hello friends...
i am hoping this post finds you all well...
rested in the midst of a long weekend, kids asleep, sanity intact, houses clean, dishes done...and good company...oh and while we are being picky- all things on your anti-procrastination list done...with tons of time to spare...
we are in memphis for the weekend enjoying family time and rest...i absolutely love the restoration that comes with help getting meals and sippy cups...putting to bed and even baths..no detail overlooked with 4 adults and uncles in the vicinity...
i love my routines at home and i am always ready to get back to "normal" but i really enjoy like most the change of pace...
and so i take pictures of our weekend here...maybe they are fun to look at but more fun to share i'm sure...camera learning curve is SLOW...(summer HELP) but i am enjoying my new project...i hope you will enjoy but i know i am innundating you all..

i got to visit with the grant family including sam today...precious moments with an "old friend" in bebek- somehow in the midst of her "new normal" she managed to encourage me...and i leave with my grant family fix...God is so very good in the midst of their suffering and i know my redeemer lives...precious blessings in the form of a sunday afternoon visit with my friends...
thank you God for holding Sam in your hand...he is yours God...
blessings and i love you bebek!




my parent's autumn clematis...my vine has a LONG way to go..


how many times do we say...hold still i'm almost finished...(getting ready for her pictures....)

feeding the fish...



paths, one of my favorite things...

swingset in my parents' backyard...3 generations..red swing included

you asked and gymnastics...

hello friends..
what a fun day yesterday with miss mia...her very first gymnastics class...mommy and me of course...not three yet but she was so excited! not five minutes after the class started she wanted her very own "weotard" like the other little ones...i had no idea they made them that small...you have got to be kidding!
what a precious investment- an hour of something that she wanted to do - somewhere other than our house, the park, or the pool...it was so neat to see her follow instructions, try hard, try new things, listen and enjoy! what a precious time...especially exciting because she got to share the class with her favorite friend Eden from church...Eden has been adopted into her precious family for a little over a year and i love her! precious friends at such a young age...
i hate that my postings do not include as much of logan..i had him around to take pictures all of the time before...now he is just not here as much- sad but true....but it is certainly time for mia to have the spotlight so to speak for awhile...she is definately enjoying it...


house things...more shelves, pictures, etc. you asked so i am sharing...fun things that anyone can do...not even a great camera needed...a good one but not great...


a mirror made from a table top and a piece of bead board from lowe's - my cabinet/trim guy did this for me...super easy...inexpensive way to take up a big space...mirror in the middle...fun things...



i am will be learning more about the camera...hopefully tonight...dark pictures make for a "read the manual, watch the dvd" kind of night...
blessings until next time...

things to share....

hello to all who read...
i have so enjoyed the comments and the emails that have followed my last posts...and so i blog...
i packed a ton of orders this weekend....tons...i am so grateful for the time to do it...there is so much to be said for knowing firsthand what exactly is happening daily with the business...delegation is necessary and a great thing but i never will feel great about not checking tees myself before they go out and making sure that things are how i envisioned them...
things are running really well in the workroom still -lots of people's clothes shipped today and alot more will go this week...
so i thought you might enjoy seeing what others have picked out...just a few of the ones that came through this weekend including the pink turkey tee...(not previously pictured)....
enjoy!

you all are so funny....

hello to all who read...lots to tell you because i have slacked blogging this week...
i have a feeling i will be doing alot of entries soon though- so you will probably find yourselves inundated with pictures...i finally finally got my new camera and cannot wait to read the manual that is bigger than the phonebook (please tell me you won't believe that!)...or take a class and let them spoon feed it to me...more buttons than any human can possibly pretend to push while chasing kids...i do want to learn and i love posting pictures .....so the top two are courtesy of nikon d60 in the beginner phases...
my vine on the arbor at the end of the driveway is going nuts...autumn clematis supposedly from my parents' wonderful yard...planted a short 4 months ago and look!! yesterday when i took this picture- i am thinking it was quite possibly the most beautiful day of the summer...super breezy and blue...so mia and i blew bubbles for about an hour just to enjoy it...

another note...i am finally getting around to posting the you tube link to the picture slideshow edited and put together by my good friend BJ...we shared his nikon that week- he took most and i loved taking some...super talented and i hope you will enjoy it...takes about 4 minutes and worth it...watch full-screen, with speakers, and high quality....(well, if you're gonna watch it...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyPvhH4u64o


you wouldn't believe the emails i have received about my bowls....super inexpensive at anthropologie...hurry though i think they are phasing them out- tons of colors...
enjoy!
several of you have now asked to see my shelves in the kitchen and the other "funky things" that i have the "guts" to do in my house which may or may not be good....i will share soon...fun things....
i started this blog to have an easily changeable place to put slideshows for BBTN, and also have a place to show sneak peak type stuff...and pictures for family of course...funny enough i met some BBTN customers this week and the comments were along the lines of "i really love the clothes but I LOVE THE BLOG MORE"...you all are so funny....thanks for reading and i love comments...i would also love it if you would leave your blogs for me to post to my list...i love to follow all of you as well...great to put names with faces after talking to many of you for almost three years now...don't be shy comment away!

lastly, little mia had her first dentist appointment this week with our friends at the dr. smith's office...acted like she was 10..."mr thirsty", water, riding the chair, SPINNING prophy brush EVERYTHING - leave no detail out for her first visit...she did it all without flinching and then proceeded to clean them out at the treasure chest...i would expect nothing less from mighty mia...good girl!!





blessings until next time...

my way...

i have been full of thoughts the last few weeks...
i have examined alot of my thoughts and maybe even the things that i do...
alot of times i am particular about things and maybe don't even know why...
those of you who don't know me well- i come across as pretty laid back and don't seem to give tons of thought to things...
old friends know better...i am a little more thoughtful than most would think. certainly learning to be more analytical with age. perfect example...i am absolutely in love with "old school" color, tile, etc. i use these bowls every morning for the healthy waffle house routine and try not to grab the same two ... use two different colors...maybe different ones than i used yesterday just because i love them all. strange huh? then...when they all come out of the dishwasher i wonder if i should stack them together by color or not...cuter which way? one could argue i am a glutton for punishment for choosing open shelves instead of cabinets...true!!
so all that to say...i question what I do daily with very good reason on a level where all things matter. what is my purpose today? what can God teach me today? what are my motives for the things that i do? ...it all comes down to i am so grateful for God's mercy and grace on all days when i cannot live up to what he has asked me to do ...every day...
what is important?...certainly not dishes...but a small reminder...while things cannot be perfect in my mind(or on my shelves)i can still serve the one and only living God with all that i have...

james 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has
stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised
to those who love him.

blessings until next time...
i love you sam!

holy kids.....

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see i wasn't kidding...you can't even see them all there is at least 5 more...and this was just tonight...all the kids from this morning would never fit in the frame of a camera...LOL

hello to all...
today has been the marathon kid day...birthday party and going away party...holy kids today!! i am guessing probably 50 maybe more...um blessings!!
well with blessings full, changed, tired, and tucked in bed i blog...debrief, however you want to look at it...


first bella turns three and we took tons of pictures...face-painting the whole nine yards...she had a blast and so did our kids...happy birthday bella!(i have no idea what that code is below??)




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mixed emotions certainly as the brewer family will leave us in about 2 weeks colorado bound. neighbors, best of friends, 5 pregnancies shared, tons of meals, redneck driveway playdates, tons of picnics and driveway pool parties...memories certainly!!
brewer family- shellee, burt, lilee, sophee, and new baby gracee we love you so very much, we will miss you terribly but we are so excited for you on your new adventure...thanks for all of the super fun times with years to go...love you all!!

picnics....

don't you love picnics...
we keep our picnic blanket in the car at almost all times...there is tons to be said for a -pull-over at a park and eat it kind of afternoon-...like today.
mia sqeaked from the back during errands that she "wonned a hodog on the blanket"...SURE!! how convenient...so we got the said hodog and made our way to the park...
blessings are brought by times that you let go of agendas...that was our agenda...
hot- doesn't matter, fun yes!!
precious little one...i had fun with you...
blessings until next time...

piles and piles...

hello to all who read...
i just wanted to share a few fun pictures...these pictures could easily be labeled as sleep, peace, fun, stress-less, organized, or even YEAH!!...
this a segment of the workroom that keeps being added to and we started shipping yesterday...memphis get ready- boy things always go out first but the girls' things are usually work the wait- or at least that is what i hear...
but my goodness there is alot to do to get everything out...5 places have to merge to make one order happen most of the times...not to mention the vendors that supply "the girls" so that they can make it happen....through texting and phone calls - all is well today at least most dilemmas avoided and urgency is not in the picture today...yup today at least...tomorrow totally different picture...but for me this is a visual of God's faithfulness...blessings and pants a plenty!
until next time...i love you sam!!
my oldest friend is sharing her news about sam now...so here is their link...
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/samgrant

no show this week....this weekend...

hey girls...
ok it is just not going to work this week...the BBTN show at my house i mean..sorry girls...i will let you know when amelia lets me have a sample set again...LOL!! i love you amelia!!

weekends always fly by but maybe because we usually don't sit still enough for it to crawl...yesterday a quick trip to the lake with the skellie's- great as usual (hospitality and company)...thanks, the kids had a ball!









also, church today..mentally tough...a whole lot of processing to do on today's sermon. We studied Job 1-2, the gospel and suffering...what does it mean to suffer and still glorify God in the midst without a clear picture of God's design...wow!! i don't mean the consequences of our own sin by saying suffering...i meant the kind that you know a loving God let happen...for a good reason! mmm i will be studying the rest of Job this week..what an incredible picture of a wonderful man after God's own heart- he didn't waiver...to hear the sermon (i highly suggest it)...www.thechurchatbrookhills.org under media- today's sermon will be loaded for your podcast enjoyment monday sometime...
God let me not waiver in suffering...glorifying you in all circumstances...you plan is perfect!!

lastly...mia asked when putting her to bed last night..."whadda we gonna doooooo tomorrow?- jussmeandyou??" what a sweet girl...i am so grateful for this part of my life...investing in her more often by herself...we have alot of work to do before kindergarten sweet independent baby...here is her choice of activity of time with "justmeandyou"...
blessings until next time...love you baby sam...

favorite you tube...

hey! enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsWrY77o77o

logan's first day...

hello to all...
lots to tell you to do and lots to share...
mixed emotions all day today and certainly moments of almost losing it- but he could not have been more excited about his life today…
...my worst moment was making sure logan understood about riding the bus home... i was told by a friend to promise i would be there to meet him at the "bus stop" our cove. this is my first bus experience and it was a great one...they had taken our "stop" off the map since last year so it was chaos this morning trying to figure out if he would get home....the precious bus driver actually called me to let me know she knew where we lived and she would be bringing him home...thank you Lord for that!!
so breakfast every morning with daddy will be our new ritual...it’s nothing short of a healthy waffle house around here…















so…we all took logan to school today- you are “allowed” to walk him to his class one time!! So we did…he loved it and was completely fine…
I think at this point, as a mom, you have to say that “I have done the best job I possibly can and he is ready…I will pray over him and support him in all ways possible” that is what helped my mindset today….so I am sharing “the walk” into school, his teacher, and the mom- dreaded bus ride home….he of course loved it!!









On another note…i have been studying “intercessory prayer” in my quiet time…only to find it very useful today- there is a reason the Holy Spirit has recently laid it on my heart…many times people ask for prayer. Honestly, this has bothered me for awhile because the exchange while asking for prayer can sometimes be gossip or trite. I really have a burden for that- I don’t think we as Christians recognize the present prayer is…we get to talk to our almighty God WHENEVER and he cares… while I finally have studied come to terms with my feelings on prayer -I get a phone call today….my oldest friend, my precious friend needs my prayers and everyone’s prayers …I ask for unspoken prayer for little Sam. Sam and family, I will commit to pray without ceasing desperately seeking God’s face on your behalf.

BBTN: fun news to share…the BBTN workroom is running like clockwork!! New systems in place to handle the surge of orders are testing well and everyone is doing better than keeping up…early as a matter of fact. Our first shipments leave tomorrow…get ready girls at the UPS store (we love you)…heeerrrreeee we go again!! All manufacturers, vendors, and contract peoples are doing better than great and I am ever so grateful!! What a wonderful start to the season. Believe it or not I am actively working on spring 2009 and I cannot wait to show you what I have found…maybe a sneak peak coming up??

Owner show: ok folks I have a mental block against getting my invitations out for my party- I think I am a horrible hostess….i am so very glad that BBTN’s hostesses are nothing like me…soooo I have decided I will do by appointment Monday, Tuesday and do my show Wednesday 10-2(that is next week folks)! With a new twist…I think since not everyone has a rep in their area….i am going to open this show up for virtual rep orders as well – we will have the workroom phone available (205.533.7861) as well as emails to info@blessednames.com. Someone will be available to help you place a custom order mon, tues, or wed. and of course that is the usual set-up…but nevertheless…however if there is a show in your area I would love for you to support them or I will give them credit…..(hostesses: to be figured separately as credit)…

wordy tonight right?...i met a special new friend for lunch today and ended up at her blog by the end of today...my new favorite quote...thanks rashel!!

“You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally by the time you are real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all; because once you are real you can’t ever be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” Velveteen Rabbit

Until next time…I love you baby sam…