Summer Days

these days of recent I’ve tried to sit and write_ tried to pen a post.

but couldn’t.

i kept hearing that inner voice say step away from the computer heather.

so I would, I did.

so much to do, but not anything real pressing.

just the knowing that we have 3 more weeks before we have to get up_

get out of our pj’s and into real clothes_ have to be back on a schedule.

i know the days are coming when I will miss having them in the house with me.

and I’ll be able to write or do whatever and right now all of the other can wait.
here's a little of what we've been up to.

we’ve had sleep late days

and pancakes to fill our bellies for breakfast.

played games of their choice.

which always wind’s up being Life.

we’ve colored.

and as of recent been turned on to Netflix.

which is bad and good all wrapped up into one.

with the heat out everyone’s been fine with staying indoors.

so we’ve found some shows on there, old movies, documentaries that the kids really like and have stayed up to 12 and 1am watching every night.

this week we’ll start shopping for school.

getting all their supplies, picking out the just right book sack, and getting fresh hair cuts.

summer days are coming to an end.
so we're soaking every little bit up.

linking up with laura

.heather

They're Home

well today I am so thankful to have my kids home.

we picked them up this week and i was more than ready to get my hands back on them.

i'm thankful that they get to spend time with family but still as their mama i

do a lot of exhaling when their back in arms distance. 

i was thinking about it as we drove to meet up with my mother and father in law in Alabama. 

how we've lived in a lot of different states & houses and none of it holds me.

or has a hold on me...but my kids_ being with Jode_ they are my home. 

and when we're apart pieces of me are missing.

speaking of Alabama. that's kind of a half way mark between us and mawmaw so it was 

awesome that they met us there. helped us not have to go so far and it helped

split the trip up a bit. we were all able to have lunch together before departing and 

heading back our separate ways.

no matter how we sike ourselves up and know that goodbye's are coming...it's still hard.

and this time was no different.

when Jode and i pulled out of the driveway in leaving the kids they were

crying. and i tried my best to smile_ tell them how much fun they were going to have

at mawmaw's_ and wave till we were out of sight.

the thing is they knew and they wanted to stay but seeing us go was still hard.

they want us all together. with no one having to say a goodbye.

and i get it. and i want so bad to take away the pain and torn feelings.

but i can't and so i hold them close_ i rub their backs_ we talk of future visits and all that we have 

to look forward to _ and i pray. the Lord knows. so i pray that He would comfort and bring

peace. that He would guard their hearts & minds. that's when & where i'm able to find my rest.

and i also am thankful for this man and our time spent together.

i told him that when thinking of things that we could do together that we needed to ask the question

"do we do this with the kids? with us all together?" and if the answer was yes then we needed to 

figure something else out. so we did things that we normally don't do.

for example, we don't usually eat at Seafood restaurants bc my Gray is allergic.

so we made sure to eat out one night at a Seafood place we had never been to.

on another day Jode drove me from one side of our city to another hitting

all the thrift stores. Bc my kids wouldn't mind 1 or 2 stores. but 

to stop at more than 5 would've been pure torture to them. 

oh, and i know this is kind of silly to some. and we could totally do this with our kids but

this fell under the "first" category. that's a whole other post. but we like to

experience things we've never done before_for the first time_ together. so we 

rode the trolley all around the city one night. it's the little things.

but i'm thankful on this thursday for these little things that mean the world to me.

and i'm thankful for my babies_ our family_ our home.

linking up with Carina

.heather

10 on 10 { july 2012 }

this day, this whole week has felt a little strange. i’ve felt a little off.

for instance, when I get in the car to go somewhere I keep feeling like there’s something forgotten or like I didn’t turn my curling iron off. something of that sort and kind. but I know what it is. my kids aren’t here. they’re at mawmaw’s for a few days and so it feels odd.

i miss them to pieces. even the annoying things like their fussing & fighting. but I’m also enjoying this time. funny how you can do both at the same time. miss them so much yet have such fun just jode & i, the two of us. enjoying the conversation that we can have about future opportunities. about life. lots of times this convo gets pushed off because of more pressing things that need to be tended to with the kids. conversation that happens when my eyes are just about to shut in bed or when taking a drive in the car and all are pre-occupied. so it’s been nice. it’s a blessing…. this time. I try to remind myself of that when the guilt starts to creep in. because at the end of the day it all comes back to him and I.

i've been taking this opportunity to do some thrifting too. you know while the kids are away mom will play. talk about treasures. i found some treasure this week that makes my heart start to race. is it just me or when you pull up to a thrift store and see it packed with cars do you get the urge to run? i always feel like I need to hurry and get in. because someone may be getting some good thing that I really want or need. like when I found the prettiest yellow and white rug. now I know we’re not talking about vintage goodness here but I’ve been eyeing that very rug at Target for months. even carried it around the store only to talk myself out of it. all because I hated to spend the $25. so when I spotted it on an end cap in Goodwill for $6 still with the tags i thought it must be a mistake. someone must've layed it down accidentally and as I picked it up, seriously thought someone would come tell me it was not for sale.

 10 on 10 forces me to look for special moments throughout my day and that’s the real treasure. the real goodness. the kind that holds no price tag. i’m thankful for it all. including the treasure found in stores. but on these days not only can I reflect on what I did but I get to see through these photos so much more. there's so much more....

.heather

Linking up with Rebekah

"baby you're my firework"

our 4^th was kind of a quiet_low key one.

i spent the morning putting together fruit salad and

macaroni & cheese to bring for dinner that evening.

my friend nina had invited us over to eat and go watch fireworks afterwards.

if you ever need a quick recipe to whip up… this salad is definitely one.

you can really use any fruit you like, but we make it with:

2 cans mandarin oranges

1 jar of cherries

1 large can crushed pineapple

3 apples

4 bananas

empty all fruit into a bowl and set aside.

drain all the fruit juices into a bowl. 

then add a pkg of jello instant pudding vanilla flavor and a pkg 

of instant lemon flavor pudding into the juices.  

mix really well until there are no lumps left.

pour over fruit, mix altogether, and put in refrigerator to chill.

add your bananas last to keep them from getting mushy and turning brown.

this is the only picture I managed to get of it.

the kids love cherries! it’s their favorite part.

nina had everything set up so cute.

her funfetti cake was one of my favorite things.

the icing and sprinkles were so festive.

we headed over and watched some fireworks with

our 3d glasses that nina’s family had given us.

it was like prisms and color overload!

and afterwards back home we had a little fun with the glasses too.

hope you had a great 4th of July!!

linking up with 2 of my favorite gals today Cuppakim & Katygirl

.heather

Remembering June

i love my insta-pics... they are the jam{uh, hmmm hannah}.

 thank the Lord for cell phones with cameras that at any time you can catch the moment. 

like when your vacationing in a car for 9 hours and you need something to do. waalah.... 

insta-pic of your feet propped up on the dashboard. you know you've done that. don't lie. 

or a good one of the kids fighting in the back seat. or drool coming out their mouths as they sleep.

gabi's first swim meet. getting my hair did. kayli girl. neely. me & gab.

earrings from hannah. coffee in my fav mug. me & kayli. fixing up dad's hair. stud man making a fire.

kayli's freckles. neely boy getting big. strawberry smoothies. prints from aly. new cup.

low angle of neely. what i wore. chipmunks on the porch. going to Ms. straightening iron burn.

me & hubs pic for anniversary. us at lydia's wedding. atlanta coke. church. billy button flowers for the wedding.

making cupcakes at mawmaw's. bible study in the morning. gab & neely. signage. gray man

it keeps me busy when i'm bored.

it also helps me document our lives.

and one of the best things yet again...are the people.

seriously, i've met some great people through insta-gram. even met some in person.

and some i may never have the opportunity to meet here.

but at least i can now say i know Richelle & Jami in Ca.

amd Sarah in Ok. and Laura in Tx and Danielle in NY.

pictures... they say a thousand words and bring us all together.

I love me some insta-gram.

happy tuesday!

.heather

For His Glory

I would be lying to you if I sat here and said that living away from family has been easy or fun. it's not. but i believe it has made me and Jode into the family we are today. we have clung to each other and learned so much.

the saying goodbye and knowing when we will see each other again is a little easier. than the saying goodbye and not knowing when we might get to see each other again. whether it be due to financial reasons or job obligations. and there have been those times.

MIL & Me_ Cousins_ Cousins_ Niece & SIL

I think it was after my dad’s death when I became the most aware of how precious our time together was…is.  i’m not trying to be depressing here, but it’s true. the not knowing if it was the last time I may hug my mom or my mother-in-law’s neck.

the loading up_ the holding of hands and prayer before we drove off_ the tight hugs and extra squeezes_ it would get me every time. it started with the prayer usually led by my father-in-law, BIL, or Jode before we would all disburse and go our separate ways. all of the gratitude_the thankfulness knowing the grace that has been given us would rise up from the inside and sit right in my throat. the more I tried to fight it back the tears would eventually always come.

Me & Steph (SIL)

I’ve shared about what the Lord has done in my life_ what He’s done in our family. I write about us weekly and hopefully, you see threads of him interwoven all throughout of his faithfulness, blessing, and working in our life.

but our extended family also, each have individual testimonies of God’s love and grace. and when you get us all together _ put us all in a room together_ when we sit next to each other taking up 2 rows of pews it is something so sweet and can be overwhelming for me. i look from face to face and I’m reminded of God’s goodness and mercy. it stares back at me.

Kids with MawMaw

Kids with cousin

Jode_his dad_ middle brother_ oldest brother

so that’s why the tears come. i’m not sad. in fact it’s just the opposite. i’m filled with joy and humbled all at the same time bc I know_ I know how we don’t deserve any of it but yet he chose to put us all together. and for that I’m thankful and overwhelmed.

do we get on each others nerves? or have disagreements? well sure. and we know as long as we (all of us) are part of something it’s gonna be jacked up at times. because we’re human. the difference being there’s forgiveness_ there’s love offered. and at the end of the day we have a bond and a reason to celebrate_ we’re family.

 

the settling back in at home within the quietness is hard to get back adjusted too. when there has been a house full of cousins, aunts, uncles, pallets all over the floor, not enough bathrooms available, hearing hunting story after hunting story told, laughing about old times, watching our kids sing and put on shows, hearing the boys wrestle, and eating all of mawmaws good cooking.

but we look forward to the next time with great anticipation.

we each look up to Him and follow His direction.

and pray that He always get’s the glory.

      .heather

I heart thrifting {and i bet you do too}

what do you_ me_ $10_ thrift shopping_ buying for someone else_ and someone buying for you 

all have to do with?

it ‘s the thrifty love gift exchange!

us ladies_ stephanie, jami, hannah, sarah, esther, danielle, myself, and carina love thrifting! 

and i bet you do, too!

this thrifty love sparked the idea for a super fun sort of gift exchange.

enjoying the thrill of the thrift as you shop for a gift, and sharing it with someone else!

and y'all, this will be such a great way to meet other bloggers and make new friends!

here's how it works:

if you are interested in participating (duh, you so are!), here's what you need to know:

1. send an email to carina at punkpumpkinpeanut at gmail dot com by july 5

2. include a link to your blog and a mailing address (only to be shared with your match up!)

you'll get your match no later than july 10.

at that point you can get to know your new blog friend and you'll be all set to go thrifting!

spending limit is $10, which is like lottery winnings at the right shop.

all packages should be in the mail no later than july 25.

*if it turns out you can't participate, please let carina know by july 20 so we can set your match up with another friend

get your blog posts ready with a full report of your thrifty love for a blog link up

on august 6th.

*this exchange is open to u.s. residents only this time around*

are you excited?! i thought so! now, grab a button on the right and get thrifting!

.heather .