::things i love thursday::

{{watching my children grow in their friendships}}

these girls are the daughters of my closest friend (the one in the middle is mine). i met their mother, krissy, in college and didn't give her a second thought. she was cute with the roundest cheeks and sweetest smile and freckles to boot. i was snobby and self-absorbed, finding my way. little did i know she would become my dearest friend.

or that her husband would become my husbands great friend. or that our girls would share secrets and play chase and dress up for hours on end. or that god would bless us with baby boys to pal around and balance it all out.

we are teaching our children to be good friends through our friendships.
we are teaching our children to push through the difficult moments and conflicts by keeping peace ourselves. they will become good friends to each other and others if they see us being a good friend to each other and others.
we are teaching them by living it out.

how are you teaching your children about friendship?

::things i love thursday::

:photo:

{Books I love}


1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp: Honestly this book has been life changing for me. I have learned that perspective is everything and that prayer is not about the asking but the thanking. So daily I count the gifts, every little one. I write them down. I say them out loud. I “fight feeling with feeling” as you cannot be both discontent and thankful.


Bossy Pants by Tina Fey: Because sometimes you just need to laugh.


Traveling Mercies by Ann Lamott: It is good for the soul to hear the stories of others. Their struggles and triumphs make me feel normal. Ann is unabashedly honest in this book about her lily pad journey to faith. Not everyone’s path to believing in Jesus is tied up in a pretty bow. Not everyone was raised in the Bible belt in Sunday school and worship three times a week. Stepping outside of what I have always known draws me closer to God every time.


{Blogs I love}


Emerging Mummy By Sarah Besse: This girl never disappoints. If she weren’t so darn far away I would totally invite her over for coffee so we could chat about life, love, politics and growing in our love for Jesus.


Joy in this Journey By Joy B: Just launched a new series “Taking Off The Mask” encouraging us all to just be real. It’s so hard to keep up with one another when we are all putting on a façade of daily happiness and success. Life cannot be all peaches and cream so lets just lay it all out and be encouraged.


The Run Amuck by Amber Haines: I met Amber in person earlier this year and she is lovely with a smile that makes you feel like an old friend just catching up. She’s a mama to four boys and is down to earth with her beautiful word pictures of daily living and motherhood.

:photo:

{Fun things I love}


Pinterest: Have you heard of it? oh for the love of everything crafty this is the best site ever! Well maybe not ever, but I am totally loving it for the now. It is a virtual pinboard where you can store all the lovely things you might craft, or gifts you might give, or clothes you might buy, or things you might teach your children.


Starbucks: Salted carmel mocha frappacino. If you haven’t had one, stop what you are doing right now and go to the nearest Starbucks and order one. Pull up a chair and rest your weary soul and be refreshed. Pretend I’m there and we are having the loveliest conversation about life and love and babies….or whatever you want to talk about {wink}.



What are you loving lately?

{things i love thursday}

{photo}

he says it with devious enthusiasm every time
"want some oreo's?"

i immediately want to say no....my waistline begs me to say no.
but my heart....well it says "yes!"

yes i want this moment with him.
snuggled into our bed.
milk in hand and a bag of oreo's between us.
sometimes no words are spoken.
just dip, hold, bite...repeat.
we are close.
we are on the same page.
we are savoring our moments together.

[savor:: to give oneself to the enjoyment of]

what are you savoring today?

{things i love thursday}

baby giggles.

i am going to be honest. i am not a fan of the snow or cold weather. i like to be covered and warm from head to toe, coffee in hand.

but my babies?
well, they love snow.
their excitement overflows at the possibilities.
so i buckle down....bundle them and myself and head out.
i am never disappointed.

bliss::[blis]:: supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment.

what could be better?

{things i love thursday}

{reading}

"when i read my child a story i am doing far more than entertaining him. i am expanding his world with language, words, thoughts and imagination"

{jean fleming- a mother's heart}

{photo credit}

you guys already know i am a voracious reader. i read something every single day. i love it. i have a stack of books on my bedside table waiting to be devoured.

i am {hopefully} passing on my love for reading to my children. we bought eisley and durgin several books for christmas and this one, at the moment, is her {favorite}.

{photo credit}

we have read this book every day at nap time and at bed time since christmas day. every. day. she loves it and i do too. it's one of those classics that i remember from childhood and i so enjoy sharing it with her.

this is an usborne book and my sweet friend {krissy} sells these as a stay at home mommmy to contribute to her family finances. so check out her store. you'll find lot's of goodies there!

grace and peace friends!

{things i love thursday}

joy: [noun]; the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying.

it echoed from wall to wall...laughter.
merriment.
amusement.
delight.
{joy}
as we shared a meal with friends(the traditional one for this house). we talked about movies and books and friendships and weddings and all the things under the sun. and this practice....it brings joy.

what is bringing you joy today?

{do we need more...}

"{sabbath} is time to stop, to refrain from being seduced by our desires. to stop working. stop making money. stop spending money. see what you have. look around. listen to your life. do you really need more than this?"

-wayne muller

{things i love thursday}

{photo credit}

baby giggles.
candles.
date nights.
that my husband still opens the car door for me.
love notes on my dashboard.
eisley telling me she loves me 100 times a day.
christmas lights.
our elf on the shelf- nat.
daily hugs from jacob.
the way my children go crazy when i get home from work.
how jacob makes dinner each night so i have more playtime with the kiddos.
coffee dates with friends.
sewing dates with alison.
blogs.
living simple.
books. books. and more books.
coffee.
baking with eisley.
wait. did i mention coffee?

{photo credit}

during this advent season i am taking time to focus on the amazing things in my life instead of the petty things that often creep in and change my focus inward.
i am choosing love.
i am choosing gratitude.
i am choosing to see the BEST in those around me.
i am choosing to make the most of every. single. moment.
I am choosing....

grace and peace friends

{things i love thursday}

**my sweet friends and secret santa**

{please excuse the poor quality pictures- inside, at night, with a point and shoot=blah}

this year, since amanda went and had these adorable little dolls...{yes twins!!}

{aren't they gorgeous??}

...and made things all uneven with the whole drawing names with the kiddos, we decided to do

{secret santa}
with just us girls.

fun! fun!

i thought i had everyone figured out.

but i didn't.

to my great surprise little miss ali little {yes, your favorite and mine from aPearantly sew} had my name all along. now i would have been happy for any of the girls to have my name because they all have super great taste and are great gift givers. but alison shares my love for all things handmade. and girls....she did NOT disappoint!

now several months ago i spotted this {don't buy me flowers rosette statement bracelet} by {allora handmade}. i made one simple comment about how much i loved it and my sweet friend remembered and {LOOK!}

yep! that's mine. isn't it lovely??

{happy thursday friends}

(things i love thursday}

this book....

wayne muller - {sabbath-finding rest, renewal and delight in our busy lives}

seriously guys...it's been life changing for me.
you see... i am a do-er. i do things.
lot's of things.
ALL the time.
my husband is constantly telling me to {sit down and rest}.
rest?
that's when i give him, my "you're crazy" look.
how can i rest when there are mountains of laundry and dirty dishes and floors?
rest.
that's a strange concept to me.
i want to rest. it sounds lovely.
but the duties of life beckon me day and night.

but this week i read the chapter A Life Well Lived.
and that's what i want to be said about my life when it is done.
i want A Life Well Lived.

wayne muller addresses the issue of time. and how over the years we have come put into place the standard that {time = money}.

"people who have a lot of money and no time, we call 'rich.' and people who have a great deal of time but no money we call 'poor.'

"when we are not using our time to get money, we are using it to spend money."

{BUT}

"what if we were to expand our definition of wealth to include those things that grow only in time- time to walk in the park, time to take a nap, time to play with children, to read a good book, to dance, to out our hands in the garden, to cook playful meals with friends, to paint, to sing, to meditate, to keep a journal. what if we were to live, for even a few hours, without spending money, cultivating time instead as our most precious resource?"

{what if we took time?}

"in time, we can taste the sweetness of peace, serenity, well-being, and delight. the trusth be told; with all the money in the world, and no time, we have nothing at all."

{so i encourage you dear friends, take time......just take it.}

{things i love thursday}

**the fact that everything is inspirational**

i read this quote not long ago...and it keeps coming back to mind.

"today be aware of how you are spending your 1,440 beautiful moments and spend them wisely" 

 -anonymous

inspiration is everywhere.

i get to use my 1,440 beautiful moments to enjoy this amazing life.

to be inspired.

to inspire.

so a few things that inspire me.....

1. words.

spoken or written. words are powerful. someone shared the ABC's of encouragement with me on facebook yesterday. powerful people. powerful.

2. baby giggles.

there is no sweeter sound than the laughter of my children. happiness abounds for these little darlings. they are living a full life. a life of enjoyment and play. it inspires me to work less and play more.

3. other bloggers and crafters.

Ann Voskamp

Jacob Beaver

Krissy Tilly

Allora Handmade

Alison Little

The Pleated Poppy

Kim Davis

there are many more but these are a few that i gravitate to daily.

4. books.

photo credit

i have a stack of them on my table. Sabbath, Handmade Marketplace, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander to name a few but there are many more just waiting in line.

"enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation and a pinch of creativity"

- bo bennett

what are you loving that inspires you today?

{things i love thursday}

***

late nights spent creating handmade goodies

last night my sweet friend Alison came over for a sewing date. i fell asleep on the couch before she arrived and she told me she fell asleep with one of her little ones before she came over. but we have a little "Handmade Holiday Boutique" planned for this weekend so we had to stock up.

and stock up we did!

with the stocking up came hours of conversation and several cups of coffee.

it was great to catch up. i don't get to see her on a daily basis and miss those conversations about the ins and outs of life.

words are so powerful.

"gracious speech is like honey - good taste to the soul, quick energy to the body"

proverbs 16:24

have you shared precious words with a friend lately?

make the call.

you'll be glad you did.

blessings and peace friends

{things i love thursday}

***

{repentance brought about by forgiveness}

***

photo credit

last night the bedtime process had a bumpy start.

snuggles and a quick show before bed.

check.

"eisley please turn off the tv and go to the bathroom"

obedience?

check.

then it begins.

"mommy i don't have to pee-pee!"

i can feel it escalating. and my mind races for distractions. things to redirect to. no luck.

defiance arrives and stays for a little while.

we finally get in her bed for snuggle time. i hold her close and tell her how much i love her. how glad i am that she is mine all mine. the she replies....

i love you mommy.

you're pretty.

you have pretty hair.

that's kind mommy?

i'm going to make better decisions mommy.

i'm always going to be your little girl.

all of these sweet words were mixed with my affirmations and lots of giggles.

she repented because i forgave her.

her heart softened.

her attitude changed.

she is learning from me.

if i forgive, she will forgive.

if i repent, she will repent.

if i love, she will love.

you get the idea.

i see god at work in her life and mine...and i love that!