Home Stay

It was another morning…..I woke from a deep sleep by the sound of my 5-year-old running down the hall and slamming open our bedroom door.

“We have got to tighten the screws on that door knob; it’s about to fall off,” I thought as I wiped drool from the right side of my face.

Simms was my alarm for yet another morning. He is a morning person. It’s like he already had five cups of coffee. I know; letting my son wake me up….lazy parenting….I should have waken up an hour ago, had five cups of coffee and read my Bible. What’s it to ya?

Simms asked to crawl up in bed with me and I quickly obliged. He won’t want to snuggle for that much longer so I’ll take all I can get. I worked full-time his first year of life, missed his first steps; yep I got a call at work from his babysitter and found that out, and I am sure many other firsts that I have blocked out of my memory; so now I will hold him as long as he will let me. A few minutes later we heard my baby girl on the monitor. She is also a morning person. I do not know where our kids got that gene, but not from us. She will gurgle, talk, and cough till someone will get her. Then as soon as I enter her room a smile takes over her entire face.

I get up, ungracefully, with morning breath and make my way to the bathroom.

“I have to clean this place up today,” I thought.

I brush my teeth, put a sports bra on, and throw on a t-shirt dress. I contemplate putting on underwear…they are so binding….but then begrudgingly decide to put some on. I then pull my red hair half-way back, and go get my little baby.

After I feed Evie the world is finally coming into focus and I decide it is time for coffee.  I need my caffeine. A headache is coming on already and I need it. I need it with cream and sugar, and with this 97 degree heat in the south, iced.  I need it. I need it. I need it like the air I breath. I am starting to sound like an addict, but I need it. I need the taste, I need that jolt, I need it.

This is my routine every morning.

I place Evie in her little bassinet and push it out to the living room, let Simms watch some cartoons, and curl up on the left corner of the couch and watch my kids.

As I am sitting there I look at our 12-year-old carpet, like it’s my child about to get a spanking and dream about hardwood floors one day.

I let my mind wander some more. I dream of writing from home and having a New York Times best-seller, I dream of finally organizing our walk-in closet perfectly and it staying that way (yea right!), I dream of taking the family on vacation for an entire week without a budget (I know, not very practical), I dream of having no debt, I dream of a perfectly manicured lawn and flawlessly decorated house of vintage finds, but then my mind wanders to a time where I used to dream of THIS. Sitting on the couch, with my beloved coffee and staying home with my even more (if you can believe it) beloved kids. Watching them grow and learn, laugh and love, and not missing a solitary moment.

So here’s to dreams, living your dreams, and having them come true. Here’s to storing those dreams and treasures where it matters….in Heaven with my Maker. The Maker of truth and everything else.

Just June

Another month has flown by so here is a little taste of the "pennyless" life in the month of June.

*"I Heart Mommy"*Happy 4-month birthday!*Alison and Evie*A Sleep Sandwich*Congrats Mr. & Mrs. Greenwell!*Daddy's Girl*"It's just me and you watching Spy Kids"*Bieber Fever*Wrestling with His Buddy*Big Bro and Sis*Cutie Patootie*My Sleeping Beauty*Her Happy Pic*Vintage Finds at The Butterfly Garden

What I Learned at VBS.

This week at church we had Vacation Bible School, and I was truly blessed to be able to help out with the 3 and 4-year-olds. Serving with those preschooler's the Lord gave me so much joy and laughter. I thought I was going to just be helping out with VBS, filling a need, but as it usually works out the Lord used the kids to teach me just as much as He taught them.

Here are some other things I learned from them...

"Who lives in Bethlehem?" asked the teacher. 
"Spiders!" answered Grace. 
"Giants!" said Grayson.
"The sheep!" said A.J.
"I need to wash my hands," said Elizabeth.


"Why did God give you a heart?" the teacher asked.
"To love!" Sam said.
"God is AMAZING!" said Alexis jumping up and down.
"For Jesus to build a house!" said Sophia.


"God loved us SO much that....." the teacher said.
"Jesus came down!" said Alivia.
"He sent Jesus down!" said Sam.
"Spiders!" yelled Grayson.


"Why do we have missionaries?" asked the teacher as she pointed to a photo on her computer.
"For food!" said Leah.
"To eat!" said Grayson.
"My dad has that computer," explained Chase.


"What is the most important and special thing that a missionary can bring with him?" the teacher asked.
"Mommy!" said Kate.
"Water!" said Leah.
"Money!" said Catherine.
"ME!" said Grayson.


It was such a fun, hilarious, tiresome at times (for the kids too), and purposeful week.

 

             

Just something I love.

My friend Tarah just gave me this as a little gift and I have to share. She ordered it from Vista Print and it is something so useful and thoughtful. It's just something I love and I think other people will too.

Looks pretty close right?

Isn't it so cute?!?! Personalized for our family. Sticky-notes and note pads.

And writing pens.

And even address labels.

Something I thought you needed to know about. It made my day!

Out of her Fourth of July funk

For the Fourth of July, and to scratch the surface of this craft itch I have recently gotten, I decided to make a wreath for our front door. The front door was looking a little lonely and depressed so I was hoping this would help get her out of this funk that she is in. It seems to be working, though, looks can be deceiving. What do you think?

I first saw this cute wreath on a little obsession I call Pinterest. To make these, what I am calling fireworks, you start out accordion-folding a piece of scrapbook paper, and then staple it right in the middle.

Then start by cutting an angle at each end. To get the fireworks different sizes cut the angle different distances from the center of the staple. Then fan out and tape the ends on the top and bottom together.

To cover the foam wreath, that I got from a craft store, just wrap different ribbon and attach with push pins. Every six wraps I changed color.

Then hot glue the paper fireworks, overlapping each other, and then to the wreath.

So easy.

She looks so much happier now, and that makes me happy!

Not your normal nachos....

We made homemade pizzas last night, and with the extra toppings I decided to make an appetizer because my little man was "starving"! I highly doubt he was starving, but while we were waiting on our pizzas to bake and to help him out I made some pizza nachos. Next time Simms is "starving" I will thank him and make these again. They were to die for and are so easy!

Start by layering your tortilla chips and favorite, sauteed pizza toppings on an oven proof platter. I used mushrooms, caramelized onions, sweet Italian sausage, green pepper, and pepperoni.

Then grate your cheese on top. This is aged white cheddar mixed with bits of Parmesan.

Then melt that yummy cheese till it is warmed through by placing the platter in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

 

Now be prepared to get your mind blown. Dip your chip in pizza sauce that is slightly warm.

This is so good!

Happy Is....

Happy is....

 a swing.

 a smile.

 a tickle.

 a smirk.

 a laugh.

my baby.

 my goofball.

 

my friends.

                                   

our kids.

                        

a moment.

a movie.


*Tessa Claire's Backyard*My Friend Amanda*Tickle Time with Tink*My Sweet Boy*Evie and Gabby*A Morning Laugh*Chocolate Batter Mustache*LifeGroup at the River*LifeGroup Cookout*E's First Movie*A Matinee of Madagascar 3