simple lovelies

narrow

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-06:00

I was reading a few of my favorite blogs last night when I came across a link to this post. I didn't realize until after I read the post and read about the author that my mother-in-law gave me her book for Christmas. God thing? I think so.

At church Sunday morning the speaker said be careful not to become an analyst. Strive to become a catalyst. He was referring to politics, but this statement struck a chord with me. I am so prone to being led. To wanting someone else to be the catalyst. Don't worry, I'm a great follower. If someone else in my life would just be radical, I would follow suit so quickly God; I promise.

So back to this post that I read by Ann Voskamp. She didn't wait for someone else in her life to be radical. She listened to her four year old son who sincerely asked her what Jesus gets for his birthday and despite her own fear of change, she created a tradition in her family that has instilled gratefulness in her children and has changed lives each Christmas for almost 10 years. I was moved to tears when I read about her father watching her family for the past 10 years and deciding to forgo family gifts this Christmas in order to provide water for an entire village in Africa. What does it teach a young child who has everything they need and more to decide between giving a mosquito net to prevent malaria or seed to feed a family? I didn't even know what malaria was until I was in college.

I could go on and on about the conviction I felt reading this family's story. Because more than one Christmas, especially in the last few years, I have asked myself "What does Jesus get for his birthday?" Why do I receive so much on a day that celebrates the one who sacrificed everything for me?

And going beyond Christmas, why have I waited so long for someone else to show me how to live when God speaks to me constantly through His word, through prayer, through teaching, through dreams, through friends, through the experiences of others?

And right now God is saying that even when I feel alone, I am not. He gives me everything I need to parent my child, navigate friendships, nurture my marriage. And He's telling me that it is okay if my way looks different than the mainstream. Because it is supposed to. Because small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only few find it.(matt.7:13) God please let my family be the few and not the many...

I'm Back

2012-01-01T19:34:00.000-06:00

And we are expecting! Baby Staats #2 is coming in early July...We are so thankful. This pregnancy has been a little more difficult than my first, but I know this baby is a blessing so every moment of sickness has been worth it.

I've missed sharing my heart here on this blog and there have been moments in my days and nights over the past few months where something falls on my heart that I long to share. I really took this little time off to decide whether or not I wanted to continue blogging since I have another baby on the way and I know I'll need every spare second of time once that little one gets here.

I go through seasons of life where I have it a little more "together" than others...right now I'm in a season where I'm not really feeling together at all! I thought to myself, what would I blog about if I can barely find energy to do my laundry and clean my house? Then I realized that there are probably other people who feel a little disheveled as well. And maybe they need to know they are not alone. And maybe I need to know I am not alone as well.

So I decided to keep on blogging and sharing and trying the best I can to be genuine and real...even when it might be a little raw. I've pretty much worn the same jeans five days in a row and don't really remember the last time I blow-dried my hair. We've watched Toy Story about 5 times in the past week and Noah hasn't taken a nap in 7 days (he is in his crib; he just talks to himself for an hour and a half!). I didn't send a Christmas card out this year for the first time since Nelson and I have been married. Cooking? What's that?

But I did decorate our home. We were blessed beyond measure by friends and family this Christmas. I was reminded that God always cares about the details of our lives. And my heart is so full of love for this little life inside of me. Whether it's a he or a she, I can't help but feel more emotion for this baby than I did when I was pregnant with Noah. Because now I look at Noah and see his personality, his humor, his sweet spirit...and I realize that he is a person. And when he was a screaming baby I couldn't see past the screaming baby. But with this little one, I know now that the little baby becomes a little person, far too quickly.

And I don't want to take any moment with this one for granted. Because I know now more than ever that each life is a gift from God. So even through the countless sleepless nights and days where I forget that I have clothes other than my pajamas, I know now that it passes. I know that I'll eventually get a good night of sleep. I'll eventually get to hear "I love you, mommy." I'll eventually get back into my pre-pregnancy clothes and feel somewhat normal again...somewhat ;o)...

So I'm happy to be back to blogging again. I hope you'll remember that I'm back and feel encouraged wherever you are in your journey. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'm excited to share everything that's in store for this new year with you!

Here are a few more photos from our home this Christmas!

a lil' break

2011-10-26T18:45:00.003-05:00

hi friends, i am so sad to say i will be taking a break from blogging for a short while! i have some things to tend to at home and feel a little spread thin with some commitments i made for the Fall. i'm looking forward to all God is going to do during this little break! i may do a holiday decor post in december and plan to kick back up again in january. i hope you'll check back in with me at that time! i'll miss you and can't wait to share spring together;o)...
lauren

fall delight

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

i love it when my parents visit!

noah got his first pair of toms...:o)

these are my new favorite shoes...kohl's...sale rack...$10 (don't look too closely at my toenails!)

this is how i've been wearing my hair lately...my trick for not having to blowdry...;o)

and here's my little guy...just a bundle of joy! isn't he getting so big? tonight he said "mommy, i had fun today. it's a beautiful day"...those moments bring so much joy to my heart!

Wreath

2011-10-20T14:10:00.004-05:00

i had so much fun making a new wreath for my door...i've had a yarn wreath up for about a year (i don't do well with changing things for each season!) so i thought i'd change it up a bit this time!

i used a hot glue gun to attach the scrabble tiles to the mini felt pennants and bunched several different types of fabric and felt flowers together. i mixed some burlap in and sewed a few buttons on the flowers for a change as well...

i came up with the idea of using the wooden stick wreath here and saw a photo on pinterest that inspired me to use the scrabble tiles!

i'm in waco right now with my family and was able to see my friends bree and robin last night and today! it's so nice to be here. i was driving out to their parents house last night and was just soaking in the sunset across empty fields on a country road. we currently live in fort worth and it is very rare to drive long distances without seeing shopping centers, restaurants, houses, grocery stores, etc...last night i realized how nice it was to just see nothing but nature. it's so good for the soul to be detached from the regular busy pace of life. makes me long a little for heaven...i went to a switchfoot concert on monday night (favorite band ever) and i downloaded one of my favorite songs on their new album to my blog playlist...click on "restless" on my music player at the bottom of the screen to listen if you have a moment. have a blessed day...and maybe take a moment to look up at the sky.

yellow and gray baby shower

2011-10-18T11:42:00.002-05:00

my sweet friend jillian is having a baby! i was so honored to host her shower in my home. she is not going to find out whether or not it's a boy or girl so we did a gender neutral color scheme...yellow and gray! this is the most fun i've had planning a party in quite awhile!

i ordered the straws from candochefs.com...you may remember them from noah's party. i have a little yellow obsession going on right now if you can't tell. i saw something similar to the little straw flags on etsy and thought i'd try my hand at making them...they were SO EASY! i'll do a DIY post in the next few days.

i made these paper fans to hang over the mantle and in my breakfast nook and cut fabric into strips to create the fabric streamers. i used my cricut to cut out "baby mcgee"!

i love mini chalkboards!!! i wish i had several to label all the food but i had to reign myself in a bit;o). oh, and i'm in love with white pumpkins!

i always love to have baby photos of the mommy and daddy so people can take a gander at what the new little one may look like.

my gift to jillian was a tie onesie, the pillowcase dress i made in my sewing class, and a burp cloth...for the record, i think she's having a girl!

okay so i went a little crazy with the bunting...but i did send some home with jillian and i'm going to package all this decor up in a box and maybe rent it out for showers and parties! i also love the idea of gray and yellow for a girl nursery so who knows...maybe one day?

we served lemonade instead of punch because, well, it's yellow! and i found that drink dispenser at Ross for $13.99...pretty good deal! i decided to do mini banana puddings instead of cupcakes thanks to lindsey from outofalabaster(if you haven't checked her blog in awhile, go look at her newest post of her master bedroom...i died)... the banana pudding was perfect because, well, it's yellow!!!! and did you know they make mini nilla wafers?!

i spent quite awhile trying to decide what to do behind the table (bunting, paper fans, fabric streamers?) but when it came down to it, balloons were the easiest and cleanest option and really captured the modern look i was hoping for. the sister of the mommy-to-be had the greatest idea to do book dedications for the new baby! i pulled out the scrabble tiles and created a little book signing station.

ummm...the voting wouldn't be complete without gray and yellow chalk! and i already had some in my box of chalk from ikea!!!

the shower was super fun and i hope jillian felt as loved and special as she is!!! i can't wait to meet that baby girl...or boy:o)!

Sewing

2011-10-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

wow, a whole week without blogging! i don't know what has gotten into me;o)...i was a lil' busy this week preparing for helping with mini sessions with Selah Photography (perfectly charming day at the farm!) and hosting a baby shower in my home (cannot wait to share photos!)...the mini sessions and shower are over and i am a tired girl! but not too tired to see all of you first thing monday morning!

i started sewing about a year ago when my friend kara came over and taught my friend tara and i how to thread our sewing machines and sew a straight line! i've really enjoyed trying new things and the hum of the machine really relaxes me...we just had our second sewing lesson last week and learned to make pillowcase dresses! here they are...kind of...i hadn't made my strap yet but i promise once i added the little yellow strap and gathered it at the top it was pretty sweet...

and this one's for you brianna:o)...have a happy monday!

Baby Shower Invite

2011-10-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

i'm so excited to throw a baby shower at my home for my friend jillian! we all know i love babies and parties so this is right up my alley! she isn't going to find out whether or not it's a boy or girl so we are doing a gender neutral, yellow and gray shower. i created the bunting in a microsoft word document using autoshapes and then used the new arrivals cricut cartridge to cut out the little onesies.

the ugly gray square below is me trying to hide my address from the world wide web:o)! i'm really excited about this shower because i'm going to try a few things i haven't done before...i hope it is oh so fun and special for jillian...it's such a celebratory time for her!!! there's nothing like that first little baby...it's this sunday so get excited!!!

i also wanted to share my favorite fall dessert with you: Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

i like to make homemade whipped cream to accompany it, although it is fine on it's own! i whip heavy whipping cream in my mixer until it becomes creamy and add powdered sugar until it tastes sweet enough and peaks when i lift the mixer attachment...soooooo yummy....you'll never buy whipped cream from the store again once you taste this.

Grace

2011-10-07T13:48:00.002-05:00

my mentoring group through church started up again a few weeks ago and there have already been some life changing moments for me through the teaching and love i feel when i'm surrounded by women who love God and care so deeply for others. this week the teaching was given by joanna freeman. i hope she doesn't mind me sharing her words of wisdom! she spoke about grace. her definition of grace is:

"not trying to earn what Jesus already paid for"

"He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life." 2 Corinthians 3:6

joanna talked about the differences in living a life under the law verses grace...here are a few comparisons between living under the law versus living under grace that pricked my heart:

Law vs. Grace
striving vs. resting
perfectionism vs. a beautiful mess
fruit of self-centeredness vs. fruit of the spirit
pride vs. humility
death vs. life
judgement vs. forgiveness
stinginess vs. generosity
identity as a servant vs. identity as a daughter of the King

DOING VS. BEING

something that struck a chord with me was when she spoke of her tendency towards perfectionism but how God showed her that being perfect means being complete and Jesus completed His work on the cross so that we could be made complete without striving. He did our part because He loves us so much. isn't that amazing?

so i left with a new focus. to be filled with the spirit of God so much that i give grace to others and myself in a way the Jesus does. i'm really hard on myself. and lately i notice that i've been hard on other people; having unrealistic expectations of those closest to me. God's working on my heart. i'm so thankful He won't let me stay the same...

Mini Session Promo

2011-10-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

remember my mini session giveaway? well, i have one more announcement to make regarding these amazing photo opportunities! if you book a session and refer a friend who also books a session then you will receive ALL of your images on a disc for no extra charge. that's right, $150 for ALL images on a disc for you to print as many photos as your little heart desires! there are still openings for all three sessions.

the first one is saturday, october 15th, at homestead farms. this will be a very special harvest session...imagine pumpkins, quilts, wagons, hay bales, plaid...i will work to create a unique look for each and every family who signs up! (i'm styling the sessions, not taking the photos:o)!)

the second session is our winter session on saturday, november 12th at an old wooden barn in colleyville, tx. this is the perfect opportunity to put those adorable mittens and beanies on your little one's...wear your cute winter boots and leg warmers and coats, and pose for that perfect Christmas card photo! there will be many different magical props to choose from!

the third session is an urban session on sunday, december 11th in downtown fort worth. this one is for you artsy modern folk...think furniture in the city streets, industrial settings, fashion...oh i can't wait!

another thought is to let anyone who needs engagement photos know about these sessions! they are of course not limited to families with children!!!! it would be fun for couple's of any age or walk of life...just a thought;o). wouldn't it be cute for an older married couple/grandparents to do a session? that might be a sweet gift...

so call jill at selah photography at 817.741.3419 to book your session and/or ask any questions if you are so inclined! again, i'd love to see some of your faces (and help you decide what to wear:o)!!!!) check the selah facebook page for more details!

backyard magic

2011-10-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

we had a little party at our house on sunday. we have no porch since we closed it in to create our playroom...and we have no trees...and we have a very small backyard...but i discovered this weekend that you can still have a magical outdoor party with a little creativity!

if you are going to have an outdoor party, you have to have lights! i've been eyeing these little globe lights at target for at least two years now! this was the perfect occasion to buy them...i have a feeling we will get good use out of them!

i always like to add a quilt or blanket for babies and little ones to play on! i used an old bedsheet for one of the tablecloths:o)...in an ideal world all of the chairs would be wooden and mismatched colors...but our neighbor let us borrow all of their outdoor chairs which was nice!

i love having people over; kids running through the house, babies cooing, laughter, eating, fun...we don't do this often enough! and of course i didn't take enough pictures while the party was actually happening...too busy chasing my child around!

and the best part of all was our overnight houseguests...sarah and her newborn baby Lennon! he liked me; can't you tell? what four week old smiles like that!:o)

the zoo

2011-10-04T08:19:00.003-05:00

this little bookmark from real simple magazine has been hanging by a little push pin in my house for four years...it rings true every single day.

my MIL took noah and i to the zoo...here is our trip in pictures:

noah can't stop talking about his trip to the zoo! i think it was the best day of his life! my favorite quote of the day from noah: "don't be scared. it's a nice ibex."

boys

2011-10-01T22:08:00.002-05:00

i can't help myself from posting this photo taking by my dear friend and neighbor jessica marshall from today:o)!

neutral baby wreath

2011-09-30T20:54:00.002-05:00

i was asked to create a gender a neutral wreath for the first time! the sweet mama didn't find out if it was a boy or girl until little shiley entered the world:o)...i sent her the wreath along with the names for her to glue on when the little one found it's way into her arms!

i hope you have a happy weekend! we have a little shindig planned for sunday night at our casa...can't wait to share the fun with you next week!

Giveaway Winner

2011-09-30T15:00:00.001-05:00

KIM SWINDELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

while i am very excited for kim, i am so sad that everyone can't win! i truly am sad and may need to go bake some cookies (that's what i do when i get sad)! i'd still love it if you signed up for a mini session though...go to Selah's facebook page for details...it's a great deal and a great time to take that amazing Christmas card picture you've been wanting...and the photos will make the perfect gift for grandparents, great grandparents, etc...for the holidays!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 23

bsf

2011-09-27T13:23:00.005-05:00

noah and i just started our second year of bible study fellowship.
in all, there are over 1,000 BSF classes with 200,000 class members in 38 nations across six continents. over 800 of the classes are held in the U.S. it's kind of amazing to be studying the same lesson as over 200,000 people all over the world every week! it's non denominational and it is a true bible study in the sense that you literally study a book of the bible for an entire year. it's so refreshing to just open God's word and see things you've never seen before because of the time you spend on each chapter.

noah was 12 months old when we started studying isaiah last year. i was immediately blown away by how the children's leaders loved on my son. when i arrived the first day one of them said "oh, this is noah! i've been praying for him this summer!"...at 12 months noah was still having major issues with sickness and food allergies. he wasn't babbling at all. i worried about him constantly. and this woman who i had never met before had evidently been praying for my son.

every week i went back and gave noah to his two leaders who loved him, prayed for him, sang songs with him, spoke scripture over him...and i cried my eyes out on the last day of bsf in may because i was so sad to leave. there was nothing i could give back to these workers who had volunteered their time every wednesday all year long to invest in my child. lots of treasures stored up in heaven for those two:o).

this year we began again and his leaders are just as amazing. today we had a meeting for mom's of kids age 2 and older and they shared with us that every moment that our children are in childcare is structured and purposeful. they sing hymns. learn a bible story; the same truth that we are learning in our adult groups. they have a quiet time where they think about God. they exercise and play games and have a snack. these workers are volunteers. i just can't help but tear up when other people care about, invest, believe in, and pray for my child!

all that to say, if you have a bsf class near you and you have kids age 5 and under, you should pray about joining! now that noah can talk, i can't wait to hear the truths he learns this year. he already said this morning that he was excited to go to bible studies:o). did i mention it's free? and they have men's and women's night classes with a children's program for kids age 5 to seniors in high school.

bsf has been such a treasure to me and i've been meaning to post about it for some time!

*just a note about the mini session giveaway...if you book your mini session before the giveaway ends and then you win the free session, you will get a full refund! enter giveaway here. this is so exciting! all images in this post were taken by selah photography.

Mini Session Giveaway!

2011-09-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Meet my dear friend Jill from Selah Photography:

"I started photographing small things for my college newspaper in 2000 and then everything took off from there. I was supposed to be a advertising executive, but this little outlet of creativity had other plans for me. It was truly an act of God to open my mind to the fact that I could do what I love AND make it my career. He has provided amazing clients, fresh ideas and wonderful assistants throughout this whole journey."

Here are the Top 5 Things that you need to know about Selah Photography and what we are all about.

5. I have photographed over 95 weddings through our studio. In that entire time, I can honestly say that there is not ONE “bridezilla” in the bunch. How blessed am I? I loved them all and most of them I still talk to as friends! (including Miss Lauren!)
4. I started out shooting on this little thing called FILM. It’s crazy that unless I teach them about it, my kids will have no clue what that is.
3. When people want a non-posey, totally candid photographer, I tell them that is not me. I believe that telling people how to look their best in a photograph is a must! After all, you don’t get photographed every day. However, we do let little kids go wild for a bit and totally leave room for crazy, spontaneous “posing”.
2. I absolutely would never want to have a video made of me getting children to look at the camera or smile. I resolve myself to the fact that I look absolutely ridiculous, but who cares? The kids love it!
1. The number one thing that you would want to know about Selah Photography is…. What does “Selah” mean? Yeah, that weird word in Psalms. It means to take a moment and reflect. That is what I believe photography should make you do. Stop and think!

Selah Photography Fall Mini Sessions:
*Harvest Session at Homestead Farms, October 15th
*Winter fun at the Barn, November 12th
*Urban Session, Downtown Fort Worth, December 11th
*These are 30 minute sessions that are personally styled for each family in the theme for that day. We will have time slots in the morning and the late afternoon. Our session stylist Lauren (that's me!) will call you to talk to you about clothing, props and everything else to make your Mini-Session amazing!
*See Selah's facebook page for more details on the mini sessions!

here's a sneak peak...
harvest:

winter:

*check under the "galleries" tab on selah's website for more photos of our sample harvest shoot with the Wiegand's, winter shoot with my Noah, and urban shoot!

The winner of this giveaway will receive one, 30 minute family mini-session, photographed by Selah Photography and styled by Lauren Staats, along with a disc of 7 high resolution edited images from your photoshoot, value of $150. You can choose the Harvest, Winter, or Urban session. All sessions will be held in the Fort Worth area and you will be expected to arrive at your session 10 minutes early.

Giveaway closed at noon Friday...winner announced at 3pm!!!!!

to enter the giveaway, you are required to be a follower of my blog! if you'd like to increase your chances of winning, leave an extra comment for "liking" Selah Photography's facebook page! that means you would leave one comment that says "i follow your blog" and a separate comment that says "i liked selah's page"...good luck everyone!!!!! i can't wait to chat about your shoot if you win!

*sessions will fill up fast...even if you don't win the giveaway this could be a special photo shoot to capture your family during the holidays at a great value! i'd love to see some of your faces;o)!

get excited

2011-09-25T06:54:00.002-05:00

remember this?

well, it's all starting TOMORROW:o)...stay tuned!!!! you won't want to miss this giveaway!

my boy and my scale

2011-09-22T08:49:00.004-05:00

first of all, thanks for praying for my little guy! hand foot mouth is something i hope none of your kiddos ever have to go through! noah still has his rash/spots/sores, but he is feeling so much better. the doctor said he's contagious until the rash goes away...which means we have been cooped up in our house all.week.long. i'm not going to lie, i have been more than a little stir crazy...and so has noah. i'm pretty sure i'd weigh 300 pounds if we never went anywhere for an extended period of time...i baked so many things this week...and i kind of went pinterest crazy...out of control.

ANYWAYS, remember this post? you probably don't since it was FOREVER ago! well, I found my scale!!! okay, so it's not this exact one...but as I wandered through my favorite antique shop in Granbury last weekend, I saw this on the top shelf of one of the booths. i glanced at the price tag and saw $70 and i thought (of course)...but then I looked one more time...and saw that the 7 was actually a 1....$10!!!!! i squealed and a lady walking by looked at me funny. i told her i found the best deal ever and she gave me a half smile. I climbed up the shelf to grab it...even when I checked out at the counter the worker told me she couldn't believe it was priced so low!!!!

i have great plans for you little scale. you will sit on my counter and look pretty. my future babies will sleep on top of you for their newborn photos. you will make me smile every day...even when I'm 80.

our neighborhood garage sale is this weekend. it seems like we just had one but hey, i'm not complaining! i'm hoping to find a typewriter and a headboard...highly unlikely but a girl can dream!

hand foot mouth

2011-09-19T15:05:00.003-05:00

noah was diagnosed with the hand foot mouth virus this morning...i won't post a photo because he looks too sad! we are living in a world of pallets, barney, colloidal oatmeal baths, and homeopathic creams with weird sounding names this week. it's not a fun virus, i can tell you that much! say a prayer for my little man...and for sleep:o).

breeze comin' to texas

2011-09-17T20:25:00.003-05:00

meet my dear friend bree from breeze photography. i feel so blessed to have several good friends who are amazing photographers!!!! i basically lived at her house most summers through middle and high school! her younger sister robin was my bestie growing up and since bree is only two years older we all ended up spending a ton of time together! bree currently lives in colorado with her husband and two adorable children that she delivered at home in a bathtub:o), but she will be in texas in late october and available for sessions while she is here!

Hey! My name is Bree and I own Breeze Photography. I have always been interested in photography and had even tried to take a few classes over the years, but it never clicked (har har) for me until after my daughter was born and I signed up for a mini-one-on-one class with a photographer who had done sessions for the kiddo I had nannied. She made it start to make sense and before long I was eating, dreaming, and immersing myself into everything I could learn about photography. I started my business about three and a half years ago and here we are! I photograph a lot of newborns but I enjoy families and kids too. My favorite thing about doing sessions for children is when after the session is over, the parents see only the moments where they think their child wasn't cooperating or needed to burn off some steam during the shoot and then afterwards they see the images are blown away by just how many keepers there really are.

here are my fav.'s from my breeze photoshoots of noah at 4 months, one year, and two years:o)...

contact bree here if you are interested in booking a session in late october! check out her website for more incredible photos!!!

maybe

2011-09-15T21:01:00.004-05:00

the end of summer has come and Fall activities have officially started...i am enjoying the structure and routine that Fall brings, but this year i have felt a little anxiety with the changes. this summer was so laid back around here...we spent tons of time with family, traveling back and forth to visit grandparents, great grandparents, etc...i disconnected a bit with friends because of all the family time. we stayed in our pj's for way too long each day and baked a lot of cookies and brownies:o). we went swimming and took a random gymnastics class for four weeks...it was nice.

but Fall has come and with the change i have spent more time with friends, peers, etc. through bible studies and life groups and playdates. i've started to sense that familiar feeling of insecurity rise up in me. about to get honest...here are some thoughts that have crossed my mind lately:

*am i training noah well? do i need to read more books? should i really listen to all of these people who keep telling me noah is ready for a big boy bed when i feel like it's not the right time? should we move to a smaller town to protect our kids from too much negative exposure at too young of an age? should we send noah to public school or should i home school? should we move so that we can send him to a smaller public school? are my priorities messed up because i'd rather make pinwheels than do laundry? should we go vegan? should i stop blogging and/or give up social media altogether? am i the only person who is terrible at returning phone calls? why do i care so much about what other people think?

and the list goes on...i promise:o)...i wonder if any of you go through times where you are overly anxious about life. at life group on tuesday night, our leader shared her testimony and stated that there was so much grace over her life throughout childhood. i've been thinking about that this week...there was so much grace over my life as well...i wonder if that had something to do with prayer. my mom and dad prayed over me from as early as i can remember. my grandparents prayed over me before i even existed.

i wonder if God is way more in control of things than i know Him to be. like maybe God is more in control of noah's upbringing than i am. maybe God already knows what school noah will go to, what noah will be exposed to, what mistakes he will make and heartbreaks he will experience. maybe God is already covering noah with grace just like he covered me and nelson and my mom and my dad and my grandma and grandpa. maybe we are the future generations that were blessed because of the faith of our fathers. so maybe that realization frees me up a little bit from the anxiety that so easily creeps in. maybe instead of worrying, i should pray. because maybe my prayers will affect my children, my grandchildren, and even my great grandchildren. and maybe they, in turn, will pray...because of the faith of their fathers...and mothers:o).

⁷The righteous man walks in his integrity; blessed (happy, fortunate, enviable) are his children after him. Proverbs 20:7 (amplified)

¹ Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. ² Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. ³ Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. Psalm 112:1-3

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Phillipians 4:6

new room

2011-09-14T14:24:00.002-05:00

i don't know if you remember this post but this was our back porch a few months ago:

i did not post photos until now because i wanted it to be complete before i showed it to you! there are a few more things i have planned for this room, but if i waited until it was complete in my mind, it may be years before you could catch a glimpse:o).

i wanted to find a way to display noah's artwork temporarily, so that it can be switched out as he completes new masterpieces:o). as you can see, i used a few of his birthday decorations in the room...i don't like for things to go to waste! the puppet show stand from the heritage garage sale (below left) is my favorite! noah loves it!

i still need front knobs for the kitchen...mainly because i don't want to spend 8 more dollars:o)...

i used chalkboard paint on the side of the kitchen! it was my first time to try chalkboard paint...i didn't read the instructions of course...which told me i needed to use a paint roller instead of a paint brush. oops! it's not the smoothest finish but hey, it works for a two year old!

my corner:

i have a few storage/wall hangings that are waiting to be painted in my garage...my sweet aunt liane bought me several things that her cutie pie blogging neighbor was selling, including the rack i have my fabric on. i'll do a before and after post once everything is painted!

so that's all folks! hope you like it! my hope is that it really represents us...colorful, imaginative, a little messy, and full of laughter and fun! we're all kids at heart around here:o).

crib tent

2011-09-12T20:40:00.003-05:00

little man decided to climb out of his crib during his nap today. we responded by immediately going out to our local baby store and purchasing a crib tent:o) ...(push pause on the music player at the bottom of the screen so you can hear!)

do you think he looks ready for a big boy bed? i think not! he would be up every 5 minutes all night long...maybe in six months:o)...gotta love little boys!

also, i have a fun giveaway coming up...

learning

2011-09-08T13:43:00.005-05:00

this morning i spent time with two mamas i really respect...and they are sisters! watching them love on their children and gently and consistently correct them when they act out was such a blessing to me! there were five kids running through my home and backyard all morning but somehow when they left and i had noah settled in to eat his lunch, i realized that they had already cleaned up all the toys inside and outside! each of their kids were so excited to find noah's bible...there is nothing like hearing children get excited about God's Word. i'm thankful today for women to look up to and learn from. sometimes they seem hard to find but God seems to always give you what you need in due season. i'm thankful for a season of learning how to raise and train my child and i trust God to bring the right people into my life who can encourage and help me!

on a side note, i've noticed something about my little man. although he is very social, he prefers playing in very small groups of children. if we are around too many kids at one time he finds a place of escape in his bedroom or somewhere quiet. i've started narrowing our playdates down to a smaller number of kids to help him enjoy the playtime more...i end up enjoying it more as well! turns out my little guy and i are a lot alike:o).

sand table

2011-09-07T21:20:00.003-05:00

birthdays are fun. nelson's parents present to noah was a sand and water table...he loves it! look at that smile...those are my parents in the picture:o).

he played with it for 45 minutes straight...that's a long time for a toddler!

he's getting more imaginative every day...my precious little two year old...

labor day

2011-09-06T15:00:00.004-05:00

what a sweet weekend with family. yesterday my parents drove up for the day and nelson's parents joined us for dinner at our home...it was so fun! my dad and i used my ice cream maker for the first time. i will be using this thing more often! we made homemade strawberry icecream...i used this recipe. if you have a homemade icecream/frozen yogurt recipe you love, please send it my way!!!! the look on my dad's face is one of annoyance because i kept wanting to add more rock salt:o).

i can't help but get sentimental when nelson's parents and my parents are all together, enjoying a meal with their kids and grandson!

i think noah is a little loved...

i hope your labor day was sweet and refreshing!

two years: what i've learned

2011-09-03T13:52:00.004-05:00

noah turned two on thursday of this past week. today i spent a little time reflecting on what i have learned as a mother, wife, and woman over the past two years...i've shared my birth story with you before and have touched on my struggle with post partum depression and noah's colic/food allergies.

i can't tell you how grateful i am for my birth story. how grateful i am for the pain and the disappointment and the emotional suffering. i believe with all my heart that i would not be experiencing the joy and blessing of the here and now without the emotional trauma of my unexpected cesarean section, the countless sleepless nights with a screaming newborn, the feeling that my life would never be the same; never be as good...i am so thankful.

because the truth is, my life will never be the same.

but it will definitely be as good...it will definitely be even better.

i can honestly say that i turned my heart to God during that time and experienced the deepest intimacy i've ever had...because i couldn't live without Him...i didn't want to. you see, the Lord knew what He was doing when my labor and delivery didn't go like i thought it should...He knew what doctor would be on call...he knew about Noah's food sensitivities...He knew. and He allowed me to experience discomfort and pain and depression because He knew it would make me dig my roots into His word. He knew that a little hardship produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. and by His grace i found more hope than i ever could dream of.

so now my little one is two years old. and he is funny and quirky and smart. he can count to ten, knows the abc song, and knows all his primary colors (plus pink and purple), loves to sing all day long, knows more animals than i do including a caribou and alpaca!...he says "excuse me mommy" to get my attention. he says "praise the Lord God!" when he looks at the sky.

from the lips of children and infants He has ordained praise. (matt.21:16)

if someone looks sad he asks me if they are okay. he is sensitive and sweet. he is also active and curious and creative. he loves his stuffed monkey and elephant and sheep and talks to them throughout the day. he loves animals so much. he could hear the noah's ark story a million times and not tire of it...he loves his Jesus Storybook Bible; especially the story of Jesus' birth in the barn with the chickens and cows and sheep. his favorite place is homestead farms. he can't get enough of the goats and the farm dogs...his favorite food is hummus and pita chips...he is his own person.

he is a hands on learner, soaking up everything in his environment. we start bible study together in two weeks and he will learn what i am learning each week...i can't wait to hear what he absorbs from his teachers and classmates...he is the biggest blessing in my life.

i don't know if i'd realize what a blessing he is now without the difficulty of his birth and the six months of depression afterwards. i don't think i would appreciate each and every moment of hugs and kisses and laughter. each moment i'm allowed to watch him learn new things and grow bigger and stronger. each moment i'm allowed to teach him and help him understand a God who loves him even more than I do.

so this post kind of went in a different direction than i planned, but that happens more often than not. i mainly wanted to say that my suffering was the best thing that ever happened to me. and i hope my story can encourage you a little bit in your journey. God has a plan for you, a plan to prosper you and not to harm you, a plan to give you a future and a hope. i hope you have a blessed weekend!

hoops and two's

2011-08-30T22:24:00.003-05:00

here are a few hoops i made for a little girl and a little boy. don't you just love the word Fly? we've had a busy week over here in the Staats home. i am starting to see why some people warned me about the terrible two's :o)...sometimes noah is the sweetest little guy on the planet, but recently we have seen a very strong will coming out in the form of screaming "No!" as loud as possible to every suggestion we make. last night nelson asked noah if he wanted a million dollars..."NO DADDY!":o)...this two year old thing might be a little tougher than One...but thankfully i have people older and wiser than myself to give me some good tips...and even better, i have the Holy Spirit to help me know what to do in those moments of the day when i feel completely at a loss.
i don't normally post sermons on here but this series that our pastor is teaching is so good. here's the teaching from this past Sunday. it may change your life.
A Tough Question: 8/27/11

a farm party

2011-08-28T22:42:00.004-05:00

noah's birthday party was saturday night at Homestead Farms.

my baby turns 2 this week! can you believe it?

my friend and neighbor jessica marshall took these beautiful photos that i will treasure forever! the kids fed the goats, played with chickens, sang songs with farmer pops (my dad:o)), ate dirt and worms, and ended the evening with a hayride complete with horse and donkey sightings!

yay for Michael and Sarah Farris at Homestead Farms for making it such a special night!

striped straws from here...they were my inspiration!

trail mix for the kids...i used letter stamps to stamp FEED on the bags. we ended up eating the icecream cake and dirt and worms (which i totally forgot to get pictures of at the party...took some after:o)!) early because it was so hot so the trail mix was a little forgotten:o)!

chicken puppets were the favors...i know i did owl puppets last year but i actually sewed these little chickadees myself! my mom sewed the favors last year...we pinned them to the chicken coup:o)...

i have more pictures to show you later this week:o)...my sweet birthday boy:

schedule

2011-08-24T06:00:00.002-05:00

okay, you asked what the rhythm of our day looks like around here so here is my attempt at answering! it will change a bit in a few weeks when my bible study and mentoring group begins because noah will be in childcare for a few hours two days a week, but for now, here's what we are doing!

Mornings- wake up, praise and worship music on in home, noah drinks his milk and cuddles a bit with me while he eats breakfast! we were given the Jesus Storybook Bible a few weeks ago by a sweet neighbor and I LOVE IT. noah's favorite story is noah's ark:o). he also loves listening to how Jesus was born in a manger with the chickens and cows...he likes the pictures in the bible and asks to look at it in the morning and at nighttime. after breakfast and bible story, we go for a walk. i have been walking to our neighborhood splash pad this week because it is so hot out! as we walk we talk about what we see and the sounds we hear. we pray to Jesus and thank Him for our day. we ask for God to be praised in everything we do and say. i think it is really important to pray in front of children. it helps them to understand how very real and intimate our relationship with our Savior is. when noah was a baby i would pray throughout our entire walks because he couldn't talk to me. i found it to be such a refreshing time during those months when i wasn't getting a lot of interaction from him. we play at the splash pad (or park when it's cooler) for a bit and head home.

Mid-morning- errand time or playdate...grocery store, target, hobby lobby, etc...whatever needs to be done!

Noon- lunchtime, tv time (right now we are into Barney...it used to be Your Baby Can Read and Sesame Street!)...this is when i straighten up the kitchen, throw laundry in, make beds, etc...i don't really enjoy cleaning during his nap so i try to speed clean while he is eating and watching tv. you can get a lot done in 30 minutes if you are focused! (please remember i have only one child. i'm sure you will never hear from me again after i have two ;o)!)

12:45ish- Naptime!

3pm- structured playtime. now that he is almost two i am going to do more structured activities with him such as painting, puppet shows, play doh, puzzles, cooking, etc...i want to have something structured starting around 15-20 minutes after he wakes up from his nap. after our structured activity he will have some "free play" time to do whatever he would like to do independently. i will be available for him if he wants me to play with him though.

5pm- start cooking dinner. i'm going to hopefully have noah help me more with this. he is able to pour ingredients into bowls, stir things up, and he really enjoys helping me. if i'm making something complicated i will usually put it together while he is taking a nap and stick it in the fridge, but let's face it, i don't ever make anything too complicated around here!!!!

5:45- dinnertime with nelson and noah

so that's our day! sorry, that was kind of long!!!! i'll try to post more about activities i do with noah to let you know what works and what doesn't! i will save our nighttime routine for when we actually get a new one down because the one we have DOES NOT WORK:o)!!!

last days of summer

2011-08-22T22:21:00.004-05:00

we are enjoying our last days of summer...

the only way to be outside these days is if you are in the water.

noah is so independent. he jumps in on his own, goes down the kid slides by himself, and struts around like a little man on a mission!

most children went "back to school" today and i felt the excitement in the air, even though i only have a two year old:o). something shifted inside of me and i just decided that the lazy days of summer had to come to an end this week. we've had a wonderful summer...but i feel ready for a little more structure again. we've watched a little too much television and eaten out a little (okay, a lot) too much. from june to now, noah's bedtime has slowly but surely gone from 7 to 9...:o)...oops. today was our first attempt to get back into the rhythm of being outdoors first thing in the morning, learning new things on purpose, way less television, eating right, earlier bedtime, and intentional preparation for another productive day tomorrow. i hope you are feeling energized and ready for Fall as well!

on a side note, if you have ever wondered about heaven and hell and the goodness of God, this teaching is for you: A Tough Question (Click on the second sermon)

silhouette and bunting invite

2011-08-21T08:03:00.004-05:00

my baby is almost 2! this year we are celebrating at Homestead Farms. it will be a very small party with a few family members and friends noah spends a lot of time with. it was so hard to narrow down the list! i kind of like to include everyone i know...the farm had a limit though so that made me narrow it down! click here to see noah's party from last year. i think i must have had more time or energy last year:o)...below is our invitation! i crossed out my cell for the world wide web!

as you can see i am getting good use out of the silhouette portrait that lindsey from out of alabaster created of noah's profile. i just pasted the silhouette into a word document and added the info. for the party with a big space in between to sew on a little bunting. the color scheme is yellow, red and blue...i'm really into those colors right now! especially yellow. this is an inexpensive and easy way to create a memorable invitation. i had them printed at kinko's for $.10 a piece because i didn't want to use up all of my ink printing the silhouette. you could easily print something like this from your home computer though.

my inspiration was from a grouping of vintage paper and stickers at crop paper scissors in waco, tx. the cutest scrapbook store ever! i love the long old fashioned envelopes i found at hobby lobby. i added special labels to the invites that i put in mailboxes around the neighborhood in lieu of stamping and sending through the post office! trying to save as much money as possible on this lil' party!
the goal is a very low key party with the chickens and baby goats. i have a few decorations i have been working on and can't wait to show you next week!

kite hoops and ribbon holder

2011-08-18T08:16:00.002-05:00

here's a little something i made for a little boy named Reed for his 1st birthday. i'm really new at sewing so those of you who are pros might be cringing right now! i made another kite embroidery hoop with a different fabric that i haven't taken a photo of yet that says "Fly". i'm thinking about selling these along with aprons and baby wreaths. i need a little more practice though! should i make the kite string a little more twirly?

this little nifty ribbon holder from michael's is the newest addition to the play/craftroom! i'm showing you bits and pieces of the room at a time because it still needs a lot of work (in my mind):o)!

slowly but surely, my sewing/craft corner is coming together!

broken

2011-08-17T13:18:00.003-05:00

my computer has been in the shop for a few days. it was only $7 to fix it and it's been broken for at least a year! i.feel.dumb. the screen would go black every 5-10 minutes and i'd have to open and close it (laptop) until it came back...evidently there was a tiny wire that was frayed...they just replaced it really quickly and now it works perfectly. i didn't take it in to the apple store for so long because i was afraid it would cost too much money. so i decided over and over again to deal with the broken screen, experience stressful nights where i was trying to meet home study deadlines, get annoyed when trying to download photos, etc...it was such an easy fix and i had no clue!

the whole experience makes me think of how we live in these bodies that are broken. some are more broken than others. some suffer from harm inflicted by someone else and others from the aftermath of bad choices and negative circumstances.

God is like the technician at the apple store. stick with me here. just like the technician knows every wire and part of my computer, God created and knows every part of our inmost being. He can see things we cannot see. He knows exactly which part is causing us to live handicapped lives; lives where we cannot reach our full potential...lives where we run from God because we are afraid of the cost. we are afraid that He won't be able to help us. so afraid that we don't even ask.

yet every time you go to Him He promises to hear you and answer you.

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

He is so much better than you think He is. He is so much better than I think He is. Be encouraged today to ask God to come and fix whatever is hindering you from living freely and lightly.

On a lighter note, hope this makes you smile:

getting old

2011-08-14T22:20:00.005-05:00

i told my friend lori the other day that we should retire in granbury and she said "lauren, that is the third time you've talked about what we are going to do together when we are retired. you sure do spend a lot of time thinking about getting old!"....she is totally right!

i think about walking around the mall in a pink sweatsuit at 7am with nelson for exercise, delivering meals on wheels, having my grandkids over for weeks at a time in the summer, family, senior citizen river cruises, branson...oh mylanta i am so excited.

don't you think that when we are old we won't worry about the kinds of things we worry about now? i bet we will think the things we spend time fretting over now are kind of silly; a waste of precious time and energy. i like to pretend i am old sometimes and think about what i want to remember about my life and my time while i was younger.

i want to remember nursing my babies. sitting on the floor and playing peekaboo. reading bible stories to my toddlers. family dinners. laughing with my kids. learning to sew. making old things new. being a homemaker. cooking. wiping away tears. being outward focused. taking cookies to neighbors. being there for my family always. dating my husband. watching the expressions on my parents faces as they play with their grandchildren. bathing my day in prayer. worship music flowing through my home. being thankful and content.

those are a few things i'd like to remember when i'm old. which means i need to live those things now. so that when i'm old i can be ready to be old. no regrets. just a continuation of embracing each moment. in my pink sweatsuit;o).

take a moment to think today about yourself as an elderly person. what do you want to remember about your life? what simple thing can you do today that is worth remembering? just food for thought on a monday...

happy

2011-08-13T21:34:00.002-05:00

what a happy week! pamela from bleu cloud has been such a blessing and helped me figure out my header and button (grab it if you'd like!). she will be getting a headband for her precious little daughter very soon! check out her blog if you have a moment. she has a beautiful family and her writing and photos just makes you feel a little more at peace. it's the simple things that matter and she seems to really get that.
speaking of the simple things, noah and nelson and i laughed uncontrollably this evening several times...i'm so thankful for laughter. my little "almost" two year old has the funniest sense of humor. he already makes funny voices and silly faces...he loves to make people laugh. in the car he yelled "mommy?" about 20 times before he remembered to say "excuse me, mommy?" to get my attention. i turned around and said "yes noah?" and he said "look at those pretty trees" and then he burst out laughing!
i hope something makes you laugh so hard that you cry this weekend!!! off to watch the cosby show with my man!

computer dumb

2011-08-09T07:37:00.003-05:00

here's the header i've been working on but it doesn't fit:o)...so i wanted to show you anyways! i think it may take me hours to do what takes others minutes to do! i think i know where i went wrong but i at least wanted to see if you like the direction i'm heading! i'm going to have casey design a button for me because it would probably take me a month! if anyone has found a good tutorial online for creating blogger tabs and/or buttons, please send it my way! i want to have everything in place when i open my lil' etsy shop!!!

little lauren and belle

2011-08-07T21:53:00.002-05:00

my friend sarah is being induced today...i love the name she chose for her third baby girl ;o)...i'm working on a new header and am so dadgum computer illiterate!(pardon my language) hopefully it will be up sometime tomorrow. we had such a wonderful weekend in houston with nelson's family! noah slept with nels and me in the hotel bed and it was the sweetest thing. he will be two on september 1st. i can't believe it! we are having a small, low key party at the goat farm where we buy his milk. can't wait to share the invites and decor with you! also, i dressed up like a disney princess today for a four year old birthday party. i haven't worn that much makeup since my wedding. dead serious. in fact, my husband said he wasn't used to me wearing that much makeup like five times today so i wiped it off before dinner! being a disney princess was kind of a stretch for me...but it was oh so fun to see the look on the birthday girl's face when sleeping beauty, cinderella, and belle (that's me!) walked through the door!

dreaming of winter

2011-08-05T21:56:00.008-05:00

Happy Saturday! Is anyone else tired of this heat? I went on a winter pictures spree on pinterest yesterday...here's a little something to get you dreaming about a colder time.

source

hope you have a special weekend! we are celebrating nelson's grandfather's 80th birthday. another weekend full of family time...my favorite!

today

2011-08-04T21:32:00.002-05:00

a few unexpected lovely things that happened today:
*chocolate chip cookies for breakfast
*bounce house toddler time
*hide and seek with my little man
*saidy came back from africa
*watching my husband and son swim while showing saidy the beauty of pinterest
*family dinner with my in-loves at costa vida (YUM)
*coffee and deep conversation with a friend and her adorable little evie

i asked God this morning to orchestrate my day. structure is not my natural tendency. i'm beginning to notice that He always comes through for me and it's so much better than when i try to do it myself. i have several little things i've been working on that i can't wait to show you! my dear friend sarah is having her third baby girl this weekend and naming her Lauren...isn't that a great name:o)? of course i made her a lil' something for her hospital door...will post soon!

the little things

2011-08-03T20:47:00.003-05:00

i have this really amazing friend that i grew up with in waco who now lives in colorado...her name is bree. she takes really beautiful photos. she visits her family in texas every now and then and schedules sessions while she is here. she'll be back this october and would love to take pictures of your family. check out her website here...you will die when you see her newborn photos. i'll treasure these photos forever!

it's the little things that i never want to forget.

every time i look at this photo i start crying. my baby is growing so fast...so thankful to capture each precious feature of his little face before all of the "baby" is gone.

i have loads more to show you...i'll spread them out a bit. this may call for a new header! i hope your week is full of blessings!

just for fun, here are photos bree took of noah at 4 months:

and one year:

a bookshelf

2011-08-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

i took this photo at Brazos River antiques in the town square in Granbury. i was immediately yelled at for taking a photo. i do not regret it though! look at this bookshelf made out of an old door...it has a light connected to the top but you can't see it because i lowered my camera a bit while being yelled at:o). i just had to share it with the world. and i'd like to give credit to the little man at the antique store for all of his amazing displays. i don't think he understands the power of internet marketing:o).

granbury

2011-07-31T19:12:00.003-05:00

we had a fantastic anniversary weekend in granbury, tx! nelson took me to a little restaurant on the square called stringfellow's...he went earlier that day (while i was napping) and set up placecards and mints (that he saved from our rehearsal dinner five years ago!!!!) and roses at the best table in the restaurant. i cried of course.

yes, the mints say "nelson and lauren; mint to be"...i had no idea he saved them.

he played golf, i went antique shopping at the best little places ever, we swam, ate yummy food, slept in the most comfy bed in the universe, even went to see a movie! we set a few goals for the next year and felt like we were dating again...it was wonderful!

can't wait to show you the vintage dress and skirt i found! hope your monday is full of fun!

5 years

2011-07-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

happy five years of marriage to my husband! in some ways it has flown by but in others, i don't remember life without you. marriage is so different than i thought it would be. it has the ability to sharpen you like nothing else can. there are five big things i have learned in our five little years of marriage that i'd like to share.
1. never hold your spouse to a higher standard than you hold yourself and never expect them to meet needs in your heart that only God can meet
2. love unconditionally, expecting nothing in return. know that in loving your spouse and devoting yourself to marriage you are loving and devoting yourself to God's will for your life. it is so worth it.
3. never stop surprising each other...do what you did when you were dating...special notes, surprise dates, little gifts, change up your routine...it makes a HUGE difference
4. choose your marriage over your friendships. share the deep things in your heart with your husband and keep what is sacred, sacred. there are some things that should stay just between husband and wife.
5. laugh. a lot. be silly. sing disney songs. dance in the kitchen. have family breakfasts and dinners. dream about the future.
(okay, so that was more than five things)

no marriage is perfect, but two people who are willing to work their hardest to love and serve one another while raising children in this day and age is rare and beautiful. i'm thankful for marriage. i'm thankful for my nelson...who fell for me the first day of Baylor welcome week while i was wearing overalls and pigtails...i love you babe;o).

play kitchen

2011-07-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

you may remember this post about the play kitchen remodel...well, i promised i would post it this week so even though it has no knobs yet, you get to see the almost finished product...click here to see the "before" picture.

okay, so i'm not gonna lie. i almost quit and took it to the dumpster halfway through the painting process...there was just SO MUCH pink that i was about to have a nervous breakdown. nelson came outside and gave me a pep talk...told me i was going to get through this and get it done, had me roar like a lion...so i finally finished it! it isn't perfect but it is much better than before. the gray paint was left over from our dining room walls and i mod podged the fabric onto the back of the shelves. for a $30 kitchen i'd say i am happy! i also bought some precious white knobs at hobby lobby that say "H" and "C" for Hot and Cold...haven't taken a photo of that yet but i will post when i get all of the knobs i want. anyone know where i can get cheaper knobs than wal-mart? maybe the dollar store?

when in doubt, get a kitchen for your kids! noah has played with it non-stop since i put it in his playroom a few days ago. he is obsessed. which means i am obsessed because it gives him something to independently play with...although he does want mommy to go shopping with his cart every once in awhile;o). hope you like it!!!!

also, thanks so much to lindsey for this post...you are the best and i'll treasure noah's silhouette forever...seriously, i will have it hanging in my nursing home one day! and thanks to meredith for being my 100th follower:o)...i'll definitely be doing a giveaway early next week to celebrate!

training my child

2011-07-27T12:42:00.008-05:00

i'm about to share a major inner struggle i have regarding raising children...so get ready:o). if anyone has known me for any length of time, you probably can understand that causing anyone pain (physical or emotional) is the last thing i would ever want to do. i have my master's degree in social work and specialize in helping people work through the harm that was inflicted upon them at some point in their lives, but i have never intentionally caused someone harm. it literally causes me pain to think about hurting someone else.

i have an almost two year old with a strong will and will be the first to say that i have no clue what i am doing most moments when it comes to discipline. i have spent the past six months researching, reading, and mainly talking with other mom's i respect about effective ways to train children. a year ago i joined a mentoring class at my church to surround myself with older women who have walked where i am walking. like every mom, i don't want to mess up my child:o).

i had this huge dilemma for months: to spank or not to spank? again, i'm a social worker so all of my education and training and research tells me that spanking is ineffective and can cause more harm than good. i'm also a devoted Christian and am surrounded by people i truly respect who have incredibly loving and obedient and respectful children who use spanking as a primary form of discipline. i went to scripture and found verses about hating your child if you spare the rod. i later went on to research the original translation* of these verses and discovered that in each verse regarding the rod the term "child" really meant a "youth male" or a teenage boy...which completely confused me even more and made me wary of every sermon i've ever heard regarding spanking!

i would seriously lay in bed at night tossing and turning, worrying that if i chose to spank noah i would somehow birth a rebellious spirit in him, while at the same time worrying that if i didn't spank him, i would have a wild child who has no boundaries. my "people pleaser" self was also way too worried about being judged by family and friends for whatever "decision" we made regarding spanking. it was so black and white to me.

why does it always take me forever to discover that nothing is black and white? one day nelson said, "lauren, if we try spanking for a few months and then decide that it isn't working or isn't right for us, it will be okay." that's when i learned the value of taking things one day at a time while keeping noah's future in mind. my favorite "go to" verses regarding discipline and training children are in Hebrews 12. Here's how the Message translates verses 4-11:

^4-11In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children?

My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline,
but don't be crushed by it either.
It's the child he loves that he disciplines;
the child he embraces, he also corrects.

God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

okay, so what do these verses tell me?

that i am basically going to mess up because i'm just doing what seems best to me. do you know how freeing that is? the fact that God is ultimately sovereign over my child's life has completely freed me.

it has caused me to be able to take a step back and realize that my perspective on discipline is more important than the form of discipline i use. sometimes it might be time out. other times it might be a spanking. it hurts me (emotionally) to discipline noah but it helps to know that the purpose of discipline is his growth. it also helps me to know that discipline is not supposed to be fun or easy. in fact, scripture says "it always feels like it's going against the grain" which is something i honestly am not good at.

the ultimate goal is to show to Noah how to fix His eyes on Jesus. once He finds Him then He can learn how to hear God for Himself. for now, Nelson and I have to try to hear God for our son's life. sometimes God might say we need to give Him more grace, and other times He might say he needs more boundaries. i know i'm saved by grace and unconditionally loved by my heavenly Father. i want Noah to experience that unconditional love from his parents. i don't want to discipline him solely in order to make him respect me. i want to train Him solely in order to help Him find a God who will show him how to live freely and lightly; an abundant life.

i have another post brewing in my heart about God's discipline in my life and how it caused me to return to Him and find joy unspeakable. hopefully noah will take another long nap soon so i can type it out. i just noticed that i have 99 followers. if i make it to 100 i just might have to do another giveaway:o).

*the link i posted regarding original translation is just one of several i found...i have not discussed this with my pastor or an expert on scripture translation so feel free to e-mail me if you have heard or found a different translation of these verses. i'd truly be thrilled to know more!

on a mission

2011-07-25T21:41:00.002-05:00

i've been on a little mission this weekend to make the play/craft room as "complete" as possible...it will always be a work in progress, but here's a little wall art i made today during noah's nap.

i love my little guy's silhouette made by lindsey from out of alabaster! i'm not sure if you can tell from this photo, but i printed it on a distressed scrapbook paper page with small alphabet letters...i wanted it to feel a little vintage.

i also am dying to show you the play kitchen remodel that i started about 6 months ago:o)...i basically worked on it one day six months ago and then started painting it again yesterday...that's how i roll. anyways, all it needs is knobs and we'll be good to go! can't wait to post tomorrow or wednesday!!!

i'm thinking about opening an etsy shop and selling children's aprons/oven mits/potholders and custom baby wreaths...what do you think?

glasses

2011-07-24T21:12:00.003-05:00

so i bought new glasses since mine broke and i've been drying my eyes out wearing my contacts for about two months now...my journey to find the right frames started at eyemasters where i fell in love with these nine west frames:

yeah...they were going to be $400.00...SO after falling in love with a big old pair of frames that i could not afford, everything else i tried on at target, jcpenney, lenscrafters, etc...just wasn't making the cut...until i made a little visit to the wal-mart vision center:o)...$9.99.

i even bought an extra pair in case the first pair breaks...after all, it was only ten more dollars. of course i had to pay for the lenses, but it was still four times less expensive than eyemasters. i'm a happy girl.

i'm going to attempt to answer the question regarding discipline and resources i have found over the next few days...stay tuned!

birthdays

2011-07-23T11:00:00.001-05:00

happy birthday to rylee and jack! here's what i've been working on the past few days...my first "real" sewing projects:

happy three years to the cutest gal around!

happy two years to noah's best lil' buddy!

i'll do a diy if anyone would like that!

each moment

2011-07-21T22:10:00.002-05:00

My little guy changes every single day. He is starting to speak in little sentences and surprises me with what he observes in his environment. Before I put Noah to bed tonight we read a few books and he kept asking for me to read them "one more time."
In that moment I held my little guy and read to him over and over again and realized that these moments are so precious and could be so easily overlooked and taken for granted. I put him to bed and he said (without prompting) "I love you mommy, see you tomorrow." I walked to the living room and cried my eyes out.

Sometimes I wish I could freeze time.

I've been working on a few special gifts this week but can't reveal them quite yet...I'll post them Saturday!

loveseat

2011-07-19T14:30:00.002-05:00

okay, i have a true confession...

this loveseat is from Kroger. the grocery store. :o)

we have been looking at it for awhile now and love the color and size. it isn't the most comfy thing you've ever sat in...but the price was better than anything we could probably find at a nicer store! we are still keeping our eyes peeled for a more comfy one for the same price...we have 45 days to return this one...i think with some really great vintage pillows it could be perfect...what do you think?

me

2011-07-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

I was thinking over the weekend about how I share my super introverted/thinking/spiritual/analytical/reflective self with you here on this blog. While that is truly who I am, I am also a really normal girl with typical insecurities and quirks that every woman has! I thought I'd take a post to share a few things you might not know about me.
*My favorite restaurant in the whole entire world is Chick Fil'a...I could give you about 100 reasons why but let's just say IT.IS.THE.BEST...we go there at least once every week.
*When I have an evening to myself I go to Chili's and get chips, salsa, and ranch dressing "to go" and rent a cheesy teeny bopper movie...anything from New York Minute to High School Musical...I love unrealistic love stories:o). Nelson constantly makes fun of me for this.
*Meredith, to answer your question, the hospital gown in this photo was one I ordered before I had Noah!!!!
*Nelson and I tend to laugh uncontrollably at extremely inappropriate times...like in the middle of a really serious moment at church.
*If I don't finish a project within 24 hours, it usually takes me WEEKS to finish.
*I am terrible at keeping up with long distance friendships. It is awful. I love my out of town friends. I just can't seem to get organized enough to maintain consistent contact.
*I like the "idea" of living in the country but in reality, I think I would be a little depressed if I didn't live in the direct vicinity of a super target.
*I am always a little unsure about how and when to discipline Noah. I worry way too much about what other people are thinking and am a little paranoid about being judged in this particular area. I want to be more consistent, but it's a little more complicated than I ever thought it would be. I have a very active child and I fear that people may see him running around like a wild man and think that I have lost all control. Why do I worry about things like that?
*Nelson and I love being at home and are perfectly content with just being together in our pj's by 8pm and watching reruns of the Cosby Show.
*Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers is my favorite book.
*I long for deep friendships, but I isolate myself more than I should. I'm always grateful for time with kindred spirits.
*Nelson and I are really weird and we sing silly songs basically all day long. Nelson is especially gifted at making songs up:o)...This is why Noah loves to sing and dance...it's like a constant musical around our house and in our car!!!!
*I cry at the drop of a hat.
*My family is everything to me.

This is all I can think of for now! If any of you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them...Happy Tuesday!

surprises

2011-07-18T11:31:00.002-05:00

I love surprises...surprising others and being surprised! I left town for the weekend with Noah and visited my parents. Sometimes I like to give Nelson a little break...I've found that it helps my marriage to consider him before myself (and vice versa). He seems to be a little more tender, sweet, and loving towards me when I consider his feelings and needs. You'll never guess what I did before Noah and I left on Friday...I cleaned the garage! For the first time ever. I always considered this a man's job...so it never crossed my mind to do it! My MIL kept Noah for me while I cleaned our house and garage...Nelson was so surprised!!!! SO then I drive back home from Waco this morning and Nelson calls and says there is a surprise waiting for me at home...I walk in the door and there was a blue/gray loveseat in the living room! We've been talking about getting an extra piece of furniture for four years...it is so beautiful! I'll post pics later...I guess I just wanted to say that every time I do something that isn't really "my thing" like cleaning the garage or planning a surprise date, I am always blessed even more in return...Remember that our spouses like for us to do unexpected things sometimes:o).

He meets us

2011-07-15T07:59:00.003-05:00

linking with Casey today.

Yesterday I was sweeping the kitchen while Noah was napping and I just started to pray. I don't know about you, but I can easily slip into inconsistent time with God in the summer...I don't have as much structure in my life during these lazy summer months of visiting family and heading to the pool and so on. I was reminded yesterday of how God meets us exactly where we are, every time we come to Him. I prayed that God would show me someone that I could read a book with or do a bible study with for the next month before Fall kicks in to full swing. My dear friend Lori immediately came to mind. We haven't spent much time together this summer, but she has been a mentor and friend to me for the past four years. You'll never guess what happened 10 minutes later. Out of nowhere, she texted me and asked to have coffee last night! I'm telling you, we haven't done that in months. It was God. He heard my prayer and answered it within 10 minutes. I was so humbled by the fact that I can go days without being thankful in my heart for the way God never ceases to meet me when I come to Him. Then I ask Him for one small thing and He immediately responds.
I went into our new room and turned some praise and worship music on. I was inspired to write verses on the concrete floor of the room (we are getting carpet next week).

I was reminded that the Word of God is living and active. My mom told me before I went to be a camp counselor in college that if all else fails with my campers, just read them the Word of God, because it contains power that can change a life. I opened my bible and wrote scripture that I hope and pray will be built into Noah's spirit as he plays in that room. As I sat on the floor with Noah's crayons and wrote scripture I felt the presence of God. He was so near. And all I had to do was ask Him to be near. Does He ever surprise you with His goodness? I promise all you have to do is ask.

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

My sister-in-love mallory bea made this headband out of a t-shirt! She will do a tutorial soon;o)...I'm obsessed!

hair and growth

2011-07-13T20:44:00.003-05:00

the more you get to know me, the more you will see that i attach some type of symbolism to almost anything you could think of...i don't know why...i just like finding meaning in things. i think of it as God's little gift to my spirit. it can be a little annoying to those closest to me at times (ahem, my husband), but all in all i think he appreciates me ;o). the photo below is me almost two years ago. look at my hair! i have had short hair since the 8th grade. my hair is uber thick and it used to give me a headache so my mom took me to get it chopped off before high school. there was something freeing about short hair then. i felt lighter (literally) and like i could just bop around and change the world. for those of you who have short hair, you probably know that keeping it short almost becomes a little addicting. i had to get my haircut often to keep it the length i wanted...my hair would start to go crazy (naturally wavy...lion hair) after about 6 weeks so i found myself getting lots of haircuts and only liking my hair for the first three weeks after the cut...i was in high school, then college, then newly married. i had the time to go get it cut the way i liked then...

but then i had a baby. and i didn't have the time or energy (or money!) to get my haircut often anymore. so slowly but surely it started to grow. not necessarily because i wanted to grow it out, but because i wasn't really thinking about it...and then one day i looked in the mirror and my hair was almost to my shoulders. and i liked it. and i could put it in a ponytail...and then it went past my shoulders and i could braid it...and curl it...and do new things that i never knew i could do with my hair. then i decided to go long and i haven't turned back!

so now my hair is longer than it's ever been. back to the symbolism. the past two years have been the most significant years of my life for my spiritual and emotional growth. i have learned that my needs don't come first anymore and that is how it is supposed to be. i have learned that motherhood is completely different than what i thought it would be, but completely better. i have learned that structure is better than "flying by the seat of my pants" when it comes to my child. i have learned that it is good for my marriage to get away for a weekend here and there with my husband. i have learned that it's okay to have a messy home, as long as it's full of love and warmth (and homemade cookies), i have learned that friendships are a little more work once you have children, but oh so important. i have learned that i was born to be a mom. to care for another human being. to teach and love and nurture. to cuddle and rock and pray. to sacrifice my life for someone else's...so in these years of growth my hair is my symbol. after 15 years of short hair, i can honestly say that long hair is easier to take care of for some reason...so while most mom's "go short" when they have kids, i "went long"....but we'll see what happens when baby #2 comes...stay tuned...and no, i'm not pregnant:o)!

a table and a winner

2011-07-12T21:00:00.004-05:00

i told my mother-in-love that i wanted to find an old yellow table for our new little play/craftroom. she is really just about the most thoughtful person you'd ever meet. she found my yellow table on the porch of an antique store in malakoff, tx... $40! it's a dropleaf...1930s...ish...we may not have any flooring or trim in there yet but it makes me giddy when i peek into that room and see my yellow table!

congratulations to Lesley Roby! e-mail me (lestaats@gmail.com) and i will get you in touch with lindsey for a silhouette of one of your three darling babies!!!!! yay!

Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway. Giveaways make me sad because I want everyone to win:o/...The silhouettes that Lindsey makes are such a sweet keepsake so I encourage you all to think about ordering from her at some point! Have a happy Wednesday!!!!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 7 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Quality time

2011-07-11T23:45:00.002-05:00

Noah was sick over the weekend for the first time since February (holla!)...This is my child who was sick every other week for the first year and a half of his life. Needless to say, I can usually diagnose him myself at this point since he has had every respiratory infection known to mankind. He had a little bout of bronchiolitis this weekend. He didn't start talking until he was 16 months old so this is the first real sickness he has had since he could talk. He could actually tell me where the pain was coming from and how he was feeling this time around which made a huge difference!
I realized something a little life changing this weekend. Saturday was a terrible day and Nelson and I both wanted to put our head through a wall by the end of it (not literally). Noah was acting out all day long; hitting, throwing, and basically doing everything we were telling him not to do. He was on antibiotics that were making him fussy and he just was not feeling well so it was difficult to determine what he needed and how to discipline. At one point I said out loud, "If you would just listen to me, your life would be so much easier!" ...lightbulb...do you think God thinks the same thing about us? Doesn't he lay out a straight and narrow path for me? And how often do I wander off that path because I get a little distracted by something that looks kind of appealing from a distance...if I would just stay on the straight and narrow road that leads life that only a few find, wouldn't my life be so much easier? I'm not saying that bad things wouldn't happen to me, but I would know how to handle them when they inevitably come...I would have more peace in my spirit because I'm in the right place and on the right path.
This leads me to quality time. On Sunday, Nelson and I were determined not to repeat what happened on Saturday. We decided to take one hour shifts, devoting our time to Noah while the other took a break. We sat on the floor with him, read books, built tents and towers, watched Elmo (and Barney, our new fav;o)), and went to Starbucks. He was an angel. I realized that sometimes on the weekends when Nelson is home, we just kind of do our own thing and expect Noah to entertain himself. I am a firm believer in independent play, but I also know that children need face to face time for their social and emotional development. Noah was completely acting out the day before, not just because he was sick, but because he was needing some face to face time. My sweet friend Amanda posted this on her facebook wall a few days ago:

"I love that our best days with the least amount of disobedience are the ones when I spend the most time on the floor with my girls. I highly doubt that's coincidence. Love my life."

I couldn't agree more...especially after seeing the dramatic difference in Noah's behavior from one day to the next. The photo above is of my sisters-in-love and me in Hawaii. I just love 'em to death and thought about how close we have become over the past year...quality time...try it with that kiddo who just does not seem to hear you.

You have one more day to enter the silhouette giveaway! Good luck!!!!

A SILHOUETTE GIVEAWAY!

2011-07-08T08:58:00.005-05:00

Yes, I really mean it! Lindsey from Out of Alabaster has agreed to give away one of her custom silhouettes to one of you! Lindsey and I traveled to Morocco together in college. She will always hold a special place in my heart! You will be blessed by her, I promise. Here's a little message from Lindsey:

Hi, I'm Lindsey! The mother to one long-awaited little girl, Selah Michelle, and wife of one long-patient husband, Daniel. I love to create beautiful things with my hands, be it sewing, crafting, gardening, cooking or decorating my home. I cherish the opportunity to be the full-time curator of my home, caretaker of my daughter, and helpmate to my husband. We live in a little blue bungalow, in a teeny tiny town, smack-dab in the middle of Texas. I know my neighbors, have a barn, and eat tomatoes from my own back yard. Yet, I adore mid-century design aesthetic, dim sum, and other big-city adventures. I'm passionate about being a modern and radical homemaker. I share all of these things and more on my blog.

About the Giveaway:
I also run an Etsy shop selling custom silhouette portraits.Silhouette portraiture has a rich history dating back to the 1600's, and I love creating these heirlooms with a modern twist. I take great joy in digitally crafting each portrait to capture the essence and quirks of your loved ones.

This giveaway is for a 1-person custom silhouette portrait. You simply provide a full profile picture of your family member, and each little detail of their image will be captured for you to cherish for years to come! You can make large prints of this image, use it to customize party favors, make a birthday cake-topper, or make gifts for grandparents. The possibilites are really endless for this timeless piece of art. Send me a picture of how you used your custom silhouette portrait, and I'll feature you on my blog at: http://outofalabaster.blogspot.com/

Here is Noah's silhouette:

**Please allow 10 business days for the completion of your file. The digital file will be sent via email as a high resolution .jpeg and .png file.

Aren't you guys excited to enter?!!! You must be a follower of my blog and Lindsey's blog to enter (click "follow" on the right hand side of our blogs)!
Add an extra comment:
*if you "like" Lindsey's facebook page!
*if you repost this giveaway to your blog or facebook page
You have until Tuesday (July 12) at midnight to enter. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning!

I just wanted to add a few more photos of silhouettes Lindsey has designed...BEAUTIFUL:

renovation update

2011-07-07T20:41:00.004-05:00

Our little playroom/craftroom is coming right along! Last week our house was totally under construction...and I loved it:o)...maybe I should be a house flipper...I feel sudden bursts of energy when I think about changing things up! Here is a quick update...

Before on the outside:

Before on the inside:

After they cut a big hole out of our wall, which resulted in our entire house being covered in a layer of dust:

Mom always seems to come at the right time.

After the electricity, insulation, sheet rock, etc...!

We(and by we I mean I) decided on Heavy Goose by Martha Stewart for our paint color. It's a very pale gray with blue undertones.

I took this photo before we did the cutting in so that you can get an idea of the shade of gray/blue...it's so soothing and inspirational.

Next up is flooring:o/...not sure what we are doing...carpet, wood, tile...???? next week it will hopefully be done and we can actually start playing in there!!!!

lake and acceptance

2011-07-06T22:13:00.005-05:00

my in-loves have a lakehouse in east texas...it.is.bliss. we spent father's day weekend there with my parents and nelson's family. i'm so thankful everyone gets along so well. it's a sweet tradition to spend time with both my dad and nelson's dad. noah enjoyed the baby pool more than the lake, but i know in a few years we won't be able to get him off the wakeboard, tube, kneeboard, and skis! i feel so sentimental about family lately. i suppose everyone comes to a point in life when they realize that the one's they love aren't always going to be there. i just want to make the most of each moment i have with my family.

side note: noah and i pulled out a Christmas gift the other day...guess which animals i put on the wall...and then guess which one's noah put on the wall:o)

noah is at the age where he is beginning to enjoy stories more than songs at bedtime and in the car when he is a little antsy. his favorite stories are the birth of Jesus, david and goliath, and noah's ark of course! he loves anything involving animals. it's so sweet when he asks for the "baby Jesus" story. he asks for me to tell it about five times every day. i truly believe that His little Spirit already longs for more than what the world has to offer. he loves hearing about Jesus growing up and loving people; touching people and making them feel better. i think he already longs for that kind of love. it inspires me to love noah like Jesus loves me. He meets me where I am, loves me there, but at the same time calls me to something greater because He believes in me. He is the only one who knows my full potential and the only one who can help me reach it.

Something that has been on my heart this week is an exhortation to myself and other mom's to love your child(ren) for who they are and let them feel safe and secure in your eyes. Kids sense every feeling we have towards them, good and bad. They internalize the positive and negative things we say. 90% of a child's brain develops before age 3. That means that by age 3, your child has developed thought patterns and a self image that was facilitated by their first three years of life. You are the main person telling your child who they are. Tell them they are loved. Tell them they are exactly who they should be. Tell them you wouldn't want them any other way. Love them well. They sense it; they know it in their little spirits. They know whether or not they are fully accepted by you. It's more important than anything else. Have a blessed day!

summer fun

2011-07-05T08:15:00.002-05:00

that's my baby brother...isn't he cute? he came to stay with us for a few days last week...and we took noah to his first ranger's game!

it was so much fun! nelson's entire family was there so we had many helping hands to keep noah entertained. he's such a little bundle of energy!

summer is so refreshing. i love all of the house guests, small weekend trips to visit family, pool and spray park time, and laid back evenings. i'll be updating soon on the new addition to our home! everything is completed with the exception of flooring and trim!

Independence Day

2011-07-04T09:16:00.001-05:00

I hope your day is full of family, friends, food, and loads of love!!!! Happy 4th of July!

sugar

2011-07-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

meet my mom's mom (sugar) and her husband bob.

my granddaddy died 12 years ago and sugar married bob when i was in college. i love him! no joke, they eat breakfast together every morning and read the paper. they lay out four boxes of cereal, each with different nutritional ingredients. they layer all four cereals (shredded wheat, granola, fiber one, and raisin bran) and top their cereal with defrosted blueberries, bananas and walnuts. every morning. isn't retirement grand? noah and i spent a few days with them last week. they have the greatest wallpaper in their bathroom:

i seriously would put this in my house! i have a little yellow obsession going on right about now. oh, and this is my favorite photo of my mom from high school that hangs in my grandparents house. my granddaddy was a photographer. yes, she made her own dress...and all of her own clothes! i wish she would have kept more of them...isn't she beautiful? she said she was blind as a bat before she bought glasses so she said hi to everyone in the hallways because she never knew if she knew them or not...everyone thought she was so nice:o).

i love all of the memories that sugar's house holds. forts in the hallways, countless Christmas mornings, granddaddy's oatmeal, playing with vintage barbies...everything about it is so comforting.

they are the cutest. part of me is excited about being retired and eating heaps of cereal every morning. wonder if i'll still be blogging then?

peaches

2011-07-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

we.love.peaches. cannot get enough of them this summer! the picture above is noah eating his first whole peach (without me cutting it up for him)...i LOVE watching him try new things!

i don't know what i'd do without my little buddy. instead of crying in the mornings when he wakes up he now says in his sweet little voice "mommy up? mommy up please?" it is the sweetest sound to wake up to. my goal right now is to truly embrace each day i have with noah. to notice the small things, get into his world, and slow down. today at kroger when we were walking in the parking lot noah stopped and said "mommy, bird flying!" he was marveling at a bird that swooped down to eat a little snack off the ground. it made me realize that i move so quickly through life sometimes that i miss the simple wonders of a bird taking flight or a rabbit hopping by our backyard window. noah helps me recognize and embrace these seemingly insignificant moments. he brings significance to them.

a homemade tent

2011-06-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

the other day noah and i were a little bored after a long afternoon. we decided to build a little tent out of an extra sheet. this activity kept him happy for at least 15 minutes which is a long time for an almost two year-old! he took all of his little animals in the tent and even created the little blanket bed for them (right pic). it was a great "creative play" activity!

after about 15 minutes he decided it would be fun to pull the sheet over his head over and over again...easy transition to hide and seek:o)! what do you do with your kids when you are a little stir crazy? i'd love some more easy ideas!!!!

back in full swing

2011-06-29T12:13:00.002-05:00

Hi everybody...I'm BACK! We are turning our back porch into a room. Here is what is happening today:

Here's a sneak peak at a few color ideas for the playroom/craftroom (smiley face)...There are so many projects I am working on right now...it's insanity over here! But the fun type of insanity.

Do you like my owl? It was a gift from a dear friend. I told Noah that it's mommy's owl but he can play with it if he is careful ;o).

Even though it's a little crazy at the Staats home, we are never too busy to bake cupcakes!

heart friends

2011-06-19T21:38:00.004-05:00

meet sarah, abby, and taylor...sarah married my second cousin j.t....j.t. was my husband's college roommate...he is how i met my husband. and then j.t. started dating sarah. and sarah and i became heart friends. i love her and her kids to death and treasure every moment i have with them! they paid us a little visit a few days ago.

we made cookies and read books and played hide and seek. my parents arrived about an hour after sarah and before we knew it, my parents were playing with all of the kids in the back room and sarah and i were having a normal, uninterrupted conversation in the living room...it was bliss!

sarah is having another baby girl in september. she is kind of one of those mom's who could have five or six kids so easily...so laid back and loving. her girls are beautiful! isn't sarah the cutest pregnant gal ever?

i have seriously been working so much the past few weeks. blogging has been on the backburner and i MISS it. my little man and i have been having fun adventures together though. we went to the lakehouse this weekend for Father's day and spent loads of family time together...now we are in Tyler with my grandmother. i love watching her love on him. i love being able to take off across Texas to see the people we love. it is a blessing that i do not take for granted. i have been reflecting quite a bit lately on staying at home with noah. it would greatly help our family financially if i went back to work full time but nelson and i have chosen this path for our family for this time. it is priceless to me and i cannot imagine ever regretting it. even when i am up late working on a home study or folding endless loads of clean laundry...this face makes it all worth it:

Munchkin Day

2011-06-13T20:07:00.003-05:00

Today was munchkin day at Homestead Farms. They have it twice a month for kids ages 2 and up. Noah will be two in September so I went ahead and took him anyways and HE LOVED IT. The kids were able to feed the baby goats, gather fresh eggs from the chicken coup and place them in cartons to be sold, and make treats for the older goats made out of ice cream cones, peanut butter, frosting, and goat feed.

There's just something about the farm...

It's kind of like taking a step back in time...learning to take things a little slower...their peaches and tomatoes are absolutely mouthwatering right now.

Noah never wants to leave. I don't really either. This week I read this article about cancer causing carcinogens (arsenic) in chicken feed being infiltrated into our bodies for the last 60 years. I learned a few days ago that most cleaning products on the grocery store shelves contain formaldehyde, including the products I use on Noah's skin (even Johnson and Johnson's all natural products!) More than ever we need to support our local farms. They truly may be the key to a healthy future for you and your children. Pay Homestead Farms a little visit on Tuesdays or Thursdays from 2pm to 7pm or Saturdays from 9am to 5pm...buy some homegrown peaches and tomatoes, goat milk, local honey, eggs, fresh granola, or whatever else suits you...you won't regret it!

mark of the lion and yarn

2011-06-12T19:38:00.005-05:00

so it's been almost a whole week since i've blogged. i may have been spending extra time with my two boys...it also may have a little something to do with these books:geez louise, have you read this series?! these books are incredible. i have probably started reading the first book about five different times over the past four years and just couldn't get through the first 30 to 60 pages. my sister-in-law and other close friends told me i absolutely had to press through and i'm so happy that i did! i am inspired by the story of the Jewish slave girl in these books who serves and loves the way Jesus did and meets major obstacles and persecution, yet never lets go of her faith that can move mountains. it is a beautiful love story filled with surprising truths that had me laying awake in bed at night wondering if i really and truly live like heaven is real. if you are feeling a little weary in your life journey, pick up the Francine Rivers Mark of the Lion series...i promise you won't be disappointed!

on a lighter note, look at the diy i found:o)...you can be expecting to see one of these in my house as soon as i find the right color of yarn! i can't wait to have a lil' baby girl one day and put her yarn name in her nursery. what is it about yarn that makes me so happy?

source

Soulful Mothering

2011-06-08T21:40:00.000-05:00

Read this post...it's so good.

DIY: Pinwheels

2011-06-05T23:55:00.000-05:00

Pinwheels make my life a little lovely. Although my instructions may seem a little complicated, it only takes about three minutes or less to make a pinwheel! I just took a picture of each step to make sure you fully understand. Here's how to make your own:

supplies: paper, brads, scissors (a mini whole punch would make things much easier but i just use scissors)
1. cut a perfect square. the bigger the square, the bigger the pinwheel and vice versa.
2. fold over both ways to create your creases
3. cut halfway up the crease on all four sides of square
4. cut mini holes with scissors on every other point
5. cut a mini hole in the middle of your square

6. work brad into the holes, your pinwheel will start to form
7. fasten brad in the back and voila!

pretty pretty pinwheel...use hot glue to add a skewer to the back for a little pinwheel arrangement. see this post for the pinwheel arrangements i made for nelson's reunion!

austin

2011-06-03T08:00:00.001-05:00

meet austin. he's my brother i inherited through my marriage...nelson and i shared a condo with him in maui. noah learned austin's name before he learned anyone's else's name in the family.

on all of our hikes in maui austin would disappear and then somehow end up on the top of a mountain. or deep in a cave. or at the bottom of a crater. or swimming in a pool beside the ocean. maybe he's the next bear grylls?

i am so blessed to call austin my brother! i'd trust him with my own son any day. he has such a tender heart and an adventurous spirit! i can't wait to see the journey God takes him on.

my sweet staats family has deeply enriched my life...i'm so thankful today for family. i recognize the impact family has on the life of every person and i'm so inspired to create a family environment that promotes encouragement, love, peace, and laughter. there is nothing like it!

sisters

2011-06-02T13:26:00.004-05:00

I have one brother I love to death. I always wanted a sister...When I married Nelson, I immediately had two sisters that loved me and accepted me into their little circle as if I had always been there. I'll always remember my memories made in Maui with Mallory Bea and Sarah. (Don't worry Austin, your post is coming!)

Funny trip moments:
*We were waiting to be called in for our massages and we all requested females. Sarah has never had a massage before. A lovely blonde woman steps out and says "Lauren", a brunette woman steps out and says "Mallory", a little man with a mustache steps out and says "Sarah"...uncontrollable laughter.
*We had family devotions each evening and took turns leading. On my mother-in-law's night she was halfway through her devotion and asked who the man was the brought sin into the world. I immediately answered "Jesus"...uncontrollable laughter.
*We woke up at 3am to drive to the top of a volcano to see the sunrise. It was freezing cold and too cloudy to see the sunrise. Dadgum.
*Mallory said something to the effect of "Back in America, we would never get to do this." (Hawaii is in America)
*Between Mallory, Sarah and myself, we could maybe be arrested for the number of flowers we picked out of our hotel garden to put in our hair each night.

I love my sisters!

back from paradise

2011-06-01T16:50:00.004-05:00

We just returned this morning from the best vacation of my life! Nelson and I accompanied his entire family (three sibs and parents) to Maui...We swam in natural pools by the ocean, hiked through caves and mountains to see waterfalls and blowholes, snorkeled at Molokini, ate the best pineapple in the world, laughed a lot, ate a lot, and spent time reflecting on God's glorious creation everywhere we went. I never even dreamed that I would experience a vacation like this one. I feel so blessed to be a part of Nelson's family. If you ever want to have a magical vacation, I can't imagine it getting much better than Maui. Mountains, desert, ocean, volcanoes, exotic flowers, rainbows, palm trees, clear water, white, black and red sand beaches, lush rainforest...I was ready to get back to my little man though today! He started putting two to three words together while I was away. I missed him so much and owe my mom forever for keeping him! Here are a few snippets from the trip...I'll share more photos and stories later!

hawaii

2011-05-24T22:57:00.003-05:00

I'll be gone from tomorrow to next Wednesday! While I'm away, download Bryce Avary's FREE live album...He's tha bomb dot com...Did i just say that?...I'll miss you!

weekend

2011-05-22T21:45:00.004-05:00

i appreciated all of the comments on facebook and on here about my love wins post. that's been stirring in me for awhile. thanks for the support and honesty! i'm thinking about expanding this little blog hobby of mine a bit...maybe even adding a blogger button:o)...what do you think? here's a synopsis of my busy weekend:

rain. family reunion in austin. mimi and pappy. the wheels on the bus go round and round (over and over). lake. swimming. cupcakes. packing. home study review. bake cookies. find fabric rosette diy. buy new sheets. make rosettes out of old sheets (pictures to come;o)). procrastination. laundry. elmo. pizza. night night noah. work. night night mommy. hope your weekend was grand!

on my heart: love wins

2011-05-20T06:15:00.007-05:00

I'm linking with Casey today.

Rob Bell. I'm sure that name stirs something in your heart if you are in the evangelical Christian circle. He just came out with this book that apparently has caused an uproar among Christians all over the U.S. It's about heaven and hell and the love of God. I haven't read the book so I'm not going to refute or affirm anything it says. I'm not a bible scholar. I do love Jesus. There are a few things that are on my heart to say about Rob Bell.

God used this sermon by Rob Bell to literally yank me out of my post partum depression. I learned that my storm was the best thing that ever happened to me. My storm was my rescue. You have no idea how much his teachings encouraged and inspired me when I was in the lowest place I've ever been in my life. This nooma video by Rob Bell daily reminds me to put my hope in the Lord rather than material things. Please watch it. It will change you. Rob Bell has chosen to live his life and gear his entire ministry towards serving the poor, the broken, and the downtrodden in his city of Grand Rapids, Michigan...he's chosen to serve "the least of these". Every time I hear him speak I am inspired to become more outward focused. Rob Bell's gentleness and unconditional love and acceptance of people has always reminded me of how Jesus walked on this earth and accepted and loved us when we rejected and persecuted him.

So the question I have been wrestling with is this: Do we really want to discount everything a person is about because they believe differently than us on one issue? I know it's a big issue, heaven and hell and the judgement of God...But really, can't our time be better spent loving one another rather than condemning? After Love Wins was released (even a little before), everywhere I turned there were Christians (very prominent Christian leaders) refuting Rob's book, calling him a false prophet, preaching entire sermons on why no one should ever listen to Rob Bell, yada yada yada. I thought to myself, really???? If you really disagree with something someone believes in, shouldn't you spend your time praying for that person to come to a new revelation of the truth rather than debating the topic? After all, don't you think God can handle the issue without us making sure everyone knows how much we disagree with something?

From my understanding, Rob Bell is on the same journey as all of us. We are trying to find the truth. We are searching for God in a fallen world. When we find him we are being transformed day by day, moving from one level of glory to the next as we humble ourselves before an all-loving and all-righteous God.

As for what happens after I die, I can read in scripture that heaven and hell are very real places. I won't, however, condemn anyone or judge who is going to heaven and who is going to hell. That's for God to decide. After all, He is the one who created the universe and all that inhabits it. I think it makes Him really sad to see so much conflict between His children. Shouldn't we spend our time caring more about the orphan and widow than spending it refuting other theologians?

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:17

I really hope that my friends don't completely reject me just because I believe differently than they do. Most of all I'm really thankful that Jesus didn't reject me, even though He knew my heart. He chose to die so that I could be free. He chose to suffer so that I could live. He did it for me and I don't deserve it. When you've been forgiven much you love much. I think Rob Bell has probably been forgiven much. And I'd always rather err to the side of love winning because in the end, for those who choose to believe Jesus is the Son of God, LOVE WINS.

paintin'

2011-05-17T22:07:00.006-05:00

Don't you just love 20 month olds? Noah is able to concentrate a little longer each month on any given activity...on Saturday we painted for the first time in awhile and he actually sat and focused for longer than I expected! It was so fun. He pointed to the colors and told me which one's he wanted to use. He knows blue and yellow, but we're still working on the others.

I hung Noah's art in the entryway and as soon as Nelson got home he took his hand and dragged him into the entryway, pointed and said "Daddy, paintin'"...Every day he walks in there and says "paintin'"...He loves his paintin' on display for all to see! While I was taking the picture of my entryway I realized that I should totally paint that little inset...I'll add it to the list!

Tonight my heart feels rather full. My husband went to a funeral for a co-worker today and came back home feeling sentimental. His co-worker was diagnosed with cancer four weeks ago and died on Friday. He talked about how short our lives our and how imminent death is for all of us. He said he really wants us as a family to embrace each day as if it's our last.
This morning I played at the park with Noah and took him to story time praying he would sit through at least one of the stories. I walked through Kroger as he yelled "cake" over and over again after I put the rice cakes in the cart, and dealt with his tantrum on the way to the car because I wouldn't give him a rice cake. I put him down for a nap which turned out to be a little too short, and laid down on the couch because I had a headache after his nap while he repeatedly said "mommy up" about 20 times. We played hide and seek over and over as he hid behind the same curtain, we read books about animals and played in the backyard...all of those moments, including the frustrating one's, are ever so precious to me. I am beginning to realize that life is all about perspective. If today was my last day, I spent it with my two loves of my life, and I am grateful. Sometimes it takes tragedy to recognize beauty. My husband lost a dear co-worker who lived an amazing life but found value and new perspective for his life through his loss. I am thankful today that I lived today.

SMEG

2011-05-16T11:42:00.004-05:00

Last week I went to see "Something Borrowed" all by myself...it was glorious...the time by myself I mean...the movie was okay. Anyways, part of the reason I like movies is seeing the way the apartments and homes are decorated. Cute little Ginnifer Goodwin had this retro fridge in her kitchen that I became completely smitten with. My sister-in-law Sarah has said for years that she wants a vintage refrigerator so get ready to fall in love Sarah! I googled and googled until I found the one that Ginnifer had in the movie...It was a SMEG...Oh mylanta it's so beautiful! Will I ever have one? Probably not. We have a perfectly fine fridge. If I won the lottery I might get one;o)...But Sarah, I plan to live vicariously through you someday when you have one of these beauties!

*images taken from this blog...go there to see more!

DIY: Shorts out of Pants

2011-05-15T20:38:00.003-05:00

I was inspired by Whitney's post on making capri pants...after all, I can actually sew a straight line (that's about all i can sew)! Friday morning I was out shopping for shorts because I may have failed to mention this but in 1.5 weeks I will be here:
Hawaii with the in-laws! I think I haven't mentioned it because it didn't really hit me until the past few weeks that we are actually going...Anyhow, while I was shopping for shorts at Target (I am not a fan of shorts...I wear skirts and t-shirts at all times...but since I'm going to Hawaii I figured I might need to just bite the bullet) SO while I'm searching for shorts, I find the cutest bathing suit I've ever seen in my life...exhibit A:

The only problem is that I bought a new bathing suit for my birthday from Dillard's and I love that one too...exhibit B:

If you can't tell already, I'm a little modest...my first bikini was worn on my honeymoon...that's the only time it's ever been worn. I also had a baby...SO does anyone else appreciate how rare it is to find even one adorable one piece bathing suit...let alone TWO? I decided to buy the Target bathing suit and attempt to make shorts out of some old pants I never ever wear anymore. Goal: Spend money on second bathing suit. Make free shorts. Sounds pretty smart right? I thought so...Nelson wasn't so sure:o)...See Whitney's post for exact instructions but here's how I made my first pair of shorts:

1. Take a pair of shorts you like and lay on top of pants
2. Trace shorts with a sharpie
3. Sew straight line along sharpie line...cut away excess fabric
4. New shorts:o)...Let me know if you try this! I just folded the fabric at the bottom twice over, ironed, and sewed on the inside of the leg and outside of the leg to make the "fold over"...I like that look and I wasn't sure about sewing a straight hem along the bottom so I just went with it...Good luck!!!

Call to Me

2011-05-13T20:03:00.004-05:00

I am just going to be honest and say that I have felt a little disconnected lately. I have been so caught up in trying to be a good wife, mom, friend, housekeeper, social worker, etc... that I have neglected the most important thing; the thing that leads me and guides me and works everything together for my good. One day this week while Noah was taking a nap, I sat at my kitchen table and opened my Bible to Jeremiah 33. The title of the chapter is "The Promise of Restoration." What spoke to me about this page was not the chapter but the footnote for Jer. 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." The footnote says:

"God is ready to answer our prayers, but we must ask for his assistance.  Surely God could take care of our needs without our asking.  But when we ask, we are acknowledging that he alone is God and that we cannot accomplish in our own strength all that is his domain to do.  When we ask, we must humble ourselves, lay aside our willfullness and worry, and determine to obey him.

Wow.  You know what I realized?  I have been expecting God to answer prayers that I have not voiced.  There is worry and fear in my heart that I have just expected him to take care of without me even thinking to humble myself before Him and voice my prayers.  As I sat at the table, I realized that the reason I have not voiced my prayers is due to fear in my heart.  I've been afraid that God wouldn't answer.  I've been fearful that if He didn't answer me then He wouldn't be who I need Him to be in my life.

That afternoon I lifted my eyes to the sky and prayed.  I cried and I prayed. I prayed for everything that was on my heart.  I asked God to do specific things I've never asked Him to do.  Things that only He could do.  You know how I felt after I gave over everything in my heart to God?  Free.

It's been a few days since I yielded my heart, which I am continuing to do daily.  God answered a very specific prayer I prayed on that day in a way that only He could do...I can't share at this time the answered prayer because it would betray a confidence, but someday I do think I will be able to testify about this specific circumstance.  All I can say is, God is so much better than we think He is.  He's so much more loving and kind and gracious than I have believed Him to be.  And most of all, He cares about the details of our lives and He wants us to come to Him with those details.  How can a father help his child who won't bring their worries and fears and problems to him?

I know I'm not the only one who has been afraid that God isn't everything His word says He is.  Just remember we have a role in this whole relationship thing.  We have to bring our requests to Him in order for Him to move on our behalf.  He wants to hear our hearts because He knows that it will make us free.  He is committed to our freedom.  He is committed to your freedom.

noah sings, 20 months

2011-05-13T13:30:00.006-05:00

You may want to pause my blog music at the bottom of the page (scroll all the way down) before pressing play. I decided to do a video blog post because I saw it done another blog I follow and thought it would be fun for a change! I realized in watching this that I act really cheesy around Noah so I apologize for that in advance ;o)...I've been wanting to capture his singing on camera so this was a great way to do it...Hope this makes you smile!

A Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-05-11T13:48:00.002-05:00

Since we're kind of on a recipe kick, I thought I'd add my favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I grew up on slice and bake...and then my college roommate Shelley introduced me to the real deal. Once you taste the real deal, there is no turning back! Anyways, I started off by using the tollhouse recipe but then modified it a bit to find the right consistency...I like a soft and gooey cookie that remains gooey for at least two to three days after baking. These will not fail you. I make them so often I could make them in my sleep! I do usually half this recipe though. Baking is therapy to me.
Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 C brown sugar (or a lil' more)
3/4 C granulated sugar (or a lil' more:o))
1 tsp vanilla (i use mexican vanilla)
2 eggs
3/4 stick of butter Crisco
1/2 stick of butter
2 1/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
semi sweet chocolate chips, the whole bag
*preheat oven to 350. cream sugars, butter, and vanilla in mixer. mix eggs in one at a time (this makes a difference), stir together flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl and add to mixture. beat on medium low until blended. Add chocolate chips. Bake for 8 minutes...they won't look ready, but trust me, they are!

A Recipe: Fish Tacos

2011-05-10T12:53:00.002-05:00

My husband and I are trying to incorporate more fish into our diet and these yummy tacos were a hit! I pulled the recipe from Real Simple magazine...Here we go:

Fish Tacos with Cucumber Relish
2 tilapia filets, seasoned with salt, pepper, and ground coriander (1 tsp). Cook fish in canola oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. (I went ahead and cut the fish with the spatula to help it cook faster. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Toss together 1/2 of a sliced cucumber, 3-4 roughly diced radishes, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Serve in warm corn tortillas with the fish, fresh cilantro, and sour cream. I added a side of spanish rice (from a little packet) and black beans mixed with a little fresh cilantro.

So that was my healthy meal. Now I'm going to share my favorite comfort food of all time. I don't have a picture, but here is the recipe:

King Ranch Casserole
Preheat oven to 350. Dice half of an onion and saute onion and a tbs. or so of butter in a large pot. Add 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 2 cans cream of chicken soup, and 1 can mild rotel. Heat 4-5 chicken breasts in microwave for 10 minutes or so until fully cooked through. Cut up chicken and add to soup mixture. Take a 9.5 by 11 pan and cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of tortilla chips. Then sprinkle of layer of shredded cheese over the chips. Then add a layer of the soup/chicken mixture. Repeat this step: chips, cheese, mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle a layer of cheese on top of the casserole during the last five minutes of baking. Pull it out of the oven and taste a little bit of heaven!
*you will need 1 bag of tortilla chips and one standard size package of shredded cheddar cheese

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T21:10:00.002-05:00

What a sweet day it was! I spent it with this little guy.

Here are a few cards I made for my mom and MIL...I'm so blessed to have a mom and mother-in-law that are amazing mothering mentors.

I told my husband about this concept called a "Mom Book" that I read about in Real Simple Magazine. A mother shared her story about her idea of creating a book that her children would fill with stories, pictures, and letters each mother's day, birthday, and Christmas in lieu of buying a material gift. My sweet Nelson remembered the Mom Book story and started my own Mom book this year. Here is the book and Noah's first entry...along with some white hydrangeas; my favorite flower.

I love my two boys. What a special day to recognize and celebrate the importance of the task set before us as mothers. I hope your day was special too! Sorry for the lack of consistency this week; I'm working on a home study...I have quite a bit to catch you up on!

forever changing

2011-05-05T16:15:00.002-05:00

My living room is forever changing. I just added a $5 rug I bought from our neighbors (thanks Michelle!). I think I literally change something every week; not usually by buying new things but by rearranging things in my house. I like for things to be cohesive but unexpected. I like for things to have a story. And I like for things to be cheap:o). Seriously, the cheaper I find something for, the happier my heart is. After all, why would I buy a $150 rug when I can get a perfectly unique one for $5?
I realized I haven't shared many glimpses into my home with you. This little snapshot includes some of my favorite finds over the years. I found my coffee table at a garage sale about eight years ago. My college roommates and I spent a memorable evening sanding it and painting it green. I remember lots of laughter and chocolate chip cookies. We missed a rather large spot under the drawer and that still makes me smile. I love for furniture to have a story.
The brown wingback chair in the corner was found at my neighborhood garage sale two years ago for $10...that's right, chair and ottoman for $10! It's my favorite reading chair. It provides the perfect resting place for my little round mustard yellow pillow I bought at Laverty's (holla to my Waco people!) for $2 about six years ago. I love that lil' pillow. It is really old. I like to think it sat on a really tacky colorful floral couch that belonged to some sweet family in the 1960s.
My picture collage is full of mismatched frames and a sweet little bird plate my mom bought me for Christmas last year. I have loved adding pictures of Noah and our family to our home over the years...they make things feel like home.
I realize that my treasures may be junk in other people's eyes...but that doesn't really matter does it? I'm sure you have treasures in your house as well. Things that carry a story and meaning. I'd love to hear about them. I'm glad I wasn't too quick to "fill" our house right when we moved in. I've discovered that I like for things to evolve over time. I don't really think my house will ever feel complete to me, but will always be forever changing...it's the process that is beautiful to me; the process of adding and taking away, of making old things look new...Have a happy Thursday!

Lark and Bloom

2011-05-04T23:39:00.003-05:00

I'm working this evening but stopped in on my friend Liz's semi-new blog. She's interviewed a few experienced mom's for a mother's day tribute and I loved reading what they had to say...so much wisdom to glean from! Check it out:
http://www.larkandbloom.blogspot.com/
The picture above is of me and my friend Amber's new baby boy, Eli Blake...ummm...can anyone say "baby fever"?

DIY: Bunting on a Card

2011-05-03T13:27:00.002-05:00

Remember a long time ago when I posted about my bunting obsession? Well, the obsession hasn't really died down yet! So here's an easy DIY if you can sew a straight line!

Sometimes you want to make a card and you just want to do something a little unexpected...add a little color by sewing a few flags onto your page...there is no right or wrong way. To me, imperfection makes things a little more special. You can leave space between the flags (below) or place them right next to each other (above)...have fun!

end of april

2011-04-30T19:49:00.006-05:00

Can you believe today is the last day of April? Time has flown by ever so quickly this Spring. Summer is almost here! I really learned quite a bit about myself this past week while following the framework of my schedule. I learned that I operate better when I actually plan:o). I'm inspired to continue my "rhythm" next week and be a little more intentional in a few of my friendships that I would like to see grow. I typically go with the flow but am quickly realizing that some of my friendships I truly value are with people I rarely see or talk to. That needs to change...quickly!

On another note, a few of you have asked me how I can work on colors, letters, and numbers for the hour I have slotted for that time. I'm kind of experimenting right now but I definitely don't sit down and do a lesson with Noah for an hour! I'm not that intense!!!! He's a typical toddler with a 5-15 minute attention span! I will say that during those designated times I try and point out colors, numbers, letters, etc... in whatever activity we are doing, whether we are reading books, playing outside, or watching Sesame Street. I also try and pick out age appropriate dvds and books at the library that focus on letters, numbers, and colors. He loves the ABC Book by Alison Jay. He also learned the alphabet song (just the first few letters and the tune) from the dvd "ABCs with Elmo." I have also tried searching for short youtube videos that use songs to teach toddlers. I think music is such a great way for kids to learn new things! It also makes learning so much fun. Noah particularly responds very well to music.
I know some of you may be thinking "I'm glad that works for you but that would never work for my toddler." I understand that every child is different. They have different learning styles and temperaments and personalities. They are completely unpredictable. My toddler loves to run, jump, climb, and sing. He is never found sitting quietly playing with his toys. If he is quiet, I know there is a problem. He is either dropping things in the toilet or climbing the entertainment center. I left him in the garage for about 30 seconds while filling my water cup in the kitchen a few days ago and he managed to climb up his stroller and tip it over with a loud crash...thankfully it only left a small bruise on his forehead! Anyways, what I am saying is, I understand that what works for him may not work for your child! I think the most important thing as a parent is to seize every learning moment and do whatever works for your family.

One more thing has been on my heart lately. The sooner we, as moms, learn to not compare ourselves to other moms, or better yet, compare our child with other children, the sooner we will be free to accept our child for who they are and freely allow them to learn and grow at their own pace. I am blessed to have several mom friends with children the same age as Noah, but in some respects, I think it is more difficult to feel confident in raising your own child when you have so many voices and opinions fluttering about. I never intend for the things that I share whether in person or on my blog to be taken as direct advice for other moms. My desire is that I can inspire other moms to find what works for them. My way should never be someone else's way. I hope you all know that!!!! Have a lovely Sunday:o)

garage sale bliss

2011-04-29T14:28:00.002-05:00

I have been so busy with a few work assignments and cleaning my house that my blog has been put on the back burner this week...dislike! Anyways, this weekend is my spring community garage sale. Every neighborhood off of the main street participates! It seriously is my favorite weekend of the Spring! SO I worked a bit this morning and then headed out to see what I couldn't live without:o)...I found some little treasures. I think I have told you before that we plan on enclosing our back porch sometime in the near future to make a play/craft room. I lay in bed at night dreaming about what I want it to look and feel like. My first inclination was to go with blue walls and white Ikea storage furniture...but lately I've been craving lots of color and character. I think I have decided that I would like a vintage and somewhat whimsical, gender neutral space. I can't wait to take you along with me when we start the project! ANYWAYS, today at the garage sale I was looking around for some inspiration. Look what I found:

Seriously? A wooden puppet show stand with painted animals. Have I told you that Noah is obsessed with animals? Isn't every toddler? Did I mention that this was $5? I'm going to replace the curtains because they are a little stained, but I couldn't imagine a toy that would inspire more creative play than a puppet show stand! Now I need some puppets:o)...stuffed animals will work in the meantime!

These little lovelies reminded me of the type of learning tools that were used in my own kindergarten classroom (lots of years ago). They made me feel really nostalgic...I just love them and can't wait to teach Noah his letters using this lil' chalkboard!

And look what I found for my kitchen? $.50 each...gee whiz, nothing is better than a good garage sale! I have lived in my house for 4 years and have never put anything on top of my cabinets...I just couldn't think of anything to put up there that I really loved...I'm not a fan of fake plants or flowers, mainly because my dad owned a flower shop for seven years and I grew rather fond of the real thing. I really struggled to know what to do...Look what my little SUGAR canister inspired?

I think I love it. I had all of the other knick knacks (sp?) sitting around my house. I would like for there to be a few pops of other colors up there but for now, I'm just happy to no longer have a completely bare space! My final purchases at the garage sale were clothes for Noah. You tell me, where else are you going to find $1 GAP jeans for a toddler? I'm loving these clothes I found for him...Most will fit him in the fall and winter of 2011.

All in all it was a perfect morning! I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!!

a moment

2011-04-26T22:21:00.003-05:00

After two days of following the "rhythm" I am noticing a few things about my little guy. He likes to have alone time. After his nap, he doesn't really want to "read with mommy"...he wants to run around the backyard all by himself! He seems to be more focused on learning in the mornings after he wakes up. His attention span is longer and he will sit with me and read for a long while or focus on one activity for an extended amount of time. If anything, this schedule is helping me notice things about Noah I might not have noticed before! My friend Michelle sent me this AMAZING blog resource:

I Can Teach My Child

I spent a little while looking over some of the activities this evening and am inspired! I'll keep you updated on what works well and what doesn't...The photo above was taken on Sunday. I have a post coming soon with photos from Easter...What a special day it was!

A Rhythm

2011-04-25T15:33:00.006-05:00

You all may think I'm nuts after this post, but give me a chance to explain! If any of you have known me for any length of time, you know that I may be the least scheduled/planned person you have ever known! I literally HATE making plans too far in advance. I like to kind of blow wherever the wind takes me...everything I write down on my calendar is subject to change in my mind. This goes along with my Meyers Briggs Personality Type, INFP. Take the test here...I LOVE personality testing...(I drive my "planner" friends insane!!!! Thankfully they love me...) Anyways, when I had Noah I was "planning" to just sling him up and take him everywhere with me, be completely laid back, yada yada yada.

What I didn't plan on was my son being exactly like his father. My husband has a to-do list for everything, he checks his calendar all day long, he keeps up with e-mails and organizes his office...We are complete opposites! If I married someone just like me we would literally never get anything done. I'm so thankful for a structured, organized, and responsible husband!

Anyways, I realized early on that Noah would only sleep if I put him down at the exact same time every night. That was my first clue that he enjoyed a little structure. As he grew, I discovered that he operates best at the times of day when I keep a routine. For instance, almost every single day for the past 10 months or so he has had lunch at noon, watched a 15 minute video in his pac 'n play, pooped while watching the video (sorry if TMI!), and then gone down for his nap. He knows exactly what to expect for his lunchtime and bedtime routines. He evens starts singing his night night song when we walk him to his room.

Fast forward to a month ago. My friend Brianna was telling me about this book that talks about the value of having a rhythm to your day. It was written by an attachment parent. Usually attachment parenting is all about freedom in your day and no scheduling, but Brianna was telling me that through this book she learned about finding freedom by maintaining a schedule or a rhythm to the day (I prefer the word "rhythm" to "schedule" of course). She said the book addresses the fact that motherhood is the only job that does not have a training manual. Brianna then decided to create a routine for her and her two children by spending 30 minutes or so each weekend planning for the week ahead. She plans the crafts and activities she wants to do with her kids for that particular week and also plans her meals. This task seemed really overwhelming to me when she was telling me about it, but I feel in my heart that Noah could really benefit from a little more planning on my part! SO, here is the "rhythm" I planned for this week...it took me about 25 minutes in Microsoft Excel. Drumroll please....

		Weekly Schedule: April 25-29th
Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday

7am	oatmeal/blueberries	oatmeal/blueberries	waffle/banana	oatmeal/blueberries	waffle/banana
	walk/park	starfall.com	free play	starfall.com	colors
8am		walk/park	BSF	walk/park	walk/park
	free play
9am	Dallas Superv.	free play			finger painting
				Titus 2	backyard fun
10am		produce pickup
		story time
11am

12pm	avoc/beans/fruit	chick fil'a	Sweet pot/beans	ckn/fruit/RC	pasta/veggies
	video/nap	video/nap	video/nap	video/nap	video/nap
1pm

2pm

3pm	Read with mommy	Read with mommy	Read with mommy	Read with mommy	Read with mommy
	Music time	Music time	Music time	Music time	Music time
4pm	smoothie	smoothie	smoothie	smoothie	smoothie
	play doh/numbers	swim	crayons	FARM	cook with mommy
5pm

6pm	dinner for amber	fish tacos	veggie omelets	pasta, salad	veggie pizzas
	bath	bath	bath	bath	bath
7pm	devotion/bedtime	devotion/bedtime	devotion/bedtime	devotion/bedtime	devotion/bedtime

You will notice that my mornings are a little busy with bible study, story time, errands, etc...but the time of day that is always the hardest for me is after Noah wakes up from his nap. I am usually just counting the minutes until Nelson gets home. I decided to try putting a little structure into our afternoons so that I don't feel so clueless as to what to do while I am also feeling tired from my day. I know that daycares have routines for the kids and I'm sure they are learning new things throughout the day. Now that Noah is actually showing an interest in learning colors, numbers, letters, etc...I would really like to try and work on some of those skills. If any of you have good websites or resources on simple ways to teach a two year old please let me know!

Do you think I'm crazy? Trust me, I'm stepping WAY outside of my box here. But that's good for us every once in awhile right? I'll let you know how it goes...I'm already halfway through my first day and feeling so productive!

happy easter

2011-04-24T15:31:00.003-05:00

*anything good about this painting i learned from jessa adler at casey weigand's studio.
anything bad is all me:o)!

What a wonderful day it is to celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from the dead, breaking the power over sin and death, so that we could be free. Ever since my art night I have been so inspired. Last night I painted this little reminder that "He Lives"...Be encouraged today that He gave His life for you so that you could have abundant life. He loves you so much more than you know.

raising boys

2011-04-22T06:37:00.010-05:00

I'm linking up with Casey today. This teaching has been on my heart.

Okay, so I have this habit of hearing a teaching and sharing it with all of you. I can't help myself. This info is too good to not pass on! Yesterday I heard a mom of two teenage boys share her insights on motherhood and specifically raising boys. My little guy is ALL BOY. Here we go.
The first thing she said is that motherhood is an investment; not a sacrifice. We have to view it in that light or bitterness starts to grow in our hearts. She said to completely embrace the servant heart that is necessary for being a mother. She emphasized to not give a child too much responsibility for your wholeness. I've done this; I admit it.
She said that we cannot blame ourselves for our child's bad behavior. She said if we do this then we are probably taking credit for our child's good behavior. It's not about us; we can't take the blame or credit. We must keep ourselves separate from their behavior. Everything good that happens is because of God's grace.
She gave some little tips for raising toddler boys. She said that we need to teach them how to look us in the eye. She said to gently touch their arm or leg and say "Noah, look at mommy's eyes." Then we can tell them what we expect of them in that moment. Toddlers are so easily distracted. We have to teach them to look at us and listen.
She said to never discipline for something you haven't taught. Teach them to deal properly with negative emotions. They don't know how to calm down from a tantrum unless we teach them how. We can't just tell them what to do. Boys are very visual. You discipline for defiance; you train childishness.
We are raising someone's husband. Give his wife an emotionally healthy man. Teach him to identify his emotions at a young age by using a "feeling faces" chart. He needs to know words other than happy and sad to describe how he is feeling.
She said that a boy's mind is constantly changing and is extremely curious; we have to keep their minds busy by providing structured activities that help them learn and grow and feed their minds. Give them purpose every day.
She said to look for their passion. Try everything. Pay really close attention to what their giftings are. If you cultivate the gift of God in your children they will not depart from it.
Don't praise your child because they are smart. Praise them for their hard work. And teach them the value of hard work.
As they grow, we should remember to never define them by their worst moment. Look at their heart. Nurture them, teach them, train them. She said that her oldest son is now 18 and it went by so fast. She emphasized how fast it goes by and how sacred the moments are that we have with our children. Take advantage of building a relationship with your child. Be present in his life. It goes by ever so quickly...

I'm so thankful today that I have other mom's in my life to learn from!

be still

2011-04-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

We rarely get a chance to sit with our friends and have a peaceful moment...Especially my dear friends who have more than one baby. I have found more than ever before that there is power in the words we speak and the thought patterns we create; negative or positive. We are better mom's, wives, homemaker's, and overall better women when we are refreshed and when we meditate on whatever is good, noble, excellent, praiseworthy, pure and honorable. Let God's word refresh your spirit as you listen to what He has to say about you.

He created your inmost being; you are fearfully and wonderfully made.
He rises to show you compassion.
He loves you with an everlasting love.
The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.
He gives you beauty for ashes, a garment of praise for your heaviness.
Nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
He establishes peace for you.
Trust Him with your life; He will never disappoint you.
He is your strength every morning.

"He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Isaiah 40:11

*These verses are hidden in my heart and the Holy Spirit brought them to mind as I wrote to you today. I do not have the references memorized but can get them for you if you so desire. I hope your day is full of hope.

A Recipe: Veggie Pancakes

2011-04-18T21:28:00.002-05:00

1. Steam and blend vegetables of your choice
2. Add blended veggies to pancake mix of your choice!
3. Place on skillet and cook like regular pancakes
4. Watch your toddler eat it up!

*I even like these...especially with a touch of butter ;o)

known

2011-04-17T06:00:00.004-05:00

After the art night, my three friends who drove in from Waco and I spent the night at my in-laws house while they were out of town. Guess what time we went to sleep? 2am!!!! HELLO. What were we thinking? We are definitely not 19 anymore! From left to right, Sarah married my second cousin, Shelley lived with me for two years in college, and Robin basically grew up with me through all my awkward years...all three of them were in my wedding. They are my soul sisters. *Shannon, you are too...you just live in Portland now:o).

I literally got four broken hours of sleep Friday night. Complete madness. Sheer glee! I LOVE MY GIRLFRIENDS! My mother-in-law made a cake for me because she is the best MIL in the entire universe. Robin tried to put the candles in the shape of a cursive L for my name...

Way too much sugar, way too little sleep, such a memory I will treasure forever! These two took me home the next day. They challenge me to really live life on purpose. Everyone needs friends like that.

Below are the birthday gifts they gave me. Robin gave me the wooden lantern, Shelley the mustard clutch. Something old, something new. It feels wonderful to be known. I love that there is a diaper and sippy cup in the picture. Beauty in the midst of chaos! Hope your weekend was refreshing! I could take a nap after mine...all worth it though!

a little art night

2011-04-16T18:58:00.004-05:00

This weekend I was blessed to be a part of "A Little Artsy" adult art night. It was amazing! I feel like I learned a new skill. Casey's home is so inspiring, and Jessa Adler was such a wonderful instructor! I have a ton of acrylic and latex paint at my house because I paint everything from furniture to picture frames to pumpkins all year round...but I have truthfully always been intimidated to paint on a canvas. One night right after I moved to Fort Worth four years ago I was inspired to paint something for my home. I wanted to paint a tree (of course). Let me tell you it was the biggest disaster! It literally looked like it was done by a 4 year old...but worse because at least when a 4 year old paints anything it is adorable! I lost all confidence in my ability to paint something for display on canvas. Last night I gained all of my confidence back!

I am so excited to build on some basic skills I learned from Jessa and Casey and create things that are unique and lovely. If you live in the DFW area you should definitely gather a group of girlfriends together, get some chocolate and the beverage of your choice, and spend an evening at Casey's in-home studio!!! My painting wasn't perfect, but I am proud of it for my first try!!!!

on my heart

2011-04-15T11:46:00.004-05:00

*photo found HERE

I'm linking up with Casey today.

I have a lot on my heart right now. When I was growing up my parents told me I could be anything, do anything, dream anything. I lived in a world full of possibility and potential and hope. My days were filled with dreaming about my future. Who would I marry? How many kids will I have? Where will I live? Will I live in a grass hut in Africa and care for orphans? Will I be a social worker in the inner city fighting for social justice? Will I have a beautiful life? I wonder...

Soon after Noah was born I was plagued with this feeling that all of my dreams for my own life were over. Part of it was postpartum hormones, but a very real feeling was the weight of knowing that it was my responsibility to raise a person. My dreams, hopes, and life didn't seem to matter anymore. I couldn't even go anywhere for more than two hours for quite awhile since I had a hungry little guy and I literally felt like my life was over. Just being honest here.

Things got a bit better after I finished nursing but I still felt a little empty and kind of in a wilderness of sorts. When people asked me if I was a stay at home mom I was always quick to say yes, BUT I am a social worker for an adoption agency and am blessed to be able to work at home. It's like I was fearful to identify myself as a stay at home mom and I needed everyone to know that I also had a part time job so that I could seem professional or seem like I was accomplishing something.

I've grown so much in the past year and a half. God has changed my life and planted new dreams in my heart. I have never felt so much possibility and potential as I do now. This past week as I had much time for reflection at the women's conference I attended, I realized that so much of my identity has been wrapped up in my appearance to other people. I also realized that the thing I value the most in my heart, which is being a homemaker, has become a source of insecurity and shame. I felt like God spoke to me this week that this blessing to stay at home with my family and raise my children is His dream for my life. I have had a lot of dreams along the way, and trust me, they seem much more glamorous than scraping dried food off of my kitchen floor. But didn't Jesus say "Whoever loses his life will find it"?

I still have my (very) part time job as an adoption specialist, but I don't think I'm going to throw that in as much in my conversations with people. My full time job is raising my children and caring for husband and making our household a warm and inviting refuge. I am not ashamed or insecure. I feel like my dreams for my life have aligned with God's dreams...And aren't His dreams always better than our own in the end?