Bring on the Rain

It is raining... And I love it.

First, I love the sound.  Sitting here in my office, I can here the drip and plop of all the little rain drops into the puddle outside the window.  It's a beautiful sound, and very relaxing.  One of my favorite things in the world is sitting next to an open window during a real good hard rain.  The sound, the breeze... it's magic.

Another reason I'm excited for the rain... Chris can't do yardwork today!  :D  He's stuck in the apartment all day with me!  BWA HA HA!  Wonder what awesome fun things we'll do today!

Seriously... Last post of the day

Maddie fell asleep on the potty tonight.  

She did leave a couple turds in there before she passed out though!

SUCCESS!!!

Goodwill Finds

I went to goodwill today looking for a new desk/table for my craft room... yes I'm redoing it YET AGAIN.

Moving on... I didn't find anything in that department, but I didn't realize it was Wednesday.

At the local Goodwill, there is a different colored tag on sale 1/2 off every week.  

Every Wednesday, shirts and shoes with that color are only $.99.  

Taylor is really lacking on 3t stuff, so I figured I'd check out some clothes for her... and also for me.  

Here's what all I got!

For Taylor

2 pairs of pants

1 pair of shorts - store tag still on it

1 dress

2 t-shirts

1 hoodie - looks brand new

For Me

2 t-shirts

2 cami's (1 still has the store tag on it)

1 sweater vest (from kohls, store tag still on it... was $30!)

1 more shirt... scroll down further to see it.

In all I spent just over $15!

That's 1/2 what that one shirt cost originally! 

GO ME!

I also got this shirt

and with a little help from the sewing machine 

turned it into this

I wrote about it on our other blog.

Check it out here!

On My Mind

Forgive me for posting so much today... but alot is on my mind.

I love this song by Band of Horses

No One's Gonna Love You

I've got it stuck in my head right now... Thinking about Chris.  I can't wait for him to be home from work and for us to enjoy an evening at home with our girls.

Nights like this tend to be an absolute blast and so I'm excited.  

If you haven't heard this song yet, or even Band of Horses, you should check them out!

Heres the LYRICS:

It's looking like a limb torn off

Or altogether just taken apart

We're reeling through an endless fall

We are the ever-living ghost of what once was

But no one is ever gonna love you more than I do

No one's gonna love you more than I do

Give anything to make you smile

It is a better side of you to admire

The day should never take so long

Just to be over then back to another one

But no one is ever gonna love you more than I do

No one's gonna love you more than I do

But someone,

They could have warned you

When things start splitting at the seams and now

The whole thing's tumbling down

Things start splitting at the seams and now

If things start splitting at the seams and now,

It's tumbling down

Hard.

Give anything to make you smile

You are the ever-living ghost of what once was

I never want to hear you say

That you'd be better off

Or you liked it that way

But no one is ever gonna love you more than I do

No one's gonna love you more than I do

But someone

They should have warned you

When things start splitting at the seams and now

The whole thing's tumbling down

Things start splitting at the seams and now

If things start splitting at the seams and now,

It's tumbling down

Hard

One of those days

COUPONS 7/27

Where?  Publix

What?  

4 Pkgs Crest Toothpaste

6 Hamburger Helpers

1 Publix Apple Juice

Trix

Honey Nut Chex

Cocoa Puffs

Cheerios

Cinnamon Toast Crunch

4 Campbells Chunky Soup Cans

Total? $54.00

Paid? $15.48

Here's How!!!

Crest Toothpaste - Regular 2.69

on sale 10 for $10, .50 off coupon (doubled)

all 4 pkgs of toothpaste were free!

Hamburger Helpers - Regular 1.59

on sale BOGO, .75 off 3 coupon

were .55 each

Apple Juice - Reg 2.49

On sale BOGO

was 1.25

Cereals - Reg 3.49

On sale BOGO, .75 off 2 coupon

was 1.40 ish each

Except Cheerios - Reg 3.49

On Sale 1.99, .50 off coupon (doubled)

was 1.00

Campbells Chunky Soup - Regular 2.39

on sale BOGO, 1.00 off 2 coupon

were .70 each

Mila's Daydreams

This mom is AMAZING.

While her newborn is sleeping, she tries to imagine what she is dreaming about, then creates a photo shoot around her sleeping baby, and snaps away.  They are SO CRAZY CUTE.

Here's a few samples:

I LOVE IT.  Check out more here

http://milasdaydreams.blogspot.com/

Princess Hair

I found this website a while back called

The Princess and Her Hair

(Click for the website)

I've been trying some of the ideas out on Taylor's hair (Maddie's isn't long enough yet.)

Today, I made the french braid heart.  Here it is...

I have to say that I LOVE IT.  It was also easier than it looks, if you can french braid that is...

Next, I want to try a 7 strand braid... or maybe even a 9 or 11 strand braid.

Crazy?  Maybe, but it's crazy cute!

Farm Pics

More pics to come later... i've just been playing with

http://www.picnik.com/

Work or School

Okay, So I'm finally posting a bit today...

No pics from the farm yesterday yet... I want to edit them first.  There's some AWESOME pics though.

Anywho - I"m way excited because we got the letter in the mail yesterday saying I can receive unemployment.  That means that for the time being, we will still have some money coming in besides Chris's paycheck.

After thinking about working and school... and going back and forth for a long time, I've decided to go to school to get a diploma for Medical Administrative Assistant.

Now, here's the reasoning,

1. I LOVE office work.  Is that totally weird?  I love the organization of it, the computer stuff, typing (I can type avg 80 wpm... I've typed around 120 before in speed tests in High School...  I'm a weirdo, but I love it.)  
2. To Finish the program and earn a Diploma is only 3 trimesters, I'm thinking fall, spring, summer.  They say most people finish in a year.  So It's not too long.
3. When I finish, I can work at hospitals or dr. offices.  The pros about working in a hospital is I can work nights and weekends, when Chris is home with the girls, so we won't need any kind of Child care!!!!  That's a HUGE PLUS!  The main reason I'm going out for a medical assistant instead of a business or legal!
4. With some kind of degree, i'll hopefully be able to find work when Chris begins school FULL TIME and quits work.  That way, we'll have atleast some kind of income while we're basically living off student loans.
5. I can earn this degree completely online.  And Can also get Pell Grants to pay for most if not all of it!

I have prayed about this and really feel excited about it all.  I'm 99% sure this is what I need to do right now.  It isn't the degree I've always wanted, or anything I really have a background in... but that's kinda the point.  I thought about going to school for teaching or early childhood education, but I don't really think that's what I want right now.  I want change!  So that's what I'm doing.

Anyways - There's lots of changes and such going on in my idea of what the rest of my life would look like and at first I was nervous.  I don't really like major changes.  But I'm beginning to get used to these new ideas and I'm getting excited.  So yeah.  Just an update.  This next week I've got to actually go APPLY for school... after 8 years out of school... I'm now going back... and I'm SO READY!

To Blog...

I HONESTLY have like 3 or 4 posts I need to do at the moment.  We had an awesome day with the girls today - including a trip to a great family friend's farm.  I finished my first Quiet book (Though I think I forgot to take pics of the finished product before I gave it to my friend.)  I applied for Unemployment due to my recent lack of a job, and got my letter in the mail today saying I qualify and for what amount.  I've also decided to start school this fall (partially because chris has decided to wait til next spring to finish up his prereqs.)  I'll be getting a technical degree or diploma for medical administrative assistant.  It is already midnight at the moment and my head feels like it's floating so all these wonderful posts will have to wait til tomorrow.  Then tomorrow there's church, and dindin at the In-laws... so it may even be postponed til monday!!!!  I'm just hoping there's nothing else that happens that I feel the need to blog about before then!!!!!

A New Fav

I just found this blog today and I'm IN LOVE with the cute printable journal pages on here.

Grace is Overrated ~ Journal Pages

Here's some examples:

I love how she words the to do lists.  I also love the lightening round.  These journals are not only to record great moments and memories, but get you thinking about your to do lists and routines... just life in general.  I'm sure it'll be great fun in a few years to look back on them and see the changes and memories I made. 

They are the CUTEST printable journal pages I've ever seen and I'm so excited.  I printed out EVERY single journal page she has so far.  I'm going to include them in my Family Notebook.  I'm so crazy about them I had to share!  Let me know if you find them as crazy cute as I do.  From time to time, I may even blog my journal answers, cause they're just so darn fun!

2 of my favorite people

I hardly have any pictures of me and the girls... so I took a couple pics of me and my 2 favorite people this morning.

I'm feelin a bit yuck to my stomach, but hopefully we'll have a great day and a great weekend anyways.  We've got some SUPER EXCITING plans for this weekend.  

So I'm hoping I'll feel way more awesome by this evening.

Have a Fantastic weekend yourselves!

Mamie and Quiet... books.

Yesterday we went up to H'ville to see Mamie and Papa.  

Mamie and I were going to take the girls to the park, but it was raining, so we went to Chick-Fil-A instead.

Here is maddie showing off her new outfit mamie bought her.

It's so funny to me how different the girls are.  Maddie LOVES to be in front of the camera, posing, and flashing that gorgeous smile.

Taylor loves to be behind the camera (like her mama.)  Here's one she took of Mamie!

I'm also working on some quiet books.  The first one is kinda practice.  I'm making it for a friend's daughter, Ava.  Here's what I've gotten done so far.

Here's the Color's page.  I went with ice cream!  YUM.

Next is Ava's Garden to practice using buttons.

On...

\

Off...

Next page is for a coloring book and crayons.

Then comes Mr. Potato Head!

I cut out the pieces in felt and used puff paint to draw on some of them.

The pirate costume is my favorite.  I love the hat!

More to come soon.  I'm excited to finish it up... Maybe even by this weekend!  YAY RAH!

Rocketing Off...

into fun filled exciting adventures with...

Big K, little e, little a, little v, little e, little n.

Today, me and the girls had blast. And here's the proof

When did she get so sassy?  She's totally hamming it up for the camera!

Had a great morning at home, cleaned the whole apartment, got baths, had an awesome lunch, then loaded up and headed out to "Old McDonald's Farm" for some ice cream and play place time!

She kept getting frustrated with me for licking off the melting ice cream

Such a pretty smile!

TOO CUTE!

Love my girls

Came home from Mickey D's for nap time.  Then dinner once dad got home, and then off to the Sounds game for FHE.

We snuck in drinks.  

I'm beginning to think we're bad luck.  Notice they had SIX (6) RUNS and only one hit.  Our pitcher walked the first 5 up to bat.  :/

Having a blast at the game.  We got dippin dots and funnel cake.  I think the girls had enough sugar today to last them the entire week!

Fun name.

The girls fussed the ENTIRE time to see Ozzie.  When we finally went to go see him, they both FLIPPED out and started screaming!  What a kodak moment!

All in all, my first day unemployed was pretty great.

Me and Chris have been discussing our future alot over the past 2 days and we both know we're heading in the right direction.  It's a great (peaceful) feeling to have.  I'm glad to spend more time just me and the girls.

Fired, Fired, Fired, Fired, Fired

No, Donald Trump did not fire me.  But the YMCA did.  

I'm having some mixed emotions at the moment, I'm sad for all the people who have become great friends to me and my girls, but I'm relieved to be able to do what I want, when I want, with the girls.  It's a mixed blessing.

As far as $$$ goes... We're okay.  So that's definitely a HUGE blessing.

It was a blessing to sleep in this morning instead of waking up a 5 to go open.

And I'm probably going to spend the day at my mom's and dad's so that's another blessing.

All in all, I think this is a good thing.  Most times, we don't know why things happen.  I think this is God telling me to slow it down though, and take care of my girls and my family.  So that's what I'm going to do!  And I'm excited to be able to dedicate all my time to that again!

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do...

It's late, and my mind wanders SO bad when it's late like this.

The thoughts bugging me at the moment are about my little (HA) brother Kyle.  

He is breaking up with his first serious girlfriend.

They've both known this day was coming... since they started dating in fact.  She's a foreign exchange student... A Vietnamese girl from Germany (Kyle calls her his GermAsian!)  So yes, their high school romance had an expiration date on it.  Most high school romances do, but few are so definite.

I think my mom said she's flying back home tomorrow morning.  A friend of Kyle's is driving him to the airport for him to say goodbye.  

I'm really wondering what Kyle's thinking and going through right now.  Kyle's a very laid back kinda guy (reminds me alot of Chris.) It's hard to see him as romantic... mainly cause he's my brother, but too because he's just not a MUSHY guy... Avery on the other hand... 

Back to Kyle... Because Kyle and his GermAsian aren't breaking up over the usual stupid high school stuff (I don't even remember why I ever broke up with a guy in high school... other than I was really just bored with him...)  I wonder if Kyle's heartbroken over this... 

I asked my mom about it and she said she really didn't know.  She said Kyle's girlfriend is torn up... Very Very upset.

Makes me remember how INTENSE and kinda silly (looking back on it) those first "loves" were.  Those crushes are such a high... 

Anyways - I'm kinda sad for Kyle right now.  My heart goes out to him.  I don't think he'll be crying over her or anything, but I'm sure he'll really miss her.  

I think I might have to make him something special tomorrow when we go visit... some cookies or a real good mix cd.  

All this thinking has made me SO SO SO SO SO SO SO glad I'm no longer a teenager and no longer in high school and no longer dating (cept Chris!)  :)  I'm very grateful for that!

Just what you needed to hear

I'm going to warn you by saying that this is probably crazy cheesy... But It what I needed at the moment.


I follow blog links like crazy... i bounce from one blog to another.  That is usually how I find some great information, ideas, tips, tricks... whatever.

Just now, I found just what I needed to read/hear.

This manifesto of encouragement isn't exactly what I need to read.  But pretty close.  Then I kept reading.  All the comments.  Like the 4th one down said this.

Someone knows you're not broken. Even if you feel like you are. They're remembering who you are when you forget.

Now that, was exactly what I needed to read.

I have felt broken for a long time now.  But through it all, there are a few people in my life who, when I find myself stuck in a valley, reach down, and pull me back up again.

My wonderful husband Chris... there just aren't words.  He's everything.  He's my heart and soul, my world, my eternity.  

My amazing family...  they can always make me laugh.

My great friends... who may be blunt, or 1/2 way across the country, but can still listen to promptings, and say the words I need to hear.

My Father in Heaven... 

I'm very grateful right now for those people who remember who I am when I forget.  Cause I tend to forget alot lately.  And they are always there to remind me!

Like Magic

Last night I turned this

Into This

It's not completely done yet.  I'm going to sew some pockets to the front, but I'm pretty excited.  I'm really LOVING sewing recently.  It's my new favorite!