Weekend fun

We are having a pretty laid-back weekend and I'm so thankful for that! Mostly we are trying to stay cool! 

We went to a birthday party for our friend Peyton this morning. He had a Veggie Tales birthday at the park. How cute are these cookies??? 

 I was a little worried because it is SO hot but it was actually one of the most laid back and fun parties we have been to. They had a pavilion and it was semi cool in it and it was next to a really nice playground we have never played at and my girls (especially Harper) LOVED it. I have to go back soon. They got to eat pizza and cupcakes and it was just fun.  Hollis was such a big girl.  She sat up on the picnic table and ate her lunch. I couldn't get over how big she seemed doing that.

 Sweet birthday boy and his pretty momma

 They had this cute little place to pose for pictures!

 Harper is getting so good at letting us take her picture. She keeps asking me to take her picture all the time now. It cracks me up. 

 What?

 Just a glimpse of our life in 13 more years. Sigh.

 Late this afternoon we headed to the splash park.  The girls had so much fun.

 I think Hollis has more fun that anyone

 They have a new snow cone stand at the splash park and they are VERY good. Sisters shared one!

My favorite picture of the day and maybe ever. Harper was supposedly "napping" in her room and we heard her singing really loud. We stood outside her door listening and we opened the door and this was what we found. She was sitting in her chair in this outfit (her "shirt" is a ballet skirt) just singing away. Isn't she too much? I've been tickled at her lately because I think she has been watching too many musicals because now she thinks she is living a musical. Sometimes she will just break out in song ...."whatcha doing mommy? I want to eat lunch now. Can I have some more juice"....imagine all that in sing-song fashion.  There is never a dull moment with that girl in my life.
P.S. How great is it that she is wearing that outfit and holding a razorback football?

Show Us Your Life - Kids' Rooms and Nurseries

Today is all about kid's rooms and nurseries. This is probably the most popular spot on the home tour because we are always looking for fun ways to do our kids' rooms!

This is Harper's room when I first did her nursery. These pictures were taken before she was even born!

Her room was pink and brown with a touch of green and zebra print. I loved it. It has evolved some. The crib is gone and she sleeps on the day bed. We have new pink bedding and a pink rug. I was going to update her pictures but both girls are napping so I'm going with old pictures. 

My friend Jamie painted our verse for Harper to go above her bed - Ephesians 3:20. 

Just FYI - know any Harper's about to be born who would like this bedding? I'm selling it - contact me! 

This is Hollis' room before she was born. It's basically the same now but the day bed has moved back to Harper's room and is her big girl bed. That day bed has served us well! 

Hollis' room was in light brown and blue and I love it! It's so calm and sweet! 

This is looking into her nursery.  Baskets of toys now line the wall where the day bed was. 

This has been added - this is the dress both girls came home from the hospital in. I love this shadow box.

I'm interested to see your rooms!

Thursday

Well - thank you for all the encouraging words yesterday - not just to me but to each other. Doesn't it feel good to discover you aren't alone?

 We have one day left in VBS and I have had so much fun. I have LOVED working in crafts this year. Y'all will think I'm CRAZY (and I clearly am) but we have to wear the same shirt every day which I love not having to pick out clothes but I've tried to make it look a little different every day. ha! and I took a picture - I have no idea why. Now I just need to figure out what to wear with my t-shirt tomorrow. ;-) And wash it one more time. :-)

 My babies before Bible School this morning.

 I have loved getting to work with my friend Erin this week. She is one of my favorite people and I just love getting to be around her. Our girls are exactly the same age so we spent a lot of time spying on them out on the playground. The window from our room looked out so when they played outside we could see what they were doing.

 Harper wanted me to "take her picture" after I picked her up today. ha!

 Somebody was SUPER tired when I picked them up today. Bless her heart. It might have something to do with the fact that she was up every 3 hours last night.  We both need naps! ;-)

 

I wrote a fun little blog post today on the KNWA Blog about Dressing Patriotic - do you know what you will wear on the 4th?

http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=343092

Speaking of KNWA - I have to show you my little "commercial" I did for them. I'm waiting for my Emmy or Oscar to come rolling in. :-) Feel free to laugh! (You will have to click the link).

My ImPerfect Life

If you follow me on twitter than you probably saw me talking about what I'm about to talk about today. (And on a sidenote - if you follow me on twitter - I'm kind of an obnoxious tweeter but I honestly feel like it's my lifeline some days. I'm not a big fan of facebook (I'm also pretty private with FB so if you try to add me - don't feel bad but I only add people I know in real life) but twitter makes me feel like I'm having adult conversation throughout the day and I can just quickly check my phone and it keeps me sane.)

Okay - anyway....................I don't know if it's the heat. I don't know if I'm suffering from postpartum depression 15 months late or if this is just normal - but lately I just feel like such a mom failure.

I want to push pause right here and say I hope more than anything this post doesn't come off as complaining because that is NOT what this is. I KNOW I am Blessed beyond measure. I know that I am very very lucky to have two beautiful girls and stay home with them. But I also feel like I don't want to be what I'm about to talk about. I don't want to be that girl who tries to pretend I'm perfect and my life is the cover of a magazine. I want to be honest and real. I'm not encouraged by moms who act like their children are angels and geniuses 24/7 and that their homes are like out of an episode of "Leave it to Beaver".  I'm encouraged by moms who let me know I'm not crazy or alone.

Okay.........now that Hollis is mobile and Harper no longer naps - I feel like I spend all day refereeing and keeping our house from looking like a war zone. It's impossible for me to get anything done during the day. The only time I can do anything is at breakfast or lunch when I have them eating and I can move like the wind and get the kitchen cleaned or dishes put away or a load of laundry started. And somehow shove some food in my mouth.  The only way I can get a shower or dressed is to set my alarm for 5:45 and try to beat them up.  Once they are up - I'm toast.  And then at night once they are in bed - I have a list a mile long that I need to do before I go to bed but most nights I'm just so tired. I just want to lay on the couch and watch mindless TV.

So because I rarely get anything done - I just feel like my house is out of control. I feel like my life is out of control.  And this isn't because I'm at VBS this week. Actually when we are out of the house doing things - I feel more together. It's when we stay home all day that I really feel overwhelmed.

I just feel like other moms have 2 or even 6 children and they manage to workout every day and sew clothes and curtains for their home and cook gourmet meals (even hot lunches and I'm proud of a PB&J and some fruit) and homeschool their children and write books and blog and have a job and throw amazing parties and make awesome crafts and do community service and grow organic gardens and that they are kind and patient with their children at all times and always speak with a soft voice.

While I feel like I'm barely afloat most days. Today I went to pull out laundry and turned my back for less than 2 minutes and Hollis managed to climb our couch and then fall off the couch and get a big goose egg. Great.

And I'm not blaming social media or blogs although that is apart of it. I think it's just more in my head. I picture all my friends at home and I imagine them being perfect moms and I always think they would just be appalled if they knew I gave my kids bagel bites for dinner or that my closet is a total disaster or that our laundry is piled up all over the house. I think so much of it is being Type A but no matter how I try - I can't be this laidback "no worries" girl.

THE LAST THING I WANT is for anyone to leave me a comment on this post saying "oh you are a great mom". Or "oh you have it all together". I don't. I'm a HOT MESS. I love my children with ALL my heart.  I know it's just a season. I know that in a few years they won't be both hanging on my leg yelling "momma" 4000 times in a row and screaming and crying every other second. I know that life will get easier. I know I will miss these baby years. I guess if just one mom is out there feeling like I am today..................I want you to know that at least one other mom is not perfect and understands.

But based on the response I got on twitter...............I may not be as crazy as I was worried I am. :-)

Up Up and Away We Go

 We are having a great VBS week. It is a busy and hot week but we are having so much fun! Harper keeps saying how much she loves "Bible School".  This was the girls yesterday before we went.

 Our theme is sky and the church is decorated so cute! This is where they have snacks!

 One hallway

 The girls this morning before we left - including sunglasses and toothpaste

 We have a little over 900 in Bible School this week. Whew! What a blessing - I love that our church puts so much effort into this - so many kids come to know Jesus this week.  I'm working in preschool (4's and 5's) and we have almost 200 just in there!

 I took Harper with me this morning to "big church" so she could watch the music. I think she really liked it. We sat up in the balcony so she could really see.

 Harper and her friend Kade.

 After VBS we met up with two of my friends Rebekah and Sydney for lunch and to play.  Harper, Stella and Cilla are all 3 and so funny.  They sat at their own "girls" table and ate! I can't believe they are big enough to do that! I didn't take a picture of the moms or the little sisters because things get CRAZY at CFA at lunchtime.

What sweet girls!

Hope you are having a good week! We came home and took baths (we were sweaty and dirty after our morning) and now I  THINK they are both fast asleep! :-) I'm going to go rest myself!

Sunday Sermonette

This weekend was one where we pretty much did nothing. Which is A-Okay with me.  It's too hot to do anything anyway. I can't even remember Friday night. It was just a routine night at home. Saturday Scott had to work most of the day and the girls and I never got out of our pajamas - I wore a pony tail all day. It was that kind of day.
This is the only picture we took all weekend. Me and the girls before church. You can tell Harper was THRILLED to take a picture with mom. And yes - I seem to wear this necklace every Sunday. But I like it.

I got my room set up for VBS this afternoon and we are SO excited to start this week. Harper keeps talking about "Bible School" and tonight she told me "God was in her heart".  Tomorrow will be the first time she has ever been in "big church" and she will get to see all the fun music and my heart is just so EXCITED right now thinking about her growing and learning about Jesus who loves her so.

My heart is so full and my eyes are welled up just thinking about the Jesus who loves all of us so much. Our pastor was talking today about some great men in the Bible who God used in big ways who had HORRIBLE pasts. Paul who was a murderer and David who was an adulterer and a murderer and the list goes on.  He said "Don't ever let your past stop you from your future ministry".  That is so true. I think so many people think because of something they did in their past - that they aren't good enough for God to love them or to use them. That is simply not true.  God can use you BECAUSE of your past. I love the saying "God never calls the equipped. He equips those He calls".  No matter where you are in your life or what talents you have or think you don't have - God can use you for mighty things if you are just willing.

Winner of Shoot Your Kids Giveaway

 

Remember that one time I held a giveaway for this and forgot to pull a winner?

Oops.

The winner is Diana Gann and she is going to the Dallas Workshop!

If you didn't win - check out HERE to see about taking the workshop where you live!

Show Us Your Life - Show us Your Dining Rooms

This week is all about dining rooms. Probably the least used room in most houses but still nice to have when you need it. (Also easier to keep nice since you don't use it as much). 

This is my dining room looking in from the living room

And looking from the foyer

I got this floral arrangement at a local store (Signed, sealed, and Delivered) when we moved in and I still really like it
We got our dining room table from my in-laws as a wedding present. I really like it and how it's a little different. A few years ago I sought out to get two more chairs but never could find the pattern. My plan eventually is to get two parson chairs to go at the two heads with red or chocolate brown monogrammed slipcovers. Or I may possibly cover all 6 chairs with a new fabric. We very rarely use this table but 6 chairs would be goood for when we do.
I framed the grid of botanical plants a few years ago and recently changed them out with brighter flowers. I got the set off of ebay.

I love to throw dinner parties but I haven't in over a year or two. It just is stressful with young children (to me anyway) So It will probably be a good 3-4 years before I pick back up on throwing dinner parties. Dining rooms are one of those rooms that seem like wasted space but are nice to have them when you need them. I remember how much I loved eating Christmas/Thanksgiving dinners in the "formal" dining rooms at both of my grandparents houses growing up. It always seemed like such an event! I think that's where I learned to love to entertain, cook, (and eat!) My grandmothers and my mother were and are all wonderful hostesses and cooks.

So - let's see those dining rooms!!!!!

How Harper and the Incredible Hulk are alike

 So - this post is soooooo random.  We have been busy this week and next week will be BA-NANAS because it is Vacation Bible School week (next week).  I'm heading up preschool crafts so I've been trying to get ready and today we went up to church and worked on decorations. The theme is Sky so I'm working on kites, hot air balloons and airplanes.

 Harper and Hollis will have so much fun next week but we will be TIRED. After we worked for a while - we headed to speech therapy.  I have two different sitters that have kept Hollis while we go to speech and this week they were both on vacation. Together. ha! So I took Hollis and we drove around while Harper went alone. And her speech therapist said she did great! Maybe I should let her go alone more often. Her sweet therapist sent me this picture of her.

 Hollis has started wanting to use a spoon and feed herself. She refuses to let me feed her. She fed herself yogurt this morning and was SO proud. She is growing so fast.

This really sweet blog reader, Tami, emailed me today and told her me her husband is a newscaster in San Antonio and he got to interview Lou Ferrigno and she found out something interesting about him. He is partially deaf and has worn hearing aids since he was 5. She thought I would like to hear about him. I had NO idea!  I laughed because we called Harper the "incredible hulk" in the NICU because she was 10 lbs surrounded by a bunch of 2 lb preemies.  I googled Lou and read the following and it brought tears to my eyes - I know a lot of you have kids with hearing loss or with other things you worry might hold them back - this encouraged me so much:
Due to ear infections suffered soon after birth, Ferrigno lost 75 to 80% of his hearing and has been using hearing aids since the age of 5. Ferrigno says his hearing loss helped shape his sense of determination in his youth, saying, "I think that if I wasn't hard of hearing I wouldn't be where I am now. Early on, as a youngster it was difficult, but I’m not ashamed to talk about it because many people have misconceptions about hearing loss; like who has hearing loss and what it’s like not to hear, so I do talk about it. I think my hearing loss helped create a determination within me to be all that I can be, and gave me a certain strength of character too. Anytime I do a movie or a TV show, I make them aware of my hearing loss at the beginning, and that makes it much easier for all of us to communicate and get the job done."

Prayer Requests

This is what happens when I just want to get a picture of my girls. ha! 

These two blessings are why my heart is so thankful for what I have and why I yearn to pray for others. I have received so many prayer requests lately. I'm sorry that I'm not always quick to post them or to answer emails. Taking care of those two busy bodies above along with our home and church things and keeping up with two blogs - I just can't find any time to answer emails. I hope one day I can finally get caught up. 

I think what I'm going to do today is open it up - and if you have any requests we can pray for - please feel free to list them here.

Will you join me in praying? And if you can't click on every link (which I'm sure none of us can) - please just blanket them in prayers. God knows the needs.  Thank you!