Busy Days, Busy Week

Bill was such a sweetie and surprised both the birthday girl AND her Mummy with beautiful roses- lovely bouquet for me, and these 3 pretties for his 3-year-old pretty!.  Yes, the stresses of Christmas, even though we try and try not to be stressed, plus the 2 birthdays, birthday parties, Isabelle Katie's trip to the doctor's AND getting a shot on her special day (not fun), a few other personal things, one or more boys home sick from school more often than not these days, that horrible feeling of being trapped, as now with snow and ice all over the sidewalks our walking options are severely limited, and the ever-annoying reminder that we're halfway through another month and I still haven't lost any weight, though each month starts out fresh with hope and promise, have left me feeling irritable, discouraged and overwhelmed.  (Yes, even I admit, that was a terribly long run-on sentence, but sometimes it just works!)  Hence the flowers- knew I had a point somewhere in there!

 I also want to address the contest I was doing last week.  I really am so grateful and humbled by the outpouring of so many strangers who were willing to come alongside me in my challenge to give whatever God led us to give, but at the same time I'm struggling with feelings of disappointment and even failure, as it didn't turn out the way I'd hoped.  I was so ready to give!  To give big!  Big enough that I was even a little afraid of how we would manage to do it!  Perhaps God was simply happy that I have grown enough in trust and faith that I would be willing to step out in that way.  In my heart of hearts, my Savior and Father in Heaven, I pray that you smiled upon me in my efforts this past week, though I know that your love for me is not, and never has been, based on the things I do.  How I long to be your hands and feet, a light to the dark, a hope for the lost, all in your precious name.

I also want to thank my friends Devin and Terri Anne (click on their names to read about their wonderful families) for their special support, and let all who participated- either by leaving a comment, or rallying up your friends on my behalf, by praying or going to the website and making a donation yourself- know how grateful I am.  Thank you.

So.

We did a million things yesterday.  We made these...

to say thank you to our local school staff and teachers

I put the finishing touches on a basket for our Angel Tree at church...

in the hopes that the receiving family will feel God's love and grace

Had a little fashion shoot with Baby Girl...wait, she is now my Big Girl...

oh, you can see Isabelle's boo-boo  :(

 

Santa gave me a present a little early....folks, I have me a BIG GIRL camera now!!

So. Much.Fun.

So much to learn, too!

I got started on the boys' pajamas, their special request, awwwwwww!

and was going to finish up cards....that didn't happen!

And remember the pile I talked about here?

Here is what is becoming of that...

I am super excited about this reversible dress!

It wasn't designed as such, until I worked my magic, ha!

Love the details and the fun colors- this will be Isa's birthday party dress (layered with a white turtleneck of course!) for her Picnic in January party with her little friends from church

I have 3 small white bows to add to the center details-

I think it will be gorgeous when I'm done!

And this poor dress- I wanted a smocked, billowy kind of dress, with a lovely collar...

only I couldn't find a pattern, and my own designs (at least from scratch!)

leave a little, ok- a lot- to be desired

The dress was just weird!  It didn't fit right, and it wasn't going to work, so it got chopped up and is becoming a simple A-line with wide red grosgrain ribbons tied to the shoulders

And last night Bill brought Jonah to violin lessons while I finished up dinner and got the rest of the crew ready for Ethan's school concert.  He has been doing a great job with the clarinet so far, and I was ecstatic seeing MY boy in the school band!  I remember how exciting school concerts were when I was his age (I played the flute and sang in the choir), and it thrills me to enjoy watching my children participating in these same activities.  They did a fantastic job, as always!  Way to go, Ethan!  Then it was off to a friend's home for a cookie exchange party- I had a great time!  Berth Moore speaks often of the feelings of insecurity we women face, and last night the Lord really ministered to my heart as I felt not only welcome but included and celebrated as well.  I'm very thankful for the chance to build more meaningful friendships with other women, and thankful that I have a husband who rolls up his sleeves and gets right in there with parenting duties, bedtimes, and the like.

AND, the blogging world has opened up a bit more for me with the discovery of some great new home decorating blogs and new family blogs, so of course I keep reading to catch up until way past bedtime, and now I am so stinkin' tired I can't think straight!  My own fault, but still...I really didn't catch onto the whole blogging thing until late spring this year, which is probably a good things for me, ha!

I just got off the phone with Jonah's violin teacher, who informed that his violin still sounded terrible, even after the $25 new strings were put on.  She is recommending a new (used) one for him, and used ones come with a price tag of about $400!  YIKES!  I know God is interested in all the details of our lives, so I'm going to trust Him on this one, too!

Have a blessed day today!  We're looking at a glorious -14 degrees this morning, so I think we'll just stay right here and...PLAY, for a little while at least.  There are so many things still to be done!