Looking for Love in all the wrong places

This picture has nothing to do with this post but if I take pictures of the girls - I have to post them. :-)

I looked back at my blog last night and on this very day, the last day in January, it has snowed here EVERY year for the last five years.  This year it is 65. Weird.

Harper has an ear infection now. The fun never ends at our house. :-)

Okay:

SUPER SUPER IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Singles Friday is THIS Friday!!!! You know I absolutely love doing this - and we have had amazing success. SOOOOOO .........all you Single Ladies get ready to post! All you with friends of Single Ladies to Post!

BUT I REALLY need any of you with single brothers, BIL's, friends, co-workers to line them up. This will really only work if we get lots of single guys in the mix. All the success stories seem to come from people posting about a single guy and then them getting in touch with inquiring girls. It can work the other way too - but I am praying we will get some single guys on here. I know most guys are going to think this is totally stupid and cheesy and will NOT want to be involved................so maybe do it and ask forgiveness later.
Just kidding. You probably should get permission.

If you have questions - leave them in the comments and I'll get them answered! I'm excited! I'm going to a wedding that originated here in a few weeks and I'm SO giddy about it!

And spread the word - I would love to get as many single people on here as possible. 

Let's make some love connections, shall we?

AND ..............HERE'S HOW THIS WORKS:

1. This is NOT just for people in AR - you can be from anywhere (probably U.S. only) - and people will put where they are from so you can choose geographically!
2. If you have a blog - on Friday - blog about yourself or a loved one and tell us about them/you. Post a lot of pictures and tell us as much as you can.  Link up and give the first name, age, and location (you don't have to be specific - (i.e. Dallas area, Chicago, North Alabama.....whatever).
3. If you are single - come and look at the links - if you see someone you are interested in - leave a comment telling a little about yourself and your info. You could link to your blog or facebook or whatever.
4. If you want to participate but don't have a blog - either find a friend to do it for you or just go through the links to look at available singles.
5. You have to let me know if anything works out.

We have had a lot of success with this. In a few weeks - there will be the THIRD wedding! I know of at least four more that might take place in the near future. AND we had a small turn out for the "older singles" link up a few weeks ago - but I know of one success! So you just never know!!!!!

AND:
I'm going to work on getting up a post with all the success stories! I promise! It's coming soon!!!!!
PLUS:
If you want to see examples of what people wrote- check out:
http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2011/06/show-us-your-life-show-us-your-singles.html
 http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2011/01/show-us-your-life-show-us-your-singles.html
http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2010/07/show-us-your-life-show-us-your-single.html

This. Just This.

I wasn't going to post today. I've had a rough day.
Not in the whole scheme of the global world kind of rough day.

But just a "it's hard to be a mom of a 3 year old who will not listen to a word I say, is into everything, won't obey, all I do is discipline all day long......................." kind of day.

I feel like all I do is try to make Harper be "good".  I'm terrified of what everyone at church and MDO and the grocery store think of my child and how they must whisper when I walk off about how I need to get control of her.

She's not a terrible child. She's a wonderful blessing to me.  She's just a very sprited, strong willed girl. But I worry every minute of every day that I'm not doing the right things as a mother and that she will turn out awful because of it.

And then I followed a link to this post.

http://lysaterkeurst.com/2012/01/i-dont-want-to-raise-a-good-child/

And I cried my eyes out.

I desperately needed to read that today.

Maybe you did too.




And P.S. When Harper is a missionary in Africa and I never get to see my grandkids I guess I'll just laugh at all the times I have prayed over and over "God use her in awesome ways - I want her to have a passion for you above all else". 

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Don't forget to scroll down to the next post and shop the almost 350 shops!!! WHOOO - there are some CREATIVE women out there!!!

I wanted to share two very sweet things that we received this week and a party we went to today.  Yesterday we got a note and a present from an 11 year old girl named Taylor in NJ.  Taylor shares a birthday with Harper and has followed her story since she was born. She used her own allowance money to buy Harper a doll that plays "Jesus Loves Me".  Isn't that precious? Harper slept with the doll last night - she loved her! I had a hard time getting Harper to hold the doll, the sign and smile all at the same time - this was the best we could do.  Taylor - thank you! What a sweet girl you are to think of another little girl so many states away!!!

And one of my oldest friends who I have known since she was Harper's age and is now 30 sent Harper these two books about little girls who have "special ears".  I loved that one of the girl's name is Laurie. We had had kind of a down week and these books came at such a neat time. I thought it was so thoughtful for her to think of us and find these books - I just cried and cried when I opened these.  I'm so inspired by these two to find small things to do for others to brighten their days.

One of Harper's friends Ella Kate turned four today and her mom had her a special "girls only" party (at EK's request) at a little art place in town.  Harper was SO excited to go!

Each girl got to paint a plate! Harper had a lot of fun making hers!

It was a Wizard of Oz theme and everything was so cute. Isn't this the cutest cake EVER?

My friend Robin made the cookies - this picture is a little blurry but they were so cute!

And look at the favor boxes? And they had little wands and ruby slippers inside - everything was just precious!

Ella's twin sisters - Ruby and Molly

Ella's beautiful mom, Amy, just had brain surgery 3 weeks ago.  She is so amazing. The mom of 3 girls under four and she always is so calm. (I know she would say she isn't - but she is such a sweet spirited mom to me).  She pulled off the cutest party after having major surgery and Christmas. I would probably still be laying in the bed. :-)  I'm so thankful Amy is doing so great - she is fine! She's an answer to prayer!

Sweet birthday girl! I still remember having her baby shower and her mom went into labor with her later that night.  A few weeks early!

Neely, Harper and Emily

The girls got to have their faces painted and Harper wanted a butterfly just like Emily! She had the best time!

We are still a little under the weather - Hollis has an ear infection and has been pretty pitiful.  So we are laying low the rest of the weekend.  Hope your weekend is great!

SUYL - Show us What you make or sell

I love to buy from crafty women. I think etsy.com is one of the best inventions ever! I have no creative bones in my body - but thankful other people do and will share with me!

I also love to support small businesses and women who have little side shops to help their families. For this reason - I love to do this every few months. I hope if you have a little etsy shop or business - that you will share it with us. And if you do or don't  - I hope you will shop, shop, shop!!!

And I want to spotlight the 3 "sponsors" I have on my sidebar.  I'm featuring 3 (or 4) small businesses a month for free to try and help women help their families. I'm starting small and maybe I can make it bigger in months to come to help more!

Polka dot posies.com is one of the BEST places to get your big bows for your girls! They are AMAZING prices, great quality and ship freakishly quick! She has all sizes and colors! I have bought from her several times and you will too if you try her once! My favorites are the 6.5 inch bows. They are the perfect size!

I don't think you can have ENOUGH Scripture in your home. I love having God's word in every room of my house.  NapTime Diaries makes awesome scripture prints that you can take and frame how ever you want. She has tons to choose from or you can work with her on a custom design. I love these prints you can have made for your children or as a baby gift!

When I was looking for Harper's first birthday outfit - I found the cutest little site called She She Made.  And since then she has become a friend and I have had her made a lot of cuteness for the girls.  A lot of the baby gowns Hollis wore her first month or two came from She She.  She makes the CUTEST things for both babies and kids.  And lots of cute boy things too.  She just had a boy - so her boy stuff has become even cuter! Isn't the gown above the sweetest? (I'm looking back and I think I may have over used the word "cute" but I can't help it. I should have thrown in a darling or precious somewhere. ha!)

PLEASE ONLY LINK ONCE PER BUSINESS.  IF YOU LINK MULTIPLE TIMES - I WILL PROBABLY DELETE ALL BUT ONE.  I WANT TO GIVE ROOM FOR EVERYONE!

Under the Weather

We've been a little under the weather the last few days - both literally and figuratively. Yesterday Laurie and I had a little out of town antique shopping trip planned but Hollis was up a dozen times in the night and I woke up to it pouring raining and I cancelled our trip.  I even kept Harper home from MDO because she had been a little sick earlier in the week and I didn't want us to get out in the cold rain.  I'm not going to lie....it was a LONG day.  People have been telling me for months that 3 is WAY worse than 2 and I didn't believe them but GOOD GUSSY they were right.  It's going to be a long 355 days. :-)  It doesn't help that I'm a little hormonal right now (not pregnant - just normal stuff). 
THANKFULLY - Laurie and I had a night out planned for last night.  Our husbands planned it for us actually.  Laurie's cousin had given them tickets to a few razorback games and Laurie's husband thought it would be good for us to go and let them keep the girls. They knew they owed us after they went to all the football games this year. Plus Laurie and I love basketball games.  Back in the mid 1990's we lived near the U of A campus after college and we used to go to almost ever game.  So last night was like a step back into our single years.

We went and ate sushi before the game. SO SO good!

I love Bud Walton Arena.  I haven't been to a game in a long time and the atmosphere has changed for the better. It was a very fun atmosphere and we beat Auburn! I miss going to all the games.

Laurie and I laughed and laughed and had SO much fun.  It was a late game so we got home late. It was a fun night out!

My girls are both a little sickly today.  We went to speech this morning while Hollis stayed home with our babysitter and I'm taking them to the doctor this afternoon. This is our first time being really sick this year so I'm counting that blessing.

I've had a few prayer requests sent my way that I thought I would share - I also have fixed the prayer blog so you can go and add more to it! Please do share your requests and pray for each other!

1. Please pray for Dakota. he is 8 been battling leukemia since he was 2. He now has meningitis and is in ICU!!

2.  http://mommyofthree120.blogspot.com  Just had a baby a month early

3.  http://babymorrison2.blogspot.com/  Pray for this baby

 4.  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/thegardtwins/mystory  Please pray for Wyatt

5. Please pray for Trisha and her unborn baby Elias who has hydrops http://www.thepoppinslife.blogspot.com/

6. Pray for this family who are expecting baby Mary Amanda who has Trisomy 13 http://staggfamily.wordpress.com/

Good Girl Bed

This is one of those posts I'm doing for myself so I won't forget the milestones in our lives. I love being able to look up almost any milestone on my blog. Thank goodness for that or my poor girls would have no record of anything because I certainly can't remember to write anything down.

On Harper's 3rd birthday weekend - she started climbing out of her bed.  She started appearing in the living room after we would put her to bed.  I was hoping to hold on to the crib a little longer but honestly - I'm shocked it took her this long to climb out because she's a wild little monkey.

So we knew it was time to give her a big girl bed or as Harper keeps calling it - a "good girl bed".  I was going to get some kind of neat twin bed and then I decided it would be easier to just take the day bed out of Hollis' room and use that and that would give more room to play in Hollis' room.  I also moved most of the toys out of Harper's room into Hollis' room and put her table and chairs into our family room.  I feel like they have a lot more space now! Yeay!
I was so sad Saturday night because we knew it was her last night in her crib.  That seemed so sad.  She's officially a big girl.  She's basically potty trained, she is so independent and now no crib.  I told Scott it wouldn't be long until it was the last night in her room before she left for college. Okay.....maybe we have a little time.

We took some pictures so we could remember her last night ever in that crib.  I remember how excited I was to pick out her crib and bedding. I had waited so long and it was so exciting to put together a nursery.  I can't believe how quickly three years have gone by.

Here is Harper the very first time she took a nap in her crib at almost 2 months.  Was she really ever that little?

She slept in her new bed Sunday night but we didn't take any pictures until tonight.  She has had a cold and has been SUPER fussy and tired. I didn't want to push her by taking any pictures.  It worked to our favor because she was so exhausted the last two nights she hopped in bed and went right to sleep and slept all night.  I don't know if it will continue to go so well but it has been a great transition so far.  I have found with everything we have changed......we are usually a little slow to make changes (paci, bottle, potty training, bed) BUT each change has been super easy because we waited until the time was right for us. I'm not saying that's the way for everyone - but I'm thankful it has worked out so easily each time.

That makes me sing that old song "In His time, In His time.....He makes all things  beautiful In His time.."

Little steps

This may just totally be me and my craziness but ever since I had Hollis - I'm in a constant state of being completely overwhelmed.  I have a consistent very long to do list on my desk and on the refrigerator and most days I never get anything crossed off.
Harper only naps occasionally these days so most of the time from 6:30 until 8:30 at night - there is never a moment that I don't have at least one child needing me and so the only time I can do anything is from about 8:30 until 11 p.m.  And that needs to include cleaning the house, laundry, Bible Studies, organization, working out, showering, spending time with Scott, blogging, answering e-mails, etc.  And I'm super type A so sometimes just the thought of what I need to do gets me so overwhelmed I'm paralyzed and I end up not doing anything.  And then I'm even more frustrated.
And some nights I'm so tired that all I want to do is sit on the couch with a whole lot of snack foods and just completely veg in front of the TV.  And that does nothing for my productivity or my diet.

So I'm trying to learn to just take baby steps. I'm trying to break every task into very small chunks and just accomplish those little things in a day and it might take longer - but things manage to get done.  It's kind of like the Dave Ramsey approach to paying off debt.

I've taken on a modified version of the "Fly Lady" and I just try to clean one room or do one major cleaning task (i.e. mopping, dusting) a day.  If a miracle happens and both girls nap and I'm blessed with an extra hour or two in the day and some energy - I'll try to do several things and get ahead.

I'm trying to do at least one load of laundry - and PUT IT AWAY - a day.

I've challenged myself to answer 10 emails a day.  My inbox is like Mount Everest. I look at it and just get exhausted. I have probably 500 unanswered emails and sometimes I just stare at my inbox and can't move. But if I can answer at least 10 a day - at least I'm making progress.

If I say I want to read the Bible in a year - that sounds wonderful.  But I can't seem to stay on track.  So I just try to read at least one chapter a day and just spend time in prayer during the day.

Diet and exercise are tough for me because my will power is not stellar.  But I'm using an app on my phone called My fitness Pal and it helps me keep track of calories. I do my best and if I don't have a great day - I just start over the next day.

I need to work on Harper's speech with every day but sometimes the days are so busy with just the little things - I don't feel like I do an adequate job. I use every chance I can during the day to just work on words and sounds.  I also am trying to teach her anything I can - like letters, etc.  I still don't know how homeschooling moms do it.

I've learned to say no to a lot of things right now.  I'm learning my limits.

I'm trying to do better at sitting down on Sunday nights and making a meal plan so we have healthy meals all week and maybe I won't go to the store every day. 

I've made a list of all the major projects I'd like to get done around here this year - (cleaning out closets, desks, drawers, selling baby clothes, major cleaning jobs, etc) and I have a goal to do at least one every few weeks.

So I still feel a little overwhelmed......but chipping away at the big icebergs in my life a little at a time makes me feel like I'm getting somewhere.  I'll probably never feel completely "together" but maybe I won't show up on an episode of "Hoarders" either.

And I'm not going to lie.................I daydream about Mary Poppins coming to live with us. A Lot. 

What's your tricks to getting things done?

Days of Elijah

 We had a pretty lazy weekend which has been nice.  I have to show you Hollis - eek - she is getting so big! I dug out Harper's shoes from this age and we have started wearing shoes.  Up until now she just wore socks. I feel like she is so big in those jeans and shoes standing up!

 Saturday I helped host a baby shower for my sweet friend Elizabeth.  Elizabeth is our pastor's daughter-in-law and they are the last couple in our class to have a baby.  We have prayed for them for a while now and have been SO thrilled that they are having a baby boy SOON!

 The shower was in her nursery colors and it was so cute. My friend Robin made cookies.

 The pregnant girls in our class - Julie, Elizabeth, Amber and Amy.  At any point and time there are usually at least 2-3 pregnant girls.

 A few non pregnant girls - Stephanie, Rachel, Berkli, Mary Avery and Robin.  So blessed to have these friends!

 Elizabeth and her hostesses.  There were several girls who hosted but couldn't be there because of sick kids or they were out of town. 

 Elizabeth is naming her baby Elijah.  He will be such a loved little boy!

 My job at the shower was to take all the gifts she opened and display them.  This was only half of what she got. It was such a fun shower.

The only thing we did the rest of Saturday was take a family trip to Target! I put the girls in these little dresses I got them in Ecuador. Scott said the kids must be a lot smaller in Ecuador because these dresses were both a little snug. Oh well - they looked cute! And it reminded me of a week I never want to forget!

Hope your weekend was great. Harper came home feeling yucky from church - I think it's just allergies - so we are laying low and in the middle of putting up her big girl bed or as she calls it "good girl bed".  I'll have to write all about that this week. I'm having a hard time realizing last night was her last night in her crib. Boo hoo. :-)

Show Us your Life Friday - Adoption Fundraisers

I get asked a LOT to post different adoption fundraisers. And I want to so badly but I feel like I'm in a tough place.  Because I could post hundreds and it would get out of control and I can't pick and choose.

I hate that a family who can't have a child or who feels led to adopt has to also suffer financial setbacks in order to bring that child home.  In a perfect world - I wish children could easily be adopted by loving families and that money didn't stand in the way.

I want to open it up today for people to post their adoption fundraisers. I have no idea what will happen with this.  Maybe nothing. Or maybe some of you will feel led to help families start or grow their families. Even a very small donation - the price of a fast food meal - might make a huge difference. I pray that somehow someway with the audience we have here - that families will be blessed.

I'll share one that's close to me.  My cousin Matt and his wife Christie live here in my area and they have been unable to have a child so they are in the process of adopting.  They have a blog where they are sharing about their journey. They have a creative idea of asking friends and family to donate their spare change to help raise money! If you are looking for a family to help - they are such a Godly, sweet, amazing couple. The child who joins their family will be SO blessed by parents who adore him/her and grandparents who will love them so much.

They never asked me to post this and I didn't ask their permission (uh, hope y'all don't care!) - but I know God will provide somehow for them. You can read more here:
http://mattmartin.co/2012/01/16/leaping-from-the-lions-head/

I'd love for you to link up and share your story. I pray that we make a difference today!

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.  James 1:27

ALSO -
My friend from college Shelli is an amazing decorator and she just did a nursery board for a couple who are adopting to help them plan their nursery. http://www.alamodemaven.com/2012/01/nursery-and-prayer.html  She has offered to do a planning board for one of the families who link below. I'll use a random number website and pick one next Friday.

What's been going on...........

I have been close to pulling my hair out this week. I've just had all kinds of craziness.......
Tuesday I had Bible Study at church and then afterwards I had a Women's Council meeting.  When I picked up Harper - her hearing aids were no where to be found.  You know how hard it is to keep up with bows and sippy cups with a 3 yr old.  Well - having one be in charge of $4000 hearing aids - SCARY! We couldn't find them and I left church freaking out.  It was 1:30 and I hadn't eaten lunch yet so I was going to drive through Chick-fil-a to try the new tortilla soup. We have a back way from church that includes cutting through McDonalds parking lot to get to CFA.  I was so rattled and before I could get to the drive thru - I got pulled over! I was totally at fault because I wasn't wearing my seat belt (I usually ALWAYS do but I had been so shook up I just hadn't. ) I also got pulled over because the officer thought I was just trying to avoid an intersection. I had to convince him I was needing some "Christian Chicken".  Not one of my best days.  Luckily one of the sweet girls who had kept Harper in the nursery realized she had put Harper's "ears" in her pocket when they had played in the gym. Whew!!!
And then Harper learned this week to climb out of her crib. I knew this day would come. And she has climbed out approximately 548 times in the last few days. Oh dear. So this weekend - we are going to set up her a a big girl bed. And I have a feeling it will get even crazier after that.

Oh and then Scott got a ticket this morning on his way to his office. We are outlaws.  I don't think we have had tickets since we have been married and we both got one in the same week?

 Today was a crazy running around day.  Harper and I went to her speech therapy.  She is doing really well.

 Afterwards we met some friends for lunch.  I don't get to see these girls enough - they are all so sweet and easy to talk to.  I wish we had more time together.  Melissa, Kate and Ashley. 

 Me, Jennifer, Julee and sweet Preslee.  It was my first time to see Julee's baby and she is SO cute. She looks just like Julee. And Julee looked amazing!! Harper was the only kid there and she actually behaved pretty well. I was so proud of her.

 We raced home and rescued our sweet babysitter and jumped back in the car with Hollis and went to Harper's three year appointment.  Everything looked good! I am SO thankful she has such good health.  She pretty much never gets sick and I couldn't be more thankful.

 Hollis had a good morning with our sweet babysitter and we were glad to see her!

 The girls played together when we got home while I cooked dinner.

I have been trying to cook low calorie meals and I'm so bored with chicken and vegetables so today I basically made up a meal. I put salsa on top of chicken and topped it with low fat cheese. It tasted a lot like King Ranch chicken without all the fattening soup and doritos. And I LOVE black beans. I cooked them with pico and some garlic salt and lime and then topped white rice. It was SOOOO good. With a side of avacado - this was a yummy, low fat Mexican dinner. I just missed the chips, salsa and queso!

Ten Months

Hollis - you are 10 months old!!!

You weigh 23 pounds.

You wear a size 4 diaper.

You wear 12 months clothes 

I think you are a size 2 shoe. I can't get you to wear shoes much yet.

You are SUCH a good eater and you really love feeding yourself.  You have no desire for baby food anymore.  Your favorite is avocado. I'm pretty sure you get that from me! The only thing you really don't like is sweet potatoes. I think that's so weird. But you will eat peas, corn and lima beans. Yuck! ha! 

 You are sleeping much better. Most nights you only get up once. Last night we were up 4-5 times but that is luckily getting rare. You usually take at least one good nap and on good days I can get you to take two naps.

You are so sweet and good natured! You are just a little joy! BUT you do have a temper that's starting to show up. In the past week - you have laid in the floor and kicked and screamed because you couldn't do something you wanted to do.

You still only have two teeth.  Harper had 8 teeth at this age so I think that's so fun how you are different. I'm sure your teeth will all come in at once. In fact I wonder if you are not about to get more because you have been real cranky and chewing on your hand.  I hope so!

You are still so easy to take places. And you are so good for the church nursery! You really have a pretty easy personality.  I just am so crazy about you!

You love your sister. Yesterday you and Harper were in the same room at church for a little bit while I had a meeting at church and they told me you wanted to be near Harper the whole time.  You think anything she does is hilarious.  And she loves you!

You are BUSY BUSY. You are crawling everywhere and of course your favorite things are the toilet, plugs, and the dog bowl. You keep me on your toes. You are constantly pulling up and standing on things. I wonder if you will be walking by your first birthday.

You like to play with toys and you will play a lot with things especially if Harper plays with you.  I'm thankful for this. Momma can load the dishwasher every once in a while. :-)

Here you are at one month, five months and ten months! I can't believe how quickly this year has gone.  Your hair is getting so thick and it has really lightened up. You were so dark at first but I think you will have sandy blond/light brown hair. You have brown eyes and the sweetest dimple.

Harper and Hollis at ten months.  Two very different girls. Two very special girls.