you can hardly call this a post, but. . . . .

well. . . it's festival time again. i'm getting ready for a show this weekend at reunion subdivision and then another next saturday at the cultural center on main street. i have SOOOOOO many frames to paint out in the garage right now. . . . . as i type this. . . . why am i not out there right now? i'm such a procrastinator sometimes. no, truth be known. . . i've not painted this much in FOREVER!!! i'm kinda ready for a tiny little breather, you know??

in other news. . . .ummmm. . . . lemme see. . . . .oh yeah. . . .we bought an elliptical machine. so now i have absolutely NO excuse anymore. it's actually INSIDE my house now. . . my very own CALORIE-BURNER. . . .so i really have to use it. right??

okay. . . so. . .that's about it. good grief. . . this is such a BORING post. hahaha!

HELLO STRANGERS!!!!!!

hello strangers and anyone else that stumbled upon this particular entry by accident. it has been WAAAYYYY TOOOOO LOOOONG since i posted an entry and i apologize to the one person that still (maybe) reads this blog.

i have been RUNNING around like a crazy woman, which is a good thing, since that's what i really am any way. i mean. . . at least i'm not trying to pretend i'm something i'm not. . . like SANE! i have to say that God has just totally SHOWN out and given my more faux finish work than i can even get to in a timely manner. can i get a WOO-HOOO!!!!!

so. . . .some things have just had to remain undone. . . and my fun little outlet of sometimes blogging was one of those things. i'll try to post when i can, but honestly. . . it may be sporadic for a while. . . like until january. who knows?

so. . . enough of that. i wanted to share with you how this extreme business, errrr, i mean, productivity, is affecting my brain. please read on:

this past friday afternoon and saturday morning, we participated in our neighborhod garage sale (yes. . . i started mine one day early). i had to leave by 11:00am to head to grenada to pick up my mom for my cousin's wedding shower in oxford. i was so proud of myself when i actually left on time. about 25 minutes out, i realized SNAP!!! i forgot her gift. . . so i turn across on one of those emergency only turns on the interstate and head back. i was wearing boots with my sassy new dress that day, but didn't want to drive in them. so. . . i wore flip-flops in the car all the way until i was just outside of grenada. i reach over and put on one boot and then reach over for the other and OSNAP!!! i have two different boots!!! yep. that's right. i call mom for the third time and tell her the problem. we meet at payless shoe store where i run in (we're running late, remember)with socks on to find my TWO choices of boots. i grabbed one and ran to the checkout. no. . . . the flips were NOT an option. so. . . the next day (sunday) i'm headed to walmart to pick up a few items and find a great parking spot. pull in. cut off car. keys fly FREAKISHLY out of my hand (still with door closed) and hit dash. CANNOT under ANY circumstances be located. AT ALL. even had another person (stranger) help me look w/flashlight. had to call the hubbs for the only spare set. still haven't found those keys.

WHERE IS MY BRAIN????? do these things actually happen to other people ?? this frequently??? i can't see how. . . . .

what am i doing wrong??

why can't i get my pics to upload?? i'm working on a post i've wanted to do forEVER. . . lots of pics. so. . . . check back later, i guess :O)

some things i love. . . .

lots of busyness around here lately w/school starting and i just can't seem to find the time to post things as often as i'd like. well. . . .truth be told i have a little addiction i'm working through:

which leads me to the first of my list:

1. my new iphone 3gs. i'm totally addicted. really. it's that bad. i had no idea how many things it could do and how easy it would be to use. if you're riding the fence on this purchase. . . let this go ahead and push you on over. BUY IT!!!

2. the color GREY. it's everywhere. . . . clothing, home decor. . . just look around. the job i'm presently working on is a kitchen job and i'm glazing grey over white cabinets. i didn't choose it, the interior designer did. . . and i LOVE IT!!!! not sure at first, but it looks great! check out feather grey by pratt and lambert for a change in your wall color.

3. diy projects. i have quite a few going on and maybe i can post some for you. i've added two blogs that focus mainly on diy projects over under my "blogs i love" section. check them out.

4. acnefree products. okay. . . .this is serious. . . if you struggle w/breakouts this is the product for you. i've tried so many things before this that it's insane. this has changed my face for the better and it's so great not to worry about acne!! embarrassing but true. you can find it at the drug store or even walmart. it's FABULOUS!!! and only $20!!!

5. this website - www.thegrocerygame.com - we've saved a good bit of money by playing this game and there is a short video explaining it on their website. my savings has averaged $250/month on our grocery bill. seriously.

6. concealer. . . . i have to do something to hide the dark circles under my eyes from getting up so early. i'm not a morning person. . . at all!! i haven't found the perfect one yet, so if you know of a good concealer please let me know.

7. another website - www.pandora.com - free internet radio that allows you to create your own station based on songs or artists that you like. it's wonderful!!! and free!!!

school so far. . . .

all i can say about school so far is. . . .WELCOME TO GERMS!!!! today is the 9th day of school and kaden's second day to miss :O( he has some kind of virus . . . . his only symptom is a high fever that he only seems to run at night. the teacher told me that the girl next to him at his table went home sick w/a fever a day or so before kaden got sick. i'm seriously considering sending him back in a full body germproof suit and a face mask. would that be weird???

just keeping it real, people.

just the truth. . . .

i've been really struggling with being down on myself in a particular area lately: my appearance. i couldn't decide whether or not i wanted to post this, but i decided to because it could be that others struggle with this as well.

growing up in the south is a wonderful, beautiful experience that i wouldn't trade in for anything. i've experienced so many great people, places, events, and opportunities because of it. however, you may have noticed that there are alot of pretty people in the south. if you don't believe me, just look around. turn on the radio. . . . there are even songs about it. but, with that comes pressure and expectations to hold oneself to a certain standard. really, this pressure is everywhere, and only intensified by the media and hollywood. another post (rant).

just in case you don't know me, let me say now that i know true beauty resides inside yourself, and is created by God. . . and i know also that i am His child. that being said, satan has been having a FIELD DAY in my mind as i berate myself inwardly for not being able to fit into certain things in my closet. this is BRUTAL HONESTY, girls. no happy-go-lucky here today.

i recently finished a wonderful bible study by beth moore, called breaking free. she says that everyone sometimes allows themselves to be kept prisoner/captive to certain habits, personality traits, etc. at first i wondered what exactly i was going to learn about myself thru this book. i actually got halfway finished before realizing HELLO. . . . i'm held captive by a constant obsession with not being "this way" or "this size" anymore. it was a big moment to just realize/admit it. it's a great study, by the way, and i highly recommend it to you.

so i feel like i made progress after the determination that with God's help, i would just be happy with being me. . . and most of the time i am. but, i'm cruising right along, and BAM!!!! here it comes again. . . the doubts, insecurities, and self-loathing. WHAT!?! i thought we were finished with this, God? i thought you brought me out of this and we're done, right??

so i've come to find out it is a destination to be headed for daily. a goal to aim for . . . something i have to do daily with God's help and direction.

this morning i came across this verse again: "for we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - ephesians 2:4

these truths literally screamed out at me: i am GOD'S creation. . . a thing of His doing, and anything with His imprint is beautiful. also, i have a PURPOSE. . . i am created to do good things for Him. . . .

have a blessed day-

letting go. . . .

okay. . . i think i'm finally able to do this post without crying :O)

wednesday was the first day of first grade for my little man. OMIGOODNESS. . .how completely adorable does he look??? the backpack was so HUGE on him .. . or at least it looked that way as he was walking down the long hallway to his class.

he goes to a much bigger school now than he did last year. for kindergarten, we chose to keep him at our church, and it was a great choice for him. kaden was one of 8 kids and he got out at lunchtime. perfect. i absolutely LOVED it!!! fast forward to this past week. . . now he goes earlier and all day (2:30 seems like all day to me). he also has 24 kids in his class, although there is a full-time assistant.

so far, so good. things seem to be going well. the night before his first day i went in to check on him before i went to bed. . . . just like i always do. there he was, little sweet thing, sleeping peacefully. i ABSOLUTELY lost it!!! i mean. . . it was ugly, friends. UGLY!!! i bawled liked i haven't done in years! i think i scared my husband a little. but i'm glad i did b/c otherwise i would have acted FOOLISH on his first morning. as it was, i barely contained my tears until we were back down the hall on the way out.

it's hard to see your babies grow. i just felt so out of control b/c i'm used to being the one who watches over him all the time. it's been such a privilege to stay home with him and help shape him into the little person he is now. but it's hard to say. . . okay, you can have him now for 7 hours a day while i have nothing to do w/it at all. God is good, though, and i know that ultimately He is the only one who can really be with kaden all the time. and He already is.

just because i love it. . .

thought i'd share this pic of kevin and kaden. it's on my list of all-time faves. i just a few secs before church, but i may share a few more of my faves later. i'm feeling kinda sentimental. . . .uh-oh. . . . not good since wednesday is the first day of first grade :O(

a recent kitchen island redo. . . .

this is a recent kitchen island job i did for my friend, Jamie. her island was all white to begin with.

"revolutionary road" should run off a cliff. . . . .

it should in my book anyway. can someone PLEASE explain this movie to me?? i have to admit that i had higher hopes for the reunion of Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet. maybe a happier movie anyway, i dunnno.

i mean. . . what's the deal w/her?? she has to be the most selfish person in the world. is it that she's really got mental problems? i mean, seriously?

i get it. . . . she feels trapped. her dreams are unfulfilled. does that kinda tip her off into the deep end? one minute she loves him, the next she hates him. . . . . well. . . when he decides not to go to paris anyway.

Did you feel like she had any real connection to her children at ALL???

and that coo-coo loud mouth man from the insane asylum. . . . he was really interesting. i actually did get a little commentary/explanation from him on what was really happening in the movie.

i don't know. . . . i'm disappointed and let-down. it's just a sad parallel to a life that maybe too many people lead. they play a part. . . . with no real appreciation that it is the everyday things that actually MAKE UP life.

so. . . bottom line is. . . rent something else if you wanna be in a good mood after watching it. it's really long too.

just some fussin'. . . .

don't you just LOVE it when it's time to get a new driver's license picture??? yeah, me too! i had to do that the other day (only b/c mine expired over one month ago. GASP!!!!) so. . . . naturally, i had to take the boys with me. usually there is a long line at this place and it stinks in there. no. . . it really does. i can literally FEEL germs and stuff all over the place when i walk in. anyway. . . so in we go, the three of us. i'm armed with candy and matchbox cars. finally, our turn came and the boys had to walk up to the desk w/me. they were actually being pretty good, although naturally interested in the long blue panels hanging from the ceiling (the ones used as backdrops). well, the lady assisting us sure didn't win miss congeniality anytime in her life, and i think she was still bitter over it. seriously. she snapped at me that the boys didn't need to touch on the backdrops and then ignored them completely. that INFURIATES me. i understand the comment if they're wild and acting out, but they really weren't. i had to BITE my tongue and go sit and wait for my picture to come out. my angry attitude has to be why my picture is so disappointing. . . . again. or i'll just tell myself that. so then i'm in a bad mood the rest of the day b/c i have to live w/that picture for four more years.

in other news, i'm so OVER thinking we're getting ahead just to find out we're really just treading water. i don't care what people in the media say about the economy. . . . just look around at everyday people. going w/o paychecks really stinks. . . . even if it is a way to keep others from getting laid off. of course. . . it could be so much worse. . . so i just need to shut-up complaining. i hate complainers.

i've made another big resolution. to stay out of the business of the person who's business i don't need to be in b/c it drives me crazy. yes. . . no more advice from me about anything. i've got to keep a little bit of saneness in my head. i realize you have no idea what i'm speaking of, but just trust me. . . . . you've been there to at some point.

so, enough of this happy and encouraging post. have a good day :O)

beach pictures, take 4. . . .

why am i consumed with the idea of beautiful pictures of my boys on the beach? is it because i see so many of you, my dear friends, with lovely postcard-perfect beach pictures? it seems since russ was born i've been caught up in this frustrating sport of catching the two boys together on film. let's review together, shall we?

so the above picture was my first attempt at capturing the oh-so-lovely beach atmosphere. can't you tell they're having a delightful time? i can assure you that i was, as well. russ is 10 weeks old and kaden is 2 1/2. this is still one of my all-time favorite pictures. sad, i know. i think this is also about the time russ got the nick-name "sausage legs" from my daddy.

this was the only picture i got to take of the boys on our second trip to the beach b/c russ started throwing up (lovely) the morning after we arrived and we turned around and came back home. . . so i could become sick as well. not such a good vacation.

there should be pictures here showing you my third attempt at beach pictures, but alas, my camera ran out of batteries while taking pictures of our friends.



the previous 3 pics were from our trip to destin we just returned from. in the last one, kaden got sand in his eyes. all i can say is professional photographers so deserve their paychecks :O)

i did manage to capture this following little gem, though. not perfect, but precious in my eyes:

i love these feet! can you guess whose are the biggest?

the redneck country club. . . .

. . . is in our front yard! this is what you do when it's 100 degrees outside and you're looking for cheap entertainment other than the TV. hey. . . it works!

a summer sale w/frames, children's clothes, and monogramming. . .

if you squint really hard you can see the words. heehee!! seriously, if you have any questions just let me know.

very urgent "did you know" part 2. . . .

so you've probably heard the tip to stash things in your oven temporarily when you have someone coming over and are running out of time to clean up. well. . . (very long pause). . . . not such a good idea after all. . . IF YOU FORGET TO TAKE STUFF OUT AND THEN PREHEAT THE OVEN TO START DINNER!!!!!!!!!!!

it's okay. we're fine. just wanted to pass that along. . . . for what it's worth. surely there's one more mind out there that works (or not) like mine, right? heehee.