A needed reminder today...

 

Okay, I totally stole this picture today.  Delaney is napping, so rather than doing anything productive, {like clean my bathroom, do laundry, sweep the floor, get dinner ready}, I'm spending time on facebook and reading other blogs {darn you internet!}.  I was going to get my instagram pics up and share them over at Life Rearranged, my new favorite blog.  Instead, I found this poster on her blog and wanted to share it. 

 

A side story about this verse- I bought Del some CD's that I thought were super awesome because each song is a bible verse.  I read about them on my other favorite blog-

Hello from the Natos{are we noticing a pattern on how I spend my time?}.

 

ANYWAY, they are called Seeds Family Worship CDs, and I bought them for Del to listen to in the car.  However, I found myself enjoying them way more than her two year-old self (All she wants to sing is Twinkle, Twinkle- over and over and over again).

 

So while she rocked out to Twinkle, Twinkle, I began memorizing verses. 

 

Jeremiah 33:3 was the first song/verse I memorized.  It has stuck with me and I find myself humming the tune and therefore reminding myself of the verse almost daily. 

 

There are SO many things we do not know and do not understand and yet if we are a child of God and we pray to Him for understanding, He will answer us.  According to Deuteronomy 29:29, there are secret things that belong to God and some things we will never quite "get". However, this verse in Jeremiah is a reminder that if we call out to Him through prayer, He will reveal great things to us that He desires us to know and will allow us to understand how great His love and sacrifice was for us, and there is nothing greater or mightier.

 

Okay, deep thoughts are done, but who knew a printable could be such a great reminder for me today?!

Embrace the Camera in Minnesota

 

 

Last weekend, the 3 of us drove up to Minnesota with my parents for my cousin's wedding.  I envisioned hours of shopping at the Mall of America, shopping for new furniture at IKEA, a gorgeous wedding and quality time with family.  While the last two were true, I learned that shopping with a 2 year-old is not reality.  

 

The Mall of America was a great place to see- we were able to take advantage of the amusement park and Delaney rode rides for the very first time. 

She had a great time and I could not believe she rode a roller coaster.   

When it came time to shopping, however, it was not really an option.  By that point, Del was exhausted and thought it would be fun to scream, go limp when we tried to pick her up, throw her body to the floor, and demand to be out of her dirty mall rented stroller (sounds like a 2 year old, right?).  My low point of the day was in the Disney store.  I had picked out a glass Minnie Christmas ornament.  I showed it to Del and she threw it on the floor and broke off the ice skating leg.  awkward. 

 

After licking up some cheese, her attitude improved (there was a pretzel too, but she just wanted to lick the cheese, okay?).  My only purchase though was at The Dollar Tree.  I go to the world's largest mall and make my purchases at The Dollar Tree. 

A bargain's a bargain.

Ikea was a similar situation- it became a marathon rat race of how fast we could zigzag through the store following the arrows on the floor with a crying toddler.  How DARE Ikea for not having cell service so my daughter could watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on my iPhone. 

Don't be fooled...this ride was way rougher than it looks.  I think I got a little whiplash.

 

 

This was when we first arrived.  Before the meltdowns.  When we thought that we were going to get to shop.

 

 

We did have a great time at the wedding, though.  It was absolutely gorgeous- a backyard wedding with a vintage feel.  It was also great talking to some of my relatives that I very rarely get to see.

 

 

 

My lovely aunt and uncle

 

My lovely parents

Notice Mark and I are on the side chasing Delaney during the party.

Del made a friend, who was dressed very sharp.

During the ceremony



Attaching the ball and chain.  Could they be any cuter?!



This girl would rather drive a tractor than pay attention to a wedding ceremony.

Overall, we had a great time.  I learned a few lessons (like never, ever take a 2 year old on a road trip ever again), but I'm sure I'll forget my lessons in a few months. 

 

New Men's Items in the shop!!

These items are great new additions to our shop!  They are a great affordable gift for Christmas, Father's Day, a groom, groomsmen, anniversary, or birthday! 

 

Use coupon code MENSGIFT for 20% off these three items in our etsy shop until Wednesday!

the urban legend craft show...

You might not be aware of this, but craft shows are cool.  Well, I think they are cool.  Growing up, when my mom took us to craft shows, they were normally right before Christmas.  They weren't cool.  They usually included geese wearing dresses and hats, oversized fancy wreaths that smelled like potpourri, painted wood houses that also smelled like potpourri and Christmas scenes that were painted on anything imaginable- wood, glass, tables, jean shirts, jeans, hats, purses, fanny packs...you get the point.  Although I'm sure that still exists, what I find now at craft shows is pretty incredible.  I never realized this before I started a handmade business, but the handmade world is its own little community.

At the second show we ever participated in, we met Jessi, from Two Seaside Babes.  She seemed to be a craft show veteran- she knew everything there was to know...what kind of tent to use, what credit card machine to run, how to display your product, how to make your booth look gorgeous...  I think I literally took notes and remember wanting to ask 100 more questions, but didn't want her to think I was completely insane.  She became one of many craft show friends we met at a show- and continued to see about two or three times a year at different shows.

We noticed a pattern that we also belonged to- a group of young moms who were trying to help support their family by hand making products and selling them on the weekends.  Some of the friends we continue to see in the Indiana craft circuit include: Laura from Lillypie Accessories, Erin from Lois Pearl, Amy from Bizzy Buckets, Kelly from Diva Mimi, Megan from Spice of Life Designs, Megan from LeeLeeLoo, and Stacey from Steel Dreaming.  Every show I see one of these girls at, I always ask what their show schedule looks like.

This past weekend, Brodi and I heard the details about an urban legend of craft shows. Let's call it the "crazy Christmas" show (um...no I cannot reveal the true name to protect those involved).   I had heard about "crazy Christmas" a few years ago when we first started on the show circuit.  I had looked for details all over their website, but could not find ANYthing about the show.  I couldn't even find WHEN it took place, let alone an application for it.  I found out why this past weekend.  The conversation went like this (okay, some has been slightly exaggerated for effect, but this is pretty much what I remember happening):

Me: "So...we heard you're a vendor at crazy Christmas.  How do we apply, because I have found nothing online."

Friend (while shaking her head): oh...you do not apply.  You are grandfathered in.

Me: huh?

Friend: Well, you can try to call right after the show to see if you can sneak in a spot for next Christmas, but it is not likely.  You have to get in touch with the coordinator.  No one knows her name.  You'll never find a phone number.  You have to know someone who knows someone.  A few years ago, I was able to secure a small spot.  It was in the back, by the kitchen.  There was a door that hit me in the butt all day long, but I didn't say a word because I at least was "in".  After three years of being hit in the butt, a woman at a different booth decided she wouldn't be returning.  She "gave" me her spot since she liked me.  So, I have now earned an official spot at the crazy Christmas show.

Me: ohhh.

my sister:  ahhhh.

Me: SO, is there like money flying everywhere because that is what I am picturing?

Friend: oh yes, the hallways are packed with people and all you can see is money.  flying.  everywhere.

Me (pretty much picturing the stock exchange of craft shows): ohhhh.

my sister: ahhhh.

Friend: now, there is a rumor that vendors can pack their cars with all of their supplies and wait outside in the freezing cold weather for a chance that a vendor doesn't show up.  If a vendor gets sick or has a family death and doesn't show, their spot is gone.  forever.  FOR-EV-ER. FOR-EV-ER (okay, the forever's didn't happen, but I love The Sandlot movie, and it seemed to fit the conversation).

my sister: So, you just wait outside with other vendors and hope they pick you and hope someone gets sick and is a no show.

friend: yep.  But once you are in...you're in.  They would wheel me in on my deathbed to sell (my product) before I lost that spot.
-------

My sister and I laughed about this conversation all day.  Who knew that the craft shows could be so competitive?  I complain about the work involved and some shows are great, while others are a waste of time, but we almost always have a good time.  And a lot of laughs.

  - our booth at a craft show in the spring

Hodge Podge combined birthday Party

Ever since I started blogging, I have felt the need to have a pinterest/blog worthy party.  You know- the kind  that look like this:

via

So far I have yet to throw a party like that, but it IS on my to-do list.  

Delaney turned 2 a few weeks ago. The girl is obsessed with Mickey Mouse, so i knew I wanted to do a Mickey Mouse party.  My nephew's birthday is two days before Delaney's birthday.  After looking at a calendar, we realized the only way we could have a family party was to have a combined party.  

Which meant, we had a new theme:

Spiderman/Minnie Mouse

I know- it's super classy.  My decor consisted of the following hodge-podge decorations:

leftover 1 year birthday balloons

leftover 1 year-old birthday crepe paper

Transformers Happy Birthday banner (Yes, I KNOW Transformers was not the theme!  But Brodi found it on clearance, mkay?!)

a multi-colored clearance Target birthday pennant that should match any color scheme

homemade ziploc baggie party favors with NASTY colored twizzlers (seriously, they are cute and colorful, but they are gross.  Don't ever buy them)

Okay, so my party had horrible decorations and rather than cute homemade entrees and desserts, we bought $5 Little Caesars pizzas and a $15 giant Costco cake that we decorated with dollar tree decorations.  Okay, I'm noticing a new theme: cheap  frugal.  This was a frugal party, thank you.

It really didn't matter whether or not I tied the back of my chairs with $30 fabric though- because the kids had a good time.  

It was only immediate family- we have TONS of family around here, so we have to limit it to people that lived in the same house as us growing up.  Harper and Delaney wore their matching Minnie Mouse dresses that my grandma made them.

Delaney was given many great toys, and stayed busy playing with her new race track, play keys, Minnie Mouse dolls, and Mr. Potato Head.  She was also given some new Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVDs that are currently entertaining her while I get some blogging done.

Isaac didn't even mind sharing his 7 year-old birthday party with his younger cousin.  He was just excited to get his new Power Rangers, which kept him busy the rest of the evening.

I think everyone had a good time and was able to go home with a disgusting Twizzler party bag, which is always a sign of a good party.

{Sorry the pictures are dark and/or overexposed at times.  Evening pics with bad lighting never work well.}