Life Life Happy in 2013

Live Life Happy.

Three little words with so much meaning. I have a friend always posting the most inspirational, positive messages on Instragram...and I am so thankful for her. Many of them are from a website that focuses on living life happy. I love it. People are focused on so many things in this life - I believe happiness should top that list. Imagine what a world we would then have?

I have learned happiness in a choice. For 2013, I am not resolving to lose weight or make more money - I am resolving to live happy. Not that I am unhappy in 2012, but I have been in some sort of a slump. I'm saying no more to that - and I choose happiness. I choose Joy. More than anything, I choose peace. Living in a home with nearly ten people with conflicting personalities, values, beliefs, and raising children who have been raised for a portion of their lives in two different households with different "systems" is not easy. I have spent a fair share of time frustrated, hurt, or just fed up. I do not like who I am when I am living that way. So for now and for always moving forward, I choose happy. I choose to live my life the way I want, and hope that the people around me learn from that and that they choose happy too. That they choose peace, joy, and respect for themselves and others. That's all any of us really want, right? To have our feelings, our values, our hearts respected? Well I will go forward with both the assumption that those things will come if I live happy. Out with negativity, attitude, condescending language, sarcasm - all of it. In with rewarding the positive, loving my family with a peaceful voice and joyous heart. I hope that those close to me follow me in my choice - but of course, they have their own choices to make.

To any of you who make be straggling around reading..I wish you all the peace, joy, and happiness that 2013 has to offer. May you keep moving onward and upward with love in your hearts.

Happiness is derived from the way you see life;

it depends on your thoughts,

 not on what you have or what you do not have.

 ~ Leon Brown

It must be a sign!

I am really enjoying working on my hand painted signs - I finally got my Etsy shop up and running, and even a business page on Facebook. I completed my first 2 sales on Etsy and I felt like happy-dancing all over the house. The thought that someone else appreciated something that I love to do in my spare time, and put so much heart into,  is just such a wonderful feeling! My weekends have been busy drawing, painting, and distressing, and I just couldn't be happier. I also have had a few custom orders via word of mouth, which has been awesome. I love working with people to customize something perfect for them. I am now working on a "Sleigh Parking" notice for my front yard. I'm excited to see how it turns out! All these projects are really putting me in the holiday spirit. It's taking a lot to wait until after Thanksgiving to take down my fall mantel and start decorating for Christmas!

Seasons change..

Yes, football even before school. It never ends.

Summer is coming to an end soonish, and I am way excited for Fall. Not only for nice cool weather, but because we are on the move - well, we will be on the move in a matter of weeks. It's time to look for a new place to call home.The kids are getting older and we will be sending three kids off to college in the next three years. Soon we really won't need all of this space. I had great intentions moving into this DIY'ers dream and making it perfect - but as the last couple of years have taught me, I don't wanna! I want something move-in ready, that I can make pretty and "us." I don't want to lay tile, repair framing, replace floors - that stuff has not been fun. At all. Moving pretty much sucks, but the thought of more repairs and remodeling sucks even more. Those aren't the projects that get my heart moving.

All the kids are officially back in school - and I am trying to get back to routine. It's a little tough with one car at the moment, but hopefully that will be remedied over the weekend and transportation peace will ensue.  On that note, we had a nail impale the tire on our one mode of transportation this morning, managed to get everyone off to school and hub to work, get tire fixed and be at work only 2 hours late. I am lucky my boss is the understanding bomb-diggity she is. We should be a two car family again by next week, better be because hub starts back at the 2nd job running the after-school program at a couple local elementary schools. He loves it, but it makes 1 car living completely impossible.One of these days I need to just break down and get a new car, from a dealer and everything. I just really love not having a car payment right now ;) 

I have to wonder does everybody have so much change in their life?? Just as soon as I get used to life - something throws us into a tailspin it seems. I wonder when my life will ever not be crazy! 

Summer on Instagram - Part 1

new entry way..gardening stuff and my welcome sign

7th birthday invites -sadly party was cancelled :(

goodbye 1st grade!

date night at the comedy club

with Arnez J - hilarious

juneteenth celebration @ the office

end of flag football bbq

flowers from farmers market - from hubby after surgery

my girl is home from her week in L.A. visiting nana

Probability that one movie will please everyone =  0%

7th birthday part 1 - "the swimmers"

7th birthday part 1 - "the wigglers"

kabobs for the birthday bbq

honeydew...please don't forget the watermelon

birthday water gun fun

part of the fam bam and the birthday boy

the hub and the daughter...hot day and a cold ice cream in old sac

independence day at the fairgrounds

happy independence day!!

new foyer art

yum!

prepping for gallery wall project

staying out of the heat and getting artsy

perfect summer day

1st time on the big slide - our favorite summer spot

date night with DL Hughley

 

My Kids Don't Care About Heart Shaped Pancakes.

A friend on Facebook shared a great article over at the The Power of Moms that I am sharing with you because I consider it a "must read."

Your Children Want You!

Great article. Touching, moving, and emotional. So many moms need to hear that if they love their kids and put them first, they are doing enough. Not all the fancy cupcakes and "ice cream shaped grilled cheese sandwiches" in the world measure up to the true importance of a mother's love.

I love Pinterest and design/creative/parenting blogs - but sometimes I know that they continually make me feel like "less" of a mom, homemaker, wife, etc. I didn't have a mom who did ANY of those things (and unfortunately didn't have the devoted part down so well either) so I want to be THAT mom. My grandmother was my mother and she didn't spend all of her hours making things "pretty" to the outside world - but she made my life so full of love, and showed me what it felt like to be special. Because of her, I know how I want my kids to feel when I hug them, hold them, tell them I'm proud of them, or even when I yell my head off and send them to their rooms.

I have to take a moment to realize that all my kids really want or need from me is my love and devotion to them.The good news - they have that unequivocally, always, and with everything I have to give.  I love to throw in some cute desserts or special projects along the way, but when it comes down to it, I am a good mom. I will never keep up with the creative and talented designing, baking, sewing, etc. moms of blog land. I love my children and am doing everything I can to raise them to be happy, successful, kind, and loving people. If I failed in that, all the cute cupcakes in the world wouldn't fix it.

Not ready to give up drooling over all the cute things I find, but just had a realization through reading this article that it's okay to just "be mom" too. 

Oldest and youngest sons....love these happy faces!

Back to Life - Happy Spring!

I can't even remember the last blog post I have written but feel like it must have been before Valentines Day. Around that time, life seemed to have hit me like a tornado in a small room. I am feeling like getting back to myself now - and have been hiding out long enough. I think I was in hibernation mode for the winter months, yea that was it.  I have gotten a few projects accomplished, but mostly have been spending good quality time with the fam. I have not only been neglecting my blog, but my reading as well. I expect to spend a lot of time reading to try to catch up in blog land.

I think I have spent the last two months eating myself into a comfy place. Been cooking a lot, reading a lot, and watching more than my share of movies (Wasn't The Hunger Games amazing! - Only the books were better!).  After a boatload of prayers and hard work, life seems to be coming back around to a decent version of normal (for us). I look forward to posting more often. My newest addiction is Instagram...how fun it that app!?? Love! 

Our Spring Break Goodies

Happy Spring bloggy friends!

Love is in the air...

(First post from my phone...hope it comes through okay)
Here are a couple pics (sorry-cell pics) of my mini-project to dress up my mantel a little for Valentines Day. I really like how my banner turned out- esp since it cost me less than $2 and about 30 mins to make!

Fun with Floor Planner!

I have been wanting a to-scale floor plan of my house in the worst way. I have scoured the net looking for old U.S. Homes floor plans, to no avail. I found a website where you can create you own floor plan, and started playing with just one of my rooms (the one I am currently revamping). I could even add in furniture, accessories, and paint the walls! How cool is that! The best part - it is free and online (no downloading!) I took a few measurements of the room I wanted to start with, but the rest of downstairs is a total guesstimate, and very incorrect. I am going to fix it a bit tomorrow - but wanted to share what I've done so far. I'm seriously in love with this website! You can also view your plan in both 2D and 3D.

I really think my models are going to come in sooo handy when out thrifting and hunting for the items I need...Maybe I shouldn't be having this much fun! Next maybe I'll build my dream house ;)

Mini Project this Weekend, teaser inside! Valentines is coming!

I love Valentines Day..so I sketched out a little project to work on this weekend. I can't wait to see how it turns out...and share it! I've been a busy bee busy sketching out my up and coming formal living room/dining room turning cozy game room/office/craft space. I am barely getting started, maybe I should post those sketches soon to get some feedback.

Date night with Eddie Money and Friends

We went on date night with three other couples (hubs coaching staff + wives)..in a stretch SUV Limo filled with Champagne, sodas, music, and party lights to see Eddie Money perform. It was actually a charity event - supporting comic John Fox, who has stage 4 cancer. We had a great dinner & strong cocktails at our friend's comedy club where he performed. Tommy T's is the Best club in the Sacramento Area by the way - Here's my shameless plug - visit Tommy T's Comedy and Dinner Theater, you won't be disappointed!  They also have a spot in Pleasanton and a brand new venue in San Francisco. Really great food and drinks, and service is impeccable. Can you tell I love this place??

After a great show, we took Limo back to our friends house acting like high schoolers, music blaring, daring each other to stand out of the moon roof (no one did), and laughing our butts off. I feel so blessed to have such an awesome football family, and to have fun nights out with some of them when we can. Great friends.  I was only a little disappointed that Eddie Money didn't sing "Take Me Home Tonight." Oh, he signed a photo for us, "WJT Kicks Ass!" Awesomeness.

We took a lot of cell phone pics...see a few here..  The limo driver should be getting us the good group pics in a few days.

 

 

*Love*