Inside and Out!

Oh the joys of computer issues! Makes blogging come to a hault, although I didn't get my blogging time in this weekend, I did have a great weekend!

 (you'd think my new laptop wouldn't have issues after 2 months)

Back to the pen and paper of the good ol' days!

  . . . . . . . .

Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, I wish you looked different?! 

I wish I had straighter hair...

I wish I had a better smile...

I wish I had straight teeth...

I wish I had less curves...

I wish I had higher cheek bones...

I wish my forehead wasn't so big...

 I wish my nose looked different...

?

I am pretty sure I am guilty of many of those!

As women, we are TOO HARSH on ourselves. We often times judge ourselves more than we judge others. {we.shouldn't.do.either} We don't view ourselves as the beautiful people that God made us. We look for the flaws, more than the good. We often expect ourselves to be and look perfect. {there.is.no.perfect!}

I was watching this THIS video that my friend sent me the other day and it really hit me. I might wake up and look in the mirror and from day to day, not always like what I see...BUT I am beautiful! If we all looked the same, it would be a boring world! Just think if Picasso made all the same paintings and everywhere you looked, there was the same painting. OR God only made the world in one color, so everything you looked at was red. OR There was only one song that was played over and over and over on the radio, so that is all you heard every day.

This would be one boring world!

Change is good! Everyone is different and that what makes everyone unique!

Lets be less harsh on ourselves and more complimentive! Lets give ourselves a few more 'pats on the back,' a few more smiles, instead of frowns, a couple more 'attaboys' instead of insults, less judging and more 'rewarding.'

Let's all face it, no one is perfect and you are made the way you are for a reason! 

Life is too short to take time to judge yourself...live it out and live it proud of who you are!

Sun & Tea!

 One of the best things about your kids, is watching them play the way you did as a child. Abby asked it have a tea party outside with her pig and needed a blanket to sit on.

What better blanket than the one my mom made me and one that I had tea parties on as a little girl?!

Just a little sunshine, a blanket, a tea pot and a friend!

Sometimes I wish I was still a kid. So innocent, fun a such a BIG heart!

Trendy Little x4

One day I'll look back on these pictures and just smile...what am I saying, I am smiling right now. To know that I am a huge influence and am a big leader of my kids lives make me grin from ear to ear. I love teaching them how to be polite and well mannered....cause lets face it, we do need more of that in this world!

They might not show it all the time, but they really do LOVE each other!

They each have their own personalities and I love each and every one of them!!

It is getting harder to get a picture of them all looking and smiling for pictures! 
(Bribes aren't working for the littlest man...hehe!)

My two boys...smiles from ear to ear and more love than one can put into words!
Priceless.Moment!


My little sassy divas!
Two.Peas.In.A.Pod!


I might have to jump around behind the camera and say silly things, but you do what you have to do to get those goofy, fun cheesy grins!

I thank God they are mine...
All.Mine!



 
Linking up with Chelsea over at Sunny with a Chance of Sprinkles

How Much?

There isn't really a price for our worth, but if we had to break it down...

 I know I am not the only one that feels like this sometimes...

Many mothers are the leaders of their respective households. And what is a CEO if not the head of a family?

Unlike the CEOs who take home huge bonuses, sometimes moms simply have to settle for hugs and "thank yous" instead of a golden parachute.
{which is usually pretty rewarding!}

 Here are a 'mom's jobs' and how they estimate the breakdown...

Stay-at-home moms work an average of 94 hours per week for a total estimated "mom salary" of $113,586 a year. Working moms -- in addition to their 40-hour work week -- spend an additional 58 hours on household and childcare jobs, and would earn a total of $67,435 if they collected a paycheck. 

Wow, not that any of our time with our precious little ones can be justified into a dollar amount, but for the times that people don't think that we do much or think that a stay-at-home mom 'isn't worth much'...think again!

 HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

to all the amazing mama's out there!!!

Especially the amazing one who raised me...

Saturday Satisfaction

Step 1...entertain your littles!

What you'll need:

2½	cups flour
2	tsp. baking powder
½	tsp. salt
2	tsp. cinnamon
1	cup butter softened
2	cups sugar
3	eggs
1	tsp. vanilla
¾	cup sour cream
1	pkg. Hershey's cinnamon chips
3	TB sugar
3	tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon until fluffy.

Add eggs and mix well.

Add vanilla and sour cream and mix well.

Mix flour and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Add to wet ingredients and mix until all combined.

Add cinnamon chips and stir into batter. Set aside.

Spoon batter into 4 mini (greased) loaf pans until about 2/3 full.
(I used a loaf pan and muffin cups together)
Mix 3 T. sugar and 3 t. cinnamon in a bowl and sprinkle over the batter in each loaf pan.

Bake at 350 for 35-38 minutes. Let cool before removing from pan

A-MAZING!!

Friday's Letters

Dear self - For the love of pete, realize that at the moment, you are 'out of commission' and need to take it easy. The laundry can wait, the dishes are ok to sit till the hubby gets home and the floor doesn't need to be vacuumed every other day. Having to 'take it easy' is really tough for me. I am not used to the words 'slow down.'

Dear life - Being out of my norm for a few weeks, I would greatly appreciate you slowing down. I can't remember the last time I was this stressed. Please feel free to pause and resume in 2 weeks.

Dear spring - Thanks for finally coming and deciding to stay. The glow of my casper skin appreciates the vitamin D!

Dear my two girls - Please bear with mommy and give me a hand or two in helping me keep your room clean. I know that it isn't the biggest room for two little girls with tons of clothes and toys, but honestly, if I ask you to pick up your stuff again, I just might loose it!

Dear Garbage Man - I am sure you are getting used to me running things out last minute, and I greatly appreciate you taking all our junk and garbage. The other day was it really necessary to honk and wave when you saw me running back into my house?!

Dear 'BFF' - Thank you SO much for all your help this week with my kiddos!! I greatly appreciate all your help and taking time out of your day to come and help me. Not to mention, I do love our fun conversations and enjoying coffee together! You rock!

Dear Hubs - Thanks so much for all your hard work and help too! Maybe this is just a small taste of how amazing I really am when I am 100%! Love you!

Dear Abby - I can't wait to watch your dance recital...you amaze me with how much you remind me of myself as a kid! Dancing around with a huge smile on your face!

Dear weekend - Please take it easy on me and stay awhile!

At His Best!

My kids put everything into the things they do...

whether it be baseball, dance, soccer...even singing...they love it and try their best.

My little All-Star at his best!

I couldn't have had a bigger smile on my face, when Chase slid into third, head first, and was safe. The parent behind me said, 'Man does that kid have a love for this sport, he really loves baseball.' 

{I am pretty sure he breathes baseball}




 

He is in his element when he is playing baseball. He has passion for the game that is unbeatable.

He.loves.the.sport!

He'll try any position...