my placemat purse

I made this cute placemat purse (inpired by Beckie of course!) for my friend Janette's bday and she LOVED it! And it seriously took about 30 minutes to make! By the way Target has tons of really cute placemats!! I stood there forever trying to decide on which would make the best purse...because so many of them would be good for it, and most were under $4. I already had the handles in my project box (they've been waiting for the perfect project for about 4 years now).

Thanks Beckie!!

so...sleepy...must... shop...

So Kohl's opened at 4 am today, and my mom and I decided to go for it. So we set the clock for 3:15 (so we'd have time to run through the 24 hr starbucks on our way). We hopped out of bed in an adrenaline rush of the great deals we knew we'd find. We threw our clothes on and were all ready to head out, when we looked at the clocks in the kitchen and realized....It was really 2:15 and the clock in my mom's room was off by an hour...dang! We were already all awake! So, we took our time getting to Starbucks (surprisingly alot of crazy people in line at 3am!) and Sat in the car in the Kohl's parking lot watching the crazy people stand in the freezing cold, waiting to get in. It was fun, we did find some good deals (Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders for $1.99 each!). We waited in line for well over an hour to pay for our items!! But, of course they have cleverly put many displays of good deals all the way to the register, so we continued to shop all the way there.

We had fun...not sure we'll do it again next year. Happy "black friday"...anyone know why it's called that? Maybe because businesses get their finances out of the red and back into "black" due to all of the money they make today!

Nasty day...

Well, today was no good. But I really believe God is changing me (thank goodness!), because typically I would've lost it a few hours ago. But, my sanity is hanging in there and I actually made it through bed time, by myself!

So, Jack's been kinda crummy feeling for a week and a half. Weird poop, runny nose, hacking and coughing...today I called the doc. Took him in and sure enough....First ear infection. Meanwhile in the docs office, Hayden starts saying his tummy hurts. I don't really believe him, he's been saying this kind of thing more often lately, not really serious.

We proceed to Walgreens drive thru to pick up Jack's antibiotics that the doctor so nicely called in for us. It's not ready, come back in 15 they say. I'm literally pulling out and Hayden starts crying hard...my tummy hurts! and blahh...vomit. Lots and lots of vomit. Nasty. So, pull over and try to contain the mess and comfort him.

He seems to be feeling much better, playing as usual. This is a super duper long day for Matt...7am-10ish pm, so I"m totally on my own. I think I'm missing my friends Bachelor Finale party unless Matt suprises me and gets home early. But...I made myself some cookies to eat while I watch it alone...how bad can that be? Me and a plate of cookies...sounds like a good date to me!

yay! I have grass!

Yay! We finally have grass in our front yard, and I have to say, after a year of no front yard...I think it's sooo beautiful!!

On other thoughts...Hayden has been such an independant little dresser these days...isn't it lovely? He definitely has his own "style" it reminds me a little bit of Richard Simmons with sweat bands...



And, here's big J, just because I love him too! I'm totally in love with his curls. Probably because I was a straight haired kid and always wished I had them.

ah-ha!

So you've heard my grumblings. My frusterations with motherhood...the mommy meltdowns. Well, this weekend I've had one of those Ah-ha! moments.

I attended a Young Lives coordinators weekend last night and this morning (For those of you who don't know, Young Lives is Young Life-a Christian youth ministry- for teen moms). Anyhow, I'm not a coordinator, but am praying along with my best pal Selene about if God is leading us down that road. Anywho, not my point...I'm sort of convinced God may have had me there for one reason. To hear the devotions led by a couple of gals. It was short and sweet and cut to the heart of me.

As you've heard me rant...I've been struggling through this "season" of motherhood. I'm feeling lost, unproductive in my life in general, aggitated, impatient with my kids...like I've kind of lost me (cuz, this is all about me, right? JK). It's this odd feeling of working all the time, but NOTHING getting done. My house is a mess, my kids act like crazies in public, like I'm not doing anything significant for the Lord. Anyhow, this gal was sharing a devotional. The scripture was from 1 Chronicles 4:23 "And these were the potters, and the ones who dwell among the plants and hedges. There they dwelt with the king, for his work".

I'm just going to quote the devotional taken from the book Streams in the Dessert by LB Cowman, which I also happen to own but haven't ever made it through the book. This is from Nov 12th.

We may dwell "with the King for his work" anywhere and everywhere.We may be called to serve him in the most unlikely places and under adverse conditions. It may be out in the countryside, far away from the King's many activities in the city. Or it maybe "among plants and hedges" of all kinds-hindrances tha t surround us, blocking our way. perhaps we will be on of the "potters", with our hands full of all types of pottery, accomplishing our daily tasks.

It makes no difference! The King who place us "there" will come and dwell with us. The hedges, or hindrances, are right for us, or He will quickly remove them. And doesn't it stand to reason that whatever seems to block our way may also provide for our protection? As for the pottery-it is exactly what He has seen fit to place in our hands and is for now "his work".

Brightly colored sunsets and starry heavens, majestic mountains and shining seas, fragrant fields and fresh cut flowers are not even half as beautiful as a soul who is serving Jesus out of love, through the wear and tear of an ordinary, unpoetic life.


WOW. I felt like she was talking directly to me! Ah-ha! This IS what God wants me to doing. HE will be right here dwelling with me as I learn to serve Jesus out of love by loving my kids! He thinks my ordinary unpoetic life is beatiful if I'm focuse on loving him by serving my family.

As someone who's been involved in "ministry" all of her adult life, I have felt like I'm spinning my wheels this past year. I just haven't felt like I'm really serving the Lord. I have had to step out of high school ministry which I love, because it just wasn't working with our family. I realized I"ve been feeling really inconvenienced by this stage of my life. How selfish am I? sheesh. Going anywhere is difficult, having a simple phone conversations is nearly impossible...Honestly, I've felt "hindered" by my kids. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE my kids. I enjoy my kids. I've just not been able to figure out to find that internal satisfaction and balance. It just really hit me today. I am a potter, with hands full of tasks...tasks that He has seen fit to put in my hands...HIS WORK. I do feel that "wear and tear" but if my soul is lined up towards Jesus, loving him, my ordinary mundane life is exactly where he wants me and he is pleased with what I'm doing. What a peace that struck me this morning. I feel a huge sense of relief. Thank You Lord for loving me even though it takes me a while to get it!

This one goes out to Beckie...

I love free stuff. I'm cheap, I'll admit it. So I get a total buzz out of getting a stellar deal. Here's what i got today for 35 cents (+tax).



Here's how:
Safeway had a Buy one get one free sale on the shampoo and cond. plus I had coupons...if you care, read below to see where I got my coupons.

LOreal Vive Pro Nutrigloss BOGO + BOGO coupon Valassis 9/23 + $1 off
coupon V 9/23= I made $1
LOreal Vive Pro Body & Style BOGO + BOGO coupon Valassis 9/23 + $1 off
coupon V 11/4+ I made $1
LOreal Vive Pro Body & Stle BOGO + $1 off coupon boodle.com=
$3.99
So, 3.99-my $2 credit +Safeway doubler (another $2 off)= 6 Freebies!
Yay!

Walmart, Children's Tylenol (reg 5.49) and infant tylenol (4.88)-2
printable $5 off coupons+ 35 cents plus tax!

I'm still not brave enough to go in and only get my freebies. I bought
some other groceries at Safeway so I didn't feel like a moocher.

What's the deal with Halloween?

I love my friend Heidi's thoughts on Halloween. Check it out!
http://rushartist.wordpress.com/2007/11/01/whats-the-deal-with-halloween/#comments

Are you okay?

This is what my hubby asked me today in that nice, concerned voice. As in..."Are you going to lose it one of these days?"

Sweet and kind...trying to say it nicely. aaahhhh. He said he wonders if I'm happy sometimes. I said, sometimes I wonder that too! I could't help but laugh a little...but deep down I know this is a challenging "season"...I hope it's just a season.

Jack REFUSES to go to sleep on his own. Yesterday morning I decided..."today is the day kid, you're going to have to cry it out". An hour and a half later...he was still screaming. I pick him up and 30 seconds later, he's asleep. What a STINK! last night, Hayden had a major freak out...screaming kicking...I think he was awake, but you never know. He could've been dreaming. He was just acting like he was throwing a major fit!

Then Jack decided to wake up and hang out from about 2-4 am. Ugh. That does not make me happy! I really appreciate my husbands sensitivity to it...he's really good about understanding. And letting me have space.

And, I am happy. Just not in the gushy mushy happy kind of way. More in the, "I'll laugh when I look back at it" kind of way. Make sense? This month has been tough on me. I'm tired physically and emotionally. I'm trying to gear myself up for basketball season (mid Nov-Feb) where i know my husband's availablity will be scarce.

I was just reading in Hayden's scrap book from stuff when he was born...it said, "You were so calm and sweet right from the start". HA! What happened to THAT kid? I do love him. When it's good, it's really good. When it's not, it's really not. That's it. Sorry if I sound depressing! Just venting.