Just For Love

He's Heeeere!!

2011-03-28T11:30:00.000-04:00

Our little baby Jacob has finally arrived! He was born March 24, 2011 at 1:09pm. He was 9 lbs and 21 inches long.

We're all doing great and happily transitioning into a family of four. I'm definitely tired, but the joy in my heart far outweighs the sleepiness.

Thank you for all of the love and prayers you sent our way. We truly appreciate it!

With LOVE,

Maternity Leave : )

2011-03-02T17:44:00.000-05:00

Hi Guys!

So, it's been awhile since I've posted anything--I'm sorry. Phew! I've just been so tired lately that I haven't had much motivation going on. I think I'm going to take a little maternity leave from the blog early.

Little one will be here very soon!

I'll be sure to post pictures when the big day arrives : ) Until then, I'll be on the couch!

With LOVE,

Settle Down

2011-02-17T10:07:00.000-05:00

Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me. ~ Isaiah 30:15

Settle down, depend on God, and your strength will come.

Oh, how much sweeter life is when we give it all to Him! I am going to rest in the words of this verse today. I'm going to stop all of my silly, forced, and struggling efforts and give it to Him. He is the only one who knows what to do with it all anyway.

With LOVE,

Valentines Giveaway, Anyone?

2011-02-14T12:37:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys!

My shop is being featured over at A Glimpse Inside today! Yay, I'm so excited about it! Allison and I have been following one another's blogs for almost a year now. We're the best of blogging buddies : ).

She's hosting a giveaway from my shop over at her place, so feel free to hop on over and enter. You have up to 8 different ways to enter!

Wanna know what's being given away?

Hint, hint...

There's also a 10% discount code available only at Allison's Blog. Take advantage of it while you still can!

Now go xoxox with someone you love : ) Happy Valentines Day!

With LOVE,

Egg in a Heart Frame

2011-02-12T11:53:00.006-05:00

This little breakfast is very simple, but it makes for a nice treat for your sweetie on Valentines morning. All you need is some bread, butter, eggs, and you're good to go!

Start by buttering your toast, then using a cookie cutter or knife, cut heart shapes out of the center of your toast.

Next, put the egg in the center of your heart frame and fry them in a nice, hot skillet. Oh, and be sure to spray your skillet with a cooking spray before you start frying them--they have a tendency to stick at times.

Serve your eggs in a heart with your very favorite breakfast sides and you've got a scrumptious breakfast fit for a king! I made this for my hunny this morning and he really enjoyed it : )

Hope you all enjoy it as well. Happy Valentines Day!

With LOVE,

This post is participating with:

Feature Friday @ Crystal's Craft Spot

Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different Act Normal

Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots and Jello

Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table and Dreaming

Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping It Simple

Uh Oh...

2011-02-11T12:22:00.000-05:00

It looks like someone found mommy's high heels!

This is normal, right? : )

With LOVE,

New Items in the Shoppy : )

2011-02-09T20:31:00.001-05:00

Feel free to take a peek! And remember...

50% of all profits will go towards mission funds.

This month's recipient will be The Mercy House : )

With LOVE,

Bird Nest Cookies

2011-02-08T14:59:00.027-05:00

My sister made these scrumptious little nests for my baby shower this past weekend. Not only were they adorable, they were also quite a hit with the kids. The adults really liked them too : ) Want to know what they taste like? Glazed donuts, no joke! Mmmmmm, they were delicious.

Want to make some of your own?

Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:
~1 bag of white chocolate chips
~1 tbsp Crisco (lard)
~1 cup flaked coconut
~half a bag chinese chow mein noodles (5oz.)
~1 package blue m&m's

Directions:
1. Microwave bowl of white chocolate chips for 1 minute (or longer until melted), stir until mixture is smooth.

2. Mix in 1 tbsp of Crisco

3. Mix in the coconut and chow mein noodles (by hand is easiest).

4. Evenly divide mixture into a 12 tin muffin pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Mold the mixture into nest shapes inside the tins (you might want to spray your hands with cooking spray so it doesn't stick to you).

4. Directly add 2 or 3 blue m&m's because nests will harden quickly. Place in the refrigerator to finish setting.

5. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!

With LOVE,

This post is participating with:
Tuesdays at the Table @ All the Small Stuff
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday @ Blessed with Grace
Tasty Tuesday @ Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative
Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts
Creative Share @ The Trendy Treehouse
Transformation Thursday @ The Shabby Chic Cottage
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Thrilling Thursdays @ Paisley Passions
Catch a Glimpse Thursday @ A Glimpse Inside
It's a Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Frugalicious Friday @ Finding Fabulous
Fun With Food Friday @ Paisley Passions
Fabulous Friday Finds @ Frou Frou Decor
Feature Yourself Friday @ Fingerprints on the Fridge
Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest
Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of my Favorite Things
Feature Friday Link Up @ Crystal's Craft Spot
Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots and Jello
Show and Tell Saturdays @ Be Different Act Normal
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table and Dreaming
Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping It Simple

Knowing Your True Worth

2011-02-07T09:54:00.001-05:00

For this week's Make a Difference Monday, I wanted to talk about reaching towards making a very big difference in your own life. I want to talk about the relationship you have with yourself.

You know, I don't think we often realize it, but we spend 100% of our time with ourselves! It's very important how you feel about yourself. For as much time as we probably spend thinking about ourselves, I can guarantee the thoughts running through our minds are negative ones about 90% of the time...

'I can't do anything right...Every time I try to change I just mess up, there's no point...If only I could get that job, then I would be somebody...I'm just a stay-at-home mom...I'm a failure...No one cares about me.' Have any of you ever had these types of thoughts?

I'd like to be transparent today and admit that I struggle with these kind of thoughts all the time; the "I'm not good enough" thoughts.

According to the world, our worth and value comes solely from what we DO, not WHO we are. It's all about the car we drive, the clothes we wear, the career we have, how beautiful we are, the list goes on and on. But, all of these things are not who we really are inside; they're just temporal things...belongings and status symbols.

I must admit, I've struggled in this area a lot lately. It's not always easy to feel a lot of worth when you're knee-deep in snack cups, legos, crumbs, juice stains, diapers, and the soundtrack of your life is Nick Jr playing in the background. Oh, and we won't even touch the personal hygiene subject (yea, I'm in the same pair of sweatpants for the fifth day in a row, haha). Dont' get me wrong, I love being a stay-at-home mom and I truly believe it's where I'm supposed to be at this point in my life. I'm just admitting that somedays I still struggle with realizing my own value, that's all.

This is where my thinking was completely wrong though. My personal worth and value does not come from what I do! Who I am in and through Christ is where I find my real value. That is the key to all of this. Think about it. God valued us so much and cared so deeply about having an intimate, personal relationship with each and every one of us so much, that He sent His son to die for our sins. Jesus became our sin on that cross and through Him we were made right before God. It was nothing we did, but a precious gift of grace.

Jesus stands in the gap of our imperfections; He makes us right with God no matter what we've done (2 Corinthians 5:21). I know that I may not do everything right, but I find so much peace and joy in knowing that I can keep pressing on towards better behavior and God still sees me as righteous because of my faith in Him. I don't have to struggle and worry about what the world thinks of me. I am already highly favored by God just because He loves me.

It's not about what I do, it's about WHO I already am. : )

With LOVE,

Paper Rose Tutorial

2011-01-31T20:33:00.000-05:00

Now is that not one of the prettiest things you've ever seen?

For a super simple tutorial on how to create these little beauties, just hop on over to Craftberry Bush. It's a new blog I found this weekend that I really like! You can tell Lucy that I sent you : )

Happy Monday!

With LOVE,

Just For Love Now on Facebook

2011-01-28T09:25:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally did it...I took the plunge! I made a Facebook page for my little blog : )

I used to have a personal account on Facebook, but I deleted it over a year ago. Guess I'm back on again!

If you would like to connect with me in a more personal way you can find me HERE. It wouldn't hurt if you went over to "like" my blog either : ) *wink wink*

Have a great weekend guys!

With LOVE,

The Blizzard Bloghop

2011-01-27T20:27:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone!

I just so happened to find out about this bloghop through two of my very favorite bloggers, Tiffany and Courtney. I read their blogs daily and always wind up leaving their site with a smile on my face. Stop by and tell them hi if you get the chance. You can tell them I sent you!

If you're stopping by from the Blizzard Bloghop please feel free to kick your shoes off and stay awhile. I love having company : ) If you're an old friend, pull up a chair and join us...the more the merrier, I say!

Well, to start off my name is Laura and I am a 25 year old stay-at-home wife and mother. My husband and I started dating when I was 16 and we've been together for just about 9 years. This June will be our 4th wedding anniversary.

We have a 2 year old son named Parker...

And, I am currently 8 months pregnant with our second baby boy. Look how big I'm getting!

I started this blog back in May of 2010 and have met so many wonderful people through blogging. I had no idea how many good friends I would wind up making from this place. I don't think many people get what I'm talking about unless they're a blogger themselves ;-). You guys know what I mean, right?

I love to blog about all sorts of things. Most of my posts are about handmade goodies...

Recipes...

Redo's, tutorials...you name it!

But, the biggest reason I started a blog (and opened an Etsy shop) was to help raise awareness for the current Hunger and Orphan Crisis going on all around us. My heart's greatest desire is to help as many hurting, lost, and needy people as I can.

I have met so many amazing people, mission outreaches, and causes through this blog. Some of those organizations are Hand of Hope, Be the Hands and Feet, and The Mercy House.

One of the biggest things that finally forced me to look outside of my own little life, with more compassion and love for others, was losing my mom to cancer in 2009. I've definitely grown and changed a lot over the past few years. It's been quite a journey and I am excited to see what all God has planned for me, my growing family, and this blog.

Thank you so much for taking the time to learn a little bit about me. I look forward to hopefully learning more about you too! Please make sure you introduce yourself in the comment section below if you have the time : )

Thank you for hosting such a lovely party, Ann Marie. I think this is going to be a lot of fun!

God bless you all and have a wonderful weekend.

With LOVE,

Nesting Baby Bluebird Cupcakes

2011-01-27T10:50:00.001-05:00

Aren't these cupcakes adorable?!!

Ooh I am so tempted to make them for the baby shower. I think they would be perfect, don't you? There's just too many cute ideas out there for me to make them all!

If you would like to snatch this super cute recipe for yourself, you can find it HERE.

Okay, I'm off to go play in the snow with my boys now : )

Have a great day!

With LOVE,

Bird Nest Baby Shower Invites

2011-01-26T13:24:00.027-05:00

First of all, I can hardly believe that I will be 8 months pregnant this Friday and that my shower is next weekend. Where has the time gone?!! This pregnancy has moved along so much more quickly than it did with my little Parker.

Speaking of Parker...

This picture was taken during one of his very first days home from the hospital {melt}. Doesn't it make you swoon seeing all of that newborn baby goodness? *Sigh* I can't wait to experience all of the familiar warm & fuzzy feelings again with our little Jacob Baxley : )

So, the theme I picked for this baby shower was little birdies and mama's nests. Anyone who knows me well knows I absolutely love little birdie anything! My whole living room is birds/bird nest theme.

My sweet sisters (who are throwing me the shower--thanks guys!) would've gladly sent out invites for me, but I love doing little handmade projects, so they humored me and let me make my own.

The cards wound up being a bit tedious, but definitely well-worth the effort in the end. I had a great time making them!

I used Photobucket to find the blue polka dot background and simply typed the font I liked best on top. Photobucket is a really easy format to use and I would recommend it to anyone.

I did the same thing for the inside of the invitations as well...

(I blacked out my sister's personal information, just in case you were wondering)

To add a little something extra, I glued the polka dot paper on top of some plain brown wrapping paper. I thought it helped make it "pop" a little more, don't you? The little footy print was a stamp I got at a local craft store.

To make the eggs all I did was cut out little egg shapes from blue construction paper.

And, for the nest I used some brown easter grass I found at Walmart's craft section.

The finishing touch was a little stamp on the back. Gotta show the handmade love, right? : )

I'm really happy with how they all turned out. They definitely go with the theme and decor of my baby shower, that's for sure!

I'm sure I will be sharing quite a few more posts on all of the baby shower projects coming up, so be sure to check back this week for more of my "Mama's nest" baby shower themed party!

With LOVE,

This post is participating with:
Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts
Creative Share BlogHop @ Trendy Treehouse
Who's Got Talent @ Night Owl Crafting
Transformation Thursdays @ The Shabby Chic Cottage
Thrilling Thursdays @ Paisley Passions
Favorite Things Friday @ A Few of My Favorite Things
Free For All Friday @ Sassy Sites
Fabulous Friday Finds @ Frou Frou Decor
Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest
Look at Me Party @ It's FUN to Craft
Frugalicious Friday @ Finding Fabulous
Feature Yourself Friday @ Fingerprints on the Fridge
Feature Friday @ Crystal's Craft Spot
The Weekend Wrap Up Party @ Tatertots and Jello
Free For All @ Young and Crafty
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Sunday Showcase Party @ Under the Table and Dreaming
DIY Project Parade @ The DIY Showoff
Inspire Me Mondays @ Singing Three Little Birds
Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping it Simple
Just Something I Whipped Up @ The Girl Creative
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
It's So Very Creative @ It's So Very Cheri

It's Monday...

2011-01-24T13:07:00.000-05:00

Be kind to yourself today

Thank you for the advice, Sally. I think I will : ).

With LOVE,

Okay, Don't Laugh!

2011-01-21T01:02:00.007-05:00

This was my very first attempt at making a cake with a lot of piping detail at home.

Yes, I realize the cake is a little wonky and crooked in some places (haha), but I had so much fun doing it. All it was meant for was a practice cake anyway : ).

{Does that big yellow thing up there look like an upside down caterpillar to you? Cause it does to me! It wasn't supposed to be a caterpillar...Oops. LOL}

I had no idea what I wanted to do with my very first little cake, I just mixed up a bunch of pretty colors and went with it!

This was just a buttercream version, but what I really need to do is get my hands on some fondant. Whether or not I'll actually have a future in professional cakes is still a mystery, but I intend to keep on practice, practice, practicing!

I'm going to keep following the ABC rule: Always be creating.

Like I said before, this cake is pretty much a joke, but I promise to keep on posting every single one I make, and hopefully we can all witness them get better and better with each new attempt! *fingers crossed*

So, what kind of crazy brand new dreams and goals do you have? Share some with me because I'd love to know! Maybe we can help water and nurture them together. You never know...they could very well wind up growing into something big : ). Wouldn't that be fun?

Other than the cake dream, this is probably the closest one to my heart. I've been working on new items daily and hope to be adding them to the shop very soon. I hope to make this dream a reality as well.

With LOVE,

This post is participating with:

Thrilling Thursday @ Paisley Passions

Fun With Food Friday @ Paisley Passions

Fabulous Friday Finds @ Frou Frou Decor

Look at Me Party @ It's FUN to Craft
Feature Yourself Friday @ Fingerprints on the Fridge

I Miss Her

2011-01-19T15:19:00.002-05:00

Yesterday marked the 2 year anniversary of my mom's passing. I can't tell you how much I still miss her. Somedays the hole feels bigger than it ever has before, and then other days I seem to handle it better. God is so good though and He is always faithful to help me through the difficult times.

Losing a loved one is such a journey; so many ups and downs.

My mom was such an amazing woman. She loved the Lord and her family with all of her heart. She was one of the greatest mammaws to ever walk this earth, and I'm totally not exaggerating when I say that. She adored her grand babies.

I think one of the hardest parts of her absence is that she hasn't been here for my second pregnancy.

It was hard not getting to share the exciting news and hear her squeal of delightment this time. I missed getting that big hug of sheer joy and proud mammaw goodness.

It's been hard knowing that she won't get to rub my belly, talk to it, and kiss it like last time.

It's also hard knowing that there won't be any first introduction, tears of joy, or tender moments shared right after birth.

Even though all of this is new and still very hard for me, I can face the situation with great peace because of the Lord. He reminds me that even though I may not understand it at times, this was always a part of His plan for our lives. He is enough for me. He (and the rest of my loving family) will be right beside me for the rest of this pregnancy.

When I think back about the theme and testimony of my mom's life, I realize her heart was always in heaven. She loved her family and blessed all of us in an unmeasurable way, but I know heaven is where she would want to be right now. She was head-over-heels in love with her Savior and I take joy in knowing that she is finally with Him. Thinking of her dancing and praising at His feet puts the biggest smile on my face.

She finished her race with grace and honor, and she has gone on to her reward. I am happy to say that I am finally at a place where I can accept that...no matter how much I still miss her : ).

I'll see you again one day, Mama. What a glorious day that will be!

With LOVE,

Mercy House Benefit Day

2011-01-17T11:16:00.001-05:00

Today's the day!

Be sure to hop on over to We Are That Family to see all of the goodies they have posted. A new item will be going up hourly all day long. And, remember--100% of the proceeds from the Mercy Benefit Day will go directly to the work of Mercy House. The Mercy House exists to provide alternative options for pregnant girls living in the streets of Kenya. The Mercy House will aid them in nutrition, housing, prenatal care, counseling, Biblical teaching and job skills for sustainable living. The Mercy House has approved 501c3 status.

Happy Bidding!

With LOVE,

Little Eyes Are Watching...

2011-01-05T14:55:00.002-05:00

I found this video awhile back during an evening of blog-surfing (that sounds so cheesy doesn't it? Blog-surfing? haha). Anyway, I wanted to share it with you all because it's a great way to further make the point of this very powerful message.

Eye-opening, isn't it?

With LOVE,

Mercy House Collection Drive: Jan 1-31

2011-01-03T11:24:00.001-05:00

Okay y'all...it's time to make a difference!!

If I haven't said it before, please let me say again that the Mercy House is a non-profit organization very, very dear to my heart. They help babies and mamas over in Africa, people! Does it get any better than that? It makes my little heartstrings want to burst at the seams!

They are currently holding a collection drive that will last from Jan 1-31st. It is a super easy, tangible way for anyone interested to be a part of Mercy House. Tell your friends, your kids, their schools, your church...shout it from the rooftops if you like!

They are collecting all sorts of items from pregnancy tests (the dollar store carries ones for $1!) to tape measures, all sorts of things. The items range from $3.50-$65.00--almost any budget can afford an item in that price range.

For further details, please visit Kristen over at her blog, We Are That Family.

With LOVE,

My Top 10 of 2010

2011-01-03T10:01:00.005-05:00

Happy Monday everyone : )

I sure hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. I know we did!

I started Just For Love in the beginning of May and it has been so much fun. I'm so appreciative of anyone who has ever participated in this blog. Whether you visit daily, lurk every once in a while, comment all the time, or not at all--you mean a lot to me. Thank you! I never knew I would make so many meaningful relationships here. That may sound weird to some people, but all of you other bloggers know what I'm talking about ;-).

So, with no further ado, here are my top 10 of 2010. Enjoy!

1. Cinnabon Cupcakes

2. Yo Gabba Gabba Do-It-Yourself Birthday Party

3. Paper Clips and Dreams (A Window Mis-treatment)

4. Coffee-Dipped Oreos

5. Inexpensive Chair Redo

6. Just Call Me Miss Frugalista (A Frame Redo)

7. Chalkboard Revamped

8. Homemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese

9. Chicken Silhouette

10. Butternut Squash Ghosts (A Halloween Post)

Wow, well that was fun! It actually makes me feel like I got some things done last year, haha. Thanks so much for being a part of this blog. You guys are the best!

I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for Just For Love : )

With LOVE,

I Don't Want a New Year's Resolution...I Want a REVOLUTION.

2010-12-28T16:30:00.004-05:00

With LOVE,

The Monday After

2010-12-27T22:25:00.001-05:00

So, how was everyone's Christmas?!

Our's was absolutely lovely. We had a nice, relaxing weekend packed full of family time, and many precious memories were made.

Bubby enjoyed plenty of "congy canes" (aka candy canes).

He also enjoyed playing with all of the new toys he was blessed with.

Until he realized I was trying to take his picture, that is.

Oops.

Anyway, I got some sweet new prezzies this year, too. The Hubb Muffin did a such good job! He got me the cutest polka dot bag from Victoria's Secret.

I don't know about you, but I love me some HUGE purses. You can fit anything in this bad boy!

You know what else I love?

Adorable new sewing baskets, that's what! (Ignore my dirty wall in the backround please. Eww! I have a toddler, what can I say? haha)

And, last but not least...I got a new cake decorating book!! I think I was the most excited when I opened this one.

In case you didn't know, I absolutely love cake decorating and baking. I watch every cake show ever made (except for Cake Boss...um, no thank you), surf the web for cake pictures and websites all the time, and I even used to decorate cakes at a local bakery a few years back. It's a total dream of mine to own my own bakery.

*happy sigh* Maybe one day : )

Well, I'm off to peruse the rest of my cake book. And, don't worry--when I get the time to start testing out some of the recipes, I will definitely be sharing them with you all!

Happy New Year!

With LOVE,

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T10:04:00.002-05:00

Wishing you all a beautiful, cozy Christmas filled with love, laughter, family, and joy.

Happy Birthday Jesus : )

With LOVE,

P.S. I'll be back after the holidays. See you then!

Playing it Safe

2010-12-23T08:13:00.005-05:00

I want to do something crazy for God.

I don't want to play it safe anymore. I don't want an itty-bitty life that never did any good for anyone.

I want to give away love...God's love.

I want to hear, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

What about you?

With LOVE,