ramblings

Takin’ some time to smell…

Posted by Nat on Feb 29, 2012 | Comments Off on Takin’ some time to smell…

…Mod Podge drying

…acrylic paint drying

…dish soap (I feel like I do dishes 80 times a day- do you?)

…lotion (because I do so many dishes, I have to use lotion all. the. time.)

…poopy diapers.  (Sorry, but it’s true.)

…dry shampoo (I love it- do you?)

…ink drying (I’m working on some more printables & a new schedule for myself, which I keep having to redo and reprint)

oh, and the roses…

I’m definitely in a blog funk.  I want to blog.  I have a lot to blog about.  But I need a break.  I’m reading a book, organizing & decluttering my house, putting finishing touches on my guest room (it will have a guest soon- hooray!), and trying to just, if you’ll pardon the phrase, “get ‘er done.”  I also have a job that will earn me money, but the amount of money I will earn is directly proportionate to the amount of work I put in, so I need to work.  Blogging, as much as I love it, is not bringing me a paycheck {yet} so I need to prioritize and be real.

I do have tons of projects lined up.  Now that my guest/craft room is almost usable it’s going to be way more fun and easy to make things.

Oh, and to add to my world of chaos, Emily is getting ready to crawl at any moment.  CRAZY KID.

There’s lots to come, I promise- I think I’m just in a phase of realizing there’s only so much I can do, and it’s not worth the stress.

Lucky {free printable}

Posted by Nat on Feb 27, 2012 | 2 comments

Free printable alert!!!

This has been on my mind lately.  And I like it.  It’s good.  See, I’m lucky.  And so are you.  Did ya know?

I’ll be having a crazy moment with my three impossibly cute kids.  Usually this means at least 2 are crying and one is whining, or a combination similar to that.  Maybe we’re in the car and they don’t like the songs we’re listening to.  Or maybe they don’t want to run one more errand.  Perhaps I won’t let them have a lollipop in the car (the horror).

Whatever the case, I will be tempted to lose my temper, or snip at them in some way.  Sometimes I do- don’t we all?  I hate it when I let myself, because then it’s all about me.  But I’m human.  Lately, though, I’ve tried as much as possible, to instead remember how stinkin’ lucky I am.

I get to do exactly what I want, which is to be with my kids every day.  I get to love them, care for them, and let them be little for a while.  I also have the blessings of a home that I have grown to love, a family who loves me, a husband who cares for me immeasurably, a sweet dog, clothes to wear, food to eat…  you catch my drift.  I’m lucky.  Compared to the lives of so many others …. I’m really, REALLY lucky.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the mundane, the routine of our lives.  I fiddled around and came up with this printable to help me remember that, even if I really do hate mopping the floor (with a passion), I’m damn lucky that I have a floor to mop.

Maybe you’re lucky because you have a job you love, or an amazing partner.  Maybe you’re lucky because you follow your passion or know that someday you WILL follow your passion.  Maybe you have your health.  Maybe you went through something crazy-difficult, and now it’s in the past and you’re okay.  If so, you’re lucky.

I did a black and white, plus three colors. With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, maybe you’d like the green?  And, if you leave me a comment, I will add more colors if you don’t think you’d use one of these.  I’ll limit that to five, just to save my sanity a bit.  I’m sort of at a loss for color right now, so I’d love suggestions.

I’d love to hear what you feel lucky for or about.  It’s neat to hear positive things about other peoples’ lives, too.  Do tell!

A Blogging Brain Adjustment

Posted by Nat on Feb 20, 2012 | 2 comments

Hi friends,

I am in the process of doing lots of little things in order to do one big thing: simplify my life.  I am re-evaluating lots of aspects of my day-to-day routine and world.  How much “stuff” do I really need?  How much time can I devote to different things I want/like/need to do?  These are questions I’m asking, answering, and then moving forward with based on the answers.  It’s shaking things up a bit.  I know the end product will be awesome because I will have less stuff, more focus and (hopefully) more energy.

To add to the mix, my husband and I are laying pavers outside our patio so that we no longer have a mud pit for a play yard for the kids.  I am so excited, and so exhausted at the same time.  This weekend has been a whirlwind of back-breaking work, sweat, laughter, tears, time with just me and my man, missing my kids, and PB&J for dinner because we’re so tired (and also wondering how much money we have left in the bank).  Today is the last day- we have to finish, because tomorrow it’s back to reality, patio or no patio.

And so, then next time you see me will likely be Thursday.  I need a break from posting every day, and that is also something I’m examining- do I really need to post every day?  I’m thinking it’s not sane for me at this current time.

But guess what?!  You will SEE me Thursday because the ladies at Chronically Distracted have assigned a VLOG for our Happiness Project.  My first reaction:  “I need to put on makeup for that.”  My second reaction:  “No way.  Not gonna do it.”  My third reaction:  “Buck up, Nat.  You can do it.”  So, after I figure out the best angle for my face, I will follow through the assignment and you will actually get to see me AND hear me on Thursday.

See you then!

Nat

I have decided it’s too much for me to post every day along with all of the other things I want to accomplish.  For example, this weekend, instead of enjoying our extra day with my husband, we are

Church Family Rules and Mod Podge Lessons

Posted by Nat on Feb 6, 2012 | Comments Off on Church Family Rules and Mod Podge Lessons

My church had an event with an auction.  I decided to make a set of Family Rules for them to auction off.  Here’s a little peek.

I didn’t have much time to take pictures because I wanted to cross this off my list in a very bad way.  These are also not my most favorite rules.  I LOVE the hearts at the bottom- definitely going to do that again.  But I learned a lesson or two about paper and Mod Podge with these rules.  They were more like reminders for me, but because I rushed this project, I need to write them down so I don’t forget.  Hopefully they’ll help you, too.

Lesson One:

Quality counts for something if you’re using Mod Podge and paper.  Do not use cheap-y, flimsy scrapbooking paper if you are adhering it to a canvas.  It will bubble on you and it will possibly stay bubbled.  Sometimes, with other projects, the paper will bubble and then flatten out as it dries, but with this project, or with canvas & paper projects, you have to be uber careful.  In my case, I don’t mind the bubbling- I think it adds some visual appeal.  But if you want/need an uber-flat surface, be careful with cheap/thin paper.

Lesson Two:

Less is More.  I LOVE the Mod Podge part of this project- it’s my favorite part because everything starts coming together.  However, with this set of rules I learned that as much as I like to dump the Mod Podge all over the canvas and spread it around, that’s really a bit cocky of me. Mod Podge does not like to be abused.  So spread it nicely and not too thick.  It dries really fast- you’ll get that second coat on before you know it.

Do you have any Mod Podge questions?  Tips?  I love Mod Podge.  It’s my crafting hero.

If you’d like to see other Family Rules I’ve made, click here and here.

I’m linking up to

J is for Jane

Posted by Nat on Jan 25, 2012 | 1 comment

This post is in preparation for tomorrow’s post.  You need some backstory.

Do you have a Jane in your life?  I do.  My Jane is rad.   (Hey, Jane- if you’re reading this, grab your tissues just in case.)

I met Jane in Texas in 1999.  She and I were teaching at the same school in Dallas.   At first we just sort of said hello to each other at meetings, nothing huge.  I was a new music teacher, and she was a new 5th grade teacher.

Young. Carefree.  Single.  (And perhaps a bit tipsy.)

One of my first memories of Jane is a blur.  I was on a horrible date.  Horrible.  Awkward.  Painfully long silences.  For some reason he asked me to go dancing at a country dancing bar place, and for some reason I said,”Uh…okay.”  We each had a drink and then he asked me to dance.  He could at least lead, which was nice.  He was two-stepping me around the dance floor (albeit, with totally sweaty palms), when all of a sudden I saw Jane’s blurry face, her big smile, go by my line of vision.  “Hey!  You two know each other?!”  She had gone to high school with him.  Neat.  We stopped and talked to her for a few minutes and soon after, the date was over.  Funny how at the end of the evening, I thought to myself, “Well, that date wasn’t so great but at least I got to see Jane.”

I taught music to her class, and one day, at the end of that first school year teaching together, she brought her class up to my door and said, “I hear you’re looking for a roommate.”  The rest, as they say, is history.  We moved into a new building that used to be where the first Dr. Pepper bottling plant was in Dallas.   We had a few mutual agreements.  She wouldn’t hang her Aggie (Texas A&M) stuff in the main area, and I wouldn’t hang my SMU stuff, either.  Done.  Living with Jane was as easy as it was fun.  We had just the right balance of fun together and space apart.  I learned to leave her alone if she fell asleep on the couch (grumpy), and she learned that I do my dishes (eventually).

Me, Jane, and Kelley

A few months after moving in, Jane’s cousin, Kelley, called her up.  A few minutes into the conversation, Jane asked me if I’d want to move to San Diego with her and Kelley.  “When?”  “This summer.”  ……..”Okay.”  Leave the hot Texas summer for the breeze of the beach?  Done.  We embarked on an adventure that continues today, because…. we’re still here.  And we have *almost* seven kids between us (did I mention Jane is due any day with baby #4?  Yeah- she’s amazing.).  We’ve both gotten married, had kids, moved to different parts of town, but our roots are now here in San Diego.

What I value most in my friendship with Jane is that she teaches me without even realizing it.  Just by knowing Jane I have learned, for example:

• How to share (you don’t get Jane all to yourself- she’s too awesome.  She also doesn’t know a stranger.  So when you’re friends with her, you automatically gain oodles of other wonderful friends.)
• How to parent (Jane is an encyclopedia of motherly knowledge.  Since she had her first son, Luke, before I started my family, I get to watch how she does things and see what works for her.  Then I copy what works because she doesn’t mind.)
• How to love (Jane is a hugger. Not a fake hugger, but a real hugger.)
• How to stand up for what you believe in (Jane does not compromise her beliefs.  Love that.)

and of course…

• How to party (though we don’t do that nearly as much as we used to now that we have so many kids to take care of…dang it!)

If I went up to Jane and told her, prior to posting this piece, that I was going to write a blog post about how much I love her, and how wonderful I think she is, and how much her friendship means to me, she would a) turn bright red, b) tell me it’s not necessary, she doesn’t do anything that special, and c) immediately change the subject.  Jane is a person who focuses on others.  She does not like to be the focus of attention in any way.  Too bad, my sweet Janie.  I’ve just written a whole blog post about you and me, and how great you are.  I have loved being friends with you for so long. You are one of my longest held friends, and I am so blessed to have you in my life.  I’m so happy that we are both “stuck” in San Diego together.

I made something for Jane.  I’ll show it to you tomorrow.  🙂

Right Now

Posted by Nat on Jan 24, 2012 | Comments Off on Right Now

I have so many pending posts.  Photos just need to be edited and I need to get typing.  But I’m stuck.  I’m sort of in this place where I’m wrapping up my past and it’s a bit out of my control.  It’s hard to focus on the present when you need your past chapters to close.  I feel like one of those joggers you see at an intersection, jogging in place while they wait for the light to change so they can continue their run.

Patience is a virtue.  I, however, am not a patient person in all areas of my life.  But I will wait.  And soon I can completely let go of my past teaching life and move on into a more creative one (I hope).   I never, ever thought I’d be anything but a teacher, but here I am on the cusp of something else, and I have no idea what it is exactly, but it’s exciting.

I’ve spent most of my post-children-sleeping evening preparing documents and getting things prepared, and it’s amazing how much diving back into my world of teaching automatically sends my stress level to an old, familiar place.  It’s not something I enjoy.

I’m hoping that I can get caught up this week- the weekend ended so quickly that I haven’t had a chance to get grounded yet.  I have some great posts coming your way, though, including more Mod Podge and more food.  Yum.  I love food.