Nap time at Co-op

Every Monday is our homeschool co-op day. It is one of my kids favorite days of the week. We have met amazing families and my children have met friends that I hope they will have for a long time.
I have shared with some of you how Graham falls asleep on a little foam couch with his buddy Micah every afternoon during nap time at co-op. I have been trying to get a picture of this for months and the other week I finally captured my sweet little boy. So, after lunch the lights get turned off and everyone must rest. What happens when the lights come back on is hilarious. This is what Graham does when all the other two year olds are being pretty loud two year olds when nap time is over.


I wish I would have captured all of the other kids running around the room while he slept.

Hooked on Urban Farmhouse

This is my new favorite place, Urban Farmhouse
If you like vintage things or new things that look old, this is the place for you. Her store is beautifully decorated. I could have spent hours just looking when I visited her store. My pictures do not do justice to how fabulous the store actually is. Here are a few of my finds.







Little canvas green pears. They have great texture and the feel of old denim.

These little artichoke candles are my new favorite candles. They burn beautifully and they are green, my favorite.






Don't you just love these soap holders? I love the finish on them and the fact that they can be attached right to the wall. I also bought a bar of natural soap to sit in this little holder. The soaps in this store are better than the $7 ones at Anthropology.


I got this cute little "Be Kind" sign for above my couch.

I wish I could show you more. I hope to visit this sweet little store again soon!! Don't forget to head over and get a peek inside.

The Laundry Room is Finished

Remember this small and narrow laundry room? Well we moved the washer and dryer to the far wall so that I did not have to walk sideways into the room. Now I have much more room.





I bought these cute baskets at Michaels half off. I made the little chalk boards from a few pieces of wood and some chalk board paint.


What do you think of my little fabric drape? All of my ugly soaps and detergents are hidden behind that pretty thing. I love this fabric. I can't remember the name of the fabrics but they are by Amy Butler. I recently visited Granville, the town where her studio is located. There was a cute little shop that carried a bit of her fabric but the owner would not allow me to take pictures. I took this one before I asked.

Motivate Me Monday

I am currently doing a Beth Moore study with a group of girls from church. We are studying the book of Esther. I have read this book several times but with the help of Beth I am learnnig much more.
Have you gotten to a point with yourself where you are comfortable? Do you know what I mean? Things are going OK...you are comfortable but you are not being stretched. One thing I have learned in my own life as well as looking at Esther's life is that it will, at certain times, take a crisis to pivet our direction. Esther had been Queen for quite some time when her time had come to confront the King on behalf of her people. If you think about it she was probably getting pretty comfortable. She had maids, eunuchs, as well as food, clothes, and beauty treatments. Then she was hit with the fact that she and her people were going to be destroyed. She could confront the King and face death for doing just that or she could do nothing and perish with the rest of the Jews. Esther had a choice. She had to overcome herself in order to do what God had created her and positioned her to do. Often times we are the biggest obstacel in our own life. Our fear of "whatever" prevents us from allowing ourselves to be stretched.
Take a bold step this week. That crisis that you are facing? You may be facing it to change the direction of your faith. Maybe you are getting too comfortable and not risking enough. Step out in faith, have courage, and overcome yourself so that you can do what God has positioned you to do.
Do you know what the most frequent command in the Bible is? "Do not be afraid." Don't allow fear to prevent you from taking a bold step in your faith.

Makeover

So.....? What do you all think of my new blog design? I am just tickled pink!!! Please ignore the picture of me over there on the left. I love the cute little frame that Fabulous K did for my picture, don't you? Again look at the frame not the picture. I am working on getting a new photo for Fab K to put in that darling little frame, but it is harder than I thought. Am I the only Mom who does not have one good picture of herself or even her husband? I have thousands of adorable pictures of my kids but not one of myself.
At least I have learned something from having an ugly picture of myself on the internet for everyone to laugh at, I mean see. I need to take more pictures of me and my husband!! If something were to happened to us I would want my children to have pictures to remember us by.
Have a great Day:)
Oh, and don't ya just love my sweet little signature? I told you I am just tickled:)

Talking with God

Recently the Lord has placed on my heart the importance of teaching my children to have daily quiet times. My kids are young and are not independent readers but I can't help but think about how most habits in life are established from an early age. Think of habits you have had since childhood. Now think about how blessed you would be now, as an adult, if from an early age you began the habit of spending time with God first thing in the morning. It would be a part of your day. You couldn't start your day off without talking with God first. Do you brush your teeth every morning? How about make your bed or make a pot of coffee? Teach your children while they are young to talk with God on a daily basis especially first thing in the morning. If you need more inspiration on this, visit my new favorite inspirational blog friend Joy and one of my favorite inspiring Moms, Teri

So I have talked with my oldest child about this topic this week. She has always had a heightened awareness of the Lord and daily seeks to know more about the Lord by asking her Daddy and I questions. This morning when she got up she came downstairs and sat with me. We snuggled for a bit and I said good morning and we had this conversation:
Ella: Mama?
Me: Yes
Ella: I talked with God this morning
Me: You did?
Ella: Yeah and He said something to me
Me: HE DID?
Ella: Yes, He said, "You are strong and mighty....
Me: now she hasn't finished at this point but my heart was melting and I was all smiles
Ella: So He said, "You are strong and mighty...and you will carry your sister around in a wagon"
Me: Smiling
Ella: Kissed me and went on her merry way
Is she not the sweetest thing? So back to my original thought. I am not sure how I am going to implement bible time with Ella yet. We have family devotional time and we do a short study at breakfast every Monday, but, I want her to start a habit of spending time alone in God's word. She isn't an independent reader yet so I think I will take Joy's advice and do a bible reading on tape during her afternoon quiet time where she will picture journal what she learns from the story. I am hoping to have her reading from a NIV bible independently soon...maybe when she is 7 or 8. For now I will anxiously await hearing what the Lord says to her each morning as she begins her day praying to Him.

Home school convention

The MidWest Home School Convention is coming up soon. I encourage you to check out their website. Even if you do not home school you should really consider attending. In fact, they should change the name of the conference to MidWest Parenting Convention. My husband and I leave feeling refreshed and ministered to every year. You will not be disappointed. Every year they have an incredible speaker line-up and an exhibit hall that offers pretty much everything you can think of when it comes to raising children. Oh, and did I mention that it is very affordable? Don't wait until summer to buy your curriculum. Hit the exhibit hall at the convention and save!!