Sweetness in the Air

It was a good weekend. Quite a busy one.

I’ve heard all my life that as my kids get older things will get busier. And I have definitely noticed as of late, the pace around our house is picking up. 

We’ve always only allowed our kids 1 activity at a time. For many reasons we’ve chosen this. But also bc the financial aspect can get overwhelming with it all. 

I sometimes find myself in a tug of war over wanting my kids to get the exercise, meet new friends, learn what its like to work as a team. To also keeping things simple. Our family time together is important and I always want to keep that front and center. 

Youngest has been enjoying Soccer so much.

After each game she tells me with gushing smiles how much fun it is.

And I can’t help but be overly excited for her.

It makes me happy to see her so into something for the first time.

To see her exploring and finding her way.

I want to expose them (not all at the same time) to a variety

of sports, activities, and such.

Only by their wishes and their want to pursue.

Not ever by something I’m pushing them to do.

I want for them to know and taste what it’s like to make that goal.

To recite those lines on stage.

Or to swim their very best time.

Because how will they know if they’ve never given it a try?

This weekend was sign-up’s for Swim team in our Subdivision.

We went. We asked questions. We got the paperwork and we left to process and talk it over some more.

We also took Gray to a travel team baseball try-out on Sunday evening. 

They won’t stay overnight and we won’t miss church on Sunday’s. 

Which is the only reason we’re walking thru the process.

It winded up being cancelled due to the rain.

Then driving home as the rain danced on the windshield I had this thought. 

What if we’re supposed to be on these teams not just for my kid’s sake 

but for greater reasons.

What if there are people we’re supposed to meet?

Relationships we’re supposed to gain?

What if it’s so much more than just an extra curricular sport that my son/daughter want to be involved in? That would be enough if it were just that. But what if it was for more.

 I’m enjoying this season in our lives so much right now.

And though I hate to admit it, there have been seasons that I’ve wished would just hurry up. To just get on with it. But not this one.

This one as of late has a sweetness that lingers in the air.

And I’m thankful for this place. 

Thankful for this sweetness that I’m finding right here. Right now. 

heather.

Linking up with Laura

and heather

Music, My Memory & Musings

Hey. It’s Monday and it’s Spring Break here for us which means days’ without 

schedules and being very spontaneous. Just because we can. No alarm clocks needing to 

be set or bells ringing to announce tardiness.

I do wish however, we were waking this morning to the sound of waves crashing and the taste of salt on our lips. The beach has been calling my name…. Do you hear it to? There’s just that something about the beach that awakes my senses and makes me breathe a little slower. Anyway, a girl can dream right. And who knows we may just decide on a whim to drive over for a night or 2 for the sheer adventure and spontaneity of it. Sometimes it’s more fun that way…when the planning for months and packing for days are all reduced down to a few hours of sheer excitement, throwing our swimsuits & sunscreen in a bag and just going. This way takes awhile for my brain to catch up to all the reasons why we really shouldn’t go.

I will try and feel some sunshine on my face this week…probably on my back deck while listening to some Amos Lee and John Mayer on Pandora or maybe some Francesca Battistelli. My girls are in love with her songs and can sing them word for word. I remember when I could memorize all the lines to every song that played on the radio. It just happened without even trying…but somewhere through the years something has happened and I don’t know word for word every song that rotates thru anymore. But my girls do and I look at them in amazement and wonder how did this happen? They sing along with Adele

“Throw your soul through every open door

Count your blessings to find what you look for

Turn my sorrow into treasured gold”

Just when did their memory become greater than mine? Because it is I tell ya. I walk into Target and can’t remember what I even went there for but they can tell me what they ate when they were 3 at the Mexican restaurant we only ate at once. Speaking of music did you watch the ACM Awards last night? I think Brad Paisley’s personality is the cutest, 

Lady A is one of my favorites, 

American Honey is still one of my ring tones, 

and the Band Perry gets me every time I hear them sing.

“Would you walk to the edge of the ocean

Just to fill my jar with sand ...

Would you catch a couple thousand fireflies ...”

They say you can’t take the country out of the girl and I think that’s pretty much true. On Saturday it was opening day of Turkey Season… the Youth Hunt. Oldest was originally going to go with dad but he was invited to spend the night with his friends. So staying home to go hear a turkey gobble the next morning went flying out the window. Next thing I know the girls are dressed in black leggings and camo shirts ready to go and try to help dad call one in.

You should have heard the stories round’ the dinner table on Saturday when they got back. 

No turkeys were seen or heard. Probably in part due to youngest tromping through the woods in boots of mine that were a couple sizes too big, a spider that she spotted after they had found the just right spot and was convinced had made it’s way to her head, and the sniffling & snorting she did bc of her and sister sharing a cold. Middle did pretty well I heard, as she kept busy playing with some mud leftover on her boot that she had purposefully sploshed through while on their way. At least dad was able to make it into the woods this weekend. But as for our girls I’m not sure how much country has made it into them….to be continued. 


Linking up today with Laura   

And heather for

heather.

Welcoming Neely

We welcomed a new member into our family on Wednesday. His name is Neely and he ‘s 9 wks old. If you read my post from here you’ll remember how desperate I was about making the right decision to get a dog as well as, finding the right puppy for us. My kids have begged for an animal for a while and I’ve always said “no” bc I know how much work/money they can be. But truly everything had lined up perfectly and it came down to the fact that we just couldn’t NOT get a pet.

All that said, he is a sweety but gosh he’s a lot of work. It feels as though I have a newborn again. Which is why I haven’t posted since last Monday. My time has been wrapped up getting him on a feeding schedule, exercise, potty trained, watching everything he tries to put into his mouth, having him walk on a leash or just trying to have him like the leash would be nice. And did I mention the getting up at 4:30am & again at 6:30 in the mornings for a potty break….whew, yes so it’s a lot of work.

However, we now walk in our home and know we’ll be greeted with lots of kisses and a chase or two around the house as he spaz’s out by our presence. Already he’s brought lots of smiles to the kids faces and is usually cuddled up asleep in their arms or by their feet. On Saturday we worked in the yard while he played right along side us, slept, and watched as we unloaded mulch.

I now smell dog at times while sitting on my couch and when he comes back in from playing in the yard he brings in grass and such that has stuck in his hair. And instead of letting it bother me I’m trying to let it stretch me. I have 6-10 years left with my kids being in our home. Meaning before they graduate and go off to college or pursue what God has for them and so I’m letting that fuel me as I bag each of Neely’s poops and then talk later about it with hubs to get him caught up. I figure my kids probably won’t remember or care how clean our couches were but they will remember the love they had for their first dog. Usually the best things in life aren’t easy and having a puppy around isn’t exactly easy. But hopefully at the end we will find that we loved in a whole different way and that our hearts are even bigger. All bc we chose to open them up to something new and different.

Happy Monday!


"You will miss what matters most in life if you are only ever looking for the spectacular"  

Linking up with Laura

and heather for

heather.

Felt_ Flowers_ Chevron & a Wreath

Last week I completed this wreath for my front door. And actually, after finishing it couldn't decide if I really wanted to hang it outside or not. It was so stinkin' cute I kinda wanted to have it inside to see.

But I went ahead and opted to hang it on the door like I planned to do from the start. 

I'm thinking I could eat it though!

Originally, I got this idea from Pinterest when a friend pinned this wreath.

Source

I loved the black & white_ the bright colors_ the chevron_ pretty much everything about it and couldn't wait to get busy making one for myself! So I switched it up a bit and what follows is a quick tutorial on what I used and how I made my version.

Supplies you will need:

1~ 16 inch wreath

1~ roll of black yarn

1~ roll of white yarn

Felt in all different colors. I used about 16 different colors.

Hot glue

Total cost to make: $12

I didn't do a good job of taking step by step pictures so if you have any questions just ask and 

I'll try to explain in more detail.

First you'll need to mark off sections on your wreath to know where and when to stop your color to then pick up with the next color in rotation. Mine were a little over 1' sections making sure that I would not end up with the same color side by side.

Next I made a bunch of felt flowers in different shapes/ sizes. If you've never made a felt flower before just google how. There are a ton of tutorials out that are amazing at showing you how.

With some cardboard I drew and cut out a chevron stencil to trace onto each piece of felt.

  Then after making all of my flowers and cutting out all of the chevron pieces I just hot glued everything. Matching up the colors like I wanted with the chevron, then placing the flowers and gluing once the chevron pieces had all been glued down first.

Now let me tell you what I would do differently after making my first one.

The chevron needed to be wider so that it wrapped around the wreath more.

I would of liked it to cover more on each side/end but it was something I didn't realize until I had gotten them on there. So I had to just go with it. Looking at the wreath head on you really don't notice it. It's only after you get upon it that you can tell. 

I seriously love it though. It's definitely a happy wreath.

That ba-boom piece that I can't wait to see as I pull into the driveway. 

Because wreaths and felt and flowers and chevron and color all help make life a little sweeter.

"You will miss what matters most in life if you are only ever looking 

for the spectacular"  

Linking up with Laura

heather.

Spring in the Air

This weekend we made the hour and a half drive to the nearest IKEA and I was able to bring home a new statement piece for our entryway. Can I just say I love IKEA. I always leave inspired in some way or other of how to organize better or how to arrange differently. They make me think outside of the box and no, this is not a paid advertisement for IKEA. haha, although that would be nice. I just like going there and my kids even like it which is unusual bc they hate shopping. Even the girls hate to shop. Unless of course, we're going to purchase a specific item... a specific item for them.

The piece did take a little work to put together. There were only like 120 paper thingys that had to be clipped into place. And no, I'm not sick in this picture that's just how i look sporting no make-up and hair thrown up in pony. For reals though, it really didn't take that long and wasn't bad to put it all together. The worst was having Jode find a tall enough ladder to reach and then changing the old one out.

Once the sun started to set it cast off all kinds of pretty bursts onto the walls. 

The space is perfect for it and I heart it.

I did forget to get a picture of the old chandy hanging but here it is sitting in our garage. It's quite an ugly little piece and will hopefully be sold in an upcoming garage sale.

************************************************************

Youngest came home from school on Friday with a cabbage that she needed to plant. Whoever grows the biggest cabbage by next year will win $1000 dollar scholarship. So I was like well let's get that thing in the ground. Because every penny will help towards college for 3 kiddos.

We decided to use Mr Pumpkin that has lasted since September for some good fertilizer for the cabbage. I was tired of looking at him and he ran a good race that ole' pumpkin, he did.

Now the kids are all wanting to plant things for the Summer and I think we will. We picked up some Sunflowers yesterday and were trying to decide on some vegetables too. But gigantimous Sunflowers would be awesome to have in the backyard. I can just see them all standing up tall, swaying in the wind.

******************************************************************

We went down to the tennis courts and tried to play some this weekend. 

We know to hit the ball, try to keep it in the lines, and that's about all when it comes to Tennis.

It was fun just being out getting some exercise and doing something different. 

While we were there they had some members pull up and watch us from their car. So i told the kids they were scouting us, cause we were just that good. They might want to ask us to join their team or something. But it turns out I think they just wanted our court to play on. Next time they'll see just how good we really are....

And i couldn't resist taking this pic. We have a huge bush on the side of our house all bloomed out and it is bea-u-ti-ful. Spring is in the air even though it turned super chilly again yesterday. But Spring is coming and I'm looking forward to the colors and Easter and Spring Break and middle's birthday and there's so much I have to be thankful for. I am... I am truly thankful for every. little. thing.

Oh, and for gigantimous Sunflowers too. ;)

"You will miss what matters most in life if you are only ever looking for the spectacular"

Linking up with Laura

heather.

Basketball_ Soccer_ & Cartwheels

Saturday oldest played his last basketball game for the season. His team were the winners of 1 game but overall, I think they all were winners. It's awesome to watch kids who start out maybe lacking confidence or who know nothing about team work turn around and by the end of the season they're holding their heads a little higher and they're passing the ball off & around the court. I love seeing the transition that happens out on the field/ court and know that it has to carry over into other areas of their life too. 

Two weeks ago we were out shopping and oldest spotted some new special dunking shoes. For those of you who follow along here you know my son has quite the obsession with shoes. Most of them being pretty pricey. He was more than disappointed that day to leave not getting the shoes that were on sale promising to do just about every chore he could think of from now until forever. Over the next couple of days the shoes were the highlight of his conversation. When finally Jode told him if he scored 10 points in the next game he would buy him the shoes. I think this bet happened amongst them as they were playing b-ball out in the driveway. Well he didn't make the 10 point score for that game and was more than disappointed but hubs once again committed to buy the shoes this last game if he scored 6 points..... and that he did.

*********************************************************

The girls are both thinking they want to try their kicks out at Soccer this year. They've been practicing and yesterday Jode and I took them on in a game. It was kind of chilly but so beautiful out.

The girls kept collaborating on their next play trying to outsmart us. Youngest kept impersonating Nacho Libre trying to make her sister laugh. I like seeing them on the same team and working together bc trust me it's so much better quieter that way. :)

Then late last night after all the tucking in had taken place I heard the text on my phone ring. Middle had text'd me to say that she really wants to play Soccer but not if her sister is going to play and be on her team. If that's the case she'd rather just play Softball again this year and let youngest play Soccer. I told her not to worry about it right then. It was too late and that we would figure it out tomorrow.

And there were some cartwheels, too this weekend. Because it just wouldn't have been a day to the fullest had there not been. Soccer and all is fun but cartwheels in the sunshine...that's often where it's really at.

Happy Monday!

Linking up with Laura

heather.