Day in the Life

We said goodbye today...goodbye to some really incredible friends...Even as they are planning to head out to Kenya for 6-12 months, they concern themselves with our family, how I am doing...I teased them because here we're wanting to be an encouragement to them, and they are counseling and encouraging us...It was a sad departure to say the least. Sara and I were crying buckets and I think it took us both by surprise. I thank God for webcam, facebook, blogs, email and telephones...we won't loose touch and they will be home soon...with 2 little girls to add to their brood...I can't wait to meet them. Sara and I had fun trying out different names for the little girls, whoever they are...

Well...in that goodbye, came a "hello" for us...We now have a new member added to our family...the Austin family dog: Macie! Our girls were ecstatic to be able to have her live with us for the next few months...Here are a few pictures of her from this evening:

This is what we have learned so far:

*If you leave your garbage out, Macie WILL get to it and WILL throw up after eating it.
*If you give your 20 month old a waffle, she WILL feed it to Macie and Macie WILL throw up after eating it...
*Macie likes to be scratched on her head and will lay down in expectation of this for a longgg time.
*Italian Stallion needed to "lay down the law" with Macie: rule 1) not allowed to die on our watch rule 2) repeat number 1
*20 month old WILL "love" on dog, so beware that "loving" is not smothering poor Macie

This evening our eldest fed her her "chewey" and she looked so proud of herself...our second born got Macie to play with her "budda" toy...our youngest laughed her head off at all the growling and yipping! Even Daddy got a little place action with Macie...she "may" find a play in his heart yet (although I'm not holding my breath!)

Hurry home Austins...we love you!

Mom Would Be Proud

As a young girl I was not the "homemaker" type...Sure, I had chores...it's not like my mom didn't teach me. I can remember being as young as 8 and my mom showing me how to properly clean a bathroom floor, using Q-tips to get out the smallest "grime" out of cracks...I remember being reprimanded for not moving a small chair when I had to vacuum the living room...I learned laundry, ironing, making beds, cleaning floors...you know, the basic "house" stuff...

But, when it came to "holly homemaker" stuff, I was OUTTA there...I had NO desire to learn to cook, sew or decorate...forget it...I was into basketball, studying, talking on the phone...

Looking back, this must have annoyed my mom to no end...my mom, the one who CREATED my wedding dress...the one who sewed dresses for ALL my sisters and me every Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day...

Well...I have to admit...she was right...I WISH I would have paid more attention...here I am a mom of 3 little girls who LOVE to dress up and my frugal brain won't let me go out and buy a bunch of stuff...so I have to "make" it...

Here are my "projects" of late...they are not perfect and you won't see me doing "close ups" because I will NOT let you see my seam lines (horrible)...but, regardless, I think mom will smile when she see them...

Introducing.............. Susan Pevensie

Lucy Pevensie

The Pevensie Sisters

I made the quiver out of an old mailing tube I found in the garage...the arrows are old princess wands that I cut the star points off except for the arrow part, and that bow? well, it's from my window blinds...and then it's my belt that holds the quiver in place. Lucy's cordial bottle was 50 cents at Michaels and I just concocted some contraption to carry it around her waist...

Saying Goodbye

Have you ever had a friend (besides your spouse) that you just knew God stuck them in your life for a specific purpose...specifically to grow you, to be not just a friend, but an example? My friend, Sara is that friend to me. I met her in college...to be honest, I don't remember meeting her...as far back as I can remember, she was just there...we wrote papers together, raced to turn in blue books together, put in countless hours in the MRC together, went to JS (with our future husbands) together...then we graduated, she got married and we taught TOGETHER...

I drove her nuts with changing the classroom around, being noisy and just plain disorganized...but she hung in there with me...She has validated my feelings when I thought I was just loosing it...she has "set me straight" when I needed a good kick in the pants...she laughs at and with me!!!...she sticks up for me...she commits her life to Jesus and follows him even when it means she has to move to Kenya...I admire and love her...

Our personalities are like polar opposites though...it's quite funny...she's more introverted, reflective...when she talks you listen...when I talk, people usually tune me out, which is why I just get louder!!! She's organized and sticks to a schedule, which is why she accomplishes so very much...I'm spastic and spontaneous, and that's why my basement looks like it does...and yet, together, we have so much fun!

She's the person that even when we haven't talked in forever, we just pick up where we left off...

She and her family are leaving next month for Kenya...I am in awe of their faith, of their dependence on God, of their courage...I will miss her so very much...

They are coming tomorrow to say goodbye and leave little Maci with us for the duration of their stay in Kenya. (Maci is the dog:) I'm anxious yet dreading tomorrow...I can't wait to give her a big hug and then I will hate it in the end because I know it means it will be a long time before I see her again...I'm excited to meet my new "nieces" when they return...but, I don't like that they have to go...

Anyway...that's our weekend coming up...and I'm in a rare reflective mood tonight...
Sara, my dear friend...you loved so very much!

It's Been a Week

I'm thankful that the week is coming to a close. I always long for weekends...the relaxing, the games, the fact that "daddy" is home for 2 whole days!!

This week, the baby got some sort of "bug"...the Pukies, we like to call it...and I guess you might as well add the Poopies too! It's been a mess. And I'm a disinfecting freak to boot! I have bleached and lysoled and pine soled just about every inch of this house twice, and have redone all the laundry, bedding and pillows. Therefore...It's Been a Week!!!

I think we're on the mend though and I look forward to some sort of normalcy for awhile. I've been really caught up in a lot lately and I know God is just calling me to just slow down. I have a hard time "being still". I'm a doer...If I'm not in constant motion, then I'm doing something while sitting down...my mind never seems to stop. I've had fun with all these projects and I feel a neat sense of accomplishment once they are complete. I'm anxious to finish those Narnia dresses, the girls beg to try the pieces on every morning. But, once they are done...it's my time to be still I think.

I'm also person who has high expectations for myself. Whether it's a clean house, well behaved children, homeschooling, spending money, projects, even blogging...I sometimes push to the point of exhaustion because I want to give my 100% in everything...yep, it's time to slow down...time to sit back and listen...time to be God's little girl and see what He has in store for me.

I'm starting a new Beth Moore study in March...The Esther study...I'll have to let you know how that goes...

anyway...that's it for now...

Project Pictures

I guess I sort of dropped my Project 365 and turned it into "how many can I do in one week"?

Here are the pictures of the things I've been working on:

I walked into a Pottery Barn Kids and saw this cute canvas (pic on left)...it was made out of buttons and wallpaper circles. I thought, " I can do this..." Came home that night and created pic on right. It's not as pretty, but it's $0 versus $179...so I'm happy with it!

This was Daddy's Valentine gift. The girls and I painted these huge letters...we had so much fun. Then we took turns taking pictures of each other...insert this all into photoshop and tada...there you have it!
Here are the Narnia dresses that I'm working on...actually just finished the bodice to the Susan dress this evening...so hopefully I can put it all together soon and show you the finished product. This is all crazy to me...I'm driving my mother and mother in law nuts with all my phone calls for "HELP"!!! But, we're slowly making progress!
Lastly are these adorable little books. I found them at Michaels for a $1 each. They are about 3.5 inches tall...They have little photo slots. The girls had a beautiful Colonial Tea party and I just journaled and put in their photos..each girl will get their own book...so fun!

So that's been my week...hope you enjoyed the pictures...I need warm weather to come soon so that I can get back to normal!!! Have a Happy Valentines!

Happy Valentines Day...

I'm enjoying my family at the moment...but, will come back soon and post some pictures and relay the "events" of my week! Have a LOVEly day!

We've had a great morning so far: red, heart shaped waffles for breakfast...valentines for the girls...a surprise board game that we've already played a zillion times...and lots of hugs and kisses!!!

This was BEFORE we remembered the red food coloring...

This was AFTER...

Pictures are coming...

BUT...I started yet another project...I'm telling you, I have completely lost my mind...

The butterfly canvas is done and hanging on the wall...
My husband's valentine gift from me and the girls is framed and ready to go...
Narnia "Susan" 's dress is cut out and ready to begin sewing...(poor Lucy will have to wait a bit)
And...project #4: ???

Well...my mother in law had an incredible idea that she carried out today...Earlier in the week, she "invited" my older girls and their two cousins to a Valentine Colonial Tea Party at her house. She picked them all up at noon. They got dressed into their shifts, colonial dresses and those little cap things on their heads...She had an elaborate tea set up in her dining room. They had "tea" sandwiches in the shape of hearts, chocolate covered strawberries and chamomile tea...Each girl got a little red tulip to take home along with a valentine goody bag. She had them begin "samplers" and make friendship bracelets, all this after they watched the Felicity movie together with their dolls. It was just an incredible afternoon...

I gave her my camera (I didn't want to come over and interfere) She got some great shots...well, while I was at Michaels picking up a frame for my husband's little gift (again, picture this weekend...gotta give it to him first!) I saw these adorable 3 inch photo slot books...I thought, "huh, why not put together a little memory book for each of the girls about their Colonial Tea" And thus...project 4 began...the pictures have already been sent to be printed...so I just have to print out the journal tags and put it all together...I'll take a picture of this as well...

I can't wait to share it all with you...but, I'm not sure how much longer my body can handle doing this many things at once...gotta take a breather soon...but those dresses are gonna take forever!!!

One day I will be back to being "still" and contemplating things...but for now, I'm on a short sprint and I just feel like writing the "facts" of the day...thanks for bearing with me!