Looking forward to tomorrow

I'm participating in the December Daily challenge - well, I missed a day because our stupid computer monitor decided to bite the dust! I never really realized how much I depend on technology to help me through my day! So, I'm just getting caught up on emails, etc.

Yesterday was awesome! I relaxed a lot of the day (after cleaning!) - and Gracie and I had lunch and tea/coke party at her little table. I just love spending some one-on-one time with her. Mason had a buddy come home with him after school. It was SOOOOO cold, so we decided to stop at Blockbuster to choose a Christmas movie. Mason picked Veggies Tales: The Star of Christmas. It was very cute!!

And so now I'm having a little chaos going on in my noggin...I'll spell it out...and then I'll leave it here...and then I will go read and remind myself about yesterday's message at church.

• We need a new computer...and that's not what I want to spend money on!
• I still have some Christmas decorating to do (and although it's 'not so much important', it still is on the mental list that has tendencies to squash me by the end of the day.
• My first born is about to be 6 years old!! Hooray for growing and learning - but there is also something about it all that makes me somewhat sad. I remember holding his squatty little body in one arm like it was yesterday!
• I miss my mom...especially at this time of year!
• Birthdays, birthdays, birthdays! One down, two to go.
• Shopping and wrapping, wrapping and shopping
• And I got my haircut and I'm not a big fan! Why can hair sometimes make or break our attitude? It's not even that different from yesterday...it's seriously a mental thing!
• I have what seems like thousands of blisters on my heels from 'winter shoes'! I want to wear my flip-flops!!!

OK...and when I look back at it, I see that it's not really that bad. SEE...I feel better already! Thank you for letting me vent!! I owe you one :)

Here are pictures of our new dos: (Mason is turning into quite the photographer!! He took my glamour shot...haha!)

I'm looking forward to tomorrow!!

Grace and Peace

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

You know me. I'm the anxious one. I'm the one who constantly worries and has a list longer than long of 'what ifs'. I create my own stress. I tend to make a mental list of the negative things that 'could' happen rather than focusing on all of the positive things that surround me. I know this about me and I have struggled with it as long as I can remember.

I'm ready to make a change. I think I've made small progress here and there, but I need to make bigger change. I've struggled with worry, stress and indecisiveness for a long time...and I think a little bit of that comes from the way my mind is wired. I consider myself a very blessed individual, but I allow my thoughts to wander to the unknown, the questions, the decisions that haven't been made.

This week was monumental for me. I made a tough decision...but looking back on the day, it wasn't a tough decision at all. I made it tough because I didn't listen to what my heart said, I didn't pay attention to the signs that my prayers were being answered or that my path was being paved...I didn't have faith. Wow...what a big statement!! And yet sometimes I think we all find ourselves, whether it be during our most difficult times or just the minute choices of the day, stuck in a whirlwind of all kinds of madness: what if something bad happens, what will people think of me, I need to do what everyone else is doing. We should look to our faith and surround ouselves with the people who love us. (Thank you so much to my hubby, my dad, and my awesome friends for your advice, encouragment and support!!)

I had enrolled G in preschool, but I struggled all summer long - I knew she should be home with me...she's 2!! I attended orientation and completely lost it. I'm not ready, she's still so young, we are connected on a level that can't be put on paper, I don't want to miss anything, etc. The thoughts were constantly there and yet I tried to ignore them in an effort to conform to the 'Flower Mound norm'. Yesterday, I gave it to God and I was assured that my path is far from what's considered normal around here. Grace and I are so blessed to have this time together and I don't want to look back for a second and regret giving any of it away...not even 8 hours a week.

I owe a lot to my children. They have grounded me. They give me strength. They force me to make decisions based on solidity. They drive me. I do have weakness when it comes to anxiety and stress, but they give me reasons to work at it...yes, motherhood suits me just fine - and there's nothing like a little Grace and Peace!!

I don't get an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment very often (another idiosyncrasy that has been lended to me by the 'worried walrus'), but man do I have it today!! My baby doesn't have to go to preschool! I look forward to this year...it will be filled with the simple things that make having a 2 year-old daughter so special...holding hands, playing kitchen, watching butterflies, sharing makeup, ballet, giggling...the list goes on. I will be her teacher. We will continue to socialize and learn shapes, colors and numbers as we watch the world around us...together!!

"You are worried about seeing her spend her early years doing nothing. What! Is it nothing to be happy? Nothing to skip, play and run all day long? Never in her life will she be so busy again." Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1762

I love you my little one!!

I'm playing for the GOLD!!!

I love Michael Phelps and I've been routing for him every opportunity I get. Mike and I stayed up until midnight several times just to watch him swim!! I love the olympic games and I think he is beyond awesome!! But here's my deal...I think motherhood should be right up there with olympic sports!! I mean seriously, the whole world has come to a halt to watch as men and women bring in the medals, beating their bodies up for first place!!

I'm playing for the GOLD too! I want to be the best mother I can for Mason and Gracie! I practice hard!! I know sometimes you feel like you want to quit the sport (like that's even an option...haha!). I know you may feel like your hard work is not noticed. I know that you are exhausted at the end of the day. I know that after you've put your children to bed at night, you sometimes feel like you've just finished the New York City Marathon!! I know these things because I feel them too!

So, here's to all of my mommy friends...I appreciate you for your hard work and dedication! I notice your efforts and I think all of you are champions!! Our jobs are tough ones...keep your eye on the prize - because at the end of our big race, we will have something much bigger and better than a gold medal!!

Happiness is...

WOA...it's been a whirlwind the past couple of weeks (see pictures) as we get ready for summer! Mason has one week of school and he is done with baseball, soccer and karate. We are looking forward to swim lessons, Vacation Bible School, bug camp and our annual trip to Cape Cod. I'm not sure things are really going to slow down, but I am going to try really hard to RELAX with no stress and no worries! (yep, I'll let you now how that goes...haha!) We really do have so much to be happy about!!!

HAPPINESS IS...

a family collage (and a finished project!!)
matching flip flops (Mason LOVES that his shoes match daddy's!!)
a school field trip to the zoo (and some Mason/Mommy time!)
homemade blueberry pancakes on a Sunday morning

a chocolate popsicle on a HOT day:

a well-deserved soccer trophy:

new CANDLES (Gracie corrects us if we say SANDALS!

Have I ever told you how much she loves shoes!!!):

fresh fruit from Central Market

(Mason gets a big kick out of weighing our produce and printing the stickers!):

AND...buying yourself flowers! (If you've never done it, I highly recommend it!!):

I hope you have a HAPPY day!!

I'm a lucky girl!!

If you would have asked me years ago if I thought I would be where I'm at today...I would have said NO WAY!! How could I get so lucky? I have the best hubby ever AND the best of both worlds when it comes to the kiddos. When I was pregnant with Mason, I just knew I needed a baby boy. And when I was pregnant with Gracie, I just knew I needed a baby girl!! And here I am with my Mason...experiencing the love a son has for his mommy (right back at ya M), the determination and competitiveness, the need to be #1 at EVERYTHING, the sensitive side. And here I am with my Gracie...a mother/daughter bond that's deeper than deep, my drama sidekick, my shopping and newfound pedicure buddy...and I'll tell you, she's just as determined as her big brother!! I've got some strong-willed children and they definitely keep my on my toes...but man, I'm the luckiest girl in the world!!

Here are some pictures of this week so far...Mason had his first private karate lesson (thanks Ms. Terri) and Gracie had her first pedicure!!

It's official...I'm vintage!!

I came across a sweet lady who makes pillowcase dresses from vintage sheets...they are so cute and I knew I wanted Grace to have one. When I visited her online store called "Vintage Fern" I was shocked when I came across a dress made of the sheets I had when I was a little girl! It was so cute, but wait a second...VINTAGE??? I was thinking that 31 is the new 21, right? I'll have to admit, I feel a little old!! Anyway, I think it will be cute to take Grace's picture in the sweet dress - and later I'll have fun telling her that it was made of mommy's OLD, OLD sheets from the stone age!!!