artsy-crafty babe

gratitude friday

Oh boy, this week went by FAST!  I have no idea where the time went.  I'm happy that the weekend is here, but I feel out of sorts, like I'm missing something.  Weird.  Here I am trying to slow down, take it all in, and enjoy the moment while time is flying by faster than I can comprehend.  Really, I feel like I lost a day somewhere.

Oh well, as I reflect back on the past week, I can honestly say that it was a good week.  Perhaps that's why it went by so fast - it was so full of good stuff.  I think the most profound thing to happen this week was my decision to play.  This has affected me more than I could imagine.  Funny how a change in attitude can make such a difference.  I am embracing this!

This week, I am grateful for:

• watercolor paints!  I had no idea that I could love playing with them so much.  Just mixing the colors around gives me such pleasure. (the painting above is my echo for today.  I decided to add the words digitally so that I wouldn't mess it up.  I like this one a lot, I think because I let my guard down and just played with it and accepted it, imperfections and all)
• almost finishing my chickami - hopefully  by tonight it'll be done
• an evening to myself to run errands, knit in a coffee shop, and have dinner with friends
• my MIL, who helped out tremendously around the house this week
• Matt, for giving up his volleyball night so that I could have a night of my own
• my three little monkeys, who were full of love and hugs this week
• a working AC (knock on wood)
• yummy Mexican food!!
• watching my kids immerse themselves in make believe

This weekend I look forward to relaxing, catching up on some sleep, putting in our fall garden, and PLAYING!!  Happy weekend, friends - have a good one!

gratitude friday

Oh boy, what a great Friday this is!  Any day that I don't have to get up to go to work is a good day, but today is particularly good because it's the start of a 3 day weekend that will involve a whole lot of hanging out with my family and just doing nothing.  Oh, I'm sure we'll do something, but nothing is planned.  I was really hoping to catch up on some sleep this morning, but my energetic little munchkins decided to wake up earlier than normal.  Oh well, I'm sure I'll get to catch up on that sleep some time.

So, to start the weekend off right, I'd like to share what I'm grateful for:

• 3 day holiday weekends
• yummy new fabric to play with
• that fried eggplant my mother-in-law made last night.  I'm already craving more!
• watching my three clowns entertain the family last night with their silly animal impressions
• a night of talking about fabric, sewing, crafting, blogging, etc. with a real life crafty friend.  Thanks for coming over Cathy!  We need to do it again real soon!!
• a fixed (for now) a/c
• my little garden
• snuggling with all three in my bed this morning
• a slew of new magazines that arrived in my mailbox this week
• all the men and women who have sacrificed for our country

If you're in the US, have a happy 4th of July!  Happy weekend, friends!!!

gratitude friday

Okay, so what if it's Thursday night, close enough! It's been a while since I've done one of these, it is definitely time.  I have a confession to make - I haven't been myself lately.  Well, for most of 2008 actually.  I've gone through some highs and lows, but it seems lately that there are more lows than highs, and I don't like that.  I know that when I get like this it's time to step back and look at all the good in my life.  Thank God for blogging!  Honestly, I think blogging has kept my head above water.  When I post to my blog, it requires me to look for the good in my life.  Yes, I have lots and lots of good, but I don't always see it or feel it.

One thing I need to do is stop watching the evening news.  It makes me very anxious - the economy, the disasters, it's all awful!  This is definitely a sign that I need to step back and focus more on the little world within the 4 walls of my home, the little world that is most precious to me. 

Right now I am most grateful for:

• the health and well being of my family
• the stable jobs that both my husband and I have
• my mother-in-law, who has been helping us out tremendously this summer
• our summertime schedule, which includes a lot of down time (thank goodness!)
• friends who listen to me whine and complain
• the little bouquets of flowes from my garden, given to me by my sweet boy
• this blog for being my happy place
• upcoming travels next month, even if they are just long weekend trips
• my garden, which has been abundant in cucumbers and is about to explode with tomatoes
• air conditioning - my goodness, it has been HOT!
• being able to sleep an extra 30 minutes in the morning because there's no getting ready for school
• upcoming weekend plans, which includes celebrating a special 4 yr old birthday (how did that happen?) and maybe a movie
• all of you, who take the time to read and comment on this blog.  Lately I've had zero time to reply to comments, but please know that I read each and every one of them and appreciate them greatly!  Thank you

Well friends, TGIF!!  Have a great one :-)

gratitude friday

Do I need any words?  These three bouncy blessings are the light of my life, and for that I am most grateful.

Happy Friday!  I hope you all have a great weekend :)

gratitude friday

Gosh, time sure does go by quickly!  I can hardly believe that it's Friday already.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, it just doesn't seem like it should be here already.  I think having gone to work on M,W,F had something to do with it.  My whole week was chopped up by days off.

Unfortunately some of that choppiness is due to sick little ones.  They've been passing around strep.  First it was Alex, then Ava.  We're hoping it ends there.  Thank goodness for antibiotics to knock that stuff out.

I am glad that I made it to work on Wednesday because it gave me a rare opportunity to go to church alone.  Wednesday marked the beginning of the Lenten season, my favorite time of the liturgical year.  It was such a luxury to go to mass all alone, to sit, think, and pray without the distractions of telling a little one to be quiet or sit still.  I feel like I was able to soak up every word the bishop said, it was almost as if he was talking only to me.  Yes, that was a luxury indeed.  I left mass feeling rejuvenated and reconnected.  I look forward to these next 6 weeks.

This week I am most grateful for:

• Having a loving husband who is my partner in this whole parenting thing.  Being a parent is tough, I don't know how single folks do it without having someone else to share the responsibility with.
• Mardi Gras - having a day off from work
• Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent
• My favorite jeans that never stretch out (thank God for lycra!).
• Being FINISHED with the floors.
• Having the chance to do some fun sewing.
• All of Ava's crazy facial expressions.  She isn't talking much (she's trying, poor thing!), but her expressions communicate quite well what she's talking about.
• Omnicef, which seems to be doing the trick on the strep.
• Being able to go out to dinner as a family of 5 with no major incidents - my kids behaved, wahoo!
• The beautiful weather we're currently having.  On that note I think I'll wrap this up so that I can go soak up some sun.

But before I go, did anyone notice the similarity in colors between my new kitchen inspiration and my new bag?  I actually wrote the kitchen post before I made the bag, but once I made the bag I was too excited to hold off on that, so the bag post came first.  I obviously had my kitchen colors on my mind when I picked out the bag fabrics.  See how the green leaves are almost the color of my walls?  It's funny how that works out.

Okay, well, I'm ready to relax for the weekend and hope that I don't get sick.  Happy weekend all!!

gratitude friday

Is it Friday already?  How did that happen?  Wait, where did January go?  Honestly, I'm glad to be done with January.  Yes, it was filled with lots of days off from work, which was nice, but it was also filled sickness and lots of wet, cold, gray days.  Yuck!  The photo above is one of my favorites this week because it is filled with sunshine, lots of warm, glorious sunshine.  I'm such a wimp, I need those precious rays.  I'm so happy to live in a place with mild winters and an occasional sunny warm day in January.  I don't think I could survive a "real" winter.

I'm pretty sure my decision to make this week a good one worked.  The mind is so powerful, isn't it?  Because I was determined to be more positive this week I found color and joy in my everyday life.  It's all there if you look for it, keep your eyes open!

This week I am grateful for:

• all your sweet comments on my posts (especially those of you who said I looked thin *big grin*)!  I'm really sorry that I can't respond to them all, but I promise that I read ans appreciate each and every one of them.
• feeling like my old self again.  The cough is still lingering a bit, but overall I feel great.
• fun lunches with friends
• my dishwasher breaking (it sucked and I really wanted a new one)
• each and every hug and kiss from my 3 fabulous kiddos
• a friend bringing Lily to dance class, saving me a trip
• the return of LOST
• a sunny day in the middle of the week

This weekend I plan to do as little as possible, but with a dirty house, laundry to fold, and 3 birthday party invitations, I have a feeling I'll be doing a lot more than I'd like!!  Have a great weekend! 

gratitude friday

Another week has gone by, a week that went by all too quickly.  I'm sure being sick for most of it had everything to do with this.  My days ran together in a blur tissues, coughing fits and bad daytime TV.  I'm not complaining, sometimes it's nice to have a little down time.

This week I am grateful for:

• finally coming out of the haze of sickness
• my new lovlies from my recent thrifting trip
• french onion soup - it's surprisingly easy to make
• the comfort of my bed
• being almost finished with removing the tile from my kitchen floor (that will get a whole post soon!)
• for Lily's love of drawing - we've been drawing together each evening in our sketch books
• Alex's "I love you Mommy" - he gets out of bed 23 times a night to tell me this along with "you're so pretty", that little stinker!
• having some down time to finally catch up on my sleep
• Ava's little tushy - just seeing that little bum brings a smile to my face

Have a great weekend, friends - give your loved ones a squeeze and go have some fun!!

**sorry for the pictureless post, my internet connection was crap this evening!

gratitude friday

Hooray for Fridays!  Hooray for long weekends!  Hooray for happy mail!

I can't say that this has been a bad or long week because I had Monday off and now I'm off today.  Working 3 days a week ain't too bad.  Then, to make things sweeter, I have Monday off again.  Wahoo!  Thank goodness I got a happy shipment of yarn in the mail today.  I'm finally going to attempt to make myself something to wear, but I need to make a trip to my LYS first to get some needles.  That will have to wait until tomorrow when I can go alone.  My reason for being home today is due to a sick kidlet.  Lily has the flu.  The kicker is that she had the flu shot earlier this fall - all my kids did.  We have our fingers crossed that it won't be severe and the other kids don't catch it.  On the bright side, today gives Lily and I some much needed girl time.  Even though she's sick, she's in good spirits.  We slept in this morning and just finished a good breakfast.  She told me that it was the "best breakfast ever!".

This week I am grateful for:

• confirmation that I'm doing something right as a mom. The other day Lily told me that the supper I was cooking looked healthy.  I asked her why she thought that and she said "because it looks colorful".  I guess the things I say DO sink in.
• keeping up with my 365 self portrait challenge.  It's interesting. I'm not bored yet and it is truly challenging me.
• the kindness of friends.
• having a job that understands that when kids get sick a mama needs to be there.
• losing a little bit of weight this week, even though I didn't make the best choices (I'm almost to where I was before the holidays).
• new yarn - new projects.
• a new box of colored pencils and a new sketchbook (another challenge I put on myself this week - more on that later).
• my mother-in-law, who took Lily to the Dr yesterday and took care of her yesterday afternoon while I went into the office.
• a hot cup of coffee on a yucky winter day.
• having a day to stay in my pj's all day long.

Happy Friday, Friends - have a great day and a wonderful weekend!!!

gratitude friday

I told you it was coming back...

With the events that have taken place in my family over the past week or so, the first thing that comes to mind to express gratitude for is the health and well being of my children.  I am so grateful that they are healthy and happy - it could all change in an instant.  Berkley's experience really opened my eyes to that.  I am so grateful that she is healing and made it home from the hospital.  Children are so resilient, aren't they?  Thank you all for praying for her and keeping her in your thoughts.  Yet another eye opening experience - the support from all of you as well as my own family.  I take comfort in knowing that if anything ever were to happen to anyone close to me, I have a vast support network of family and friends to help us through.

This week I am grateful for:

• Berkley coming home from the hospital
• being done with Alex & Ava's dosages of antibiotics (they HATE it)
• the return of our normal routine
• the warm, spring like weather we've been having
• being one itty bitty step closer to finishing our kitchen
• my WW buddy, for getting me back on track (man, I'm hungry!)
• GNO (girls night out) tonight, which I'm about 80% sure that I'll attend
• LSU winning the BCS National Championship - Geaux Tigers!!

One last thing... guess what?  This is my 500th post.  Yeah, how did that happen?  Thank you all for reading, for commenting, for inspiring me to keep on crafting and creating.  With 500 posts under my belt, you know me by now, I can't let this milestone pass without a give away - I LOVE giving things away.  Leave me a comment on this post this weekend, and I'll draw a name Monday morning.  Sound good?  Good!  I wish I knew what I was giving away, but it hasn't been made yet.  I promise, it'll be something good.

Happy Weekend, everyone!!

gratitude friday

My goodness, it's been a while since I've done one of these.  I don't have an excuse other than being busy and lazy at the same time.  Does that make sense?  You're so busy that when you have a free moment you'd rather be lazy than anything else?  That's me.  Bring on the lazy!  Unfortunately,  I can't be too lazy because I have mountains of laundry to tend to and a house to clean.  My latest sewing frenzy for a shop update that I keep promising but can't seem to get to has put most of my household duties on the back burner.  Oh well, that's how it goes.  Once I get the house in order I can finish my shop stuff then be done with it.  Can't wait!!  Okay, enough about that, back to gratitude (that was the point, wasn't it?).

Like last Friday, this one is a good one.  This is the Friday before a whole week off for my family - lucky ducks!  See, that's why I didn't feel too guilty about having this past Monday off all alone - they get the entirety of next week.  I do benefit from their time off because now I don't have to get anyone ready in the morning other than myself.  That means I get to sleep a little bit later - YAY!  And I don't have to rush around in the afternoon picking anybody up - double YAY!

So, on this great Friday before Thanksgiving week I am most grateful for:

1. The health of my kiddos.  I am so happy that no one is fighting any sort of cold, infection, or stomach bug at the moment. (knock on wood)  Being in good healthy really is a blessing.  (aren't Lily and Alex cute up there?  I couldn't resist snapping that photo this afternoon)
2. The upcoming days off, when we'll get to hang out as a family and just be.  I plan to stay in my pj's for one of those days, probably the day after Thanksgiving - there's NO WAY I'm leaving the house that day.
3. My buttons, which have been providing me with new crafty inspiration.  It's nice to shift gears every once in a while.
4. This wine - LOVE it!  I first tasted this wine at the winery when we visited Napa Valley about 8 years ago.  I'm so happy that my local grocery store now carries it, and has it on sale often.
5. Martha Stewart's new craft line.  Oh.my.  It's definitely a good thing.  I finally made it over to Michael's to see her stuff in person - I was instantly in love and in awe.  If you haven't seen this stuff yet, go check it out! 

Okay, I guess that's it for now.  Have a great weekend, all!!