Blueberry's Blog

less than one month

2012-01-15T23:03:00.000-05:00

until emerson turns 3 and we get all mushy gushy in lurve for valentine's day! whoa. how did that happen?

this precious soul is turning 3. ouch.

when asked what kind of party he wanted me to whip up, he made an easy decision - a dinosaur party. the kid loves his dinos. so we are planning up a 'rawring' good time. i made his invites on picnik and ordered them this weekend. aren't they cute?

he tells everyone the his birthday is in february and that it was a dinosaur party. good times to come for sure.

this weekend we finally took down the few lingering outdoor christmas decorations, which meant, i could break out the valentine decor. (which really means - i got to get my craft on!)

do you remember this banner? it was one of my favorite holiday crafting dates with emerson and my sister and nephew. i will be using this one for years.

a little burlap heart wreath from a thrifted stryofoam heart wreath.

adorned with paper hearts from vintage sheet music.

and a hugs & kisses banner from the same sheet music.

and while i was at it, i made a few a printables! cause this holiday is all about love, and i lurve you and a good printable, i want to give them to you. you can download them here & here.

(i would like to give a big thank you to amy for her fabulous map & flower fonts!)

joining heather for a happy monday friends!

2 kids & a big box

2012-01-08T22:40:00.000-05:00

this weekend brought us a long awaiting blessing. 3 years ago our dishwasher was halfway through a wash and just stopped. and never started again. and for the past 3 years and the addition of 2 babies, we have washed many many many dishes the old fashioned way. we survived and would be fine without one, but we were in the position to be able to purchase one, so we did. and friday, the big white truck pulled up in front of our house to deliver this modern convenience to our lives.

not only did it bring our new dishwasher, it also brought hours of joy and play for my children in the form of a giant box. emerson has always loved a good box and has spent many hours coloring and playing pretend in a box. this was gemma's first box experience, and the girl LOVED it. giggled and giggled.

so now i will flood you with way too many box pictures.

oh i love these babies.

also, the dishwasher is awesome. totally.

ps. a big thank you to my husband and brother in law for the fabulous installation job!

linking up with the lovely heather today.

40 in 40

2012-01-06T12:31:00.001-05:00

have you guys heard of '40 bags in 40 days'? i first saw the idea last year floating around the blogosphere and in good emily fashion, i took the year to decide that i was going to commit to this. i really don't know why it took so long, i mean it's made to be super simple and convenient for us busy mamas!

here's the basic idea.
make a list of 40 places in your home that need organized/cleaned out. everyday, for the next 40 days, pick one of those places and clean in out/organize it - placing the trash or donated items in a bags. ahem - 40 bags in 40 days.

at first i had trouble coming up with 40 places, so i took a stroll through my home, one room at a time, pulling open drawers and opening closets, and my list filled up fast! i am 3 days into our list and it couldn't be easier.

i definitely encourage you to participate. it's super fulfilling, especially if you are the type of person who loves lists and crossing things off of them.

this is the template i used. i found this one on pinterest. click on image or source and save one for yourself and get organizing! if you decide to participate, hop back over and tell me how it's going. i will be sure to give an update in a couple weeks on our 40 in 40 progress.

source

happy decluttering!!

embracing the calm

2012-01-04T21:31:00.000-05:00

pardon my absence. i just needed to break for a bit.
brandon was home for the week between christmas and new years and it was wonderful.
just focusing on being together.
getting some projects done.
starting some more.
staying up late.
sleeping in.
soaking up all the daddy time we could.
it was good and i'm so grateful that we had the opportunity.

so this is me. back in 2012. hello loves. good to be back.

embrace the family photos

2011-12-29T09:35:00.001-05:00

for christmas this year, my mom asked that the only present my siblings and i give her were up-to-date pictures of our families for her wall.

my sister ashley had the great idea to get a group picture done with all of us (5 siblings) and our families and also give them to our parents.

using my sister's camera and tripod, we all met at my mother-in-law's farm and got busy. we were really happy with how they turned out.

my handsome brother, everett

my sister ashley and her husband brett

my sister bethany and her fiance tony

my sister rebekah, her husband matt, and their sons, jack and luke

and you know this crew...us

we took A LOT of group pics. did you know it's not easy to get 14 people to look at the camera at the same time, let alone smile? it came down to one shot, and we couldn't believe how well it turned out. we got our parents each a big canvas for their wall. they loved it. there were tears. that's a good present.

fashion on a dime #8 - christmas & the first link up!!!

2011-12-27T21:21:00.000-05:00

well my friends, i am doing it. fashion on a dime is now a link party. YA! i'm hoping you all come join the fun. now onto the post...

today i bring you glasses, blazers, and a friggin' adorable baby girl. first here's my outfit inspiration....

(source)

and i must confess that in the craziness of christmas day, i did not do outfit pics, so these are very candid, very.

gemma is joining me today for her first fashion on a dime. she blows me out of the water, hands down.

gemma's outfit:

dress and hat - gift from grandma - kids consignment

shoes - new found at salvation army

yes, i said candid. i'm so sorry....

my outfit:

boots - a birthday present

jeans - levi's - bon-ton on clearance about 2 years ago

plaid shirt - thrifted at salvation army - wranglers

blazer - target on clearance about 3 years ago

glasses - www.coastalcontacts.com with free coupon code

want to join in the frugal fashion fun? here are the "rules"

- while any outfit post is welcome, i ask that at least one item in your outfit be frugal.

- frugal meaning: thrifted, a clearance purchase, borrowed or re-purposed from your closet.

- your post can be from any day of the week.
- show your other frugal fashionista's some love by leaving them a comment or two!

- i would be so honored if you would please mention fashion on a dime or use the button on the sidebar to your right in your post.

snapshots of our christmas 2011

2011-12-27T16:35:00.003-05:00

christmas was wonderful this year. i mean an extra special wonderful, i think it was because it was on a sunday. we went to church after the kids opened their presents and worshiping Jesus in his house on the day of his birth was deeply moving. the rest of the day was spent with family. the kids were tired and happy by the time we got home, mommy & daddy were as well.

we are spending this week home with daddy. his company always shuts down the last week of the year - awesome, i know.

how was your christmas?

a sponsor feature - meg from henning love

2011-12-26T20:29:00.002-05:00

hello friends!!
wow the day after christmas. can you believe it? our christmas was amazing and blessed and i will be flooding you with an abundance of pictures soon. i would like to end this special month with another feature. today i am happy to introduce you to meg. i happened to meet meg when she won a pair of earrings from me thru a giveaway. and i would like to give a big thank you to random.org for that meeting because she is quickly becoming a great friend. please meet the adorable, meg...

Hi everyone! I'm Meg and I write over at henning love. I love to post about recipes (pretty much always desserts, I have a major thing for baking), crafts, life as a wife and mom to two adorable yet very energetic dogs. I am in the process of growing and changing into the woman God wants me to be and trying to remember that He won't protect what He can perfect in me :-)

Here are a couple ways you can follow me:
My blog: henning love
Facebook: henning love
Pinterest:http://pinterest.com/meghenning/
Bloglovin: http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/2770466/henning-love

"what does the birth of Jesus mean to you personally meg?"

When I think about the birth of Jesus, what it means to me is the greatest gift I can ever receive and that my life would be nothing like it is right now without this amazing gift and if I could sum up what the birth of Jesus is in one word, it would be love. The birth of Jesus means it was the beginning of an extraordinary person who paid the price so I can spend eternity with God and that I have a place to call "home," because this earth is just temporary and like James 4:14 says I am a mist. I have made that decision that while I am a mist right now it is only temporary and I know my true citizenship is not American but it is heavenly and that the start of the world's greatest gift to mankind had very humble roots.

2011-12-24T22:57:00.001-05:00

oh humble King,

i worship and adore you.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

isaiah 9:6

fashion on a dime #7 - ar, ar, argyle

2011-12-21T13:07:00.001-05:00

4 days. 4 days. 4 days!! 4 days til christmas!!!!
last night we finished us the last little bit of christmas shopping. phew.
and i still didn't start wrapping, maybe tonight?
in the words of my son, 'errr...probably not.'

moving on.
i would like to introduce to my latest wardrobe addition.

these were a birthday present and i. am. in. love. it's like they crawled into my mind and found my boots wishlist and picked the ones at the very top.

so you gotta know that they were making it on this week's fashion on a dime.
today i was inspired by argyle. it screams winter.

although that vest would be a little chilly...
anyways. here is my argyle outfit with my fabulous boots.

the outfit:

boots - a present and i don't know where they are from.

boot socks - gift as well.

leggings - goodwill

shorts - salvation army a few years back

sweater - goodwill a few years back

sand tarts

2011-12-20T13:09:00.000-05:00

5 days. 5 days. 5 days!!! christmas is in 5 days.

we are pretty busy getting things ready.

it's a good busy though.

i feel that we did a really good job of keeping

the craziness to a minimum this year.

today i will hopefully start wrapping presents

and filling stockings.

but first i wanted to share with you my favorite

christmas cookie recipe.

emerson and i made these last night.

can you guess who was in charge of the sprinkles?

sand tarts:

(recipe is my mama's)

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 - 4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

cream butter & sugar. beat eggs with sugar & butter until fluffy. add vanilla, salt, baking powder, & flour. stir until a medium-soft dough forms. chill several hours in fridge.

roll thin on a floured surface & cut into shapes. brush with one beaten egg & add sprinkles. bake @ 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. cool on baking rack.

Ashley aka 5ohWifey - a sponsor feature

2011-12-19T08:54:00.003-05:00

6 days! 6 days! 6 days!! seriously 6 days until christmas. i can't wait. i'm not ready but that's how it goes every year. somehow we are ready come the 25th and this year will be no different. one of these years we will get our act together and have everyone done by december 1st. riiiiiiiiiiiight!

anyways....

if your name is angel and you blog over at simply.lovely.things., email me. you won yourself a $20 credit to gingerbread!

_________________________________________________________________________________

i want to introduce you to a fairly new blogging friend. new but special. we met through faithblogs and i am so happy we did. she makes me laugh and think - two great qualities in a blogger if you ask me. (which if you aren't familiar with faithblogs, please head over and check them out too! great place to meet other christian bloggers.)

today she is here to tell you a little about herself and her blog. so without further ado, please meet ashley!

Hey y'all! My name is Ashley and I blog over at 5ohWifey: life as a mommy and cop's wife. You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest if you are so inclined.

I am amazed every day by what God is doing in my life. I am a southern girl now living in California ~~against my will~~. I am the wife of 5ohHubby who is a police officer and wonderful man ~~and no that's not mutually exclusive~~. I am a stay at home mom to an amazing little girl I call 5ohBaby and she is my whole world. We have probably the cutest, ugly dog out there (5ohPup).

I have a BA from Florida State (Go Noles!) that started out as an English Degree, ended up a social science degree, and is now being used as a MRS degree (because I don't work now... see how I did that?) Basically I paid FSU lots and lots o' cash to meet the man of my dreams and be the back up plan in case 5ohHubby decides his days of runnin' and gunnin' are over and he'd rather be a stay at home dad (and all the police wives laughed).

I want my blog to be a place where we can laugh together, cry together, and just be real with one another. I think I'm funny, and sometimes other people do, too.

I try to blog about what I know. I love to blog about faith, life as a police wife, parenting, mommy style and fashion, DIY projects and recipes. I try to keep it as real as possible. I blog about everything from holding on tight to my little one to the time I accidentally fed her jalapenos. I write about both the joys and the stresses of being in a police marriage. I love to cook and even make my own baby food. Sometimes I get a little crafty and dabble in fashion posts.

"What does the birth of Jesus mean to you personally?"

The birth of Jesus is a little different for me than most "typical" Christians (as if there really are any!) I haven't blogged about it yet, but I've had a pretty rough past. I was at a point where I didn't really have anything left in me to give. I heard this really cheesy song about God taking what's left of me (ok... it was actually a Nick Lachey song but I didn't know it at the time) and I decided that if Jesus wanted my life, He could have it. Celebrating His birth reminds me of my rebirth and new (and totally awesome and unbelievably better) life with him. I have the strength to do things in Him that I never thought I would be able to do. Ever.

Come on over and check out my blog. I'd love to get to know you!

a little vlog on a thursday

2011-12-15T15:52:00.001-05:00

this is my first vlog. well, does it count as a vlog if only your voice is in the video? oh well.
few things about this "vlog".1. they will do this for a long time. which is my time to get ready. which is awesome.2. the bed is not made. sorry.3. you will see one of my undergarments. sorry.4. you will see a stack of pictures/art still waiting to be hung in our bedroom. sorry.5. you will see emerson debuting his new gross habit. gross. sorry.6. you will hear that my voice sounds like a 14 year old, i really will be 29 on saturday. 7. you will see that my kids are fun.
thanks for watching!

fashion on a dime #6 - stripes & skinnies & sisters are awesome

2011-12-14T08:07:00.000-05:00

today's outfit was brought to you via one of my favorite trends.

stripes and skinny jeans.

i took a few liberties with my version. i love the flats, but i hate cold feet. and it's cold here in pa. i paired my outfit with my black biker-esque boots to keep my toes nice and cozy.

the outfit:

shirt- hand me down from my sister bethany

jeans - target - on loan from my sister rebekah

boots - target from goodwill

earrings - along for the ride

so did i mention sisters are awesome? yes. yes they are. you see, i have 3 and we are relatively all the same size, which means that the clothing ebb and blow is strong between us. each time one of us cleans out our closet, we sister swap before goodwill. that's my kind of shopping. so that's my frugal tip of the week.

~swap with sisters and friends~

what's fashion on a dime? click the button below.

this & that, here & there, some ramblings

2011-12-13T07:20:00.000-05:00

over coffee? sure thing!

1. first things first. i need to brag on my husband and let you know that he is the sweetest man in the world. about 6 months ago my laptop died. i loved my laptop. i loved being able to be mobile, watch the kids and get things done. due to finances, or lack of, we did not replace it. my father graciously has lent us his desktop and while i am so grateful, i still really missed my laptop. well back to how my husband is the man. saturday is my birthday. we normally do not exchange birthday or christmas presents. well saturday night we were driving and he said, "hey, stop at old navy, i want to pick up your present." i was like, "what? why?" i was told just to drop him off with emerson and to drive around with gemma. he also told me it would be life changing. i was like, ok, life changing jeans? hmm...about 10 minutes later, i pick him up and he hands me a box from HH Gregg. a box with my new laptop. i just sat there with my mouth open muttering, how??? my dear man used his bonus money and money saved from tattooing to buy me my laptop. i type this post on my life-changing-not-from-old-navy-laptop. i love him.

2. have you ever done this?

friday night my mom and step-dad, brother, sister and her crew, and mine rang the bells for the salvation army kettle at our local bos-covs. it was a lot of fun. we rang lots of extra bells, sang carol off-key, opened doors, chased 2 year olds, wrapped babies and said merry christmas to every person who walked by. it was a great family experience. and can we talk about the picture for a minute? do you see my nephew? the one in the bear hat doing some sort of wild shenanigans. i love him. kids in pictures are awesome!

3. for the past 3 weeks or so, every time we drive on a certain stretch of the highway, emerson yells up from the back of the van, "the guy from shrek is on the sign!!! did you seeeeee it????" and every time, brandon and i don't or forget to look. so this weekend we made a point to have him show us. and this is what he shows us.

yes, that is the keystone light guy. keith stone. to my knowledge, keith stone was not in shrek. but then we realize who he thinks it is...lord farquaad...uncanny friends, uncanny.

4. i made this today. super easy and super cute. i originally saw the idea on rebekah's blog. she is a crafting master. i bow.

5. i made 6 pies on friday for a holiday party. 2 pumpkin, 2 pecan, and 2 blueberry crumb. i came home with 3. the holiday snacking begins....

6. gemma will be 7 months old tomorrow. not only is she crawling at hyper-speed she is now pulling herself up on EVERYTHING. i am going nuts. i think she fell 3 times before 8 am yesterday. oy. but she is so happy with herself, it's adorable.

alright. i think that's enough rambling for one day. have a happy tuesday!

April - a feature and a giveaway

2011-12-12T08:33:00.000-05:00

happy monday everyone!!! and a very happy monday if you are mindy, because....you are the winner of two pairs of earrings from laura! email me :)

and if you didn't win, no need to be sad because i am bringing you another great feature and giveaway today. badumdum!

today i want you to meet my sweet gal pal april. april is a kindred spirit and i wish we didn't live on the opposite ends of the country. take it away april!

Hello, my name is April and I document my days over at gingerbread. I am a wife and momma of two busy boys, who keep my on my toes. My days are filled with cooking, crafting and all things vintage. I am pretty convinced that all things look better with a coat of spray paint and covered in colorful bunting. Gingerbread is a place to find DIY projects, recipes and lovely things that make me happy. I also have an etsy shop filled with vintage housewares you can check out here.

blog | etsy | twitter | facebook | Google +

Emily's question of"what does the birth of Jesus mean to you personally?"really made me think, and it was hard to pinpoint one answer to share with you today, but I feel that His birth shows us that we are all truly loved, cherished and saved by God. A time when we can be the children God intended us to be.

I am so excited to be featured on Emily's blog today because I'm pretty sure she is one of the most creative people out there! I really love everything she does....big hugs!I hope you will stop by gingerbread and say "hello".

Today I am giving away:
$20 Store Credit to my Etsy Shop

to enter: you must be a follower of blueberry's blog and let me know your favorite item from april's shop!

other ways to enter:

-follow april's's blog

-heart april's etsy shop

-follow april and myself on twitter

-follow april and myself on facebook

-tweet, blog, or facebook this giveaway

please a separate comment for each thing you do. giveaway will run thru sunday the

18th.

*****ONE MORE THING!! want to enter to win a shop credit and a free ad space from me? head over to mama marchard's today!!!*****

instafriday - my cute kids edition

2011-12-09T11:37:00.001-05:00

2 things first -
did you enter to win 2 pairs of earrings from laura? you have until sunday. click here.

saavylistener - please contact my by tomorrow about your joy bunting or i will pick another
winner!!

now onto the cute kids....

"i wanna see!!!"

"sad guy"

"tough guy"

"silly guys"

flippin' adorable in her brother's hat

about to rearrange my picture frames

negotiating for a taste...

you can see more of my darling, adorable, sweet, divine, uber-cute, lovely children if you are on instagram. i am 'mamablueberry'.

luke 2:19

2011-12-08T08:59:00.001-05:00

she was in a stable. she had just given birth. she had just given birth next to farm animals. her baby was laying in a manger of hay. her helpless baby was her savior. she had just watched shepherds who had traveled from afar, worship before her newborn baby. only 9 short months ago, she was living an ordinary life, anticipating her marriage to a good man. today she was the mother of the savior of the world. and what did she do?

"but Mary treasured up all these things

and pondered them in her heart."

luke 2:19

as a mother i now, more than ever, find myself thinking about mary. i always thought of her as just a character in the scene. i now think about how she must have been feeling, how terrified she must have been as a young girl about to give birth in a dirty stable. she was still just a mom who didn't know what to expect from a newborn. but she treasured all these things. kept these things in her heart. she kept what mattered most in her heart. she kept God's promises there.

this makes me realize what i keep in my heart.

and what i ponder on all day long. i can tell you

that it's not God's promises. it's worry and doubt.

i hold tight to things i can not change.

mary had the weight of knowing that

she was to raise the savior of the world.

why is it so hard to walk in the light? i know the light. i am most alive and full when i am walking in it. i should be treasuring my saviors promises in my heart. what do i treasure and ponder on the majority of the time?

finances

cleaning

laundry

schedules

health

decorating

these are things that are part of my life. these are things that are not going to go away. but these are not the things that i should be treasuring.

today i am going to strive to change this. today i will ponder on the miraculous sacrifice Jesus made by being born in that dirty stable. i will treasure my salvation that was born on that cold night so many years ago.

in this christmas season, think hard. what is the focus of your heart's pondering? this question was presented to me at a bible study earlier this week. it made me uncomfortable. so i knew it was one i needed to be asked. today i ponder on what matters.

thought for a thursday

fashion on a dime #5 - the plaid is back

2011-12-07T09:29:00.001-05:00

i loved this week's outfit so much. i pinned my inspiration outfit weeks ago and finally figured out how i would make it my own from my wardrobe for church this sunday.

the inspiration:

and me:

i love plaid. in fact, in the 5 weeks i have blogged

fashion on a dime, 3 outfits were plaid.

i really really want those boots,

but i made do with my love for oxfords.

the outfit:

oxfords: gabes on sale

jeans: yard sale last year, brand - pink

plaid dress shirt: goodwill, brand - mudd

cardigan: about 6 years old, brand - maurices

earrings: picking blueberries, handmade by me

headband: handmade by me

Laura - a feature and a giveaway

2011-12-06T15:07:00.001-05:00

did you know that i am now hosting sponsors? yup. i am. and i am featuring one lovely lady each week. in celebration of this christmas season, i am asking each of my featured sponsors this question.

"what does the birth of Jesus mean to you personally?"

up first we have my sweet friend, laura. i'm very pleased to introduce her to you. her blog and shop are both beautiful and her heart shines for Jesus. take it away laura!

Hi there! I'm Laura and I'm along for the ride. No really, I am.

Along For the Ride isn't just the name of my handmade shop and my blog, but it's how I see my walk with the Lord. I am along for the ride He has planned for me, and what a glorious ride it is!

During the day (and lots of times at night) I spend my time running a residence hall on a college campus. My husband and I live in the hall and our neighbors are 400 loud, silly, messy, wonderful college students. We have a kitty baby named Jupiter that shares our little apartment.

When I'm not working in the hall, I spend my time with a glue gun in hand, making lovely things for my shop. My motto is "keep is simple" and I try to make simple accessories that aren't too dramatic or fussy, but add just a pretty touch of whimsy to an already beautiful you.

"Keep it simple" is my motto for my life as well and I blog a lot about the simple, little, imperfect things that make life sweet.

"what does the birth of Jesus mean to me personally?"

For me, the birth of Jesus means the birth of new life. Not just the new life of a tiny baby, but of the new life that Jesus brought the world through his death. Because He was born, I have been given new life. I am an heir to the throne. I am saved.

thank you laura! and amen!

today laura is giving one lucky reader not one, but two pairs of bias tape earrings. you get to pick the colors!!

to enter: you must be a follower of blueberry's blog and let me your favorite item from laura's shop!

other ways to enter:

-follow laura's blog

-heart laura's etsy shop

-follow laura and myself on twitter

-follow laura and myself on facebook

-tweet, blog, or facebook this giveaway

giveaway runs through sunday, 12/11. winner will be announced monday, 12/12.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

2011-12-05T13:56:00.001-05:00

it's beginning to look and feel a lot like christmas here in blueberry land and mama is pumped. (wanna see?)

(as i clarified for my instagram friends, these are my gangsta lips, not kissy lips. just so we are clear)

christmas is my favorite time of year. i love our home the most at christmas. brandon does such a great job with the lights. emerson just oohs and aahhs every time we are driving down our hill and he sees our house.

this past weekend, i drank lots of this....

and got busy 'christmasing' up our home.

(we plan to shop after christmas clearance for a new tree. this was my grandparents and requires a lot to make it work. but we love it)

emerson hung these. this spot on the tree is VERY festive. :)

(the next time you see this hutch, it will be white)

just a little peek. life is good, especially at christmas.

mom did something cool today.

2011-12-02T21:23:00.001-05:00

got a lot to get done today? need something to keep your kiddo's occupied that isn't an electronic device?

masking tape. don't have some? get some!

wish i could take credit for this stellar idea but alas, i saw it on pinterest and from my instagram friend, bugsandbeansmama. but seriously he was totally pumped.

psst. saavylistener. you won yourself the joy bunting. email me. blueberrysblog@yahoo.com

changing lives in Mexico - a guest post from Jami

2011-12-01T22:43:00.000-05:00

hi friends! today i have a special treat for you. my dear friend jami is here to tell you about something that is on her heart and how you can be involved with that special something. have a wonderful weekend friends!

Hi, my name is Jami and I blog at Call Me Blessed. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to share with all of you a missions project my family is working on.

For the past two years Hubby has gone to Mexico with our church to build houses.

I am still amazed that this can be done. A group of people can go for four days, be the hands and feet of Jesus and completely change the lives of another family.

These families live in shacks made of pallets and cardboard. Sometimes they don't even have that. These are families just like yours and mine.

Families with Moms and Dads who love their kids the same way I do.

Kids who just want to play, be carefree and have a bed to sleep in.

Hubby, I and my two oldest kids have the opportunity to go and give a family some security. A dry place to lay their heads. The kids and I will be able to play with the local children. The group even does a Vacation Bible School while we are there. We are so thankful for the opportunity to get our hands dirty with our kids. To show them how blessed we truly are. To experience how taking just a small bit of our time and resources, and sharing the love of Christ can change everything for someone else.

I won't pretend that I don't have any nerves about this trip. After prayerful consideration and seeing the pictures and videos Hubby has brought home, I don't see how I can't go.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Luke 12:48

pictures from Hubby and W's last trip.

We are traveling with a missions group called Yugo. Please go to their website, see the amazing work they are doing and help us spread the word.

We are trying to cover all of our own travel costs but still need to raise money for the building materials. Every dollar helps. Instead of buying a Starbuck's coffee or a magazine today, will you consider helping us change lives in Mexico?

I hope you will consider partnering with us in this journey. The more money we raise, the more houses we can build. We would also love to have you praying for us. Praying for God's provision financially and safe travel.

To donate, you can simply visit Call Me Blessed and click on the "donate" button in the left sidebar.

I can't wait to share the pictures and memories we bring back with us.

emily here again. i was blessed to go a few missions trips as a teenager and young adult. we built a chapel in the dominican republic and worked at an orphanage in thailand. i can say that they were literally life changing. seeing how people live with close to nothing while i am blessed with close to everything thing, seeing how their joy and faith in Christ far exceeded my own, yes, life changing.

what a wonderful gift to give your children jami!

linking up with casey.

DIY card wreath

2011-12-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

i came across this idea from, you guessed it, pinterest. it's so easy and took maybe 10 minutes to complete. this is martha stewarts'. yup. it's a martha project, one that doesn't require a trip to 45 different craft and hardware stores to complete. :)

source

you will need:

one large embroidery hoop

mini clothespins

hot glue & gun

ribbon

first, space out your clothespins around your hoop.

you will want to alternate their opening direction so your cards face each direction.

once you are satisfied with your spacing, glue the pins to your hoop.

then take your ribbon and create a loop to hold the hoop.

tie a knot and then a bow.

hang on your wall and pin up your pretty christmas cards.

super easy and super cute.

linking up with gussy sews' inspirational workshop and our handmade holiday.

fashion on a dime #4 - for the love of...

2011-11-29T22:31:00.000-05:00

i adore oxfords. upon entering a thrift store i immediately head for the shoes to see if

the shoe fairy has sprinkled her oxford dust.

fashion on a dime is therefore being inspired by oxfords and skinny jeans this week.

(source)

i also am getting my mister in front of the camera this week. he is usually the one snapping away at me, but he looked so handsome, i had to get some with him.

the outfit:

jeans : target 2 years ago on clearance

mock turtleneck : goodwill

cardigan : really can't remember aka old

oxfords : gabes on sale (gabes is a discount clothing store)

earrings : mine, picking blueberries

i kinda like having my man in the shot...

fashion tip of the week: i don't like my socks to show when i wear my oxfords and those toe socks are a silly expense in my opinion. instead, i wear a pair of my son's socks. he is almost 3 so they only come halfway up my foot and my toes are still warm.

fashion on a dime is two-fold.

1. every week, i will feature one internet found outfit that i gleaned inspiration. i will then show you my version of the outfit using the clothing from my closet or thrift store/clearance rack.

2. i am also committing to buying only thrifted or ridiculously cheap clearance apparel for one whole year.

5 day weekends are for crafting

2011-11-29T17:28:00.001-05:00

a big thank you to my husband for using his days off to hang shelves and hold babies so mama could craft.

and did you enter to win a joy bunting? you have until friday!

cyber monday discount! (and a giveaway)

2011-11-28T16:37:00.000-05:00

you can find my shop here!

and who doesn't love getting something for free? see this pretty christmas bunting?

well i made this for our little home and i want to make one for you! i will pick a winner on friday.

all you have to do is follow my blog and tell me your favorite christmas word and why.

i think you know mine. the celebration of my savior's birth brings so much joy to my life :)

gratitude in cardboard testimonies

2011-11-25T14:28:00.001-05:00

a few years ago our church started doing cardboard testimonies during our thanksgiving service. i will never forget watching the first one. i wept as i watched each individual story of how God has changed them and saved them.

each story different, but result the same. they were lost and searching, the love and saving grace of Christ entered their lives, they are found and home.

what more do we need? is there anything else to be more thankful?

i want to invite you to take a few minutes to share in each of their redeeming stories.

God is so good!

fashion on a dime- #3 - another plaid outift

2011-11-22T17:03:00.000-05:00

week 3 of fashion on a dime. is it just me or is time whizzing by? i always forget how fast the holidays make november and december disappear. mental note to self - cherish every fleeting moment this holiday season. you too!

this week i chose another plaid inspired outfit. you may see a theme starting here. quite unintentional, i just go with what i like, and apparently plaid is high on that list right now.

here is the inspiration i used as i entered my closet.

and here's how i came out.

i wish it was that simple. i'm sure this will come as a shock to you,

but my hair and face do not look like this when i roll/stagger out of bed.

shocker.

the outfit:

boots: birthday gift from my mom last year

boot socks: gift from my sweet sister bethany

jeans: last year clearance at target

red tank: seriously old. old navy

plaid shift: salvation army, vintage

sweater: old navy, salvation army

and now i would like to ask you a favor. i am thinking of starting a link party for fashion on a dime next month andi would like your honest feedback. is this something you would want to participate?you could post any frugal outfit you wore, from any day or post of the week. leave me a comment and let me know, pretty please with cherries on top?

the repeat offender

2011-11-22T00:08:00.000-05:00

you know the moment.

your baby is sick, crying in your arms while you are

attempting to finish one measly task on your

never-ending and ever-growing to-do list,

and your little boy needs something.

he asks once, you tell him just one minute.

he asks again, you tell him, honey, i said one minute.

and then he asks again and again and again.

your mind feels like its going to explode and then you do.

you yell, snap, glare.

and in that moment, you watch his world crash to the floor.

i broke his little heart today.

he needed help with something.

i honestly didn't have a free hand.

but i had two options,

patience or anger.

i chose anger and watched him slowly walk away

and crumble into a ball on the floor,

face buried in his precious hands.

then my heart broke.

i was again faced with two options.

humble myself before my son

and ask his forgiveness or

maintain my selfish pride and say

'well he needs to learn patience'

(oh the irony)

i chose to humble myself.

i put my crying baby down

walked over to my son, picked him up

turned his face to mine

as he was still hiding it,

and pleaded for his forgiveness.

i confessed my sin to him and told him

how sorry i was.

and just like that, his beautiful smile returned

he flung his arms around my neck

and said, 'let's play cars.'

as a child, my parents actions

impacted my life and

helped shape the person i am today.

but nothing impacted me more than watching

their everyday walk.

my parents had their faults,

but asking for our forgiveness

was never one.

i can clearly remember their humility.

it taught me so much about forgiveness.

about how we can and should come before our God

and humbly beg forgiveness.

it instilled in me a willingness

to want to forgive someone,

to free someone from their guilt.

to love through forgiveness.

i want this for my children.

i strive to not create situations in which i

must ask forgiveness of them,

but i am a sinner.

a great one.

and as i walk this earth a sinner,

i will hurt them.

i pray for the strength to always humble myself

before them and ask them to forgive me.

"let us then approach

the throne of grace with confidence,

so that we may receive mercy and

find grace to help us in our time of need."

hebrews 4:16

i'm "blank" because...& a 6 month photo shoot

2011-11-20T22:43:00.001-05:00

my lovely friend mindy at marigold road posted this on friday and i just loved it so much that i decided to borrow the idea. here's a little bit more you might like to know about me...

i'm weird because...
i will occasionally add 'izzle' to the end of a word. such as, paper tizzle instead of paper towel.(yup)
i can handle anything a diaper can throw at me, but picking a booger out of their noses about makes me lose it.
i literally shake when i see a spider or thousand legger. so scared.
i am terrified of food poisoning. i make my husband smell everything before i make it.
i clean my ears a few times a day.

i'm a bad friend because...
i am horrible at returning phone calls! horrible. i'm sorry friends.
i 'overtalk' you.
i say that we will do something and i don't follow through.

i'm a good friend because...
i do my best to point you to Jesus in all situations.
i love your kids.
i will make sure to keep everyone included in the conversation.
i compliment.
i pray for you.

i'm sad because...
my laptop that died 5 months ago has yet to be replaced due to $$ (but so grateful for the desktop my dad has loaned us).
our finances are scary right now.
people have never heard the name Jesus.
gemma has a nasty cold.

i'm happy because...
thanksgiving is this week!! food, family, focus on what's important and how much we do have!
it's football season.
i am starting some new projects for my shop.
we have started a new group at our church(for 30s-yikes) and it is amazing!
my husband is so patient and gentle with me.

this weekend we visited my mother-in-law on the farm where she works and keeps her horses. while we were there, gemma was looking so darling that i decided an impromptu photo shoot was in order. she is in fact 6 months old and that should be celebrated with some photos. i attempted some of emerson, and well he is almost 3. enough said. 'no mommy.'

she is so beautiful and full of personality. eat your heart out.

thank you sweet rachel for gemma's beautiful headband. it got a ton of compliments!

*****also, april my dear, you won yourself a pair of earring mama's nest designs! Email me!*****

DIY christmas kissing balls

2011-11-19T11:35:00.000-05:00

i saw this idea floating around the pinterest boards and thought i would give it a try. it is so easy and i just happened to have all the supplies on hand.

supplies needed:

styrofoam balls (i used a 5 inch and a 3 inch)

fabric

curling ribbon or real ribbon

rubber bands

any little decoration you desire, i used holly from one of our bushes

step 1: cut out a 15 inch square of fabric (this was for the 5 inch ball)

step 2: place ball in center of fabric square and gather fabric around ball.

step 3: wrap a rubber band around the gathered fabric at the top of the ball

step 4: using two pieces of curling ribbon, weave thru the rubber band and wrap around the ball to weave thru the opposite side of the rubber band. space the two ribbons evenly to hold your ball when hanging.

step 5: decorate as desired. i stuck pieces of the holly in the rubber band and then wrapped it with white ribbon.

step 6: hang anywhere you like.

linking up with april for sweet saturday and our handmade holiday.

some blog links and a shop update

2011-11-18T12:25:00.001-05:00

TGIF friends! it's been a while since i posted some click-worthy links, and i'm in a sharing mood so today is the day.

~first, you should head over here for your chance to win a some good stuff from yours truly.
~also, today is the last day to enter to win a pair of earrings from this lovely lady. you can enter here.(she wanted me to let you know that she is selling stuff like hotcakes so to check out her 'sold' section in her shop as she will be restocking!)
~since you all love babies and their chubbiness, you must go here and check out my 6 week old nephew. perfection.
~my mom used to make a version of this pie & i will be adding this to my holiday dessert menu.
~i want this kitchen, this is a new goal.
~i love stories of answered prayer. this one made me smile and i really love this lady.
~i think this is my favorite holiday DIY yet. and i will be doing this with the hoard of mason jars occupying my basement. (also a bit of a confession - up until 6 months ago, i thought anthropologie was just a course my husband took in college. & now that i know its a store, i also know that i will never be able to afford it, so these knock-off DIY's are great)

now get clicking.

time for a little shop update.

i am still making and selling button earrings. frankly because they are all i wear and i love them. i added two new styles this week.

plaid

teal.

i wear the plaid all the time. and feel pretty. :)

i also added a new product line to the shop. i have recently started loving barrettes in gemma's hair and after i made one of these for her and saw how adorable she looked in it,

(here she is telling how cute she is with her new yo-yo barrette)

i knew i wanted to make them for all the little ladies out there. (although i've worn them too and they look mighty cute on me too)

and for the holiday season, i am making christmas yo-yo barrettes.

they are all listed and waiting for you in my shop.

embraces this week

2011-11-17T10:04:00.001-05:00

my goodness, thursday already.

it's been a pretty good long week here at the blueberry ranch. everyone but myself has had a pretty nasty cold. emerson coughs all night, gemma wants to be held all night. i'm a bit tired. but that's the job. and i will embrace it. (although i must confess, my attitude has been less than positive at 3:00am when both kids are up and crying. much repentance has happened this week)

so here we are, embracing this week as best we can. snot and all! :)

his cuddly days are slowly fading so when he wants a hug or cuddle from mom, i know to drop everything i am doing and soak it up.

gemma and emerson are starting to really bond. this is such a sweet time for brandon and i. we love seeing them play and light up when the other comes into the room. gemma will be fussing in the van and all emerson has to say is, 'gemma, it's ok, it's just the van' and she will stop and smile and be happy. it's precious. i treasure the bond between my siblings and it overjoys me to see this bond starting in them.

morning buddies

bath buddies

this my friends, is my favorite picture of them. i will keep it forever and laugh every. single. time.

"mom! help...."

fashion on a dime #2 - mad for plaid

2011-11-15T22:16:00.001-05:00

do you remember your mom saying, 'i wish i would have kept my clothes from high school! they are in again.'

well, now here i am saying the same thing. in high school i had oodles of plaid skirts. but they quickly were not cool in my early 20's and i shipped them to goodwill. well here i am, almost 30, and i am loving plaid skirts again. duurrr.

source

this week, i rocked my one & only plaid skirt(hoping goodwill will be kind to me and return the favor of my donation years ago) to church and gemma's dedication. and struck some poses late night before bed so the pics are kinda bogus but it was a busy day but you all love me and these posts so you won't care. sshheesshh...

my frugal fashion tip of the week -

shop end of season clearance!!

proof is

above.

what is this fashion on a dime?? click here, i'll tell ya all about it.

sponsor feature and giveaway from tricia

2011-11-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

today i want to introduce you to my friend tricia. i honestly don't remember how we hooked up. i think instagram may have started it actually. but now it's a full blown internet relationship. we tweet, FB, blog, email...love. and we found out that we really only live like an hour and a half away from each other. a meet up? yes please.

i have nothing but good things to say about tricia but i will let her do the talking now.

"Hi, Blueberry's Blog reader! I’m Tricia and I blog at Mama Marchand's Musings. I’m a Christian, wife, new{ish} mama, and, now, a handmade jewelry designer! I write about the challenges and blessings of mamahood, marriage, faith, friendship, health, fashion, and everything in between! I’m a woman with many passions including loving deeply, writing thoughtfully, baking incessantly, and creating with love. I just opened my etsy shop, Mama’s Nest Designs, in October and it features eclectic handcrafted new and upcycled jewelry. To be my own boss, to experience the thrill of a sale of something I’ve worked so hard on, to see the joy of someone who loves something I have created … it’s exhilarating! To celebrate the opening of my shop, I want to offer you the opportunity to win a pair of earrings!"

aren't they lovely? i personally plan on scooping up the owl pair pronto.

to enter - you must go visit Mama's Nest Design's and come back and tell me which pair of earrings are your favorite.

additional entries:

-be a follower of tricia's blog

-be a follower of this blog

-follow tricia and myself on twitter

-like tricia and myself on facebook

-heart Mama's Nest Design's on etsy

please leave a separate comment for each

giveaway will run through friday, 11/18/11.

interested in sponsoring blueberry's blog?

email me at blueberrysblog@yahoo.com.

thanks!

gemma girl is 6 months old.

2011-11-14T15:04:00.001-05:00

i really am having a hard time believing that it has been 6 months already. half of a year. it seems like yesterday she was making her entrance. yet, i truly have trouble remembering a time without her.

yesterday we dedicated gemma in front of friends and family to our lord. it was a beautiful service.

i remember emerson's like it was yesterday.

i don't know why we didn't record either of them, duh. and i never want to forget these special days. so i will use this blog to record this special day.

Gemma's Dedication Service

November 13, 2011

2:00pm

Living Word Community Church

we were called up to the front. (first - darn alphabetical order) we were given

the opportunity to share a small something about or for Gemma. brandon is not a stage talker so i

took this job. i said something like this.

"this is such a special day for our family. almost 2 years ago to the day we stood here

dedicating emerson and we are so excited to be here again today. we have been

so incredibly blessed with such sweet and beautiful children. brandon and i often find ourselves just staring at gemma, lost in her beautiful eyes and face. but our prayer is that gemma's most beautiful feature

would become her heart. that the transforming love of Jesus would be what

defines her as a woman and daughter of the King."

we then made promises as parents before God and witnesses.

"as parents of Gemma Ruth, we acknowledge that God has entrusted her to our care.

we acknowledge that Gemma is a gift from God and that she was created for a very special purpose in life.

we promise to do all we can to provide a loving christian home for her, relying on God's wisdom and guidance.

we promise to share and to live out the Good News of Christ's love and grace with her.

we promise to bring Gemma up in the life and community of the church.

we promise to attend church regularly, pray faithfully, and parent her purposefully with Christian values in a manner that honors Christ."

we ended with this statement. just a few words that pack a powerful truth.

"we commit Gemma Ruth back into the loving arms of Jesus."

she was prayed for and was given a wooden cross and a certificate. she

won't remember any of this. but we will. and we will hold

fast to the promises we made.

one room at a time

2011-11-10T14:38:00.001-05:00

first things first - head over to my dear friend sarah and enter to win a headband from my shoppy shop!

___________________________________________________________________________________

i've been meaning to show you guys our new dining room/living room for quite some time now. for my new friends, you can read about our renovations here and under the 'house project' and 'one room at a time' labels to your right. so when i got gussy's prompt this week and read that it was 'dining room' i knew it was time.

when we bought our home, it did not have a dining room. we realized this needed remedied quickly. we got to knocking out a wall, moving our bedroom, turning our old bedroom into the living room, and our old living room(pic below) in my favorite room in our house. the new dining room.

first let me show you the different views from the different entryways.

we toned down the walls with a soft taupe color. love it's warmth. and added an overhead light.

each of the plates belonged to a grandmother, mom, etc. this is special to me.

table by the front door for key and purse dump.

where i hide bibs and napkins.

i saw these all over pinterest and decided to paint one of my own. it's not perfect but we love it.

i found the table and four white chairs on craiglist for $50. i refinished the top of the table. it was a nasty dark shellac, i was so excited when i saw how pretty it was underneath. i found the two wooden end chairs on big trash day. i'm a dumpster diver :)

i reupholstered the chairs with fabric i found on clearance at IKEA. 4 yards for $14.00. killer.

this picture is super crappy but i am tired and it's now overcast so i will not be taking a better one. this hutch was in my dad's basement forever and i was like, 'if you are giving, i'm taking.' i think i may paint it one day. we shall see.

another pretty holder.

the dining room really is the best room in any home. the place where the family gathers.

fashion on a dime

2011-11-08T23:55:00.000-05:00

today i am starting something here i've wanted to do for awhile. something that i am passionate about. i held back for awhile because i thought maybe it would seem silly or petty. but then i remembered that this is my blog and that means i get to do what i want. that sounds bratty, but in all seriousness i feel led to start this.

i hope that i have shown you a true representation of myself. i am goofy and a bit on the sarcastic side. i love being a mom and wife. i love jesus with all my heart. and i am passionate about being frugal, yet fashionable. so starting today, i am beginning a new series/commitment here on de' blog.

fashion on a dime is two-fold.

1. every week, i will feature one internet found outfit that i gleaned inspiration. i will then show you my version of the outfit using the clothing from my closet or thrift store/clearance rack.

2. i am also committing to buying only thrifted or ridiculously cheap clearance apparel for one whole year.

yup you heard right.

there are two exceptions - socks & underwears - i will not wear undies from another lady. not gonna do it.

but everything else from head to toe will be purchased from a thrift store, clearance rack, or yard sale. with the occasional borrowed item - i have 3 sisters. score.

fashion on a dime will take place on wednesdays. if any of you thrifty bloggers are interested, i may eventually make this a linky party, you tell me. you would not have to commit to my thrifted clothing only rule. just show others your frugal fashion. we shall see...

and now, your first official 'fashion on a dime' post.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

one of my favorite fashion trends right now is the camel and black/gray color combo.

source

maybe it's the fact that this was so faux pas when i was young - because i now find it so chic.

i used this as my inspiration for my outfit that i wore to my nephew's birthday party last weekend.

my outfit:

boots :: tommy hilfiger - clearance at tj maxx 5 years ago

jeggings :: target - borrowed from my sister

belt :: over 10 years old

black tank - walmart clearance

sweater - salvation army

necklace - love is rising

black, gray, & camel. i felt chic. yes. i. did.

and frugal.

so tell me, what do you think? i truly hope that this becomes an encouragement to you all. fashion can be so fun, yet so daunting when one looks at the price tag usually associated. and though i won't be walking down a runway in milan anytime soon, i am here to tell you that you can look and feel just as good for less.

work it. on a dime.

please forgive the cell phone pics - my camera died at the party. will do better next week.

'good color love'

2011-11-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

i've always enjoyed cooking. when i got married and started cooking for my husband, i always would wait with anticipation for him to try the first bite. would he like it or would he pretend to like it? you can see the difference, right ladies? i didn't expect him to give me an opinion before he even tried it.

my husband is an artist. tattoos, paints, writes. he loves color and presentation. i learned that he loved to see a colorful presentation when it came to dinner as well. (hope this doesn't sound like he is an ungrateful guy when i serve him a can of spaghettios - he really appreciates it all, just has a enjoys when i make a meal with beauty) i remember the first time he said, 'this has very good color love'. i was like, hmm? and he went on to explain that he loves when the colors of the food compliment one another on the plate. he is so cute.

recipes found here

but don't you agree? the color in these dishes stands out. and i wouldn't hesitate to dive right into any of the above.

this was my last 'good color love' meal that i made.

baked sweet potatoes, corn bread stuffing, and rotel chicken.

yellows, reds, and oranges.

and it was yummy.

also, rotel chicken is very easy.

place 2 chicken breasts in baking pan.

pour 1 can of rotel (drained) over 2 chicken breast, sprinkle 1 tsp of cumin over chicken breast, and drizzle with honey. bake.

lately our dinners are 75% kid friendly and 25% mommy & daddy friendly. but i do enjoy when i get a chance to make a special meal for my man and hear, 'good color love'.

2 special dudes

2011-11-07T13:12:00.000-05:00

this weekend marked two special birthdays in our family. my sweet nephew, jack turned 2 and my dear daddy turned 52.

we celebrated jack's birthday on saturday, which is my dad's birthday and we celebrated my dad's birthday on sunday, which is jack's birthday. well, that's confusing.

my sister did a great job of putting a pirate themed birthday party for jack. (she has a one month old as well, super mama!)

(sorry for the not so good pictures - the party was at our church and the lighting was lacking to say the least and my battery died about 15 minutes into the party. boo.)

there was costumes, pirate cookies, a treasure hunt in sand, yummy food, & lots of family. the best kind of party.

(also, brandon & i really are this dorky. we so complete each other)

sunday we went for lunch to celebrate dad. there were no pirates or staches, but still a good time.

(l-r, my beauuutiful step-sisters, ash & beth, my daddy, my lovely step-mom ann, yours truly, my sweet sisty, bekah, and my handsome brother, everett)

i will always pride myself on being a daddy's girl. he is one handsome 52 year old pap.

(again, sorry for the less than stellar photos - forgot to change the setting from inside to out)

birthdays with family are the best. here's to many more sweet family!

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have you linking up your latest handmade holiday project yet?

you definitely need to check out all the amazing stuff linked up so far.

click below to begin your handmade holiday journey...

memories

2011-11-04T22:03:00.001-04:00

the other day i needed to grab something out of the attic. i think a pair of shoes for gemma. just a quick trip. in my digging for the shoes, i stumbled upon two boxes. i hadn't opened them for quite some time and i wasn't sure what i would find. as i lifted the lid, i was flooded with mementos from my childhood. i spent the next hour slowly going through these two boxes, savoring each treasured item.

relishing in all the emotions that they held.

remembering a time when life was so simple.

when all i knew was my mom, dad,

brother & sister, Jesus, and play.

before our lives were rocked by our parents divorce. before i was a teenager and figured i could do it better than i had been taught. before i took salvation and Jesus for granted. before i lost the innocence that you can never get back.

some days my heart aches terribly to go back to those innocent days. to the safety and security i felt in my childhood home.

life is so hard.

as a family we are in a season of complete financial uncertainty. we have no control over this situation. we are daily asking God to provide and trusting in his will for our family. no matter the outcome. i cling to his promise.

the thing is, he knew this was the plan for my life when i was that innocent girl playing with her doll.

when all i knew was the security of my childhood, he knew i would be facing the uncertainty of adulthood. but the beautiful thing is this, he also knows the outcome. and whether i see the outcome in this life or the next, i know it will be good.

linking with casey

embrace

2011-11-02T23:53:00.001-04:00

my sweet babies.

together they are experiencing the first colds of the season. so that means lots of extra cuddle time and lots of dried snot on my shoulder. but i'll take it. take it times one million.

this is the good life. a life i prayed for.

fashion on a dime- halloween edition

2011-11-02T15:14:00.001-04:00

last week i told you how i use my fashion pinterest board to help inspire me to get dressed everyday. this week is a special edition - a halloween edition.

on average, adult halloween costumes, purchased at a costume store, cost around $40.00, and children's around $20.00. so for our household, you are looking at $100.00 in costumes.

no. flippin. way.

making our costumes is our only option.

this year we were inspired by one of emerson's fave movies...

brandon and i used a date night to dig through every red piece of clothing our local salvation army had in stock and...

we nailed it! i used black, orange, white, and yellow felt to make our badges. incredible right? (ha - see what i did there? incredibles...nevermind)

what i wore:

OLD red stirrup pants from the limited.(they were so tight i used the pregnancy hair tie trick to close them) - salvation army

red cotton shirt - salvation army

boots - goodwill

black bathing suit bottoms - borrowed from my sista

black gloves - $1 bin at ac moore

total for all four outfits: $15.00. bada bing.

and seriously, cutest super babes ever!

linking up with the pleated poppy.

Handmade Holiday 2011

2011-11-01T12:25:00.000-04:00

i am so excited. i am partnering with my two of my blogging buddies, April from Gingerbread Girl and Mindy from Marigold Road to bring you a holiday linky party. here's the 411. starting today and running through Christmas, each of our blogs will have the button below on our sidebar. We have created this tool for you to link up all your handmade holiday ideas and posts!

and what is a handmade holiday you say? glad you asked. handmade holiday is a chance for us to take all those decorating and DIY christmas ideas and link them all to one central location for everyone to see and use! don't ya love it?

all you have to do is make something for the holiday. photograph it. blog it. link it. you can link up from anyone of our blogs. all the links will show up on all three blogs.

i will be posting a number of handmade holiday ideas through out the next two months and i can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with as well!

here is my first handmade holiday idea.

Christmas-ing up boring candles

i have a ton of white pillar candles. most are from clearance craft store sales or salvation army. using supplies i had on hand, i will show how i gave them some christmas personality.

supplies used:

2 pillar candles

fabric

red burlap

cinnamon sticks

fake pearl strands

hot glue gun

on my first candle i used the vintage plaid fabric & cinnamon sticks.

first i cut a strip of fabric, glued one end to the candle, and then wrap the fabric around the candle.

once my candle was wrapped i started gluing the cinnamon stick around the candle.

once i was the whole way around, i finished it off with a thin piece of fabric tied around the cinnamon sticks.

pretty. and smells amazing.

on my second candle i used the red burlap and fake pearls.

start by wrapping your candle with the burlap.

glue one end of the pearl strand to the burlap. next you will wrap, wrap, wrap the pearls around and around the candle until you run out of pearls. glue that end to your candle.

handmade by using all materials on hand!

now it's your turn. crawl deep into the dark spaces of your attic and craft closet and make some handmade holiday goodness. then come back here and link up! also, if you have any posts from last year with a handmade holiday item, please feel free to link those as well. the link will be on my side bar for all of november and december.

us via instagram

2011-10-27T22:39:00.000-04:00

yesterday handed us some unexpected trials and i am still processing. i need to write about it. and i will. i need prayers for wisdom and trust in our Lord. we can't see an answer, but we believe He will provide.

in the meantime, i hope you enjoy my latest instagram captures.

:: daddy & emerson running on a family walk night :: it makes my mama heart happy to seem them playing next to each other :: my littles in their hats. i bought these while gemma was still in the belly. weep. ::

:: a year later we finally finished painting our very long fence :: this is how most mama/emerson pics turn out :: we cleaned up the fall clearance at jo-ann's :: it was my week to do the craft at playgroup and this little handprint owl was a hit, although a bit chaotic. paint & toddlers = crazy. ::

:: my hair is growing in much darker since i had my girl and i love it. also love that it is finally growing to a curl-able length again :: we are in full halloween costume making mode - hint - all four of us will be in red :: my beautiful gemma in her first turtleneck sweater, divine. :: loving the chilly days that allow for my favorite corduroy jacket ::

embracing the rain & cold for my son

2011-10-27T00:14:00.000-04:00

wednesday was the big day. emerson had patiently waited 2 long weeks to 'go to da fruuuit farm and pick apples and ride a trator!!' i pulled a classic 'duh mom' move and told him that "soon" we were going to go on a hayride and pick apples and pumpkins with our playgroup from church. "soon" to a almost 3 year old means tomorrow. so for the past 2 weeks, every night at bedtime, he told me that tomorrow we were going to 'go to da fruuuit farm and pick apples and ride a trator!!' dear boy.

but the day did finally arrive and we had a lot of fun despite the cold, windy rain that started as soon as the hayride commenced. amazing how kids just aren't bothered by cold and rain. all the moms looked like some sort of gremlin hunching and shivering together, shielding our babies and hoping that the cider served to us at the end was indeed 'hard'.

we each were given a plastic bag to pick 4 apples, 1 pumpkin, & 2 gourds. this was per person so even gemma got a bag, which meant besides wearing gemma and a camera, i toted 12 apples, 3 pumpkins, and 6 gourds. i was exhausted, wet, cold, but loved every single minute of it.

because this boy loved every single minute of it and i got to witness that.

(my sister with her newest addition, luke.)

anything for you, my children.

a thrifted pinterest outfit & pictures of me awkwardly posing in it

2011-10-25T23:29:00.001-04:00

confession.

before i get dressed in the morning,

before i even step foot into my closet,

i get on the computer and visit my 'fashion' pinterest board.

it makes getting dressed so much easier for me. i have always loved putting outfits together, but i would find myself in a western stare down with my clothes just waiting for an outfit to jump out and throw itself on my bod. doesn't happen.

now instead, i find the look i want to achieve and go from there. makes mornings so much easier.

saturday night we went to a spaghetti dinner/fundraiser for my sister and brother in law. they are headed to Uganda in march with empower-a-child. great organization that deserves a post of it's own so i won't venture there right now.

anyways...i decided that this outfit would be my inspiration to get me dressed for the dinner.

source

loved the stripes and the wide leg jeans. but i don't remember the last time i was in a gap, or a mall for that matter. so i was putting my faith in my local salvation army. and i was not disappointed.

the outfits deets:

shirt - thrifted, gap(too funny right??)

jeans - old navy for a few years back

belt - thrifted, US AIR pilots belt

shoes - seriously i don't remember, old. wal-mart?

and i really need to get comfortable with posing for pictures.

i call the one on the right 'the smolder' & the one on the left 'the spiderman'. or just awesome would work too.

so my friends, you can pull off those looks you love for less. i promise. it just takes a little more time and commitment. here's a helpful hint that i use. on my iphone i have a running list on my notes of outfit pieces that i would like to add to my wardrobe. when i see an outfit on pinterest that i love, i add the pieces i am missing to my list. i don't know if the same happens to you, but the minute i walk into a thrift store, my mind turns to jello and i just start buying random housewares. the list has really helped.

what's that you say? more pictures? ok. how about some with my handsome mister.

who apparently didn't get the memo about me wanting him to smile. oh well, he so handsome, i will forgive him. (also, while i was editing these, he said, 'that's my hot face.' yes, love, yes.)

linking with the fabulous ladies at

and

i call this one...

2011-10-24T15:09:00.001-04:00

'jack & emerson step

in the same pile of dog poo'

there are a couple things i love about this picture.

~how disgusted they look about stepping in the poo

~the fact we have over an acre of yard but they both found the poo

~that they seemed more concerned about their cousin's shoe than their own.

~and that my husband was the one who was watching them & got to clean out the poo with a toothpick

happy monday friends!!!

my go-tos

2011-10-20T13:40:00.001-04:00

i've always lived under the notion that adding accessories to your daily wardrobe helps you feel 'put together'.

this became especially true after having children and realizing what a gift it is to shower and get dressed on a daily basis!

i have a lot of accessories that i love and i do wear them all. but on most days you can find me wearing my four basic accessories.

earrings

these are my go to earrings. my favorite button earrings from my shop or my favorite pair of cabochon earrings from laura's shop, along for the ride. (i actually own 3 pairs of her earrings and wear them ALL the time!) i find myself saving my dangling earrings for special occasions as my 5 month old likes to rip them from my ear.

necklace

i love and wear this necklace from the vintage pearl almost everyday. i desperately need to clean it. sticky fingers like to hold it. my mom ordered this necklace with the emerson charm and birthstone for my birthday after emerson was born and then got me the charm for gemma after she was born. i love it.

rings

beside my engagement and wedding ring, you will find one of these 2 rings on my right hand. i have had them both for basically forever. i love them. you know how you wear something long enough that when you take it off it feels like you are missing something? i feel like that with these rings.

sunglasses

and i would like to emphasize that i wear CHEAP sunglasses. i honestly go through them at an alarming rate. but i can't go without them. i have light eyes and get car sick so without sunglasses, i get quite the headache. my darling husband has sacrificed many a day without sunglasses if i forgot mine.

if you would stop by my house on any given day, you can bet that i will be wearing at least one of the above. what about you?

do you have everyday favorites?

linking up with Gussy Sew Inspiration Workshop.

wanna hear me gab?

2011-10-17T23:04:00.001-04:00

i realize that it has been ages since i had coffee with you my friend.

let's remedy that right now.

get ready to laugh, ooo & aaa at pictures of my littles, and hopefully be encouraged.

i just have to tell you, this past week i have had a few days that i totally felt like this

Source: vintagelifestyle.blogspot.com via Emily on Pinterest

i couldn't clean, cook, wash, play, nurse, feed, change, pay, answer, call, or help fast enough.

so i stopped trying to do all of the above. i sat down, took a deep breath and typed 'haha' in to the pinterest search bar.

enjoy.

Source: likeaphobia.us via Emily on Pinterest

Source: ifunny.mobi via Emily on Pinterest

Source: mlkshk.com via Emily on Pinterest

i'm all about dry humor so these had me in stitches.

anywhooooo....

how cute are these 2? fer realzzz.

a few things about these pictures. 1. if you have a small child, you need to put them in an owl hat this fall. flippin' adorbs. 2. emerson will only eat eggs if they are a color other than yellow. 3. do you like our new maya wrap? my sweet friend kara gave it to me. we love. 4. how can a child look so sassy while wearing mickey mouse jammies?

and now i want to leave our little date with some encouraging words.

whoever you are, where ever you are, you are a beautiful creation. stop devaluing yourself. you are doing a great job. you are here for a purpose and God's promises never fail. just remember that He could love you no more and no less. take time to soak that in. really soak it in. you are a child of God. live in that truth.walk in that truth.rejoice in that truth.you are a beautiful creation.

Gemma is 5 months old. sigh.

2011-10-17T14:54:00.000-04:00

and we love everything about you baby girl.

build one another up

2011-10-14T13:58:00.000-04:00

i recently witnessed something in the mom blogging community that i feel needs addressed. whether i am just on my own soapbox or not, i hope that you will continue reading.

i came across a blog who advocates co-sleeping, which is a totally fine thing to advocate. the problem began when they started calling out other moms, even taking screen shots of their blogs, for not participating in co-sleeping with their children. this mom was made out to be a mean mother who has hurt their baby by using the ferber method. honestly this post isn't about how you sleep train your babies. (i'm still not a pro after 2)

this post is about how our beliefs and opinions

can become judgements and discrimination.

i advocate natural birth, midwives & out of hospital birthing, breastfeeding, homemade baby food, baby wearing, & pacifiers. but i vaccinate & use disposable diapers.

this does not mean that i am a better mother or love my children more than a mom who uses an OB at a hospital with a pain medicated birth, uses formula, buys jars of baby food, and does not allow pacifiers, does not vaccinate and uses cloth diapers. this simply means, as the mother of my children, God gave me the opportunity to make the decisions of how i will raise them. it means that God blessed me with the ability to research and form my own opinions without the bias of others. it means that he gave each child the mother that they were meant to have.

the truth is, along this parenting journey we will all fail & hurt our children in one way or another. how sad that a mother feels like she is already failing when judged for a decision she made for her child that she loves dearly.

i was told by someone who also advocates baby wearing as i do, that i have the wrong carrier and i am hurting my baby. i know you can't please everyone and i am pretty thick skinned when it comes to stuff like that, but imagine the new mom who is already questioning and worrying about every decision she makes for her baby. we have all been there. how devastating!

i believe that God gave us a mind to make our own decisions and the ability to stand firm on what we believe. that if people ask us our beliefs we should proudly tell them and also be able to tell them why we believe them. but NOT to criticize those who don't hold those same beliefs.

being a mom is hard enough, without being made to feel like you are doing something wrong. we have a great opportunity to support & love each other even though we may practice & believe different things. we should be each others greatest cheerleaders. we should walk side by side on this parenting journey, ready to speak up or remain quiet. this means in the blogging community and our real life community.

let us love and show grace in all aspects of our life.

'Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. '

Eph. 4:29

source

linking up with casey today

red

2011-10-13T09:05:00.000-04:00

when i read that gussy's prompt this week was red, the very first thing that popped into my mind was

i know, 'emily. geez. can we at least have halloween & thanksgiving??'

but of course we can, but this is what popped into my holiday loving brain first.

get inspired folks :)

oh there are so many things about christmas i love. and decorating has to be close to the top. i usually decorate with lots of greens and whites with the occasional pop of red.

i am loving the inspiration i am getting from typing 'christmas decorations' into the pinterest search bar.

i would very much like to visit the town where this adorable door front abides.

how easy is this? ribbon and christmas balls. hint- visit your local salvation army or thrift store - they are starting to put out all their christmas stuff and are always stocked full of vintage christmas ornaments. almost all of ours come secondhand.

and another one i am so excited to do. i have tons of glass canisters from our wedding reception that will be perfect for this.

i like the idea of the striped table runners as dual place mats. people are so smart.

this will be definitely be part of our decor this year.

i really like little trees. i don;t think we could pull off putting it on a table. i can see it lasting all of 5 minutes before my children have it on the floor.

so there you have it. a christmas post before halloween. hope it wasn't stressful, you still have two months...

all images/sources can be found on my holidays and partys pinboard.

one more thing -

not just at christmas time.

a prayer

2011-10-12T14:14:00.000-04:00

in my mom group at church we were asked what is our desire for our children? for their hearts? our mission. for we are raising them not for now, but for their future.

i desire for my children to know Jesus. as their saviour, ever present help in time of need, their daddy & defender. i pray that their hearts are compassionate. that when there is hurt, they help. when there is need, they give. that love pours from them like water. that they look thru your eyes on this hurting and broken world and show it your love.

dear Lord,

please direct my path

as i raise these precious ones.

mold my heart as you use me to help mold

theirs. help me to show love always.

may you always be our center Jesus.

amen.

'Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me your eyes so I can see

Everything that I keep missing

Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted

The ones that are far beyond my reach

Give me you heart for the ones forgotten

Give me your eyes so I can see'