On Being Content When You Want More

I walked around the house yesterday taking shots of things I love...
It led me to feeling a deep sense of gratitude for what I consider the little things...
It's funny how when you start counting your blessings they multiply quickly...

Family, photos of precious moments,  a multitude of books

An excess of toys, a little girl's imagination, a beloved blanket from a beloved friend

A beginning of an art gallery for the kids, crayons, markers, paint, the ability to create

A spot in Our Master Bedroom, the love that resides there, a soft warm bed

Pride to be southern, a sense of humor, a running sink with clean water

My loves: their health, that they are safe and learning and growing and becoming who they are meant to become

A photo of my Dad as a child, the time I had with my Dad, my learned love of reading and writing

My totally unfinished bench, the sunlight pouring in, my paints and brushes, the time I carve out to make something for my home

Crockpot full of white bean chicken chili, food for my family, health and sustenance entering our bodies to nourish us, a time where we can all sit together

A child's bike, a warm day with fresh air, his desire to ride freely, his laughter and pursuit of feeling the wind in his hair

 A little space my husband made me to hang things I love, a husband who supports me, a husband who loves me and gets me

A chance to read new books, a chance to learn new things, literacy in a world where 1 billion people can't read at all

Try it.

Next time you are wanting more

(which is exactly what I was doing)

count your blessings.

Remember to be content with what you have

TODAY.

It will bring you back to the present moment.

Happy Wednesday Friends!  ;)

You HAVE to read this...

I've had lots of conversations about child-rearing lately with friends. It seems like as mothers we are concerned about one major issue:
making sure that our children our successful.
That's a great thing, right? We want our children to do well in school, to do well in sports, to achieve great things. We want them to get into a good college, find a high-paying job, make a difference in the world. We want them to be considered smart, attractive, intelligent people.

If you are like me and work hard to help your children achieve these goals, please read this book.
I had no idea that I NEEDED this book until I picked it up.

A person can be successful without coming close to being truly great. And wouldn't we all rather aim our children toward true greatness?
"We're going to invest 20 years of our lives and spend tons of money preparing our kids for the future. Why not prepare them for a life that dwarfs the goals of those who are merely successful? Why not groom our children for true greatness?"

We are talking about raising our children to be authentically kind and generous. Children who will become adults that want to serve others.

We need to raise kids who know how to make a life, not just a living.

Oh, and if you are anything like me, you will need some guidance on how to raise children to love God and love others. Because I need a lot of help on that. So if you read this book be expected to make a lot of harsh realizations about yourself. Because I got hit with lots of things. And now I am working on becoming a better person myself.

This book is meant to change you for the better.

...and that's all I've got for now. :)

Friday...a book, a recipe, and some inspiration

Happy Friday Friends.
My kids have been on Spring Break this week, and while we had a very good time, my husband informed me that I have the day off today!
Which means I can catch up on a couple of projects and get ready for Sissy's birthday without being responsible for feeding, entertaining, and changing diapers.
YAY!!
Here is a collage of inspiration for the week...

1. more pillows... closeup., 2. heart´s heart - multicolor, 3. Chloe, Beatrice, Pixie, Poppy, Olive, 4. doll quilt, 5. Polkadot shoes, 6. matruschka pimpinellskova #2, 7. matruschka pimpinellskova #2, 8. Oilily fabric brooches, 9. van dik hout - mijn houten hart, 10. love on a wire, 11. turquoisepink1, 12. flowers for hairpins 1

On another note, I make steamed broccoli about once a week, and was getting rather tired of it. I tried this cold broccoli salad for Easter and I highly recommend it. My kids were munching on it like little rabbits:)

• Large head of broccoli
• 10 slices of bacon, cooked crisp
• 5 green onions
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 1 cup mayo
• 2 tsp. vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar

Cut the broccoli into florets, add cooked bacon to it along with green onions, raisins. Mix mayo, vinegar and sugar together and toss with broccoli mixture.

Lastly, I actually read this back in December but picked it up from the library again. It is not a Christian based parenting book, but it has to be one of my favorites ever.

“If you are raising children in these anxious times, you need this book. It will inspire you, reassure you, and, most important of all, it will remind you that less is more, that simplicity trumps complication, that rhythm and routine bring peace to the soul. In this profound and practical guide, Kim John Payne offers parents a doable, step-by-step approach to simplifying everyday family life, from the toy box to the dinner table. In the process, he reveals to us the rewards to be found in slowing down, savoring our children’s childhoods, and more fully enjoying our own adult lives.”—Katrina Kenison, author of Mitten Strings for God

Here is wishing you a wonderful weekend.

xo,

Chrissie

Easy Presents for Kids Parties, a Yummy Dinner, and Family Reading

If you have little kids like me, then they probably get invited to a lot of birthday parties. I always encourage my kids to make their friends a gift.
I know it's a lot easier to go to Target and drop $15 or $20, but I just happen to think that hand-made gifts are special.
This is a really easy and fun project to make for kids birthday parties. Banners to hang in the friends room! For this one, Ashton picked out the papers that his friend liked and I cut the triangles out for him. We printed her name out on the computer and used pop-dots to adhere them.

He decorated each triangle from the banner differently. For the one below, he found the cupcakes in a coloring book and after coloring them with crayons he cut and glued them on. He also used buttons, glitter, a picture of Hannah Montana, and some pretty ribbon. With a little bit of guidance, any child can make one of these. It can be customized to each individual childs interests and likes so easily.

On another note, I am totally addicted to this cookbook. I use it at least once or twice a week. Tonite I made the Marlboro Man steak sandwiches and made this cornbread. YUUUUUUUUM!! Oh yeah, it's not the healthiest dinner, so I made sure to make a big salad too:)

Lastly, we started reading together as a family a couple of weeks ago. We are a big reading house...I myself am an avid reader and I encourage reading of all kinds with my kids. I personally think that if you are a good reader, you will be a curious and good student. But that's another post for another time.

We started reading a chapter book out loud every night before bed. I am trying to pick books that will keep the attention of a very wide range...3 1/2, 5, and almost 10. That in itself is a bit of a challenge. We read this one last week:

It is set in 1912 and it's about a Jewish family with five daughters growing up in New York. I loved all the lessons the book presented and all the kids enjoyed it.

Tonite we started Ramona Quimby, Age 8. These were my favorites growing up. They are so funny and well-written, and so far the kids like this one as well.

Do you have any suggestions for family reading? I would love to continue this tradition and need some more books that would be appropriate for my wide age range!

Thanks friends. I hope you had a lovely weekend!

xo,

Chrissie

Small treasures

It's nothing earth shattering, but I found lots of little treasures over the weekend. I am on the search for two large (real wood) bookcases, but everything I saw this weekend was particle board.
Anyhoo-I've been on the search for little items to redecorate the guest bathroom when all the demolition is repaired. I love these two mirrors below. They will probably get a coat of spray paint. They were marked 1.99 each at GW but I got them both for 1.99.

I love this basket at a garage sale for 50 cents. Perfect for holding some beautifully wrapped soaps or some handtowels.

Perfect shelf for the bathroom, just the right size. It will definitely need some new paint though. It was a GW find for 3.99.

I found this planter at GW for only 99 cents. Isn't it cute? It looks like a white picket fence to me. I just happened to have a plant that fit in there perfectly.

Books for only 50 cents each at a garage sale. I forgot to take pictures but I also got the boys 3 shirts each, all brand name and in great condition for $1 each. Preparing for some back-to-school clothes. I also found myself a really cute pair of Old Navy wedges for $1, the tags were still on!

Oh yeah...remember this mirror?

I gave it a coat of aqua spray paint and it's hanging in the Master Bedroom. Maybe one day I'll show you the whole room.

I allowed myself $20 to spend and had just enough left over for a caramel frappicino. Yahoo!

Go to Rhoda's to see what everyone else scored.

Happy Monday!:)

xo

Chrissie

Slowing Down (and summer reads)

My Mom took the kids and I on a weekend get-away to the West coast beaches this weekend.

I love to watch the kids at the beach. It forces me to slow down. There is nothing to clean. I can't cook. There is no art on the beach. No television or ipods. Just the sea, the sand, and us.

Jax was listening for the ocean in a shell!;)

Ava likes to pour water in and out of various buckets. Add a shovel, a barbie doll, and some shells, and she's occupied for a good two hours!

We are beach people. My grandparents took us to the beach every single summer growing up.

My husband is an avid surfer and loves the water.

We have raised our kids to love the beach.

And still...

every year I make my first swim out to the ocean with a little fear and trepidation.

I don't know exactly what I'm afraid of. Sharks maybe? Or being pulled under...

But as soon as I get out there, I remember what my older brother taught me as a little girl.

When the waves are big, swim under them. As soon as I do that a couple of times, I'm okay.

I'm instantly filled with some peace. I'm a mermaid again.

We are blessed to be going to the beach for the whole month of July. We will be back and forth to home a few times for some dance classes and doctor's appointments, but I'm going to take this month to try to slow down a little. Don't worry, I still bring my sewing machine and paint with me. I usually work on things at night while my littles are sleeping, so I'll still be posting pretty regularly. I've got a couple of new tutorials to share with you as well. But there will also be lots of doing nothing.

Now, I need your help. Any summer reads you can recommend? I need some good books to bring with me...

Happy Tuesday (and it's my 34th!!) How in the world did that happen?:)

xo,

Chrissie