Welcome back blue sky! We have missed you!!! Please stay for awhile!

I jumped on the computer to put together and embroidery design for end of the year teacher gifts but you know how you get on the computer and get distracted and then time flies and you never accomplish what you set out to do. . .well, this will be one of those times.

Every now and then I enjoy reading the Living Proof Ministry blog (by Beth Moore and her daughters) and today her youngest daughter posted regarding a question she had been asked. . .
“What do you think your Mom has done right in raising you up in the Lord?”
Her Answer:
“. . . But, I think today I realized that it has to be her example of serving the Lord without hesitation. For not allowing her fear of failure to dictate her decisions. . .”

I have had to read that several times to really drink it all in and to really grasp the words. I don’t want my fear of failure to dictate my decisions! Do I struggle with this? YES! Remember the quilt? I want to serve Him and others without hesitation but yet I do hesitate so often because I am so focused on me! I am s-l-o-w-l-y learning what it looks like to live out what He has invited me to. It is hard to step out in faith and walk being obediant to Him. Can you imagine fleshing out those words before your children? Wow! There is such a bigger picture that I so often miss because I am so focused on me and my fears. I don’t want my fear of failure to dictate who I am!

A little something to ponder this mother’s day weekend!

We celebrated Sister this past weekend with a royal party! She invited a few prince and princesses over and while we were hoping to play in the backyard the rain had other plans for us. The royal party was held indoors but the princesses and princes did not seem to mind. It was so fun to see all the kiddos dressed up and playing together. It was a wonderful time and sister really enjoyed it which was fun to watch.
I used this tutorial for the crowns and we filled the gift bags with paint to decorate their crowns with. Super fun and easy!

The work of Mushroom Meadows on the gift tags. She actually made a few things for the party including the incredible invitations! Thanks again to her! If you have not seen her work check out her Etsy shop! I am a huge fan!

Every year for the kiddos birthday’s they get a quilt. I started this when sister was turning one and decided that it would be a fun tradition. The quilt usually has something that they like in it. This year for sister I made her a blue jay quilt as they are very special to her. I took a pattern that I love and messed with it a good deal adding the blue jay head and changing the fabric arrangement up a bit. We wanted the quilt to match sister’s room and we purchased enough fabric to make (yet to be made) curtains as well. Hubby (yep, he helped pick out the fabrics) and I ended up picking Feathered Friends by Wendy Slotboom. I did finish the quilt the afternoon before the party (just in time) and I am now happy with how it turned out. There was a large struggle within me about it though as I started realizing that I am often afraid to like the things that I make for other people. I am fearful of liking them or even loving them because what if the recipient does not like it. What if I pour myself out into this gift and no one likes it. God really taught me a lot in making this quilt. He taught me that it is not about who does or does not like it. I do feel that He called me to make the quilt and by being obediant to Him, well, that is all that matters. I have learned that if someone does not like what I make it is not that I poured out extravagance for nothing because I poured it out for Him. Doing what He called me to do for His glory. . .not mine or the recipient or anyone else but for His glory. This was a huge thing for my heart to grasp and I am still trying to grasp it all and take it in but I am excited about this new found freedom. The freedom to use the gift of creativity which God has given me and to not be fearful in wondering will it be liked. Jesus poured out His life extravagantly and a lot of people did not and do not like Him. Just trying to grasp all that and continuing to learn.

Front of the quilt.

Back of the quilt.

So, I have not posted in almost 2 months but I am still here. Life moved in and kind of took up residence as it does and we went with the flow and gave time where it was needed and now I am back or at least I will pop in from time to time to say hi! It is amazing that only two months have passed as so much has taken place. . .
-found out that a little one is allergic to penicillin
-went on vacation. . .still nothing quite like the beach!
-found out that you should always go to Children’s Hospital Emergency room with little ones (unless you child is not breathing. . .it was iffy) instead of the other hospital because they will just make you go there anyway via ambulance
-found out that an ambulance ride is expensive
-found out that the little one loves to ride in the ambulance
-found out that a little one can have pneumonia out of the blue even though they have had no signs or symptoms until they wake up in the middle of nap gasping.
-a dear friend came and tilled the garden making it larger so that we could plant more veggies this year as well as flowers
-planted the garden
-made a fence to keep the bunnies out of the garden
-remembered why it is important to start birthday quilts early
-was blessed by a blogging friend who used her amazing talents to make birthday invites and goodies for sister’s birthday
-celebrated sister’s birthday (where did those years go?)
-read
-played
-went to the zoo
-spent time with friends
-watched movies (loving Netflix date nights with hubby)
-planned some up coming parties
-played outside a ton. . .loving spring
-longing for school to be out to have more time together with the kiddos
- and just lived life
Yep, that is where I have been and what we have been up to! I am sure that more things happened but that is a brief summary. Looking forward to hopefully popping in a bit more regularly hopefully but if not that is okay as well. . .lots of freedom to live life as it comes at us! I am learning!

There are actually several things on the cutting table but I keep putting this one on top of all the other projects. I have been wanting to make the Zig Zag Quilt ever since my SIL made one last year. Hers turned out so well that I wanted to give it a try. I have started sewing a few of the squares to make triangles and I am excited to see how it turns out. It will be awhile before it is finished as I mentioned the other projects are for such things as birthdays, baby showers etc. that need to happen in a timely manner. I am excited to see this quilt come together though!

Last night I got to have our small group girls over for a fancy dinner. It was fun to break out the china and dress up the table a bit. It was also fun to remind them that they are worth a fancy dinner for no reason as it was a surprise for them. We all sat around an extravagant table in sweats, t-shirts, jeans, etc. we came as we were. . .exhausted and worn. There was laughter and there were tears and it was a sweet time of togetherness a time of remembering that we are there for one another and that we are not alone. We reminded each other of God’s love for us and that He will never leave us. It was truly a precious time.

I think that Hubby and Sister were a little jealous of the fancy dinner. They both made comments of the fanciness. Hubby commented on the china and Sister on the flowers that were set on the table. I love surprises and I love to surprise people but I think that I often forget to surprise those who live with me day in and day out those who see the good and the bad in me close up. I am looking forward to surprising them with a fancy dinner soon. I am most thankful for my Husband and these little ones and I am thankful for the reminder of showing them love in extravagant ways (that are affordable like a fancy table. . .it is the simple things). This season of Lent is reminding me of Christ extravagant love for us! He invites us into so much! The greatest gift and a great feast! I want to remember to love well day in and day out!

The ole’ blog got a little dusty again! It turns out that after that big cup of tea things went down hill a little more as brother broke out with an allergic reaction to some medication. Thankfully he is on the mend and spring decided to pay us a visit so we have been outside a lot these last few days.

Spring always seems a little tricky as it appears enough to get things blooming and growing and then we will have another cold snap and the cycle continues for a few weeks until it finally decides to set in. We are taking advantage of the tricky spring as I mentioned we have been camped out outside for these last few days trying to drink in all the wonderful sunshine and warm temperatures. Every Spring it never fails that I get so excited about the blooms on the tress and the flowers on the ground. Every year I take pictures of the beauty that surrounds our house. Even though it is always pictures of the Bradford Pear Tree blooming and the Daffodils each year the pictures look a little different and I see a little more detail. I am so thankful that God cares about the details! He cares about the details of our lives both big and small and he even cares about the little tiny and delicate details of blooms. I love that!

The house was silent tonight as the kiddos had a long day which led to quick sleep and hubby had a meeting so I curled up with a book and a hot cup of tea. It was much needed after this week of two trips to the doctors office with sick kiddos and an early pick up for an injury at school (all is well, just a large knot to show for the fall)! Is it really only Tuesday?

We continue to finish up Sister’s room and add little touches of happy things. We knew that when she had her own room that we wanted a way to display her art work. She is very sincere when she tells us a million times a day that she would like to be an artist when she grows up. She loves to tell us about her art work over and over as they all have a story and they all bring her great joy! We finally got around to draping ribbon on one side of her room to hang her artwork from this weekend. It was such a sweet thing to see her excitement as she dug through the art box to pick out the pictures that she would like to display. When all was hung she just kept looking at it and smiling. Such a simple thing that brought so much joy! I love that she has her own space where everything just seems to have her name all over it.
Another touch she added this weekend was flowers. We had a warm snap about a week ago so it forced all of our Daffodils up early and then of course we had a light dusting of snow yesterday. Sister was very excited to pick a few flowers and place them in her room. She was giddy and kept showing them to Brad and I both about a million times. I think that her husband could be in trouble with this love of flowers although she would like to be a flower gardener as well when she grows up!
Sorry, I could not pick just one flower picture!

She is teaching me a lot about embracing beauty and enjoying it, whatever it may be, even dirt!