she sells seashells by the seashore

Don't Ask. 

Just enjoy the cuteness.

Happy Wednesday.

how to become unproductive in 6 easy steps

Step 1: Give birth to one child.

Step 2: Spend large amounts of time holding, nursing, soothing, playing with, changing, and bathing said child.

Step 3: Finally get child to sleep at 11:30 p.m.

Step 4: Stay up until 2 a.m. blogging. (This step must not be skipped!)

Step 5: Wake up at 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. to feed child.

Step 6: Try to get up at 7 a.m.

Repeat as necessary. Guaranteed to be unproductive in 1-3 days.

and the winner is...

...Keeslermom! 

Congrats...You won the mystery photo contest! Please email me with your info.

 This is indeed a burner, stove element, burner coil..whatever you call it in your neck of the woods!

Stay tuned for the next mystery photo contest coming soon!

five question friday

 

 

 

Ok, so  I'm fresh outta things to say for the moment so I thought I'd cheat a little and do Five Question Friday today. Here goes...

1. Did you pass your driver's test on the first try?

 

Yes. BUT, I did not have to parallel park. Is that cheating?

2. What is your most embarrassing moment?

 

Okay, you should know that I go to great lengths to avoid embarrassment. GREAT LENGTHS! Sadly, my four yr old did not get this memo and asks me things in public, at the top of his lungs that would make a sailor blush. Ok, not that kind of stuff. But, questions like; "What's that smell...did you just toot?!?" or (about a woman wearing guy-ish clothes right next to us) "Is that a man or a girl?....No, I think it's a man!" and my personal favorite, "Mom, I gotta POOP!"

3. What TV show would you like to be on- Oprah, Biggest Loser, or What Not to Wear?

 

Oh, please, pu-leeez, put me on What Not To Wear! I could withstand the mocking, knowing that $5000 worth of clothes is coming my way! 

4. Would you ever get plastic surgery and what kind?

 

Um, ok. Here's the thing. I KNOW I should be happy with the body God gave me. And I was (mostly) until I had kids. But now that my middle has been stretched to the sun and back, I'd gladly accept a tummy tuck if someone offered it to me. But they never will. So, no. I'd never get plastic surgery. 

5. What are your favorite jeans to wear?

 

Ones that fit! I'm no respecter of jeans. 

 

 

 

So, there you go. Now mosey on over to Mama M.'s and see what everyone else is saying. Have a GREAT weekend! 

raw(e) beauty

This week's RAW(e) challenge, BEAUTIFUL, was really hard for me.  

I mean, there are SO MANY beautiful things around me. 

My husband's eyes,

my children's smiles,

creation, 

vibrant colors, 

friends' lovely faces...

So what did I choose? 

FEET. 

Huh?

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"

Romans 10:15b

Bringing the Good News of God's love and salvation...
what could be more beautiful than that?

oh happy day!

I love getting mail. 

Well, FUN mail. 

And the other day I received this in the mail.

This adorable knit beanie (that I WON!) from Amber over at Dawdler 101.

Thanks, Amber...I love it!

scattered thoughts

Over the past couple of weeks the Lord has been doing some really intense, deep works in and around me. With this whirlwind of activity I'm feeling a little scattered. I need to process it all and make sense of what the Lord is saying, doing, and asking of me in return. In an effort to get my thoughts collected, here are some of the things that are swirling around in my head...

I really want to desire Jesus more than anything. More than sleep, more than Peppermint Mocha Frappuccinos, more than a clean house, and even more than time to myself. But I'm not there yet, and it is a daily struggle to keep my affections focused on the Lord. The battle is almost tangible and I know that means I'm on the right path.

I have a long way to go in discovering how (and how much) He loves me. I have a very performance-oriented view of love. I need to keep reminding myself that here is nothing I can do (or can't do) that will increase or decrease the love of the Father towards me. 

I am a great pretender. Things are "great" and "fine" when just the opposite is true. I have a really hard time being vulnerable. Pride keeps me from doing and saying a lot of things. Even as I write this, I'm thinking, "What will they think of me for spilling my guts." But, I've purposed to be real so, here it is. Asking for help (even from my husband) is very difficult for me. I need to find out why.

to be continued...