Bits of Splendor- it's me...

Lance bought a duck hunting boat.  She's a real beauty.  Well, she will be by the time he gest done with her, but for now, she's a mess. 

He's been working on the boat a little in the afternoon but this weekend he really buckled down and got to work. 

We headed to the in-laws on Saturday to work on the boat, because the apartment doesn't really lend itself well to boat working.  Plus, we don't have the tools necessary to do everything.

I wasn't sure what Easton and I were going to do but I was certain we'd find something.  

I had 3 frames I needed to finish distressing and waxing as well as painting a little side table that my grandfather made for my greatgrandmother about 10 years ago. He's since passed away, and she's moved to a different home, so she gave it to me. Natural wood doesn't really 'go' in our house, so this little love needed some distressing.

Have you ever used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint?  It's amazing.  No sanding.  No priming.  Dries fast. 

EXCELLENT PRODUCT!   

Honey's is just the place for that job.

Take a peek into her garage. I promise you, this place is heaven. We could paint until Jesus came and we'd still not be finished. All these treasures will be at the Barn Sale so make sure you come out.


Honey, don't shoot me for posting these pix! Its treasures folks, I swear. Don't you dare call it junk!

I think I get my love of thrifting from Honey {my mother-in-law}.  Before Easton came, we'd go thrifting the first Saturday of each month.  We'd be gone from early morning, till late afternoon.  We weren't in to furniture yet, so it's evolved over the years but that's where it all started for me.  We see things for the beauty that they could become.  Not from what they are in their current state. 

Can I get an amen right there? 

Jesus does that too you know.  Thank goodness he doens't take a look at us how we are now.  Dirty, sweaty, tired, and just throw us out.  He works on us.  Constantly.  He picks us up, wipes us off, take a close look to see what we need, and He gets to work.  Praise the Lord.    

Anyways.  We stayed there all day long.  Painted.  Lunch.  Nap.  More cleaning, painting, organizing.  Easton played with everything possible. Lance worked on the boat.  Seriously, something so simple, made me so happy.

I had such a feeling of accomplishment.  I was tired.  My feet hurt.  I was dirty.  I was still in my running clothes from a glorious morning run. But, that's me.  That's what I love.  I'm not made up. I'm not fancy.  I'm not name brand. 

When you find what you love, and do it, it's not work.  That's exactly how Saturday felt for me.

It was so refreshing to do something I love, be with my boys, spend time with my mother in law and be outside.   

How was your weekend?  Did you do anything crafty?  Did you do something you love?

Hope you all have a wonderful Monday! 

Simply Sunday

We woke up a little late, but still managed to make it to church, and only a few minutes late.  There are some mornings, you just know you are supposed to be at church & this was one of those mornings. 

Being Palm Sunday, we worshiped in song the whole service.  It was absoultely powerful and breathtaking.  I had no where else to wipe my eyes by the end of the service. 

I love a good sermon, but there is something so peaceful and cleansing about praising the Lord in song and music.  So powerful.  A service to be remembered in my book. 

I felt the Lord really tugging on my heart.  I feel as a mom, I love so strong.  I love so hard.  I can bring myself to tears when I think of him sometimes. He's just that wonderful to me.  I know I'm not the only mom out there that feels this way.  But he's my first.  And the one who made me a mom.  And he's just special.  So special.    

But, in my loving, I'm also worrying. I'm wondering 'what if?' this and 'what if?' that.  I think 'what would I ever do if...?'  Fill in the blanks.  I'm sure I've thought whatever it is you've filled in.

But I really felt strongly the Lord saying 'Annie, he's Mine.  He is a gift I've give you.  Trust Me with him.  Give him to Me.'  And it clicked.

For so long now, I've felt like 'Lord, I can't give him all the way to You, because what if in doing so You take him back from me?'  But yesterday was different.  Yesterday it was clear. 'He's mine'.

So now, again, instead of focusing on the 'what if's' and the things that could never in a million years happen, I need to take these days I have with him and celebrate.  Choose Joy if you will.

I need to make sure that the little boy I'm raising see's Jesus in what I do.  I need to make sure that I'm teaching him to be happy and live each day to the fullest.  To know and see love in everything we do.  To respond in love.  To radiate love and light. 

It just clicked.  And I wept at the relief and the peace I felt during that sermon.  He's Jesus's.     

I'm so thankful that we made it to church.  Each Sunday is a test in patience as we try to get out the door, on time, but I'm so thankful that yesterday we made it.

On a lighter note, our afternoon was spent outside in the unseasonably warm April temperatures.  The boys napped and I worked on a dress.  I decided if I was going to work, I wanted to be in the sun.  So, I moved my sewing machine outside.  And I did just that.  It's funny how work isn't really work when it's where you want to be, doing what you want to be doing. 

 After nap, we washed our cars and played outside.  To say he's all boy would be an understatement for sure!  He washed and scrubbed and rinsed and washed again.  Cleanest little car I ever did see. 

 And of course, it wouldn't be any fun if we didn't find a puddle to jump in.  This provided a good 17 minutes of entertainment.  He'd run a figure 8 in the front yard through the puddle, across the driveway, around the water table, through the driveway and back through the puddle. 

We rounded out our Sunday with a trip to Target and Joann. I had to pick up some fabric samples because I've sold 17 {17!!!} dresses!  Let the sewing begin! 

This one's mine and this was taken BEFORE hemming...but they've been quite popular!

So, maybe I've found my niche. 

Happy Monday!

How do you it all???

Sometimes I get this strong urge to be a stay at home mom. That I need to be at home.  That I WANT to be at home with Easton; that this rat race of to and from school and work is such a waste.  No.  Not a waste, because yes I'm making money to help provide for our family and help save money for our new house, but a waste, because I'm not with him.  And he's growing up way too fast. 

He's almost 2 folks.  23 months old yesterday.  Where did the time go?  Perhaps even if I stayed at home I'd feel the same way, like where did the time go? But I'd know that I'd have been right there beside him every step of the way.  But, right now.  I'm not. 

He's at school most of the day.   I get 5-6 hours a day with him during the week.  An hour in the morning, 30 minutes to and from school and about 3-4 hours at night, depending on the night.   Most of our morning is spent rushing to get ready to go to school, and our afternoon rushing home to make dinner, clean up, do laundry, get baths, etc.  The weekends are our real times together. And I cherish our weekends. 

However, there is a silver lining. He goes to a fabulous school.  He learns so much.  He is leaps and bounds above other kids his age in some aspects.  He can fill in the blank on the Pledge of Allegiance, he can fill in the blanks from 1-10, he knows most of his ABC's, he can say just about everything we can, he is social, he is outgoing, he can share.  If I was at home, I don't know that he'd know all of this.  I would like to think that I'd be organized and routine enough to have 'school' for a few minutes throughout the day where we work our letters and numbers and colors.  But I've never had that chance, so I can't say for sure.  Either way, I'm so thankful for his school and the opportunity he has to be there while we're apart.   

But this time apart comes with a price.  And a lack of patience some days on my part.  I know I'm not the only mother that works outside of the home, but I'm really struggling to find a balance.  Where I can fulfil my duties as a wife and mother and work outside the home.  Right now I have the feeling, that I do a lot, but do nothing WELL. 

Take this morning for example.  Before we even got out the door I was a flustered mess.  He hit is head in the bathroom, he was crying, it was time to change clothes, he didn't want to change clothes, he didn't want to wear his jacket, he wanted to take the loudest.toy.possible. in the car with us, he wanted to walk down the steps himself, he didn't want to get in his carseat, the list could go on.  All of this before 7:20.  And let me tell you, he's a GOOD BOY.  Really.  He doesn't give me a lick of trouble most days, other than not listening the first time asked.  But normally, with enough patience from me, and a few attempts, he makes a good choice and does what is asked.  And we go on our merry way. 

But this morning, I was on edge.  I was running late.  I was tired.  SO, I was low on patience.  And he's the one that paid for it.  And that's not fair.  It's days like this where I just want to say screw it, we're staying home.  I want to put my yoga pants on and take it in slow motion.  Just the two of us.  You know, open the blinds, let the sunshine in, make up the beds, read books, take a walk, eat lunch, take a nap, play outside, play blocks, throw in a few chores here and there. 

But, I can't.  We have to rush.  We have to beat the traffic.  I have to drop him off.  I have to go to work. 

I know there are plenty of SAHM's who feel the same way.  Overwhelmed, overbooked, under appreciated,  not enough hours in the day.  I really cannot imagine all that goes into staying at home and being everthing to the kids at all times.  I'm sure they'd like to come sit in my cubicle for a day some days too.  Whether you work at home as a SAHM (yes, a SAHM DOES work) or outside the home, it's a challenge to find your groove.   

I also know that there would be days if I was a SAHM that I would long to sit in my cubicle and have 8 hours to myself. Where I could go to the bathroom on my own, eat lunch in quiet. And to be quite honest, I do like my little cubicle. My little home away from home. I love my co-workers and my job. It's fulfilling to add an extra deposit to the spreadsheet, ya know. But, some days, it's just a bit much. I just want to do one or the other. It's hard being both. Every day.

So, cherish that time at home with your little ones.  Because today, today I'd like to be at home with mine. 

How do you find balance? In your situation, how do you do it all???