A New Table and February Sponsors

 I had a little round table in the corner of Hollis' room with a skirt on it but Hollis loves to pull up on it and I was scared it would fall on her so there is a local "junk-tique" store I love that I saw the cutest little dresser/nightstand in a picture on Facebook.  Hollis and I went and checked it out today and it was just perfect for her room. Plus it has drawers so I can put things in it.  Her poor room is just full of baskets of toys - I don't know what to do with all of their toys since their rooms double as play rooms.

I LOVE this.  It's a slightly different blue than the rest of the blues in her room but I like how it looks. And when I went to get it I realized it was in a booth that my friends Maegan and Ashley have - so that made it special that they are the ones who painted it.


Yes -it's the last day of February - actually it's a bonus day!!! So I wanted to tell you about my sponsors this month before I get new ones tomorrow!  I'm featuring 3-4 sponsors a month this year.  This is totally free - I wanted a way to promote small businesses.

Two of the sponsors this month - Ashley and Casey are the ones who actually gave me the idea. They asked if I ever had sponsors and I had seen that on other blogs and decided it would be fun to do not for profit but to hopefully help small businesses.  I've had a lot of you ask about it - I'm already full for this year but if it goes well - I'll open up again for next year so stay tuned. I'm also doing several features this year where you can link up your businesses.

Ashely has started something she calls the Shine Project.  She does a lot of community work as well as raising money for scholarships for at risk teens.  She is so pretty and has such a big heart!

Casey is a mom and an artist.  She has all kinds of great things to share on her blog! You simply must check her out!  So so much style!

So sweet Maggie (aka Gussy) sews all kinds of precious things.  Fun bags, iPad cases, head bands and they all have cute ruffles on them - right up my alley!!! I asked her several months ago if she could possibly make me a cover for my macbook and she made the CUTEST one.   I had searched all over for something like this and I just ADORE it. It makes me happy every time I pull out my computer. 

My girls

I got up today, put on make-up (which I ended up going and buying all new yesterday just in case there was any danger of it being infected. I wasn't thrilled but better to buy new makeup than pay for another hospital visit), got dressed and went to church today.  I was so happy to be back among the living.  I thought I would just show you that I'm all better.  My mouth is still a little weird but hopefully it will go normal soon.  I'm in line at Sonic if you can't tell. ha!

 My mom has Harper again and I'm missing her so much.  She is not missing me. She is having the best time. We talked today in Bible study about building a spiritual legacy and how things we do today and choices we make will affect generations to come. I'm so affected by my grandparents - they all four had/have a huge impact on my life and I'm beyond thankful that my girls have four grandparents who adore them and who they get to spend time with.  I can never thank our parents enough for all they do for them. I know when my girls are older, they will always talk very lovingly about their grandparents.

Hollis is just the sweetest baby in the world. I love seeing her little personality starting to really shine!  She has started getting into all cabinets and drawers.  We had relaxed on the baby proofing but I think we better get it back on.  She keeps standing by herself more and more.  I think walking may be in her near future.

I have to share a couple of stories my mom has told me since Harper has been with them.  I can't think about these stories without smiling because they gave me a little encouragement that I'm doing the right things.  I feel like she and I have struggled so much lately and all I want for her is to be kind and love Jesus.  Well - My mom goes to the nursing home in their town every single Sunday before church and plays the piano and loves on the residents.  She has done this since my sweet mam-ma lived there.  This is just who my mom is - that's the kind of legacy she gives me.
Anyway - my mom took Harper the last two Sundays with her.  I think she was a little shy the first week but this past Sunday my mom said she didn't want my mom to come with her and she walked up to each older person and would rub their arm and say "How are you doing? You doing okay today?"  Isn't that precious?

And then Sunday after church they went out to eat with several families and before anybody could eat, Harper insisted that they pray.  And then she insisted that all tables around them pray.  She kept trying to tell the other tables that they needed to pray.  ha ha!  She's kind of a Bible beater. :-)

(And I just read my mom's blog and realized she shared the same story! Love it!)

I wish I was that way........

I bought a couple of cute hats in the fall/early winter and I want to wear one so badly, especially on those MDO days when I roll out of bed to take Harper to school.  But I just can't pull the trigger. I'm just not a hat girl.......not matter how hard I try.  I started thinking about other things that I wish I was but I'm just not.  After 38 years I have finally accepted a few things that I'm just not.  I'm not saying I won't keep trying to work on a few of these:


*  I feel like I missed out on the home ec classes somehow. All my friends can sew and make things and are SO crafty.  I just don't have that "craft" bone.


* I wish I could wear cute workout clothes all the time and look sporty! I wear sweat pants and just look more like frumpy housewife.


* I wish I was a more scheduled mom.  I kept both girls on a regular schedule with nursing/bottles and naps but I'm not as regimented as most moms are. I just have a hard time being tied to a schedule but I think my girls might be better sleepers if I were.


* I wish I could wear cute scarfs. I have tried 100 scarfs and tied them 100 ways and I just never look cute like everyone else seems to. I'm just NOT a scarf girl.


* I wish I could not be so obsessed with keeping my house neat.  I wear myself out picking up toys and things sometimes instead of just having fun playing with the girls.  It makes me crazy but I have a hard time "letting it go".....


* I wish I liked to re-decorate.  We have been in our house 8 years and everything is essentially the same as I initially set it up.  I love to read decorating blogs and how they are constantly changing things up.  I just can't make changes well.


* I wish I could raise my hands in church to worship without feeling like a goon.  I want to worship freely but my old traditional roots just keep my hands down.  I want to not worry what people think.


* I wish I was more disciplined with sticking to a diet and exercise. I can do good for a week or two and then I just fall right back.  I wish I liked exercising.  I also wish I didn't worry about my weight constantly.


* I wish I was more into going to blog conferences or networking. I think it's so fun when I see all these bloggers going to things like Relevant or Blissdom but I would just die I think.  I never really put much thought into how to make my blog better. I probably should but I just kind of do this blog for me and don't worry about it.


* I wish I didn't care about what people think about me. I wish I wasn't always a people pleaser. But I just totally am.


What is it that you wish you were ......but you just aren't?


And P.S. I'm totally not putting myself down with this post. I know God made me a certain way and believe me - after last week, I'm just glad to be alive and have my face back to normal.  But I think there will always be things I wish I was better at. And there are probably things I can do that people wish they could. I'm totally content in who God has made me - but if I could sing like Kari Jobe I wouldn't complain. :-)

There's no place like home

I came home yesterday!!! So happy to be here. I'm about 90% normal. So thankful!

My mom took Harper home for a few more days so I could rest. Scott's parents left this morning.

I can't begin to express how grateful I am to them for helping me so much the last week.

I was so happy to see these two little faces and they were pretty happy to see me!!!!

Hoping to get back to normal this week! Happy Sunday!

Update

I thought I would give a little update! I'm still in the hospital. I woke up yesterday much worse and was very worried but they added antibiotics and did some scans and I woke up today better.
I take pics of my face twice a day so I can tell if I'm improving. The collage with 4 pics is me Mon morning , mon night in the ER, tues in the hospital & wed in the hospital.
The other pic is yesterday morning & today. I am still swollen but look a little better.

Thank you for your prayers. Staph is serious business.

This whole thing has just reminded me how many are dealing with serious illnesses and how hard it is to keep your normal family going when you or your child are sick. Please pray for all those dealing with that today. You may know someone personally or just pray a general prayer.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
I Corinthians 1:3-4

Have a good weekend!!!

P.S. I thought I'd add because you have been asking - this has nothing to do with my new makeup! Staph lives in all of our noses! The motto is here is - NEVER mess with you nose!!!! I had a pimple that was very painful and I picked at it and it unfortunately turned into Staph.  It is very common and can happen to anyone - so DON'T mess with your nose! :-)

And I should be going home tomorrow! I can't wait to see my girls!

A little hospital vacation

I thought I would tell you that I may be out of blogging for a few days.
Monday afternoon a pimple in my nose became staph on my nose & mouth. I went to the ER at 4 am & they sent me home with an antibiotic.


This is me on Monday & then in the ER. Scary, huh?
Last night I woke up at 12 & it had spread to the whole side of my face.
Exhibit B

So I came to the ER & they admitted me. I'm on IV antibiotics for a few days here. Hopefully I should be fine & look normal again. So far it's not getting better so I'm a tiny bit worried.
Oh and it's MRSA which is not good. But I will be ok.
My sweet mom showed up even though I told her not to. A mother's love never stops even
when your baby is 38. Scott kept the girls today & they just switched so he could come be with me.

Scott's parents are coming tomorrow. I'm so thankful for all the help. I'm also so thankful for all my friends who blown up my phone today with calls & texts & done sweet things for my family. I'm so thankful for all my amazing friends.

I may be here a few days. I'll try to catch up with y'all later. I should live!!!! Just thought I'd update so you didn't wonder what happened. We will push SUYL off this week. I didn't want to have my computer here & doing this from a phone is for the birds.

And let's be honest - with 2 busy small kids - being in the hospital is like a vacation. Minus the beach & adding in IV drugs and a swollen face!

Have a good week!!!

Lent

I'm Southern Baptist.  We don't really do Lent.

In fact I only loosely get the idea of what lent is all about. (So all of you reading this who are catholic or methodist - I'm warning you - I'm probably not getting it right).

I've never done Lent but I've been thinking about it for the last couple of weeks and I like the idea of it.  I don't feel like I need to give up a luxury as penitence. Jesus already paid the price for my sins and His grace has covered me.  BUT I thought it would neat to maybe give up something that would enable me to put more focus on God for the 40 days leading up to Easter.

I could give up Diet Coke or sweets but honestly - I don't see how that would bring my any closer to Jesus.  It would just make me grumpy.

So I started thinking about it and decided I would give up something that I LOVE a LOT.

I'm giving up Twitter for Lent.  And y'all - that hurts. I LURVE me some twitter.  I get all my news from twitter.  So many of my IRL and blog friends are on twitter and for a social person who is also a SAHM - it helps me have adult interaction throughout the day.
(and I would give up Facebook but honestly - I don't get on FB that much. For some reason I love twitter 200x more than twitter)

But it also zaps so much of my time. So instead of constantly checking twitter ......I'm going to check in with Jesus. I'm going to do a LOT more praying in that time. I'm also going to just be more present with my girls. Not with my stupid phone in my hand.

I also love that in Lent some choose to add something - to do something good each day of Lent so I've decided I'm going to do that also. I know it starts tomorrow but I'm still mulling over what that will look like. I'm thinking I might send an encouraging card or note to 40 people during this time.

So if you are my twitter friend - I'll see you after Easter! And I will miss you!!! I really will - I love having y'all to talk to all the time!

What are you doing for Lent?

Open my eyes (a totally shallow post about makeup)

**** I wrote the below post yesterday to post today.  And I think maybe vanity caught up with me. I wound up in the ER at 4 this morning with a staph infection on my face. One side of my face is Super swollen - I look like an ape. It started with something in my nose yesterday afternoon and grew really fast. If I hadn't gone to the dr when I did I would probably be in the hospital.  I would show y'all a picture of me but I'm too vain. ha! I just think it's funny that I wrote the post below and now I look like some kind of crazy person today.*****

 I have these tiny slits for eyes.  They are dirt brown and small and I barely have any eyelid and my eyebrow is 10 miles above my little eyes.
I'm not saying this to put myself down. It's just the truth.  I'm so envious of people who have big blue or green eyes and big eyelids. (and brown eyes are pretty too - I just don't love mine.) (But I'm thankful I have eyes and I can see - I promise I'm getting to a point).

Now - I'm not having a pity party - I'm just setting the scene. I have never been able to do my eye make-up. I have tried everything on earth to try to make it look like I had some kind of eyes on my face. Every kind of mascara. FAIL.

So one day I saw my friend Angie Smith tweeting about this amazing eye shadow palette and how there were all these you tube videos that told you how to put it on.

And the sun came out and the lights shown bright and the heavens opened up and my world was changed. I'm not even kidding I ran myself straight to Sephora and bought it. It was my Valentines present to myself.

The Urban Decay Naked Palette

I am totally not endorsing a product - these makeup people have no IDEA I exist but I was talking on twitter about this on Saturday night and I had so much feedback I decided I needed to do a blog post. (And sidenote: these eye shadows are EXPENSIVE. I normally just buy from Wal-Mart but I think it's totally worth it and will last a long time and you can't put a price on feeling good about yourself.) (well - I guess you can but that's a blog topic for another day).

And I want to add - I'm SO not pushing the eyeshadow - I just really like it. BUT I think you could easily find much cheaper versions with lots of colors and use the you tube videos to help.  The videos are REALLY what has helped me!!!

I got my makeup and I went to you tube and searched Naked Palette and all these tutorials popped up.  So every day - I put my laptop on my bathroom counter (on those rare days when I actually have time to do this) and I put on my makeup while someone on you tube tells me how.  Now my makeup doesn't ever come out looking like these people - it's WAY more messy - BUT I feel like it has really opened up my eyes.

EXHIBIT A:

These pics are bad but on the left - I had just done my makeup for the day. You can't even tell? And on the right - I had used a video to help me. Can you tell my eyes look bigger and more defined? I wish I had a better picture but I'm just using my phone. (I'm also wearing the same sweater in both pics which is funny).

So far my favorite looks have been:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8jhgtGe-z0

and 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSkMMRL5kuw

Thank you sweet Angie for opening my eyes!!!! (can you help me with my hair next?)

What are your favorite products/beauty secrets?

Just me and my baby

Harper went to stay with her grandparents on Friday and Scott left for a hunting weekend and that left just me and little Hollis all by ourselves! And we had a wonderful time!  Friday we ran some errands and came home and she went to bed early and I was just lazy.
 

Saturday morning we went to a baby shower for my friend Melissa.  She is having baby Crew in a month!

Ashley, Crystal and Tiffany

Jillian and Hollis were the only kids at the shower.  They played together a little.

Jennifer, me, Ashley and the expectant mommy Melissa.

(I just realized I was wearing FL colors that day and we got beat by FL in basketball that day - oops. I don't even know what possessed me to put those colors together)

Saturday night our church had a retreat for our youth girls. It's the third year for this (I think) and it's such a special weekend.  Hollis and I went and stayed as long as we could.  These are two of my prettiest friends (inside and out).  Maegan is our youth minister's wife and she is as funny as she is pretty.  And Ashley is a former Razorback cheerleader and soon to be (we hope) state senator's wife!

Three of our youth girls. They cracked me up - I told them I was going to take their picture and they all 3 instantly started primping their hair. As if they aren't cute enough.

We had an awesome speaker and worship leader but the girls also had just some fun times together!

My sweet friend Tracy fooled with Hollis a bunch.  Hollis was actually really good. She is such a sweet baby.  Yesterday morning we went to church and then after naps we took a quick trip to Target.

This was Hollis' first time to ride up front in the buggy.  I probably put Harper there at 5 months but because I usually have Harper with us and she rides up front - I have just never put Hollis there. She was so tickled to be sitting up there like a big girl. She kept looking around and smiling. 

As I was studying to teach Sunday School this weekend - I read one of our key verses and decided this was kind of my informal motto for my blog.  I pray that I can use my blog to share my faith in such a matter.

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 peter 3:15-16

Eleven Months

Hollis you are ELEVEN months old!!!

You weigh 23 lbs and 6 oz (we went to the dr yesterday so I know this!)

You wear size 12-18 months clothes and size 4 diaper

You slept through the night for the very first time last night!!! HALLELUJAH!!!!!

You take usually just one nap a day  - occasionally two.

You are a good eater but you crack me up because you would rather eat green veggies than anything.  You don't really like cheese or meat.  You could eat your weight in avocado and you get it ALL over you! You love any kind of fruit.

You are crawling so fast these days - I can barely keep up with you.  And you pull up on everything.  You can stand alone for a few seconds. I would imagine you would walk sometime after your first birthday. 

You love to clap your hands and you wave at everyone you see.

You wake up from every nap and every sleep SO happy!

Your hair has really grown lately. It's so thick and is a dark blond color.

You are just the sweetest, best natured baby.  You are just easy and adaptable and content. I'm curious to see if this will continue when you are 2 or 3 but for now - you are just such a precious little baby.  (You will still be precious when you are 2 and throwing fits but you are especially precious now).

You are just such a blessing to me.  I can't put into words how much I love you.  I wondered if I could possibly love a second child as much as I loved your sister and the answer is I 100% can.  I love you both equally and passionately.  

I'm in complete disbelief that in 4 weeks we will celebrate your first birthday.  It was just yesterday I was holding you in my arms at the hospital for the first time and looking at your jet black hair. 

I love you Hollis Barrett!

 Harper and Hollis at 11 months

Hollis at 4, 7 and 11 months

Winners of the Blue Door Boutique Give away

(I had a picture from random integer generator ........but I saved the wrong one. oops. I promise these are the numbers I pulled. You will just have to trust me!)

The winners are #241 : Mallorie
#959 : Brooke
#1498: Jennifer B.

I'm emailing each of you and I'm so excited for you!!!

I hope if you don't win - you will check out Blue Door Boutique next time you need a special outfit!

Show Us Your life - Single Moms

Being a single mom has to be a challenge.
My heart goes out to all the single moms.

I thought it would be good if you could connect with other single moms and hopefully make some common friendships or get tips on how they handle things?

If you are a single mom - I hope you will link up and connect with others!!!!

Nonny in the house

 I've been a little off the grid the last couple of days.  We girls have been busy!

 My mom came to visit us yesterday.  My dad is in Dallas with my grandma.  (You can keep her in your prayers - she fell and broke her hip and has been in the hospital and will be moving to a rehab place this weekend.)  Nonny kept the girls last night and Scott and I had a little unplanned date night. It might have involved chips and salsa. :-)

 This morning Harper and I headed to Little Rock for a hearing appointment. Nonny kept Hollis at our house to make it easy on everyone.  I was so thankful - we usually have tough days when we all make that trip but it was a really easy day with just Harper! She was really good today!

 Harper had a good appointment.  I'm thankful for ACH - it's a great place to go.

 We finished our appointment early so we got lunch and went over to visit one of my oldest friends Jamie.  We ate our lunch there and played for a little bit.  Jamie has three sweet kids. Her oldest Rhett was in school but Harper had so much fun with Alexee and Crosby.  I wish we lived closer - I think they would have a lot of fun together!

 Sweet Jamie and kids

I got home tonight and we ate dinner and got the girls ready for bed.  Harper is going home with Nonny to spend a few days.  She is SOOOO excited. She can't stop talking about it. I hope Nonny and Papa are ready for her!

Don't forget to enter the Blue Door Boutique giveaway. I will draw winners tomorrow night! I know there are a lot of entries but you NEVER know! It would be a great prize!!!

Valentines Day 2012

I was feeling sentimental last night and I couldn't help but share - here is Harper on her first Valentines in 2009.  She was just about a month old and had just gotten home from the hospital.  Seems like yesterday.

And here she was just a little older than Hollis - opening all her valentines from a party we went to.

I decided to make up little goodie bags for her friends at MDO and church this year.  I used picnik.com to put words on a picture and printed them at walmart.  It cost about $3 to make 30 valentines! And then I put some play dough and little candy in gift bags and tied it up with cute red and pink ribbon I already had on hand. I thought they turned out cute. We took these to church with us today because we had Bible Study.

My funny valentines

Sometimes these sisters can  be sweet.

We had a fun day.  Yesterday because of our snow we stayed home all day and today we were gone all day. We went to Bible Study and then I had a women's council meeting and lunch with my two friends Laurie and Rachel (I wish I had thought to take their picture).  We ate at CFA which we thought was funny to be there without our kids.  When I picked up the girls we headed to Wal-Mart.  Harper's valentine treat was a big mylar balloon.  Those balloons are her love language so I let her pick out any one she wanted and she wanted the "big pink fish".

 Laurie invited us to come over and play afterwards so we went over there.  Emily loves Hollis. She is so sweet to her.

Harper and Sarah Kate are just two of a kind.  They are almost like the same person and it's fun to see them playing together.  Laurie and I just sit back and laugh.  They both give us a run for our money but we also know that God made them that way for a reason.

We are doing Priscilla Shirers "Resolution for Women" at church and today was perfect for the day - it was about fulfilling your husband.  I'm very convicted to make him my top priority and make him feel loved. It's easy with small children to put our husbands on the back burner but our marriage is so important.  I see divorce all around me constantly. I feel like every time I get on facebook - someone else is getting a divorce. Marriage is TOUGH.  I certainly don't have a perfect one but I am VERY blessed to have Scott as my husband.  We celebrated valentines tonight with leftover taco soup.  No candles, no roses, no steak dinner.  But Scott giving Harper a bath and playing with Hollis while I fix dinner is all the romance I need.

I hope you each had a good Valentines.  Even if you are single ..........I hope you know that Valentines can still be a day of hope of days to come. And I hope you all know you already received the greatest Valentine EVER given - God loved you so much that He gave His only son that you might be saved.  John 3:16   No flowers or candy or jewelry can ever beat that!

Snow Day

 The weather outside is frightful

But inside is so delightful

 And since we've no place to go

Let it snow

Let it snow

Let it snow