Oh, well, in that case...

Yesterday, as I was getting ready to go somewhere, putting on my makeup and whatnot, I heard Annabelle start to cry. Upon checking to see what the matter was, I discovered that she was upset because Emma was running away from her and didn't want to play with her. So, I sat my eldest daughter down to have a little talk with her about being an unselfish big sister, how "it's nice to play with Annabelle because she's your little sister and looks up to you and just loves to be with you." Emma insisted that she didn't feel like it, at which remark I promptly told her "well, tough. Mommy doesn't always feel like playing with you either... and I still do it, because I love you." She just looked at me-- I think she was amazed that mommy could ever NOT want to play with her darlings! :)

Anyway, they went off to play together after that, and I was quite sure that I had taught Emma a nice little lesson about showing love and thinking of others ahead of ourselves.... until this morning, when I was getting ready again. There came Emma running into my room, a tearful Annabelle following behind.
"Emma!" I said, "don't you remember what we talked about yesterday?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Then why aren't you letting Annabelle play with you, like a nice big sister?"

Her response? She calmly said:

"Because I'm pretty sure she's trying to turn me into a frog."

to my lovely ones

I wanted to write this yesterday, so I could say "Happy Mother's Day"...

... to my own sweet mother, amazing and lovely, godly and hard-working, a great example to me especially now as I raise my own kids. Moms with little ones need THEIR moms very much, I think, and mine is there for me-- no one could ever take her place. We live thousands of miles apart now (I think it's thousands... it feels like it, anyway), but moms are still moms and daughters are still daughters no matter how far apart they are, and she knows that I would give her the biggest mother's day hug in the world if I could.

...to my mother-in-law, who in fact has never treated me like an in-law, but embraced me as another daughter. You know all those horror stories about mother-in-laws? I have never ever, not even once, been able to relate. This woman is loving and gracious, always considerate and thoughtful, and has been there for me in many different ways since I married her son. And I know she is a wonderful mother not only because of how she treats me, but because of the man I married. Sons and daughters are a wonderful testament to the hard work of mothers. I really feel blessed to call this woman "Mom".

...to my "other mother", Andrea, who is caring and loving even when she doesn't have to be, even when life's circumstances take a hard turn and it would be the easiest thing in the world to just forget about us and move on. She will always and forever be a part of our little family.

... to my amazing girlfriends, who are my companions, encouragers, and teachers, always right there with me as we raise our children together. I don't know what I would do without their empathy, love, example, and our girly nights out together! These women have shown me so much about motherhood. They keep me sane.

...to my sister (in-law, technically, but whatever, we're sisters :)) Jessica. It was her very first mother's day, and being able to celebrate it with her after all these years made the day even more special and sweet. Being mommies together is a dream come true, and watching her grow into this role of motherhood that was more or less thrust upon her as she was given two children is nothing short of amazing and inspiring.

... to all of you mommies out there! Reading the blogs of my mommy friends, even if I know you only through this online world, really is a source of inspiration. Empathy, encouragement, and a good example is a precious blessing, even if it comes in the form of typed words and pictures.

And to all those who are cherishing the dream of someday becoming a mom, even if it is years down the road, I hope and pray you do become a mother. I hope you can know this thing called motherhood. I can't express it, truly. It is impossible to sum up all the struggles and challenges and frustrations, how overwhelming it is sometimes, how emotional and exhausting the journey can be. But it is even harder to tell you of the innumerable blessings, of the incomparable joy and happiness that children bring. There is no way to describe how your mother-heart will wrap itself around your little ones and love them fiercely as no other can. I can't tell you how it feels to watch your children grow and learn, to see more of their personality every day and realize they are a part of YOU. Nothing else in this world is like motherhood... and I could not be more thankful for the two little girls God gave to me, these daughters who call me "Mommy" everyday.

Why I didn't write this yesterday: church, a 3-hour long nap, lovely time spent with mother-in-law and Jessica, and these two darlings!

The Art of Turning a Somersault

...as demonstrated by Annabelle. Watch carefully, please.

I think she's pretty pleased with herself.

Also? How cute is her little tushie stuck up in the air like that?

What I love most about these pictures though (yes, even more than cute toddler behind) is how much joy there is in her face, how delighted she is that she accomplished this new feat.

And we know she was THRILLED, because she continued to somersault around the room for 10 minutes after these pictures. I think some of the novelty and fun finally wore off after the 378th one.

{tasty tuesdays} Kala's Ultra-Lemony Cake

THIS IS THE BEST LEMON BUNDT CAKE EVER. Truly. Make it, eat it, love it!

1 box lemon cake mix

1 small box instant lemon pudding mix

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, plus enough water to make 2/3 cup

1-2 tsp fresh lemon zest

4 eggs

1/2 tsp lemon extract

2/3 cup oil

GLAZE:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1-2 tsp lemon zest

1-2 tsp lemon extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, put dry ingredients. Place the lemon juice in a measuring cup and add enough cold water to make 2/3 cup. Add the eggs, lemon water, zest, and extract to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour in the oil and beat at medium speed for 6 minutes.

Lightly oil a bundt pan, pour in batter, and bake for 45 minutes, until cake is springy when touched.

While cake is baking, whisk together glaze ingredients in small bowl until smooth.

When cake is done, cool for 5 minutes, then invert and unmold onto serving plate. Pierce the cake all over with a toothpick. Spoon glaze evenly over cake and allow to cool completely before serving.

The Pink Frame... and everything else that goes with it!

Remember my sneak preview post? Well, now, it's finally here... THE BIG REVEAL, if you will. These three little pink pieces, one of which is the pink frame some of you so sweetly enthused about, sitting atop this black shelf (perfect for purse-hanging!) belong here:

My ultra-girly, oh-so-fun, super-fab laundry room!

It's a tiny little space, just big enough for the washer and dryer and space to walk through to the garage. But it's MY space. My sweet husband gave me his full permission to go as all-out girly and pink as I wanted to, so that is exactly what I did. Since I completed this project, it has become one of my favorite rooms in our home-- silly, I know, but true.

'

I began by painting it yellow, using leftover paint from our dining area-- it's a perfect, cheery, laundry room color, and this way I didn't have to go buy another whole can of paint for this tiny room. After the painting was done, then the REAL fun started: decorating. And oh! the deals I found! It all fell together so perfectly once I started looking and my creative juices got flowing. But enough chit-chat from me: let's see the pictures and I'll give you the run-down as we go.

I had to take this shot so you could see the cute pink rugs I found at Target: $6.99 for the pair. It was so perfect that I happened to be looking around Valentine's Day-- I don't usually see pink rugs any other time!

Purse peg-board/shelf: already had it, spray-painted it black. Vintage metal frame from Goodwill: $1.75, spray-painted pink. For the insert, I glued a peony cut out of a greeting card onto pink-polka-dot fabric and added black ribbon and a sweet little vintage button I found in my "button jar". This "frame" is actually an antique black outlet plate (I got it thrown in for free at some yard sale, never quite knowing what in the world I would do with it, since it didn't fit any of our outlets) that I spray-painted pink. Then I just cut paper to the right size and glued it on, next adding some scrapbooking stickers and colored pencil embellishments.
Plastic frame from Goodwill: 75 cents, spray-painted pink. For the insert I googled "vintage laundry" and found this image, printed it out, colored in the washing machine, glued it over some scrapbooking paper and the same black ribbon, and added a sparkly button as the finishing touch.
Glass pitcher for vase: $5 at Ross. Peonies: $2 a bunch at Michael's. I already had the glass gems sitting in a drawer. Vintage white vase: a house-warming gift from my dear sis-in-law way back when we moved into our second tiny apartment! It was just waiting for the perfect home, and it looks so charming with a touch of ribbon and vintage button to dress it up. Pink beaded garland: $9 in the wedding section at Michael's.

Basket in which to keep all my cleaning refills and extra laundry things: had it for years, spray-painted it white. Peony hat-box: $3 at Ross. Good ol' Ross!
Black polka-dot ironing board cover: $20 on eBay. How cute is that?? Glass jar in which to keep my laundry detergent: already had it, it just needed a good use-- and boy does it work perfectly for this. Blue flowered wastebasket (for all that pesky dryer lint): $6 at Ross. Box: I already had this, but it was a rather ugly green and cream with huge roses on it. So, I spray-painted it pink, glued on the same black ribbon used other places, and adorned it with some pretty vintage buttons. And look, it was made to serve a purpose too:
It holds my dryer sheets perfectly! So much prettier than that ugly orange dryer sheet box sitting around.
Shutter "wall hooks": hand-me-down decor from a friend, spray-painted them black. I wanted a place to hang my "errand list" so I could grab it on my way out. This adorable notepad was a birthday gift from a friend.
"A reminder of all the fabulous things I need to do"

There you have it, my happy little haven of girly-ness, pink and flowers. Maybe it seems a bit cheesy, maybe a bit overdone-- I don't know. But I love it. And it is well worth it every time laundry day rolls around and I find myself standing in that tiny room pulling clothes out of the dryer. I revel in my God-given roles of wife, mommy, homemaker, even when it means chores and tasks galore-- which is pretty much all the time. However, everyone needs a little help in the day-to-day grind-- as evidenced by plants in cubicles and smiling family pictures on work desks. One way we can bring joy to these tasks is by taking the time to make them enjoyable, to surround ourselves with a cheerful, orderly place that brings happiness and keeps our good attitudes afloat. This little laundry room of mine is just one example of the many ways we can do that.

No matter what your calling or job, remember this: Nothing is too commonplace, too lowly, or too mundane to be lifted higher and made beautiful in some way-- not even laundry.

"Whatever you do, do all for the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31

All those good endorphins

We laughed. We cried (from all the laughing). We got a Frosty. And then we went home happy.

Thanks, Brian Regan, for a perfect date night out!

Portrait-a-roonie

As most everyone knows, it is the first weekly challenge over at Exposaroonie.com. In the past, I've done one of the PhotoPie challenges, and really had fun trying to be creative and make use of my little camera the best I could with my limited knowledge of photography. So when this site got going, I really wanted to get in on the fun-- it's a learning experience, after all! However, I have to admit to being a bit intimidated. Not only are there so many AMAZING and talented photographers whose work just blows me away, I admire it so, taking part in these challenges, but also this particular challenge happened to be a self-portrait! Gah! That's a double-whammy right there-- getting past my picture-taking insecurities AND the fact that I don't usually like posting large pictures of myself for all to see.

But, I've been inspired by so many fun and creative self-portraits, and I knew that I'd be sad if I didn't get over myself and do it. My plan of attack was to think of someplace that'd be a nice setting where I'm totally and completely comfortable. Some place that fits in with my personality and my life. This is what I came up with:

One of my happy places, something that's been a continuous and consistent part of my life since I was 7 years old. A wonderful, soothing, blessing on days when I am stressed and emotional-- my piano. Also, I would just like to mention that the dress I happened to be wearing is one of my favorites too, because it was bought and worn for a certain someone's amazing and joyful-family-memory-filled wedding.

So there you go. I've officially been exposed, let the chips fall where they may. :)