Rock Hunting

We hunted for rocks this Easter. Yes, rocks.  And it was so much more fun and valuable then any Easter egg hunt I've ever been a part of!

My friend Vanessa, who obviously knows me well, sent me {this} link about a family who filled their baskets with rocks before Easter. I loved the symbolism so much that I had to steal her idea and take my family rock hunting.

We grabbed Brody and Adelyn's baskets {and some target bags to keep the cloth liners from getting too dirty). Then we set out on a long bike ride around our neighborhood, scoping every spot we thought might have some rocks the perfect size for their basket.

The kids followed their Daddy like little ducklings most of the time as Jonathan {ever so secretly} put rocks in their paths to find.

Our neighborhood has a lot of playgrounds which occasionally proved to be a huge distraction to the mission, but it only made for more fun and memories of our great adventure. 

Once we found enough rocks to fill up each of their baskets we took our rocks home and explained to the kids why we had them hunting for rocks. The rocks represent our sins. We talked about what sin is and all the different ways we sin each and every day. Brody wrote {Adelyn scribbled} those sins on his rocks: lying, cheating, stealing, disobeying parents, etc.

We talked about how much fun we had hunting for rocks and how sin can often be very fun too...at first. But, if we allow it to overtake our hearts it can become a heavy burden to bear and weigh our hearts down, just like the baskets were hard to carry once they started to fill up with rocks. 

Then we talked about how Jesus came down to earth to die on the cross and take away the weight of our sins. He took our sins out of our baskets and put them all in his basket. He took the heavy burden away from us; and if we believe in him and trust him as our Savior then we will see him one day in heaven along with everyone else who believes. 

So, the kids left their baskets full of rocks that night. The next morning, Easter Sunday, they awoke to see their baskets had been emptied of their rocks and replaced with gifts. Their rocks {sins} were now in Jesus' basket. 

The gifts in their baskets {from "The Easter Bunny"...because we can still have fun!} serve to represent the sacrifice Jesus made for us over 2,000 years ago and the gift of salvation he offers to us if we just trust in him. He is the greatest gift and the true reason we celebrate Easter. The eggs, the bunny, the candy, and the new clothes are all fun but we are missing the true joy of Easter if we do not set our hearts and our focus on Jesus.

This year was extra special to us as it was Brody's first year to really be able to celebrate the true meaning of Easter with us. He prayed and accepted Christ as his Savior this past October 20th {2014}.  After many, many questions and long discussions about what we believe, he decided he too wanted to ask Jesus to come into his heart.  

It was tough for Jonathan and I to accept he was ready...and to be honest we kept him from praying the prayer several times much earlier in the year. Jonathan and I were both saved at a young age; and while we both believe our decisions were pure and true, we have learned so much over the years and have really grown {and continue to grow} into a full heart-knowledge of what it means to surrender our lives to him and trust him above all else.  

So, it was hard to let our 5 year old make that decision...knowing he didn't know what we have come to know over 25+ years in the faith. But, we had to remind ourselves that obtaining salvation in Christ is simple: 

Admit you are a sinner. 

{Romans 3:23}

Believe Jesus is God's only son and he came to earth to die on the cross for our sins. 

{Romans 5:8 and John 3:16} 

Confess and repent that you are a sinner in need of a savior...and come to Jesus by faith, knowing you cannot work your way into heaven. You are already forgiven and the gift of eternal life in heaven is already yours...all you have to do is accept it. 

{Romans 10:9 and Ephesians 2:8-9}

While the A, B, C's of salvation are the "fire insurance policy" to get you into heaven and keep you from hell, it takes time and maturity to learn to truly commit your life to him and trust God's will and plan for our life is so much better than any plans of our own. 

We know this. We live this. Now we are trusting that Brody took out his "fire insurance policy" back in October, and we are praying he will grow to follow Jesus and serve him by serving others.

Sharing with Things I Can't Say

Creating Space

RUSHING! I'm always rushing.

And I've always been late...to everything. No matter how hard I try, I cannot be on time. Something always happens and I end up strolling running in after everyone else has arrived and settled in.  I was late even before I had kids, but now that I have kids...oh my!  It's so bad that anyone who truly knows me, knows to tell me to be somewhere 15 minutes earlier than they actually want me there...and they laugh as they watch me running in, still late and frazzled.

Can anyone relate? Am I alone in this?

I have a strong feeling I am not alone.

For me, it's a matter of trying to cram everything I possibly can into my day.  If I find I'm running ahead of schedule, instead of just leaving early I will try to fit one more thing in before I leave...which ends up making me late. I've known this about myself for a long time now.

My husband has known this about me for even longer. He is always telling me to prioritize my "to-do" list {which is actually funny, coming from him} and allot realistic time into my schedule.  I've always brushed off his advice, arguing that I am making the most of my time by getting as much done on my "to do" list as I possibly can.

Pushing the limits. That's what I do.

That is, until it finally occurred to me that the reason I keep stressing out and yelling at my kids {and regretting it later} is because I'm rushed for time...ALL THE TIME. Kids don't hustle. No matter how much I want them to hustle they won't. Instead, they can't find their shoes. They don't want to brush their teeth. The toddler who refuses to potty train has decided to soil her diaper right before it's time to go.  They just look at me with glazed eyes when I tell them we are going to be late. Time is a foreign concept to them.

So I've learned I can't depend on them to jump on board with my overwhelmed schedule. They aren't going to rush when I say we are late.  No, quite the opposite. They are going to slow down the pace and watch with their "deer caught in the headlight" eyes as I explode.  I have to allot time for their shenanigans, for their missing shoes, for the not-so-convenient dirty diapers, for the temper tantrums...

And you know what I've found? We aren't as stressed. We laugh more. We connect more. They don't resist leaving the house as much. They can find their shoes when I'm not yelling like a drill sergeant. The temper tantrums? They still happen, but I can calmly divert attention to something else as we walk out of the house...with smiles on our faces.

Am I always on time now? Yeah, right.

But, we are working on it.

Oh Shooooot!

We spent our Valentines day doing something unusual {at least for me}, but I loved every moment of it! My love language is definitely quality time, and there is nothing more quality than being out in nature with only the one you love by your side and your iPhone turned off...except to take pictures, of course!

Hope your Valentine's Day was just as quality! ;)

A Father's Day Video Card from the Littles

For Father's Day this year, the kids and I made a special video card for Jonathan. Since Brody is only 5 years old and Adelyn is not quite 2 years old, I figured this would be a much better way to tell Jonathan how much the kids love him than buying a card and signing it from them. I think we nailed it too because he was tearing up while he watched it and then asked us to replay it. Success! It's looking like we have a new tradition. :) 

And speaking of new traditions, I haven't shared the adorable new Mother's Day tradition that Jonathan started for me this year. He purchased a beautiful, handmade journal from our Fair Trade Market at church and had each of the kids design their own page for me. This way, instead of cards that are sure to get lost in the mix, I will have a journal with all of their Mother's Day messages compiled together throughout the years! I love how I will be able to see their writings and drawings change over the years to come. What a special present! 

Adelyn's {1st} Birthday Party

Adelyn's 1st Birthday Party was so much fun to plan. As most of you know, one of my favorite things to do is plan a cute party.  That's why I have a Birthday Party Link-up Page right here at Happily Mother After...and many of you have already linked up! 

This party was, by far, one of my absolute favorites since it was my little girl's very first. Boy parties are fun to plan. I certainly enjoyed planning Brody's Bug Party, Train Party, and Airplane Party; but there is something inside that makes me abundantly giddy when planning girly parties. I chose a lemonade-themed party for Adelyn's first, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. 

As always, the first order of business was to find a cute party invitation to set the mood. Thanks to Monica from the Lemonade Design Studio, I found the perfect invite for all of our guests. Monica captured the theme perfectly and was so easy to work with.

Created by Lemonade Design Studio

Since I had a ton of leftover fabric from all of the weekly photos I took of Adelyn over the first year of her life, I decided to put the scrap fabric to good use and incorporated it throughout the party as much as possible. 

Though I can take credit for making most of the decorations at Adelyn's party, I cannot take credit for the most memorable and talked about item at the party.  One of the biggest uses of all the fabrics was this quilt made by Kristy from The Vintage Clothespin. Kristy's Etsy shop is one of my favorites. Her work is flawless, and I would definitely use her again.  I couldn't be happier with how Adelyn's keepsake quilt turned out. It's something we both will cherish for years to come. Plus, it made a great backdrop for Adelyn's first taste of cake!

Quilt created by The Vintage Clothespin

She was a little unsure of what to do with the birthday cake, but after a little persuading she cautiously dug in.

And, of course, after your belly is full of birthday cake the only thing left to do is rip through some presents and make a huge mess.

We are so thankful for family and friends that made this a very special birthday party for Adelyn. It was a bittersweet day of celebrating as we also said our final goodbyes {before moving to Texas} to some of the dearest people we have been blessed to call friends.

Oh! And I cannot forget this precious birthday outfit my mom made for Adelyn's first birthday party. It, too, was made out of the scrap fabric from some of her weekly photos. I am so blessed to have such a talented mother who, each year, is so willing to jump into the birthday-party-craziness with me! Love you, Mom!

The first year is always a blur with so many special moments to remember. That's why I wanted to capture as much as I could through pictures and keepsakes.  My wish is that each of my children will enjoy reminiscing with me through this blog one day when they are older.  They are both so very precious to me, and each moment that passes is something worth holding onto.

Happy 1st Birthday, my sweet little girl!

Created by Our Little Moments

Linking up with the following:
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savy Southern Style
DIY by Design
Green Willow Pond
Wake Up Wednesday
The DIY Dreamer
Your Whims Wednesday
The Style Sisters
Ginger Snap Crafts
Someday Crafts
Snap! Creativity
The Happy Housie
Life with the Crust Cut Off
Practically Functional
Anything Goes

Adelyn's First Year {52 Weeks in Pics}

To see how I used all of the fabrics for one fabulous party and an amazing keepsake quilt, click here.

I must give credit for this idea to Young House Love, one of my favorite blogs.

Board and Batten Bathroom Transformation {Under $30!}

Last week, on a whim I decided to undertake a project that I have been wanting to attempt for years.  Never, never, never have I ever done anything remotely like this, so I'm not quite sure why I believed I could do it.  But alas, the pins on Pinterest got the best of me and I decided that I would just go for it...while the hubby was out of town...without telling him my plans...without consulting anyone {except the nice guys in Home Depot}.

When I first felt the urge, I googled the "how to" and read a few blogs of others who had attempted it in the past.  That's when I landed on one of my all-time favorite blogs, Young House Love, and decided to use their method as my guideline. I made a few changes along the way, but in the end it was as easy as 1,2,3{4,5,6}.

Here is my 6-step process:

1. Gather your supplies.  This is what I used:
    ~ "Decorator's White" paint                    {already had this on hand from baseboard touch-ups}
    ~ Primer                                                  {already on hand from other projects}
    ~Paint roller and tray                               {already owned}
    ~ 3 Lattice Boards, 5 feet each*                     $10.65
    ~ 1, 1x2 Pine Board, cut to 57.25" long*         $4.87
    ~ 1, 1x3 Pine Board, cut to 57.25" long*         $2.87
    ~ Level                                                    {already owned}
    ~ Liquid Nails                                                   $4.98
    ~ Caulk                                                            $2.28
    ~ Caulking Gun                                        {already owned}
                                                                _______________________
                                                                  GRAND TOTAL: $25.65

     *Since the hubby was out of town, I had the guys at Home Depot cut my boards to size.

2. Make it easy on yourself by priming and painting your lumber and wall, first thing.  This saves a lot of time as it is much easier to slap on a coat of paint on an empty wall than it is to try and "cut in" with the paint at all the nooks and crannies.

3. Measure then check and recheck your desired board placements.  Be sure to use your level...if your house is like ours then your walls will not be even.  I used a pencil to draw a line along where I wanted the boards.

4. Apply Liquid Nails to the area where you will attach the board.  If you marked lines with your pencil then just place dots of it along the lines.  Be careful not to gob too much on there or it will seep out and you'll have a mess to clean up...trust me!  Then press the board to the wall and hang out for a minute while it does it's magic.  {I used the three latice boards as my vertical "batten." The 1x3 pine was used as my horizontal plank and the 1x2 pine created the mini shelf to top it all off}

5. Grab your caulk and gun then get to work on filling in all of those gaps. Like I said, our walls are not even so I had a lot of hefty gaps to fill in.

                     ***Here's a useful tip from Diane at In My Own Style:
                          "Keep a bowl of ice water nearby when caulking. Frequently dip your index
                          finger in the water and run the tip of your finger over just applied caulk to
                          smooth. You can also run an ice cube along the line of caulk to smooth into the
                          joint or gap."

6. Grab your paint brush/roller to freshen up any areas that need it. Once the paint dries you can add the hardware, if desired. I added two hat and coat hooks for our towels.

This project was fairly simple and well worth the money and time {about 4ish hours....wee-hours of the night as the kids slept...spread over two days}.  I only wish I had done it sooner!

Linking up with:
Savvy Southern Style
DIY by Design
Open House Party

Extra 10% off zulily for Happily Mother After readers!

Hey Loyals!

Good news! I am an affiliate for Zulily and they have a special deal for all of my readers!  Now, through August 18th, they are having an affiliate only Back to School sale with items marked off up to 55% off...PLUS they are offering all of my readers an additional 10% off purchases of $60 or more!

Click on this link to get to the sale:  zulily 72hr Back to School Sale

Enter this code at check out for 10% off your purchase of $60 or more:  SCRTSALE54
Note: This code can only be used for this event, with product only from this event, and a minimum purchase of $60 is required.


Happy Shopping!

Vanessa's Baby Shower

One of my besties is having her baby tomorrow morning!!! I'm beyond excited for my dear childhood friend, Vanessa. Side note: she hates when I call her a childhood friend because she says we didn't stop being friends now that we are adults. That's a given, in my opinion, so I still call her my childhood friend. It implies a deeper bond, right?! 

If you know me {or read my blog enough}, you know that as soon as I heard she was pregnant my mind immediately began planning her baby shower.  I have thrown many showers for friends over the years and have truly enjoyed each and every one....but this one I enjoyed on an entirely different level.  This was, by far, the most heart I have ever poured into a shower.  I shed many tears as I planned and prepared for this special event.

You see, Vanessa and her hubby waited over eight years for this precious little girl that is making her arrival in just a few short hours! {Pause, and scream joyfully with me here!}  This couple has an incredible heart for children and has been such a sweet blessing in my own children's lives.  I watched them with Brody and Adelyn over the years and my heart just ached for them to experience the joy of their own children.  I prayed many, many times that God would bless them with a child; and, praise the Lord, Elliana Grace is almost here!!! 

But, their story is not mine to tell, so if you'd like to know more about this one-of-a-kind couple check out Vanessa's blog, Daily Delivered.   What I will share with you is some pictures from the shower I threw for her with the help of my mom and two other friends.  I couldn't have pulled it off without those girls!

Our main focal point and where Vanessa opened all of her baby gifts.

Simple flower arrangements in mason jars with vinyl pregnant silhouettes
were sitting on baby-themed books to create a centerpiece for each table.

I made the backdrop for the beverage table from three different sheer curtains that
I cut into 6" {ish} strips and hung on a spring rod with fishing line from the porch ceiling.

Water bottle labels created by Gaia Design Studios and printed by one of the co-hosts {my sweet mom}.

The guest of honor.

The yummy food spread was provided by Christy, one of the co-hosts.

This sign was ordered through Gaia Design Studios.

Elliana's very own ELLIphant on top of her diaper cake.

Nail polish for all the guests in various shades of pink and glitter. Sign created by Gaia Design Studios.

All the guests signed a framed copy of the baby shower invite.

Vanessa, what can I say except I love you and I am praying that all goes well tomorrow morning. I cannot wait to snuggle my little ELLIphant! :) See you soon, Momma!!!

Linking up with:
Savvy Southern Style
DIY by Design
Things I Can't Say

Friend Connect Blog Hop

Hi Friendlies!

I'm co-hosting this week's Friend Connect Blog Hop with Melissa at The Life of a Not So Ordinary Wife.  I hope you'll link up below and find some new blog friends with me.  It's easy, fun, and always rewarding. You never know what amazing new bloggers you'll stumble across!

It's Tuesday again which means it's time for the Friend Connect Blog Hop!

It's the time to meet new friends and find new blogs. You can choose to follow the cohosts in whatever way is best for YOU! Here are some of my favorite ways: GFC, BlogLovin', HelloCotton, RSS, Twitter, Facebook.

Ok, so let's get to the party, shall we?

RULES are simple:

1. Follow your host 

The First link below

2. Follow your co-hosts 

The Next 6 links below

3. Link up below using your main blog url not a specific post.

4. Make sure to visit some of the blogs in the link up and follow them 

and if you want to leave them a comment, I'm sure they'd appreciate that as well.

5. Tweet about this blog hop

Tweet

6. Share about this blog hop by grabbing a button and putting it on your sidebar!

<a href="http://www.thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com/search/label/gfcbloghop"> <img src="http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z237/melissaenault/fcbloghop_zps81aaa394.gif" border="0" /></a>

I have cohost spots available! Email me if you're interested at melissa@thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com

Brody's Airplane Party {Plus, FREE PRINTABLES and a GIVEAWAY!}

My {not so} little man turned 4 on May 23rd, and I'm still in disbelief that my baby is no longer a baby!

I've always loved planning birthday parties for B. Boy...so much so that the birthday party brainstorming in my household tends to begin at least six months early.  To be totally honest, planning his First Birthday Bug Bash probably began when he was just four months old.  His second birthday party, a Mickey Mouse Choo-Choo Express party, pretty much began before we even finished cleaning up the first! I gave myself a break for his third birthday since I was pregnant, and instead we took him to Disney World for his first magical experience.

As his fourth birthday approached, I kept giving myself pep talks to tone it down and create a birthday party on a much smaller scale than his first and second.  After all, we have another baby in the house now so there really isn't any free time these days.  I tried to be realistic when thinking about his fourth birthday.  I tried.

But then Jan from Gaia Design Studios happened. :)

Back in April I ordered baby re-naming announcements from Jan and absolutely loved the end-product she produced on top of the amazing customer service she provided throughout the design process. I've worked with many sellers on Etsy, but she was by far the easiest to work with and so sweet.  It was a no-brainer for me to ask her to create Brody's birthday party invitation...even though at the time she did not have birthday party invitations in her Etsy shop.  I just knew she would listen to what I had envisioned and create an outstanding invite...and I was right.  She nailed it!

This was when his birthday party began to explode.  After Jan created his invitation, she contacted me about creating some complimentary designs for additional party items such as a banner and food labels.  It was an offer I just couldn't resist!  I gladly began working with her and sharing my visions for Brody's airplane party.  She designed and tweaked things until I was in love and ready to print them out.  Her awesome printables sparked more creativity within me and I ended up crafting one thing after another for the party until time had run out and May 18th had arrived.

Close friends and some family attended his party this year, helping to make B. Boy feel extra special and loved.  It was a very memorable day that Brody still enjoys talking about.

Captain Brody wearing his Uncle Josh's shoulder boards.

Inflight Desserts included cupcakes and airline {Biscoff} cookies.

Vintage airplanes hung from our chandelier above the food table.

I used my Cricut to cut out an airplane from a map of Atlanta and used Mod Podge to glue it on to chevron-painted canvases that hung above the food table.

Inflight Snacks included pretzels, peanuts, fruit cups, spinach-artichoke dip, and PB&J airplanes.

Adelyn had her own Inflight Snacks to enjoy. :)

{The idea for the Paper Airplane Garland came from this pin on Pinterest}

Aunt Dee and Brody's Wynni

An airplane garland adorned the backyard where Brody's Hangar hosted the entertainment for the kids.  He sat in his cockpit to open the presents that were dropped off at baggage claim as guests arrived.

The best part of Brody's day was spending time with his friends...

...and, of course, opening presents...

...and {definitely} eating cupcakes!

Brody had a special cupcake just for his friend Grace, who turned 3 on the day of his party. We are so thankful she came to celebrate with us!

I love each and every one of these girls very much, and I'm so blessed to call Brody's friends' moms my friends too {did you follow that?!}

To thank all of Brody's friends for coming to celebrate, each child had a goodie bag from B. Boy Airlines waiting for him/her at the Departing Flights table.

It was a special day for a very special little boy who has truly made my world much brighter just by being in it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And now, to thank all of YOU for all of your support here at Happily Mother After, I have a special "goodie bag" for each of you! 

My newest sponsor, Gaia Design Studios, has offered FREE PRINTABLES to each of my readers!!! We are sharing her pennant banner design that is pictured in the photos from Brody's airplane party. Since they don't include the lettering {I added that using my Cricut}, you can print these out to use for any occasion. Print them all or just the ones you love...mix and match as you choose! 

Click {here} for your free printables and be sure let me how you plan to use them!

Also, I'd love for you to spread the love and let Jan know how much we appreciate her here at Happily Mother After. Be sure to...

Check out Gaia Design Studios Online: Gaiadesignstudios.com | Etsy Shop
Like them on Facebook for more FREE Printables & Special Offers: Facebook
Follow them on Pinterest for Inspirations: Pinterest

I just know you'll fall in love with her as much as I did!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In case the free printables weren't enough for you, I'm giving away one "Happy Birthday" pennant banner.  It includes all six designs of the adorable airplane/chevron pennant banner and I've added the "Happy Birthday" letters for you.  All you have to do is hang it!
***update: THIS GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED. CONGRATULATIONS, KARYN LISK! THANKS FOR FOLLOWING HMA!