Listen Up

Why yes, I am a Twilight fan...and yes, I do HEART Edward. In fact I would consider myself one of those Moms...yeah, the Twilight moms. I know, it's sad...but true. With that out of the way, I'm here to tell you some big news! (hence Mr. Hottie Rob Pattinson with the megaphone)

Ms. Timi is hosting Ruffles & Rust an amazing vintage market Oct. 22 & 23...with fabulous vendors! I highly suggest you all (2) attend! Head on over to Come Junk With Us to get your tickets...you WILL not be dissappointed! Me and Rob promise!

What have I been up to?

* Oh...let me tell you...

* The new school year has started, "J" 7 is in second grade this year...so far, so good. "J" 11 & "J" 12 are in Middle school...what a trip that has been. Last, but not least "J" 16 is junior in H.S...need I say more?

* We serve our church. We lead service on Wednesday nights called Life Trek...it's a full ((free)) dinner at 6pm, then we break out in discussion groups-children through adults. There's something for everyone, I've have taken on the kitchen and feeding people...anywhere from 90-120 people every Wednesday. It's keeping me quite busy!

* Our oldest "J" 16 is driving...we bought him his first car. I STRESS a lot when he's out on the road (which is often these days) . He also has a new girlfriend...I don't think I'm accepting this as well as I thought I would.

* I volunteer every Monday at the Middle school on lunch hour and every Friday for a reading class. For the Elementary school, I have volunteered for Book Fair and the Walk-A-Thon. I'm tired...just a little

* We have a young lady at church who is having her second baby...a little girl. I wanted her to have lots of pink pretties to put her in so I threw her a baby shower. It was a blast...I would do it again in a heart beat!

* My guy, well he's the defensive lineman coach for "J" 12's football team, the Pirates. They are gone 3 nights a week for 2 hours of practice...we girls on the other hand have cheer practice, yes, that's right they are Pirate cheerleaders!!! YAY!!!!! We also have cheer practice twice a week...

*Lastly, my little "J" 7 is very much an introvert. She's never wanted to do anything but be at home, with Mom & Dad. That all changed this year...she decided she wanted to try girl scouts. Sooooo...we now have our Brownie meeting twice a month.

My creative, crafty self is lost somewhere in the shuffle...I'm hoping to come across it soon. I'm thinking of looking for it on a shelf somewhere...at least that's what my good friend Tres Birds suggested :)

Where am I

Simplicity...yeah, I need some. Anyone know where I can find it?

I haven't blogged since April and was actually entertaining the thought of closing my account. I really, really am not that interesting and I'm always beating myself up because I can't keep up the charade of being interesting.

I know, I know, just be myself...well that's kind of the problem. I've run out of "self" lately. I'm not coping well with motherhood, wifeing, friendship, serving, and everything else I throw myself into. When you spread out so thin, it's hard to be good at anything. So why do I do it???? Why does any woman do it???? That is the million dollar question isn't it?

I think it's a constantly changing reason to be honest with you. Sometimes I think we want to feel significant , perhaps other times just trying to live up to certain expectations we put on ourselves.

I know right now, this very moment the reason behind me having no "self" is that I feel like doing and being all I can possibly be will bring me joy and contentment. Hmmm...let me just say, it's not working out like I though it would! I really, really don't know what I'm doing, but I feel like if I try to stop juggling everything...all my spinning saucers will come crashing down and I'll have a major mess to clean up. I really don't want to clean anything right now.

I kind of just want to walk away, ya know? Like some sort of individual vacation...does that make me a selfish wife/mother/friend/Christ follower? I'm sorry if it does, I don't want to feel this way...but it's just not going away...these restless, tiresome feelings. Feelings of craziness, inadequacy, bewilderment...

I suppose I know in my heart that this too, shall pass...I just don't want to endure it any longer . I just want to go on, living life...simply living life.

Update

Finished!! The hanging Rose Ball is complete...it's so cute, don't ya think? Now to finish the red & aqua roses...

Who Blogs, You Blog?

Uh-huh...partially, I do blog. When I sit down and be still long enough to fire up that thing we call a brain, I can scribble out something half way decent.

You know...I always have these terrific ideas, quirky little stories, awkward situations that I promise myself I will blog about, but I find I'm always getting side tracked. Does that ever happen to you? The side-track thing? I mean, my good intentions are always there, but the "get' er done" mentality...not so much. Not to mention, sometimes when you have 4 kids, they tend to suck the life right out of you, does any of this sound familiar to you?

I wish I could be one of those uber"bloggity" bloggers, the ones with all their eggs in row, all their crap together, but bless her heart...that's not me. I'm the hit- n- miss blogger, the one that will share something really deep and important, then check out for months at a time. Or I could sew up a storm, post some really cute creations, and next thing you know burn out sets in and I can't even think about jotting out a post.

LOL...now that I write it all out...sounds like a bunch of sorry excuses for sure! I think it's time I take more time to show a little blog love, don't you? Ramblings of a confused, sometimes ditzy part-time blogger...

Here's what I'm working on for the year, my sister-n-law Marci & I decided to start a virtual quilting circle, Not Your Mamas Quilt Club. It's been soooo much fun! She had Jan, I had Feb, so on and so forth. I can't tell you how excited I am over this quilt top...now if I can just get it finished! Here it is...what do ya think?

Needed

My craft/sewing/office room was in desperate need of storage. We have everything in this room...I mean everything! So I decided I needed shelving...I couldn't get any more cabinets in there unless I hung them, so I went on a search. The search for a solution to my overcrowded, unorganized messy "Busy" room. What did I find...you wanna know, don't you? O.k., o.k...I'll share...

First I decided to make something instead of purchasing. Yes, it was much cheaper than ordering them through Pottery Barn or Ballard Design. How did I manage that you wonder? Cause I'm not real handy with a hammer & nails, ya know...

Ah-Ha! I found this fabulous tutorial on how to make beautiful, amazing cafe shelves...and let me just say, this gal is pretty nifty. She really spells it all out for you, (assuming your like me, a little ditsy in the carpentry department)...and nothing makes a tutorial easier to follow than PICTURES!!! Thank you Traci :) I haven't really commented on her blog yet, mostly because I just started visiting it, but she rocks! I love scrolling through all of her crafty, neat projects...not to mention all the links others post on her DIY projects. Jump on over there and take a looky for yourself, you might just get inspired.

Anyhow here's snapshots of my DIY project...and may I just say, I think they turned out perfectly!

The Materials:

Ready to Paint:

Black Satin...of course:

Ta-Da...all done!

Bad, bad blogger

Yes that's me...very bad blogger. Time, it is not my friend...

And yes...I did get the smile and nod today when I told my perfect circle that I was a bad blogger. They know...life it just gets in the way...all to often. So here's to you gals...in my perfect circle, this blog is for you!

This is my little craft I've been fiddling with for the last 2 weeks since my sewing machine is in the shop getting a much needed tune-up. You can find the cool little tutorial at House of Smith's



Hopefully...when I get done, if I ever get done...they will look like these: