Prayer works...Remeber that!

Dear Lyla,
Last Saturday..I don't know the date..but I know this post is dated..so we will figure it out if need be...your dad and I went to play BINGO with your Nanny and PaPa.
So we asked if your Dad's mom and dad could hang with you while we were gone for a few hours...they said yes..which was shocking...because we hadn't been getting along very well...
well..i can't say haven't been getting along...we just haven't talked...
long story
So we took you up there...to play...we took your Dora movie so you would be comfortable and watch your shows..with your Christmas blanket, baby dolls...all of it!
On the way home..we called to check on you...Norma said you were a little warm so she had a rag on your head and you told her, "Nanny I'm sick"
So we stopped by Wal Mart on the way home to get some Tylanol because I wasnt quite sure how much I had..you hadn't been sick in a while.
When we got there to pick you up...as soon as I touched you I knew you were burning with fever..so we got you home and took your temperature.
You had 103.9
Inside..I was flipping..I wanted to choke someone for letting you get like this.
But I know you were depending on me to take care of you and be calm.
We called my mom and stepdad...and told them if I couldn't get it broke in a hour...we were going to the ER...because I didn't know how long it had been that high.
And I really didn't want to take you to the ER because spinal menigitis has been going around and two people from our area had gotten at the ER.
You wouldn't take your medicine..because you had sinus drainage and it gagged you..so I put a cooling Mickey Mouse on your head.
When Nanny and PaPa came you didn't even want to talk to them or have PaPa hold you..so something was seriously wrong.
I just laid you on me and sat on the couch and just prayed with my hand on your back.
If you wouldn't take your medicine....I didn't know how long you had had high fever....I didn't want to take you to the ER....Just Pray!
It should have been the FIRST thing I did.....
About five to ten minutes later..your fever was going down..tremendously! Fast!
You started talking...playing...looking at pictures on our phones...
You were back to Lyla.

Thank God!

God touched you that day...I believe in my soul....he healed you and proved to me that prayer should be the first thing I do..not my last option.

Remember that...Pray
Pray first
Start everything with Prayer...

Start your day with prayer
Start a new relationship with prayer
Start a new job with prayer

everything should START with prayer

I want you to know that God laid his hand on you...and brought your fever down....he loves you...cares for you..and has given you a purpose in this life.
It might take a while for you to figure it out...and you will make plenty of mistakes trying to learn right from wrong...
but i am here....non-judgemental....caring....
God is there....always forgiving and renewing your soul

Life is hard.....

but .........
you have me
your dad
and a mighty God

Lean on us..and you got it made!!!

I love you!

Your Mom

Closing down Fall with Tastefully Simple

Just a quick update on what is going on with my Tastefully Simple business.

We are on the way to closing up shop concerning all things Fall!

There is about 25 products in the Fall/Winter catalog that is only available until March 6th!
I was looking through it today at work and realized that most of my favorite things are going to be going away!! So I am stocking up!!

Our sneaky peeky conference for the NEW Spring Line is February 11 and 12...I am super excited to go and see what is NEW!

We still have the Game Day Collection for SALE...until January 31st or they run out!
Great Deal for all you get!

We have an awesome opportunity to go to Cancun,Mexico if you want to start up your own business.
The month of January is the best time to start that because Tastefully Simple Headquarters is doubling your sales to get you closer to the sales quota for the trip!!
Sign on NOW..plan your Blast Off Party..get your kit in the mail...Double your sales and your chances for a trip to Mexico!!

We still have our Clearance Sale going on...take advantage of that...amazing dishes for CHEAP and an awesome leather tote bag!!!

$10.77

$16.77

$35.97

And...we are adding a DIP BOWL and our CITRUS CELEBRATION DRINK MIX

So now you can get those at:

$7.17

$5.99

How can you beat $6 for a BUCKET of drinks???

It is still January for a little while so if you have a catalog party going on...or you have a party in January ..get those guests there!!! Get those party sales going because in January not only is Tastefully Simple making a sweet deal with consultants to go to Mexico...they are also making a sweet deal for hostesses!!

If your party reaches the $200 mark...you will not get $20 of free product...you get $30!!!

Since almost everything in the catalog is under $10...that is a sweet deal!!

If you have any questions...email me at           tastefullynikki (at) live (dot) com

or shop my website at www.tastefullysimple.com/web/nbrewer

**HINT**We got the OK today to start pre-ordering Spring stuff!!!

So get your guests lists out and start booking parties..because it is YUMMY!!

Have a gourmet day!

Valentine Subway Art

I am a MAD decorator!!
I decorate for everything.
If there were cuter decorations for Martin Luther King Day..I would decorate for that too!

I love it!
My husband thinks I am nuts...
I don't care..he signed a contract to be with me until I die..
crazy or not!!

So look at what I foun over at Craftily Ever After....

How totally super cute is this!!

I love it!

Subway art is getting pretty popular .... I haven't really jumped on the Subway (ha!ha!) yet....

but this is CUTE!!

If you think it is cute you can go over to the Craftily Ever After blog...

write up a blog post about the Valentine Subway art

and she will email you a link so you can print off

and put it in a cute little frame and decorate your house!!

There is also a turtorial on how to make those adorable little rose thingy's too!!

If you get it..take a picture and let me see it!!

This Life is for YOU!

There is a blog...
I have been following for a while now..
I absolutely love it!

On those days where I wonder if I can keep going...
her words push me
When I think I have loaded to much on my plate...
her words remind me that it is all a blessing

At Holy Experience Ann Voskamp inspires me like no other...
and I have never met her...never seen her...never heard her voice
until today.

Today I was blog hopping around and found this video promotion of a book that Ann wrote called One Thousand Gifts.
I plan on buying this book...

Here is just a couple reviews:
"This book is the most gorgeous thing I've ever read. Ever. Ann Voskamp weaves the sacred and ordinary into a tapestry of grace. And each beautiful word is a thread that binds our hearts closer to God's so He can fill our hollow places with joy. This book is the real gift--one that will stay with you and keep blessing your life long after you've read the last page." --Holley Gerth, editorial director, DaySpring

"Ann Voskamp is truly one of the most gifted writers I have ever read. If you want a book that will challenge you and mess with you in the most beautiful of ways, this is it. And you won't just read it and put it away. You will return to this treasure for years to come." ----Lysa TerKeurst, president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and bestselling author of Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl







"A book destined to become a classic; the sort of book you dog-ear and re-read for the sheer joy of cherishing the words and experiencing the depth of the heart that wrote it." ----Mary DeMuth, author of Thin Places: A Memoir


Here is the description of the book:
Drawing heartbreaking beauty out of the simplest of details, Ann Voskamp invites you into her grace--bathed life of farming, parenting, and writing--and deeper still into your own life. Here you will discover a way of seeing that opens your eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of living that is fully alive, and a way of becoming present to God that brings you deep and lasting joy.



She also hosts a link up on Mondays called Mulitude Mondays where she continues to count God's blessings in her life...big or small.

She is a blessing to this bloggy world..and surely a blessing to me!

Please watch the video.....Ann speaks so eloquently....her photography is amazing....and her descriptive words hit you right at the heart-strings...
I encourage you to read the book...let me know what you think as I plan on buying it soon.


Enjoy!

Oh ..so BUSY!!

I feel like I have been running a marathon and have not had time to sit down.
Right after Christmas I found out I had gall stones.
Right after the New Year I had to have surgery to get them taken out.
A week later I was determined to go back to work...
honestly because I got tired of sitting at home.
I probably should have waited longer on the going back to work thing...
but I wanted to..and I am getting better.
After three days of working...I had to go Little Rock for a class for work.
I had to get up at 4am this morning and be at my workplace by 5am.
I couldn't sleep the night I had to get up early because my daughter spent
the night with my mom and I have never been away from her for that long
in a LONG time!
I knew she was taken care of...She was fine...She was excited...
I was the wreck.
So I only got three hours of sleep..so I planned to sleep on the bus
going down to Little Rock..
uh..nope..
I shook like we were in the midst of an 8.0 earthquake all the way there!
Note to Self: Bring extra pillows to soften the earthquake vibrations.
I am now looking forward to being in Little Rock because when we get
there we can sit at tables...learn something about my profession!
Exciting..I love learning new stuff...especially new things to try at my job!
wrong again.........
We sat in chairs..lined up like mice in a science experiment...
shoulder to shoulder
Thirsty?
20 ounce drinks are in the vending machine for $2.25!!!

Here are a few of us at the seminar:

Now I know all that sounds whiny....
but I actually had a good time hanging out with my co workers
Our wonderful boss bought us lunch at Ruby Tuesdays..which was GREAT!!
I did learn a few things...heard a few funny stories....
It was a good trip.

Once I got home though ..I had to drive another 20 minutes up to my mom's
to get Lyla..I was excited to see her!
I just got home...plopped my booty in my computer chair while Lyla is tuned
into Mickey Mouse -Minnie's Mystery...and resting for the few minutes I have!!!

I posted over at Letters to Lyla and I am going to update my Project 365 blog.

I pray that I can go to sleep soon....
I don't even want or care about beauty sleep...
I want long, snoring, drooling, taking covers, and using the whole bed sleep!!!

I missed you!

Dear Lyla,

Last night you spent the night with your Nanny and PaPa because I had to get up at 4am to go to a class for work. Your Daddy had to work too so you got quality time with Nanny and PaPa!! You were so excited!!
I was less excited.
I knew you were going to be safe...I completely trust your Nanny and PaPa (my mom and step dad)...They love you just as much as I do...so I knew you were OK...
it is just..
I haven't been away from you for that long...in a LONG time!
I am used to having you with me.
I like your company.
I like talking to you!

I think it was harder ...well..i know it was harder for me to leave you than for you to be without me because when I left you said.."See yah later! Love you!"

I could not sleep that night to save my life!!
I got three hours of sleep and had to get up and go to Little Rock.

I have no idea how I am still awake..but right now you are in the Living Room watching Minnie Mouse and Daddy will be home soon...and I hope we all fall asleep soon!!!
Tomorrow is church! You love going to church! I love that you love going to church!!

I love You!!
Love,
Mom

I love my job!

First I just wanted to mention that I posted over at Letters to Lyla tonight. In the middle of trying to write a serious post..I get a suprise from Lyla!
Go here to read it!

Today was my first day back at work!
I loved going back...I loved being back in my classroom!!
The kids were so excited to see me..I think I suprised them all when I walked through the door...they all jumped and said, "Ms. Nikki!"
Thier eyes were as big as quarters!!

I was worried about today though because I still hurt pretty often..and it is very tender to move sideways or stretch in any way. Also I still have the limit to NOT lift anything over 5 pounds.

So today was filled with kids jumping up in chairs to give hugs!! They didn't mind...and niether did I because I didn't have to bend down! I love thier hugs!!

I told them all I missed them so much and I was so glad to be back and one little boy said,"Welcome Back Ms Nikki!"
aww...how sweet!!
Then he said, "I would write it on the board..but I don't know how to spell it"
aww...how even more sweet!!!
I told him it was the thought that counts and I am super glad he told me!!

I forget just how much I love those little ones until I am gone for a while.
Now dont' get me wrong..there are some days where I could pull my hair out.....
but those are few and far between
and somehow even when I am at my wits end....they can always make me laugh!!

I am so proud to say that I have a job that I love...that I don't dread getting up for...that I am excited to see what the day holds. I don't know what it is like to have to get up in the mornings and hate going to work! I consider myself blessed!!

I also have to say a BIG thank you to all the girls that I work with that helped me out today...I can't even say how much I appreciate working with people that care!!!

So after work today..I am sore..and I hurt...but seeing how excited they were to see me..made it all worth it..and I can't wait to start practicing writing our names tomorrow!!

Dear Lyla,

This letter is a letter of complete appreciation and adoration to you Miss Lyla.

I had to have my gall bladder taken out because I had alot of gall stones. My mom told me that every woman in our family has had to go through this after having thier first child..so I would love to say that you will never have to deal with this...but chances are...you probably will!
But I know that I will be right by your side like my mom was with me.
And to be honest...it really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be!!

...you just ran past me going to the bathroom with your panies in your hand...
let's see what is going on..
oh.now the toilet flushed...

You ran in here in the computer room and said,
"See mommy ..it is all gone! I put it in the toilet and flushed it"

I am laughing so hard right now. You are in the living room watching Go, Diego, Go!..you love that show..you just started getting into it...and I guess you had to go to the bathroom but didn't want to miss a good part!!!
oh..you crack me up!!

Anyway...I had to be off work so I could heal from my gall bladder surgery.
Your daddy and I had planned on him taking you to school then your Nanny picking you up to help me take care of you since I couldn't really get up and down very good.
And that happened the first day I was down.
The second day ...you Nanny picked you up and we all went to Nanny's house to celebrate your PaPa's birthday!
The third day and everyday after that...we just hung out!

I had planned on taking you to school...but I enjoy your company!

You make me laugh. We play together. We cuddle and watch TV.
Eat. Talk to Daddy when he calls on his lunch break from work.

I loved hanging out with you!

When it got closer to time for us to get back into our normal routine..I thought I would actually take you back to school so that it wouldn't be so hard on your when we both had to go back.
So when I woke up one morning I asked you if you wanted to go to school or hang with mom and you said,
"I wanna stay with mom"

My heart melted! All I could do was grab you and hug you and give you kisses!!

I hope you say that for a long time to come!
I hope that we always have fun hanging out!
and I promise I will try my hardest to be cool..

but Daddy thinks you are going to want to take him to Prom...

Good Luck with that honey!!

I love you so so so much!!
Thanks for hanging out with me and making my week of recovery the best week of my life!!

Love,
Momma

Snow!

That seems to be the topic of converstion everywhere you turn now in my neck of the woods.

We actually didnt' believe we were going to get snow...maybe a dusting is what the weather guy said. So just in case we ran up to my mom's after church Sunday to get some extra firewood..they always buy ALOT!!

If we ever get snowfall..usually the power lines are right behind the snow!

When we started our trip the roads looked like this.

Not bad.



Well..about half way to mom's it started to snow pretty good..so pretty .... so white..

Lyla said,"This is crazy!"

Notice my husband...he refuses to shave until AFTER hunting season. He does that every year...must be a man thing.



This is the first snow that she has seen and actually know that it is snow.

When we got to mom's road about 20 minutes later..it looked like this.

This next one is when we finally made it to mom's house and looking back down the hill.

If you look closely you can see the snow blowing almost horizontally in the picture.

We got just a LITTLE more than a dusting.

On the way home from mom's it was nothing but ice! Just one solid sheet of ice. We didn't think it was going to be that bad or we would have just stayed at my mom's. It usually takes us about 20 minutes to get to my mom's...and it took us an hour to get home that night! I prayed all the way home that God would melt the ice on the hills so that we all could get home safely...and you know what?

When we got to the hills...perfectly clear...no sand...no salt...no ice...nothing..it was even DRY! 

But at the top of the hill...it was nothing but ice again...

Crazy huh?

The next day I had my check up to see how things were going with my gall bladder surgery. On our way to the hospital the roads looked like this.

Usually the highway is completely cleared off when we have snow...but not that morning..the whole other side was nothing but ice!!

I have to admit the snow couldn't come at a better time for me...

My husband got to stay home with me and take care of me after my surgery.

My daughter got a day ..

(well a whole week because i didn't take her school when I was supposed to be resting...she keeps me company!)..

out of preschool to hang with me

and I absolutely loved it!

Too bad I had to pay $5000 to get it all..

but it was worth it!

Tomorrow I go back to work

Lyla goes back to school

Gregg is back at work

Things go back to normal.

I am excited that our lives will have a routine again and things will be normal.

I am excited to see my students and hear the stories of the snow!

but...

I am going to miss waking up next to Lyla ..then throwing the covers back over our heads and snuggling for a few more minutes.

I am going to miss napping on the couch while watching Dora.

I am going to miss be able to stay up cuddling with Gregg watching movies.

I thank God that I had the time to do it all though...

and I thank my bosses for not making it a guilt trip on me

OK...time to do my nightly routine

.

.

.

wrestle my two year old to sleep!!

What's New with Tastefully Simple

Tastefully Simple is starting this New Year out right!
I am so excited to be apart of this company!

We have alot of stuff going on right now...so follow along!!

Right now we have the NEW Game Day Collection for sale. Great for Super Bowl parties..or really ...any get together such as Family Game Night, etc. This is a HUGE SCORE!!
You get :

•  Bountiful Beer Bread Mix - $5.49
• Corn and Black Bean Salsa - $7.99
• Cheesy Chive Warm Dip Mix - $7.49
• Creamy Crab Cheese Ball Mix - $6.99
• Blue Aztec Chips - $4.99
• Dip Bowl - $11.95

...all that adds up to be:

$44.90

and we have it all on sale for $29.99!!
Wow! How do you say NO to that?

Also in the month of January we are offering our Hosts (because men and women can hold a Tastefully Simple party because EVERYONE likes to eat!!) 50% more FREE product when your show sales $200...which let me tell you is NOT hard to do!

I recently just did a show that only had 5 orders and hit the $200 mark!

Once you hit $200 in sales...you would usually get $20 in Free product..but in January you would get $30 worth of free stuff..
and if you have 15 individual orders..you get $15 off your order
AND..if someone books a party at your party..you get a 1/2 price item!

There are so many ways to earn FREE things!!!

Then if you decide to take all your FREE stuff start your own business with Tastefully Simple...which is the coolest and easiest thing I have ever done...however much you sell in January...Tastefully Simple will double it and put it towards our annual incentive trip to  CANCUN, MEXICO!
Now ... that would be an awesome girlfriend's get a way!!

On top of all this...Tastefully Simple is having a Clearance Sale.

We have a Serving Tray that is regularly $17.95...that is now $10.77

and a Tote that is regularly $27.95 ....that is now $16.77

and we have an awesome leather tote bag that is regularly $59.95..that is now on clearance for $35.97

Wow..now that is alot of stuff going on!!
Tastefully Simple truly cares about thier clients...and thier consultants!
I am so excited to try to earn my way to Cancun!!
If you want to help me go...let me know if you would like to host a party, order a product, or start a business of your own!!


Shop online at my personal website at http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/nbrewer
or email me at tastefullynikki (at) live (dot) com

Wyatt Earp and Sadie Jane

As you know I have been stuck at home trying to recover from gall bladder surgery...
I can't stand to just sit and do nothing....It drives me nuts!!
So yesterday my mom came by to get Lyla and asked if I felt like going up to her house too...she lives on a dirt road so I had to really think about...cause I could already feel the bumps in the road just talking about it..
but i risked it!

It was my step dad's birthday yesterday so we went up there and had dinner.
Lyla loves to play with her Uncle Colton and her Uncle Colton loves to let the big dogs in the house so they can all wrestle.

I know some people don't like big dogs around children...and that is fine.
Sometimes..i will completely agree with you.
But these big dogs...will attack YOU if you lay a hand on Lyla.

It is hilarious watching them play with her and how easy they are with her.
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt..which isn't good with 13 staples in your belly.

Now these were taken on my phone...so please excuse the crazy dog eyes and the blurriness.

Colton and Sadie wrestling

Sadie Jean..I love her eyes. She has two different colored eyes. One brown one blue

Lyla and Wyatt

after fighting they were tired....

see lyla trying to pick up Wyatt in the background...

LOL!!

kisses!!

Now lyla and wyatt needed a rest

to be completely honest...

sometimes I think I would trust these dogs with my child over some people in this world.

I know she loves them!!

__________________________________________________________________

Now .... since I was blog hopping today I found an amazing give a way at TomKat Studios and Where Women Create.

They are both givine away a Project Life Kit!!!

If you don't know what that is..it is a scrapbooking kit where you take a picture a day, slip it into a designated spot...then write a little bit about that picture and slip that journaling card right next to your picture!

The kit that Becky Higgins makes for this makes it so easy to do your Project 365..or now known as Project Life.

Then after the year is done you have an amazing scrapbook of what has happened in your life all year long!

If any of you enjoy scrapping as much as I do...I say head on over to BOTH blogs and put in your chances to win!!

Just me (minus) my gall bladder

Yesterday I had surgery to get my gall bladder removed.
I had to be at the hospital at 6am..my surgery was scheduled for 7am.

My mom and stepdad picked me up to take me to the hospital so Gregg could stay with Lyla and let her get her rest. I didn't want to mess up her daily schedule.

After I checked in..my mom suprised me and paid for my down payment of the surgery..HUGE help to us!!
thanks mom!

They gave me a timer that you would get at a resteraunt when you are waiting for your table...when my timer went off I had to walk through the dreaded double doors.

It went off about 45 seconds after she gave it to me..probably since I was the only person in the waiting room.

The nurse back there started out cold...told me do this..do that..here...sit..take your vitals..
Then asked me to go get my mom ... so she could tell her where to wait for me at.

so once mom got in there..i broke...I started crying...I was nervous...
I know the surgery was minor...I know they do it every day....but it is my FIRST surgery ever....
and there are so many things that could go wrong...
call me Mrs. Negativity
but ... I do not like NOT being in control of what is happening to me.
Ask God..I fight with him all the time to give up my control.
But if I was going to give control up to anyone..it would be God..so I did.
I just prayed..and I knew my church family, friends, and even my students' parents were praying for me..
and I could feel them...so I became calm.

Once my mom told the nurse it was my first surgery then she started to warm up a little bit. I know those girls do that all day everyday...but I felt more like a number than a person to her.

The nurse got my IV started..I met with the man who was going to put me to sleep (I am not even going to attempt to spell out his profession)...then with my doctor..

by 6:45am..the medicine went into my IV to make me loopy...it started working within a minute.
I remember someone saying ... "We gotta get all this hair into this hat"
I remember being wheeled somewhere..didn't know where...didn't care

I remember seeing the operating room...

then I remember a nurse telling me that I need to take deep breaths
and I hear a baby crying..

well my worst nightmare of not waking up from the anesthetic was over..I was awake..but sleepy

Then my mom and husband came in.
Mom helped me get dressed...
the nurse told me directions that I have no recollection of
and a man named Joe wheeled me down the hall at the pace of Jeff Gordon in the Daytona.

When we got to the doors..
there was traffic backed up ...picking people up
and I though my old man Joe was going to lay someone out telling them all to move to thier vehicles so he could get me in my car.

Almost funny....at the time...
Very funny ...now

Once I got home...my husband was great! He really took care of me. There wasn't alot of pain at all. Not near as much as I had expected. There were only a few uncomfortable moments ..which were explained to me as gas bubbles in my back and shoulders...because I guess they blew me up like a balloon for either surgery purposes or for giggles.

Either way..I praise God that I don't hurt like I thought I was going to!
I thank everyone who wished me well..and prayed for me!
I am truly blessed to be surrounded by such loving people!

Today .. I feel almost normal..except the staples in my stomach..a few more gas pains...
Lyla stayed with me for a while today when Gregg went to work..I missed her like crazy yesterday.
My mom picked her up and took her to her house to run and play.

Miss Lyla really took care of me while she was here though...told me to sit down cause I have boo boo's..she brought me the remote..only to tell me to turn on Mickey Mouse...I couldn't have asked for a better child!!

I can't wait to get back up and around ...back to work...back to my normal routine...
although I am kinda enjoying hearing Gregg tell me that he doesn't know how I do it all!!

I might stay sore for a few more days.....
*wink*