Treat

Day 30: treat

Ice cream at the Biltmore 

Day 26-29

Day 26: Colorful

Day: 26 colorful
First purchase from Poshmark 
Work out pants like another pair I have in red. 
Yay for finding ones I love. #momentsmatter2017

Day 27: Splash

Day 27: splash #momentsmatter2017
I'm still loving my kitchen and my farmhouse sink #farmhousesinkadventures4

Day 28: Art

art
One of my favorite artists @katieisadaisy#momentsmatter2017

Day 29: Silhouette

THIS ONE TO COME!

Mixture

it is truly amazing to me how kids can be so much like both their parents

sure there are some kids that are exactly like one parent or another and some that are very much like both or maybe not anything like either parent

my oldest is a crazy mixture of both me and my hubby

when he was little i thought he was just like my husband. he looked like his, his personality was so much like his, it was wild.

he will be 10 in just a few short weeks

i wish i could remember the first time we got a glimpse of his introverted ways, but after hearing how much he resembled (in looks) my hubby and sometime had the same actions, i never considered how much he is like me.

when you see yourself in your kids, the good, the bad and the ugly.....wow, eye opening

my favorite blogger, Under the Sycamore posted a picture of her middle son the other day on Instagram and said, "He doesn't mind crowds and is content in solitude. We always tell him he is like a steady river - powerful, yet peaceful. There are days his play looks loud and wild and there are days it looks quiet and calm. Either way, the sky overhead and grass under his feet are his favorite playground."

this reminded me so much of my very own boy. my oldest, my strong steady boy, my loud playful, full of life guy. the one who sometimes retreats to his own to play, create and take a break.

i love seeing the glimpses of both me and by husband in him. God is so amazing, to take two different people and create another completely different person from them. 

just last night after reading that Instagram post it was almost 9:30 and i could hear my Golden Boy moving around in him room (he was supposed to be asleep) i sat in my bed and waited....then i heard his door open. i peeked a look over at the door and he saw me. he came in with a sad face and said that he was having trouble sleeping. i asked him if he was too hot and he said no that the light was too bright and that he couldn't sleep. (i had a lamp on in our room and there was a lamp on in the living room) i told him that we could make that better, so i got up and got him settled into bed. he then said, "i also want someone to lay with me." no problem there sweetie, i know there will be a time all to soon that he doesn't want bedtime songs and snuggles, so i told him that i would get the lights and then come and lay with him for a few minuets. 

as i was laying there all these thoughts about how much he was like me and how much he was like my hubby came pouring in. this not being able to sleep with light on, that is my hubby. it was such a small bit of light. i don't understand it one bit, but my hubby also says i am like a cat and can sleep anywhere. 

i love seeing the personalities and life bloom in both of my kiddos. it is fun watching them grow up and see how God will use their lives.  this is an incredibly scary adventure but i am so grateful that i was chosen to be their mom. even when i don't understand what is going on with them

Day 21-25

Day 21: Outside

This is the opposite of outside since it was consumed inside but this amazing dessert has been consumed outside and it is delicious. eaten outside or inside, it is amazing.

Day 22: Bright

She is one of the bright spots In my day. Thankful that she got to spend a week with my parent but boy do I miss this girl. 

Day 23: Adventure

Adventure with this guy to see cousins and to pick up my baby girl who I haven't seen in 5 days. 😍

Day 24: Jump

Day 25: Laughter

This girl is full of joy and says the funniest things. "Sad fave. Happy face." After peeling her banana. She is just the cutest. 

Real

i have been soaking in non-fiction book (i usually prefer fiction). books on relationships and life. i have really enjoyed every one of these books.  i love knowing that i am not alone in some of the things i struggle with. i am thankful for the brave people who write these books.

one of the pieces in the book that i am currently reading, Never Unfriended by Lisa Jo Baker, talks about how in the business of life sometimes we are more concerned with how the house looks when we have friends come over instead of just enjoying them.  i don't think she is giving us a reason to just not clean or straighten our homes but giving us a breather the ability to be real and enjoy relationships, even in our messes.

i am thankful for the friends in my life that i can do this with and who have thought the same of me. we were at a friends house recently and when we got there it was time for dinner. as we walked into her kitchen, she mentioned that she didn't have a chance to load the dishwasher, but knew it was our family coming over and that we would be fine with it.

i don't even think i noticed the dishes, i was just so excited to hang out with them. i mentioned to her that it was fine and that i completely understood, also that just the night before i had done the exact same thing with some friends that had come over.

it was the first time they would be seeing the new kitchen, aside from pictures that they had seen, and i just didn't have the time to get the dishes in the already full dishwasher, so i just left them. i knew they would be fine with it and they completely were. i wasn't concerned with the dishes and we had a great time just hanging out in the kitchen and talking.

i love the ability to be real with friends, for them to see our messes and love anyway.

Bugs

Day 20: bugs
See that guy
Right there ⬇
#8
We have called him bugs since he was a baby.
Love watching play sports
Reminds me that you can overcome anything 

even more than watching him play tonight his attitude super impressed us

tonight there was melt downs and tears about not wanting to go to the game

the team is not all that great and he just wants to be done

we are teaching him that we are not going to quit on our commitments that we made and also that we are not going to give up on a team just because they are not winning or #1

teaching life lessons here

after leaving the house in tears, he arrived at the field and with the team and turned that attitude around

he got excited and played well

he almost made a touchdown (running lots of yards) 

and he made a tackle (pulled a flag)

he also cheered loud as another team mate made the one touch down for the team

they didn't win, the other team beat them by one touch down but i overheard another boy on the team say, "we made a touch down! maybe there is a chance we will win one game this year after all!"

things young boys are learning now will make them into great men

thankful for this league and the character that it is building in these boys

and just an added picture for your viewing pleasure

the beautiful sunset tonight

simply amazing

Our Artist God is magnificent

Golden boy said, "it should be a painting."

"it is guy, it really is."

Everyday

Day 19: everyday
I read everyday
Reading takes me places I've never been, helps me see things I've never seen or see things in new ways. Every day I read and I love it so much.
Today's reading takes me into friendships. "Of all the insidious ways a friendship can disintegrate, comparison must be one of the worst." (Never Unfriended by Lisa Up Baker)
Thankful for all of my friends. The ups and downs of life have brought us closer. Praying over our relationships that we never let this happen.

Morning

Day 18: morning
Spent our morning with family
Evidence that we've been together
Mark that the time has come to an end
Reminder that it was a great time

Fresh

Day 17: fresh
Fresh fish
Anyone want it?

Greenery

Day 16:  Greenery

the back lawn at the lake house

fun times with family

Two handed counting Vol. 3.....Golden Boy

In one month he will be 10. Two handed counting. My oldest, my first born. Where has the time gone. He is almost 10 but still loves to snuggle. Any excuse.....i will take it while I can. For the next month he is still 9 and I want to soak up every bit of his 9 year old self. Man how I LOVE this kid.

Childhood

Day 15: childhood 

Sometimes it is fun and sometimes it is work. Truthfully, she asked if she could help with the laundry and the dishes. #lifelessons #momentsmatter2017 #littlegirlandy #farmhousesinkadventures 

Read

Day 14: read

Excited to have finished this book this morning along with some coffee at home

Day 6-13

Day 6: together
Taking on the Tower or terror....together

Day 7: bloom

Polynesian resort. Dinner at Ohana (means family)

Day 8: toes
getting pool time despite all the rain

Day 9: time

when you are finally back to your room and about to crawl in bed

Day 10: celebrate being together in beautiful Pandora

Day 11: warmth
HOT day....ice water and cool wraps are required

Day 12: fruit
there was no fruit anywhere in my day.
I failed day 12

Day 13: my view

Cousins

this photo was taking the night we celebrated Little girls birthday.

we invited the local cousins over for some pizza, cake, ice cream and pinata fun.

there is nothing like spending time with cousins.

LAUNCH DAY: A Family Shaped by Grace (Book Launch Post 5)

Today is the day

If you pre-ordered the book, hopefully you will find it in your mail box, or maybe it ships out today. I never know how that all works.

reguardless, today is the day that it comes out. so, if you have not pre-ordered it then hop onto Amazon or any other of your favorite book seller sites and place your order.

be sure to scroll down and watch Gary's book trailer.

Sunglasses

Day 5: sunglasses

Cloudy day but still bright enough for my shades. Drinking my fave smoothie. A little alone time before a TON of days of activity and people. I may or may not have driven old lady slow to extend the time. 

Rest

Day 4: rest
A moment to sit after a day of serving, Sunday school, errands for an upcoming trip and packing. I just needed to sit. It felt so good. especially when she came to sit with me. #momentsmatter2017

Book Launch post 4

So I am sure some of you have heard of The Nester right?

Myquillin Smith and her sister Emily P. Freeman are the daughters of the Author, Gary Morland. He wrote the book A Family Shaped by Grace, the book that I have shared about.

Well they are hosting a giveaway here.

You will win this beautiful sign and five (5) copies of Garys book.

hop on over and enter.

Music

Day 3:
Not just my alma mater but My home away from home.....My growing up years.....my growing closer time.....a place that marks my life in so many ways.....where i made life long friends.....where I met my hubby.....a place that shaped who I am today. I have read so many posts about the greatness of SEBC. Here is mine. Part of the music of my life. So heart broken about the suspension of operations. #momentsmatter2017

Sunkissed

Day 2:

They need water and sunshine to continue to grow.
Every year i am amazed that they grow back. I have pruned them once or twice.

They were so tiny when we bought them.

They are taller than me now.

They look bare in winter, beautiful in the spring, fruit filled in the summer and brown in the fall.

#momentsmatter2017

Wonder

Day 1

I continue to wonder at Gods creation 
The details 
The patterns 
It is all so wonderful
#momentsmatter2017