Family pictures 2012

Well we got them in...barely...but we did!!
Remember this post when I reviewed our family pictures?

Here is a few of my favorites from our 2012 family pictures with Lyla being the big 4!
We used Mandie Faulkner Photography..and we will be using her again. She was so kind and so sweet! She absolutely amazing with Lyla!
I love a photographer that takes control. Mandie asked me what type of pictures I would like first. I told her my husband was a hunter and loved the woods so she actually picked out this location ..that I never knew exsisted.. and took some great pictures. She told us where to stand, how to sit..I love that! But she also asking if we had any ideas..or any spots that we would like to have a picture of.

Ok..long story short..
I love her! and I love these pictures!!

My favorite family photo ...ever!

Lyla had a blast taking pictures on Daddy's back!

That wasn't a heavy picture frame but she looks like she is struggling with it :)

This was our funny one when were trying to get the picture above this one.

Here is one of a crooked tree that Gregg wanted to be in a picture.. and Mandie made it happen. I love Lyla's face.

 

 

 

So happy we got these in..I am really trying not to miss a year. Kids change so quickly..but these yearly pictures are the only ones that have ALL three of us in them and I know they will be treasured.

 

Thank you Mandie Faulkner for being so great and taking these wonderful pictures!! 

Blessings 250-302

for a while I have been posting my blessings with Ann Voskamp over at A Holy Experience

Every one once in a while I seem to get off course..I started here on my blog counting blessings then I went to a notebook..but I want them all in one place..so here we go again..

 

Hope you all are having a great Monday!!

 

250 finding the perfect present

251 driving with family

252 ice cream at dads

253 choir practice when god attends

254 birthdays!

255 watching baby girl sign a birthday card for her friend

 

256. a faithful, forgiving husband

 

257 a warm house during chilly days

 

258 a daughter with joy in her eyes

 

259 a job at home

 

260 friends for my daughter

 

261 a dad that goes above and beyond still for me as an adult

 

262 a selfless brother who is a wonderful uncle

 

263 a tiny Chihuahua with a lot of bounce

 

264 a lazy Great Dane to cuddle with

 

265 brand new car smell

 

266 full laundry baskets

 

267 learning to crochet

 

268 my angel Natalie

 

269 thoughts of my grandma

 

270 stories of old

 

271 soft music as sunrise

 

272 hot rolls with melting butter

 

273 the view of "home"

 

274 fall leaves falling

 

275 four year old excitement of Christmas lights

 

276 smell of pumpkin

 

277 a book that reminds me gently that I only need to be quiet...God will fight for me

 

278 my husband's cooking

 

279 making it rain leaves

 

280 Princess lullabies

 

281 winter bringing early dark

 

282 cozy quilts made by hand

 

283 scarves

 

284 Tv Show gossip between friends

 

285 first fire of fall

 

286 laughing together as husband and wife

 

287 handwriting letters

 

288 my dad celebrating another year of life

 

289 cousins

 

290 being a helper to my husband

 

291 fellowship with women

 

292 the indention on my ring finger for wearing the same ring for Five Years!

 

293 manners

 

294 compliments on my daughter

 

295 surprise birthday cakes

 

296 talks with brother on the phone

 

297 his love for our country

 

298 his  hints of romance

 

299 pink paint

 

300 my mother never taking pride in her "grandma" role

 

301 super jumps and pull ups before bed

 

302 making my husband his favorite pie

No Brainer Blog Ebook Review

Last month I won a wonderful give away from Alana at the The Bliss Diaries.

It was an ebook called "The No Brainer Blog" by Hayley Morgan who blogs at The Tiny Twig.

I have to say..It was pretty helpful to me. I like to blog...it isn't one of my top priorities...and here lately I have been going back and forth with "blog" or "handwritten journal"

Some of you know..My life perspective has changed a little bit since the start of the year and I have had to place my priorities in a different order..including my blog.

But a BIG thank you goes out to those of you who read this and are sticking with me.

Back to the ebook!

I love a good helpful book and just can't help myself but to share a few good details...

One of the things that first jumped out at me was that I am not a "blogger"
I don't do a lot of things that "bloggers" do. I have never went to a conference, I don't check SEO's, I don't proof-read, I don't plan posts, I don't even keep up with the amount of readers or where they are coming from.

I am a mom, a wife, a friend, a child of God....who blogs.

My "No Brainer Blog" moment came within the first few pages of the book. I have seen a few people who blog pull the "my blog, my rules" card..I'm pulling it out! My blog, My rules....
If you have a blog..that is YOUR blog so follow YOUR rules

Here is a quote from the book:
"I firmly believe that if you run your blog based on what everyone else is doing, then you will not run that blog for long. Instead, it is important to think about how to make blogging sustainable for you"

Here are a few things this book starts out covering that I enjoyed reading about:

Do you need a "niche"?
Do you want to try to make an income from your blog?
What amount of time and money do you want to invest in your blog?
Defining your voice and a few writing prompts to get your started

Then she hops right into Design and Branding..which I secretly love..it goes well with my organized personality!

Another good quote!
"A no brainer brand thrives on freedom within limitation"

We move on to increasing readership and rules of social media.
And she ends with some worksheets.

All in all..good book...I would recommend reading it.
Go here to get it!

Missing person alert: Me!

Happy 2013 Everyone!
I know I have been away for a while and thank you for standing by.

A new year brings new resolutions
new plans
new goals
new do's
new don'ts

The start of my new year brought me many changes.

One change being the realization that I don't find myself important.
Important enough to take time out of my day for ME

"I am so busy"
I say that all the time

But really what am I doing.

cleaning
laundry
organizing
making lesson plans
cleaning
laundry
cooking
being a mom
wife
teacher
cleaning..LOL

I have no time in my day that is carved out for me.
I stay up late to talk to my husband.. and I have to get up early early in the morning.
I sacrifice sleep to be a good wife
I sacrifice the last Reeses cup to be a good mom
I sacrifice time to be a good friend

but one thing I don't sacrifice for ...

is ME

I feel like I have hit a selfish streak in my blog posts.. but I think God is showing me that I am important too..not because of the things I do..but just being who I am and I can't be who I am if I don't take care of myself.

My husband once mentioned that I wasn't the "laid back country girl" that he once met..I took it one way..he said he meant it another..
I know that what he said was his way of telling me to slow down and chill
I took it as, "Great he hates me, He is already looking for someone else...We are DONE!"
Kidding..I didn't go to that extreme..but it did make me realize that I wasn't the girl he met

How could I be?
I have bills to pay now
a house to take care of
a child to raise
dogs to feed
a job

I live on schedules and time limits now

I have to be uptight, responsible, and structured

Don't I?

Is that how God intended my life to be lived?

on a time restraint

or does he want my life to be fully enjoyed
every minute
every second

He made me completely unique from everyone else in this world...
so why am I not being that unique person?

why am I caught up doing things that are nothing like me
running here
running there
losing patience
stressing out
comfort food eating
feeling bad about image
feeling sorry for myself

That isn't me!

I used to run just to enjoy the scenery and feel the sun
It felt good to sweat
I had the patience of Mother Teresa
I didn't even know what stress was besides the occasional boyfriend break up
I ate when I felt hungry
and I never felt sorry for myself.. I was proud of my life and where it was going

Time to turn the clock back
In 2013..I am finding ME!

Me
who likes to scrapbook
who likes to run
who isn't in a hurry all the time
who takes care of herself

I am finding that girl again
I don't know where she went..
or even where is at the moment

but I am searching for her
and she will be found!

So give me a virtual 'fist pump'
and I'm saying

Here is to finding ME in Twenty-Thirteen!

Getting it together

I know most of you guys that actually read my blog have been wondering where in the world I am ....

Well the past few weeks have been a little busy for me and my mind is just not on blogging right now..

I am so sorry ..

but I need to take some time to focus on me and my baby girl ...
get my life back in some kind of order
get some kind of schedule down

and then I will be back.

I have a few new cool projects I plan on doing for 2013
One being Project Life
Currently with Kristen
..I still want to continue to list my blessings on Mondays with Ann Voskamp
and of course who doesn't want to lose weight every year..
and if you don't want to lose weight .. I envy you.

I plan on doing some book reviews that I have read over the holidays
and getting back on track with FlyLady along with doing an organizing challenge by A Bowl Full of Lemons

My 2013 is busy..
I want it to be busy

Give me a little time...
and I will see you all soon
Don't give up on me