Imperfect progress and Spring Break

A huge game of catch up and a photo bomb....Enjoy.

Coastal living has it's benefits.These are a couple of them...

Ballerina's do it better,just saying.

Carys can always make me smile.My sweet deep thinker.

33 years young.This birthday was epic and memorable.

My birthday weekend was the most memorable by far.A private wine tour at Pariaso Winery kicked this magical weekend off.

Desiring a healthy dose of reality? This book is ready to serve that,mixed with tenderness.

Trampoline fun.Crazy Static included.

These girls kill it in the style department.Nothing is off limits,as you can see.

Chapel & leg warmers for Mighty Memorizer,we do think so.Bay Shaye,always marching to the beat of her own drum.

I will always be a fighter.But fighting now for more important things is my mission.Changing the definition not the word and owning it.

A love for reading never hurt anyone.And her parasol was a presh accessory.

Adventures with Grama Bernice are always priceless.We headed to Morro Bay together and channeled our inner pirates.

Hitting milestones over here.Bay reading her first chapter book.Doesn't she look so cute?

Hi,my name is Mom and I iron my daughter's underwear in the morning.Shameful I know,ask me if I really care.

Staying committed to my personal goals this year.Training and staying focused.And having fun at the same time.

Carys Marie,heart of a servant.Such an incredible example of generosity.I have a lot to learn from this little person.

I know what you are thinking....that's deep right? Well,have ever had a Samoa?

Sometimes the magnitude of my love for these two little people is overwhelming and I am left speechless and in awe.And what a moment to rest in that is.

Toothless in Monterey.

Bay is conquering crazy things these days. Determined and focused and no training wheels,craziness going on here.

I told the girls they could put their fake tattoos on anywhere but their face.This is where they chose. I am officially scared.to.death.

Spring Break kick off.Breakfast in bed always starts the day/vacation out right. Sprinkle Break waffles anyone?

The country never hurt anyone and nurtures curiosity like no other.

Christmas Craft Blowout

Snowflake ballerina's,Handmade Ornaments,Fabric Tree's,Oh My!
Found these ballerina beauties on Pinterest,where else right? Everything else are my own creations on the fly.But here is the scoop on these dancing ladies....
I did tweak the directions a bit.I used coffee filters instead of paper for their tutu's.I just found it easier to work with and prettier really.To each her own. I also decided to add glitter.Lots and lots of glitter just makes everything so much more fun don't ya think?
I hung them on twine above the girls beds.
And voila!
9 dancers dancing....

First,trace your ballerina.

Then cut her on the fold of your favorite paper.

Then with coffee filters or another piece of paper,start making your snowflakes.When you are done,before you open the snowflake up,cut the top of the point off.This slit will be where you put your ballerina in her tutu.Open your snowflake up and drown them in glitter.Trust me it's totally fun.I used spray adhesive for this because of how delicate the coffee filters were.This step is optional though.

When the tutu's are dry,place the tutu's gently over the ballerina's.Gather some twine or ribbon works too,string them along evenly.And because I am so very OCD,I noticed that when I first hung them,they did not face forward.So...if you are like me,then dab some hot glue on the opposite(backside) side of the ballerina's arm and where the twine meets and glue together.This helps them face forward and not to the side.

I hope you try these.So fun for the Girly girl in all of us.
Enjoy.

Easy peasy lemon queezy...as my girls might say.
The details:
*Clear plastic ornaments from Michael's craft store
*Different color ribbon
*Smash books from Michael's
*ball point pen
*Sharpie
*Photo
*Glitter
*Burlap

2 /10 Christmas Craft
{under 2$ & 10 minutes}
Let's go...
First, have your hulligan/child complete a funny smash book fill in the blank quiz.In their own handwriting.Have them sign and date the back too. Gently wrap the burlap up and stuff inside the ornament.Place the photo on one side of the burlap and on the other place the handwritten quiz.No glue necessary because the burlap acts as an adhesive. Dump some glitter inside for some sparkle,no measuring here.Add ribbon to top and done and done.
So fun,so cheap and so easy.Yup,that's what he said.She said What?Oh yes I did.
Us Momma's need to stick together this season and make all things as easy as possible.
Your welcome and enjoy.

Fabric Tree's:
These are definitely a momma craft.I made these last year with different kinds of burlap and linen.However,this year the girls put in their request for some fun colors,so I obliged.Simple,simple...Paper mâché cones from Michael's for a buck a piece.And strips of my,yours,or their favorite fabric.And tons and tons of hot glue and a glue gun.Man,I love glue guns.All I do, is glue and fold,glue and fold.Rinse and repeat.

Seeking Joy

Over the past few months I have had many thoughts.Thoughts stemming from specific situations,experiences from the past and just plain longing for joy in my life.
Why is my personal joy being robbed?
Because I have allowed it to happen.Period.Point.Blank.
Ah yes, a moment of clarity.We all have those so they aren't that rare but acting on the awareness of them, now that's where the fun begins.Oh wait,just me?

From the challenges and joys of homeschooling,to deleting my Facebook.To eliminating the stress of over obligating myself to any and all opportunities to wear my super duper mom badge.There has never been more joy present in my life until now. And the crazy thing is,absolutely No Mom guilt has followed.

The important things and people in my life will always be just that.Even if I seem to fail in showing that,I am determined to make these changes a reality.I am removing all the distractions I have allowed to overtake my perspective. So that I may better see and experience the goodness of my life in the present.

I can change no one but myself.Teaching my daughter's this is key as well. Teaching them truth and what is not and the wisdom to know and understand the difference is one of the many goals I have. Assuming someone's intentions will get you nowhere either. We all do the best we can with what we have and this has become evermore true today for myself. And when we know better,we do better,in everything.

Life is good and full.Fresh with new life that may have always been there but looks sparkling now without all the clutter to hide it.

My current Joy's:
(In no particular order)

* My daughter's
* Homeschooling
*My love for sewing and creating things
* My sweet husband
* My home
*Christmas
* My Savior
*Pinterest
* Instagram


What are your current Joy's?

A Christmas re-do on the girls room was F.U.N this year.Complete with paper chain,fabric tree's,and a glitter Nativity scene from the dollar bin at Target.

My very first book dedication and she used "beloved". There are no words to describe.None.

Christmas in our house looks a little like this...it's getting there...I'm not sweating it this year and it feels so good.

Weekends like these...{Weekends Past Recap}

I have been so busy these past few months.And I am working on stopping the celebration of that.The art of being busy isn't something I like anymore.It's not a bragging right I would like to have.I've missed things,important things.So if I have seemed to skip out on you,I'm sorry.I'm just over here trying to be a better mom and wife is all.Will you forgive me?
Weekends like these bring back old childhood memories and restore me.
Weekends like these remind me what I need it most and what a gift this life is to me.And I should never take that for granted.
Weekends like these,slow and steady,remind me to slow.the.heck.down.once in awhile. Here is a huge photo B.O.M.B, snapshot by snapshot of my life these past few months...

They love each other,I swear they do!
Swear!

SC Boardwalk Girls Trip
Just us,all day.Fried twinkies,face painted sunshine kissed cheeks,rollar coasters and then some.We shut it down with energy to spare.

White Lightening Soccer Hulligans 2012
We constantly bribe Bay to go to her games.Sad but true. It appears she is most stoked to partake in snack post game than actually be IN the game.Imagine that?

This is the One.The picture that took many bribes from momma Zo to get.The one that happened after arguing with the hubbs all morning.*cringe worthy moments in marriage.Ha! But sweet success,we got it.
Picture.Check.
Christmas Cards ordered.Check.

Homemade peacock costume courtesy of yours truly.Thank you 1980's,goodwill and Project Runway for the inspiration.

A little craft fair I threw together at Bay's school.Love banners and lavender eye pillows.With 25 handmade vendors it was a hit.I plan on stocking my Etsy store with the left over's soon...maybe....I will eventually get to that.

I have the most awesome,amazing,genuine,honest,loyal friends a girl could ask for.Some of them I have known my whole life.Others feel more like sisters.Some I don't get to see as often as I would like.Some far away,some right down the street.New and old,my friends are my family when my family broke.I love them and Girls Nights Out,good food and drinks but most of all our connection.The wine didn't hurt either.

The marathon I ran.Crazy,right? Well only half crazy according to my sticker.I did not train for this at all.With homeschooling this year and the adjustment to that,I gave up my gym membership.Total bummer.So I was a bit nervous about following through with the race.I wasn't coming straight off the couch and totally unconditioned.But definitely not in half marathon shape.But with tons of encouragement from friends and family and keeping in my mind the goal of just finishing,I survived it. I had a sweet GF run with me,pep talk me through it all.She was worth her weight in gold those 13.1 miles. I ran and finished for my mom.For who she was,the memory of her that remains and the feisty spirit of her that lives on in me.I finished in 3hours and 11 minutes.For not training,that ain't too shabby. More on the trials of that race later.

(From left to right)
Start,8 mile,Finish
Half marathon
Bucket List
Check

I like him a lot and am trying to show him that more often.We are rolling up on 9 years of marriage.And we haven't killed eachother yet,so we are doing great!

Spending more time with these people is where I be.