Christmas Craft Countdown!

I think that I am going to do a blog, actually 15 to be exact on Christmas Projects that I do until Christmas!! This First one rocks my socks off, and I didn't make it. HA! My mom came down for the day to help me decorate the store. I will show pictures of that on another blog... However, I had to have a KIM MOORE exclusive Wreath for my door at the store! When I was a little girl, I remember watching my mom make wreaths for friends and others during the holiday season. This was my big year, I will now have the coolest wreath on my storefront! OH YA! If you haven't seen pictures or been to my store, I have white and black striped walls and HOT pink floors so for Christmas I knew I wanted FUN COLOR, FEATHERS and GLITTER and I got just that!

First things first... little helpers...

The woman took a $2 wreath from Walmart to start... I had a photo but I can't find my cord for the computer... Just picture a $2, thin, crappy 20inch wreath.

Then we had this decorative wired netting...

Then I had found tons of odd little things that I thought maybe, just maybe, the master would approve and she DID!

MY mom! Basically, the coolest mom anyone could have worked for, ummm, under 15minutes...

AND POOF! I am the VERY PROUD owner of a Kim Moore original! You know how cool she is?? She has even donated one for me to auction off at our spa night! DON'T miss out!

This is going to ROCK on my Hot Pink Door at the shop!

You know MY name!

Today I was simply listening to Pandora while I was working on bows and a song I have heard, 1,000,000 times played...

If you want to continue to think that I am perfect and never have a weak moment in my life then DO NOT continue cause you might eat just a little bit of truth... There is your warning :):)

I am TIRED! You have have those moments, days, weeks, months where you are just tired? (I am not talking about physically, however I find that to be a common side effect.) I have been tired, emotionally and spiritually drained, these last few days or weeks. I just feel like life and the busYness I involve myself in have me wrapped and I can't breathe... that kind of tired.

Now I am not one who normally expresses when I am feeling defeated, however, I feel like this is something I am suppose to share cause I believe I am not the only momma out there who has been there. We... errr... I have gotten so good at putting on my mask every morning that I don't even realize that I am doing it anymore. Until God takes a simple phrase, one that seems over used at times and brings me to a humble and broken place.

I have been SCREAMING, "Where are you?!? Don't you see me down here? Have you forgotten about me? Or do you even care?? I am trying my best... just so you're aware!!"

A song came on... the words go, "He knows my name, He knows my every thought, He sees each tear that falls and He hears me when I call..."

I felt like He was screaming, "Britanie! I, ME, Creator of all the Universe, the Heavens and the Earth, I care about your every move. I am watching, I see you in the morning when you open your eyes. I know how many breaths you took today. You have been on My mind since the moment I made you. Your worries and your joys, you matter to me. Oh and Britanie... I know YOUR name."

I feel special when someone remembers my name after the first time we have met. Don't you? Maybe it is just me. Now if you don't remember my name after we meet, it doesn't bother me, AT ALL, so don't be scared to ask me again. :):) but when someone thought I was important enough to remember who I was after I have met them, is a pretty cool feeling, right? And here was God saying, "I haven't forgotten. In fact, I have known your name before your parents choose it. Actually, I knew your name since the beginning of time... just sayin'" That very thought is so mind blowing. And God would totally say, "just sayin'..." ;)

So my prayer, for myself but also for you is this:

Jesus, I love you so much. And I thank You for who You are. I thank You for never leaving or forgetting about me. I ask that as I head into today, that I would take it on with the most incredible knowledge that I don't have to walk by myself. Help me keep in mind that You care, You care about the big life altering events but also about the smallest worries we have, and you want to carry them for us. Thank You for the reminders that you know ME and that I matter to you. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.

I hope you are reminded that He knows who you are and He cares what is going on in your life. I hope that you find time to hear a little something from Him today and perhaps get your own personal reminder that He Knows YOUR name.

Brit

Carnival Birthday Success!

So this mama is pooped! But my girls had so much fun at their Carnival Birthday party, and I cannot tell a lie, I had fun too :) I thought I would blog some details for anyone who likes a good party!

Every good party starts with a great invitation! I found a great one on Etsy!

Next the food! Papa Ramirez borrowed a popcorn machine from work, we wrapped hotdogs and chips for dinner. Then the good stuff. We had carnival candy in bowls at every table. Plus we had cotton candy for the kids to take home, giant pixie sticks, cracker jacks, animal crackers, chocolate dipped marshmellows, cotton candy cupcakes, bubble gum cupcakes AND the cutest popcorn cupcakes! MMMMMMM.... LOVE~



The popcorn cupcakes were a big hit! They were just chocolate cake with white icing. Then you cut about 30 mini marshmellows in half and squeeze them back together and POOF you have popcorn!




As far as activities go we had a clown who did balloon animals for the kids and a HUGE bounce house. Not what I was expecting but it was great! We even kicked the kids out for a minute and tried it out... I couldn't stay on my feet. HA!


We had a blast with facepaint...

Thank you Morgan for doing that! Even Papa was a good sport!

We also had a very fun "photo booth" this was probably my favorite! We set up an old painted frame, which I love so much. :) And I had made about 18 props for the booth. The kids and adults alike had a blast with this one! Of course the photos were better once the sun dropped behind the building! I am no photographer... we just picked the place the fame would even work. HA!

ANDDDDDDD, you can't have a carnival party without a good ol' fashion pie eatting contest! I just bought some gramcracker mini pie pans and loaded them with jello!

AND the prize for winning?? What is better than smashing a pie in Papa Ramirez's face?? What a good sport he was!

All in All I call Leila and Landyn's Circus Birthday a huge success. Happy Birthday to my sweet girls. I can't believe how fast the time is passing. SLOW DOWN GIRLS!!

(Landyn turns 5 in a few weeks and Leila turned 6 a few weeks ago.)

"Out of a Dream, Into Reality"

So, I haven't blogged in longer than I can even think about it but I had the urge this morning. :) LUCKY YOU!! HA!

Yesterday I went to a meeting and was asked many thought provoking questions... Almost 24 hours later I am still beyond encouraged, extremely humbled and in great awe at how God has lead my life to this very moment, for this very specific time.

Why did it take me until yesterday morning to realize?? Well, because I am human and dumb. HAHA~! I have trusted the Lord and knew that there was a purpose and reason for the way my life has lead... even though I questioned it OFTEN and pleaded with God more than I should have to change my situations, do it in my timing, or give me what I wanted. "It's my money, and I WANT IT NOW!" Type of attitude. (Ok, so maybe I watch a little too much T.V. :))

If you knew me, my last year of HS and into Master's, my dream was to run a pregnancy crisis center. I started volunteering my time to Advice and Aid in KC when I was... maybe a Junior in High School. My passion for these sweet unborn AND born babies is quite overwhelming and has never gone away. When I met my husband, my sweet, amazing, husband who lives "above the porch" and believes in me more than I believe in myself... besides the fact, that we absolutely despised each other when we met, I found out my dream fit right inside of his. Isn't that just how God works?? Jesus makes me laugh sometimes the way He fits things together, things that we would never think of, just to make us laugh later.

Now at this point, I believe Adrian and I made a choice that altered our lives a little... ok, maybe more than a little. We left Master's and didn't go back for a second year. A year and a half later we were married, still planning on pursuing everything we felt God NEEDED US for. We got that a little backwards, huh?? But isn't God amazing?? He doesn't have Plan B. He just has a pocket full of Plan A's for us crazy people. :)

First came Love, then came Marriage, then came Leila... then Landyn... then Liviana in the baby carriage.

They became my world, my focus, my new Plan A. And I wouldn't trade them for the entire world. They rock my life, it is so much more exciting and scary... Especially with 3 girls not 29months from the oldest to the youngest, pray for us for the next 20 years. I think Adrian might kill a boy or two before the girls are adults. I may hurt a couple myself. HAHA!

OK! Now that we are way off point...

I really though, welp. Maybe the girls will be it for me, not that I had a problem with that. Maybe they are going to be the only ministry the Lord has for me.

Have God in a Box much??

That was SLAPPED out of me earlier this year when we went to Antioch Worship Retreat. Literally felt like God slapped my face. Nice! A new dream, a refreshing desire was poured into us as a couple, and He has begun to reveal why we are where we are. Both physically and spiritually.

Do you ever feel like God has forgotten about you and the dreams He placed in your heart?? Even as a young HS student... How DUMB is that? Like I said before I am so humbled by Jesus. I had to apologize and ask for forgiveness for doubting or giving up on the desire HE placed in my heart 9 years ago. I have learned that even if our new dream's path takes us 40 years through the desert, we won't be giving up.

Jesus has made Himself that much more real in my life this week. I was reminded, YET AGAIN, that it is in HIS perfect timing, not my own.

The meeting I started this blog with was with one of the founders and one of the directors of the Shiloh Home here in Emporia. The Shiloh Home houses mothers in need of some help, to have away to get out of life situations that are leading to sure destruction. One of the divisions of their program there is FAMILY LIFE SERVICES.

Remember the dream I had when I was young? Family Life Services is a PREGNANCY CRISIS CENTER...

So all that build up... that could have been summed up in this 1 sentence, but since I am a woman, you needed all the details and background:):)

Jesus rocks my socks off because I am now the Director of Family Life Services.

I hope this post, encourages you to trust in the dreams God has placed in you. If you are living them now or still waiting to live them. If you are still in HS or a Mama holding her sick baby. You are where you are right now for a reason... maybe you won't understand for 9 years. Don't give up on God because He hasn't forgotten or given up on you.

Love,

Me,

humbled and so thankful

Out of the Mouth of a 2 Year Old

So today we were sitting at the Donut Shop, just Liv and me. I take her there every Monday after we drop Leila, Landyn and Daddy off at school and work for their days. We were just talking about whatever, girl can talk... I have no idea where she gets that from. Anyway, she looked across the table and as serious as she could be asked, "What would happen if we got naked in the Donut Shop?" It made me laugh out loud and later while we were driving home, I am NOT proud of this one! I need to watch my mouth... she said, "MOVE FREAKING LADY!" ... I got a phone call the other day from a good friend of mine who was watching Liv and she said Liviana came to her close to tears saying that, her daughter, Addy had thrown her pants in the toilet. She asked Addy and Addy, of course, said, "NO, I didn't!" Liviana persisted that she had and was sooo upset about it so Jayme went to check and Addy's pants were NOT in the toilet. Right when she looked in the toilet, Liv ran by the bathroom laughing and yell, "IT WORKED, I TRICKED HER!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! All of these things that happened just in the last few days made me think, these girls say the sweetest, funniest, not always the best, most out there, most common sense things ever. And then days later I forget, I know they said or did something I wanted to remember but I didn't take the time to stop and write it down or type it up. I am going to start TODAY. I don't wanna forget anymore. When I am an old grandma I wanna be able too look back at this blog and stay entertained and laughing for hours. I love my girls and life happens too fast to not stop and take note of the things that your kids have done. So I will be blogging daily, perhaps a couple times a day. They will probably be quite short just quotes of the day that I want to share or something that happend that I want to remember.

Landyn Rose

I just gave my last kiss to Landy as my little 3 year old... Of course that deserves a blog, right???!?!! :)

Landyn Rose is our wildfire child. She is the absolute sweetest girl, who can never give enough love, but girl's got some fire in her. She is the middle child, in every strech of the imagination. Ornery as all get out but you can help but continuously laughing at her. She says the funniest things and she will crack you up with her looks. You can always see it in her eyes, she always has something going though her mind... most of the time it is probably a plot or trying to figure out why something is happening or how something works. She amazes me in every way. You haven't played the game 20 questions until you have a conversation with this little lady! She can't get enough information, which is good! I want her to ask all the questions she wants, how else will she learn. My heart is so torn tonight cause my little Landy isn't so little anymore. I feel as if time is literally flying! I don't think you can fully understand until you have children of your own... You get married and time speeds up but when you have kids, some days can't get over quick enough :) BUT the weeks, months and years seem like they are on fast forward. I remember 4 years ago tonight I was packing my bag cause I knew tomorrow was the day. I put my 13 month old down that night thinking, "Baby, you will never know life without your sister..." I packed my bows and cute outfits and a pasi of course, cause we all know the hospital ones are soooo ugly. YES! that mattered to me, DON'T judge me! LOL! I talked to Jerome P. that night and kissed my husband goodnight, knowing that my life was about to be forever changed. Little did I know how much. My delivery should have given me full insight as to how Landy would impacted our lives. We got to the hospital @ 7:30... about 8:40 I was ready for my epidural, I know, big baby, but I allow myself to cry though 1 contraction and then I ask for it, I wanted to enjoy every moment and why not, if I can?? So the anesthesiologist is still in the room and the nurse said, "GET A DR IN HERE NOW!!" Doc comes in and is LIVID that they called him. I mean they just got the ball rolling at 8... He came in and and had a few choice words for the nurse for calling him... He didn't even take time to get prepared. You could have cut the tension with a knife! The anesthesiologist just sat down in the chair next to me, I know he just wanted to stay for the show cause the Dr. was so mad. He said, "Since I am here, let's do a practice push... "OOOOOPP! There's she is" Soo I started LAUGHING... I laughed my child out. I know, I know GRAPHIC, if you are a boy, just don't read if male, just how I roll :) Went back a year later and the nurse's said, "Aren't you the lady who laughed her baby out last time?" YEP! That is me! LOVE giving birth... Anyways back on point! Landyn is just like that! Man, she can make you soooooooo mad and make you CRACK up in the same breath. I love her more than all the numbers and all the stars and all the sand. I can't imagine a single moment without her in our life. She loves to cook and she protects her sisters. She shows so much love to the girls and us. We are more proud of her than anything in the world. She has such a desire and SUCH a strong will, she admits when she is wrong and faces life with no fear. She teaches and reminds me everyday how to have fun and see all the positive that is around us. She reminds me to thank God for blessing us every night in our prayers and she encourages me that we can do anything that we set our minds to. She is our sunshine! Happy 4th Birthday Princess Landyn Rose! Mommy and Daddy love you more than you could possibly ever understand, only God loves you more than we do and I like to believe that we are close seconds. :) Love you baby!

A nEw MaMa

So over the last few weeks I have been following a blog about a little girl who is the exact same age, give or take a day or 2, as Liviana. This little 2 year old is at the end of her battle with cancer. Infact 2 nights ago her mom had her sisters tell her goodbye and sent them to her mother's house because they didn't think little Layla would make it through the night. She is still fighting though. Layla has rocked my world. I was reading the other night about some regrets that her mom had with her and as I sat at my computer BAWLING, I was completely convicted and then it quickly turned to thanks that my babies are healthy and I have time to change and love the little "inturruptions", while I cooking or whatever, that once made me angry. I don't know how many times I have thought, said outloud, said to others or even said to the girls such as these...

"Go watch the movie, Mommy is trying to work."

"I can't wait till naptime"

"Thank you for trying to help but Mommy will do it now"

"No, Mommy will stir it we have to hurry."

"No, we are only reading 1 book tonight."

Now I know that I am not a bad mom for saying these things once in awhile but it was almost getting routine, becoming my 'reflex' answer. Why can't I take a break and snuggle to watch the movie? Why can't she help stir the brownie mix?? Will it hurt me to spend 5 more minutes before bedtime to read 1 more story? I have decided enough is enough.

If you don't know me and you are reading this you may be thinking, "WOW! What is wrong with this lady??" But I don't think I am the only mom who has felt like this. Right?? I mean, surely??? So here I am laying it out there for everyone else who thinks they may be the only ones... You aren't the only ONE! There may be only 2 of us, LOL! But you aren't the only one!

Here is my new resolve, a new mommy.

I LOVE my girls and I don't ever want to take them for granite. NEVER, EVER take the for granite.Since I have 3 little helpers; I love that it takes me an hour to unload and load the dishwasher, I love that my white socks are pink because a red shirt was thrown in, I love crunching an egg shell in my waffles. (Ok, maybe not love, but you know what I mean :) I promise to hold them when they ask, no matter the task I am in the mist of. Too soon they won't want to be held. I will charish EVERY waking moment with my girls. I will take more time for playing games, dressing up and having teaparties. Cleaning can wait, sewing can wait, God knows FaceBook can wait. I don't want to regret a single day when I could have spent just 5 more min with the girls.

I know, I know, some of you are thinking well you need mommy time, you need mommy/daddy time. I know this! :) Trust me. There is time for it all, just all too often I find myself WASTING time that could be spent wisely.

SO I am rambling now... But here is the bottom line. What if something happened to my girls? Would I have regrets on how I spent my time with them? Will I question the importance of putting that load of laundry in RIGHT then when someone was pulling at my pant to show me the fort they built? Will I wonder if the bathtub needed to be scrubbed right that second when she wanted to play hide and seek? Will I cancel my FB because I am so mad at myself for needing to catch up on what everyone else was doing when they wanted me to sit with them and read a book?

This sweet Layla Grace has helped put my importants into a new clear and unwavering view.

God, I thank you for sweet Layla, I thank you that in the short time she is spending here on earth she has touched more lives, including my own, than most of us do in 80 years. I ask that you would give her family, her momma, an amazing, undeniable peace that passes everyone's understanding. I thank you that my babies are all healthy and happy. I refuse to take them for granite and above all I thank you that you choose me to raise up 3 beautiful women who will change the world around them through You.

Love you guys! I know I normally won't be the sobby but today my heart is breaking for the momma of this little girl.

Britanie