summer days.

today i saw on someone's ig, a little girl holding up her backpack for the first day of school.
could it be?
yes, summer is slowly starting to come to an end!

it went by so quickly, but then again, doesn't it always?

this summer was the no plan summer. we planned nothing. no vacation, no trips, no activities.
i kept on telling myself each week, i would finally get around to doing some things from my boards on pinterest. and one or two things did get done, but that was about it.
we just winged it.
grandma's during the day.
home in the evening with a little game here and there. church on weekends. and sunday funday every so often, which mostly constisted of pool time and/or walking around the city.

even though there was nothing fancy planned, i gotta say i feel like i enjoyed my kids more this summer. maybe its the sense that comes with getting older that everyday is truly a blessing. fun activities or not.

i think it's safe to say with kids back in school and a sense of routine coming back, i might be using this little space a lot more.

what have you been up to?

a little M.I.A

 

 

well hey everybody!

it's good to be back on this little space after being m.i.a for a little bit.

so how's it going for you lately friend? summer is in full swing here and i'm trying to adjust to it.
which is partly the reason why i've stayed off this space.
not really knowing what to share.

looking back through some of my posts i saw lots of heart. lots of exposing the hardships my family was going through during those dreary winter months.
thankfully, some of those hardships are gone. hallelujah! but it almost feels weird without them...

they were of character building, of tear filled prayers and now that they've been answered, i'm kind of standing in this awkward position adjusting to this new season.
isn't that weird? it seems like we were on our knees for so long that now it seems strange to get up and dance.

nonetheless, i'm happy to see the Lord's blessings, to see His goodness.

other than trying to awkwardly adjust to the season, we've been enjoying the beautiful weather which up to this point has been bearable heat. i'm afraid it may not last for much longer as we've already been hitting mid nineties! but until we can, we will.

well, i'm hoping i can get back on the wagon this week. i've got a few things in mind i wanna talk about, including something exciting that's been brewing on my mind.

how have you been doing?

the thinkery.

 

 

 

 

  

  

 

i love free events for families, don't you?

and i love companies that provide such events so that families on a budget can enjoy themselves as well!

 

yesterday night was community night at the thinkery, where admission is based on donations. i went with my daughter last week as a chaperon for her field trip and truly loved the place and love the name of it.

 

although, it technically is a children's museum and you see lots of tots running around, the whole idea of it is perfect for school aged children. there are so many science related exhibits that allows the kiddos to engage their thoughts and creativity.

 

i especially liked the innovator's workshop, where the kids get to build, experience how light works, make animated movies, build their airplane and see how far it goes with a bowling ball falling on top of the launcher.

 

overall, it's a pretty neat place, the staff is wonderful and to top it off, there is a beautiful lake and park across the street to enjoy the rest of the day.

i've already been checking out other activities to do with the kids around town and next wednesday is decorate your own donut at krispy kreme! now you know rain or shine, i'm going to be at that one!

 

 

what are some of your favorite places to visit around your town?

currently.

 

thinking about life// so precious yet taken for granted so much. with our lengthy to do lists, our go - go approaches. everything we've been given can be gone in an instant. and yet we hardly take time to breathe in the air, breathe in the laughter from our loved ones. we hardly take time to hold on a little tighter to hugs. lately i've been trying to slow down as much as possible. cherishing each and every moment.

 

 

reading// the little prince. read this years ago in french class, and it's so good to read it again in english and actually understand it! haha. the kiddos are enjoying it too. also we've been reading max lucado's one God, one plan, one life. they're perfect devotionals for the kids and speak so much truth. i'm so glad we are finally getting on a regular schedule for these.

 

listening to// audio adrenaline. downloaded the entire album accidentally on my son's phone and it's always on replay. even though i have more of a meredith andrews or kari jobe music taste, i really like the songs and love even more he's plugged in to christian music.

 

watching// impractical jokers. have you seen that show? it's hilarious, when it's not inappropriate.

it's mainly these four guys that have to play pranks on unsuspecting customers, who luckily always laugh along. my favorite recently is when they had to clip balloons to unknowing customers at the supermarket without getting caught. it's pretty funny and like i said, the customers always laugh along, although i wouldn't doubt one day they might get punched in the face!

 

thankful for// familia. lately we've been spending a lot of time together. and i'm not complaining. my sister came to visit to celebrate my daughter's birthday and it's always so good seeing her and her family. one thing to never, ever take for granted is family. we only have one and i'm thankful mine's pretty wonderful.

 

what's currently going on in your world?



 

 

 

linking up here:

something new.

source

so i'm typing this up at last minute.
because even as i type, i'm unsure and a little afraid. okay a lotta afraid.
it's funny how typing out those words, make this a little comforting. just to make it known i really don't know how to thread about things and have no clue at what may come.

the last few weeks, my heart has been really uneasy.
i've been thinking over and over on what i am to do in this lifetime.

where i am now, i don't feel like i'm fulfilling my purpose. not one bit.
i'm grateful for my job, yes i am. it pays the bills, allows for my family and i to enjoy a meal out here and there and so forth. but am i really spending my day using what God gave me?
and so that has been the question on my heart. and the answer has been a resounding no. i'm not.
i know i'm to glorify the Lord with everything, and i mean everything i do. and that includes my job. however, i feel like if i've had this uneasiness about it, it must mean i'm being pushed to step out of it and chase what has always been my joy.

art. creating. making.

my dream has always been to own a little studio and lately my heart has been on community, families and kids.
how am i impacting my community?

i'm the first one to hide away in my home with my kids after school. sure we wave and smile at our neighbors, but am i really, really reaching out? no. sadly i'm not.

creating an event for the community has been something i've always been wanting to plan and execute. but. oh the buts.

but what if it's horrible?
what if nobody attends?
what if no one likes it?

and just today as hesitated to write this out because i thought, maybe i'll pray more about it, maybe i'll wait a little bit more. i read carrie's post and jessi's and could God be any more clear?

could He be any more clear about us just doing it.
just going for it? just starting out and letting HIM do it all?

friends, i have no clue where this will lead. heck, i don't even really have a plan, but i know He does.
and one thing i know to be true is that things in His hands will be bigger and better than we could ever imagine. and for however long He wants it and how He wants it will be a greater blessing, as long as He walks before it.

so today i ask that you help me pray for this new little movement that will begin:

Kreative Kids will be an organization that will take art/craft fairs to the communities where kiddos will be able to craft and paint exercising their creativity among other children, and building a community among mothers based on the beautiful Gospel of Jesus. and maybe one day, if it it's what God wants, it will turn into a permanent home somewhere where kiddos will be able to come in any day of the week.


and here's where i do something a little more scary and out of my comfort zone. i ask for your help.
gulp.

if you would feel so inclined to help out, whether it'd be monetary or with art supplies, would you email me? even if you'd like to spread word. every little bit will help as i plan for this to be free/donation based to the community.
but most importantly, and i really mean this, your prayers are priceless. please pray for me and this, that God would move.
i know i'm not even ready for what is about to come, i just know it.


here's a huge virtual hug! ((    ))

nine years.

yesterday, this cutie pie turned nine.

a little more than nine years ago, i received the news i was going to have a little girl. and my heart squealed for joy.
the Lord had blessed me with my oldest son, and i had always wanted to have a little girl as well.

can we all agree that little girls are so much fun in their own way?
i mean the dressing up, the tiny nail painting, and pretty pink everywhere.

it's funny in the midst of the excitement, you forget that small detail of that little girl looking up to you as their role model.
and when i realized that, a bit of panic set in.

throughout the years, i've tried so hard to teach her how to be a lady, to know she is beautiful the way she is, to be strong but loving and all those things have started to sink in. i see it as her personality continues to flourish.

but i know that none of that matters as much as teaching her to be a God fearing girl.

a girl that loves God with her whole heart, mind and soul.
one that puts her value on Him alone, and understands that she is beautiful and worthy because Christ lives within her.
a girl that would encourage others with the love of Jesus thriving within her day in and day out.

those things are the ones that i pray she would embrace and i know, i know she is looking at me and my way of living to see if i'm living those truths fully.

so not only do i thank the Lord for these wonderful nine years He's allowed me to be her mother,
to witness her spunkiness and her creativity, and to receive lots of hugs and kisses from her,
but i also pray that He would continue making me more like Him, so i can teach her by example how to wihtout reserves, love Him and become the woman He intented for her to be.

happy birthday my sweetheart. i love you to the moon and back.

date night, where i take him out.

 

date nights are the best, but sometimes especially after twelve years, it can kinda get repetitive.

you the know, the usual movie and dinner.

friday afternoon, while at work, i texted my husband and informed him i was taking him out saturday night. i felt like such a feminist! ha.

and immediately i knew we needed to do something different.

rollerskating is what popped into my head and so it was.

i didn't want to tell him about it though until we got there since i was afraid he would want to back out.

luckily, after much questioning i broke down and told him and he just responded with,

'alright, it's whatever you want to do.'

well then, rollerskating it is!

let me tell you, we were probably one of the three older couples there.

it was a middle and high school jungle hangout!

we just tried to look extra cool and not fall.. until i did.

a little embarrassing, but after that fall, it all came back to me, and i felt like i could be part of the roller derby girls.

no, not really, those girls are fierce!

 

overall it was really, really fun and different!

after we were pretty starved and ate to our heart's content.

 

the next morning we continued with breakfast and some really good conversation.

and right there (about to get a little mushy alert!), i thanked God for His blessings.

it hasn't been an easy road, but being able to sit there and talk without fighting over the smallest thing is long overdue, and so refreshing.

 

now i'm trying to think what should we do on our next date.

maybe sky diving?

not.

 

what's your favorite part of date night?