crafting fail.

everyone posts their crafting success stories. i'm posting about my fail... and frustration!

I went out bright & early this morning (thanks to my dry shampoo!) to the craft stores to buy the following:
-Krylon glitter spray pain
-foam wreath (rounded, not flat on the back/front)
-felt

I found the spray paint (not at acmoore or lowes... finally at michaels), but they were VERY limited in their colors. I ended up with bronze because all the other fallish colors were gone. ok. I can deal with this.

I found wreaths, but none that were rounded. Michael's had 1 in the back... so I bought it (after asking begging for it). No more in the back. None in the store. ACMoore didn't have any either.

I found lots of felt. :) score!

{{I also found a small letter D and a small square plaque thing to put it on so I thought I'd add to some fall decor, paint the plaque white and the D in the glitter spray, attach the D to the plaque and viola! cute decor}}

Come home... get excited... spray paint the D [it's seriously like 5" tall] and then start spray painting the wreath... the can starts fizzing and spraying out clear liquid half way through. Now, this may be a normal thing for empty spray cans, but since I am not a spray painter per say I was clueless. My wreath was only half painted. It wasn't that big of a wreath. ugh.

So now I have a finished D, a half finished wreath that has paint streaks drying and guess what happens... the grass cutters ride by and blow grass all over my wreath. oh. my. gosh.

I gave up. Any suggestions?

[The D is finished and attached. I'll update when my phone is done charging and I can post pictures of both. sigh.]

I'm a pusher. I push people to do things or think things because I feel they are right. Personally I prefer the term encourager, but... 

Anyway, I find myself doing this to Meredith. I push her to find success, to learn new things, to try new things, to be kind, to be polite, to be funny, to be silly, to be independent... but sometimes I push her too much. Here lately she will ask you if you're sad/mad/happy. If you are sad or mad she'll get upset and reply with "I want to make you happy..." - which I thought was cute until I truly thought about it. I want her to make people happy, but at what cost?

I don't want her to be such a people pleaser that she forgets about making her own self happy - or more importantly - the Lord happy. I don't want her to be such a driven person that she doesn't allow herself to make mistakes. I don't want her to focus on doing things better instead of being content with what she's already done.

I know that I do those things. I like to make people happy and I sometimes put that before my own happiness. I like do be the best at things and I forget to be content with what I've done... and I'm rubbing off my kiddo. Like I said - it's in small increments, but it's happening. [My mom points it out all the time, but I usually shrug her off because she doesn't get it, but she's probably right.] 

Today we ran into friends at WalMart and their little girl was riding a toddler bike. Meredith wanted to, too. We took her to the bike section to let her try [she's tried before] and she couldn't get it. She could not grasp how to push the pedals forward with her feet, let alone steer the dang thing, lol. She was so frustrated. [I got a little frustrated too, because if a 2 year old can do it why can't an almost 3 year old?] Then I got home and we ate lunch and she sang silly songs and she told me I was her best fran...and when I put her down for nap I started thinking about how awesome she is... how much I love her and how much joy she brings to my life... and I felt guilty for always wanting her to do more.

I cry all the time here lately about how fast she's growing up, yet I rarely stop to soak up the stage she's in. I expect too much of her at times. While some parents allow their kids to take a treat without saying thank you, I'm the mom that takes the treat away until she says thank you. Some parents chalk up misbehavior to the age, yet I pounce on her when she's even slighty fussy. Why??? Who am I trying to impress??? I know those are necessary things, but I can take stuff to the extreme at times... [and I hate admitting that].

I'm rambling, but these are my thoughts. My beautilful little angel will be 3 in just a few short weeks and I want to STOP making her be more or do more and instead be thankful and content with where she is and what she already knows. She's so smart. She's so funny. She's so silly. She's also the Lords... and He's showing me every day, little by little, what a blessing she really is. 

I'm in trouble...

I found a new-to-me website/blog that is going to make life wonderful and awful at the same time. Wonderful because it has sooooo many new & easy recipes that are going to make menu planning fun for the next few weeks! Awful because it also has a ton of dessert recipes that are going to cause me Billy to gain weight. [I'm secretly hoping that I'll get pregnant soon so I don't have to care about gaining weight and can eat all I want... hehehee.] Here's how it started.

I am a bachelor/ette fanatic. I love the show and easily get caught up in it! Along with this addiction comes the stalking... and twitter & instagram make this super easy to do. :) This past season's bachelorette was Emily Maynard and because I loved her from Brad's season I was ridiculously excited! In case anyone cares my top 2 picks for her were Sean Lowe & Jef Holm... I was extremely disappointed when she eliminated Sean, but I was hoping he'd be the next bachelor so it was all good. ANYWAY - Sean's sister is on twitter [@mixandmatchmama] and I kept seeing people talk her yummy recipes etc... So I followed her, but never paid much attention to her - until yesterday. Um. Yea. I'm a fan.

You can visit her website here but don't say I didn't warn you!

Last night I sent Billy to the store to get some baking supplies and ended up baking her chocolate hazelnut bundt cake. IT'S SOOOOO GOOD!!!

It was easy, yummy, delicious, and not calorie/sugar friendly at all. :)

Tomorrow I'm attempting her Ranch Burger with Avocado Ranch Sauce and the list begins from there... :) I'm attempting to prove to Billy that my obsession with all things Bachelor/ette is not in vain at this point... look at all the good that's coming out of it. His belly will be happy. :)

holy vacation, batman!

Well... this stay-at-home-mom thing makes visiting family absolutely amazing. Why? Because I was gone for the past 11 12 13 days, that's why! :) Meredith and I had the best time visiting my family on the ESVA. We had a couple cookouts at my dad's house... went to the beach... went shopping... went to the park (the same one I played at while growing up)... had fun on a redneck slip & slide... played with the Pinners... watched a movie on the side of my dad's barn... played with cousins on both sides of the family... went yard saling... relaxed with mawmaw... ate a ton of yummy food... the list goes on and on. I was able to visit with baby Carly and have a girls night with my sister & Megan. Billy came for the 2nd weekend which made the trip even better.  We left on Monday and stopped for the night in Richmond so Meredith could see ChaCha & Papa too! :) Over all it was a wonderful awesome amazing trip and I am soooo thankful for my hard working husband because without him I couldn't have enjoyed such a long trip home. Thank you Billy. <3

I'll blog about specifics later, but here's a few pictures to recap our awesome trip!

 

 

 

 

E.S.V.A.

MEREDITH & I ARE GOING TO THE SHORE TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's right- the Eastern Shore of Virginia peoples!

When I think of all the packing I still have to do, I get a bit overwhelmed... cuz we aren't going for our typical 5 day stretch. No, we're going for 11 days. 11 wonderful, glorious, family & friend filled days. Friday {arrive}, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday {Billy comes this day!}, Friday, Saturday, Sunday {Billy leaves..}, Monday/Tuesday. I'm still not sure which day we're coming home. I may leave on Monday and drive to Richmond and stay the night and finish the trip on Tuesday morning. It's not a crazy drive {only 5 hours} but the in-laws are in Richmond so it breaks up the trip and we get to see ChaCha & Papa {Uncle Chad & Hailey, too!}. We shall see. {Guaranteed Hailey will read this and immediately text me to tell me to come on Monday night. Guaranteed!}


I'm getting a little sad about leaving Billy, but since he's coming the next weekend I try not to be toooo bummed. He can't take off more b/c he recently started his new job... and because he's kicking butt in numbers/calls/whatever he's going to go full force while we're gone {leave early & come home later... no one home to get home too!}. Have I mentioned how proud of him I am? Well, I am. He took providing for us seriously and is doing a kick @$$ butt job {I figured my mama in law & mommy might be reading and decided to be more appropriate}. :)

Ok. I'm signing off with a few pics of past trips home. I'M SO EXCITED! :)

cutting wheat with Poppy :)

sleeping <3

At CoCo's in Salisbury one rainy day in  April '11

Thanksgiving 2011 :) 

hahahaa... 

Meredith chillin' with her cousins :)

Summer of 09...
Megan & I were pregnant with C & M here! <3

Who knows when, but I love beach days with my sissy!!!

Laboring after Labor Day :)

Labor Day weekend was wonderful. We went to Billy's parents house and had a blast with our family and friends! Donna & Phil came with us {apparently they love my in laws as much as they love them! lol}!! We weren't together the whole time though. They went shopping on Saturday while we went to the pool and were lazy at the house. We did enjoy grilling out all together and church and games. Donna, Hailey, & I went running TWICE on Saturday- once earlyyy in the morning and then again later that night. Those are the times when I wish I lived so much closer...

I'm subbing today {for my bestie Judith.. her grandfather passed away on Saturday} and enjoying being back with the kiddos. I will admit that I don't miss the prep work though. I met her at school last night and spent a few hours helping her get stuff together and organized... Yea - don't miss that part! lol  I'm just thankful that the Lord is blessing me with a few subbing jobs to help us figure out this new life style with 1 income. :)

Have I mentioned that I love my sister-in-law-to-be? I realize she's younger than me, but you would never know it. I always worried about who Chad would marry... I wanted that person to be like a sister- not just some chick I have to spend time with at family functions. I also worried because whoever he married would be an Aunt to Meredith and I'm pretty picky about stuff like that, lol. Also, let's be honest - I was the only girl for so long... Sharing was going to be weird/hard {especially if the girl was psycho/mean/rude/snobbish/shy etc} and not to be mean, but Chad hasn't always had the best track record for girlfriends. But... I love Hailey. I have loved getting to know her... I have loved getting closer to her... and I have loved knowing I get to have another "sister". {Let me insert here that nothing can or will ever change the relationship I have with you Katie Kelley! I love you more than life itself and nothing can change that. xo} But spending time with Hailey this weekend {also let me insert that she & Chad ditched a weekend at the beach to stay in Richmond this weekend to spend time with us. yea.} was great and... another reminder that there are times I wished we lived a lot closer.

Speaking of my sister- I'M GOING HOME FOR 12 DAYS ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh my lanta I am so stinking excited. I haven't been home for longer than 5/6 days in what feels like years {it really might have been that long. fo ril}. I'm getting sad about leaving Billy, but he decided to make that easier on me... he's coming to visit too! :) He's coming the 2nd weekend that I'm there... Gosh I love that man. <3 It's Katie's birthday weekend and I haven't been with her on her birthday in years - literally... plus 2 family/sunday dinners... Seeing my high school best friend's new born baby {come on Baby Carly!!!}... Fresh Seafood... Happy Buffet... Beach... MEGAN & COLTON & SELAH ARE COMING TOOOO!!!!... Time with family and friends... a hair cut for Meredith... relaxing. I. AM. SO EXCITED. AND. CAN. NOT. WAIT. TO. GET. THERE.  the end. :)

Ok. Here's a few snapshots of our weekend... Then I'm done. Have a great week!

So excited about going to the "big pool"... she was determined to carry her noodle too! :)



You don't even wanna know... but this was from Donna & Phil as an inside joke, lol. :) Proudly wearing it though for game night!



She had to stop playing for a few minutes to check her messages and catch up on twitter. :)

  

So stinking cute & proud to be on her own in the big pool!





cheeeeese! :)



Date night with Chad & Hailey. We FINALLY went to Chipotle... just not the one in Lynchburg. :)


 

Hailey said it was a moment to capture... Me & Chipotle. It did NOT disappoint!


-K