Just A Night Owl

My First Giveaway. mopedINK.

Written on March 12, 2012 by just a night owl in Random

I am excited today.

Not because I am on day 15 of caring for sick kids. Not because its Monday and no NOT even because I have no idea what I am making for dinner tonight.

Today, I get to be a part of hosting my very first giveaway for a very dear friend.

She opened her Etsy shop mopedINK today.

I first met Monica at our church. We became insta-friends and ended up working together. I was an event director and she was an admin in the office. Every time I needed something it was like she just jumped inside my brain and did exactly what I was thinking. Monica is awesome at translating your vision to reality, not to mention always so much fun to be around.

At mopedINK you will find darling printables for all occasions. I highly recommend her for whatever your designing needs are. Keep checking back this week for new items. She’s a little genius, that one. I had the pleasure of testing out her goodies on my school paper organization project. SO happy with the results.

FOR TODAY’S GIVEAWAY

You will receive one entry for commenting on this post.

You will receive one entry for “liking” mopedINK on Facebook. (leave another comment on this post to tell me you did that.)

So, you can have TWO chances to win.

What will you win, you ask?

ANYTHING YOU WANT! You can pick from any item in the mopedINK store!

WOW!!!

Thanks to Monica and mopedINK.

Check back daily at mopedINK for new items.

DRAWING WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY MARCH 19th at 8a.m. in California

Happy Shopping and Happy Monday!

A Walk In The Park

Written on March 11, 2012 by just a night owl in Life, Random

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You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It won’t happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.” Joel Osteen

“Keep doing the right. God is building character in you, and you are passing that test. Remember, the greater the struggle, the greater the reward.” Joel Osteen

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been’.” John Greenleaf Whittier

“When you face adversity, you need to remind yourself that whatever is trying to defeat you could very well be what God will use to promote you.” Joel Osteen

“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Dr Seuss

“Second Star to the right and straight on til morning.” J.M. Barne

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” Oscar Wilde

School Paper Organization

Written on March 9, 2012 by just a night owl in 170 School Days. 2011, All Things Thrifty, Favorite Posts, My kids

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If you have a child in school, YOU NEED THIS PROJECT. Everyone needs somewhere to store those mounds of adorable projects, papers, and awards.

I found various versions of this project on Pinterest. There is this one and this one.

The planets all aligned because one of my besties is opening an Etsy shop, mopedINK with some of the cutest printables around. SO YEAH, she hooked me up with the labels for my project. Her shop will be open MONDAY and you will get a chance to win something for FREE! Stay tuned…

I love this project and the options out there to make it unbelievable cute are plenty. Here’s the thing, the price tag can get up there quickly. I have four children and needed a super frugal option. I went with price tag and function over cute this time.

Did I JUST type that?

When I took the basics and added these cute labels, it suddenly turned frugal into a vintage chalkboard inspired theme.

The best of both worlds.

THE SUPPLIES

The plastic tubs are AWESOME. Boring perhaps? A little. However, they are just $13 for two at Costco and they are very, very, durable. This project needs to last for like at least eighty years, so I need me some durability. You need one box per child.

The green hanging folders were just $5 for a box of 25 at Staples. You need one for each year of school per child. There is hanging file folders of every color in the rainbow and they are C U T E. However, the price tag reflects that. I went with the cheapest ones I could get my hands on.

The tab folders are a recycled folder from Staples as well. 100 of them for just about $10. You need one for each year of school per child.

I purchased the labels for the front of the files at Staples as well, for about $10. You need one for each file folder.

I purchased the tab file folder labels on clearance at Target for $5.

The black photo corners I purchased at Target for just $3.

Overall total for this project for my four children is about $65. I bought it piece by piece over the last few months.

THE HOW TO

So, basically the goal of this project is that ALL school memorabilia gets saved in the box. ALL of it.

How do you decide what goes in the box?

1. ALL awards, certificates, and those types of things.

2. Report cards

3. A sample of work from the beginning of the year and from the end.

4. Anything that makes me smile.

Yes, that is my official process. I save up papers for the whole year. Then I sit down and look through them. If it is in category 1-3, it automatically gets saved. If it isn’t, it has to past the smile test. If it makes me smile, it gets saved. If it doesn’t, it goes.

The bottom line is this, YOU CAN’T SAVE EVERYTHING. Too much of anything is never a good thing. So, be ruthless and save the spectacular.

I have tried to do traditional scrapbooking of school projects. I had started a couple of albums for the older kids and let me tell you, it is a hot mess. It just wasn’t easy to look through. I love being able to pick up their crafts and handle them. When trying to shove them all into pocket style photo albums, it became a nightmare. Not too mention there are only so many hours in a day and I have plenty of other stuff I would rather scrapbook. So, I aborted and landed with these. They are MUCH quicker.

Amazing, right? Yay for brilliant ideas. Yay for SUPER EASY. Yay for ORGANIZED. I am dangerously close to breaking out the pom pons, so I will stop now.

One nice little box for each of my lovelies. Even my one year old. In the blink of an eye, he will be in school and well yes, the boxes all need to match, right?

Have a happy weekend and I will see you Monday for a giveaway from mopedINK.

Musings From A Sickly House

Written on March 7, 2012 by just a night owl in Random

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Greyson has his first cold. Not bad considering he turns 16 months on Saturday. He is SO pathetically sad. His little voice is hoarse and he is whimpering a lot. Breaks my heart. Although EVERY time he sneezes, he laughs. That boy is good natured to the core.

I put my four marginally healthy children in the car this morning and made a drive thru adventure to the one and only. I am not a Starbucks drinker except for an occasional Caramel Apple Spice. It is a perfect drink for the 11th day of caring for sickies. My patients requested cold hot chocolate. ONLY AT STARBUCKS. Who says cold hot chocolate? I almost choked on my own spit when they asked for it. Isn’t that just chocolate milk? This place is just too complicated for me.

The only one 100% healthy around these parts is my seven year old. She is officially going at 1 million % stir crazy. I am trying to keep her entertained and we played our first game of scrabble EVER this morning. The words that she came up with were very entertaining. When my kids went to school outside the home, I paid little attention to their academic milestones. Not because I am a dirtbag mom, but because I really took those milestones for granted. I had no understanding of what it took to get them there. I didn’t see the process and I never thought about it, quite honestly. They were supposed to learn to read, write, and do arithmetic. That they did and while I was proud of them then, it is just so much more rewarding now.

I was so proud of Em this morning. As she was surveying her letters trying to pick out the perfect word I was thinking back at all the hours we have spent studying and learning. I have watched every single step of it. I love the fact that she could sit here with seven little letters and figure out how to put them together to actual words, even if it is the word barf.

The lack of outdoor living is making me extra reflective. I have been thinking a lot about life. Where I have been, where I am going, and definitely where I am now. I tend to get these thoughts out of whack at times. The perfect scenario would be keeping the ahead in your sights, the past in mind, and focusing on the future. That is a tricky thing.

Sometimes I get stuck in remembering. Sometimes I think back to a time or place and miss it so much I can hardly breathe. Those are the times while living them you truly wish you could make time stand still. Everything happens for a reason and I try and trust that.

Speaking of remembering. Do you remember the moment you found out your parents were selling your childhood home? I keep reading of people on Facebook going through this lately. My parents sold ours a few years back. It was definitely the right thing for them, but I miss it terribly. Isn’t she lovely? I lived here from 5th grade on.

The only thing wrong with this home was that it was located on a street called Herbert. Who names a street Herbert?? In general, I have terrible street name vibes. I kid you not, it’s bad. I have lived on Hogar, Flood, and Guanache. Not kidding.

I have found two fabulous things on the internet recently.

First Ms. Amy over at Blissful Blooms opened her Etsy shop! Congratulations Friend! Check out her beauties! Amazing, right? Now you can get your hands on some!

AND

I AM THRILLED to have found this site. 100 Days of Real Food. It is so full of information on living without eating processed food or very little of it. They have a 10 day challenge and a 100 day challenge. My plan is to do the 10 day beginning on March 15th. I have noticed a huge difference in how I feel since cutting out caffeine and fast food. I’m telling you it becomes addicting. Feeling better and being healthy is a GREAT thing to be addicted to, right? I am on a quest to learn and make adjustments that are right for my family.

We have a very picky eater of a 13 year old son. After waiting 3.5 months to get into the child nutritionist, I was told at his appointment to try chicken mcnuggets from McDonalds for meat and french fries for potatoes.

YES, YOU HEARD ME RIGHT!!!

I promise you I looked around for the hidden camera. I thought I was on an episode of punk’d. No camera. Turns out she was serious. I think she might need to be retrained.

I am not settling for that for my kids.

NO WAY.

Despite the changes I have made, eating NOTHING processed scares me. That seems hard, but I can do anything for ten days. All the information on the website makes it easy.

Just ten days. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. It is not that long!!!!!

Anyone wanna consider joining me?

It’ll be worth it.

Exciting News!

Written on March 6, 2012 by just a night owl in Random

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I have been praying for an opportunity to connect into some homeschool~y places! Boy did God answer with a resounding HERE YOU GO.

I am super excited to be joining the team of fabulous ladies over at Hip Homeschool Moms as a site contributor. I have been following them for quite awhile now and I am really honored to be a part of what is going on over there. I am telling you, I think homeschooling would have quite possibly eaten me right up my first year, if I did not have online support for information, resources, and community. I am not even kidding.

Take some time to check it out! There is so much info and lots going on with weekly link up parties, the ultimate homeschool blog roll, fabulous articles, and free classifieds. There are lots of ways to connect.

BLOG

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

Join us! The more the merrier.

In other happenings around here.

~ I am SO proud of my Taylor. She battled through her oncoming sickness and made it to her drama auditions. She landed herself a part in an upcoming play this spring at a local church. SO proud of her.

~We are on day 9 of someone being sick in this house. I was JUST telling someone a couple of weeks ago that since we began homeschooling, we barely ever get sick. OH PA~LEASE remind me not to make such a bold statement ever again.

~Our city is getting a Chuck E. Cheese. Some people hate on the mouse way too much. I am thrilled. My munchkins LOVE it there. We are also getting a Children’s Place. Now if someone could just see fit to build us a Noah’s Bagels and a Whole Foods, I think I would be ok.

~I watched Xanadu last week. It’s a brilliant thing. Olivia rocks those roller skates and I still know 90% of the words and songs. Frightening, huh? My sister and I used to do quite the imitation.

~ I have my first opportunity to do a photo shoot with a brand new little angel, Levi, this Thursday! He will be just ten days old. Can. Not. Wait.

~ I am starting Turbo Fire today. I am adding this to my half marathon training. YEEAHHH for getting’ strong.

Happy Tuesday, my friends!

Exposed.

Written on March 4, 2012 by just a night owl in Health

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I haven’t stepped on a scale in 34 days.

Why? It’s a God thing.

I have made TONS of progress with my health goals. TONS. On Dec 31st I sat ready to kick it into high gear and lose the remaining 25 pounds. I sat on Jan 31st surprised and frustrated that yet again all of these negative self deprecating feelings were overwhelming me. I thought we had kicked this, or at least for the most part. Not only had high gear not come, but I was feeling so very defeated. Two steps short of hopeless. How did I get back here? Time keeps slipping by in order to reveal my goals unreached. What is the problem?

Instead of searching for a new program, or a new routine, I stopped and prayed. God clearly said, “Why don’t you try trusting me? After all I am the one who made you.” I had the immediate nagging still small voice to put the scale away and put down my trusty Exerspy for awhile.

I didn’t sleep much that night. I did a lot of tossing and turning and arguing.

That can’t be right. Why would God want me to do that?

Thou Shall have no other God’s before me. Exodus 20:3

Am I taking this whole food thing to a overly religious level?

What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail-even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.” Luke 12:7

What if I end up and gaining 30 pounds?

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. James 1:22-24

What if…What if…What if….

“You have circled this mountain long enough, NOW turn North.” Deut 2:3

In spite of a sleepless night and doubts of epic proportion, I began the next day. That was 34 days ago. I can tell you that it has been SO TOUGH. Not because I gave up the scale or the Exerspy. Because I gave up control. I have been fighting every stinkin’ piece of baggage that I carry. It seems that every issue and every negative voice and every challenge are bombarding me from all sides. I am panicking because I am not making the progress that I want to see on my time table. I am panicking because I have to trust someone else. One would think that I would be fine trusting the Creator of the EN~tire universe, but alas I am not so good at it. Apparently, my trust issues run deep. I feel like I am falling with nothing to hold on to.

I do so desperately want to hang on to Jesus. It is a skill and a choice that in this area, I struggle with. I have no doubt that the Lord did ask me to give up my tools because I was relying on them far more than Him. There is nothing wrong with the scale or any type of tracking system. I believe that they help keep us accountable and should be used. However, they need their proper place. Every day this seems to get a little bit easier. God left the Israelites wandering in the dessert for 40 years until they learned to trust. Let’s hope it doesn’t take me that long.

I knew that my challenge in the area of my health was wrapped up in control issues. I have had issues in this area my whole life. When everything else became something I couldn’t control, my weight became something I could and eating disorders developed. I have always known logically that control was the issue. Now I am seeing it from a front row seat. Every day is a struggle, sometimes every minute. Not because I want any one thing in particular, well except that elephant in the room we like to call control. It feels so awkward to give it up. This must be where the phrase a fish out of water comes from.

It seems that God working in my life resembles peeling an onion. Thank God we have a patient God. One who doesn’t give us more than we can handle and one who equips us to handle what we have been given. One who stays by our side as we conquer layer after layer after layer through His ever present help.

At the start of reading Made to Crave, Lysa TerKeurst talks about this journey being a spiritual journey with great physical benefits. That statement could not be more true for me. Praise Him for both.

God wants our everything. It’s all about putting God first. Weight, exercise, body image, and food just happen to be the vehicles that I have grasped onto for control. So now every time I eat, every time I start to feel F A T, every time I start to feel worthless, every time I want to overachieve…I begin to pray, or at least I try. God and I have been chatting a lot these days. I’m thinkin’ of getting us BFF necklaces or somethin’.

I am pretty sure that this is the way our relationship is supposed to be. If my lifelong struggle in this area brings me into deeper relationship with Him. Then lets just say Praise God and continue to move forward.

I have been very open about my journey in this area and it has been nothing short of inspiring to me to see the number of people who have contacted me and said that they understand EXACTLY what I am going through. I have struggled for 34 days with not wanting to write this particular post. This post hits into the uncomfortable stage for me. Big time. I actually had decided to keep all this part to myself because really while blogging is all fun and good and everything there is a point right? Then I read this:

“You have stories. All of you. So many of you have written and told me your stories. Your heartache. Your triumphs. The pages of your book. Tell them. Tell your stories. There are a lot more books to be written, and so many of you have it in you. Let’s change the world, okay? Let’s turn pain into beauty, let’s celebrate humor and love and inspiration. Let’s share the things that make us come alive, and let’s listen when others are sharing theirs. Let’s jump in streets.” ~ Kelle Hampton.

*For more context, read her whole post here"

So, I decided to embrace the exposed, and the awkward, and the vulnerable cuz that’s how I’m gonna roll. There is beauty in frailty. It’s healing.

The goal is at the end of every day, I can lay my head on the pillow and say…”I was faithful to what God asked me to do in the area of my health.”

I will continue to learn to leave the rest up to Him.

That’s the way its supposed to be.

and with a pounding heart I will hit publish….

Friday Flare

Written on March 3, 2012 by just a night owl in Life, My kids

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Today was perfect…it began with sleeping in. Then came some hanging with the family, running, and some organizing. All of my favorites including an impromptu mini date with my girl. A drive down some country roads led us to find some quiet country beauty.

I love pictures with flare. I have been wanting to play with it.

Tonight we just got the chance. The things that you can do with photography amaze me. So fun. I love to practice. She loves to play. We make a great combo.

Moments like this seriously make me want to move to the country.

This city girl could just possibly get used to this.

Way. Too. Beautiful.

As long as I could have a pet chicken and there was still a Target within 15 minutes, I’d be all good.

Have an amazing weekend.

I hope you get some time to play.

Week 23. Jammies, Toast, and Boxes.

Written on March 2, 2012 by just a night owl in 170 School Days. 2011

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This is our third year of homeschool. I can honestly say, I think this is the first time we have had sickness in the house during school. I may be wrong. I perhaps blocked it from my conscious memory, but I don’t think so. My odd children (referring to their birth placement, not their personality) had touches of some throat and fever issues.

Cameron had it the worst. There was lots of jammies. Lots of school, break, school, break. Lots of alternate places to learn. Lots of reading. Lots of home. Lots of quiet.

Of course, this brought with it a fair amount of stir crazy for some. However, everyone rolled pretty well. I visited the gym late night for a little time in the hot tub and a little late night therapy session grocery shopping at Target. Means of survival come with a creative outlook sometimes.

Special toast is always on the menu when sickness is in town. Toast with butter and cinnamon sugar. The crust cut off and cut into squares. I think it just might have magical healing powers.

Adding nurse to my title this week, required other things to go by the wayside. Such as cleaning (sad, huh?), “fun” stuff for school, and Awana. Despite the sickness it was a strangely welcoming change of pace. We are still learning. We will be catching up through the weekend. Slow and steady. I hope to be back on schedule by Monday. Everyone is on the mend.

My neighbor who has taught 6th grade for 12 years commented to me the other day that she thinks when homeschool is done with excellence, it is a very natural holistic approach to child rearing. It is times like this week that I really see this to be true. It feels very natural to be the kids mama, nurse, and teacher.

I mentioned that I had a Pinterest Project coming up. I have collected all my supplies. It’ll be done soon. It is the answer to so many of life’s most important questions.

I have four of these.

Some of these.

and these.

It’s going to be magical.

Have a great weekend.

Reclaiming Fabulous.

Written on March 1, 2012 by just a night owl in Life

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My husband is a big time introvert and I am a big time extrovert. I mean HUGE. Wednesday is the end of two of his long work days in a row. He works Tuesday from 8am-7pm and then Wed 9am-9:30pm. Can you play out the scene when he walks in around 9:30 on Wednesday night? Perhaps you have you seen what happens when you drop a Mento into a bottle of soda? By the end of a 48 hour single parent stretch, that’s me. I try and not explode on him, as he is hoping to come in to a quiet home and relax. But the thing is, I may have been on Pinterest looking at things like this and losing my mind over it’s beauty. My heart is beating fast. I mean who can blame me? Look at those cupboards. How am I supposed to contain myself?

*See this entire incredible home tour here.

Anyway, my point actually is that it’s a little song and dance we have been doing for 18 years. It keeps things humorous. It keeps things interesting. Opposites definitely do attract.

Lately it seems that I am living on pre explode status all. the. time. I am in one of those phases of life where I have so much inside me dying to get out. There’s never enough hours in the day. While this may sound like a typical complaint. Its not what you think. Read on.

Three years ago I was feeling this way constantly, but for a very different reason. There was never enough hours in the day to get done what I had to get DONE. Appointments, cleaning, laundry, shuttling children, work, appointments, cleaning, laundry, shuttling children, work.. you get the idea, right? S T R E S S. It was the focus. You know, the guest that wouldn’t leave. Now I feel like there is never enough hours in the day to live all that I want to live. Big difference.

Oh, how things have changed from the inside out. The Lord has helped me reshape, restructure, and change. Everything. Now I just feel like everything matches. Heart, mind, and soul. I have the mind space and ability to truly take care of the priorities in my life. My relationship with Him, my husband, and my kiddos. They are my first and foremost and everything else is secondary.

There is so much beauty in that. So. Much.

Now I wake up and even on the I’m so tired I’m going to lay captive in this bed until a crisis forces my exit days. My heart is so full. I wake up wanting to do everything. Options are endless. Creativity inspires and recharges. Things Can and Do get done. My heart is happy. I’m ready to fly.

My vision is always bigger than my reality. Always. I am learning to live in my reality and rock the crap out of it. It doesn’t matter if the reality is dirty diapers and crumbs on the floor. Live that reality and do it with the intensity and drive that the queen herself is on her way for tea. It translates.

There is beauty in everything. There is. Find it. Immerse yourself in it. Focus on it. Breathe it in and then breathe it out. Let goodness flow out of everything you do. All. Day. Long. Do the right thing. Over and over. Do it until you are sick of it. Then do it again.

The small things add up to incredibly large things and before you know it, you wake up and realize you’ve come miles.

It. Is. Beautiful.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

A Morning Conversation

Written on February 29, 2012 by just a night owl in Life

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I get out of bed and frolic to the closet. I immediately glance at my extensive wardrobe of size 8 clothing. I take my time getting ready, choosing an outfit that was darling and fit whatever mood I happen to be in. I barely have to touch my hair because it is so awesome it just falls into place. I float downstairs to find my well behaved children eating a perfectly prepared breakfast.

I announce that we need some spring cleaning and updating done. So, I order new carpet, hire housecleaning, and a painting service. Then I proceed to buy a new couch. After it is safely delivered, I recline on it and eat bon bons…..all day.

After this, I book a very elaborate vacation to the Magic Kingdom.

Then I wake up.

O.k. I admit it, I wasn’t even sleeping. I had these thoughts fully awake. The reality is….

I get out of bed and limp to the closet because I injured my knee last summer while hiking and sometimes it likes to remind me. But I am walking. I immediately glance at my not so extensive or size 8 wardrobe and sigh. I take my time getting ready because I have to look through the clothes to find something comfy. The priority is choosing an outfit that has the least amount of wrinkles. But I am clothed. I barely have to touch my hair because I am so tired and just throw it in a ponytail. I hobble downstairs with serious caution to find my sometimes behaved children ~~hanging from the chandeliers~~ eating a bowl of cereal. But we are fed.

I long for some spring cleaning and updating done. I am eagerly awaiting tax refunds and planning how to make them stretch (you’ve heard the story involving some loaves of bread a couple of fishes, right?). Braces, car repairs, and school curriculum will likely be the lucky recipients of this financial bonus. But we have a roof over our head.

Then I pause.

I promptly announce to my husband that I seriously think that if I was a size 8 with no effort {I was going to say a size 2 but I decided to be reasonable}, have non challenging cookie cutter children, and be able to purchase anything my heart desires at a moments notice, I don’t think that I would rely on God for anything. He responds with a smirk, too bad we can’t test that out.

I agree in my moments.

I disagree in my heart.

Our challenges keep us depending on our Savior.

They keep us ever growing, ever changing, ever humble,

and ever present.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

James 1:2-4 {The Message Version}