Faith, Grace & Giggles

Fun in the Sun

2013-06-11T11:59:00.000-05:00

We've been enjoying the great outdoors the last few days, and I've got the sunburn to prove it! You'd think that the boys would be worn out, but James stayed awake last night until 10! So let me show you some pictures of our antics over the last few days.

We've ridden our bikes, played with our lawn mowers, ridden on our jeep & 4-wheeler... we've run, played, and these two still have energy to spare!

We've had several picnics: popcicles, lunch, hotdogs, and homemade pizza last night. They love eating at their little table outside.

Played with bubbles -- I found the coolest little squeeze bottles where the bubble wand pops up when the kids squeeze... they haven't quite gotten it down, but it's cute anyway.

We also took a trip to the zoo this weekend to feed the giraffes and see all the other animals that Tyler has constantly been talking about. He has such a sweet interest in all animals... if only he would be more gentle with the ones that we consider part of our family.

This picture cracks us up -- it's like James was showing the giraffe how to eat with his tongue. So cute! Love that funny little guy!

We cooled off for a bit while having a snack before heading off to ride the train. Too bad the giraffe feeding and train riding are on opposite sides of the zoo...

After a morning at the zoo, we came home for naps -- then more play time outside. After having their pizza picnic -- it started raining. So what are two little boys to do when it starts raining? Run outside and get on their slide, of course. We wouldn't have ever let that happen, except it wasn't storming -- and they were about to come in and get a shower anyway... so we let them play in the rain for a couple of minutes for their very first time. They knew what rain was, but they'd never really experienced what it really means.

I'm sure there are lots more evenings & mornings that will be spent out in our yard this summer...

Meal Plan Monday

2013-06-10T11:56:00.002-05:00

I've been trying to get things more organized around our house lately - and take a different approach to how I do things. My main thought is that if I don't manage things -- it's not going to happen. Granted, life with two toddlers is out of control - if I don't have a plan for all things... they won't happen at all, right?

This is why I've started working on my own version of a household management notebook - I've started with the planner I wrote about in my previous post, and I'll be adding a few things to it to make it more my own.

I also found some great menu plans on some homeschooling websites -- they took all the guess work out of planning for the entire month! One of them does dinner only and the other does an entire day's worth of meals including snacks! I used them to plan our meals for this week, and I thought I'd share my plan with you.

Monday
Breakfast - Fruit & Cream Oatmeal and Toast
Lunch - PB & J, Chips and Fruit
Snack - Popcorn
Dinner - Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Roasted Broccoli

Tuesday
Breakfast - Pancakes & Eggs
Lunch -Quesadilla and Fruit
Snack - Apples and Peanut Butter
Dinner - Baked Chicken Parmesan, Fettuccine Alfredo, and Salad

Wednesday
Breakfast - Yogurt, Fruit, and Granola Parfaits
Lunch - Chicken Nuggets, Corn, and Pasta
Snack - Grapes, Cheese, and Crackers
Dinner - Hot Dogs or Frito Pie

Thursday
Breakfast - Muffins and Fruit
Lunch - Turkey, Cheese, and Fruit
Snack - Frozen Gogurt & Pretzels
Dinner - Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole & Green Beans

Friday
Breakfast - Eggs, Toast, and Yogurt
Lunch - Peanut Butter, Honey & Banana Pinwheels and Chips
Snack - Cheese on Pretzel Sticks
Dinner - Homemade Calzones and Salad

Saturday
Breakfast - French Toast, Fruit, and Sausage
Lunch - Hot Dogs, Tater Tots, and Fruit
Snack - Frozen Gogurt & Pretzels
Dinner - BBQ Chicken, Corn, and Pasta Salad

We will see how well we do with sticking to this plan, and I'll come up with a new one for next week -- I'll be shopping on Saturday next week because I'll need special provisions for Father's Day. I'll also be doing some "shop your pantry" meals as well - because I saw some things I need to use up in there when I was putting things away this morning.

The Well Planned Day Planner

2013-06-06T12:33:00.000-05:00

When we decided to homeschool the boys, I started looking for a planner that would accommodate the various things going on in our lives -- school, appointments, my Scentsy business, and home organization. I believe I've found just the planner for me - The Well Planned Day Planner.

I'm going to show you the various things I love about this planner, but want to let you know that I did not receive anything for free so these are my honest opinions. I personally love that it's spiral bound as well as hole punched because I'm thinking of taking mine apart and putting it in a binder. It runs from July through June of each year -- so the newest version just came out in print recently.

In addition to a great planner, this gem also has 12 articles written on all sorts of topics like: Letting Kids be Kids, Recovering from Homeschool Burnout, and 5 Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Homeschooling. They are short reads with great information.

I has a perpetual calendar that you can enter your important dates in as well as putting them in on the dates they fall in the year. Additionally, it has a budget worksheet and a household duty worksheet - so you can set up a cleaning schedule for yourself with weekly information as well as special projects for the month.

There are 4 pull out sheets where on one side it's a chore chart, and the reverse side is a mini school schedule for each child to know what subjects they need to work on each day. I plan on using these in the future and laminating them to put on our refrigerator.

There is a worksheet for the teacher to plan out your schedule for the week - which I will use to not only plan out our school schedule, but throw in cleaning time, and business hours for my work as well.

There are 4 sections following that follow to track all the information for your child's personalized plan for school - you can track the materials to be used and costs, personal information for your child like their goals and additionally their weekly schedule. The teacher's schedule looks exactly like the student's -- so I'm only going to show you the version for the kids. I personally don't have 4 kids, but I love that they've set it up this way. I do hope to have another baby in the future -- and who knows what will happen from there so this planner can grow with our family over time.

There is a great year at a glance page where you can plan out your holidays and things that you'll want to plan for your school year. I plan to compare the school calendars locally as well as the calendars for our family so that we can make sure that things all match up as best we can for holidays and vacations. The other side of this layout is a sheet for you to write out your goals for the semester.

Of course there is a two page monthly layout, and if you look closely at the bottom of each date -- there is a plan for you to read the Bible as a family with chapters for each day's reading.

On the back of this layout there is a page for planning additional reading project lists, field trip plans, and monthly bills... with a second page with 6 shopping lists that you can pull out to use.

Your weekly schedule is set up with each day you can plan your class assignments (each subject has 4 lines -- one for each student) Then there are two sections for additional electives or daily appointments. I LOVE the check boxes that are built in for when an assignment or item is completed. The left side of the layout has Monday - Wednesday, and the right side has Thursday-Friday as well as some other great items. I love the open boxes for your weekend planning, the weekly priority boxes, and the menu planner.

As you move out of November, there is a great section of holiday organizers with a Christmas Card planning list, Activity planners, Gift giving lists with budget, shopping list broken down by store and list of items to get, online shopping planner with date ordered & received tracker, and a page for notes.

As you move out of December, there is a page to write out our semester accomplishments, and and attendance tracker for each student that you can use -- some states require proof of your homeschooling dates and things - I think this is a GREAT resource for keeping up with these items. On the back of each attendance record, there is a progress report form that you can track weekly grades and the semester grades for each subject as well.

At the very end of the of the planner there are 4 report cards on a nice card stock paper - they pull out and fold in half. They will be a neat keepsake to keep with your child's school records, and will be great to look back on when they get older. We of course won't be using them until we get to a level with tests in the curriculum, but I think they are great! When the report card is folded: there is a cover, then a side with grades and attendance, a side with literature completed and enrichment activities, and finally a page for comments.

(I can't get this picture oriented correctly for some reason)

My plan is to add a couple of other items in with this to complete my planner -- I will likely laminate a more detailed cleaning schedule to put inside the planner I can then use it as a wipe off schedule for the week -- and it can be moved around to mark the place for where we are currently... like a place holder for where we are in the year. The publishers also have a sneak peak of the inside of the planner you can check out here. Additionally, they have student planners and even have an online version that you can share between all of your electronic devices -- each family member can have a unique log-in for their family's information which could be convenient with older children.

I am so excited to get started planning out our year!

Our First Kiwi Crate

2013-05-29T14:39:00.001-05:00

Have you ever heard of Kiwi Crate? It's a box of themed projects that come to your door each month for kids ages 3-7... depending on the kids possibly a little younger or a little older too. You can get a box for each child, or they have a great add on option for siblings - which is what I chose to do. The sibling set sends you extra supplies and the things you need to make multiples of the projects.

* Includes all the materials and inspiration for 2-3 activities - art, science, games, imaginative play, and more.
* A new theme - like gardening, dinosaurs, space - every month.
* Different subscription options, but basic is $19.95 a month
* Sibling Add-On for $7.99 per additional child - they call this a fight free crate. HAHAHA!

A friend of mine on Facebook posted about it and I was able to get a discount on my first box, so I ordered. I couldn't be more thrilled with what we got, and I can't wait to get started on a project with the boys. We will likely start one next week once everyone is back to normal after Tyler's surgery.

I thought I'd take a minute to show you what we got in the mail... addressed to the boys of course!

The theme this month is feathered friends -- so we will be making bird costumes and nests with eggs...

On the back of the cover for the box -- are some stickers - these go on a map that they sent along with the kit. As we get going with the projects, I'll show more about these items.

This is the package with the map inside, and as you can see below -- they sent the boys a pair of scissors to use with their projects too.

This brochure tells about what is is coming up for the summer... June is Nature Explorers, July is Wonders of Water, and August is Fun with Flight! Can't wait!

This little card explains the project and tells what supplies from the box are needed - as below.

All of the supplies are in the box under these brochures and things -- it looks like a blast, and I can't wait to get started. If I can keep my OCD at bay and let them make a mess, have fun, and maybe learn something!

If you might be interested in getting your own box at $10 off for the first order... follow this link and sign up! You won't regret it, AND once you get started... you'll learn how you can save on future orders as well.

A to Z about Me -- Take 2

2013-04-22T10:43:00.001-05:00

I did this one other time in January of 2009 -- I just stumbled on it and thought it would be interesting to go through it again and see how it's changed in the last 4 years. So here we go:

A-
Available: no
Age: 34, about to be 35 <tear>
Annoyance(s): liars, cheaters
Animal: Missy (Boston Terrier), Allie (Cat)
Attitude: laid back and easy going - depending on who is involved -- can be demanding and stressed around my kids

B-
Beer: never touch the stuff
Birthday: May 16
Best feeling in world: Love
Best weather: mid 60's and sunny
Been in Love: I am
Been on stage: as little as possible, hate being the center of attention
Believe in God: Absolutely (have you read much here?)
Believe in Santa: Yes, I love the magic of Christmas - even more now through the eyes of my boys

C-
Candy (favorite): Depends on my mood -- love Peanut Butter Twix
Color: purple or aqua
Chocolate/Vanilla: typically Chocolate
Chinese/Mexican: depends on the day, I really like both
Cake or pie: both, depending on the flavor or pie topping - loathe meringue
Continent you want to to visit: Europe
Cheese: Yes, please - not a fan of swiss or blue cheese though

D-
Day or Night: mid-day (not into mornings or nights)
Dance in the rain: Sure
Dating: been there, done that...although meeting Mom friends is sort of like dating all over again
Dogs or Cats: both, I love animals in general (unless they are reptiles)

E-
Eyes: Blue
Everyone has: An opinion
Ever failed a class?: yes, mostly due to my own fault and lack of focus in my original college days

F-
Full name: Kimberly
First thoughts waking up: Is it the weekend?
Food favorite: depends on the nationality
Friendly: of course, but shy upon first meeting
Fan of: lots of things

G-
Greatest Fear: Snakes or Drowning
Goals: Be successful with Scentsy, Velata, and Grace Adele AND homeschool our boys AND move back to TX!
Gum: don't really chew it anymore
Get along with your parents: Most of the time
Good luck charm: No need - I pray when I need help
Guilty Pleasure: Watching Dance Moms on Lifetime

H-
Hair Color: Brown naturally, but most of the time it's red now
Height: 5’ 6"
Happy: Yes
Holiday: Christmas
How do you want to die: I don't think about it, when it's my time - God will determine how (hopefully painlessly?)

I-
Ice Cream: Cookies in Cream or Orange Sherbet
Instrument: I don't play one
Ice cubes or crushed: Cubes, Sonic ice is my favorite

J-
Jewelry: Wedding Ring and Watch
Job: So many answers - business owner, blog writer, homeschool teacher, mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend...
Journal-writing: Isn't that the point of a blog?

K-
Kids: James (3), Tyler (2)
Kickboxing or karate: Neither, tried Taebo in college and sprained some muscles :-)
Kooky: Wha?

L-
Longest Car Ride: College Station, TX to Naples, FL (I think) OR Cypress, TX to Williamsburg, VA
Love: Best feeling in the world
Letter: Love getting them!
Laughed so hard you cried: It happens, only wish it happened more

M-
Milk flavor: Flavor? Milk only has one flavor...
Movies: You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, American President, Hitch, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Remember the Titans, and many more...
Music: Old Country and Worship Music...
Motion sickness: Yes
McD’s or BK: McD's, don't go often

N-
Number of Siblings: 4: two older sisters for most of my life... then at 25, became the middle child with a younger brother & sister added to the mix
Number of Piercings: 1 in each ear
Number of Tattoos: None
Number: No clue

O-
One wish: To be rid of weight issues, health issues, and infertility issues... to be comfortable in my own skin
One regret: None, because everything I have done has led me to where I am today

P-
Perfect Pizza: Beef, Mushrooms and Cheese
Pepsi/Coke: Dr Pepper -- but if I only had those two choices, I'd rather have Coke
Parents still alive: Yes
Party-goer: Not really, unless it's a game-night

Q-
Quote: None come to mind right now
Question for God: Depends on the moment
Quickest at: Typically, nothing

R-
Reason to cry: Stress, Grief
Reality TV: Mostly things on the Food Network... but I do love Dance Moms and Double Divas on Lifetime
Radio Station: The Oldies Country Station
Roll your tongue in a circle: Yes

S-
Song: Depends on the moment
Shoe size: 10
Salad Dressing: Ginger Dressing from Benihana's, Ranch, or Italian
Sushi: Love the restaurants, but eat other items
Skipped school: In college
Smoked: Tried it, but didn't like it
Skinny dipped: No, mostly got thrown in the pool fully clothed as a teen --lovely friends
Sing well: No
Swear: More than I'd like to admit
Strawberries/Blueberries: Strawberries if they are fresh, but blueberries in baked goods

T-
Time for bed: around 11
TV Show: Grey's Anatomy, Monday Mornings, Dallas, Rizzoli & Isles, Major Crimes, Franklin & Bash, Perception
Time right now: 10:41AM
Train or Ship: Train, I guess

U-
Unpredictable: No
Unique quality: I'm not sure - you'd have to ask my family and friends
Undergarments: Yes

V-
Vacation spot: The mountains
Victorian or Country: Country, Colonial really... aren't we talking architecture?
Valuables: Wedding Ring

W-
Weakness: Food
Which friend acts like you: No one acts exactly like me
Worst feeling: Guilt/Anger
Wanted to be a model: No, wanted to look like a model
Where do we go when we die: Heaven, or at least that's where I'm going
Worst Weather: Hot & Humid

X-
X-Rays: Probably have had too many
Xylophone: Only played with the kid version

Y-
Year: 2013
Yellow: What?
Yesterday: Sunday

Z-
Zoo animal: Giraffes -- check back tomorrow to see pictures from the boys feeding them at the zoo recently
Zebras-Black w/white or White w/black: Does it matter?

Let me know if you post this -- I'd love to read!!

The Blame Game

2013-04-19T12:58:00.001-05:00

I tried very hard to stay away from the coverage of the Boston Marathon tragedy this week, and managed to do it until this morning when things have just turned into pandemonium. It is so surreal to know that these events are actually happening -- in the real world -- not just on a movie screen.

It's so hard to watch and hear some of the coverage. Some are quick to blame the people of Chechnya. The truth is that there are good and bad people in every group you can think of. Radical extremists on every side of any issue. So it's not fair to blame an entire country or belief system. Are the fundamentally wrong? Maybe, but we don't know that for sure.

Did we condemn teenage boys as a whole after the Columbine shooting? No. Do we condemn all Christians when we hear about a church protesting military funerals? No. Sadly, there are many lost souls out there that are just a few wrong choices away from committing horrible sins against fellow citizens. To me, it's just plain sad and scary.

It's quickly becoming a time in history when we will fear everyone if we aren't careful. Remember the days after 9/11 when we all were hyper aware of things going on in airports? When we wanted to give every other passenger the side-eye in the attempt to determine if they were going to do the unthinkable as we boarded our flights to business or vacation destinations. Are we soon going to be afraid every time we see a black backpack?

These events happen all over the world, and we for the most part let it go as just a news story. It's not until it happens on our soil that we start to wonder why and place blame. Today, I think we're missing the big picture of the victims, the families of those victims, the families of the suspects, the shocked citizens waiting as the events unfold, and the families of the heroes out there trying to get to the truth.

Today isn't the day to pass judgement. We don't have all the facts. Today is a day to just try to hold on to our judgement while we watch the news seeing things unfold in real time. I almost wish we would all turn off our televisions... hold on to our families, and pray that no more people are harmed in the wake of these events.

I'm not faulting anyone for trying to figure out what is going on and why... I just don't want us to jump to the wrong conclusions. I try so hard to give people the benefit of the doubt -- normally to my own heart ache. Lets just try to focus our energies on rallying around the victims in Boston and the people of West, Texas. We can do much more good focusing on them than we can trying to figure out where to place the blame.

My Sister's Gender Reveal

2013-04-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

My sister, Cindy, is the queen of all things gift related... and announcement related. I'll never forget her giving us gifts to ask us to be in her wedding... she gave our Dad, a copy of Father of the Bride at the time. (think, or maybe it was a hat with those words on it?) The night before my wedding... she gave gifts to announce that my neice, Taylor was on the way -- hard to believe she will be 11 this fall! So it's only fitting that she give us all gifts to reveal the gender of our latest bundle of joy.

She is unable to travel with this pregnancy because of some risk factors, and we're all spread out anyway -- so she mailed us all a box. Mine came a day later than the others, but it was well worth the wait...

I swear it felt like it took forever for that box to arrive from Dallas!

Would we have another crazy boy to add to the younger set of grandkids??

YES!! We are so excited for sweet baby Sam to come -- the boys pray for him every night before bed, and I have visions of the three of them running around the house acting like wild indians together. I couldn't be more thrilled to share being a boy mom with my sister... it's surely going to be a different adventure than raising her sweet princess has been. She will certainly be kept on her toes!

James' 3rd Birthday

2013-04-18T13:24:00.002-05:00

My big boy is now 3... how fast time flies. Our theme this year was construction. Even with all the other things we had going on -- I think that this party was pretty cute.

Our party favors were "paint brushes" -- rice krispie treats with a popsicle stick and then dipped in chocolate. We had two small babies as guests so we got them something that wasn't edible too.

The decor... I am really excited about how it turned out. Thanks so much to a sweet Daddy who is happy to jump in and decorate when things get short on time.

The truck was a birthday gift for James, but we thought it was a super cute chip bowl!

The food was a lot of fun, and I even enjoyed coming up with names for each item and making my own label cards.

Mommy's sweet boy, ready to enjoy a party all about him!

How cute is this cake?! My sister in law and her neighbor have never let me down on their creations -- they've done all our cakes so far, and I ask each time we get ready for a birthday with the prayer that they won't ever quit!

Crazy Tyler... such a cute little man!

James got bored opening all of his gifts -- I pray that doesn't always happen... I guess it is overwhelming for a little guy. Thankfully, Tyler was ready to jump in and open a few too. HAHAHA!

Cake time!! We had to repeat the blowing of the candles several times... and ended up driving home with James singing "Happy To You" all the way.

A good time was had by all... and my little cake lovers were happy. By the end of the day -- they were all worn out and ready for bed... I'd call that a success!

Baseball Wreath

2013-04-18T10:17:00.002-05:00

I made this wreath for my new nephew's room & baby shower. Sadly, we weren't able to have the shower because my sister was in the hospital with the flu... but I was able to attend her second shower and give her this for his room.

My brother-in-law played baseball through college and was on the Olympic team... so it's no surprise to us that when they found out they'd be having a boy -- the nursery came with a vintage baseball theme. I set out on Pinterest to find some projects, and I'm amazed that the ones I loved the most have actually all made an appearance in sweet baby Sam's nursery! There will be a follow up to this post with pictures from the shower because it was INCREDIBLE!

This truly is the easiest wreath ever to assemble - the hardest part was finding the baseballs. I happened to know a friend who is married to an umpire so that saved me from buying new baseballs and having to rough them up for that vintage look.

You can use a wire hanger to do this project, much like the ornament wreaths that were all the rage a year or so ago. I actually made one of those as well, but did it with a thicker wire that we bought at Lowe's. It made for a more sturdy project that I could make a little larger if I wanted to.

So we took 11 baseballs and my husband drilled out the center of them for me. (I'm not allowed to use power tools... for safety reasons, HAHAHA) We made sure that when drilled and strung on the wire -- all the lacing would lay in the same direction so that our OCD wouldn't go crazy. I didn't get a picture with everything lined up correctly though.

We pulled the wire into two loops and enclosed them. I think this may have taken a total of 30 minutes -- the longest part of the project was the multiple coats of paint and sealer on the "S". A friend gave me the idea later of running sandpaper over the initial to make it look a little more worn and vintage too, but I'd already sealed it.

I didn't attach the "S" to the wreath because I thought they might want to use it somewhere else in Sam's room, but we tied the burlap bow on the project and it was done!

I can think of so many other items that we could do a project like this with -- if my boys don't end up being baseball fans -- we might have to do small footballs or something else for their room!

The final product here made me so proud, and the parents to be loved it!

Our choice

2013-04-15T13:02:00.001-05:00

We've made our schooling choice - it wasn't a knee jerk reaction to anything. It was something I've quietly thought about and prayed over for a long time. It started before the boys' first birthdays when we were getting ready for our move to Memphis. We researched the housing market and along with that came looking into the area schools. The schools here in Memphis are very different from what we are used to, and not something we wanted to subject the boys to.

Homeschooling was our solution to that dilema, but ever since that thought crept into my mind... I've been thinking and praying about it. One of my sister's homeschools her daughter, and John's sister homeschools 2 of her daughters. There are many people in our lives that have chosen this option for their families, and it's working great for them. Does that mean it's for everyone? Absolutely not. I'm not writing this to convince anyone else to do it -- or tell you what is best for your family. This choice is only for my family. You've got to decide for your own. (same goes for a myriad of other topics in parenting - what I choose isn't what's best for everyone)

Within the last couple of months, my heart has come to a peace about this choice for us. There are lots of reasons why I think this is what will be best for our family - but one of the reasons that became clear for me is that our boys are only 6 months apart. They would be separated in traditional school programs by a year, but they are very much on the same level in so many ways. James may be slightly behind. while Tyler might be slightly ahead... they very much meet in the middle and challenge each other on different areas of development.

I want to foster that, and I see no real need for them to be separated. They will be their own people with their own interests, and I can foster that through homeschooling. We can go through life learning together at home, and exploring the world in the ways that interest us the most. Tyler already has so much interest in animals and science -- where James is more interested in building and engineering. I can work with those interests and build their learning plan around those things that interest them -- rather than using the one-size-fits-all approach that traditional schooling has to take.

Once the decision became clear, I started researching curriculum programs and reading books about the day to day workings of a home school. We will be free to get our learning done on our time, and still have plenty of time for socialization and sports outside of school -- as well as with co-op programs and things.

I've found our Pre-K 3 program, ordered it for the fall, and mapped out our path of learning as I see it today. That will certainly be subject to change as programs change and our interests become more visible. I'll write more about what I chose in another post, but it is biblical and all the programs going forward will have a Bible study component for us.

I've also started collecting our supplies slowly, and I can't be more excited for what lies ahead for our family. Wish us luck!

Tragedy at Lone Star College

2013-04-11T07:32:00.002-05:00

I woke up this morning to find an email from a friend that was at Lone Star College the morning of the attack, and it rattled me in a good way. It is full of love and grace for her entire community, and as she goes back to class this morning to face her students for the first time since the attack... I would really love it if we could all lift her up. I know that nothing short of divine intervention could get me through a situation like this, and give me the words to try to start the healing process for all of the people she encounters today.

I asked her for her permission to share this with "the world" -- which won't happen unless I get some major help from all of you that might read this. Please pass this on to anyone you know -- this message is just as important as anything being shared by the media... and I believe more powerful to show the love and grace that my friend has for her students, and the attacker himself.

I've changed their names, and removed as much personal information as I can because this was originally sent to her friends and family. She has some security issues in her family that need to remain protected, and I take that very seriously.

Here is the note I got from her this morning:

Dear friends and family,

By now, I am sure you have heard about the tragedy at my campus on Tuesday, April 9. Unfortunately, the incident involved one of my students. Below, I have written an account of the day's events. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we process and work through this.

Hopeful

It started out like any other Tuesday this semester. The alarm clock went off entirely too early. After a restless night of sleep consumed by worries of "E"'s upcoming surgery, I groggily arose from bed and prepared for work. "M" and I made our way through congested Houston traffic, and after dropping her off I school, I coasted onto campus in time to make my way up to my classroom for the next five and a half hours of lecture.

My first class was easy. I love lecturing on marriage and relationships. We had a peaceful discussion on the divorce rates in the US and I emphasized the individual's responsibility to having a successful relationship. As with many other times in my teaching career, I reminded my students that we cannot control others, but we can control our own communication and what we contribute to our relationships.

My second class began at ten. With upcoming presentations, there was a bit of nervous tension in the air. We worked on impromptu speeches and I continuously praised my wonderful students for their hard work and just how far they had come in twelve short weeks. At the end of class, one of my students approached and asked, "Have you heard from Dylan? I'm worried about him. He is a big part of our group."

            I'll admit; I was confused. Dylan had been present and active in class. Why was he worried about him? I assured him that I would track Dylan down and make sure he was okay - I'd tell him how much he was treasured by his group.
            I sorted through lecture notes in preparation for my third class of the day. Suddenly, my phone rang. The voice on the other end cried out "Professor M, hurry hurry. Dylan, he stabbed some girl in the face. Professor M, they threw him on the ground. They are arresting him. You have to come help! Please hurry, hurry!"
            The desperation in her voice pierced my heart as I ran outside to find my students standing in shock. What in the world was going on? I ran to the police. I said, "He's my student. He's deaf. Please make sure he can hear you."
            My body started shaking. I had no idea what was going on - and crisis mode began. As an undergraduate, I had studied and written papers on school shootings in my Crisis Communication Management course. I went back to that place, desperately trying to figure a plan. I returned to my classroom and immediately checked my emails and the campus website. Nothing. No information. I made the decision to be logical rather than emotional and proceeded with class as scheduled. I knew that I had to be a voice of reason and stability for my students.

We took attendance, discussed the remaining items on our course schedule, and then settled into lecture on the delivery methods in public speaking.

And then I received a text. Lockdown, shelter in place.

            I immediately remembered the emergency plan for our campus. We turned off the lights, barricaded the door with desks and quietly huddled in the corner. Students began to sob and cry. What was going on outside of our room? A new campus email told us that another assailant was on the loose. Was he/she in our building? What was going on?
            My three children's precious faces flashed in my mind. What would happen to them if I died? What would happen to my fragile girl who is currently rattled with health issues? "Dear God, please help me," I prayed. But I also knew that my students were someone else's children. Their parents were worried and relying on me to keep them safe and calm.
            Without thinking twice, I knew that I had to be calm, I had to be strong and I needed to pray for my students. Being a public institution, I asked my students if it was okay if I prayed out loud for them. They begged me to. And so I did. And then, the room filled with peace.
            It seemed like eternity, as we sat huddled in a dark quiet room. Students were using their smart phones to check media outlets for updates. The victim count was rising. First five, then eight, then twelve... I was terrified, but reason took over. And then, classrooms in our hallway started to empty, and students filled the hallways. We heard the words that we were free to leave. We gathered our belongings and left the building.

While we exited, one of my students, a gentlemen in Dylan's group, stood still and numb. I asked if he was okay. All he could say was, "What are we going to do about our project? Dylan was so important in our group." His shock and disbelief shook me to my core.
When I knew my students had safely exited the building, my reason was replaced by overwhelming emotion. Was this really happening? Had my beloved student really just violently attacked multiple victims while he was supposed to be in my class? I began to shake and feel nauseous, fighting the urge to vomit in the parking lot. I placed calls to let my loved ones know I was okay. I cancelled the doctor appointment I was supposed to be at that afternoon. I tried to keep busy in my car to keep myself from falling apart.

Over the next hour, I sat in line to exit the campus. Thoughts ran through my mind like an emotional marathon. Even twenty -hour hours later, I cannot process those thoughts clearly. I worried about the injured students - were they going to survive? I worried about my students - how were they holding up? I worried about my colleagues and learning community - how was this going to change us? But most of all, I worried about Dylan.

My phone rang. It was the precious student who had frantically called me earlier. She wanted to make sure I was safe. And like me, she worried about Dylan. Right before class, she saw him in the hallway and gave him a hug. She proceeded up the stairs to class, while he claimed he was going to get a drink and would be there. Like me, she wondered, "how did this happen?" Would this young man, someone she called her friend, be okay?
I replayed the previous 11 weeks of class in my mind. Were there signs? Did he say something that I should have noticed? Had he been angry or depressed? How on earth did I not see this? What if, what if, he had come to my classroom today?

As fate would have it, an old friend from whom I was estranged, reached out to me last week. She lives directly across the street from the college. She called me and begged me to not drive home. She was right. I was in no shape to drive. After spending a couple of hours trying to calm down, I was able to safely drive home. And for the remainder of the evening, I struggled to make sense of such a senseless tragedy.

Today, I awakened to a flood of emotions. It seems all so strange. Like I am reading about someone else's life. While never in immediate danger myself, I can't help but think how it could have easily been me and it could have happened in my class. Yet something deep inside tells me the reason he went across campus was because he couldn’t do this to people he knew, and people he knew cared about him. I feel shaky. My body is trying to process the amount of adrenaline in a million rushes all experienced in one day. I feel anger. The media trying to demonize Dylan, when I know he is not the monster they will paint him to be. If anything, he is a very sick young man that needs medical help. I feel grief. The loss for our community is great, and though I know we will rise above it, we will never be the same. I feel confused.

But most of all, I feel hopeful; my students have handled this beautifully. I was overwhelmed by the number of text messages, emails and phone calls I received from my students thanking me and commending me for my actions during the crisis. The reality is, I am proud of them. I am thankful for them. I believe in them. And I believe in us. We are a special place. Not just a community college where people show up for classes, take tests and get grades. We are a unique body of learners who are living life together. We will overcome this.

Haruki Murakami, contemporary Japanese writer has said, “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”

When this storm is over, we won't be the same. We will be stronger.

As I reread this, my blood ran cold all over again --I am in awe of my friend's strength and wisdom. Her ability to put reason over emotion is remarkable, I truly don't know if I would be able to have that poise... I pray I never have to find out. Will you join me in lifting her up today, and give her some divine words to use with her students today? Pray that a peace beyond understanding washes over them.

I find it interesting that in the few media outlets that I looked at this morning - there is no mention of this story. While in some ways that is good, in others it worries me. Is it falling off the radar because there aren't any updates? Is it because it was a knife attack instead of a gun? Is it because there isn't anything that can be used to further a political agenda? I don't know, but I sincerely hope that this message from her can get out anonymously to the world -- so that just maybe we can all have some hope that while these tragedies keep happening in our country... there are some remarkable people on the ground working to help all of us get through it.

Please consider posting about this, or even emailing a link to your family & friends. I will be sending this to her -- so feel free to post messages and comments. **Any that are disrespectful or hurtful will not be published.**

Taking a Breath

2013-04-08T21:58:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks have been a blur in so many different ways... I've taken a road trip to Dallas to celebrate my sister's baby shower, celebrated Easter at home with my boys, taken another road trip to Texas to celebrate James' 3rd birthday... and in the middle of all of that -- I've crafted like a mad woman, baked, planned, cleaned, packed, taken care of toddlers, prepared my family for Tyler's upcoming surgery, learned that James may need surgery as well, and made some other life changing decisions that I've got an overwhelming peace about.

I can't wait to share all of it with you that are still around these parts -- I just need a few more days to get my thoughts in order, celebrate James' actual 3rd birthday, and host a spring market at my house with several vendors.

Once I get to the other side of these next few days, I hope that things will settle down enough for me to be able to get started on the laundry list of posts I have planned to share with the world. So please hang in with me a little while longer and I promise there are some good crafts and things on the horizon.

Havin' a Party

2013-03-26T13:51:00.001-05:00

This is long overdue - and I truly from the bottom of my heart apologize to my fabulous consultant, Sarah, for putting up with me... I'm having a Pampered Chef party right now! I actually need to close it tomorrow at 5 PM CST, but would love to share some products that I have or am planning to get tomorrow... or maybe even some things I might ask for since my birthday & Mother's Day are next month. <wink>

Let's be real... I'd love to have one of everything -- because I truly feel my most joy and love when I'm making meals for my family.

This is the Cut-N-Seal - for only $10 you can make your own uncrustable sandwiches for your kiddos! That alone would save you some money buying them at the store -- it's on my MUST have list because I'm always looking for ways to make meals less messy when the boys are eating!

Microwave Chip Maker - For those of us wanting to eat Clean or just more healthy -- we can easily make chips now in our microwave. I've gotten to where baked chips are my favorite now... so I may just have to try this out!

Fruit & Cheese Cutter - for $11.50 you can make these adorable shapes come into your child's lunch box or any mealtime special... these stamp out cute little shapes from cheese, fruit, and probably some vegetables too!

Brownie Pan - for under $20 you can forever solve the problem of who is going to get the crust pieces of your next batch of brownies. We don't really have that problem because I haven't met a brownie that I didn't love, but John enjoys the edges... so every brownie he has from now on can have 4 nice crispy edges.

Scoop 'N Drain -- I have this bad boy, and LOVE it. It's $11 worth of easy pasta, potato, and vegetable removal. Anything you boil can easily be scooped up with this gadget. It's nice for me because we rarely make a huge batch of anything -- so using the big colander isn't necessary -- this is much easier and fits better into the dishwasher!

Deep Covered Baker -- $85 -- This is on my list of things I'd love to have as well - you can do so much with it -- The website tells it best, so I'll just copy it here for you. Another friend of mine used to sell Pampered Chef, and she put up a couple of her recipes on Youtube before she quit selling. So check out the ever hysterically funny, Danielle, making: Grilled Chicken Penne Al Fresco and Chicken Pesto Alfredo.

Bake a 5-lb. chicken or turkey breast, 4-lb. roast, casseroles and more! Unglazed on the inside for perfect baking, glazed on the outside for perfect presentation. Lid inverts into baker for space-saving storage. 12½" x 9½" x 5½", 12½ cups.

About Stoneware:

No preheating — just place food on Stoneware and cook. (Dense frozen foods like meat should be thawed first.)
Absorbs and retains heat for even baking and golden crusts.
Draws moisture away from food so it cooks light and crispy.
Virtually nonporous, so it doesn’t retain oils, odors or flavors.
Microwave-, freezer-, conventional and convection oven-safe.
Nonstick “seasoning” builds up with every use: the darker it looks, the better it cooks!

Herb Infuser - $9.50 -- this solves the need for making your own little herb pouches for soups & stews... I also have seen people infusing water with herbs lately... so you could use this for that as well. I love making stews and soups during the fall & winter so this would make it much easier to throw them in the tube, and fish out the whole thing when you're ready to eat.

The Salad Chopper - $26.50 -- This looks so easy to use! I would love the ease of making salads without having to get out the cutting board, I know it's not that hard, but typically our salads are pretty simple and this chopper would be so easy to use. Once again, here is the ever funny Danielle demonstrating her uses for this tool... Demonstration and Chopping Chicken

I am a total sucker for cookbooks of any type... so I'm sure I'll get one or two of theirs before it's over. Who wouldn't love 29 Minutes to Dinner? (there are 3 volumes of 29 minute recipes!!) The Fresh & Healthy one looks good too, and of course the Festive Holiday Desserts one is tugging at me too.

Right now with a purchase of $60 or more -- you can add in a Bar Board or Set of Small Flexible Cutting Mats for FREE!! Who doesn't love free stuff, right?

Please take a minute to go over and look around Sarah's Pampered Chef site, and place an order with my name as your hostess. (Kim Hawkins) Sarah is a super sweet Mommy of 2 little ones, and I would love to help her business -- let me know if you have any questions about ordering.

Day in the life...

2013-03-14T21:53:00.001-05:00

Today we basically did a little of everything... I felt like it was preschool at home in so many ways, but without the kids actually listening to me like they would their teachers.

Our day in a nutshell consisted of:

Tyler joining his parents in bed at 2:30 AM

Up with Daddy at 6:00 AM

Milk & Playing with Mommy until James woke up at 7:30 AM

Breakfast at 8:30 AM

Starbucks at 9:00 AM -- complete with 2 free drink coupons to be used next week

Playing in the garage from 9:30-10 AM

Into the Living Room to play with Legos - 10-10:15

To the kitchen for our first experience with Play-Doh - 10:15-10:45

Coloring from 10:45-11:15

Lunch 11:15-11:45
Diaper changes and upstairs for nap 11:45-12 PM
Tyler up at 2:30 PM -- play more Legos
James up at 3:00 PM
More garage play time - 3:00-3:30 PM
Alphabet videos 3:30-3:45 PM
Color puzzles 3:45-4 PM
Foam animal puzzles 4-4:30 PM

More alphabet videos 4:30-5 PM
Dinner 5-5:45 PM

Playtime with Daddy 5:45-7 PM

Upstairs to start winding down for bed 7-7:30 PM

Parents have dinner 8:30 PM

Both boys asleep 8:45 PM

Mom in bed 9 PM to read and relax... and hopefully be asleep by 10:30 PM to start it all over again tomorrow.

Hydrangea Bowl Fillers

2013-03-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

A month or two ago, I was checking Pinterest for new ideas on things that might be fun and easy to make. I came across some bowl fillers that inspired this project for my sister's nursery. I also plan to make a set in some other colors to go in my dining room... but I might let my fingers recover a bit from the callus that I now have from the pins.

For this project, you'll need... craft paper, a punch (I used a Martha Stewart one.), smooth Styrofoam balls 3" and 4", pins, scissors, a thimble, and spray-able Mod Podge.

This project is really easy, but it is time consuming. First, you will need to punch flowers -- I used about 2 sheets of 12x12 craft paper per 3" ball, and likely 3-4 for the 4" balls. By the time I got to the 4" balls, I had just punched all the paper I bought to speed up the process. I basically tried to not waste any paper, so I would turn the punch over and line it up with the edge of the page, punch all the way around all 4 sides, and then cut the edges off... repeat until you are out of paper.

You will be left with something like this....

Then comes the pinning...

Basically, take one large petal and one small one... lay them in an off-set pattern where the small one covers the holes in the larger one. Make sure that you alternate them so that there is no white showing once it is pinned.

Stick your pin in the middle of the new flower.

Use your thimble to push the pin all the way down. After a while you will thank me for the thimble idea... just trust me on that. My fingers got really sore the more I got done with this project.

Just another view of how the pinning process works.

You don't have to spray them for display, but these are headed to a nursery with a humidifier. I was concerned that the paper might mold or something if they weren't sealed.

I made 3 of each color in the 3" size, and 2 in each color of the 4" size. They turned out really pretty, and I can't wait to see them displayed in her nursery!

Caution, Wet Floor

2013-03-12T14:31:00.002-05:00

Spring Break is going to be the death of me... I promise. With my kids, it truly is not for the weak... and only makes me more scared for the break between the school year and summer session -- then again for the break between the summer session and next school year. Sigh.

I had all these plans to break up our errands and at least get out of the house the first couple of days this week because it's still cold. It's also not really dry enough after the entire afternoon of rain we got on Sunday to play outside or go to the park.

So yesterday, we went to Office Depot to get some labels and index cards I needed -- I let the boys walk with me instead of riding since I only needed two items. One item for each child to carry, right? Yeah -- you know how this goes. It was a lot of carrying said item until they saw something new -- drop original item -- grab for new item -- redirection from Mom -- rinse lather and repeat. All was good until the checkout line, where I needed to have 8 arms to keep them in the correct location. Instead, while I swiped my debit card... my kids went around and were opening & closing the drink cooler about 15,000 times. I'm just those judgy looks and eyerolls from the other customers were directed at me, but I still considered this trip a minor win overall... it could have been MUCH worse.

Today, we made a few stops... Starbucks -- you'll understand the need for this by the end of this post. Target for James some new shoes -- he has finally grown a size. Tyler is still 2-3 sizes ahead of him. I was able to look at a few things for the Easter Bunny to bring to these little guys. Our last stop was for gas for my big Momma bus... thanks to Kroger for the $.60 off each gallon though!

Who knows what tomorrow will bring -- maybe it'll finally be time for the park.

So back to today -- we have a routine for school days where the boys get up, come downstairs for new diapers and a glass of milk, then breakfast, get dressed, and off we go... this routine allows for me to get dressed and get their clothes while they are still buckled in their high chairs. I tried laying off of this routine for Spring Break, but you'll soon find out why I will NEVER do it again.

This morning, I let the boys come into the living room to get dressed, but I needed 2 minutes to throw on my own clothes and gather theirs. Sigh. This is where things went terribly wrong. Normally, they would lay on the floor and try to stick their hands under the door -- not today, friends.

Picture me coming out of my bedroom to two completely naked little boys riding on their pillow racers (we have the firetruck & airplane), I start to get my signature Mom growl going only to then hit the floor after I slip in a huge puddle on the floor. Ya'll, my little men had taken their diapers off and literally peed all over my entry way. The following moments were a blur of picking myself up off the floor while trying to figure out what I slipped in... Tyler screaming "JJ tee tee floor!!", and trying to figure out what to do next: A) get them dressed first or B) mop the floor first. Judging by the three puddles I found -- there is NO way that only one of them did it...

I do know deep down that it could have been worse -- as pee is one body fluid that amongst the competition is at least less smelly, gross, and harmful... Lord knows my floor has been barfed on more times than any wood floor should have been barfed on... and truly -- thank goodness they didn't poop!

After the shock, pain, and cleanup was done... I did at least find the humor in the situation. This leaves the score as... Spring Break/Children: 1 ---- Mom: 0

Just a Mom?

2013-03-08T08:00:00.000-06:00

I loved the discussion we had at MOPS this week. It really meant something to me. Have you ever been in a situation where someone has asked you the dreaded "What do you do?" question as it relates to your job? How do you answer that?

Are you one of the ladies that dreads that question? Maybe not, maybe you have a job outside of the home. Maybe you are thrilled with what you do. I don't know, but I do know that I've answered the question with the words, "I'm just a mom," before.

I can think of the instances that I've said it, they aren't big social settings... because right now the only big social events I attend are mostly with women in the same boat as I am. The settings I've said it have been varied, but the sentiment is where the problem lies.

The problem is internal. It's all in how I look at what I do on a daily basis. Let that sink in a second.

What do I do all day? I change diapers. I make meals. I bathe kids. I discipline. I teach the alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors, and basic life skills. I negotiate between toddlers. I try to come up with engaging activities. I do laundry. I medicate sick kids. I hug. I kiss. I play. I make boo-boos better. I try to keep a semi-clean house. I meal plan. I write a blog. I run a Scentsy/Velata/Grace Adele business. I do social media for my Dad's real estate team in Texas.

Living the way I do is a privilege that I've been provided by circumstance, diligence, and hard work by myself and my sweet husband. It's not for everyone, but there are plenty out there that would do it in a heart beat if they could. Some days are extremely hard, but there is a lot of fulfillment in it too.

It's not being "just a Mom" -- it's molding who my children will become. It's my choice for my family, and while it might come with sacrifices... it also comes with choices that some families don't get to make for themselves... I could home school, or not. I can use my little bit of supplemental income to afford most extracurricular activities my kids might want to participate in.

Sometimes, I just need to remind myself that my life is much more blessed than it seems on some days. When my kids are sick and I've wiped their noses for the 9,000th time that day... I'm blessed to not have to stress about anything other than getting them better right now.

The parental warfare is so maddening -- and sometimes those of us who stay at home with our kids are made to feel less than those that are balancing a job outside of the home along with being a parent. I've done both, and they are equally challenging for different reasons. Additionally, I've yet to meet a mom that isn't trying to balance all sorts of other things outside of just being a mom... like small businesses... I look at the moms I know both via blogs and in person - almost all of them have a side business of some sort. Even if they don't. They are doing an important service to their family.

I say all of this to remind myself to never use those words. Never belittle what I do. Love every minute of it because each phase is only a short season... and it'll be over likely before I'm ready. Support other Moms in whatever they are doing... no matter how different it is from my own choice. Whether that be vaccination choices, breastfeeding, sleeping, working, dietary... we are all in this, and deserve to be supported in love no matter what.

You are never "Just a ______" -- we are all incredible women and men doing the best we can with what we are given. Don't forget that, and don't let me forget it either.

Update

2013-03-07T11:06:00.001-06:00

I'm finally seeing the light at the end of the health issue tunnel. It might be an on going issue -- but I'm ready to come back to writing. I retreated from everything for a few weeks to get my self back to a place where I wasn't a total Debbie Downer. Anyway... since I got a bit off track... I'm going to start my Blog 365 over... I don't think the dates matter, just the commitment to blog everyday. Here we go...

We've been in a holding pattern on a lot of fronts lately, but I've been crafting up a storm for my sister's upcoming baby shower. I can't wait to show you the things that I've made for her little boy!! EEP! My first nephew, and a playmate for the boys! I couldn't be more thrilled for them, as we've prayed for a baby to be added to their family for quite some time.

The boys have been talking more and more lately - they're little vocabularies are exploding, and some days I feel like there might be a light at the end of the tunnel for toddlerhood. Other days, it's all fits and tantrums. I try to take it one break at a time.

I've been doing the photo a day challenge which I've kept up with since the beginning of the year. It has been fun figuring out how to fit the prompts into our day, and I know that I'll love having all these photos to look back on - I do it on my iPhone because it's normally the only camera I have around, but with the genius of iCloud... I have it all backed up and stored on my computer.

I finally rejoined my MOPS group this week too -- or well, I was able to attend again... finally. It was really nice to see all of their smiling faces again. I forgot how much I enjoyed it with all the sickness and health issues since last fall. Tyler cried big crocodile tears at drop off, which he doesn't do at school -- I think he really just doesn't like being in the younger class. His class is a tiny little room with kids that are much smaller than him, and likely younger. Last time we went, James had separation anxiety too -- but this time he skipped through the gate at the door and never looked back. I did check on Tyler again after dropping James off, and while he still wasn't engaged or playing... he had stopped crying -- so I think he'll be okay.

This next week is spring break for our area, and that means no MDO or breaks for Mom... so I'm hoping the weather will be nice so that we can get out and go to the park or the zoo. Or wait, maybe I don't want to take them to the zoo since it'll likely be much more packed than normal... hmmmm... I may have to get creative. Gosh -- even if our backyard would just dry out enough -- we could go out there and do some activities. I need to get on Pinterest and find some stuff for us to do! If you have a suggestion of something really fun you've tried for your 2 1/2 - 3 year olds... let me know!

Three Years

2013-02-19T13:54:00.002-06:00

Three years ago today, I woke up full of anticipation of the hours to come -- the hours where I expected to meet my newborn daughter. Instead, I would be heartbroken just a few hours later in a way that I could never adequately explain. I'd never wish that pain on any single person or couple.

I now have the benefit of time and distance, but even then - I never had anything but love for the birth mother in that situation, and certainly nothing but love for the baby. On the anniversary of that day, I always wonder what she is like.

Is she as happy, loved, and healthy as my boys? Does she have everything she needs to thrive? I can only wonder because their family situation then was dire, and I just hope that her parents have gotten their schooling completed and are able to provide for their 3 (possibly more now) children.

I know that it wasn't in God's plan for me to raise that sweet baby girl, but I still care that she is doing alright. Maybe someday in Heaven, I'll get to meet her and know that all was well with her life. It would be great to know that she had a happy childhood, and was able to go on and accomplish all of her dreams.

It would only be between today and April 9th that we waited and wondered when our baby would come, but even then - as we waited for James to be born almost 3 years ago -- I waited while holding my breath to see if his birth mother would change her mind at the last minute too. I was jaded, but in the end was pleasantly surprised.

I know that these boys are meant to be ours, and God knows that I love them more than life itself. I just think about that day on it's anniversary every year and just can't help but think of "what if" -- not that it would be better than reality -- just how would it be different type of reflection. How would our family dynamic be different? How would she and Tyler's dynamic be? Just those types of reflective thoughts -- and the hope & prayer that she is out there reaching all of her potential and being loved in the way that every child deserves!

Happy Valentines Day!

2013-02-14T14:05:00.003-06:00

From our family to yours... Happy Valentines Day!! We are having a great day, and are all sugared out from having two parties at school -- and today is school picture day as well -- so I'm sure that we will all breathe a sigh of relief when the day is done and we can put our heads on a pillow.

John and I made these cookies for the boys to take to school for their parties on Monday. They are my Grandmother's Sugar Cookies they are a staple at our Christmas celebration, but I took them and brought them into the new year and will make them often.

These were the Valentines that the boys gave out on Monday -- Tyler's were the basketball ones and James' were the soccer.

These are the cards they are giving out today -- Tyler's are the baseball ones and James' are the football. These follow their interests pretty well, and I thought turned out really cute. I came up with the words I wanted to use, but found these printable images on Etsy.

I took some of the boys' drawings and made them into Valentines Day cards that we mailed off to the grandparents... even though they will be a bit late.

Here are the boys this morning ready to leave for school... they look so stinkin' adorable!! I may be biased, but I am supposed to be.

I got their school's director to take a picture of me with the boys before I took them in to get their pictures done and then head off for a shopping trip to Hobby Lobby.

I then met John for lunch at Tejas de Brazil... it was excellent, and we have dessert saved from a coupon to enjoy tonight! YAY!

It doesn't get much better -- but I'm off again to go pick up the boys to come home for their gifts, to play blocks, and whatever else they get into.

My Why

2013-02-01T13:38:00.000-06:00

Anyone in a direct selling business is asked this question. Sometimes we are asked for goal setting purposes, other times we're asked because someone is interested in selling, other times people are just curious about why we even try to accomplish what we do while we are in the middle of so many other things.

I sell Scentsy and Velata -- and am dabbling in the possibility of selling Grace Adele as well. Scentsy is a line of home fragrance products, bath products, laundry products, and even products for the car! Velata is by the same parent company, and is a line of chocolate fondue products and serving pieces. Grace Adele is yet a third line by the Scentsy Family Companies, and is a line of customizable purses and bags as well as jewelry and scarves.

Why do I sell? At the most fundamental -- my reasons are these:

By having this business, I am able to provide things that our single income might not be able to provide on it's own. I've been able to help pick up the costs of medical care when our FSA and copays don't cover it all. I've been able to buy memberships to the zoo and the Children's Museum with my additional income. I have paid for party supplies for my kids and for other showers I have been a part of hosting. Christmas gift purchases were supplemented with my additional income. In the months to come, I am planning to also start supplementing our mission to get out of debt - Dave Ramsey style!

That isn't all it has given me, it just barely scratches the surface of the bigger picture. It is part of the American dream! I am my own boss, working my own chosen hours, and loving these products while sharing them with others.

I could do 10 parties a month or just 1 -- and it is more fun than this painfully shy person has had in a LONG time. I am NOT a sales person by a long shot, and I am not one of those direct sales people that plans silly games to make parties successful. I let the products speak for themselves. I set up a display, and let the scents or chocolate sell itself. It always has, and the quality is so fantastic that it always will. Basically my work at parties consists of setting up, answering questions, making some suggestions, and clean up -- it takes about 2-3 hours of your time, and it is fun to do!

Additionally, we are able to allow hostesses great benefits for allowing you to talk to their friends & family... and they don't always have to be traditional parties. We also have catalog parties, online parties, and basket parties. Basket parties are simple and easy for people to take to their office or wherever they choose to collect orders -- and frees them from having to clean their house or set up any snacks. These parties are perfect for those who aren't the traditional hostess type.

From there, you can build a team of other sales people who want to embark on this journey with you. It isn't required that you build a team, but you can enhance your experience by doing so. Yes, there are some financial benefits of building a team. However, in my case - I get much more joy from coaching others to reach their goals. I am almost at my 1 year anniversary, and I couldn't be more thrilled to share my results -- it speaks for itself for someone that is in a relatively new city where I only know stay-at-home moms.

In my first year:

Sales: $11,439.81
Commission: $3,300
Team: 3 people
Team Sales: $14,559.88

I'm proud of these numbers because my new team members only came on board toward the end of this past year, so I can't imagine the potential of what we can do in the years to come.

Often businesses like these are met with negativity, but I'm here to tell you that I am being completely honest when I tell you that I am the anti-sales person. If I can do this with this level of success -- anyone can. I take "no" at it's word, and am not pushy... I don't appreciate those tactics in sales people myself -- so I don't use them. So don't let someone steal your thunder. At it's core, it is an opportunity for you to invest in yourself. You get great products with all of these lines that are well worth the cost of the kits -- actually worth more than the cost of the kits. I've done some of these businesses before and was not successful with them -- mainly because I chose product lines that were great, but weren't lines that were functional for my life... basically things that I didn't use regularly. If you love the products, or even don't know about the products -- but love home/personal fragrances, chocolate, or accessories... you owe it to yourself to explore this option.

If you've ever considered joining the Scentsy Family Companies -- now is the time! It is deluxe kit month right now so for your $99 you get all of the traditional fall/winter kit with the added bonus of getting the new spring/summer testers and catalogs for the new lines coming out in March. That is why I chose to sign up last year at this time, and I made use of the outgoing catalogs by handing them out in my neighborhood to get the word out about my launch. Or if you sign up today -- you could get your launch party going immediately and as we finish out this month, your customers would get 10% off of just about everything in the fall/winter line! It is a GREAT time to sign up for Scentsy.

If home fragrances aren't where your passion is -- you could sign up for Velata and share your love of all things dipped in chocolate. You can eat the chocolate warm or use it for making cake pops, candies, gifts and more! This kit is also $99 to sign up for Velata and comes with everything you need to get started.

If neither of these is where your passion is, and maybe you are interested in accessories and purses -- you can sign up for Grace Adele by following this same link. You will be asked which line of products you'd like to sell during your sign up on any of these links. The Grace Adele kit is $199, it is a little more because of the quality of the products. The bag you will get alone is worth the price - but you will also get color swatches, jewlery, and catalogs... and all of the start up information you need to make you successful. Additionally, as a special bonus -- I will sign up for this with you and we'll get started together.

Like I said, you get me as your coach with each of these you have me as a coach... and an incredible upline with my friend, Laurie, who is a Director and her sponsor who is a Super Star Director. We have a phenomenal consultant support center with countless training videos and a fantastic Facebook support system as well with a special group dedicated to our group for sharing ideas and best practices.

I would be happy to send you these catalogs over email for you to take a look at the full product lines for each of these three companies, and let you know of my personal incentives for joining my team. So consider all of the ways you could enrich your lives by getting involved.

Jumbled Up Emotions

2013-01-31T20:58:00.000-06:00

I don't know if I'm normal or not, but I feel like I'm living in the part of the movie Something's Gotta Give after Harry has the heart attack when his emotions are completely out of control. This is so me! I'm grateful that I was able to come home to my boys without there being some serious change to our routine. I'm embarrassed and ashamed that this happened to me at 34. I'm furious that I'm stuck in a body that on the inside is 30ish years older than it really is. I'm terrified that it'll all happen again at some point in the future.

My emotions since being in the hospital are really all over the map. Throw in these migraines, and I'm a complete mess. Mainly -- I would think no one notices it except for me, other than the fact that I've pretty much dropped out of society.

I don't want to do anywhere or be around people much at all. I mainly stick to the folks that share my last name right now because I'm ashamed of my feelings and entire ordeal. I mean lets face it folks -- it's a wake up call of sorts and a very scary one. Could it have been worse? Sure. However, I would say that anytime your brain goes nuts and you can't speak for any amount of time - it's enough to scare you into the ER.

I'm not sure how to break back into normal. Maybe I'm not supposed to? Maybe this is a call to give up some things and refocus on others... there really isn't a way to know for sure. I think for now, if I'm not 100% interested in an activity -- I think I'll skip it and do something else.

I will figure it all out eventually. For now, I'm just waiting for my follow up appointment with the neurologist. It was moved back to the 21st-- so we'll have to see what she says in terms of the migraines and if we need further testing on my small blood vessels.

Pics of Cute Kids

2013-01-30T14:43:00.000-06:00

Some days, I don't have the time or patience to flush out a fully written post... so indulge me today and look at some cute kids -- and a special appearance by their Daddy. I'm trying to catch up and get back in track with things, but the migraines that are still happening everyday since I was in the hospital are just killers! I go see the neurologist on the 14th - so I hope to be back in action by then.

Mommy-sitter

2013-01-29T21:32:00.001-06:00

I feel like I need a Mommy-sitter, someone to babysit me while John is at work. I have a migraine today -- and I swear it has both of us freaking out. I am trying to just realize that there is bad weather in the area, and it could be a result of that.

Is it? I don't know. I just know that my head hurts - which wasn't happening in the hospital -- so it's different. I haven't lost my ability to speak or form sentences... I'm completely normal other than this headache and shakiness.

I left the hospital diagnosed with a sinus infection on top of the other issues, and before this attack -- I would have just attributed everything to the infection, but now... I'm second guessing and questioning everything. I wonder if this is the new normal -- where everything is over analyzed because we are nervous about all of this happening again. Or does this fade over time where we get back to not worrying about it all the time?

I hope that it's the ladder because it makes me sad to think that at 34, my life has become a constant fear of my health turning for the worse.

Maybe we'd feel more comfortable if I had a person watching me for signs of something being off? Maybe it would be better if this wasn't a super crazy work week for John -- including working through the weekend? There aren't any real answers -- and maybe it would be okay if the boys understood the concept of 911?

One thing I can say with a little more certainty is that if they had found something -- a definitive cause of this attack, and then fixed it -- I think there wouldn't be this *thing* hanging out there where we are waiting for the shoe to drop. I'm not sure how to move forward without fear, and on top of that -- I've got a sick little man to take care of.

My poor James has a terrible cough that is keeping him from sleeping, and a fever... which I also have. James rarely is the one that is sick, and I hope that we can get him in to see our pediatrician tomorrow morning. If not, I pray that they'll call something in for him. I normally would give him some Delsym, or I would give it to Tyler... but it makes James a crazed maniac -- so I need something else for him.

Keep us in your prayers, dear friends... we are struggling a bit over here.

Menu Plan Monday

2013-01-28T12:29:00.000-06:00

I'm still in the process of moving to a clean eating lifestyle... so I'm making more and more things on my own instead of trusting the packaged items there on the grocery store shelves. Even more so now that I had my episode this weekend -- if you don't know what I'm talking about - please read this post. I found this article leading me to the most nutritious whole foods available as well -- so I'll be incorporating some of these into our menu next week strategically.

Some of these aren't the best choices available, but like I said -- we are transitioning slowly and are using up things that we have in the house and replacing them with better options. So, we aren't completely clean eaters yet, but a few meals are headed that way. I'm making as much as I can from scratch as well -- so I do feel a bit better about that than if I just bought it all and didn't care what was on the label.

I use Pinterest a lot in my meal planning, and have some new recipes I am testing this week. I also used a great template I found online for planning out our meal and creating a sorted grocery list to help make the trip as quick as possible.

Here is our plan:

Breakfast: Homemade Chocolate Chip Scones -- will have them throughout the week and supplement with eggs and other normal breakfast items like fresh fruit & yogurt.

Lunch: Turkey Avocado Club Sandwiches -- and lots of left overs from the dinners that are made throughout the week

Dinner:
Sunday: Roast, Rice & Green Beans
Monday: Lasagna Roll Ups, Salad, Garlic Bread
Tuesday: Chicken, Spinach & Lemon Spaghetti, Greek Salad, and Parker House Rolls
Wednesday: Sweet & Sour Pork Chops, Rice, and Pot Stickers
Thursday: Jack Daniels Chicken, Wild Rice, and Salad
Friday: Taco Salads with Guacamole
Saturday: Steak, Roasted New Potatoes, and Roasted Broccoli

Snacks: Homemade Cheez Its - a popular snack in our house, but this time... I'm making them myself with just 4 ingredients!

Dessert: Baked Apples with Vanilla Ice Cream & Pink Chocolate Chip Cookies (testing these for the boys' school party in a couple of weeks)

Recipes will be added to the blog for new things throughout the week.

In great news -- I've lost 7 pounds since starting this plan 2 weeks ago. I think that with adding the new higher fiber things like the homemade granola I keep in the house -- I'm staying fuller and not snacking nearly as much as I was before.