Being Confident in your choices in Motherhood

Our prayers are with everyone in Moore, OK today.  I have been devastated for the damage done there but houses can be rebuilt. I am GRIEVED for all the lives lost - especially the children.  Please keep praying for the families affected.  I have friends who are from Moore and it really hits home. 

Praying God's comfort and peace over that city. 

Today is all about being confident in your choices in Motherhood.

OUCH. This can be a TOUGH one.


I'm one of those first born, strong willed children who never struggled much with choices. I see black and white and I can normally make decisions and feel good about them.  I never really struggled much with peer pressure.

Until I became a mother. That's a WHOLE new form of peer pressure that teenagers just THINK they have the market cornered on.

I honestly had NO idea that every single choice in motherhood seems to bring controversy and competition and feelings of uncertainty and defeat.  I was a little overwhelmed when I first had Harper to say the least. But as time as gone on - I've realized that I (and Scott and I as a team) make choices for our children that we believe are for the best and they aren't for everyone and they aren't always what everyone else is doing but I have to stick to my guns because I know my children best and I know what our priorities are.

Sometimes I know it can be tough to be the only mom in your circle of friends doing formula when everyone else is nursing (or vice versa).  Or maybe you are the only working mom in a sea of stay at home moms (or the only SAHM in a circle of working moms) and you feel like maybe you made the wrong decision or maybe your aren't doing the right thing.

But families aren't cookie cutter.

I haven't struggled with too many choices yet because I just know who I am as a mom and who I'm not.  For instance - I know (we all know) that my girls don't sleep well and yes - I'm partly to blame because I just CAN NOT do CIO. CAN NOT. But I'm okay with that and I also give kudos to those moms who can and their kids sleep 15 hours at a time from 6 weeks on. I hate them a little (or a lot) but I know that that is just not me.

I refuse to let myself get in any kind of race on time tables like when to potty train or when to take the paci away or how soon my children are reading versus others because I know it all levels about around age 6 and eventually all kids will be going to the bathroom without a pacifier and reading books. ha! And it won't matter exactly what month it started.  I can feel a little pressure when I know several kids in Hollis' class are already potty trained but I also know she doesn't have interest yet and we waited with Harper and it was SO easy because she was SO ready.

Lately because our kids are getting older - I think the biggest parenting choice struggle has been schooling.  My friends are all choosing different things and sometimes I feel a little left out or like I'm doing the wrong thing but I feel very confident that what we are choosing to do is what I feel is exactly what our girls need and what will be best for them.  I can't worry about everyone else.  And who knows - it could obviously change. They aren't even in school yet and it could be something we have to revisit.

I think the important thing is to support other mothers in their decisions and not make anyone feel like they are WRONG just because they are DIFFERENT than you.

At the end of the day - the only people I really need to worry about is these two little girls. 

And I'm confident that no one loves them more.

I hope you will link up and share!!!
(And we will have a list of new topics for the summer out soon!!!)

My Bedroom Makeover - AFTER

So if you remember ........I had decided to re-do my bedroom with the help of BlogHer and Sherwin-Williams.  This is what it looked like before.  Not horrible but just so blah and brown.  I just never could get happy with how it looked in my bedroom.

So I used the help of the ColorSnap® smartphone app and Color Visualizer from Sherwin-Williams to get ideas of what to do in my room.  I wanted to make it brighter, and I wanted kind of a light gray/blue color.  I found the perfect room color.  It's Comfort Gray.   I was a little nervous but it turned out perfect!

This is my room "after."  I ended up having a painter come in and do it for me because I was really nervous about painting a room, but, I think in the end, I could have done it myself.  I used Emerald™ paint which is a really high-grade paint.  The painter was so excited when he saw what it was - he said it would go on quickly and cover well.  It only took him, like, 3 hours to paint the room and ceiling! I had to have the ceiling painted, which was the part that made me the most nervous.  I could have left it the tan color, but I'm so glad I didn't.  It just makes the whole room bright to have the trayed ceiling the same color. I also decided to paint our furniture.  I have never painted anything in my life, so this was a little CRAZY for me.

I could NOT be more thrilled with the change!!!! It's just so much lighter in our room.

And, I can't believe how easy it was to paint our furniture!!!!! I sanded each piece and then primed it.  Then I gave each piece two coats of paint.  That's it  - and it looks great!!!! I used the color Tinscape which is just a really light gray.  I almost got brave and tried to make it chalk paint by adding plaster of paris, but since I have never painted at all, I decided to just stick with what I had, and it worked out great!

If I can do this - anyone can!!!! I'm so glad to be rid of that old brown furniture. (Although Harper keeps telling me she liked the brown and does not like the new "white." Ha!) If you are thinking about doing this - I say GO FOR IT!!!!!

This is the view from our bed Before.

...and After. I want to add something on top of our armoire and maybe some more pictures on the walls; slowly but surely it will happen.

A side by side glance. 

I got a new white quilt at T J Maxx and folded our old comforter at the end of our bed.  I like the lighter look with the brighter colors.  The only other thing I would really like to change is I'd love to find a HUGE gold starburst mirror for over the bed instead of the big brown square. I think it would give it a whole new look.  I just need to find one that doesn't cost a fortune! I will be on the hunt! 

This is the look I'm going for.  

I'm so glad I made the change!!!! I smile every time I walk into my bedroom, and it's more of a haven for me! And, I can't believe how simple it was. 

For a chance to win a $100 Sherwin-Williams gift card, share in the comments below what room you would like to makeover in your home?

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Weekend

We have had a busy and great day!  We went to Mimi's for breakfast this morning.  I am thankful we have started branching out and trying to go out to eat some with the girls.  It's still not easy but we are getting there.  Our breakfast was SO good.

They had an fundraiser expo at our outside mall this morning.  They had all kinds of booths and pony rides and games for kids.  We had a great time.  Of course pony rides are the very favorite!

 They had some baby goats there that were born yesterday.  And some adorable baby pigs.  Hollis was mesmerized. 

 Mickey and Minnie were there.  We thought Harper would be THRILLED to have her picture made with them - she was so upset - she cried and cried and wouldn't go near them.  And Hollis just wanted me to hold her.

Clearly - we are not going to Disney anytime soon.

The girls didn't want to go home. But it was SOOOOO hot and humid today.  We were all dying.  We went home and took showers and the girls had a great nap.

 Laurie and Steve invited us over for dinner tonight to celebrate Steve's birthday.  Emily and Sarah Kate just got a new kitten named Frisco.  My girls were thrilled to meet her.

 We always have fun spending time at their house. 

I also love going to their house because they always cook really good food that I would normally not make.  They make a lot of seafood which is something I never venture in to.  Laurie made "Frogmore Stew" which is really like a low country boil.  I LOVE it.  

We also had cupcakes from Bliss.  Oh my red velvet was heavenly.

 We are so thankful for friends who are really family.

If you know me - you know I'm TERRIFIED of cats and have a STRONG dislike for them. But I even had to admit this kitten was kind of cute and I actually held it! I think this was one of the only times I've ever held a cat. 

Somehow we ended up watching Lawrence Welk and the girls had a dance party.  We kept laughing and wondering when we turned 70.  It was actually really fun.  We may have dinner and Lawrence nights more often. :-)

Tomorrow is Senior Day at church.  We honor the graduating seniors and our church makes it such a special day.  They show videos of all the kids and youth speak and sing.  It's a day that always reminds me to treasure my kids every minute because they grow so fast.  It's also a day we talk about with our young kids .......... because we know we will be there one day.  We are always saying "save that picture for Senior Sunday". ha! It's a day I always look forward to and a day I'm sure in 14 years I will dread to see coming.