it took me almost 5 weeks to do what he did in 1 :)
Anyway-
Happy Monday! No Couch Potato for me today. Today I am going to my mom's and helping her go through boxes. I think that will count for some well earned activity points!!!
Tomorrow morning I am hitting the Y. Got the membership, need to start using it.

Monday :)

2011-03-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday Morning!

Yesterday was a very sad day. We woke up to a phone call that a family member had lost her very long battle with cancer and was taken home to be with our Lord. This was not a surprise, but it is never easy to say goodbye. A little while later, we recieved another call that my husband's cousin was also taken home to be with our Lord due to complications in surgery. This was a shock and hit my husband very hard.
There is a very evident level of sadness that surrounds the death of our loved ones. Personally, it is not a fear of death that affects me. I tend to celebrate a persons life and rejoice in the faith that our loved ones are now looking at the face of Jesus. It's the void left here on earth when they leave.
That is what is so sad. The fact that as the pain subsides, their absence is never unrecognized.
I am praying for all of my family that is being affected by both of these losses. That is quite a hit for one family to take in one day...

I was overjoyed to see the sun rising this morning and to know that today is a new day. That His mercies are new this day. So I start my day...

Taking the kids to school, going to ride the bike at the Y, intentional planning with a friend, home to make dinner, Girl Scouts tonight.

Wishing you all a blessed and productive day :)

Good Friends Just Click :)

2011-03-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

Being back in the blogging world, it wouldn't be right if I wasn't participating and promoting some awesome blog hops! Today my friend at "Deal"icious Mom is hosting a fun one! Stop by and find some great new blogging friends!

Blog 2.0 : The new frontier!

2011-03-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

Good Morning Las Vegas!

I am home. I have to admit that it is bittersweet. I was in Florida helping my dad who is recovering from major surgery and is on a continued journey to battle colon cancer. His journey is inspiring and I may have to share it with you someday, but this unplanned trip away from my family for 3 weeks also planted seeds in my life and gave me the opportunity to actually spend time getting to know myself and God's plan for me a little bit more.
I have come home inspired to be a better me in every area of my life. God has lit a fire in me that hasn't been lit in a long time. I am no longer going to allow myself to get tied up and tied down to the games and the negative thoughts that the enemy fires at me continuously.
This journey of discovery is worth sharing and that is what direction this blog is going :)

I am a stay at home mom and I am living my dream! It is time to put as much time and effort into my family and my household as I would with any career. I will hold my head high and no longer be chained up by negative thoughts or actions...

So much to do...so much to write...I will start with an update :)
I started Weight Watchers the second week of January and have lost 14.8 lbs as of last Friday!
I am so excited with the changes in my mind, body and spirit that this weight loss journey is bringing. My family and I joined the YMCA last week and yesterday we went and played a little basketball. It was such a blessing to be playing with my kids. I don't think that I've ever really got off of the bench and played with them before. I always took them to the park but I always found the closest bench and watched. I've been a great observer in my children's lives. I am overjoyed that yesterday I was an active participant :) I also was able to sneak away for a few minutes and ride a bike for 2 miles. It had a blast. It felt good to be moving!
Since starting Weight Watchers, my eating habits have changed greatly. I have also started to eat a lot of Weight Watchers Smart Ones. There are so many to choose from and I haven't found one that wasn't absolutely yummy! I lived on them when I was in Florida and it was an awesome gift to find an envelope from "Deal"icious Mom with coupons for 4 free Smart Ones!!!
I entered her giveaway and won :) How great is that??? You can check out her blog and her giveaways at:

So with that I am off to get some stuff done around the house and hopefully get some blog reading done before the kiddos get home. I wish you all a blessed and productive day!

2011-02-15T11:38:00.000-08:00

Greetings from sunny Florida :)
As I sit in the sunshine state spending time helping my father recover from surgery I am missing home greatly. I have been at a loss the last week or so because I really feel that I am one person that truly needs to be in two places at the same time and it is a very hard situation to be in. I have a had a lot of time to think and to plan, but mostly to pray and draw closer to God. I think that it's that time that has led me to this post. I know that it's been a very long time since I've posted anything. For those of you that have been missing my musings I apologize.
While away from home I have been doing some reading. I actually have 4 books with me that I am reading when I find some quite time. One of those books is one that I am reading to review (something that I've never done before and am really looking forward to doing) and the others are strictly for pleasure. I brought my wonderfully pink Message: New Testament and have been reading the book of Mark. I guess that was brought on by the fact that I am reading a book from the Jesus chronicles: Mark's Story. This is written by the same guys that wrote the Left Behind series. Of course it is a fictional story but I am learning a lot about what it might have been like during that time in history and a lot about what it might have felt like to be observing the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It's a truly fascinating story and right now it is being told from the point of view of a 16 year old boy.
Anyway, I took my dad to his oncologist appointment and found myself in a place that I have honestly never been. I was sitting in a waiting room full of individuals who are are fighting their very personal battles with cancer. I walked into a room lined with chairs, patients, IV's. My dad said this is where he spends Tuesday mornings. It was the chemotherapy room, jokingly referred to as "club med". As I was walking through this place with my dad it brought to mind something that I had read the night before and I wanted to share it here:

While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, "Everybody's looking for you." Jesus said, " Let's go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I've come." He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons. A leper came to him, begging on his knees, "If you want to, you can cleanse me."
Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy.

Mark 1: 35-41 (MSG)

Standing in the cancer treatment center this morning I was overwhelmed by the feeling that we are all fighting some disease. Maybe it's text book cases like cancer or leprosy. Maybe it's diseases of the mind or of the spirit. Maybe we struggle with addictions. Whatever it is that we struggle with I truly believe that Jesus wants to heal us.

I felt hope in the place that I was standing this morning.

There is another passage from Mark concerning a woman that had been sick for 12 years. In all of the that time the doctors had not been able to heal her, but had most definitely been able to take all of her money. She believed with all of her heart that if she could just get close enough to Jesus to touch his robe then she would be healed. As Jesus was walking she pushed through the crowd and was able to reach out and touch the very bottom of his robe and she knew immediately that she had been healed. Jesus knew that someone had touched him. He searched for her and when he found her he said :

"Daughter, you took a risk of faith, and now you're healed and whole. Live well, be blessed! Be healed of your plague. "

Mark 5:34 (MSG)

As I sit in Florida, I have been blessed with the opportunity to draw closer to God through books, His Word and prayer. I am missing my home terribly and everyone that is there waiting for me to come home, but I am here with my Dad praying for healing and for guidance. Praying for the next step to be revealed. God is listening. He is working His plan and I am confident that He will lead me in the right direction. I believe that my being here, away from my home, is a risk of faith. I believe that His Will will be done and I will be home soon.

Refreshing my New Year!

2011-01-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

My goal is to post daily.
I am working towards my goal but it is hard when things come up that throw me off kilter. It is hard when my son has been home sick for 3 days. It is hard when I haven't been able to accomplish any of the goals that I have set for myself...
I need to do my best to achieve the goals that I set for myself even when things don't go the way that I want them too. I really can't let myself get defeated and overwhelmed when every little thing seems to crash down around me, when it feels like the weight of my world is too heavy for me to bare.
The most important of my goals for 2011 is to develop a closer relationship with Christ. To learn more and pray more. To see myself through the eyes of my Savior and to do my best to live the life that I was created for. I am sure that you have all heard me say this many times. I get so off track so quickly. I let the world beat me down and then it is all I can do to get out of bed in the morning. I am tired of living that way and I refuse to give in and do it any longer.
So today is a new day and another opportunity to do things right! I will find a way to organize my life and get out from under then mess of my own making. I will not be defeated any longer.
I've been a little down and turned around for the last couple of days, but I am working my way out of it. I am truly excited about what this year has in store for me. I am truly excited about the changes that I am making to be a better me.
Thanks to my mom, I have started Weight Watchers. This will be the year that I conquer this issue. I am eating healthier and moving more and learning how to treat my body as the temple that it is. I think that my whole family will benefit from this.
Thanks for a friend of mine, I will be participating in a bible study starting next week.
I am a FlyBaby and will be taking it step by step until I am FLYING in my home!!! I will be able to keep a home that my husband and kids can be proud of. A home that is free of clutter, that is well organized and ready for whatever it is that God has planned for us.
I am a crafter that loves to create and I will conquer my fear of the sewing machine and put it to use this year!!! I will also work towards getting my scrapbooks in order and some of them finished!
I will find my voice, not only on this blog, but in my everyday life. I will no longer live in the fear that has held me prisoner for several years. I have surrendered and am finally free!

So now I am off to get a few things done today. All is not lost :)

Follow Me Back Tuesday!

2011-01-04T13:39:00.000-08:00

I have a little over an hour until my kids get home so I am going to try and get some stuff done :)

I have the a load of laundry in the dryer and a comforter in the washer. I will hang dry that when it's done and then throw another load in the washer.

I want to finish the craft project that I was working on this moring. I will post pictures when I am done.

I want to wash up a sink full of dishes so that I can jump into getting dinner ready after I bring the kids home from school.

I can do all of that in an hour....right???

The answer would be NO :)

I wasn't able to get it all done in an hour, but I did get my dishes done and my dinner started! I need to get that comforter out of the washer and hang it and get the laundry moving again. After dinner my son has cub scouts so while he and his dad are out of the house I will finish up my project as my daughter does her homework. It'll all work out! I like the challenge of time sprints though. I think I might do a series of them on Thursday since I won't be home tomorrow.

Music to Live By :)

2011-01-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

Song lyrics often get stuck in my head. I find myself singing songs that I haven't heard in years because I will wake up with them in my head :) So today I am sharing 3 of my favorite songs with you.

"Love SO Amazing..."

It's from a Chris Tomlin song, Jesus Messiah. AWESOME song, by the way.

There is nothing but truth in that song. Jesus took our sin so that we could be reunited with our Father in heaven. He did that for us. God's love for us is so amazing and living in that loves allows for so much freedom. I am so blessed to be experiencing that love and that freedom.
I am smiling more. I am happy. Athough it is a bit cold, especially for Vegas, I see the sunshine and I feel the warmth of God's love. I spend time with friends and family and I feel the love that surrounds me. I haven't let myself feel those things for a long time.

So today I spent the morning crafting and grocery shopping with a friend and feel especially blessed to be able to call her my friend. We spent some time apart and I hurt her terribly, but she never gave up on me and in here journey to better herself and to grow closer to God she has given me forgiveness and has welcomed me not only back into her life but also into the lives of her family. It's a forgiveness that I do not deserve and that I would find hard to give, but I am learning that I have to. I have to not only forgive others, but allow myself to be forgiven. Jesus paid my debt and continues to love and forgive me as I go along my journey. If I am to live the life that He wants for me than I have to do it His way.

I have a lot to be thankful for and a lot to look forward too! I am excited about this journey and I am glad to be able to share it with anyone that wants to read it :)

What a Great way to start the week!

2011-01-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

January 3, 2011

It's the first day of school after winter break :) Honestly it is bittersweet for me. I am a homeschooling mama at heart and it's hard to send my kids out the door to school. It's the choice that they made though and right now it is working out.
My daughter is a constant source of amazement to me. I stand in awe of her sense of who she is and her ability to stand strong for what she believes in and not be forced to change because of her friends. I hope that this is a quality that she can keep with her as she grows. I've always believed that God will use this little girl for great things. As she grows I still believe that :)
Anyway-
This morning I am getting the kids ready to head out the door and...
It starts SNOWING!
They are going crazy. They are outside with no coats, no shoes...one would think that there is candy falling from the sky! We live in Las Vegas NV so we don't see a lot of snow. I can understand their excitement because deep down I am giddy about it as well. I just like to look at it from the warm and dry inside :)
On the way out the door, we finally managed to get some coats and shoes on, I couldn't help but take a minute and get a few picks:

So now that the kids are at school, it is time to get to my day. The first thing that I need to do is switch the laundry and then get the potato soup in the crock pot. I know that it is not South Beach Diet style, but it's snowing here in Vegas and I think that it's a good day for a nice hot bowl of potato soup :)

Happy New Year!!!

2011-01-02T18:31:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!
I am so excited about what 2011 holds in store for me. No, I can not see into the future. I am also very aware that disaster and tragedy could strike at anytime. I am, however, ready to see in me what God does. I feel that I am ready to live my life wholly devoted to the one that created me and sent his son to save me and bring me back to him. That is my motivating force for 2011 and I am ready to live without fear and in total faith.
Church was awesome today. Worship was amazing. Baptisms...new life in Christ...a new year...new mercies...new chances to let God direct my path and let the Holy Spirit move me especially in the moments that I won't feel able...
So here it is, New Year/New Goals!
I will not set resolutions, but I feel that I am able to reach my goals and there are many of them!
Tomorrow starts my participation in the 50's Housewife Experiment :)
Lots of Flying, lots of old fashioned hospitality, lots of learning about what it really means to me to be a stay at home mom.
I am looking forward to it and I am thankful to my friend for introducing me to this concept and I am looking forward to joining her in this journey :)
You can check it out on her blog:

So now I am off to start our bedtime routines. Foreign concept for my kids...wow, they are going to be really surprised tomorrow when things change around here! They have chore lists, will be earning a commission (Thanks to Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University), and eating a South Beach Diet Style menu :) It's all about being in a better place this time next year: healthier, happier and living our lives following God's rules!

I don't know why I feel that this year I am ready...the only thing that I can say is that I am really feeling the need to reach out and change my life. I feel a longing to draw closer to God and to actively live my part in His kingdom. I am happy inside and out and am ready!

So here goes!

Talents and Gifts

2010-12-27T08:08:00.001-08:00

I am about to embark on a new challenge.
I guess that there is no better time the day one of a new calendar year to challenge myself to be a better me :)
I was sitting in church this weekend and I heard something that struck a chord. God gives each of us a talent and to not use it is to waste it.
What is your talent?
To answer that you need to look at yourself. What can you do well? What are you good at? What do you love to do? What brings you joy?
Looking at myself, I found that I have spent a lot of time ignoring my talents. I have become lazy and complacent. I have let myself go and I have been living in fear for a long time now. The fear of failure. The fear of disappointment, the fear of change. There is a very long list of the things that I am afraid of but as I sat in church this weekend I realized that my fear is keeping me from living my life for God. It is strangling me and my family because I am not able to take care of them the way that I need to.
With that said, a friend of mine has decided to partake in an experiment. The 50's housewife experiment. Sounded interesting to me and so I talked to her about it and found out that it's about taking the time to put our husband's and our children first because as stay at home wives and mothers it is our job.
The more I thought about it the more I realized that my husband and my kids could benefit from this. They deserve to be taken care of and I could be good at that. I am always saying that it is my calling, my passion, yet I don't do it. My house is in a state of disarray. My kids are spiraling out of control. I take for granted that my husband loves me. See what living in fear has done?
I have been on a journey to find the me that I lost for a long time now. I think that getting on board with this experiment might just help me find my way. Once my household is in order and I am living in joy I will be able to do more. I will be able to listen to God and follow the next set of directions. I will be prepared to walk through the doors that He will open for me.
I am looking forward to it.
Interested?
You can find the 50's Housewife Experiment on her blog:
http://fortheloveof4.blogspot.com/p/50s-housewife-experiment.html

I will keep a record of this experiment right here on my blog :)

Reflections

2010-12-27T07:44:00.000-08:00

So it's the last week of the old year and the week before the new year.It's a time that we reflect on what we did and what we didn't do. It is a time that we think about new goal, resolutions, change...
CHANGE
The new year offers a starting point for this. It is a new year filled with new possibilities and challenges. A New Year...
The thing is each day God offers us new mercies. Each day He wipes the slate clean and allows us a do over. Each moment offers the opportunity to meet Jesus. To spend time getting to know our Savior. To find what is missing. With every breath that we take we have the opportunity to change. We can change our minds, our hearts, our perspectives. We can change our look, our location, our careers.
We have the ability to change constantly.
We do not need to wait until the 1st day of a new year to change.
All we need is to realize that we can not do it alone. We need Him. Believe it or not, we do. He gives us the choice to believe or not. He lets us choose whether or not we will follow. He loves us and we break his heart day in and day out, but He is always here. He is always watching and waiting and forgiving...
God never changes.
Never.
He loves us and He is waiting for us and He made a way for us to find Him. He sent His son. The only way to heal the world was to sacrifice His son for us.
As we celebrate the season it is important to realize that He is still waiting for us.
God came here. He became one of us. He knows what it is to be one of us and He still believes that we have worth.
Isn't that enough reason to want to change?
God came here. He became one of us. He loves us and believes that we have worth.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

During this last week of 2010 I will be cleaning my home and spending time with my kids, but I will also be preparing my heart to hear God.
2011 is just around the corner and I want to start it with a new spirit. A spirit of love, joy, hope. A spirit of change. A spirit of living the life that I am meant to live and taking the steps to achieve that.

What does the new year represent to you?

2011 is around the corner...

2010-12-21T09:15:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've been on my blog. Things have been a little upside down in my world and I am really looking forward to the new year! I am enjoying spending this week preparing for Christmas with my family. I am spending a lot of time with the kids shopping and baking and reading together. I didn't realize how much I missed them since they are both in school and I am no longer homeschooling. This time with them is a blessing and I don't have the words to express how wonderful my husband is for working so hard and accepting the sacrifices that we have to make so that I can be a stay at home mom.

With that said I think that it's about time that I start to show him how much I appreciate what he does. I think that it's time that I start living in a way that would bring joy to him and to my kids.

I have recently started to follow a blog about getting back to biblical womanhood. The button above links to her blog. I find her thoughts and goals enlightening.

A friend of mine is starting a 50's housewife experiment. I think that I am going to join her.

It's time to start living what I preach. I am a Christ follower and God has laid out his plans for me in His word.

I am looking forward to 2011. It's going to be a good year. A year that I grow closer to God, to my family and to my friends. It's going to be a year that I start to really let me shine through and stop being afraid of everything. I have let myself live in fear for to long. I am going to start living in the freedom that Christ has given me. I am going to be the woman that I was made to be and I am going to let that light shine for all of the world to see. I am going to love myself, my friends and family not only in words and thoughts but in action.

Right now I am off to spend some one on one time with my son :) And then it's home to bake some more cookies for the cookie party tomorrow.

It's really a great week, inspite of the rain, and I am really looking forward to every week to come.

Merry Christmas to all of you and have a Blessed New Year!

TGIF!!

2010-11-05T22:25:00.000-07:00

Today I will share 3 things that I am thankful for. It's Friday and the chances of me being anywhere near my computer this weekend are, well, slim. So instead of getting behind, I will work ahead a little :)

I am thankful for my dogs. They know when I am sad and just need to be close to someone. Fancy is a collie mix that we rescued from an animal shelter 11 years ago. She's my girl. She is always close by me and until recently she used to jump up on the bed and force her way between me and my hubby. That is how she woke us up every morning :) Now she doesn't jump, but she still sleeps next to the bed. She alternates sides each night. I think that's really cute :) Gracie is our beagle. We rescued her from an animal shelter TWICE. I'm being honest here. The first time was about 4 years ago after our cat passed away. We went to the animal shelter with the kids, just to look, so that we could ease the pain of losing our friend. We met the pudgiest brown and white beagle that I have ever seen. The kids named her Gracie. She went home with us. The second time was after my mom saw her mug shot on the website for lost dogs. She decided to go on an adventure last year and walked out the front door after the kids went running out and didn't check to make sure it was closed. We looked and looked for her and I was sure that she was lost for good. We started looking at the web page daily, and she showed up there on New Year's Eve :) What a way to start the new year! She had to spend a long holiday weekend in the shelter because it was closed, but after those long 3 days we were able to go and bring her home.

I am thankful for the ability to praise and worship God freely without the threat of prosecution and/or death.
That's a big one for me. I've been thinking about it a lot and as I prepare my heart to study His word my deeply, I realized that the prophets and the disciples did not live their lives free from this. They lived and ministered and shared the love of God in the midst of their suffering.
I've been thinking a lot about how I don't talk much about my faith and I don't really "live out loud" for fear of offending someone. That's not what God wants from me and I really need to focus on living my life fully and completely for Him. I am hoping that 2011 will be filled with opportunities to draw closer to Him and to be His hands and feet in my community, in my city, in my state, in my country, in the world. I want to be closer to Him and I want to live a life that shows that. I can not let His light shine if I never go out and show it off :)

I am thankful for quality time spent with my family. We went to a Wrangler's hockey game tonight. As much as I would have loved to stay home and watch a movie by myself, I was blessed to spend an evening with my family- my kids, my husband, his father and my step-dad. It was really fun and I am glad that I went. Tomorrow we are headed to the dirt track to watch some races. Personally, I think that the couch and a movie sound a lot more enticing, but it's about spending quality time with the family, so I am going to the races like it or not! Sunday should be quiet. Football, cooking, a bit of cleaning and some hopefully some scrapbooking.

Enjoy your weekend, my friends. I will meet you back here on Monday ;)

11-4-2010

2010-11-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been a long time since I've posted! Imagine my surprise when I realized that I have reached 100 followers!!!
Thanks so much to those of you that follow my ramblings. It's nice to know that you are out there.
So it's November already. Another Wow!
Halloween was great. The kids loved their costumes and we have enough candy in the house to last us until next Halloween :)
My shopping expo was a blast! I had so much fun meeting new people and showing off my cards. I would really like to make a go of turning my hobby into a business, but I have decided that I am going to pray on it daily for the next 30 days and see where God leads me.
God's guidance in my life and in my decisions is very important to me and I've realized that I have been failing to take the time to listen to Him. I've failed to take the time to read His word or even just to be still!
This month kicks off the holiday season. My favorite time of year. Somehow I feel that if I don't stop and purposefully take time to reflect that I am going to wake up sometime mid-January and wonder why I didn't take the time to breathe!
This is the time of year that we take stock in our lives. We need to look closely at those things that we are most thankful for. In the midst of struggles and strife we can still find things to be thankful for.
I am going to jump on the bandwagon here and make a list of 25 things that I am thankful for and I will share one each day with you. Since I am 3 days behind, today you get blessed with 4:

I am thankful that God's mercies are new each day. That the morning sunshine greats me with a glow and a warmth that lets me know that He is with me and that I have another day to live in his amazing love.

I am thankful for my husband's love. He is steady and unwavering. I have experienced a lot of hurt, a lot of rejection, a lot of abandonment in my life and I fully believed that I didn't deserve to be loved completely. My husband has spent the last 11 years proving to me that I am!

I am thankful for the 2 healthy, smart and beautiful children that I have. I am in awe each day that I was given the chance to watch these two amazing people grow and to help guide them through the obstacles of life. I am amazed that these 2 beautiful people were formed inside of me. If I do nothing else with my life, the fact that I was used to bring them into this world makes my life a success.

I am thankful for my mom. She is my hero. She is my best friend. My mom and I have been through a lot in my lifetime and now we have the chance to share my adult life as not only mother and daughter, but as friend. My mom has always believed in me and has always been there for me. She is my safe place. She recently moved out here to Vegas so that she could be close to me and my family. Life if Vegas was not easy for me for the first 4 years we were here, but now that she and my step-dad are here I no longer feel like there is something missing. I can be happy here now :)

Happy Thursday, my friends!

10-27-2010

2010-10-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

@HndCrftdByHeart

That's my username for my new twitter page. It's for my cards. If you are interested in following me on twitter that's what you need to look up.

My hubby's dad arrived yesterday. The kids were so happy to see him and we did a mad rearrangement of the bedrooms!! It worked out but there is a lot of cleaning to do since all of my son's belongings are now dumped into our family room :) I'm exhausted and I am starting to stress out about being ready for the expo....
But- I have this really great friend that is supporting me and reminding me that I am ready. One thing that I did do today is buy candy. Chocolate therapy :) Actually it is for trick or treat at home and at the expo. I get to go shopping tomorrow for some table displays...
Some things just rock!

My friend and I are doing iBloom's 40 day challenge to a better you. Today I had to list what's good, what's bad, and what I want to be in a year. It was an interesting exercise. I am looking forward to seeing what comes of it.

I am so tired now so I am off to bed. I just got done baking cookies for the kids. They are both having little holiday parties at school tomorrow and then they are off for a 5 day weekend. I wish I could have a 5 day weekend :) I get a little frustrated that my day starts at 5:30 in the morning and doesn't end until I go to bed at 11:00. I don't think that my husband understands that somedays I really wish I had the ability to punch in and out of my work and then relax. As he is sitting on the couch watch baseball I was cleaning the dinner table, baking cookies and trying to get the kids to brush their teeth! I think that my inner toddler comes out when I am tired...I love my life and I love being a stay at home mom. Most days I do get a little time to myself, today just wasn't one of them :)

Tomorrow morning I get to spend some time with a friend and then it is home to finish cleaning up the living room, family room and dishes!!! I am determined that I will not let my to do list overwhelm me and I will succeed in doing what I say I am going to do!

10-25-2010

2010-10-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

After this crazy weekend, I so wish that I could take today to regroup! But as it is , I have to get busy making more cards and getting ready for my first expo on Saturday. I am so nervous that I won't succeed, but I know that it is all on God's hands.
I had a great weekend though.
My mom went back east for a couple of weeks to see my grandma. I so wish that I could have gone too, but with Halloween and the expo I just couldn't get away. I miss home a lot sometimes, but Vegas is starting to feel like home. Especially since my mom and stepdad have moved out here.
The kids are so excited about Halloween. This is the first year that they get to participate in all of the school activities with their friends. It's not like the homeschool group that we were in didn't have a rockin' halloween party, it's just "school" now. They had a blast at the Halloween Howl on Friday night! It was great to see them running around with their friends. Zach is adjusting really well and has a group of friends that he loves. Mackenzie is doing really well in 5th grade, although we do have our daily girl drama! Wow, I can't believe how mean girls can be, but I do remember going through it too!
My hubby has been sick and now it looks like he's got walking pneumonia. Just what we needed, but it used to be a yearly thing with him and it's been about 5 years since he's been sick so we are blessed. The weather has been so damp here for the last week or 2. It's very unusual.

With all of the hullabaloo I've found myself consumed with things to do and not paying attention to what helps make the best me. I need to find my way back to daily bible reading, weekly bible studies, flylady and intentional planning. I am a better me when I am working toward being the person that God wants me to be.
With that said, I have to go but I will leave you with music:

10-19-2010

2010-10-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

Wow! We just had the most amazing thunder and lightning storm here. I love to listen to the rain, but that lightning seemed really close tonight....it's over now though. I am loving the fact that I get to listen to the cars driving on the wet roads. It reminds me of when I was a kid living on Middle Ave. in Elyria, OH. I used to love to listen to all of the traffic as I was falling asleep.
Anywho-
I was sick over the weekend and not able to computer much. Oh, how I missed you all!
I wanted to touch base and to let you know that I am busy, busy busy getting ready for my first shopping expo. I am really proud of the cards that I am making and am so thankful for the help of a really great friend. She is helping me keep my head on straight and not get overwhelmed. I am very thankful for that.
I am on my way to find my pillow right now but wanted to tell you all that I won a wonderful giveaway recently and will post all about it tomorrow when I can also post a picture :)
Goodnight all!

10-14-2010

2010-10-14T08:57:00.000-07:00

I did a bit of blog hopping today. I wish I had more time to do it actually, but sitting in this chair is painful today and I have some other things that are really needing my attention. I'll be back this evening reading all of your awesome blogs and maybe even adding my 2 cents a time or two :)Enjoy your day!

10-13-10

2010-10-13T14:21:00.000-07:00

Today is a blah day.
I have so much that needs to get done and no motivation to do it. What I am going to do is go into the kitchen and make brownies for my little guy. He had an IEP meeting at school today for his speech services and I was able to talk to his teacher for a minute. I was told what a great, well adjusted, smart and capable young boy I have. A little exciteable at times, but always follows directions and is a very hard worker.
That kid of review deserves brownies!
Tomorrow is bible study in the morning. I am really looking forward to it. Then I will be back here tomorrow afternoon! I will finish the about me and PR Friendly pages, I will post new card pics and maybe even some pics of my little cub scout!
I guess all I really wanted to do is to stop in and say Hi!
Oh, and leave a little music too!

Don't mind the dust...

2010-10-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

I am rebuilding this page and becoming PR Friendly. It's going to take some time because I am also trying to get all of my cards done for the expo at the end of the month!
I know that the new tabs lead to blank pages. They will be done soon. I promise!
Want to hear some exciting news?
My cards at HandCrafted By Heart have been officially reviewed for the first time and there is a giveaway in progress!! Cool, huh? I am getting cards ready to send out for another review soon. They will be postal on Friday!!!
Check out the review and enter the giveaway!!!

My weekend thoughts and Monday Hops!

2010-10-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

My weekend was a whirlwind of cooking and cleaning and cooking and cleaning...and I enjoyed every last minute of it. That is except for spat that my hubby and I got into. That wasn't so much fun, but it did prove to be a learning experience for me. Not to say that it couldn't have been handled in a better manner, but saying that I am more aware of some things now and can work to improve what is mine to improve.

With that said I will happily start my week off doing some intentional planning. I think the key to a happy successful home, at least my home, is to have a schedule and stick to it the best we can. I think that we've really been lacking in that and I can see that it hasn't been a good thing. I've always played with the idea of doing chore charts for the kids, or posting the monthly/weekly menus on the fridge but I've never followed through with that . I think that God pointed out to me in a big way this weekend that it is very important to follow through with those items, to create a schedule for myself and follow through with that too! I think the key words here are FOLLOW THROUGH.

My role as a no longer homeschooling stay at home mother is something that I am still working out, but I know now that I can't just run my life with the "fly by the seat of my pants" attitude. It's putting a lot of stress on me and my family.

I've added a few new responsibilities to my life and I have let my responsibilities to my family sort of fall to the wayside and that caught up with me this weekend. So, a new week deserves a new plan, a new schedule (that I will not rebel against!) and a new attitude :)

It also deserves to start with some amazing blog hops to help us all get to know each other a little better and say hello to some of our blogging neighbors!

Faboulous Friday

2010-10-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!
It's Friday!!! The kids have a day off of school and if one of them wasn't sick I would love to go see all of the fun fall festivals that are going on this weekend. But, alas, I will be doing no such thing. I will be spending the day at home with the kiddos. I think we will be making homemade fries, got a great recipe from a fellow blogger! Maybe I can get them settled down to watch a movie. Maybe I can get some cards made. That would be awesome!!!!
So what are your plans for this FABULOUS FRIDAY?
If you are looking for a new blog to follow or maybe looking for some new followers of your own check out this blog hop!

Have a great weekend!

Check out this awesome giveaway!

2010-10-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

http://publixcouponqueen.blogspot.com/2010/10/bayberry-lace-review-giveaway.html#comment-form

Just had to share! This is an awesome giveaway. You should go check it out!!!
I just got done daydreaming at the Bayberry Lace site and I have a feeling that I will be doing some christmas shopping there!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/barberryandlace

This for That 10/7

2010-10-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

I love this fall weather. It's hard to believe that it was 100 degrees last week. Wow, what a difference.
As the seasons change so starts my daughter's allergies. Never fun. Usually leads to bronchitis. So she is home sick for the second time this week because I can not send her to school with this cough.
My plans for the day were blown out of the water, but that 's what being a mother is all about really. I love the fact that I have the opportunity to be here to take care of my kids without a lot of stress. I am missing my bible study, yes, but I am not in danger of losing my job for missing work. I've been in that situation before and it's not easy.
I am blessed to have a loving husband that wants me to be home with the kids. If it was completely up to him I would still be homeschooling, but as the children grow we need to grow with them. They both chose to go to public school this year. My daughter is looking forward to middle school next year (if it's anything like when I was in jr. high though it will be a rude awakening for her LOL!).
I am blessed that as we face the end of this week and the beginning of another all of our needs will be met.
I am blessed with the opportunity to explore my dreams.

It's a beautiful fall day. Instead of looking at and listing all of the obsticles that are in the way, take a minute and list your blessings. They are there, in any circumstance. Then take a moment and breathe. Say a prayer for strength, grace and to give thanks. And then tackle your to-do list knowing that you are loved, protected and never alone.

For me, my project for the day is keeping the laundry in constant motion, I need to clean and move three bookshelves and I would like to get at least a few loads of dishes done. This is hard for me on a normal day. Add in my sick daughter and I will settle for a few loads of laundry getting done! Everything else can wait.

Have a great day, my friends.

This for That 10/6

2010-10-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

Real quick, this is an awesome way to grow your blog and to help other out at the same time. I just entered some awesome giveaways that I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

Take a look!

It's a Blog Party!

2010-10-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.frommytinykitchen.blogspot.com/

It's a blog party and it's all about your accomplishments! So, what are you proud of? Shout it out! Join the party and spread the word!

I am proud of the writing that I do on this blog. I know that it's just my random thoughts and sometimes it's my crazy rants, but it is helping me learn more about myself on a daily basis. It is also helping me look at my life, and the world for that matter, as a place to discover new stories to share.
I think it really is the sharing part that I am most proud of. Sometimes it's like cutting a vein and bleeding onto the keyboard, but I am learning that I need to be honest here. I need to share all of my feelings, my insights, my reactions or else it is not worth it.
I view this blog as an extension of who I am and I am proud of that!
I am also very proud of the cards that I have been making and of the courage that it is taking to actually take that leap and turn it into something more for me and for my family. I fear the risk of failure and rejection, but I need to push through.
(I will be spending some time this week learning the best way to photograph and post my cards. There has to be a better way than what I have been attempting!)
So there it is!
It feels great to list a couple of accomplishments!

Also, check out these great Blog Hops!

Homesick

2010-10-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

Two very good friends of mine lost their grandmothers recently.
My heart breaks for them.
Just recently a friend of mine lost her nephew.
My heart breaks for her.
A fellow blogger's husband is fighting for his life and she is fighting to gain perspective.
My heart breaks for her.

I really don't have any words.
I know how loss feels. I know the emptiness and the regret.
I try to focus on the truth that as believers in Christ we are headed to a better place. Our time here is short, but we do make a difference. Each one of us has touched the life of someone. Each one of us has left a mark on one or on many people. Sometimes we know it and sometimes we are unaware.
As our hearts break, we need to lean into God. He is there to comfort us. He has promised us a better place. No pain, no tears. Only joy and thanksgiving.

To those that have hearts breaking right now, know that I am praying, always praying, for God to grant you peace.

Toot Your Horn Tuesday

2010-10-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday!This little blog hop is new to me so I thought that I would share it with you. Why is my text underlined, you ask? I don't know. Can't seem to fix it right now . Sorry :( What is is that you want to toot your horn about? Me? I am thinking about participating in my first shopping expo, am finally about ready to launch my website and am really trying to organize my life! A friend and I are working to support each other in this quest and it is great to have an accountability partner. I have big plans for the way that I want to live my life and I really feel that I am finally letting go and letting God lead me in the direction that He wants me to go. I know that it won't always be easy, but it will be worth it.

Monday's "plan"

2010-10-04T14:03:00.000-07:00

It started with a plan.
I really was going to start this week with a plan and stick to it!
What happened was...
My back is really hurting and today didn't go the way I planned.
That's okay though.
I will start tomorrow with a plan :)
As far as today is concerned...I got some dishes done, argued with the towels in my dryer that were refusing to dry, at a great salad for lunch and read a little of my book before I sat down here to update my post.
I feel a plan hatching....
A friend and I are working with The Intentional Planner and I think that if used properly it will really help me. Team that up with the FlyLady routines and I think that I will finally be able to say goodbye to some of the chaos that controls my life right now :)
I will be cleaning out the hall closet tomorrow and will most likely clean off and move 2 if not 3 of my bookshelves...I have picture in my head of what I want my work space to look like so that I will start using it!
I've been working on a lot of things in my life and the way I see it all I can really do is try to do at least one thing better than I did it yesterday. I can build on that :)

10-1-2010

2010-10-01T14:55:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry that I haven't updated this blog in a few days. I've actually been trying to decide what direction that I would like to take it in. There have been so many changes in my life over the past year and it's a little overwhelming at times.
I love doing this blog and I am so happy to see growth of followers. I am hoping that in time the Handcrafted By Heart page will also see it's fair share of followers. I love what I do and I love sharing it with you. If I can turn that into a profitable business for my family and I than more power to it.
I've had a lot to say about a lot of things but today I really want to point out the obvious. Two things that I've learned over the last couple of months is that 1) it is so important to share your life with friends and 2) it is also very important to few yourself with worth and loving.
Did you know that self-loathing is a form of pride? And we all know that pride is one of the "7 deadly sins". The thing about self-loathing is that it represents a lack of pride, but it is still an attack on God. YEP, I said it.
As I've been learning in this phenomenal bible study that I am participating in, if you hate yourself you are in turn hating God. Wanna know why?
Because He loves you and Jesus is the new covenant between men and God and when we accept Christ as our savior, we are taking up his robe and we are putting Him on. We are one with Him and what happens to us happens to Him.
It's an eye opening concept if you battle the demons that I battle on a daily basis. The truth is that it is the TRUTH that will set you free! The truth that when we accept Christ as our savior we are washed clean and are now righteous and holy in the sight of God. We are joint-heirs to the throne!
Isn't that enough for you to want to hold your head up a little higher?

A lot of my prayers over the past couple of months have been for help. I believe that God has answered that prayer through the people that he places in my life and their love for me.
I have to say that I don't think I've spent a lot of my life feeling that I don't deserve the love that my friends and family have so desperately been trying to shower me with. I push them away. I close them out and I live a very lonely existence at times.
I am trying to change. I am accepting the love of others. I am accepting the help of friends and family. I am even reaching out and asking for help when it's needed. I am not living in isolation and I am welcoming the friends that I have pushed away back into my life and letting them see me for who I really am.
It's a humbling experience and one that I recommend any of you try if you are in a similar place.
God is LOVE.
He loves us.
He sends people and angels to love and protect us.
To me, He is truly amazing!!!

New Cards!

2010-09-27T15:51:00.001-07:00

I just added some more cards to my other blog. Come take a look :)
If you'd like to be in the know...grab my button and follow my sister blog page:

Handcrafted By Heart

9-27-2010

2010-09-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!It's a new week and the start of new habits! Today I woke up and spent time with my husband. I made his breakfast and packed his lunch. These are things that normally do not do, but we are both starting the South Beach Diet, and in order for him to follow it I need to be proactive in getting him pointed in the right direction!I know, The South Beach Diet is just another book with just another diet plan in it. But for us, it works and it was created by a cardiologist for his patients so it is heart healthy and that is something that we are both looking for.It is time for both of us to get out of the poor, poor pitiful me frame of mind and start really living in the blessings that God has provided for us. There is no other way to say it. When you live a life of being addicted to fast food and tv shows, you are not living a very healthy life or a giving a very positive example to your kids. Unfortunately, that it what has been happening in my home and with my life and I feel that it's time to change that. To be honest with you, over the past couple of months we have made some changes, but nothing consistent and we fall easily back into the same habits. So today we start fresh! Today we start eating right and adding a little more activity to our schedules. This morning I walked the kids to school. That's a 1.2 mile walk for me. This afternoon my husband will do it to take our son to Cub Scouts. That's a good start.The treadmill will soon be moved from it's resting place in the garage to a location in the house that will allow us to use it!!We are on our way and I am happy about it.Today I am working on my intentional planner, a gift from a very good friend of mine. It's important that I keep my mind focused and busy so this is really going to help. I have several bible studies that I would like to participate in. It's also very important to me that I stay grounded in the word of God because I find it very easy to get lost in this world.So, enough rambling for now :) I will leave you with music. I hope that it speaks to your heart like it spoke to mine this morning:

9-25-2010

2010-09-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

I love Saturdays in the fall. I love the fact that the kids are home and that the hubby is home. I love it more because it's COLLEGE FOOTBALL day and I get to see OHIO STATE kick some butt on most occasions.
The thing about Saturday mornings that I don't like too much is the weekly power struggle in the battle to get the childrens' rooms clean. They seem to like the fight and I am looking for ways to avoid it. So about 4 hours into a job that really should only take 30 minutes both of my children ended up grounded for the day if not the whole week. Amazingly enough the bedrooms are clean, my daughter helped clean up around the whole house and she sat down and read the Student Control Journal by Flylady. My son...well he got his room cleaned and after about an hour of crying to the point of almost getting sick that's says a lot.
As my kids get older and now that they are both in school and not home schooled, I am seeing the importance of taking a day to spend with just each other. I just told my daughter this and got the response of a slamming door so I guess it went over well. I'm too tired to run after her...she's 10 and thinks that she knows best. What the heck is it going to be like when she's a teenager? I figure that she better get to like spending time in her room because she won't be coming out much unless she learns to control her mouth. Oh well...I'm glad that she has friends, but I just need my family together under on roof with no one else running in and out of the house for one day...that's all I am asking.
I am cleaning my craft desk. This is a project that is going on it's 2nd day, but there is progress :)
I can see the floor again and a bit of the desk itself. I can't wait until I get a chance to clean out the hall closet and turn it into a supply room :) It's a small space, but I will be able to put it to better use than holding the coats and shoes that can go into our individual closets or even out into the garage...my crafts are taking over the house and I like it ;)
As this day rounds into evening my kids are off somewhere pouting, my husband is watching football and I am here updating my blog I am happy. Happy to be at home, happy to be home with my family. I'm going back out to keep working on my desk. Maybe I will be able to get a few cards done and think about actually scrapbooking pages...I am so behind!
I leave you with....music.

It's a Social Parade!

2010-09-24T11:28:00.000-07:00

You all know that I love to blog hop so since I am taking few minutes before I go for round to of cleaning this house, and yes I am really trying to stay focussed and joyful, I thought that I would check out some new blogs. Of course, I love know that people are reading and following my musings. It makes me feel connected! Anywho-click the link and have fun meeting new bloggers!
I'm off to reclaim my craft space and then to tackle some dishes!!!

I thought today I would be better...I was wrong.

2010-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

David Hasselhoff said something similar to that in his practice session for Dancing with the Stars. I am not quoting him, because I may have it wrong, but it's the same in the sense that I remembered it and thought about using it as my facebook status. It's really how I feel most mornings, even on Friday!I'm cleaning today. Lots of fun, but it needs to be done and I need to get on a schedule. I am so not going to let life beat me down today. As you can tell I am not in a good mood so blogging is probably not in the best interest of anyone :) This blog is about finding joy, not listening to me gripe. What I will share with you is that in the midst if this chaos I am hanging onto the promises of God. I know that He is always with me and that with Him I can make it through this. One thing that I know is that He has been teaching me many lessons over the last couple of months and through those lessons I can see the light at the end of my chaos. There is hope and there is change and there is renewal. There really is and the thing is I didn't create this mess overnight I can't expect to wake up in the morning and everything be fixed and perfect. It's going to take time and it's going to take discipline. The angel told Mary that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. I am hanging on that truth.If you are feeling similarly frustrated, maybe you can take the next 4 minutes and listen to this perspective changing song. Let God speak new life into your thoughts and remember that no matter the circumstance this is our temporary home and the future holds so much more than we can imagine.

Button, Button, Who has my button?

2010-09-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

Here is my new button!!! Thanks to my friend Claudia I have a beautiful new blog page to highlight my card creations. Did I mention that any and all of the cards posted are available to purchase if desired? Contact me for details on pricing. I am working at linking a webpage or maybe an etsy store to my blog also...but for now we will do it this way :)

Follow me on my new page for all of the latest updates. The first 25 followers will have a chance to win a free set of Christmas cards or Anytime cards, your choice! The winner will be picked randomly and will be contacted by email so make sure to leave your contact information in the comment section when you follow!!!

9-23-2010

2010-09-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

I've been blog hopping today :) It's so much fun and I love being back in the swing of things.
I am also trying to get traffic to both of my blog pages, yes I now have 2!
Finding Peace In Vegas is all about my personal journey. I have been loving the me I am finding as I take the time to write about my feelings and my experiences. I love the fact that I can put my thoughts out here and I really constructive feedback. It's like having built in accountablility partners...which I so need!Anywho- I am starting out on a new venture and to tell you the truth I think that I am making it harder on myself than it should be. I love the cards that I am making and I am putting a lot of time and love into them. I know that I would never try to sell a product that I wouldn't use myself so I know that the cards that I am putting out there are quality. The thing is I will never know if I will succeed unless I try....as we are working on creating the blog page and the button here is the link: http://handcraftedbyheart.blogspot.com/What does the future hold for Finding Joy in Vegas? Well first....a giveaway!!! Once I get to 100 followers I think a giveaway is in order! We need to celebrate! So spread the word, pass my buttons along and let's see what happens!

I'm Back!!!

2010-09-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been forever since I've had a minute to sit down and take a look at all of the wonderful blogs that I follow or even to update my own. I've been crazy busy and just trying to get adjusted to my new schedule. One would think that with having both kids in school now that I would have all the time I need to get things done...not true! It is starting to get better though...I am trying to put myself on a schedule and get into a new routine.
What's new with me, you ask?
-We've been going to church on a more regular basis and I am really trying to slow down and listen to what God is whispering to me. It's not easy and I am so good at being lazy, but I am trying :)
-We started attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. It was a gift from my dad in hopes that we might learn something. I am so thankful for this gift. We are two weeks into it and we are learning A LOT!!! At first, I was so excited and then came home and looked at our situation and began to get discouraged...then week 2 came and I was excited again! Then I sat down with a friend of mine and realized that I can work the plan! Things are not as bleak as they seem. It's just going to take a little bit of time and A LOT of discipline, but we can do it!!
-I started attending the women's bible study at church on Thursday. This was a HUGE step for me and I was really uncomfortable, but I went and am looking forward to going back tomorrow.

Here's some BIG news:
I am going to start a separate blog to sell my handmade cards on until I get my website up and running! I will have this done (hopefully) today and will definitely link it to this page! If you are in the market for handmade cards, especially with the holidays coming up, please take a look.

Okay- well I must get working on the new blog and get the laundry switched. It feels so good to be back at this keyboard updating this page. It feels like catching up with old friends!

Thursday Thoughts

2010-08-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

Blog Hopping Thursday! Gotta love it! As soon as my world settles back into normal I am sure that I will love reading all of the blogs that I follow and discovering my new and terrific blogs.
Blog hopping is a great way to make new bloggy friends and to grow your followers.

With that said, I've been on the go for that last 2 weeks with hardly a second to compose a thought. I am finding that I happen to think of a great thing to write about when I am about 50 miles from the computer! I never seem to remember what they are when I am sitting here but that will change :)
Here's my thought for tonight: Are you hiding your faith due to fear? Fear of what others will think. Fear of what others might say. Are you afraid to speak up for fear of being rejected? Are you afraid to speak up for fear of losing a friend?
I was driving home from my mom's last night and a song came on the radio about how this life is to short and goes by too fast to be paralyzed by fear. We all need to take a step forward and live our faith out loud. The world is bound to shun us but we knew that would happen, right?
What an amazingly big thought that is. As I was driving down the road in my husband's '89 mustang convertible with the top down, the wind blowing my hair, and the stars above my head (yeah, I was having a great time and thought that the ride home went way too quickly) I heard that song and everything felt so much bigger too me.
Fear is a horrible thing to be frozen by (I should know, I've been living the life of a popsicle lately), but the fear of living in your faith is something altogether worse.
It's something that made me think.
Goodnight my friends.

This for That Linky

2010-08-24T11:16:00.001-07:00

Okay, this is just awesome so I had to share. Click on the link and start helping other while receiving help from others! Add you site to the linky list and then help out the 3 people above you. It's as easy as that, and I discovered 3 awesome new blogs today that I am looking forward to reading :)

Happy Birthday Doodlebug!!!!!

2010-08-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

Today my little doodlebug is 8 years old!
I am so proud of everything this little guy has done in those years. The fears that he's overcome and the work that he's done in speech and reading. He is truly amazing to me and I love him so very much!!!
As I watch him grow, and I am completely overwhelmed with how quickly this happens, I know without a shadow of a doubt that this little boy will grow up to do great things! He's got such an amazing heart and is so compassionate to the needs of others. He has a servant's heart. He is also an artist. He loves to draw and be creative with shapes and colors. He is in love with cooking and often talks of opening his own restaurant. He loves music and dance and dreams of auditioning for America's Got Talent when he's older :)
He's a little guy so full of life.
Happy Birthday Zach! We love you bunches and bunches!

No Cleaning Thursday!

2010-08-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Was I supposed to be cleaning today? Well, I've made a decision to boycott the thought! I've been way too stressed out about it and the fact is that I am really not going to be able to do what I want to do in my house until my little munchkins are out from under foot! A friend of mine said something about hating that the kids have to go back to school but needing to get back to some sort of schedule...I'm right there with you!!!
So, I am going to take the kiddos to get something to eat and then we are going to hang out with my dad today. Maybe even do some back to school shopping!

Don't forget to go blog hopping, meet some new bloggy friends, and follow my blog if you haven't clicked the button yet :) I'm also linked up to facebook so you can add me as a network friend too! I would love to grow this blog and my soon to be sister blog and I need all of your help to spread the word.
Once I hit 100 followers I would like to team up with someone and host a blog hop!
Once I hit 200 followers I am going to have start giveaways!
I have big plans for this little blog. I want to see it grow and grow :)

Have a great day!

It's really Thursday already????

2010-08-18T22:06:00.000-07:00

Early to bed, Early to rise....I have so much to get done in the morning and I am already feeling like I will settle with getting the dishes done and the living room vacuumed. If I can get my kids to help, then maybe we can throw in getting the kitchen floor mopped and the patio door cleaned, but that's a long shot. As my children are quietly and snugly tucked into their beds, I am thankful that there is not a sleepover happening at my house this evening. My children decided to make a united stand in the attempt to make my head explode and by the way that it is pounding I would say that they almost succeeded. I am grateful for the opportunity to go in and watch them sleep and kiss their cheeks and let all of the days anxiety just melt away. Otherwise I would probably be thinking of dastardly things that I could make them do as consequences for today's behavior. At this moment, I can release all of my frustration and remember how much I do love them while the house is filled with the sounds of Debussy's Claire De Lune. I love the nighttime music that fills the house and then before I go to sleep we put on the ocean sounds or a thunderstorm and it's a perfect way to slip into sleep.Tomorrow is another day and I will not be as stressed because I now know that it is their goal to make me lose my sanity for the next week and a half. I now know that all I have to do is bide my time and they will be back in school and I will be free to clean my home without the little clutter monsters biting at my heals! Tomorrow starts the birthday weekend and back to school shopping. If I survive, I will only be 4 days away from our stay-cation! September should be a quiet month and then rolls in October....by Halloween I am sure the my husband's dad will be here and then it will be the start of the holidays and all the hustle and bustle that goes with it!Speaking of holidays...keep me in mind if you want to send out handmade cards to all of your friends and loved ones. I would love to make them for you. I am thinking about offering sets of $15 for $15. That's just a dollar a card :) The website should be up and linked to this blog by the middle of September....Anywho, I am off to sleep. Have a great Thursday!

Calgon, take me away!

2010-08-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

No matter how many times you tell them, my children will:

1) Always throw their clothes on the floor and never put their clothes in the hamper. I went into the laundry room this morning, step on a bunch of clothes that my kids threw in there and then looked into the empty laundry hamper...
2) Never put a new garbage bag in the can after they have pulled the old one. After many days of coming home to find that our lovely beagle has helped herself to the contents of the bag that was left on the floor next to the can, I should at least be happy that my son will now take the bag out to the garage when he pulls it out. Whether or not it makes it into the big garbage can or just onto the garage floor is always a surprise.
3) Always tell me that they picked up and then look at me like I've lost my mind when I ask them what they consider to be "picked up". My daughter is especially good at leaving things where they fall and calling that put away...the floor is an unlimited source of storage for her regardless of what kind of obstacle course it becomes for the rest of us.

Let's see...what else do I love?
* Folded clothes in the dirty clothes (that are laying on the floor in various rooms of the house).
* Being ignored when I am 100% positive that I am talking. It's like that question of whether or not a tree that falls in the forest makes any sound...
* Knowing that if I close my door to get a few moments of peace or the chance to put my thoughts down in this blog that my door will then become the beating post for the whole house, the hallway in front of my room because Grand Central Station with everyone speaking loud enough so that I won't miss any of the action, and all of a sudden I am the most needed person in the world!

So now I am decompressed a bit. Thanks! I need to go refocus my children on their efforts to pick up and put away their things. I have a feeling that they have once again forgot their mission and that I am once again going to have to remind them that amnesia is not acceptable if you think that we are going to be having anymore sleepovers or birthday parties in this house!!!

Welcome Wednesday

2010-08-17T22:53:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd post the blog hop before I go to bed :) Seeing that I have a really busy day, actually a really busy 7 days, coming up I thought that I would get a jump on the hopping!I am really do love to hop! I find myself learning something new everyday and am really amazed at the awesome stories and experiences that people in the blogging world share. It's truly and honor and a pleasure to be part of it with you all :)

Happy Tuesday!

2010-08-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday!!!!!
I am on my way out the door to go scrapbook at a friend's house. I am really looking forward to this. I have decided to make an 8x8 book of 4th of July :) Since I've really been focusing on making cards I haven't done pages in a while. I am SO behind in all of my personal scrapbooking projects, but I know that the kids will be back in school in just over a week and then I will have a little more peace and time!
I am still working on finding the perfect name for my little business. I will let you all know what I think of one. Right now I am working on designing and creating enough cards so that I have enough inventory to launch my website and handle doing craft shows and shopping expos. Have I shared with you all how excited about this new adventure I am????
My son's birthday is just around the corner so I need to survive the birthday party. After that it's clear sailing for me for a while! My husband will be on vacation the first week of school! I know that 's a little unorthodox, but we haven't had any "just us" time in a long time. I am really looking forward to it. A trip to the Strip, some ice cream at Serendipity 3, going to the movies....it's going to be a lot of fun, plus we get to spend the evenings with the kids. It's a "stay- cation" that I'm really looking forward too!
Okay- I'm off to get packed up to go.
I am looking forward to blog hopping in the quiet moments of the evening :) I know those don't happen very often, but with getting the kids to bed at school night times, it should be more frequent now!

Monday, Monday....

2010-08-16T09:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! What an awesome birthday week I had last week! I am blessed by good friends and a great family. I really couldn't ask for more.
So, while facing the start of another year I've been asking myself what I am going to do with it...
For a minute I think that I had a poor poor pitiful me party, but then I really got to thinking and I am excited about the possibilities. With that said, I've made a few goals for myself:
1) A Healthy Lifestyle: This is always on my list, but I really feel that if I am going to make a change it is going to be now. It's more of a "we" situation, but I know that I have to set the pace and the example. I don't like that fact, but it's true. We are about to dust off our walking shoes and get more active!
2) A Clean and Organized Home: Yeah, that one is always on the list too, but with both kids heading off to school in 2 weeks, I am confident that it's an attainable goal now! I have loved my experience homeschooling and I am most definitely not saying that it's over, but for now the kids will be out of the house and I will have the time to get the things done that need to be done and I won't have the anxiety of always feeling like I should be doing something else...
3) Start My Own Business: This one is a bit tricky, but it is something that I have always wanted to do and something that I've played around with in the past. Now I feel confident that I should take this opportunity to jump in and see what happens. I have always had a passion for scrap booking and card making so I feel that it's time to share this passion with others and start selling my creations. I'm really excited about launching my website and setting up at shopping expos and craft fairs. I would love to eventually open up a traditional store that offers classes and crops :) How much fun would that be???

That should keep me busy for the year, don't you think?

Now that my birthday is over, it's time to focus on Zach's! The next 2 weeks are going to be a blur for me. So much to do! The funny thing is that I am looking forward to all of it!

Have a great Monday, friends :)

My birthday reflections...

2010-08-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

So my birthday was yesterday and it was a great day. Another year older, not sure about wiser, but I'm still here. I am spending today getting laundry done, cleaning the master bedroom and sending a lot of old clothes to the donation box. It's exciting I know, but in needs to get done and I'm plugging away at it.

You know, Landslide has always been a favorite song of mine. I love Fleetwood Mac and have always been a fan of Stevie. It's getting older that causes the lyrics to have a whole new meaning to me though. Anyway- enjoy! It's my gift to you today. I love my life and even if I am in the middle of a crisis or a meltdown, I know that I have amazing friends and loved ones that are there to help put the pieces back together. I know that I am loved by the people in my life and that means the world to me :)

Thank you to my mom for a wonderful meal that is deserving of a spot on Master Chef! Thank you to my Aunt and Uncle who send a wonderfully delicious incredible edible fruit bouquet. That you to my husband who sent me roses of all colors. Thank you to my kids who made the best cards ever! Thank you to my friends that sent their best wishes and thoughts my way.

It was an awesome day.

From the heart...

2010-08-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

This song has been on my heart for the last couple of days. One night last week when I was unable to sleep, this was going through my head even though I hadn't heard it in a very long time. I've been meaning to post and share, but with all of the who-ha happening at my house right now I don't get to do everything that I want to do. Anyway-

Someone very dear to me is going through a rough patch and there really isn't anything that I can do but pray. Maybe this is why I was led to this song. I'm not sure where you are or what you are going through, but I am sure that God knows. I am sure that He is there to catch every tear that falls. I do know that in all of his promises we were never once told that this would be easy. We were never promised easy passage through this life and it is very hard not to get defeated. It is very hard to look to the hills and believe that the God who created us, who loves us, would let us go through the sufferings that we do. The thing is He is there. He gave us FREE WILL and with that comes the ups and downs of our choices. He allows us to make our own decisions and He forgives us when we mess up. Someday we will be able to ask Him all of our questions and He will answer them. Someday we will live in a place where there is no more pain, no more suffering, no more tears. Someday we will live in the place that He has made for us in the way that we were meant to live. When I look to the hills I am always reminded that my help comes from Him in many unexpected ways. I know that the people that He has placed in my life are here for a reason and I am thankful for them. In this life I have been blessed and most of the time I am too blind to see it.

This being my birthday week and all...I am looking to celebrate! So today I am celebrating my blessings. My friends, my family and my life. I am happy, and I haven't been able to say that very much lately. I like being happy :) That being said, I know that there are a lot of people out there that are not happy right now. Joy is elusive and it's hard to even lift your head up from the pillow...know that I am praying for you and that I am thankful that you are in my life...because if you read this blog that makes you a participant in my life :) Know that God loves you, that Jesus paved the way for you and that someday we will all be without pain and with only joy. There is joy in the everyday moments if you take a minute to look and listen. There is help in our cities and our communities if you reach out and ask for it. There is love if you open you heart and let Him in.

It's easy for me living in Vegas to look to the hills. I knew we moved here for a reason! :)

What's up Monday?

2010-08-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome Monday! Let's make some new friends!

Can you believe that it was 71 degrees when I woke up this morning? I am still living in Vegas and it is August, right? What an amazing way to start the week. I've got the laundry going already. Helped my little chef make my breakfast. Blog Hopping while the kids are doing an art project at the table. I even got the papers together that I need to take to the school today to get my not so little anymore guy registered for 3rd grade.

It's going to be an amazing Monday :)

I might even get a chance to work on my cards. I've decided that I am going to focus on Christmas cards right now. I am going to make 3 designs and sell them in packs of 15, 5 of each design. I'm really excited about this and will post pictures when I've decided which 3 designs I want to use :) I need to figure out packaging and cost, but then they will be available for sale!!! I'm going to work on that today too. I need to browse the web and find the best packaging options, although I could make my own boxes and that would add to the homemade element...that is an idea! Hmm???

Mary Mary - Shackles (Praise You)

2010-08-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Monday after the rain :)

2010-08-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

What an amazing weekend I had spending time with my family! Weekends for us are usually packed with running from here to there and everywhere in between, but this weekend we just spent time together. My mom came over for dinner and a movie (if you haven't seen Grown Ups yet and you are in need of a couple laughs I recommend this silly movie). As she was leaving, the rain started coming down so we sat on the porch and waited for it to pass. Off to the east there was the most amazing picture: A rainbow coming out of the gray clouds down through the blue sky and disappearing into the most majestic, billowing white clouds over the mountains. I wish that my camera did not have dead batteries in it, I would have taken a picture.

Saturday night we waited for the rain. Although my mom said that it stormed over at her place we only had the most fantastic lightning storm. After we put the kids to bed, my husband and I sat outside until 1 in the morning watching this amazing storm all the while sitting on the porch surrounded by the calm and quiet of night.

What a way to start my birthday week!! That's right! My birthday is this week and normally I would spend a weekend celebrating it, but since it has to fall on Wednesday this year, smack dab in the middle of the week, I am claiming the WHOLE week to celebrate!!!

Soon it will be back to school and college football time...I'm looking forward to it really. The kids are bored to tears right now and I am ready to start my new adventure. I've been a stay at home mom for the majority of the last 10 years. I've been a homeschooling mom for the last 4 years. This year my kids are jumping ship and going to the local elementary school. I will be alone during the day for the first time ever...

I have dreams of finally getting and keeping my house clean. Finally following Flylady the way that I've always wanted to. I also have dreams of starting my own handmade cards business. I would love to start selling the cards that I put my heart and soul into, so I need to develop a nice website and learn about being an entrepreneur.

Mostly though, I am excited for the quiet time that I can use to focus on my relationship with Christ. I truly believe that I am better person when I am focused on Him. When I go through my day doing my best to live in a way that I know He would be proud of. When I act as His hands and feet to my friends and family.

We have finally started going to church again and I am so thankful for that. My kids are excited about going and learning the bible stories and verses. I can see their joy and how much they want to go back and I regret the time that we've spent away from the church. But, I can't undo what's been done. I can just move forward and I am so thankful for that chance.

This week is a celebration and I fully intend on enjoying every minute of it :)

So, Welcome Monday!

But- since it's still Sunday night I am off to watch Big Brother!!! It just happens to be my favorite summertime reality show. I've watched it from the start and love every season :)

So much to do...

2010-08-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

My friend is hosting this blog hop and it's great fun!

What a crazy week! I've been so busy that I haven't sat down at the computer in days. My email is stacked against me and I am ignoring my blog. Heavens, how could that happen? Well, I've been spending time with my family, my kids and my friends. Life is good.
Am I looking forward to school starting in a couple of weeks? Well, that's a double edged sword for me but...yes, a little bit. I am looking forward to cleaning a room and having it stay clean for a few hours, to being able to do the computer work that I need to get done without distractions, to being able to have a phone conversation without sounding like I live in Grand Central Station.
I am also going to miss my kids. Sending Mackenzie to school last October was hard for me, but it was what was best for her. She is doing well in school and she is looking forward to going back. Sending Zach to school, well that's a little harder, but it is what he's been working so hard for and I am happy for him. He wants to go and I want to help him to spread his wings. As much as I want to keep them home, as much as I believe in homeschooling and all of it's benefits, I also believe that I am raising my kids to make smart decisions and I need to not be afraid to let them go and grow.
This has been a good week so far. As long as I don't look at the dishes or the laundry piles I can pretend that they're not there :) But not for long. I need to get the house clean and all of the to do list done so that I will be ready for back to school shopping, my dad's visit and Zachary's birthday. My birthday is next Wednesday. Sucks for me, no "birthday weekend". I tend to celebrate birthdays for a few consecutive days. They are important to me :) Anyway, since my hubby will most likely be working I am hoping to spend my birthday doing something fun. Maybe I will grab my mom and the kids and we will go to the movies and out to lunch...that's an idea.
Today I need to catch up on my blog...I am rambling but I have lots to ramble about :) I need to find the papers I need to sign Zach up for school. I need to plot my next DMV adventure. Laundry and dishes should be thought about and then it's movie night at my mom's!!!
I think today will be a good day :)

Mingle Mondays...Good Morning, It's Monday :)

2010-08-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! Come on over to Mingle Monday and find some great new blogs. In true blog hopping fashion, you will find some terrific blogs to look through, follow and enjoy!

So, it's Monday. The weekend goes by WAY TOO FAST! I can't believe that it's August 2nd already. The kiddos will be back to school in a blink and then my new adventure begins. Since I've been homeschooling since Mackenzie got out of Kindergarten this will be the first time in 10 years that I will be alone in the house for the majority of the day! My husband is taking vacation during the first week of school so I am really looking forward to not only the help with transitioning our son to 3rd grade and the P.S., but also to spending some time with him just US! It will be awesome!

This weekend we actually got our butts in gear and went back to church. Ever get that feeling that God was waiting for you to show up? I swear, the service was made just for me and what I needed to hear that day. Everything from the music, the meditation, the sermon...it was all tailor made just for me. I wonder how many others were thinking the same thing??? Anyway, I am thankful for the jumpstart back into what we should have been doing all along. You know, we were made to live and function in a community. To be the hands and feet of Christ. I'm glad to be back in the fold and am looking forward to what's to come.

So today we spent the morning doing hair and makeup while playing a bit of Zelda. I love the time I get to spend with the kids in the mornings :) This afternoon is dishes and laundry, not so much love there...but hopefully there will be baked mac-n-cheese and homemade sugar cookies to end the day :) Yummy!

Chris Tomlin - Our God is Greater

2010-08-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

2010-07-30T09:12:00.001-07:00

Two fantastic ways to make new friends and explore new blogs!

I love to blog hop. I think that I might host one someday!

Let's Play Friday :)

2010-07-30T08:43:00.001-07:00

That's my new theme for Fridays, do you like?
I need to get better at setting my goals and sticking to them. It's something that I am working on. So, I've listed my goals for a couple days of the week and have achieved about half of them each day. Not to bad considering that I am easily distracted, but I still would like to have better results.
Today I will be playing Zelda with my son.

It's our 2nd time through the game and it's actually fun to find the things that we missed before. After that I will be beading bracelets with my daughter. This will be a challenge for me, if you know my daughter you know of what I speak, but I will give it my best shot.

I've been thinking a lot about my relationship with her:

It's challenging and not what I dreamt it would be like with my little "sweet pea", doesn't she look like such a sweet pea, but I am dealing with a very opinionated pre-teen that is nothing like me! So, I really need to spend more time with her, just us, and hope that we can develop something that will pull us through the teen years! I will make it a priority.

Anywho...

Give me a bit an will post pics of my cards. That's the only thing on my to do list before playing with my kiddos so I will get to it.

And since I shared some pics of my kids today, let me show you the flip side of each:

What can I say? They can both be angels when they want to be, but that's not the only thing they have in them :)

2010-07-29T10:48:00.000-07:00

Two more great blog hops that I just found! Amazing blogs and I loved reading them. Wow! Someday I am going to be a super blogger too!!!

Hmm....

2010-07-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here trying to think of a title for this post and well...it's not coming to me. Today is just a normal day in the scheme of things, but did you ever think that it could be so much more?
Today could be the day that changes your life. For the good or for the bad, there is a possibility that today could be anything but normal.
Just a thought.
For me, as far as I know, I am going to tackle a pile of laundry. I know I say that everyday, but everyday there is a new mountain that needs attention.
I am also going to clean my desk off so that I can take pictures of my cards and post them. TODAY. Yes, I have been promising this for a while but I will do it today. I am hoping that you will all comment and let me know how you like them and if you would buy them. Not that I am asking you to :) I am thinking about selling my crafts but I need to know if they are marketable.
I am also thinking about hosting a giveaway! Free handmade cards is never a bad thing, right?
So, my goals for today:
To be patient, kind and loving.
To clean my desk.
Keep the laundry moving.
Take pictures of my cards and post here :)
Make 4 Christmas cards and 4 Birthday Invitations.
And blog hop, of course!!!

Thursday Blog Hops :)

2010-07-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

Today I am participating in 2 blog hops...maybe more :) What can I say? I'm addicted!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-07-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Gracie

2010-07-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

This is the song that I've had in my head the last few days. While I'm learning how to link embeded video (did that sound technical?) I thought I would share it. The person that put the video together did a stupendous job, I hope to be that talented someday!

Welcome Wednesday

2010-07-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

Blog Hopping at it's best!

I'm going to feature a blog hop a day so here is todays! Officially, it's tomorrow's, but who can wait?

My Heart's Desire

2010-07-27T17:54:00.000-07:00

This has been a very challenging summer for me. We have been challenged financially, physically and emotionally. The kids feel couped up and trapped because the heat has been so extreme and we don't really have the extra cash to take them on outings that cost way too much money.
I don't think that the summer has been a complete wash though. We've had some really nice cookouts and gatherings with friends. We bought a pool for the backyard and the kiddos have become fish. Both of the kids have seen a lot of some of their friends. We've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen cooking together. We've been playing Wii together, especially the new WipeOut game.
With that said, my children also spend a great deal of time saying things that break my heart. I know that for the most part kids don't function with a filter, and that as a mom it is my job to suck it up and be strong, but most days I feel my heart shatter as they fight with each other and with me.
That is where the Psalms come in.
I haven't been that good at staying in the Word. I know that I need to dedicate some time each morning in prayer and devotion, but it's also the easiest thing to avoid doing. What I am reading is Mandisa's book. In it I found many scriptures that have touched her life and I started looking them up on my own and thinking about them.
I've noticed a change.
I've noticed that I am not so quick to anger, not so quick to throw in the towel, not so quick to fight without listening.
I've been drawn to the Psalms. These verses are songs written to God. They speak of struggles and war. They speak of miracles and majesty.
They speak to my heart. In them I have found the promises of God even in his silence. Although David wrote these thousands of years ago, some of the verses feel like my heart on the pages.
Psalm 37:4 says, " Take delight in the the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire."
My heart's desire is to LOVE. To love my husband, my kids, my family, my friends. To give all of my heart to them and to live in a shelter of their love in return. My heart's desire is to draw closer to God, go deeper in my relationship with Christ so that I can see myself through His eyes, so I can love myself and let that love spill out to everyone around me.
If you are having a rough day, week, month, year....take a minute to flip through the Psalms.
I will be reading Psalm 103 tonight. I am looking forward to it :)

To the Top Tuesday :)

2010-07-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! I think that I am addicted to the Blog Hops! So here is Tuesdays!!!
Click the button and meet new friends and read great new blogs!

Today I am taking the kids to the water park with some friends. This is always fun for them and hopefully fun for me :) The family had sort of a melt down last night so it will be good to get out of the house and blow the stink off.
The thing about last night...it wasn't pleasant but it had to be done and I am so thankful for my husband stepping up to the plate and doing his part. He not only helped me deal with the kids but he participated in a gut wrenching conversation that has been needed for a long time.
I love you, my Bubba! ( I don't think he even reads my blog, but in just in case he does...)
This morning feels like the calm after the storm. The time when you get the precious do-over opportunity.
Today is going to be a good day. It's Tuesday :)

So let's see....today I will:

-Take my kids to the park
-Complete at least 2 loads of laundry
-Make at least 4 new cards
-Attempt to load the pictures of my card making adventures onto this page
-Laugh with my kids
-Pray and reflect
-Kiss my husband
-Smile :)

2010-07-26T12:32:00.000-07:00

Marvelous Monday Blog Hop!

While I am hopping today, I need to mention this great blog! Hop on over and see what's going on :)

Monday Morning...

2010-07-26T09:10:00.001-07:00

Why is it so hard to wake up and get moving on Mondays? I think it's psychological honestly. Anyway, today was not the jump out of bed, ready to face the morning kind of day for me. It's been a slow moving, refuse to get back into bed kind of morning.
We have an appliance guy coming over to see about fixing our refrigerator. Hopefully he can stop if from filling my produce drawers with icy cold water an maybe redirect that water to the ice maker so that will start working again. Ice at my ready disposal??? That would be awesome!!!
I spent the afternoon at a friend's house yesterday eating really good food and making some cards. I'm going to post pictures of them here later today to get your opinions about whether or not you would buy them. I'm thinking about making cards, pre-made scrapbook pages, and maybe custom scrapbooks to sell. It's something that I love to do, so maybe I can make some change doing it. We'll see.
So I am off to find something to eat and clean the living room. Monday Funday!
At least I am facing it with a smile :)

What am I hanging onto today?

"I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all of my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. "

Psalsm 34: 4-5

Making Friends Monday

2010-07-26T09:07:00.000-07:00

I found a new blog hop this morning. Can you tell that I love to hop?? :) Anyway, if you haven't checked it out yet, click on the button! Lots of great bloggers, let me tell you! I can't wait to be well versed in the blogging world, but I'm giving it my best! I love making new friends and reading new blogs!

Rain

2010-07-24T23:42:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have started listening to Thunderstorms as we fall asleep. Since we live in Vegas, it's not easy to do this naturally so we use Napster. Every night we load up some Rain and let it lull us into a peaceful slumber.
I've always loved thunderstorms. There is something beautiful and frightening about them.
The calm after the storm. The new beginnings when the storm passes.
I've always loved the rain.
It's cleansing and necessary. It's needed for growth and prosperity.
It has always signified a new beginning to me.
I'm so ready for a new beginning.
For a change.
Maybe this week. Maybe I will blog all about it.
I feel that I am ready. I really believe that I can take the steps needed and I am happy in anticipation.
Things can't stay the same. Life is constant motion.
I am rambling, making no sense and very tired.
Good Night All!

Social Parade: Come join!

2010-07-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

I love to blog. I am finding it a very social and enlightening thing to do, so why not make it a very social one too?
Social Parade is an awesome spot to go and check out new blogs. I am truly amazed at the amount of awesome blogs there are out there. Why am I so late getting involved?
Anywho...
I would love to grow this blog, add followers and then get into the review and giveaways aspect of the blogging world so it has to start by getting my blog out there!
I'm in the parade, are you?

No more yelling, only singing :)

2010-07-23T10:06:00.000-07:00

I sing, because I'm happy.
I sing, because I'm free.
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I wake up so many mornings feeling overwhelmed and I just don't want to drag my self out of bed. My firsts thoughts are of I don't want to spend today yelling at my kids. I will not yell at my kids. I tell myself that over and over again in the five minutes of consciousness I have before I hear them. Sometimes I think that it would be easier if I woke up earlier. The thing is, they have radar. They are up within 15 minutes of when I get up no matter what.
Today was no different. Except for the fact that when I opened my eyes, they were in my bed reading a book to the cat that they were holding against her will. Choke hold. I so wanted to close my eyes and drift off into dreams, but I had to rescue the cat so I'm up.
My kids are finding it hard not to yell at each other. No surprise there. I spend the majority of the day yelling at them so why wouldn't they in turn yell at each other?
Instead of "living the dream" most days I feel trapped in a nightmare of my own creation.
My life is not progressing the way that I had planned. I guess that's the funny thing about plans.
I lost my voice. I lost who I was and who I wanted to be. I stopped looking toward God for guidance and I got swallowed up in this world and started believing that I am unable to change my course. I lost faith in myself and I set out on a path of self destruction that I am finding it hard to stop.
I am not lost though. He watches me. He calls for me. He speaks to me in all of the little things and is patiently waiting for me to let Him take the reigns.
In my darkness I am filled with the thoughts that I can not be forgiven for the mistakes that I make. In my darkness I believe that I am not of any worth to anyone.
I was taking the kids to breakfast the other day and I heard something on the radio. I am forgiven. That's what he said. The guy on the radio said that I am forgiven for all of the stuff that I feel is unforgivable. The radio spot was reminding us that when we are in Christ, we are still human but we are in Christ. When I yell at my kids and I beat down their spirit because I lost control, He doesn't wash his hand of me. He offers me forgiveness and the chance to make things right. So today, I am not going to yell at my kids.
They are not making that easy.
But I will stand on my promise because He stands on his.
My kids will tell me that I am the best mom is the world. They will also roll their eyes at me and tell me how mean I am.
Maybe I'm not doing too bad of a job, but I do know that I need to wake up each morning and spend some time with God. If I stay focused I might just start liking the person that I find along the way.

Today I will think on this:

"As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you , O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go stand before him?" Psalm 42: 1-2

"Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good." Romans 12:21

Unspoken Prayers

2010-07-22T15:48:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with the feeling that it was finally time to get it together. I need to snap out of this funk that I am in and get back to living a happy productive life.
I guess the key word here is productive.
The thing that I realized is that God speaks to us through all of the big and little things that go on in our daily lives. He reveals that He is with us by answering the unspoken prayers of our hearts.
Why is it that I find it so hard to relax and believe that He will provide for me when He has never failed to do so?
A friend of mine has come back into my life and is helping me in ways that I didn't realize that I needed help. I had walked away from this friendship and have done nothing to deserve forgiveness, yet she offered it freely right at the time the I needed a friend the most.
That is an answer to an unspoken prayer.
I have inherited a cat. I was not in the market for a cat, but through the winds of change and faith I now have one. She is a funny little feline and she doesn't like it when I am yelling. She yells back. If I am getting too upset with the kids, down the hall comes the cat meowing loud and sternly. Although this is quite funny, it does provide that moment I need to refocus and calm myself.
She is an answer to an unspoken prayer.

God takes care of me whether I ask Him to or not. For that I am thankful. I am starting to realize a little more each day that finding joy in my life is not as hard as I seem to think it is. God has provided miracles and gifts each day. It's just up to me to start seeing these things in my day. So I have some plans to change my existence and turn it more into a life.
The family and I will start going back to church for starters. I want my children to experience what community feels like in His presence so that they can start forming their personal relationships with Him. I need to go back for myself too. I need to have a place where He speaks and I listen. Right now, my house and my head are a little too messed up for doing it alone and to be honest that isn't how we were created. We are made to live, love and function in a community. Although my online community of followers and friends is growing, I need to leave my house more often...which leads me to next plan of action:
1) Exercise.
It's too hot to do anything about it right now. I won't lie to you. I am going to make it a goal that I walk my kids to school each day in the fall. It's a 1/2 mile. Once they are there I can put my earphones on and listen to my mp3 player on the way home. That's another 1/2 mile.
Until then, I'm going to get my treadmill out of the garage and walk in the morning in my room.
That's a place to start at least.
2) Menu Planning.
That's already in the works. It will help keep me in my budget.
3) Flying.
I need to get my house in order and keep it that way. I am a stay at home mom. I am living my dream . If I can't be happy doing what I've always wanted to do then I need to make some real changes.

It's a process.
I figure as long as I am headed in the right direction and do something positive each day that I should be ready for my new journey once school starts....
And that's what I think my problem is.
I will be sending both of my children out the door in few weeks. As a homeschooling mom, this breaks my heart. I feel like such a failure, but I've always said that I would let my children make their own choices and for now they are choosing to go to school.
That leaves me with a lot of time by myself.
I am really looking forward to it, but in the same breath I am scared.
I think that's what has triggered this latest darkness. I just need to work my way through it.
Am I rambling? Did I provide any insight?
Maybe I can wrap this post up with some encouragement:

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. " Matthew 11:28-30

2010-07-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is a very cool blog. I could spend a lot of time reading the reviews and signing up for the giveaways :) How fun! Thought I would share in case some of you don't know about it and I was thinking that if I am going to be a successful blogger I need to add to my followers :) So, I've linked up to the blog hop and off I go!

A lesson in humor and economics

2010-07-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated my posts in a while. Maybe it's because I am at a loss of engaging things to write about. I think I want to make an impact with every post I write :) Anywho...
Today I've been thinking about the last couple of days and realized that given the opportunity I think that my family would make a very funny sitcom, reality tv show and maybe even a comic strip.
Case in point: We went out for dinner at Red Robin the other night. Now, we haven't been out to dinner in a while because we are sharing in the financial strain that the entire country is feeling right now, so it's been a while since we've gone out as a family. As we are sitting in our booth looking over the menu I turn to ask my son what he would like to eat and he is sitting next to me with his head in his hands looking very distraught. When I ask him what's wrong he looks up at me, slaps the table before raising his hands over his head and expresses, "Why does everything on this menu have to be so expensive? The only things that are cheap are things that I don't want to eat!" He circles the two pictures on his kid's menu with his crayon and then puts his head back in his hands.
Of course I told him not to worry about it and to order what he wants, but that moment served to reinforce the fact that my house has ears and that my kids are very aware of what happens in our family.
That's not alltogether a bad thing. I think that my daughter could learn a bit from her little brother. It shouldn't be his worry though.
That outing led to the Allowance chart...my husband's plan :) A specific amount of money for each week and a chore list. Whatever chore didn't get done gets deducted from their money at the end of the week. Seems like a great plan and they are catching on a bit, but it's still a struggle.
It seems that there has been a lot of focus on money in my house recently. Whether it's good or bad it is a reality. I wish that it wasn't a worry, but as a stay at home mom with two kids in a one income home it really is. What I am realizing though is that we can live happily if I were to just stay on our budget. So with the new month just 2 weeks away, I have paper in hand and am ready to get my budget for the month down on paper!
We do know that August is a birthday month, right? Back to School? It might as well be December! But I can do this!
Enough about money for now. I will keep you posted on my budget adventures. Maybe we can all learn a little bit along the way. As for today, well today my kids are cleaning their rooms...call ABC, I think I have a winner here :)

Renewing Me

2010-07-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Today I've been learning how to use my blog.
I've been reading the latest posts from the blogs that I follow, following new blogs, and adding buttons and html links to my page. Yes, it might be basic for those well versed in the world of blogging but it is new to me.
With that said, I am very excited about what this blog means to me. It is a place for me to express myself freely without the threat of feeling devalued. It is a place for me to learn and to grow as a mom, friend, and Christ follower.
I have lost a sense of who I am over the last few years. Maybe it's because of the move to Vegas, but I think that it started long before that. I have always valued what others thought of me and by doing so I have defined myself through them. How messed up is that? How can I really define who I am through the views of others? It's a hard question to answer though. It really is how I see things. The thing is, I am always losing sight of the fact that I AM defined by the view of God. Somehow that realization always slips away from me and I start worrying about people again.
I need a new perspective and I think that I have found it. This blog experience allows me to work things out in my own head while learning from others. No wonder it's called a community! I was so in need of this and am so thankful to my friend that introduced it to me.
I've been reading your blogs....and I thank you for them.
I've printed out a blog planning calendar. Very cool.
I've joined an online bible study. So needed!!
I've entered contests and participated in a blog hop...Fun!
As I work on my blog and myself it's so exciting to know that I get to share all of this information with my blogging friends. I am excited for the day that I will post pictures and links. I am looking forward to product testing and reviewing :) I might generate some income from AdSense if I gather the courage to try.
This blog might serve as a stepping stone to my future. Maybe it will open doors to a new career. Maybe it won't. At this moment it is a gateway for me to be me.
I am so happy to be able to share it with you!

So what did I learn so far today?
That I need to spend more time doing and less time feeling overwhelmed!
That I need to dust my bible off and dig deep. God has a lot to say if we open our hearts to hear Him.
That I need to smile more and take it one step at a time.
That there are other laundry haters out there and mine is not the only pile laughing villainously.
That I need to stop closing my friends out because God created us to be together and to share the burdens.

And finally, for now, that I need to go enjoy my children. My homeschooling adventure is coming to a close and they will both be down the street in the elementary school in just a few short weeks. I need to enjoy them now...and throw a load of laundry in!

2010-07-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

I love this blog! I have to give a shout out because I am also a Laundry Hater and found myself smiling at her latest post.
If you haven't already checked her blog out, today is a great day to give her a click!
While browsing her blog, I found Kid Friendly Recipes and am definately putting Chicken Enchiladas on our list for next week!!! It looked really yummy :)

Blog Hop and Giveaway

2010-07-15T06:49:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is having her first ever blog hop and giveaway :) As a blogging newbie, I am attempting to grab buttons and share links...this is all very fun stuff and important information and skills for me to attempt to grasp! So if this works, click the button and enter her contest!
It makes for a fun filled Thursday and a learning experience all wrapped up into one :) Plus, there is that chance at a $20 gift card from Walmart...how much fun would that be? I haven't had mad cash in so long I would probably go into the store and still come out with milk and cereal instead of the scrapbooking supplies that I've so been wanting to buy :) But that's me for ya!

One of our Summer goals...

2010-07-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

Food.
It's one of my favorite things and this summer I am going to explore it more.
I really want to learn about food and about cooking. I think that my son's love of cooking is what has inspired this. I want to make sure that he has the platform to learn and grow in his passion. I think it might help if I could do a little bit to help him start out.
So, I am trying to be braver in the kitchen and to take some chances. Make new dishes. I am also trying to teach my kids the basics. It's hard to step back and let them take the reigns. It's always been difficult for me, but I am really giving it a try. I am really trying.
My son made us dinner the other night. Hot Dogs in the microwave. My daughter is making macaroni and cheese for lunch today. We are starting off small, but at least we are starting....
I am thinking about letting them help with the menus too.
One of my goals is to learn how to menu plan and save money on groceries. It's never too early for them to learn too.
Today I am going to make a Snicker doodle Shortcake with Caramelized Apples.
I will let you know how it turns out :)

What A Weekend!

2010-07-07T08:39:00.001-07:00

I think that I am still recovering! Whew!!
Friday night I was blessed to go out with my mom :)
We went to see Barry Manilow at Paris Las Vegas. It's an awesome show and for a life long fan it's a must see! His songs define my childhood. I remember days and events in my life that Barry wrote the soundtrack to. I remember playing the LP and looking at the album covers over and over again...
I was just a kid but even then I knew that music is the strings by which all our memories are played.
It was great.
Saturday I spent the day with my family and then my daughter had 2 friends over for a "sleep" over. She had a great time, stayed up till 3 in the morning and spent 75% of the time in the pool.
It's been decided that we won't be hosting more than 1 friend at a time for a while though. Three 10 year old girls are too much for me to deal with.
I also learned that I need to figure out how to sleep when my daughter and her friends are awake in my home. Easier said than done when I wake up to find out that they were attempting to make hot cocoa in the middle of the night and somehow mixed it with iced tea....hmm???
Sunday was the 4th of July and we were able to celebrate it with our friends and neighbors (although I don't think that my neighbors fall into my "friends" category). It was the 1st annual 4th of July block party and I think it went rather well. The police were called only once and no one was arrested or blew off any body parts. Leave it to 1 person to cause a fuss. It all worked out in the end though and the kids had a great time.
On Monday we all packed up and headed over to my mom's. Ralph was off for the day so we were able to just hang out with her and relax. It's so nice having my mom in Vegas. I missed her so much when we moved here 4 years ago.
So that was my weekend and here I sit on Wednesday feeling worn out and exhausted! I have plenty of laundry to do and as for the rest of it, I am feeling a movie day in the works ;)
I need the rest and I think my kids do to, although they will never admit it!!!

I am blessed

2010-07-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

I woke up today to a very clean house. What a great feeling.
Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of other things that need to get done and last night's dinner dishes are on the list. I am so thankful for the dinner party last night. Friends of ours that we haven't seen in 4 years were in Vegas on business and were able to find the time to come by and have dinner with us last night. It was great to see them again. So needless to say I didn't get to the dishes last night.
I am not worried about it. I will do them this afternoon after I get home from a friend's house and before I head over to my mom's for movie night.... I love this day :)
I don't have a long inspiring post for today. My kids are interupting and distracting me. They are a work in progress as am I. Today's goal is to communicate with each other calmly and without yelling. Laugh, it's okay. If you know us you know that there is not a chance in the world that this will happen. Yelling seems to be the only level of voice that they hear, and most of the time will still turn around and say, "What??? I didn't hear you!!"
I am making an effort to help my children find their joy too.
It's a heartbreaking realization that they are learning from my example and although I would like to say that I don't have any responsibilty for their attitudes, I know that I do. Even if it is only a small part ;)
I have the patience of a saint with anyone other than my daughter and my son. That is the sad truth. It is the thorn in my side and a character flaw. However I have noticed a change since I started this blog though.
Writing down my thoughts and getting feedback from those that read and or follow it is really helping me. I believe that it is helping me to be more reflective and less reactive. I also believe that it is just another way that God is speaking to me. After I am done writing I will read over the post and am honestly surprised that it came from me. I see things that I write and it strikes me that yes, that is how I am feeling. My feelings finally have a voice.
I think that has been one of my major problems. Some time back I lost my voice. I lost who I am and I defined my entire existence with my husband and my kids.
So this is a very winded thank you to those that are reading my posts. Thank you for reading and for responding. Thank you for being with me as I face each day and find the joy that is sometime hidden even in the toughest of days.
The housework will get done tomorrow. I will be ready for more guests over the weekend as we celebrate the 4th of July together. Today I am taking a little breather.
For me and for my kids.
And it feels good:)