10.25.2013

Sparkles | Episode 2

Hi Ya'll!

A few sparkels from the last few weeks.

Happy Friday!



Definition:  Sparkles are moments that make you stop and smile; moments that make you giggle; moments that brighten your day; moments that bring on a grateful heart. 


  • Watching my two boys make each other laugh hysterically
  • Spending a much needed family day - just the 3 of us
  • Busy stressful crazy week led to restless nights trying to find time to do it all led to a tired stressed out me led to me bowing my head in the middle of the day and closing my eyes to humbly ask God for help because I realized this is bigger than me and only He can make it all work led to a peaceful soul and deadlines getting pushed led to a beautiful week ending in church with me humbly praising Him for his everlasting love and grace
  • Hearing my Ethan shout with glee "Grenma!" when he saw her walking up the steps towards him
  • Fall weather equals great hair weather
  • Ending the day with family story time - reading singing bedtime stories included

10.20.2013

Happy Birthday to Me!

This week I celebrated my birthday and Ya'll it was a fabulous day!  

Awesome purple "block-out-the-work-world" headphones from my hubby. Flowers from a sweet 8 year-old girl that I hope to be like one day. Mini nothing bundt cakes from my BFF. Hugs and kisses from Travis and Ethan to start off my day. Cards, phone calls, texts, and fabulous Facebook posts that kept me laughing and feeling the birthday love all day. Add to that a pre-birthday dinner with the hubby and son. Then add to that birthday dinner with my son picnic-style followed by some Lego building and you got yourself a VERY happy birthday girl!!

I was so birthday happy that it seriously took everything in me not to end all of my work emails with "It's My Birthday!". 

I have to admit, I did respond "Good Morning, it's my birthday" to a few peeps that morning. 

I just couldn't help myself!

All day I kept thinking how funny it is that my life is completely different than what I imagined it to be at 35. I always thought of a 35 year-old as someone who had it completely together. I mean it's the official mathematical mid-thirties after all. A girl at 35 doesn't second guess a thing because she has it all figured out. 

But we all know or soon will - 

That the fun part is getting to figure it all out. That the fun is in changing up ourselves as much or as little as we want while we move through the years. We get to ... umm - well figure it out.

Personally, I'm very happy with 35...

  • I'm a wife to a fabulous husband who loves me through all of my days
  • I'm a mommy to a great kid who has a great sense of humor and always makes me laugh. I don't  just love him - I like him.  The boy is funny! One night he played a video over and over and laughed at how I was saying "wait".  It was greatness!!  One funny look and you'll find yourself in a laughing conversation with him when you least expect it. 
  • I'm a daughter and sister to a family who loves each other through it all and just for who we are
  • I'm a friend to the best group of people in the world who teach me so much and find the fun in it all
  • I'm a fellow Sister in Christ with a great church family that teaches and loves 

All of these roles are a privilege and a gift. And God has really shown me over the past year how to appreciate and love every single one of them.

So while 35 isn't what it appeared to be back when I was 20. It is exactly where I want to be and who I want to be right this second.  

Yay 35!  Let's make it a great one!


10.07.2013

Sparkles | Episode 1

This is a little bit I like to call Sparkles

Definition:  Sparkles are moments that make you stop and smile; moments that make you giggle; moments that brighten your day; moments that bring on a grateful heart. 


So here we go in no particular order:
  • Ethan folding his hands to pray.  The cutest part is him putting his hands over his eyes while he prays. His version of "close your eyes to pray".
  • Ethan singing the theme song to Calliou I didn't even know he knew. I love these surprises! It was the cutest thing ever!  He sings it with hand gestures and all.
  • Napping on freshly clean sheets.  It was a nice bit of sparkle in the middle of our crazy fever week.  (this one is a bit old but it brought me so much joy I just had to share)

  • My desk chair has adjustable arm rests...yay! It gets a bit tricky to get my desk and chair height just right. Blessed with the gift of height I was not - so figuring this out really makes my work life happy.
  • Tortilla wraps! Chic-fil A has a super yummy wrap. It's even good without dressing.

  • Getting Ethan to wind down for nap time can be challenging sometimes.  Especially if we go a bit past his schedule. So this weekend he's in our closet organizing the shoes that are twice his size. They obviously needed help.  Maybe the mountains of boxes we call home these days is getting to him too. But I digress....So I say "Ethan, it's time for your nap Bubbie".  Without looking up at me he says "hold on". His tone was very matter of fact.  As if saying - hold on mom let me finish this and then I'll be ready.  I try to keep from laughing. Travis calmly looks over at me and says "that is all you".    Mmmmmm...True story.

10.01.2013

30 days

It's true when they say it takes 30 days to create a habit.

At G-Hall the three of us shared a regular size closet. So I was very creative in how I stored our limited wardrobe. I used baskets and bags and a hanging space saver shelf that Gena had. There were also plastic bins that previously housed my scrapbook gear re-purposed to hold our everyday lotions and such. Note that this organization plan did not include a dresser.

Well four days in our new home and where are my clothes living?


on the floor. 

by my bed.  

in a suitcase.  

really?

Not in the plenty of space closet. Not in the dresser that is mere feet away. Nope. On the floor, by the bed with most of its contents spilling out even. Are you ready for the best part?  


I thought it completely normal that I had to kneel on the floor to dig through my suitcase for my yoga pants and shirt of the day. It didn't dawn on me that hello! I now have space.

Oh Moving Brain, it seems we meet again... Sigh