Homegrown Hospitality

Unexpected Happiness

Right before New Years, we hooked the ol' Mallard up and went camping for a few FREEZING days.  I am a warm/summer camper so this was a new adventure for me and was excited (& also confused) on what we would do without the amenities of summer, like a pool, lake or river, but I packed up my markers, papers and blankets and we hit the road.

Just as we pulled up to our site, it started to pour but because we are campers, we were not shaken..infact, just as we finished running around setting up camp, we received a welcome gift:Us "adults" (that my sister and I) found it very easy to just sit in chairs (under EZups because it was raining)  and ask for campfires (after they thought they could move the fire ring closer to us)
Nope, it did not budge, but an "A" for effort Anyways...When it wasn't raining, we took hikes through the dry riverbed and Auntie Steph (that would be me) was probably the COOLEST AUNTIE EVER by breaking the law and passing over the signs that read CLOSEDSuch outlaws Trailblazers....look at how happy they are...sorry Jen!

Anyways..as mentioned in a previous post, we "looked" for heart rocks, which meant you did not really look for them, you just let them pop out at you and we all agreed how much more special it was when you come across something unexpected...and the fact that you don't always have to take what you find.  Sometimes it is just as special to leave it for the next person so that they can experience unexpected happiness.

Then I got an idea..

On our next hike, in between campfires and rain, before we left, I grabbed a handful of Sharpies and put them in my pocket and we headed out.After we "trail blazers" crawled into a drainage pipe to get a photo
I handed each one of them a Sharpie.  

Without any real "instructions" (and the simple explanation that this was not graffiti because we were writing one small word) I reminded them of our last conversation about how little things we see and find along the way can make us happy and I told them to think of "happy words"

That is all I said....and for the next 30 minutes or so (because it started to rain again) I felt an unexpected abundance of happiness because they just knew what to do...

and because we all felt very happy (because doing happy things makes you feel happy) I placed my camera on a piece of wood, set the timer and got a happy shot of Unexpected Happiness and then ran back to camp because it really started to rain!

Today, do something that will allow others to feel unexpected happiness.

Everyday Vocabulary & a whole lotta junk...

Welp, I have come to realize that my "one little word" for 2013, RE-PURPOSE, is not broad enough to cover a whole year...seriously, why would I have ever thought ONE word would do?

DUH.

Several long stories and situations short, I am officially, as if this were an official thing, adding the word TRUST to my 2013 Everyday Vocabulary. 

Here I go...Throwing myself under a bus AGAIN, for many years I have foccussed and have really tried to base my life on walking by FAITH.. shoot, I got it tattoo'd it on my foot.

I have continually used and shared my FAITH and continue to recommend it to others to handle things, rely on for support, lean on in times of need and to thank in times of celebration..as a part of everyday living (just as important as air, water, blood)

thing is...

I forgot something.

FAITH just isn't enough and after a being hit with a Tsunami of "weep with the weeping" this past week, I had to reach out and was reminded of the only other thing you can do...

When times get tough and things get rough and you are overcome with ___________ (fill in your word of choice) you have to have faith in God and TRUST what HE says.

With that, I wrote this in my journal this morning and just so you know, so that I could, you know, try it on for size... I had to rely on my new word "TRUST" yesterday as I drove down the mountain straight to the ER because yes, why wouldn't you kick off a new year with more broken bones and a new cast ?

Right now, I am wondering if this is the kinda stuff you add to Project Life pages... and in case you are wondering...does this mean another tattoo??? one step at a time.

Christmas Tradtions

Last week, as I was finishing up my preparations for our family Christmas festivities and traditions and preparing, organizing and collecting my supplies to scrapbook in 2013, I had a constant sting of sadness for the families who have lost loved ones this past year, especially in the past few weeks and often thought about how difficult the holidays must be as families gather together to celebrate and enjoy their own traditions...and how important it really is to keep our memories documented. 

As I reflected on our memories of past Christmas's (via the computer, boo!) I was reminded of our Christmas Eve traditions ...

December 2005 December2006 December2007 December 2008 December 2009 December 2010
December 2011 (by the way, I do have another child but I suppose his tradition is to "watch")

and realized that I still had not bought a Gingerbread House kit for the kids and I to work on.

This year, I just was not sold on the idea.

I was not sure why, but I would go to buy a kit, pick up the box, and then set it down and that went on the entire week leading up to Christmas. Store after store after store, I'd repeat this process and go home empty handed...

and then, on Christmas Eve morning as we were getting ready to pack the car and hit the road, the light bulb went off...

or should I say, the light bulb clicked on.

I went out and gathered some cardboard, cut out 26 snowflakes, grabbed glitter, beads, glue, buttons, more glitter, and more beads, packed it in a box and decided that this year, and for years to come, our family tradition of creating something together would bless others... There is still time for you and your family to create for others and what a GREAT way to start a new tradition and kick of a new year together...Click here for information on where to send your snowflakes!

p.s...This year I thought I'd join in on the other traditions, more on that tomorrow...

Practice:Contentment

I sat down last night, opened up my little "Smash" book and what did I find?  A lovely little something that I doodled and never shared. 

I am pretty sure that I was inspired by a quote I found on Pinterest and it says alot about our little home sweet home...

 

It really does not matter the size, it is what is inside (not the furniture, duh!)  and even though we live in close quarters 99% of the time, I love our little home sweet home (and I bet they do too, even though they think having a two story house and a three car garage would be super cool.) I say "it would just be more to clean!"

Today, be content with what you have and remember, life is not about things.

       "It is better to be satified with what you have than to be always wanting something else" Eccl. 6:9

 

Having a Hard Time

with time flying too fast...because it was just yesterday that my boys were little and needing their momma help them

fast forward 8 or so years...

and with my favorite (not cutest) pair of shoes on (and me not caring a bit..)

This momma still helps...

MOB..mom of boys.

2011 Recap

If we had done a 2011Christmas card (which we didn't) the photo would have looked something like this:

and had we wrote a letter to go with it, it would have said something like this...

2011 was a great year jam packed with ups and downs, back and forths, side to sides and many happy and sad moments for all of us. Because we have each other, amazing families and wonder friends, we are able to take the good with the not so good, find the better, brighter side of things and celebrate when the good times roll..and for that, we are blessed!

2011 was full of broken bones, trips to the er and to the orthopedic for BOTH boys (mom of boys!) and to the dermatologist several times for mom who has loved the sun for too many years...(no photos!) but we are all 100% healthy and blessed...and have slings, braces and crutches if you need to borrow them!

2011 charted 100's of hours on the soccer field, at the track, at the beach, with bikes, running shoes, cleats, boogie boards, surfboards, skim boards, helmets...you name it, we got it and something is always in motion and we are all blessed to have year round weather to support this active family...even with occasional downpours that come out of nowhere (well, the sky..but you know what I mean!)

2011 was a great year but we are ready to say farewell to it and welcome in another with the same hope and faith that we rely on each and every day!

Merry Christmas and Cheers to 2012!

John, Stephanie, Jack & Ben...and coco, too!

Pray All The Harder

Using my life, being honest and transparent and not "glittering & embellishing" my life is how I write, well type, on this blog, and although I would love to be able to tell you that all is ALWAYS happy, creative, clean, tidy, well and fine here at our little "home sweet home", just like your home sweet home, it has its bumps...its wonderful peaks...a few valleys with overgrown trails, walls that need to be painted, rainbows made with skittles (maybe not) BUT regardless of anything else, at the end of the day...

I know..

deep down...(sometimes deeper than others)

it will all be okay...

because God says so..

and because HE made me a mom of boys (which I realized this weekend, is what MOB stands for)

With honesty and transparency, I also have to respect the peeps and keep privacy a priority, but I will tell you that at a very late hour on Friday night, I sat on the edge of my bed, not even able to squeak out a tear, wondering what many moms wonder....."How in the world to divide myself into three"..for the peeps in the house (excluding the dang dog!), knowing what to do, where to go..when to say yes...how often to say no....enter your favorite "wonder" question here :______________________________

I share this because I KNOW...I am not alone with this. 

I could not sleep, I could not laugh, I could not cry, I pretty much was like an owl, "owling" on the side of the bed..just sitting there...when Ben called my name...

"Mooooooooooooom ???????????"

Without all of the details..he could not sleep and he wanted me to lay with him.  I told him that when I can not sleep, I pray (go figure, maybe the "owl" should have taken her own advice, duh!)....so I suggested that he lay there and talk to God...

That is when he asked me if I could "say our prayers out loud"

Prayers said....and 10 minutes later...sleep found...for the both of us.

The above doodle is on my "today list" because I have a lot of things to do...I am a nurse mom again.. In case you did not see my ER posts on FB yesterday, this MOB has a boy with a broken elbow..yep, another broken bone (MOESLB=mom of extreme sports loving boys) and I have made it clear that 2012 is our summer vacation year, so all broken bones need to be done and healed by July.

Oh...and in the midst of all of this life going on, I have been trying to stitch, paint, sew and figure out what the heck (would prefer to use the other "H" word) I should be doing next...praying for clarity...for a sign...for direction...for something for the love of Pete.....and I happily, right in the middle of REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS AND STAY ON TASK..was BLESSED with a "Whole New Doodle" for 2012.

Yep, a brand new doodle style for 2012...out with the old doodle...in with the new.

Prayers answered...just need to get everything else finished first.

BREATHE..FOCUS..PRAY...

Thank you God.

Live in the Moment

You know why Kamryn is smiling??? (besides the fact that she just turned 10) 
because Auntie Steph made her a birthday cake and let her eat it from the cake plate!

 
Today, create Joy and Live in the moment!

"This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it"Psalm 118:24..and eat cake from the plate!

Things To Do...

I may be one of the last people on earth that NEEDS to write things down (and then cross them out) on paper vs. typing info into my "smart" phone(even though I have a new phone and a super cool little stylus to poke the screen with..hey,it is the little things for me)

I suppose I could choose to switch over to "smart" skills...but, I choose NOT to.  As Bobby Brown once sang..."It's my Perogative" (and don't hate me if you sing that song today.)  Three cheers for all of you that rely on your phone...Personally, I just have visions of me once accidently throwing my phone away, into a empty trash can that had water in the bottom...

the only GREAT memory about that is that Tim tried so so hard to be my super hero and save the phone....thanks buddy, I appreciate your trash can diving skills to this day...even though the phone ultimatly died.

Anyways...my 2011 Day-timer only goes to July so I COMPLETELY relish in the day that I "GET" to go purchase my new calendar inserts (I know...just hold your comments!).  Last week I had not purchased my inserts when I realized that I was hitting the road, so I bought a little "purse sized" calendar from Wal-Mart for like $4.94 that has become my go-to-handy-dandy-journal-doodle-calendar and I am highly suggesting that YOU go get one...oh, and treat yourself to a few new felt tip pens while you are in the office supply/stationary aisle and tuck it into your bag. 

This is a great example of RANDOM CREATIVE...Use it for notes....for ideas...as a journal...heck..use it as a calendar (duh) but use it...and enjoy it.  It may just be the best $4.94 you spend!

No need to thank me...it is my pleasure!

Summertime is

the perfect time to throw the tent in the car...

 grab the goggles, trunks, towels...and sunscreen

 
 well, and of course the stamps and markers

and head down the road to meet grandma and grandpa and the girls for a night of camping
  
and back to home sweet home in less than 24 hours!