Simple Moments: Found with Parent

We've had 3 boxes of monkey grass for WEEKS.  Finally with Tommy's help it was all planted last night.  Oh and the kids helped too.  ;)

Marshall really just wanted to play in the sprinkler and Mercy wanted to use the 'pointy thingy' to dig up worms. 

Okay, maybe helped was a big stretch.  ;)

myreal.everyday.life

simple moments is about finding the small things that make up our everyday, things we want to remember and be thankful for. it's the little bits of our lives that might not be remembered when we are gray and old. so we document it, on paper, with a photo, in a journal, through a blog. join me?

a few things:

1: anyone is welcome! document your marriage, family, kids, yourself. the point is to document your life, the simple, ordinary things that are often taken for granted, that one day, you'll want to look back on and remember. 

2: please link back to me somewhere in your post. next week, i will have my button working properly. maybe!
3: please add the link to your actual simple moments blog post, not to your entire blog.
4: please be sure to visit others around your entry and leave a few kind words.
5: you have until sunday to add your link. 

 

 

Fly On The Wall August

Welcome to a Fly on the Wall group post. Today 15 bloggers are inviting you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes. Come on in and buzz around my house.

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!!!
This is my life these days.  I'm so easily distracted.  Between the needs of the family and my own desire to read, write and on occasion get the house feeling like a home... seriously, when can I have nice things again?!  <sigh>

Anyway, school starts on Monday.  That's one back but still two at home.  Just one more year.  I know, I know, I shouldn't wish their days away, but honesty I'm not a good little kid mom.  I like older kids.  I like talking to them, teaching them, playing with them.  These little guys are so stinkin' needy with their demands and destruction and... okay that's most people.

But still, I have big plans when they start school.  In the meantime I have one year to prepare them for kindergarten.  So this year we'll work on colors, shapes, numbers and the alphabet.  And the all important sitting still for more than 15-minutes... and not just when eating.  ;)

But this last month has been fun with all 3 at home and somewhat relaxing.  Okay not relaxing at all, but when Girl Scouts, Tae Kwon Do and carting kids back and forth 5-days a week starts back up I'll be longing for the lazy days of summer. 

Last weekend was the twin's 4th birthday party.  Only 7 kids so it was manageable, but there was still crying and fighting.  Mostly Marshall not wanting to share his toys while the girls did great.  Boys are so territorial.  ;)  But then Mercy cried for who knows what reason.  Again, older kids, I get them.  Little ones still make me scratch my head.

"Don't touch my stuff man!"

"Happy birthday to me!  ...and you."

Marshall was excited, Mercy... not so much. 

...and then he blew her candles out.  <sigh>

A new cupcake and candles still didn't make her happy.  <double sigh>

...and then it was his turn to cry.  Nani to the rescue. 

 Okay so maybe this summer hasn't been relaxing.  ;)


The husband was busy making a few new pieces for our Etsy shop.  This is my new favorite.  One is wavy, the other swirly.  Love them both but the swirly has my heart right now.  ;)

Swirly sun and moon pendant. 

Wavy sun and moon pendant. 

Oh, and I cut a foot of hair off.  Why?  Cause it's been 5-years of long hair.  I like long hair, but when 90% of the time I pull it up it's time to cut it and do something fun. 

*The gear earrings are also listed on Etsy.  ;)

Buzz around, see what you think, then click on these links for a peek into some other homes:

http://BakingInATornado.com                                     Baking In A Tornado
http://www.justalittlenutty.com/                                Just a Little Nutty
http://followmehome.shellybean.com                          Follow me home . . .
http://stacysewsandschools.wordpress.com/             Stacy Sews and Schools
http://thesadderbutwisergirl.com                              The Sadder But Wiser Girl
http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/                   Menopausal Mother
http://mooreorganizedmayhem.blogspot.com/           Moore Organized Mayhem
http://hypnoticbard.blogspot.com/                           The Insomniac’s Dream       
http://themomisodes.com/                                      The Momisodes
http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com/                      Spatulas on Parade
http://dates2diapers2.blogspot.com                          Dates 2 Diapers
http://sorrykidblog.com/                                  Sorry kid, Your Mom Doesn’t Play Well http://www.therowdybaker.com                                The Rowdy Baker 

http://www.trashyblog.com                                       Trashy Blog
http://www.barbara1923.com/                                    Barbara & 1923

Simple Moments: Found Giving

It really was his idea to give Mercy the cars.  But he appears to be having second thoughts about it.

He walked away to let her play.  I still think he might be regretting his decision.  ;)

She has no idea, enjoying herself with both her car and his. 

He can't stand it any longer and watches her up close.

Still regretting?  ;)

"Do I get a cookie mom for sharing?" 

*All the photos are blurry.  I was trying out manual mode and then couldn't get my settings adjusted fast enough.  Lots more practice needed.  :)

Simple Moments by Brooke Chambers at myreal.everyday.life

August Secret Subject Swap

Welcome to Take One of August’s Secret Subject Swaps. This week, 12 brave bloggers picked a secret subject for someone else and were assigned a secret subject to interpret in their own style. Today we are all simultaneously divulging our topics and submitting our posts.

Your “Secret Subject” is: 

Money is no object, you have 7 days to go anywhere you want.  Where do you go and who do you take?
It was submitted by: http://hypnoticbard.blogspot.com/

Money is no object?  What an idea.  :)
It's pretty easy for me, I'd visit the UK.  With who is a toss up.  Though I'd love for my husband to go I'm not sure he'd be as excited to go as me.

... but my cousins?  Oh heavens they'd go nuts.  

And not just because of the sights, but their obsession with genealogy.  Now I've been working our tree since the mid-90's but I take a year or two off here and there to recoup my sanity and funds.  These two, they never give up.  

I guess in the end I'd leave it up to the husband.  And if he did decide to go I'd demand lots of heartfelt squee's and giggles of delight.  (Pfft, that's asking too much I know.)  ;)

As for the sights we'd see it would follow along with our genealogy research:  Basically all things Bradfield.  (...our mothers maiden name.  Did I mention their twins?  That might be why us girls are so close.)  :)

Church of St. Nicholas built during the 1480s in High Bradfield South Yorkshire England UK

Watt House Farm is home to Bradfield Brewery

Bradfield College (Seems the place for a wedding.) 

Strines Inn a little pub close to Bradfield.

We'd also have to visit Wales, Scotland and Ireland since the poor relations came from there.  I say poor because they didn't have write ups like the Bradfield side.  Lots more research was done on those families by myself.  Which was both exciting, but time consuming.  I rather like the fact that I could read the Bradfield books and find family members.  But the 'castle' mentioned in the genealogy books is nothing more than a hill and wall now.  And maybe not even that.  No matter, it would be a fun vacation.  

Here are links to all the sites now featuring Secret Subject Swap posts.  Sit back, grab a cup, and check them all out. See you there:

http://BakingInATornado.com                              Baking In A Tornado
http://themomisodes.com/                                  The Momisodes
http://www.justalittlenutty.com/                           Just A Little Nutty
http://followmehome.shellybean.com                    Follow me home . . .
http://mooreorganizedmayhem.blogspot.com/        Moore Organized Mayhem
http://stacysewsandschools.wordpress.com/           Stacy Sews and Schools
http://thesadderbutwisergirl.com                           The Sadder But Wiser Girl
http://menopausalmother.blogspot.com/                 Menopausal Mother              
http://dinoheromommy.com/                                 Dinosaur Superhero Mommy
http://hypnoticbard.blogspot.com/                         The Insomniac’s Dream
 http://singlemumplusone.blogspot.com                  Searching For Sanity
 www.eviljoyspeaks.wordpress.com                         Evil Joy Speaks                   

Simple Moments: Found Laughing

This week's simple moments prompt is: found laughing

She's like her daddy and tries to hold her laughs in. 

He was proud of himself for avoiding the camera.  BUT I did catch this mid dodge laugh. 

Iced Coffee Recipe by myreal.everyday.life

While I was at my friend's this weekend I finally got to try her iced coffee.  If you follow her on Instagram or Facebook
you've seen pictures of this heavenly concoction.  I took one sip and decided this would be something I'd be making on a regular bases.  I <3 it!!!
She sent me this recipe and I followed it pretty well.  Minus her super cute mason jars and French press.  But for some odd reason I did have a cheese cloth.  Can't remember why, but there it is.  ;)  *I'm assuming a coffee filters would work as well.  ;)
If you like iced coffee try it out and then go like her page(s).  She's all awesome and stuff.  For real. 

   
iced coffee: 
1 2/3 cups coffee grounds 1/2 cup sugar (i use coconut palm) 1/2 gallon jar/container put coffee + sugar in jar, fill with water, refrigerate overnight. 12ish hours is ideal. use a french press or cheese cloth to filter/strain. then i filled my glass of ice a little over half full with cold coffee, then filled it with almond milk, used a spoonful of agave and a pinch of salt. don't forget the salt! 
from: myreal.everyday.life

God Will Give Us More Than We Can Handle

I love inspirational quotes, quick notes of affirmation, and catchy phrases. The ones that grab your attention hold you still for a minute and allow you to reflect on the good in your life or push you to do more with it. What I don’t like are words that are meant to inspire, but only bring about feelings of failure and misguidance. The ones that tell you if you hoped hard enough, pray long enough or follow the directions life will be easy, enjoyable and meaningful.

I refer back to the 14-months we lived in the RV frequently. (The Wilderness) To date it still is the worst time of my life. Not just because of its small space or location, but because I got a really good look at myself. The person that a year earlier was so dedicated to her Bible studies, her prayers, her family. I faced that same woman a year later and watched as she stood in a pool of her own blood wondering not if God existed, but why she should continue to follow Him when He’d obviously abandoned her.

I saw a void. A sad empty place that once burned for God and now was left barren both physically and spiritually.

And that’s when the depression set in. Not the kind I grew up with; always chasing me but never completely taking me under. It’s plagued me my whole life. Most of us have the feelings of sadness hit us or self-doubt. But depression for me was a heavy blanket that I could feel creep up on me. I would shake it off, but it might take a few days or weeks. It was nothing very serious, but when suicide is whispered at family get-togethers and names of family members attached, you realized that it’s not just in your mind. So I fought a bit harder.

But what came upon me in the RV was so much darker. Not only did I feel isolated from the world, but I pulled away from my parents, my child and my husband. I withdrew into a realm of online chat with meaningless banter and faceless usernames. They didn’t know me. They didn’t see my struggles. And the best part was they didn’t care. I wanted that. I didn’t want to put on false smiles or hear how things will get better. Or worse, how others have suffered more, making my own struggles seem small in comparison. I just wanted to escape.

Read the rest at Joy Comes in the Morning.