WonderWednesdays: The Skinny

Wonder Wednesdays. Dedicated to the latest craft. I recently have been redo'ing my wardrobe - with items I already have. It's my way of feeling I have new clothes while honoring our new & inforced budget using my creativity - fabric I have on hand - old faithful (my sewing machine) and my existing wardrobe...possibly some of my husband's too. Shhhh. He doesn't need to know.

I also have a sweet dear friend at work - who cleans her closet out and gives me serious goodies.

Including these really great jeans.

Originally when I received them they were 5" too long. So I hemmed them. Not my first hemming experience however - unbeknowst to me I took 5"off without leaving some room for slack or hem...so I ended up with a too short for comfort bootcut pair of jeans....This was a tragedy. These were really quality jeans and by quality - I mean expensive. It gave me the same feeling as the time I lost my wedding shoes in my move from the dorms to my apartment. Tragedy.

Then there was Pinterest... A few days after the seeming tradegy I discovered a pin (randomly) about making skinny jeans from bootcut.


So I executed my pin from pinterest.

My only opposition with the instructions from my Pinterest Pin was that I recommend only stitching the inside of the jeans instead of the outside - as the jean stitching and wash doest revert to one side after the knee but stay more vertical from the pockets to the bottom hem.

So that's the skinny.

Other than crafting - I did make home-made chili today. I made it in hopes that it was colder outside. Even in the heat I'm drooling for hot soup. I need it to be a consistent 70 degrees with a slight breeze from the east.

Then there was this guy...

Oh gosh. . .Makes me melt.

TantumTuesdays: A Beautiful Mess

Grand Tuesdays. I'm typically at the salon doing all kinds of incredible hair on my lovely clients. In my very brief down time I usually catch up on my reading or read some blogs from my bloglovin' list.

My favorite: www.abeautifulmess.com
Love!

The two bloggers are actually locals - who own Red Velvet - a boutique on commercial street, near Big Momma's.

They (without knowing it themselves) are my blog mentors. Though my blog is focused on more personal/spiritual developement and their's more fashion and crafts - I love their layout and their vast subjects.

Today was a blog entry about Pumpkin Risotto. A couple days ago it was Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee - or yesterday's Homemade Stamps.

Entries are seasonal and/or relevant - with topics such as food, photography, decor, fashion and crafts.

So that's my tantrum for TantumTuesdays. My suggested blog read. I hope you check it out and try to make a visit to their very retro boutique downtown.

This mama is gonna head to bed. The little and his daddy are at a baseball game. So I'm not sure how I will be able to fall asleep without them hogging the bed. I'm sure I'll figure it out.

I'll just dreaming about these cute faces...

I'm a lucky girl.

MamaMondays: Grandmama Rama & Baby Gravy

This weekend was spent at the lake, with grand parents, working and visiting the local antiques.

the "little"

the "finds"

Pax got in some Aunt Alexis and Grandmama/papa time and I trained at my parent's gas station and I shopped...mostly shopped.

The lake of the ozarks has some of the best vintage finds. Much of the demographic is retired and high income - people coming from all over the world settling in or coming for long stays during the summer and holidays - all replacing their aged pieces with new things...leaving those who want them...to readily find them.

Paxton loved shopping with his mama today. He loved the long drive home (yeah - that's a lie). And he's loving on me as I'm blogging - loving me so much he's fighting sleep to just be with me...or just out of his crib. I don't mind him using me. 

(currently)

Who knows...later we may actually go to bed. But for now I think Pax is scheming a late night breakfast out of me...bisquits and gravy...Oh...baby gravy. 

BlendedBlog - TheoThursday & FamilyFriday - Stuff Happens.

Thursday. What a day. After 10 hours of work I come home to my husband cooking dinner and my son holding his pee-pee and screaming. So we were off to Urgent Care for the third time this week. We weren't able to be seen till 10:15. We arrived home at 11:30 - all of us tuckered out.

Needless to say, blogging for Thursday was out of the question.

However, after all I've experienced and learned today - I believe this blended blog will find you quite challenged (in a good way).

I started reading Greater by Steven Furtick last night as I waited at the hospital, then tackling some light reading of it today. I have to say - as most books I feel very drawn to and purchase - this is timely.

The basis of the book is rooted in the scripture John 14:12 - "Very truly I tell you, whoever belives in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."

Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit. That we may do greater things. Not be greater than Jesus but Jesus through us doing greater things. 

He said something that very well of been an arrow in my heart. His statement - "The thing is, most believers aren't in imminent danger of ruining their lives. They're are facing danger that's far greater: wasting them."

Greater. 

He shares the difference between: Good Enough, Greatness and Greater. 

Good Enough - the baseline for living marked by mediocrity, spiritul survival mode, and contolled by complacency.

Greatness - vague, unrealistic aspirations of doing better that don't work in real life and lead to endless frustration.

Greater - The life-altering understanding that God is READY to ACCOMPLISH a greatness in your life that is ENTIRELY out of human reach. 

Greater. 

Greater - allows me to achieve great things even though I'm a working mom with never-ending laundry and two consistently very hungry boys. Greater encourages me to seek even though I have several 000s following a number sign and number in hospital debt - accrued this week alone. 

Greater. 

What a thought. What a word. 

Today - Ben and I also caught one of his podcasts. It's something we can do together spiritually because Ben in unable to attend Sunday church, due to work. 

His series "I know You are, but what am I?" 

In his podcast, Pastor Furtick explains that e all have different views on who He is based on our individual experiences with Him, how He's proven Himself to us...or what we allow Him to do in our lives. 

He talked about how he has two sons and when asked the same question about who their daddy is, they both give different answers. And like his sons we all have individual assumptions (not all wrong) of who God is based on what we see or have allowed ourselves to see. Therefore acting by those assumptions and the half truths - rather than acting on the whole truths of WHO HE IS. 

The Truth (the bible) says is He is OMNI. He is the I AM. He was the ROCK for Israel AND the WATER. He was and IS..our solid rock and the flows like water. He is the only God. All others are man made - given to moods and temperment - condemning and offering no sacrifice only demanding it. We could talk all day - all year - about what the Word says He is and still not cover all the infinite details. 

God is good. 

This is the God our family serves. Though we question when we will go to Africa or when we will see relief and solid health for our son - we KNOW God is MIGHTY, He takes time to SEE us and He ALWAYS MAKES A WAY. We know HE IS A NEAR GOD. 

It's important as believers we understand how He sees us, so that we don't waste our lives. Knowing what God says about us is very important. It sustains us and breathes refreshing life into us DAILY. "Understanding your IDENTITY in HIM allows your ACTIVITY to CONSISTENLY take the shape of what the bible teaches. When you see as God sees, you will do as God does." - Steven Furtick

This is what my son will grow up understanding. This is what I'm everyday seeking. For I am only promised today. Jesus made it very important that we ask for our daily bread and leave no room for worry. If we truly see as God sees - we will be encouraged and refreshed to confidently walk to greater, and greater, and greater. 

How refreshing. How empowering. 

In the mean time my son is fast asleep and will soon be joining me in bed until daddy gets home late from work. 

I found him in his room just now - like this...

Be ever so blessed. Breathe, for tomorrow is a new day. Appreciate the fullness of what is around you and remember who lives inside you.

Be empowered by the TRUTH of WHO OUR NEAR GOD IS.

WonderWednesdays: EmBRACING Fall...

Despite the 98 degree heat...even though it's SEPTEMBER..

I'm embracing fall.

Reminiscing..

I decided to go back in our pictures and Paxton's journal. To find that this time last year Pax was almost 7 months. And first starting to crawl. So I looked through the dates of all my pictures on my computer and discovered these. Taken Sept. 5th & 6th.

Getting his daily skin on skin time with Momma. 

And crawling. Oh gosh. Look at that chunky baby little. 

Hard to believe.

Now in creative news. What Wonder Wednesday is dedicated to.

My first craft was the attempt to make paper Christmas trees (not quite successful). I at least accomplished the logistics - thanks to a friend and her mega math skills. Who knew? Crafts and math.

So I'm leaving the task for another day.

In the midst of trying to tackle a craft to share with you all and feel a bit creative - I also loved my sweet little back to health.

Ben, Pax and I had a swell & very brief visit to the Urgent Care last night. Pax is apparently allergic to his antibiotic - making his ENTIRE body blotchy and swollen. No big deal.

He was given steroids.

Which pretty much made him...

Entertaining.

Amazed, what a year does.

Anyway.

With all that, we enjoyed the outdoors. How,  so badly, I wished it was fall.

I've lit my fall scented candles - drank my really hot coffee (a whole pot - as if I was really chilly) and picked out some fall colors to make a BRACELET.

So after my very hilarious little went to bed...

I braided this.. While catching up on my Wonder Years.

Be chilly soon. Please weather?..? Please.

Let the heat relent. 

TantumTuesday: The "grilled cheese go to"...

Tantum Tuesdays - the day dedicated, to books/blogs I'm reading or food I'm making.

Oh look! I cooked :)

Grilled cheese. 

Because I'm awesome.

And practical.

Working 9-7 and then coming home only to take the babes to urgent care for an allergic reaction will make you practical.

What can you say I'm a realist. 

The "grilled cheese go to" = lunch meat, sliced cheese and whole wheat bread. (grain/carb/dairy/protein) BOOM! 

The best part is everyone in our family likes it.

The boy is now fed, benadryled and in his bed two hours later than planned...or needed. 

It is now daddy and mommy's bed time. 

God Bless the grilled cheese and modern medicine. 

MamaMondays: Melting My Heart.

This little family had lots of time together and made lots of memories with our relatives. Kids of all ages with young adults of all ages and..we'll the folks (who made every thing possible from the housing to the food, to most importantly...the coffee) - gathered together. Our kids were playing together with their balls (the folks got them), as the husbands were playing football and climbing trees to get balls they got stuck in trees (one was the football, the other three were the kids balls in attempts to get the football)..and then there was us new mamas taking it all in (and dodging balls).

The lake house.

Where just sitting on the screened in front porch drinking sweet tea and laughing at the littles as they played together was the typical. We talked about the kids turned young adults attending their first year of college to the ones starting their first years of their new careers after college - to the same ole' same ole'. We even talked all weekend about the next time we were getting together - as if we wanted the weekend to last forever. 

It was lovely. 

And it was the only place I wanted to be.

On Sunday the actual Ward Reunion came and went. As soon as we got there, it seemed we were leaving. It was really too hot for all the new littles, the lake was a better option. The only people we all really talked to or knew were the ones we came with (all my husband's aunt/uncles/cousins/siblings)...so we moved our party back to the water front. 

It was back to the lake house for some naps and some lake time happenings. 

Pax had many firsts this day. For one, he actually kept a lifejacket on and loved it. He strutted it with such sass. Second, he liked the water. He actually went in the lake, used his lifejacket as intended - lifted up his legs - and floated on his tummy while his head was out of the water. It was so cute. Third, he had his first night boat ride. His cousin Brenna, second cousin Logan and him danced to the boat music as Uncle Ronnie drove really really slow under the moon light. 

It was memorable. 

The weekend allowed for time to catch up and refresh - while still very much being mommies. My husband got to run along with his cousins; jet-skiing, swimming, playing football and driving the golf cart (probably very irresponsibly). Pax was naturally bonded to his  cousin Brenna. Wherever one went there was the other. They are gonna be very best friends, I just know it.

We also got to discover what Brenna's new sibling was gonna be.

Ladies and gentlemen...

It's a BOY!!!

A brand new and shiny nephew - due January 6th. 

The weekend was incredible. It was as every other, but with some new littles and new significant others. The family is growing and I'm honored to be a small part of it. 

Pax handed daddy shells to open..when he opened this one it had a little baby shell in it. So we kept that and a lake stone for his baby box.