Summer Mini Remodel

Summer is a great time of year for a teacher. To those of you thinking we teachers have it made....check back with me in September when the school year is in full gear, I am losing pay to furlough days, working late, and having to spend my $$$ to stock my classroom with materials because we get NO money for that.....yeah, lets talk then....

Back to my original point. Summer is a blessing that comes with my job. I have this time at home with my kids that allows us to just have fun. This summer has been a blast! At the end of the school year, EG wrote me a persuasive letter as to why she should get to remodel her room. Yep, my kindergartner wrote this....and mommy was impressed. Props to her fabulous kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Griffis. EG learned so much. So, with that letter in hand, I agreed. I mean come on, she agreed not to fight over the remote people!

In the beginning, she said she wanted black and green, and maybe purple. Here is where I think um....Halloween??? But, I trusted my gal and off we went to Lowes, and several thrift stores. Here are the results...

Before EG was born, we bought her a nice, very expensive set of furniture...Baby's Dream, large hutch, crib, & dresser. It was supposed to be this wonderful investment....crib changed to toddler bed, & into full sized bed. Little did we know she would beat it, carve it with a pencil, and draw peace signs on it with a Sharpie. Yep she did all those things and more...So, we are proud we saved it and were able to refinish it to remain in use. We went with an aged/antique look with the green under the black. Four coats of paint and a coat of lacquer later, with some sanding in between, we were done with the furniture. We are still looking for the perfect knobs and a few other finishing touches. I am proud to say that my hubby made her curtains. Everything looks great. Guess my girl does have taste! Anyways, advice to those of you purchasing furniture for your new additions...chances are they will use it as a canvas, or a drum set, and many other objects which you didn't imagine, so be prepared!

To my teacher friends, I hope you are all having a FUN summer and enjoy these last few weeks at home with your families. I am just praying I can get back to the beach one more time...

TV Free Summer Days

Hi Friends.

I shamefully admit, since Emma Grace was born, we have NOT had professional family pictures taken. I am such a slacker mom...ugh! Hopefully when she's old enough, she will forgive me. People warned me about this...the "second child" missing pictures. I have tons of unprofessional snapshots of her childhood, but the pretty, polished ones aren't there. That is, until now! Oh my goodness....what a fun and rewarding experience. We owe so much to the fabulous Jenna Allen. She did an amazing job capturing candid moments on a sunny afternoon for us. I cannot even describe how happy this makes me. Just seeing those adorable images of my kiddos has made my summer. Here are a couple of them with credits due to Jenna...please check out her website! www.jkaphotography.com

I have proclaimed to my kids that TV is off limits during the day for the summer. Some of you might think I am crazy...I think so too! The Disney Channel is great. Who doesn't love a good episode of Good Luck, Charlie? You know you watch too. We are even looking forward to the newest "Name the Baby" upcoming episode...but really, how many times do they need to watch a repeat? When they are reciting the lines along with commercials, I think that's enough. So, I am trying really hard to keep them engaged in summer fun without TV. So far, we've enjoyed VBS, cooking, making bird feeders, bathing the dogs, and outdoor adventures. Tomorrow brings Father's Day crafts, and next week, who knows? No life threatening fights yet...just a few "you are REALLY getting on my NERVES!" moments between the kids (& maybe mommy). Ha ha!

I do know nature hikes and library trips are in our near future. If you see me out and about around town and I am kid-less...please worry... because it means I have lost them! LOL...

Friday Random Thoughts: Family, Friends, Faith

These three words have been on my mind all week. I love my family so much, sometimes I think my heart could literally burst. A cliche'? Maybe. But so true.

My friends are my family as well. There is a quote from C.S. Lewis that I love and believe to be very true as it relates to dear friends..."Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."

What a blessing to have each of these three things in my life. Each in its own way adds joy to my life and fire to my faith. I am thankful that I am participating in a Beth Moore group that is challenging me to grow spiritually.

I also learned a new song this week called "I Am Not the Same" which I have been singing over and over. (Thankfully I only sing when there is NO ONE...absolutely NO ONE around, and believe me, your ears are thankful for that too.) I have posted the lyrics here for you to read, and hope you hop over to iTunes and preview it...I love the line that says "Your love replaces fear, Your mercy makes us whole." There is great value in those truths.

I Am Not the Same

You restore the wasted years, ! You build the broken walls
Your love replaces fear, ! ! Your mercy makes us whole
Adopted healed and lifted

CHORUS
I am not the same Iʼm a new creation
I am not the same anymore
I am not ashamed I will not be shaken
I am not the same anymore

I bow before your cross, A broken life made new
Amazed at all You are, And who I am in You
Adopted healed and lifted
Forgiven found and rescued

BRIDGE
You have overcome, it is finished, it is done
Now my heart is finally free
Every chain undone, by the power of the Son
Risen Saviour, Reigning King

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I would love to hear your random thoughts too!

Love,

~ Mandy~

Wordless Wednesday: We Love the Outdoors!

Our favorite way to spend time together...the best memories are all of our outdoor adventures.

Thankful Tuesday...& Tooth Tales!

Today I am thankful for a God whose love never fails. Never. Ever. Period. I am thankful for Hebrews 12:28-29, "Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander."

Thankful moments happen often in our home. I hope I do not ever take them for granted, however, I think many things get overlooked in the daily hustle of life. Excitement filled our house tonight for quite a few minutes. Emma Grace's front tooth had been loose for quite some time. Persistent wiggling and twisting had just not done the trick. Her first loose tooth = major deal!!! In comes crazy dad with the "Let's get a string" idea and the "No it won't hurt" speech. After cries of, "NO, you are NOT yanking my tooth out with the door!!!", we got her to realize we didn't intend to use the door, and that she could pull it out herself. So, she let Jeremy tie the string around her tooth and she yanked over and over until it flew out (still attached to the string). She didn't even notice until she saw our reaction. Here are a few snap shots of the night's entertainment. These truly are the moments to live for.

I'd love to hear your tooth tales as well! :)

~Mandy

I have been working on my blog layout for a while. Though it is not exactly how I want it, it will do for now. I've also been wondering what to write about. My first post should be something awesome, right? So of course, I could think of nothing. No wonderful creative words came to mind. So, off I went to take my "homework assignment" pictures for my photography class. Thankfully I am a part of this club called motherhood, which gives me ample access to little creatures that have to do what I say. After taking some pictures of my beautiful baby girl and uploading them to the computer, I had one of those moments...that all moms experience every now and then. I am in my 30's, I have been married for 13 years, and my babies are growing up waaaaayyyyy to fast. I want time to slow to a crawl so I can take in every precious memory. When we moms start thinking of life as related to the span of time, it goes a little something like this...

• Cole is almost 11, approaching the dreaded middle school void, & 5 years away from driving ____...Insert tears here
• Emma Grace is 6 years old, 4 years away from 10, that's practically catching up with Cole ____ ...Insert more tears here
• Gosh, I can remember bringing Cole home from the hospital, his sweet baby smile, and loving to dive into the leaves in the yard of our first house, the one with the stunning Japanese Magnolia... ____ Yep, more tears here
• And Emma Grace was just born, she's not supposed to be this tall, beautiful dancer learning to read and write...not yet..._____Again, yet crying like a baby now.

A few weeks ago, our pastor's wife spoke about seeking God's face and appreciating the time we are given to spend with Him. By doing this, we are surely allowing Him to bring joy, wisdom, and grace into our lives. This is my goal from now going forward. I am going to make time to read His word and write in my journal like I did years ago. Maybe it will help me not turn in to "crazy emotional mom" when I think about the time I have left with my children before they grow up.

I hope some of you moms out there feel the same way I do sometimes. Certainly I am not alone. Off to tuck the kiddos into bed.

~Mandy