Top 2 Tuesday- Dream Houses

This week over at The Undomestic Momma's blog, the Top 2 Tuesday's topic is 'Top 2 Dream Houses.' These houses I just randomly found online and fell in LOVE with them! The bedroom and kitchen pictures are not from either house, I just found these rooms and adore them as well! I'm not a fan of huge houses, I mean don't get me wrong, they're awesome, but I'm too much of a chicken since my husband works out of town sometimes, eek!!

The outdoor space with this house looks AMAZING! Look at the pool, HEAVEN!

LOVE this bedroom! Green is one of my favorite colors for a bedroom and this just looks so peaceful and serene!

This kitchen is gorgeous! I LOVE light colored cabinets with the stainless steal, ahhh!

I've always loved Victorian homes with their beautiful wrap around porches!

I adore our home now and am going to be asking your opinion for some changes I'm going to make in one of the rooms so stay tuned :)

Mother's Day!!

This weekend was wonderful! Friday night Gerrad and I went on a dinner date and goofed off afterwards for a bit. We were going to go to a movie but ended up renting a movie and taking it back home to watch with my mom who was babysitting the girls (Thanks again Mom). We watched "It's Complicated" and we laughed SO hard at that movie. It was so funny and sweet at the same time! I highly recommend it!

Saturday I had the Farmer's Market, which was FREEZING, but still good. I'm so thankful that it is going well each weekend. I pray about it daily and just feel so blessed to be having such great success with it. Saturday afternoon Gerrad stayed home with the girls and I shopped to my little hearts content for 3 hours, all by myself. That is what I like to call HEAVEN! I got to goof off and just browse for whatever I wanted, with out worrying about a thing! Saturday evening we ate dinner and then Gerrad went to watch the UFC fights with some friends and I stayed home and crafted, new product coming to the store TODAY (for women AND/OR kids this time)!

Sunday morning we went to church and it was a great message about mother's. Jenna and I took pictures for Baby Dedication that took place at church as well, that was fun. Our church definitely has NO shortage of babies! We went to lunch with my mom and Gerrad's family after lunch, then over to his sister's house for ice cream cake afterwards. Then Gerrad and I ran some errands and just relaxed at home with the girls the rest of the day.

I've been thinking over the weekend, about the things that make me a mother and what they mean to me...

Being a mother means that I have had the opportunity to experience loving someone more than I love myself. It has brought me pride and joy; your accomplishments touch me and thrill me like no one else's can. It has brought me a few tears and heartaches at times, but it has taught me hope and patience. It has shown me the depth, strength, and power of love.

Being a mother hasn't always been easy, and I'm sure I've said or done things that have hurt or confused you. But no one has ever made me as satisfied as you do just by being happy. No one's smile has ever warmed my heart like yours does; no one's laughter fills my heart with delight as quickly as yours can. No one's hugs feel as sweet, and no one's dreams mean as much to me as yours do.


Being a mother means that I've been given one of life's greatest gifts, my 2 precious daughters! I truly believe that a Mother's love is the closest thing we can feel to Christ's love for us! And I'm lucky enough to have the best mother there is, who has shown me unconditional love throughout my entire life! THANK YOU MOM, for everything you do for me and my family!

I'll post pictures from my date night with Gerrad later today, and of course I'll show you ladies my new product as well. And before I go... here is what Gerrad and the girls got me for Mother's Day!!
YAY for Sperry's! I LOVE these shoes and have worn them everyday since he gave them to me (Friday night)! Thanks again babe for making my weekend SO special. You ROCK :)

Mother's Day and a Little Friday Funny

I received this by email about a week ago and I just LOVE it so I wanted to share it with all you mom's out there. Even if you don't have kids, this just shows a mother's love for her children! Enjoy!


Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back
to normal after you've had a baby..... somebody
doesn't know that once you're a mother,
'normal' is history.
* * *
Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by
instinct ... somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.
* * *
Somebody said being a mother is boring ....
somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.
Somebody said if you're a 'good' mother,
your child will 'turn out good'....
somebody thinks a child comes with
directions and a guarantee.
* * *
Somebody said you don't need an education to be a
mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader
with his math.
* * *
Somebody said you can't love the second child as
much as you love the first .... somebody doesn't
have two children.
* * *
Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother
is labor and delivery....
somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus
for the first day of kindergarten ...
or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'
* * *
Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her
child gets married....somebody doesn't know that
marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a
mother's heartstrings.
* * *
Somebody said a mother's job is done when
her last child leaves home.....



somebody never had grandchildren.
* * *
Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so
you don't need to tell her....
somebody isn't a mother.


I could NOT resist sharing this video that a friend of mine sent me this morning. Gerrad and I laughed so hard at this, I wanted to share it!

Hope you all have a WONDERFUL Mother's Day Weekend! Mom and Natalie (mother in law), if you're reading this, WE LOVE YOU :)

FUNNY!

Those of you that have or are around kids at all, know what I mean when I say that they are FUNNY! They have no filter, and just say whatever comes to their mind. I had a hilarious conversation with Addaline just a few minutes ago and I felt the urge to post it. This kid is seriously going to be our comedian, class clown, trouble maker... you name it, she'll probably be it. She is MUCH more rambunctious than her big sister was at this age (or at all for that matter), she definitely gives us a run for our money! Phew!




Addaline (who has her pj top on): "I can't see my boobies mommy"





Me: "Well Addaline, you don't really have boobies just yet baby"





Addaline: "I got wittle tiny ones momma"





Me: "Well, yeah I guess you do"





Addaline: "You got big ones momma" "Macie got big ones too momma"





Me: "Um, no Macie doesn't have big ones too Addaline, Macie doesn't have any either"





Addaline: "Macie got wittle tiny ones like me?"





Me: "Let's go downstairs and get some breakfast" (I need a diversion from the 'boobie' talk with my 2 yr old, SHEESH)





See what I mean about a handful already. This 2 year old is seriously aware of her surroundings, apparently!



One more kiddo funny for the day.... When I went on Macie's field trip last week, talk about no filter. Those 7 and 8 year olds say WHATEVER comes to their mind. I spent most of the day laughing at some of things I heard.





When I first arrived at Macie's school, there was a little girl that quickly approached me telling me that I looked different than the last time she saw me. My daughter exclaims "Well she got a tattoo, maybe that's why she looks different? Here LOOK!" Oh Macie! Then her friend continues on about how that's not it, and she can't figure out why I look different. She asks me "Did you get a tan" Um NO, I wish! Then after about 5 minutes of studying me, she comes to the conclusion that she thinks I look like I should be in HIGH SCHOOL... Yep you heard that right, HIGH SCHOOL. Bless that sweet 7 year old, LOVE HER :) She kept asking me "Are you SURE you shouldn't be in high school?" Yep, pretty sure, ha ha!

Just for fun, here's a picture of the inquisitive little 2 year old!

Happy Thursday Everyone!!

The Pioneer Woman's Drip Beef Sandwich

{Photo taken from The Pioneer Woman's Website}

So today I'm tackling a new recipe, with the help of The Pioneer Woman's amazing step by step recipes, I think I'll be ok. Wish me luck though just in case (for those of you that know me in real life, I am NO Betty Crocker)! I wanted to share the recipe with you all because it just looks SOOO delicious. I might add, that this type of sandwich is my hubby's FAVORITE, and he's been working his booty off so I wanted to spoil him a little with some home cookin', as opposed to us eating out nightly, which typically happens. I'm trying here ladies, hopefully I'm turning over a new leaf!

OK I'll be quiet and give you the recipe... be prepared for your mouth to water a little!!

Basic Drip Beef

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 6 Hours

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 10

Ingredients
1 whole 2.5 To 4 Pound Chuck Roast
¼ cups Butter
1 whole Large Onion, Sliced Thick
3 cloves Garlic, Peeled
½ cups Soy Sauce
1 cup Sherry (cooking Sherry Is Fine)
½ teaspoons Salt
4 cups Water
Toasted, Buttered Deli Rolls

OPTIONAL: Rosemary, Thyme, Other Spices

Preparation Instructions
Heat butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes, or until starting to get brown.
Set chuck roast on top of the onions. Add all remaining ingredients. Cover pot and simmer (very low heat) on the stove for 6 hours, or until beef is fork-tender and falling apart.

**If meat is not yet tender, return to oven for 30 minute intervals till it’s tender!**

Shred meat with two forks until all large chunks are gone. Serve immediately or continue to simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

*Mixture can be refrigerated overnight. Remove hardened fat from top of pan before reheating.
Serve on top of toasted, buttered deli rolls. Top with cheese and place under the broiler if desired.

Let me know if you try this out, and how it turns out!

Top 2 Tuesday- Splurges

This week over at The Undomestic Momma's Top 2 Tuesday is: Top 2 Things You Splurge On!! This might be hard, yikes!

1} My biggest splurge is clothes, shoes and accessories for the girls. I CANNOT go into any of these stores pictured below without buying something for them, its like a drug, ha ha! They are DEFINITELY far better dressed than their momma that's for sure!


2} SHOES for myself! It's a small addiction as well. I've gotten a lot better over the years, but I'm still a sucker for some cute (and cheap- on sale) shoes none the less! What woman doesn't love shoes? I'm not a huge handbag or make-up spender so I guess shoes make up for it, right? I'm not half as bad as quite a few of my friends so that counts for something, doesn't it? HA HA!
What are your splurges??

I Heart Amy Butler (and other randoms)

This past week when I went to Lawrence for Macie's field trip, I visited a local fabric store that has AMAZING selections, including Amy Butler's designs, which I am now in LOVE with!


These are the fabrics that I chose out of all her designs. I just adored these right from the get go and knew I had to make the girls dresses with them. I'll post pictures of the dresses after I make them of course! Snapped this picture with my cell phone that's why it is kind of hard to see the colors.

This weekend we were on the go ALL weekend! Friday night we went to dinner with friends and hung out afterwards. My friend Tracy is going to start selling Scentsy candles (I'm not sure if they're supposed to be called candles since you don't burn them?) so Friday night some of girls helped her decide which scents we thought would be the best sellers, and helped her familiarize herself with all the scents. Saturday morning I had the Farmers Market, it was kind of a slow day, but I still made money which was nice. Saturday afternoon we ran some errands, Macie had dance recital rehearsal, and then I had a girls night for my friend Katie's bachelorette party. Don't worry, I'll post lots of pictures from this weekend later tonight or tomorrow, I took TONS!! Yesterday we had church, lunch with friends, a super fun birthday party at a pottery place (for Macie) and then went and walked the golf course with some girlfriends while Gerrad and the boys played golf. The girls went to my in laws so they could play outside . It was a wonderful, but busy, weekend!

I've also been trying to come up with some simple little things to carry in my shop as well, that don't take a lot of time to make, but are fun and yet still useful, and fashionable of course! Here's where you come in... what are some little things that you think would be a good addition to my shop? Binkie clips, car seat covers, sippy cup holders/clips, lovies (little handheld blankets for babies)?