Office Decor...

I've been wanting to design my office for some time now. It's probally the biggest mess area in my house and definatly the place I spend the majority of my time. Here are just some fun color ideas I came up with. I love the office space pictured above from the pottery barn mag. I just recently purchased an "L" shaped desk from Christian Ministries for $20...Just gotta go and pick it up... LOL I want the paint to be light and fresh. One of my favorite colors is coral. I think a lighter shade of this color like apricot would be delightful. Shades of sea blue, yellow and maybe Pink??? Who know's if I'll ever really get around to re-doing it. But a girl can still hope and dream...

Flower Hunt...

BEFORE

Maci and I go on a flower hunt around the yard!

We come back in and get creative with vases.

This is just a candle holder!

...and this is an old canister!

Some of Maci's craft beads fill the vase for added color...

The crystal desert/candy bowl worked

perfect for the stemless flowers to float...

Hand picked by Maci for me...

In a "special" vase from my girls, with granma's help!

Getting Ahead of the Game...

Do you have any idea how much information is out there about "Getting Ahead"?
Everyone would like to get rich fast with Marketing Money gimmicks...
Parents wonder why their kids can't grow up, and stay at the top of the game?...
People plan ahead for vacations a year or more in advance...
We have dreamed up visions of what we want our children to become, what collage we want them to attend,
and all before they have barely left their cribs....
Is it really that important to know that Sally is going to be in the same class as her BFF next year and to do all we can do to make sure Junior will be on the best little league baseball team?
(Because somehow we think that these events will directly impact their future as adults?)
Yesterday's sermon was on discipline or lack their of, LOL.
(You can hear it at www.fairfieldumc.blogspot.com if you want. It's listed on the right side under pod cast.)
Which was perfect to sum up the week I had. Even Rita's children's sermon just seemed to speak directly to me...
Or could it be that I am not alone? Someone else may just be going through the same things I am?....
I was just talking to Erin about worrying...
I referred to the scripture quotes I had taped all over my house on worrying...
It was reassuring to know that even way back then, in the bible times, though times were different, they still faced the same problems that we do today...
Do you think that is a coincidence? I don't, I think that is they way the Master planned it...
If we'd stop looking and wrapping ourselves up in the worldly things that claim fame to "Getting us Ahead" and looked more into the BIBLE, the handbook He gives us to live by.
Then may be we would understand that it's NOT God's plan for our lives to Get Ahead!
I frequently ponder; will the laundry ever be completely tackled, the children completely content, the money ever perfectly budgeted, and on and on an on... In hope that someday I'll be ahead of the game...
I think it's this world we live in that makes us so concerned about this. The rate race...The first one there or your a rotten egg...The cream of the crop...The searching in all the wrong places for all the wrong reasons...
But the way God's plan unfolds in our lives is not for the better in ourselves. Unfortunately, we would like for it to be.
Today and just today...I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to stop wrapping up so much of my thought and energy into getting ahead...
If I survived today...tomorrow is sure to come...I'll just conquer each one step at a time...
and in the mean time...
Pray....
That tomorrow will be just a little better....and a little closer...to becoming the divine woman I know I was created to be...

Lunar Eclipse

Did you marvel at the Master's work last night?...
Did you gaze upon the sky?...
Did you clear you mind?...
if only for a second...
How wonderful a message this sight sent me...
If you read my entry below, yesterday was nothing like the reflections above!
My patience had long ran out, almost lost all control, the scales of balance were tipped upside down and harmony seemed far from the picture of my life on Wednesday.
(there was much more to the story than I blogged about.)
Micah and Marley had gotten into my make-up again...
I mean all into it...Powder on everywhere, foundation on the sink, finger nail polish stained the front of my cabinets and rugs, mashed up eye shadow on the floor and mascarra everywhere else...Nothing left unopened and not an inch of my bathroom that had not been marred. (and our bathroom is pretty big.)
Where are the pictures you might be thinking....
Ohhhhhhhhhh...Hummmmmmmmmmm...
I was too furious to take any...I keep saying, next time I will...
But the anger never get's any lighter....
Just listen and don't get into things you are not supposed to children...LOL
(Oh and for the record I thought they were playing in their room, not much damage can be done in there.)

How perfectly loving of our Heavenly Father to paint this picture for me...
And for you...
I can just hear Him now...
Remember my child...they are only little once...when they are grown...you will wish for days like these...Be patient and they will learn...Build your will power strong enough to always remain in control...Because when the lights are blown out...kisses are given...and all are in the bed...I give you this promise...Tomorrow will hold a brand new day...The choice of how to embrace it will be your's...But you are not alone...Come to me my child...I will walk with you...talk with you...and forever love you! I'm preparing you for something much better, and using you to prepare them for my plans to unfold in their lives as well...AMAZING...I know!!!

So just as the full moon passed into the earth's shadow and the rays of sun were blocked from lighting it up...I was reminded of the Grandeur Plan...The Bigger Picture...Perfection await's us all...one day! (But this day or any on this earth were just not intended for that perfection. Isn't that the beauty of it?)

Wackiest Wednesday Ever...

They look too sweet for just getting out of time out!
Love how Maci is looking all angelic...Like she has done nothing wrong...
Notice the Bangs...How short...

It will take a while to grow them out,

just to look normal.

Poor Karis...Her mom took the news OK...

Maci has a friend that comes home with her 1 day a week, Karis.

They play so well together and never get into trouble.

Today they asked if they could play with beads.
Sure...I give them beads, ribbon and scissors.
I walk out of the room for a few minutes...
Come back in and see Maci sweeping something under the recliner???
Maci what is that?...I ask...
Nothing Mom...
What do you mean nothing, what is it?
It's just fur...
Fur??? (As I walk into the living room to find a trail of stray hairs.)
Looking at the barbie's in the floor I keep my cool.
Till, I look under the recliner to find tons of hair...HUMAN hair...
Maci gave her friend a hair cut and Karis cut Maci's hair...
HORROR...
What am I going to tell this little girls mother?...
Who trust me to watch them...
I mean, they are usually good...
I don't have to stand over them like a hawk...
They are 5...
Today was also Wacky Wednesday. So both girls have unusual pony tails all over their heads.
Most of Karis's were on the top and Maci had two on the side with a braid down the middle.
It looked like they cut each other's pony tails off and one side of Maci's bangs...
We had been growing them out for a long time now and they were just getting to where they would stay pulled back...
Most of the damage on Karis was on the top and sides...
Maci a little on the sides and her bangs...
I phone my mom, who could not stop laughing...She tells me it's payback...
Moriah e-mails me this evening and tells me she's holding a place in the audience with her at the Mother of the year banquet...
We are no longer on stage or anywhere near the running for this award...
Michael is fuming...He loves long hair...And children who obey the rules...
This is a wacky Wednesday that will last much longer than one day and will defiantly go down in the books for one of the Wackiest Wed.'s Ever!

Cute Mannerism...

Micah was going potty today when she looked up at me and said, "Oh mom, I made rain...It drizzled in the potty." I thought that was a very creative and cute way to put it. LOL

Guitar Lessons...

Rodney Thompson (Hot Rod)

Not only is he one of my bestest...He's a great teacher!!! He also took these photo's of me...So you can see that he is very tallented in many area's. I've got to see if he will let me share some of his art work because he is very artistic and has some amazing drawings. He is playing around with a logo for Me and Moriah now. I don't often share photo's of me so I wantd to post these. I don't usually like photo's of me, but I found these to be more artistic.

Sweet Sisters...

I love everything about these photo's. The simplicity of them the most. My baby girls looking all grown up. I think they say everything sweet about sisterhood. "That's my sis-ter" as Marley would say. There is not doubt about it, they share a bond that will never be broken. Something very sweet, and simple. A love that will never stop growing, giving and reassuring that no mater how much times will change one thing will always remain the same...my sister.

Embarrassing?....What?....

OK, now I'm embarrassing, says my 5 year old.
This morning I couldn't get this Hannah Montana song out of my head...

Everybody makes mistakes,
Everybody has those days,
Everybody knows what, what I'm talking about,
Everybody gets that way (That's right!)

Nobody's Perfect! I gotta work it!
Again and again, Till I get it right,
Nobody's Perfect!
You live and you learn it!
And if I messed it up sometimes,
(Hey) Nobody's Perfect,

So Hannah does this hip shaken move during the first part.
I decided to break it out....
When in comes my daughter out of the tub.

Mom, that's kind of embarrassing.
...We are in our home...
No one saw me....
Have I really lost so much of my youth that now, I'm not
the cool young girl who still has some dance moves?
Has motherhood really take my youth away from me?
I'm really having a hard time realizing the fact that the big 30 is just
9 short months away. Depressing.....

M&M...

Here sis-tir...SMELL!

Marley Micah

Another gorgeous day!
I'm doomed if anyone ever
buys the house beside us...
The girls love to make

me pick their flowers.
I can hear me now...

Knock...

Knock...
Ummmm....

I'm sorry but before you lived here
we used to pick your flowers all the time....
My girls want to know if it's OK.....

LOL
Planting is in order this Spring!

Hannah Montana 3-D Movie...

Aunt Julie and I took the girls to see the Hannah Montana Movie last night.

Online Purchase of tickets $16 each...

Dinner $10...

Popcorn $5...

Drinks $4...

The look on her face when Hannah came on stage...Priceless...

The movie was in 3-D...I've never seen anything like it.

Awesome...The commercials did not lie...

You really felt like you were at her concert

or better, on stage with her.

I'm better now on the whole

growing up, I posted a few days back.

She redeemed that

childhood innocence last night.

Each time Hannah came close Maci

would reach out in hopes to touch her.

I'm not sure if she really thought she could...

Or

If the 3-D was palying mind tricks on her?...

Victoria (Madison's frined), Maci and Madison

*ROCK STAR*

Maci's daddy sent money w/ her last night.

After the movie we went in Northlake Mall.

She picked out these couture glasses.

Hannah had on a pair almost just like them in the movie.

This morning Marley tells me, "Maci's a Rock Star Mommy."

Oh my....

Gotta Have...

Belle & Boo Prints

Maci's Room Marley's Room Micah's Room

MY Princess/Dreamer MY Little Lover MY Freebird...

I want to purchase these prints for my girls rooms.
Aren't they beautiful?
I found them on etsy.com a place to buy and sell all things handmade.
They would be perfect...

My new Hobby...

Playing around and having fun in PS!

Moriah and I were talking not long go about needing new hobbies.Photography had been our hobby for so long. When we decided to share our love and passion with others and form CM Studio it became less of a hobby for us over the years. Don't get me wrong we still love and enjoy what we do, but when you carry your camera with you everywhere...and I do mean everywhere... and take pictures for a living you don't really want to fill every second of every day with that...Come on anyone would get sick of too much of anything. So as we were saying we needed new hobbies. I picked up a guitar and took an interest this summer. Learned a little here and there and really enjoyed it.

As was cleaning for the super bowl get together on Sunday I hung my guitar on a nail that had been in my wall since we bought the house. LOL I have just now began to put my own nails in the walls. Everything just seemed to fit where the previous owners nails were. And since they were kind enough to leave them I figured what the hey... I think it has actually found it's new home. In front of it sits a Rocking Chair. I was once a little baby rocked in that chair. That's hard to believe seeing I will be 30 this year. Yuck...I just hate the sound of that. I don't think that many of you know that I have taken an interest in playing. I had been playing around and learning on a friends last year. Rodney was generous enough to give me some lessons. Mom surprised me at Christmas with a guitar of my own to practice and learn. I love to play and learn and am usually up for a good challenge. This week I broke my first string. Time to get the DVD out and learn how to put a new one on. Or take it to Rodney and ask for his help...Beg...and... Plead...LOL I was very sad :( when it happened because I was just getting into my practice....Another day! I'll let you know if I ever get any good or worth hearing!

So Serious...

So, this is the look I get when I ask, "Marley show Mommy your new hair cut!"
I love it...Marley is that child who will out of the blue come up with some funny comment and blurt it out. Leaving you wondering....where did that just come from? Last night I took the girls to Dr. D's office, our chiropractor, for thier monthly visit. Since we were in M'ville we made plans with Granma. Mom lives in Morrison plantation. (Moriah and I dream to have a studio there one day.) We decided to walk to get some dinner since it was so beautiful out yesterday. Then on a whim I asked where a Great Clips was. (Sorry Katie it was a spur of the moment decision) Ironically there was one right there in MP. So we walked around the corner and got the girls hair trimmed. (Well it was suppose to be a trim.) Maci got less than an inch casue she is growing it out. A different lady cut Marley's hair. Once Marley was in the chair she had a much more serious look on her face and didn't move for 20 minutes....I know that should have been a HUGE clue to me...who takes 20 min. to trim a 2 year old hair? In attempt to get it even she just kept, cutting and cutting and cutting. You will not believe it when I tell you she got out the electric trimmers on her...She literally chased me out the door with the scissors in her hand, still cutting as we were paying. We had to get out of there before my poor child had no hair left. Lucky for Marley, she is too cute and can pull off even a bad hair cut. Mom and I had to even it up when we got her back to Mom's house. LOL

Growing Up...

Last month Maci had her first playdate (without me) at a friends from school. Sigh..........Then she was invited over again to join them at the YMCA for a swim date. What fun!!!!! The little girl is the sweetest. And her family are very positive people to be around. We have become great friends. There was just something wrong with my little girl leaving our house and going out without one of us. Cry.....Not that she has never left us before. But it has always been with someone who was really close to us or related to us. I guess I just read too much into it.

For a moment...

Her childhood flashed in front of my eyes. I no longer sow my precious baby in front of me. I sow a beautiful, strong, intellegent little girl. One who has done a lot of growing up and changing in the last year. I wish I could keep her safe in my arms reach forever. I have noticed lately that the decisions I have had to make for her are becoming more thought out and harder. Everything seems to be changing. I want to just scream "NO" sometimes and keep her little, at least in my mind. Becasue I know that it's not physically possible. I need to find a way to Celebrate her changing, but don't really know how to do that becasue with Maci it's alwasy been a first for me. A learn as you go experience.

The things I love most about her...

She has this mature knowledge of her faith...How important it is! But still holds the innocense and ability to want to share it freely with other people. I hope that will never change. No matter how difficult it will become. I hope she will always step out of her way to minsiter the love of Jesus Christ. I love how she absolutely adores and loves her family. If she were to have us all in one room together and never let us go I think she would truly be in heaven. She talks about each of the memebers with such revrence and joy. You all are so important to this little girl and never may know how deeply she loves you. Creativity must flow somewhere in our blood lines. I don't think that it is a natural thing for every little girl. Break out the paint, a few craft materials and she will turn it into her own little masterpiece.

As I look into her crystle blue eyes I can honestly see the beauty in her soul that radiates to the surface. Maci Grace, you amaze me! You will always be my precious little baby.

Super Bowl 2008...

What a Group

Maci, Mason, Marley, Me, Micah, Sawyer, Moriah and Garrison

Quarterback Marley

Moriah says, "Like she's been playing all her life."

We had the Edmonson's and the Thompson's over for Superbowl Sunday. I don't think I watched any of the game, till the end. LOL We even skipped halftime to play rock band on the PS3. Gosh it was fun! Thanks guys for coming over it was a blast. We will definatly have to have a Rock Band Party soon!

Happy Birthday Braedan...

I'm amazed at mom's who can make their own cakes

and have them turn out this good!
Birthday Boy and Daddy! (Braedan & Brad)
Birthday Boy and Mom! (Braedan & Stephanie)
Jordan and Braedan (cousins)

Happy Birthday Braedan! What a Big 5 year old you are now.
We had so much fun at your party!

Party...

Maci and Madison (Cousins)
When we arrived at the party they were evacuating the building.

There was a fire upstairs in the party rooms.
The Cornelious Fire Departmnet put out a fire in the trashcan.