S.W.A.K. Valentine's Success

I just wanted to share today the blessing that it has been to find the wonderful women in blogger-country recently. Inspiration, support, love, wisdom and much more has been shared, found and appreciated!

If you are coming into this Valentine's Day with no money to spend and wanting to show your sweetie just how much they mean to you---here is an idea! Share your heart! This special holiday showcases hearts and love everywhere, often we think that giving monetary gifts to someone shows our love is special. Not that monetary isn't special, some of my favorite things are monetary, like my wedding ring! Although,my husband proves that the heartfelt things mean the most. When I email him to tell him what he means to me, out of the blue, he calls me in tears. When I push him to meet up with his old drum corp friends that he hasn't seen in months and he would rather stay home with me and the kids, he feels so blessed to have me looking out for him and wanting him to have male friends in his life. And just Wednesday when I started the post in honor of him at 9:33 am and I didn't finish it until around 9:45PM because I had so much love built up and my words flowed so many times in so many directions. The best feeling in the world was sitting next to him as I let him read it and watch his eyes well up with tears, have him hold me so tightly and thank me for marrying him. I love flowers, but I can honestly say that we have already had our Valentine's Day and it meant the world to both of us!

Love your honey with everything you have inside of you. It won't cost you a thing but it will be worth a fortune!

Valentine's Wreath

A Little Birdie told me how to do this project! It is fabulous, easier than I thought and SOOO cute! I got so excited as I was finishing it! It took me about 2 hours I think, but that is with cutting the fabric and keeping two children busy with their own Valentine's projects.
Here is the finished product. I love it! By the way, the ribbon I found on clearance at Joann's in the wedding section for $.97 and the fabric was on sale so I only need a 40% off coupon for the foam wreath itself. Making this project less than $10 which I think it looks WAY cuter than the stuff they were selling for about $15 (on their 50% off sale). I fell in love with this fabric so I might have to find a use for it in our bedroom or another room, it is sooo pretty! I blended two fabrics together. Thanks for looking!

"There was no Search, but there was a find..."

The title of this post come from the endearing words my husband wrote on a wall at a restaurant as the statement of how we came together. My husband and I both came from painful previous marriages and divorces with our fabulous children in tow. We know that God brought us together in his amazing timing, grace and ability! Here is the unfolding of our journey to each other and beyond.
My second day working at a new job I called a company for a quote, the man on the phone (little to my knowledge) was my future husband! We became friends quickly, easily and supported each other for over two years through phone calls and emails as we dealt with sleep issues, potty training and various other new experiences like having our children sleep with us so we didn't feel so alone! States apart but growing together through life and experience and friendship was an amazing and new feeling I had never felt before!

It was in April of 2002 that I asked him to call me at home to talk...not knowing how this amazingly fun, outgoing personality becomes super shy when it comes to women! He didn't call! The next day I asked him why he didn't call, he said he couldn't, so I offered to call--a little bolder than I remember feeling! Instead he DID call the 2nd night and after 2 minutes of awkwardness it all ironed out and we melted together into 8 hours of conversation! YES, 8 hours! After that we talked every day through email and many hours on the phone at night! We couldn't get enough of each other!

Two months later my son and I were flying out to meet him and spend a "friend weekend" site-seeing and having fun-we absolutely had no other intentions but to have fun! We were completely comfortable with each other immediately and I still could not believe this man was available, he is so sexy, caring, comfortable, fun, charming, smart and so many other things I can't even begin to list all the words that describe him! We knew that we had something incredible and he told me not even a week later that he was praying that if I was the person he was to be with that things would be guided completely by God. I was completely adoring him for his diligence and seeking guidance through prayer!

On the 4th of July he was flying out to meet my family and I knew that we were going to be getting married even though we did not discuss it at all yet. As he was flying out that day (immediately after 9-11) he called me from the Chicago airport--his last stop before reaching me! He mentioned a friend told him he might have issues with terrorists traveling on the 4th of July, minutes later he called to tell me his flight was cancelled and he would have to call me back. I was in a panic! What happened? Was he safe? Should I drive the 45 minutes to the airport so I was there to meet him just in case? I was so anxious to hear back from him but he wouldn't answer his phone. I later found out that he was pulled aside and surrounded by 12-15 policemen because he said the word "terrorist" in the airport so close to 9-11 aftermath. They finally looked at who they were dealing with...a man in shorts, Hawaiian shirt, sandals, with a canvas bag containing: a diamond engagement ring, a picture of me and his cell phone. He explained that he was going to propose and they finally after 2 hours agreed to let him go. One of the officers was nice enough to try to help him get him mindset back on what he was doing--proposing in 45 minutes to me at the airport.

As he stepped off the plane he grabbed me and kissed me and immediately asked me to marry him. I thought he was joking so I just smiled and said "sure". Then he stopped me and said, "I have to ask you something". He walked me over to some nearby seats and got down on one knee, pulled out the ring and honestly the next 10 minutes were a blur, he said the most heartfelt things to me that I sobbed and couldn't even see what the ring looked like through my tears. When he finally asked of course I said YES and we melted together in a bent together hug of sobs, tears, joy and love. Minutes later we broke apart and kept smiling and pulling ourselves together to notice a crowd around us containing not just passengers, but airline attendants, pilots and airport staff applauding and congratulating us. What a show they must have witnessed! We were engaged exactly two weeks after we had finally met face to face. We were married three months later. We have now been married for six years and I am still blissfully in love with this amazing man that God blessed me with to live with forever!

There are SO many qualities to my wonderful husband. He is so supportive of me as we decided to homeschool and many other decisions that we have come to together. I have been so blessed to have him in my life. I have told him many times that he is the first (and last) man in my life to make me feel secure, safe, loved completely, honored, cherished, faithfully committed and appreciated! I can list so many things he does for this family aside of simply providing for us. I simply pray that all of us can show him daily how much we appreciate, honor, love and adore him for his selfless acts. From playing with the kids to helping with laundry to maintaining all of our vehicle details and still wanting me to snuggle with him every night!
Baby, this is devoted to you! I love you and always will!

Consistency...

I read a home decorating book a while back that said to look around and figure out what you tend to decorate with because that is what makes you happy! So as I looked around and noticed things, I figured out what I have in almost every room of the house...

My wedding pictures! Still! Six years later and I don't get tired of looking at them ever!

What about you? What do you find you decorate with everywhere?

These are a few of my favorite things...

My dear girlfriend in CA asked me to define some of my favorite things this week. I decided since I am very new to blogging, I should go ahead and make a post with some of our pictures. So you are all invited to come in and browse. I would love some hints, feedback and ideas for making inexpensive alterations to bring things alive. It is all a work in progress! We built our home 5 years ago and until about a year ago didn't have much that matched at all except the living room!
I am finally finding my niche for getting unique things at random places to put here and there.
Anxious to hear feedback! :)
This is my newly painted yellow bathroom, I am looking to finally pull it all together, but I already love the warmth that the yellow created!
The builders actually commented when we built our house that it was original to do wood vinyl in the bathroom and many others have commented. I have always loved the look and wish I would have chosen this same vinyl for our living room instead of the other wood vinyl we chose. Oh well!

Lamps are from Pottery Barn-rare for me to spend that money but they weren't too bad in price and I love them! The mirror I bought 1/2 off from Pier 1.
The Fleur de Lis is headed for my wall downstairs, I will see if hubby puts it up today, otherwise I will do it. I should mention...I got it free! My husband KNOWS me so well! A man at his office was joking and said here, want this $50 coupon for this store? He had just bought a couch and they sent him a thank you coupon to get him back in...what he didn't see was the ability to use it on a $50 purchase, I got a french picture in a black frame and this together and walked out the store paying...$0! Can't tax NOTHING! ;) That was a great day!
This mirror has something about it that I love, I can't explain it! It has herbs all around it and doesn't quite make sense for a bedroom I am sure, but I fell in love with the size and perfection of the mirror if that makes sense! The pink of the flowers makes me happy. I have wondered, since it is ceramic tiles all around *seriously this mirror weighs like 65lbs* but maybe I can paint the tiles to change the room a bit or something? Need ideas here! (side note: got it at a garage sale, the guy said $5 and I was thrilled, then he saw my delight in it and said Free! I couldn't get him to take the money!)
This is my mom's old dresser mirror, I love it! I am surprised I love it too! But it has the aging of the glass in it makes it real neat! Birds aren't quite my thing, but my MIL got us the "lovebirds" on the left, so when I found the other bird for $.60 on clearance somewhere I thought it would balance it out. The hatbox was from a gift set on clearance at Walgreens, I took the beauty products out and gave them as a gift and use the hatbox for my special gifts my friend in CA sends me, that is my memory and happy box! :)
My husband picked out this mirror in 5 minutes at my favorite little decor store and put it up the minute we got home from our anniversary trip a few years ago. Time for a new branch of those berries that my MIL gave me, the kids have played with their parachuting men over the side a few too many times, devastating the berries, but having a blast! lol
This is another anniversary gift, we tend to buy one big gift together for the house every year on our anniversary. The store in Door County (BLISS! My favorite place to go!!!) displayed this, it is about 3 foot tall, and I kept hovering around it. I saw another woman looking at it, so I asked him to hold it for me so we could decide. As we bought it he told the story of how it was so unique and he bought 5 of them, only 1 came flawless, the others came broken or chipped and he couldn't get anymore! Perfect! It was meant for us! It is called "The Kiss" and this could have been painted of me and my husband, it looks a lot like us! :) This is above our pantry in the kitchen.
This was a find at World Market, when we were looking for warm paintings and such for our new house, this was the first thing we bought. I am originally from KC so Jazz is a big thing in my family and background! I loved the feel of this, but the poor thing sits on a white wall--need to find a good color to go up against a sage wall around the corner! It is richer colors but with the flash it doesn't show half of the picture with the glare.
This is my hurricane that I found at my nearby gift store (Three Orange Doors), I found it on sale for $10. I think it is mercury glass on the bottom. I use it most of the year.
Another find at Three Orange Doors, the topiary matches this sage bathroom and leaf design beautifully, I got this for $4! The shelf was made for me by a student that I worked with 10 years ago when I was a T.A., he was so proud to give it to me and I have treasured it and used it ever since! The darling little house ornament with ribbon was also from T.O.D. for $2.50!
Ah, my toile curtain I bought from Target, I love this thing!!! I would put toile all over my house, but I have a houseful of boys and I think they would tire of it! I love black toile especially!
This is the poster I got from my old job for $30, then 2 years later I found this table at a garage sale and haven't touched it, I love the vintage feel of it being chipped and worn--got it for $8!
Thanks for looking! I am anxious for ideas and feedback! I am new to decorating so help is welcome!

Blessed Weekend!

What an amazing weekend we had! Friday night just sitting at home with the kids watching Brady Bunch on dvd thanks to our wonderful library!
Saturday we did some chores and errands and then the kids watched themselves while hubby and I went to the concert. It was amazing! We thoroughly enjoyed it! I enjoyed Chris Tomlin as well even though Israel was the real reason we couldn' t wait to go! :)
Sunday, what started out with inviting a few friends over after church turned into 15-16 people at our house playing Wii, napping, watching the SuperBowl, eating a ton of food and laughing like crazy! Our pastor even joined up with a nap on the kids bunk bed and then playing Wii, and getting the sole attention of our 5 year old for the last 30 minutes he was here! He had to show off jammies, Mario Kart skills and try texting with the pastor's iphone! Oy! :)
We feel very blessed to have such a wonderful church family that joined us and filled our house with energy, fun and love all day! *happy dance*
Enjoy the pics from the weekend!


Kaiden adored his time with our pastor...raspberries were a highlight of laughter as well!

My husband is the one holding the guitar.