Sinking in the Sand: Facing my insecurities

In general, I'm a pretty confident girl...BUT (and isn't there always a BUT) I have one area of complete insecurity, and for those of you know me well...you already know. I'm one outta shape momma and that just drives me crazy.  My once in shape self went away...


You know, I don't even have to be like Anna Kournikova...I would settle for Jessica Simpson in her infamous "mom jeans".


It's more than my appearance that bothers me though. (don't get me wrong the looks are a PRETTY big deal too...) But it's also the fact that I am not at my physical prime to endure an active lifestyle. Which brings me to this post.

We went to Moab, Utah, recently and stopped at this AWESOME sand hill on the way home to let the kids burn some energy. This is T H E Sandhill. No exaggerating. It's the Father of all sandhills. You know that deep, soft sand where you take a step up and you simply slide back down? That kind of hill.
We were going to climb it as a family, BUT my insecurity on this subject decided to piggy back behind me, clutching tightly around my neck and weighing me down. After a few steps up the hill I didn't think I could shake the insecurity off my back. Negative thoughts poured straight out of my head, telling me I simply could not do this. Fast forward a little while...well, I did it. I climbed the whole hill (to the top!) and shrugged the insecurity away.



The things that hold you back may be different than the things that hold me back. A lot of you could have ran circles around me as I climbed the hill! But what moments in YOUR life do you feel your insecurities bringing you to a STANDSTILL? Do they hold you back from fully enjoying life? Are you living life at less than 100% because you let your insecurities piggy back behind you, choking you? What is the pivotal point in your spirit when you decide to go ahead and take more steps UP the hill instead of turning around in defeat and walking back down with your shoulders slumped?

Be victorious. There are so many beautiful things in this life we are all privileged to enjoy. We are all alive...and you know what? THAT is a big deal, a big happy deal!

Sliding down that sandhill with my three boys and absolutely supportive husband was one of those natural life HIGHS.

The HILL (with my boys on their way up already)

The boys are on the hill and that SUPER HOT guy is my husband

Kotah happily cheering me on

Titus on his way up (his 2nd time!)

And Titus ROLLING down

Cameron Skyler is pretty tired after climbing it 3 times

JUMP! What would a day out be without a photo of Kotah doing something like this??

Chris jumps too...

View from the top...Moab Utah

Shake it off when you can and get after it!

Ta Da...Friday Favorites

How happy I am! I've been featured over at My Favorite Things blog today for "Friday Favorites". Click on over to see if YOU and I share any of the same favorites! You already know that I have many favorite things, I've collected a little bunch of posts on the topic HERE. I think it's because thinking of things I adore makes my heart smile.



What about you?

What are your little delights in life?

Autumn Atmosphere

I have a couple SUPER SIMPLE *Do It Yourself* Fall Projects. I actually did both of these a few years ago but I still use them to decorate with.

This first project was first shown to me by my sweet Grandma. I have some photos to share that were taken a few years ago when we first did this!

Those are my Grandparents with my cousins and Skyler on the end all holding the toilet paper pumpkins!

This was actually taken in our FIRST home that we had of our own! My husband and I bought it when we were 18 years old! I remember being so excited to decorate it for the holidays.

This next photo is me in deep concentration attempting to be crafty!
(With my Grandpa and Kotah as a BABY in the background!)

1) Toliet Paper Pumpkins
You need:
-a small strip of paper bag all rolled and bunched up
-Raffia
-material cut into leaf shapes
-a long rectangle piece of material in orange or any fun fall color

Simply wrap the material around the TP and push inside the hole. Stick the leaves and raffia in the middle of the hole as well. The rolled up paper bag piece sticks in as the pumpkin stem.
Here is the finished product that I used to decorate our home with today:


2) Dryer Vent Pumpkins
You need:
-Dryer Vent
-Orange Spray paint or any fun fall color paint
-Raffia
-silk leaves in fall colors
-cinnamon stick

Hot glue the vent together in a circle. Spray paint the vent. Don't put a lot of paint on. If you leave some unpainted areas, the silver shines through for a fun finish. Tie a big bundle of Raffia in a fat knot to use as the stem. Stick in the center and secure with hot glue after the pumpkin is dry. Glue in silk leaves and finish off by sticking the cinnamon stick in the middle.
And this is the finished product:




Next Up some is...Fall Nesting! I took a JuMpStarT with making our home comfy for fall.
The Inspired Room and DIY Showoff have a complete list of ideas for more fall decor.

Some of our Autumn Atmosphere...

This Table Runner is hand quilted by the Amish.
Also, I had to pull out all of my dark Longaberger baskets for this season!

Little Details...my purse in Fall Colors. Yes I'm young and Yes I still love Vera Bradley bags even though I'm young.

Seasonal Pumpkin Spray from Bath and Body Works

Be prepared to do some Damage Control on your treadmill after trying these. Does chocolate ever go out of season?
These Peanut Butter Brownies taste like candy.

Another easy Seasonal decorating TIP is to switch photos in your regular photo frames! Put a seasonal photo into your normal photo frames to change it up in your home and add to the decor. Here I took out our regular photo and put an old photo of the boys when we were at a Harvest Festival several years ago.
~~
Also, I bought some dried wheat for the glass vase. I'm working a lot with wheat this year and I'm looking forward to showing you more later on...

Have a Happy Fall!
For More Works for Me Wednesday Ideas Click here.

Please Help

S.O.S.

I'm trying to decide which tv trays to buy from
Grandin Road:

THESE

OR

THESE

Sorry, I can't get the images bigger so you have to follow the link to see more detail.

Please Advise!
Thank you SO MUCH!

If Walls Could Talk

I have a wild infatuation with wall art. If we walk through a home decor store I stop and stare at EVERY piece of wall art. It's a weakness, but a pleasurable one. It's my favorite thing to buy for my home. I cringe at walls covered in wall hangings though, so I keep my obsession in as much moderation as possible.

I wanted to share a few of my dear favorites that grace our
home sweet home.

This is a Good Housekeeping vintage magazine cover stretched over a box frame. It is from Ballard Designs. It's in my laundry room.
By the way, I want to paint this room, what color should I use?

This whole pink guest bathroom collection is also from the beloved Ballard Designs. (I will have to share my incredible bond with Ballard Designs in a later post...it was sort of a "love at first sight type of thing") The posh pink dresses are my all time favorite wall hangings! They are painted on canvas on box frames.

This was actually water-colored especially for us while Chris and I were in Venice, Italy. So it has much sentimental value!

This little sign is a treat that curtsies for our company in the entryway. The push pin is also from Ballard Designs...notice the trend?

This pair is perfect above our bathtub in the master bathroom!

This Living Room piece whispers a peaceful promise and is painted on a slab of solid, heavy wood.

I hope you enjoyed a sample of our walls. How can I end without first unraveling my wish list and sharing it with you?

On the top of this list
these 2 signs impatiently wait:

Found at Ballard Designs, this is perfect for a fresh, cheery dining room. I'm into cherries right now too, so this is I-deal!

...Next, {just breathe}. When I saw this set I literally pranced around my house acting like a Fruit Loop wanting to order it right then. Sadly it is from England and shipping alone is 100 green ones. Maybe I can make it instead? Maybe YOU can make it? Let me know...because I'm crazy about this.

Here it is...have you EVER seen anything better than this?! Taken from the Beatles song:

What is on your walls?
Do they mirror who YOU are...
your personality,
your life experiences,
your loves?

Or are they just random wall hangings hammered onto a wall like a lonely empty home staged by a Realtor?
If your walls could talk...what would they say about you?

"The one thing I never get involved with is selecting art or pictures for a client. This is a very personal thing. "

- Albert Hadley, Preeminent Interior Designer

Sweetly Sharpened and Back 2 School

Lately "Back to School" has been the chorus of friends and family as the conversation buzzes about fresh haircuts, new clothes, and the wide-eyed anticipation of our little loves walking into the big school doors with sharpened pencils and backpacks in tow.

I wanted to send my boys off with exciting treats snuggled into their pockets...
Sweetly Sharpened Pencil Cookies.

Every part of making these cookies was fun except for the clean up. I got on this cookie craze thanks to Bake@350 ,an incredible blog full of amazing cookies! She has amazing ideas too and I'm so thankful for her tutorials. I used a ruler to make the pencil shapes because I didn't have cookie cutters and I used chocolate chips for the lead.

We are also wrapping some cookies up for friends and teachers. I used these DARLING
Cath Kidston Book of Labels and Stickers to add some cuteness to the gift.

Nothing ever prepares me for the rush of school mornings, SO if you have ANY tips, please forward them along! My tip is to purchase GOOD GEAR to keep everything organized! Below are some amazing Pottery Barn Kids backpacks (yes, once again I'm in love). This is our second year with them and they are still in durable shape!

Cameron (Skyler)...

Dakotah...

Titus...

They each have their names monogrammed on the bags which is my
FAVORITE PART!!

Our boys in their little uniforms off to school

"Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it." -Proverbs 22:6

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