Today, I always gravitate towards plaques, pillows, candles, and all other home decor plastered with some profound truth. I love when people post them on facebook and pin them on Pinterest. Heck, now you can even wear them (which I frequently make my baby do).

They amuse me and inspire me. Some of my favorites…

Find Your Strong.

Some people suck. Avoid them.

Sometimes its ok to take a step back and admit you are being ridiculous.

Do more of what makes you happy.

Some people think that hanging in there shows great strength when the truth is “letting go” is the real test of character.

I never stick my leg off the edge of the bed no matter how hot it is because it would get eaten off.

Sometimes the things we can’t change, end up changing us.

They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel.

Things around my home…

Uppercase Living allows you to design your own. We had this made for over our t.v. area.

These two canvases from Joanns, hang in our school room.

Home Goods is an amazing place to find cute anything, but definitely has a lot of things with sayings.

Live a good life pretty much sums it all up, right?

I made wall art with some wood squares from Joanns and scrapbook paper.

This sign I picked up at a flea market for $5. It makes me quite happy. It hangs in my babies nursery.

I am in the picture on the bottom row in the middle. I enjoy my hair.

This one hangs in my dining room. My kids are disturbed that the words are cut off at the bottom. I tried to explain that this makes it “artsy” looking. They weren’t buying’ it at all.

What are some of your favorites??? and more importantly, does anyone know who makes these up anyway?

Happy Wednesday.

Our family of six. 

The few hold outs {like myself} will keep Christmas alive until New Years, but the majority seem to drop off steadily, one after another, beginning at 12:01 on the 26th.

My Mom and Dad. Bob and Bobbie. {cute huh?} I think you know the guy in the middle.

People are un decking their halls and throwing their trees on the curb.  Pretty soon all the houses will no longer be twinkly. Its sad.

 Our newest addition to our never ending array of Christmas trees. It's so tacky, it's spectacular.

I am looking forward to New Years. We usually have friends over, eat pizza, and watch people party the night away on t.v. I always need to watch the episode of Friends where Monica and Ross do “the Routine”. I always watch Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Years Eve. I never say that name right. I don’t even really know what the show is technically called. One day I hope to celebrate in Time Square.

Happy Birthday Jesus Lemon Bars. This is what happens if you disobey the COMPLETELY COOL BEFORE 

CUTTING instruction. They did however, taste heavenly. Warm, lemony goo. Happy Birthday Jesus.

Speaking of New Years, is it simply fantastic that the first day of 2012 falls on a Sunday? The over planner loving types like myself are doing a happy dance both inside and out. It makes me want to buy a fresh new planner just to celebrate.

Meet the newest member of our family. She joined us Christmas morning. She pees. Real liquid.

 Her diapers cost more than my one year old's diapers do. Her name is Stella {aka Baby Alive}.

 Yes, my favorite sights and sounds of Christmas are disappearing. My favorite holidays begin with my birthday in June and end with New Years Eve. January through May are kinda bleak in the holiday world for me. Maybe I will have to make some holidays up.

Christmas morning Greyson sat down and played with the manger for about 5 minutes. In the middle of all the

chaos of post stocking opening. I'm not sure if anyone saw him but me. I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

 I always feel kind of down in January. It’s silly really. Post Christmas Syndrome?  Perhaps it should be a real diagnosable disorder.

If so, I have it. There is no immediate cure.

I can't imagine what Mary was feeling.

I was at a Christmas Production where the Pastor said…there is just something so special about this time of year.

Everything is just better. Everything is just more special. I agree.

My most fantastic Christmas gift. Thank you Urban Outfitters and my husband. I was mesmerized by these dolls 

as a child and now they are measuring cups? I will wear my new frilly apron, measure with my dolls, 

and bake treats. I am 40, I promise.

I have plenty to keep me busy. We have 21 weeks left of the school year. I am mid way doing a complete overhaul on my health. I am running a 10k in February and a half marathon in July. I am searching for a organization to volunteer at. I was given three new books for Christmas ~ Bloom, Choosing Joy, and 52 Things Every Kid Needs. I am just beginning to study photography. I’ve got a house to clean, children to love, a husband to adore, and a Savior to worship. I’ve got plans.

Dear Christmas decor, I have enjoyed you for five weeks now, but soon it's back in the box. I sorry.

Today, I will shed a small tear for the goodbye of Christmas….until we meet again.

2. My blog is in process of getting its first face lift. Coming Soon.

3. Have you checked out Pinterest? I mean really! Come follow me. It’s fun there. It’s pretty AND useful.

4. This beauty came to live with us this past Sunday. I have plans for it. They involve a cute little 6 year old and some cans of spray paint….but not at the same time.

5. This beauty also slipped as I was taking it out of my van and in order to save it’s adorableness and my daughter’s heart from breaking, I sacrificed my back and have basically been in bed for 2 days.

6. Were you aware that Target now carries giant post its? I mean 12×12 inch giant? Imagine the possibilities.WARNING, they stay up for about 5 minutes and the sheer weight of the massive piece of paper sends them crashing to the floor. However, the 300 seconds prior to that is sheer bliss. For $7.99 its worth it. Why? because subtlety (is that even a word?) is overrated. YELL YOUR LOVE NOTES, to do lists, or anything else at someone. It’s fun. You know you want to.

7. I have lost 48 lbs since my baby was born. Two more lbs. to reach my pre prego weight and then I will do a happy dance and continue on to lose the rest of the weight that I shouldn’t have been carrying in the first place.

8. I have the pleasure of leading a class at my church that I have mentioned before, Made to Crave. There is 47 of the most courageous and amazing women. God is working, lives are changing, and I am so blessed to be a part of it all. It fills my soul and gives me the warm fuzzies all at the same time.

9. Women from that class are doing a 5k this October. It’ll be my first and I am beyond excited. Plus, it’s for a tremendous cause.

10. My baby boy loves apples. Actually, really anything that’s table food.

11. My baby boy consistently sleeps from 7pm to 6:30 am. One of the 101 million reasons I am in love with this kid.

12. I am officially starting school planning this Sunday. Panera and I will be very close in the month of August.

13. I gave up caffeine, fast food, and dessert for at least 12 weeks…probably indefinitely.

Hope you are enjoying your summer…I’m looking forward to Pumpkin spice candles, fall baking, apple picking, and cooler temps. They are almost here!

JTLYK~ that trash was all over the kitchen floor before I ever got there.

OK…so I’m minding my own business, right? And the sofa cushion just explodes all over the room. I’m as surprised as you!

Someone was outside but I sounded so ferocious they went away.

Saw an old pic of myself as a puppy and I was really thin and now I’m just depressed.

Puppy Tweets rules! Finally I can express my thoughts and feelings to the world!One question:does it matter if I get slobber on it?

Lord help us all… what is this world coming to?

2. I slept in today and yesterday until 11 am. My husband is that awesome to let me.

3. I pulled work out pants out of the dirty clothes to wear to the gym tonight. I broke rule number 5 that is clearly posted on our wall at the gym. Freshly laundered gym attire required. I didn’t get caught.

4. I am addicted to using q tips. This landed me in Urgent Care last week because I couldn’t hear well. I will leave the rest up to your imagination, so as to maintain a little bit of my pride. Do you know of a support group anywhere?

5. I have been reading A Familiar Path since I found her. Love her humor.

6. My cute little 7 pound yorkshire terrier is pushing my mental sanity to its limits.

7. I am turning forty in 28 days. It bothers me. A lot. It also bothers me that it bothers me.

8. I could not love my six month old little guy anymore. It’s just not possible. He seriously melts my heart.

9. I give amazing in car concerts complete with dancing and singing. You’d be jealous, I am sure.

10. I close my eyes every time I get weighed at the doctor. If I don’t look at it, maybe it won’t be true.

Thanks Melissa for hosting!

I decided I am going to change that and enter EVERYTHING I see for the next couple weeks. I have to win something at some point. Right?

Just in time for my new experiment, one of my blog crushes is giving away her geography curriculum that I was going to purchase for school next year…

Go HERE to enter….but if you win, can I have it?

What have you WON in your life?

Don’t get all sappy on me and say a great husband, gorgeous children, or anything like that. This is all in fun. I’m talking pure shallow material things…What have you won???

Anything?

or are you prize~less like myself?

2. You ask the waiter for an extra plate and are amazed at how quickly he produces one, only to realize he was already putting it down in front of you when you inquired about it.

3. You get gas and get in to leave only to realize your car has been running the entire time.

4. You smell the teaspoon to check if pepper made it into your spaghetti sauce, but exhale instead of sniff and you blow pepper into your right eye.

5. You leave the house with your shirt inside out.

6. You leave the house in your slippers.

7.. The ever popular “you put the cereal away in the refrigerator.”

8. You rock yourself to sleep instead of your baby.

9. You fall asleep in the shower.

10.Something (thankfully not someone) is forgotten everywhere you go.

11. You lock your keys in the car.

12. You try and get into someone else’s car.

My baby is great at this…

But not so much at this…

This was sent to Papa this morning.

“BOO”

This was promptly returned…

“BOO BACK”

Makes my heart so happy.

1. I am 5’10″ tall.
2. I am still scarred from my nickname in elementary school…DC-10 the wide bodied jet. Stupid second grade boys.
3. I want to go to New York for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade…and stay over for New Year’s Eve.
4. I hate to fly. Well really take off, the rest isn’t so bad…just the take off part.
5. I love roller coasters. Not the new ones that almost kill you…the good ‘ol fashioned wooden ones are the best.
6. I love crushed ice. It’s the best of all the kinds of ice.
7. Someday I wanna dress up as wonder woman. It seems fun.
8. While we are talking about dressing up, let it be known that I love wearing wigs. Costume ones, for fun.
9. I love Bougainvillea…and I can even spell it correctly.
10. I love twinkly lights at Christmas time.
11. I love all the rest of the things at Christmas time too. Candy canes, cookies, songs, mistletoe, the smells…all of it.
12. I love to hug people. I try to avoid hugging clear non-hugging type people, but sometimes I can’t help it and do it anyway. I am not sorry.
13. I have no lucky number. I think they are all equal and should be treated as such.
14. I love love love to plan parties. I wanna be David Tutera when I grow up.
15. I love me some black yoga pants.
16. I love salt water taffy.
17. I love all the shades of blue and green…and I love black and white, but only together.
18. I am not a morning person at all. I take many minutes to wake up. I need silence for awhile, but in a house with a morning husband, 3 kids, one on the way, and a yorkie…I NEVER get that.
19. Fall is my favorite time of year. It used to be summer, but that was when I was young, thin, and had little responsibility and could live at the beach.
20. I don’t have any white walls in my house.
21. I am 39, but I feel about 27. No one ever told me that’s what it’s like when you are older.
22. I have four kids.
23. Yes, they were all planned.
24. I love Pumpkin Bagels from Noah’s in the fall….and pumpkin donuts from Krispy Kreme and Pumpkin Spice Yankee Candles. Perhaps, I just like pumpkin.
25. I prefer to see the glass half full. Sometimes, I have to throw a complete fit first…but I usually can get to the half full place…sooner or later.
26. I love people.
27. I love my house full of people.
28. I completely wish it was still appropriate to spend a weekend night, o.k. well any night, in a club…loud music, lights, and dancing the night away. I don’t need the alcohol or the bar scene…just the loud music, dancing, and people.
29. I have never been to a circus and I don’t think I want to.
30. I love and respect my husband…a lot.
31. I am learning to let go of that which I can not change.
32. I do not like learning to let go of that which I can not change.
33. I love to bake. When I was little my sis and our bff would have to clean and the moms would make me bake stuff. I’m totally serious.
34. I love Disneyland. I don’t care if I am 39….it never gets old.
35. I love going for walks in the rain.
36. I always dreamed of being a dancer. It didn’t happen.
37. At one point, my sister and I, could reenact most any scene from Xanadu.
38. I get really annoyed when people lie. I believe anything can be worked through, but without the truth you don’t stand a chance.
39. I do not like broccoli, or mayonnaise, or guacamole, or hummus, or tomatoes, or mustard….
40. I feel a bit narcissitic right about now.
41. I love to scream…in a happy way.
42. I like the Tori and Dean show and find it hilarious that she has a pet goat named Donna Martin.
43. We have a rule in our house that soda must be had with pizza at all times.
44. There are days that I have actually spent time wondering what it would be like to be Samantha Stevens.
45. Writing 100 things about yourself is harder than I thought it would be. I can’t stand quitting, so I have to finish.
46. I faint really easy. I have fainted in a movie theater, behind the wheel, during a pedicure, and during a wedding dress fitting.
47. I loved my youth pastor and his wife. They made lasting impression on my life.
48. Someday I would love to go to Tuscany.
49. One of my favorite movies is the Wedding Planner.
50. This year we started living cash only, no credit cards. No debt. It’s super hard, I am not gonna lie.
51. I am a picky eater. Incredibly picky. See number 39.
52. I like bubblegum…like gum balls and Bubble Yum.
53. I have been cow tipping.
54. I love new socks. If I were rich I probably would never wear a pair of socks twice.
55. I find the beach to be one of the happiest places on earth. I love the feeling of the sand in my toes.
56. Every thanksgiving I make Raspberry Coffee Cake for breakfast. It’s divine.
57. My kids have never believed in Santa Claus. I refuse to tell my sweet daughters that a creepy old fat man is going to crawl into our home in the middle of the night through our chimney. Even if he is going to leave presents for them.
58. We still leave Santa cookies and diet coke and throw oatmeal on the roof for the reindeer. We play along.
59. For about a year, we had dancing on the counters Wednesday. The hubby worked late and the kids and I danced on the counters to loud music. I am not sure why we stopped.
60. I try and pray with the kids throughout the day at random different times. I dont’ want them growing up finding prayer to be a before meal, before bed ritual.
61. My favorite quote is “Make God your audience, not people.”
62. My other one is “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
63. I need to work on my patience level with my kids. I get frustrated way too easy.
64. I love hot chocolate, but not with marshmallows.
65. I love Target clearance sales.
66. I have ridden horses, been scuba diving, and toured air force one.
67. I watch Friends almost every night before bed.
68. When I was little and sick my mom made me toast with butter and cinnamon sugar on it and then cut it into squares. My kids get the same royal treatment.
69. Easter Meal every year is Boston Market. My mom started this tradition and I proudly continue it. My family has been in the ministry for years, so Easter Sunday is a work day and frankly I don’t want to cook that day.
70. I think the saying ” I slept like a baby” makes no sense whatsoever, unless of course you woke up every two hours all night long.
71. I love to decorate and I am borderline obsessed with chandeliers.
72. I love road trips.
73. I think eyeball is a funny word. Moist is a word I try and avoid at all costs.
74. I am very intense. So is my son and my six year old daughter.
75. I wish people could be more honest with each other.
76. I am a very loyal person.
77. I can’t sleep if it is too quiet. I need a fan blowing.
78. I like lists.
79. I love accomplishing things.
80. I love hot tubs, but only when really super hot.
81. Ellen and Twitch dancing in the SYTYCD finals was one of my favorite moments on tv ever.
82. I want to live in Crowley Corners from the Hannah Montana movie….in that exact house…and have a barn dance in that exact barn.
83. I also want to live in a loft in New York.
84. When I am pregnant it becomes necessary to eat sausage biscuits from McDonalds.
85. I love to ride in limos and get dressed up.
86. I once dressed up as a blueberry for Halloween.
87. I would rather throw my heart out there and get hurt then spend my days thinking what if.
88. All the way… by Frank sinatra is an amazing song, so is Someone to Watch Over Me.
89. I love people who listen intently.. I find that to be a great strength. People who do not listen frustrate me…alot.
90. I love being in the water.
91. I love berries…all kinds.
92. I have never shot a gun, tried drugs, or ran away from home.
93. I love love sleeping in.
94. I don’t drink Starbucks…except an occasional caramel apple spice.
95. I don’t believe in ironing. That is why God created dry cleaning.
96. My family is the most important thing in the world to me.
97. I love good conversation.
98. If you want to hurt me, tell me you don’t trust me.
99. I have a weakness for instant gratification.
100. I belong to Jesus.

or you just very well

might miss out

on some of life’s

most precious

and amazing moments. For

life that is lived

with reckless abandon

brings joy

beyond measure

and memories

worth keeping.