Feeling Inspired

As you know, we moved into our new home in October and since then I have been busying myself with the wonderful task of redecorating. I adore decorating and that is not an understatement. Shopping in little thrift shops and antique stores for the perfect thing is what I would choose to do everyday all day. I love going with my best little princess (who is cultivating her own unique style already!) or anyone who enjoys finding treasures in obscure ways. I would love it if my dear hub would like to come along more, but alas he prefers shooting guns and getting dirty. What does he see in that??? Speaking of the hubs, he often questions my ability and love of watching HGTV over and over. It is then that I remind him that I don't understand why he loves to shoot guns.

So, thanks to my super fantastic bestie, I am now completely addicted to blogs that feature new and cool ideas to create amazing things for the home. I was divinely inspired to use found objects like my blog friends this weekend when I visited the local Habitat for Humanity Restore. I fell in love! Can you say paneled bifold doors for $10???!!! Through a couple of hours in the Restore and a few days at home I was reminded that I had inherited a set of free standing french doors when we bought the house. I thought for a long time how to make them into a bookshelf, but my space was just not adding up to my designs. Finally, I decided to do the most simple thing and just lean them up against the wall. A second stroke of genius came when I decided to hang our extended matching portraits from ribbon on the doors. Here's the result.
I LOVE it!!! What I love most about this set up is the cost. The doors were free, as I mentioned. I have had the frames for a while, but I think they were $10 each. The mirror was also free as a hand me down, as was the lamp and two of the photo frames on the buffet. The buffet was a super surprise gift (no cost!) from a sweet couple I just met through family in Abilene. It has an adorable matching dining table in the dining room. The armchairs (still needing to be recovered) were a steal at $25 on Craigslist and the pillows (down and silk) were on the 90% off shelf at Kohl's making them $5.00 each! I bought most of the other frames on the buffet at Hobby Lobby on half off not spending more than $10 each for them. So, if I'm doing my math right that is an approximate cost of $95 for this entire area! I love that! Of course, I will be doing a little more to it in coming days adding some new fabric to the chairs (black and white) and hopefully a vinyl word phrase above the mirror.

So, I am on to find more found treasures for the rest of my home. I am planning to paint and redo my bedroom this weekend so stay tuned for before and after pics of that adventure!

A Homemaker's Manifesto

I just picked up a basket off the floor in the living room. It's the same basket that I picked up off the floor in various other locations several times yesterday. My little one found it in a pile of things when I cleaned out our pantry and has claimed it as her own. When I sighed at the bend to pick it up, I realized the sigh was a happy one....truly happy.

At this season in my life, I have been given a gift. It is THE gift, in my opinion. I get to stay home with my daughter. This has been the deep dream of my heart since the day I laid eyes on her and for three and half years, it was an impossible dream. I have worked, in some capacity or another with her by my side this whole time. And now, although money still is not free flowing, I have the joy of fixing meals, giggling, teaching, cleaning, giggling, reading, cleaning and loving on my girl all day. It is THE most fulfilling role I've ever had. After moving 173 miles from "home" last Fall, we have settled into a great routine-I'm much more relaxed and she is MUCH more relaxed. Most days I wake up knowing that I am on a mission. A mission to be a godly, supportive PRAYING wife. A mission to teach and raise a free-spirited, Jesus-loving woman of God. A mission to clean, organize and serve in my home just as though God Himself inhabited it as His own. This is my calling and I love it....until I hear people say to me,

"I could get all of that done too if I didn't have a job."

"I have to get up early for my job. You're lucky. You get to sleep in. You don't have a job."

"I wish I could play all day like you do. I have to work a real job."

And then, I doubt my calling. Maybe I'm not contributing to society because I'm teaching my daughter her schoolwork and not in the workplace. Maybe I can't really spend money because I haven't earned it at a company. Maybe cleaning the toilet isn't really as important as the corporate jobs I've had in the past. Maybe I'm not as good as everybody else because I don't have a title and a check at the end of the week. I do doubt, if only for a second.

But, Truth reminds me otherwise. He says that what I'm doing is for HIM not other people (Colossians 3:23). He says that when other people see what's on the outside, He sees my heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) The fact is, I work VERY hard. I'm up before the rest of my family and the sun (most days) and work well past traditional "quitting time". I have a title-it's Mommy, thank you very much and it's the best title I've ever had. I don't get a monetary paycheck, but I am rich in the most adorable face and a priceless laugh that pays in huge dividends. Most of all, I am working literally for the biggest boss this world has every had. He sees the things that I do each day that no one does and applauds me for them. He's excited with me when I reinvent an unused space into something usable for our family. He celebrates when I find a $150 clock on clearance for $15 and then pay for it with a Christmas gift card. That's the kind of boss He is.

I live to serve my little family...my husband who serves us by sweating and doing hard labor each day and bringing home actual money to buy food; my little girl who has a destiny like a crown on her head from the Lord. This is my calling...my mission and I do it for my Boss's applause and that's the best paycheck I can hope for.

Epcot...Day Ten

Today was such a great day! Epcot is such a fun place and we learned alot too! Not to miss is Soarin, a suspended IMAX flight, Nemo and Friends ride and of course Planet Earth in the landmark ball in the middle of the park. We also rode Test Track and Mission:Space which were a little on the fast side, but very fun.

The highlight of the day was our dinner at Akershush restaurant in Norway. My Guru told me months ago how smart it was to book a reservation there instead of booking a meal at Cinderella's castle. Eating at Akershush (which looks like a Medieval castle) only uses one dining plan meal per person (The Castle uses two per person) and you get to meet ALL of the princesses instead of just Cinderella. The food was DIVINE with an appetizer salad bar a la Texas de Brazil. Mommies, when eating at Akershush, ask to sit in the right of the restaurant which will allow you to get your appetizers and get settled before all the princesses flood the room. Also, most little girls wear their princess dresses which is perfect for the environment. It worked well for us to pack the dress and "glass slippers" in the backpack and change on our way to dinner. This dinner is NOT to be missed!

Fish are friends, not food

At Akershush waiting to eat with the princesses!

Belle

Sleeping Beauty

Cinderellas

Snow White

Ariel

Pooh and Tigger

Daddy and Ray at Test Track

The Smith Family at Epcot

Raylen meets Belle...and asks to see her shoes!

Disney's Animal Kingdom...Day Nine

I'm not going to lie. We drove all night, had some trouble with the GPS when we got to Orlando and had a misunderstanding about our dining plan, so when we checked-in, I was not feeling very chipper. However, I think that that the folks at Disney filter their air systems with happy juice because as soon as we really began our adventures the whole world and its problems melted away!

We chose to do Animal Kingdom first upon recommendation from my Guru. The idea was to initiate Raylen into theme parks slowly in case it was overwhelming. GREAT plan! Animal Kingdom moves slowly like a zoo, but has just as much excitement. There are a couple of "extreme" rides that wouldn't be appropriate for little ones. Jason insisted that we ride all that Ray was tall enough for which included these "extreme" rides. She lived, but I'm a little worse for wear :)

The absolute highlight of Animal Kingdom is Finding Nemo: The Musical. It is phenomenal! Like a true Broadway musical, but very kid friendly. The whole trip was worth seeing that for me. Lion King was also a wonderful performance. This is an interactive show set in theatre in the round style. My best Mommy tip of the day is to allow yourself some time to utilize the Boneyard. This is a larger than life playground full of dinosaur bones, caves, tunnels and slides. There is no waiting and plenty of places for mommies and daddies to relax. This proved to be such a good opportunity to let our over-energized "Tigger" run out her energy. Jason and I also welcomed the break!

When the park closed at seven, we headed to our dinner reservation at the Animal Kingdom Lodge at Boma. This restaurant is a buffet style, but is NOT lacking in actual style. Included in the buffet are top notch meats and sides native to Africa, but delicious for this picky American eater. A dessert buffet is also provided with amazing miniature pineapple upside down cheesecakes and much more. Yum!

Before I list the photos, I must tell you that I found the Disney Celebrations to be quite wonderful. When we booked our trip I was asked if we were going to be celebrating anything. Our anniversary is in three weeks so I told them and they made note. Upon check-in, we got buttons saying Happy Anniversary to wear and our room was upgraded from standard to preferred (close to the bus!). At Boma, we were sat in preferred seating in intimate window booths as an upgrade. Literally, EVERYWHERE we have been we are greeted with "Happy Anniversary" and "Congratulations" making us feel super special. Don't be embarrassed to mention something special that you're celebrating during your stay. It's free, but well worth it!

Jason at Boma

The Smith Family meet Santa Goofy

Finding Nemo: The Musical

Mommy and Ray on the Safari

Raylen meets Turk

Our very own Tigger!

Slow Southern Sunday....Day Eight

Aunt LeAnn and Raylen cooking lunch

The Gang playing UNO

It's been another great day in Tennessee. I can't stress enough how much I love being here. I've been remembering such fond memories of our Tennessee family through the years today. I met Bud and LeAnn when I was fourteen when they came on staff at our church as youth ministers. There second son, Logan is fourteen now and that is wild to think about. The Georges were immediately more like family and my best friends as an awkward youth. The eldest, Blake, was my favorite babysitting charge then, the most precious ring bearer ever for our wedding and is still the sweetest young man at sixteen. Annalee is a beautiful seven year old that was an answer to prayer for this family. She doesn't know it, but she provided some sweet laughter for my dad in his last month with the video package she sent. Looking back, Bud and Lee have been instrumental in my life at every turn. Bud has taught me invaluable life lessons even without saying a word-lessons about integrity, forgiveness, courage and boldness. LeAnn reminded me on the day that Bud married Jason and I that she had been praying for my future husband since I was sixteen and I know she still prays today. She is the most relaxed, down to earth person I know and makes everyone else around her feel relaxed too. I want to know their secret for raising happy, fun, respectful, well rounded children and repeat that too.

I'm so grateful for positive influences in my life like the Georges. There are so many other people I count in that category as well, too. I realize that I wouldn't be anywhere today without these God given role models that have guided me along the way.

Relaxing In Murfreesboro...Day Seven

We successfully made it to Murfreesboro, TN last night around 6:30pm. It was a great trip and we were so excited to see our friends, The Georges. Even though it's been three years since we've seen them, it feels like yesterday. We always have such a great time when we visit.

We were excited to smell bacon and pancakes from our room this morning and Raylen got a special treat from Uncle Bud on her plate...

Today, we went to Miller's Grocery Store to eat lunch, which is a sweet and yummy cafe in an antique grocery store. There is a little drygoods store across the street from Miller's that has an assortment of handmade things. Raylen and Annalee picked out matching Dorothy dresses for their American Girl Dolls. There felt pretty grown up buying them all by themselves! Tonight, our friends, The Herndons came over for chili and game night. Fun! I need to brush up on my Catch Phrase though. Now we are relaxing around the beautiful Christmas tree and wishing we could visit longer. Here are some other shots from the day.

On The Road Again ..Day Five and Six

I'm trying a new thing: blogging from my phone. I hope it works!
Yeasterday was a great day! We woke up to yummy blueberry muffins made by my Mama and got ready to go to my Aunt Lynn's while watching the Macy's parade. I had a great time with my cousins, as usual. After retrieving a new Christmas tree for my mom, we crawled in bed early for our six am wake up call.
Today has been a great day of travel. It's been beautiful weather and I love all the wonderful fall scenery. We are about two hours outside of Nashville right now and we are anxious to get there. Ray is watching a movie, Jason is belting out (loudly) Bon Jovi and I'm blogging. Oh wait, gotta go. Total Eclipse Of The Heart just came on. It's my turn to sing!