Fabric Issues

Um. So, our dining room is COVERED with fabric.

Literally.

I have soooo many projects in my head and within these threads.

Hoping to start on them very soon.

Am I the only one with this issue?

Here is the latest fabric for Harlan, Francie, Hughes and Wiley's cutie patootie britches!

This fabric came from Heirlooms Forever in Tupelo.

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Found this fabric Wednesday for Hughes and Wiley a Jon Jon!  Oh.  Turquoise and Orange...so fun!

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I bought this fabric LAST year at Lilies and Lace in Fairhope, AL.  Kent and I were on our anniversary trip!  Hoping I have enough for both boys a Christmas Jon Jon!

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Found these beauties in Ackerman at Main Street Fabrics.  First I'm thinking britches for Francie...then girly crayon rolls with remaining fabric!

I also bought this at Main Street Fabrics in Ackerman with a boy crayon roll in mind!

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Bought this fabric at Lilies and Lace in Fairhope, also.  On a another trip. 

Not sure what to do with it.  Pants for the boys?  The texture of this fabric is so lush.  Pique...oh, how I love pique!

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I bought these shirts for the boys from Kelly's Kids! 

Then I ran into this fabric and walah!....gonna make some pants to go with them!

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This fabric was bought in Tupelo...with doll beds in mind!

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This is the fabric I purchased to recover these chairs I found in Baldwyn pickin' one afternoon!

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Found this fabric at Bernina in Ridgeland!  They have an amazing selection of fabrics...and machines to die for!

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I started this Jon Jon last year for Hughes.

Yes it is wrinkled, because it has been in a bag since last year!

I couldn't follow the directions, therefore Ethlyn is going to help me fix my mess.

She has to do that A LOT!

This is the only seam not sewn...

but it is not supposed to be the last seam unhemmed.

I know.

It's confusing.

I will fix it and maybe Wiley can wear it?

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Once I get my office paint touched up and decorated, I am going to have a shelf dedicated to fabric.

Hopefully pictures of that to come soon!

Hope you all have a great Friday!

Reality TV

So, it's NO secret that ONE of my guilty pleasures is...

reality television.

I.Love.It

Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Biggest Loser, Project Runway, Man hunter Fugitive Task force (random...I know), America's Got Talent, Jerseylicious (when feeling reaal low), The Dance Scene...you get the point.

Just can't help it.

I can not sway you one way or the other.

You like it or you don't.

Just not my place.

You already have your own opinion of reality television.

But, I can tell you why me, myself and I like the "reality".

Remember little Jackie Evancho on America's Got Talent?

Me. Too.

Wanna know the main reason?

After her audition, she was so excited.

BUT, did you get a glimpse of her parents?

THAT my friends is why I love reality television.

Tonight on the X-Factor, a 16 year-old-boy from Southaven, MS, sang his first audition.

Can I get a woop woop?

So, seeing him perform tonight made me cry.

I mean, what DOESN'T make me cry these days?

Ever since I have had children, I am an EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER!

Believe me. 

You can ask Kent.

Anyway, back to the point of this post.

You know how some people's favorite part of a wedding is when...

the doors are closed.

the aisle is empty.

dah.  DAH dah dada. dadadadadadadaa.

HERE COMES THE BRI....

the doors swing open simultaneously.

there she is arm in arm with her daddy.

EVERYONE IS LOOKING AT THE GORGEOUS BRIDE.

Next time.

Look at the groom.

How does he look at HER?

The love in his eyes could move mountains.

SOOOOOOOOOO....what I'm saying is...

when those sweet babies are performing on stage...

the tears and joy in their parent's face make it all worth it.

Just think of all the practice time the parents have put in with the children.

All of the money they have begged, borrowed and stole JUST to pay for those classes and practices.

All of the drives to and from practice...while their child sleeps in the backseat.

All of the home videos of the proof that THIS IS what they want to do with their life.

All of the times they told their children, "You can be whatever you want to be."

This is their moment to say to their children, "I meant what I said.  I will support you to the ends of the earth to allow you to follow your dream. IF AND ONLY IF you promise to give your VERY BEST."

They hear of an audition.

Go buy an amazingly perfect audition outfit at the mall.

Buy a plane ticket.

Or hop in the car for hours and hours.

Wait in a HUGE line, lose confidence thinking the person beside, in front, behind and on top of you is probably better than you.

Step up on stage...

but before stepping on stage...

their Mama or Daddy pumps all that confidence back into their soul.

Step up on stage...

and lay it all on the line.

Their parents wait in the wings, filled with joy...regardless of what the panel of judges think or say to their sweet babies.

They have conquered the first step in success of life.

Their sweet little baby gave it a shot.

Just gave it a shot.

Isn't that ONE main thing we want to encourage our children to do?

Don't let fear stand in the way of your dream.

Just do it.

The worst thing that could happen, is no.

And then you can get back up and try..

try again.

Everyone out there...

JUST TRY.

and if it's no....

Try.  TRY AGAIN.

First Haircuts

Today was the day.

The big big BIG day.

Today we will get Hughes first official haircut!

I have been emotionally preparing for this day.

Why such a big deal?

Well, probably because Hughes looked like this for the longest time!

So here goes!

Mrs. Pam was. a.maz.ing with Hughes!

He sat on the counter while she cut away!

Wiley thought all of this was very entertaining!

(Wiley got his first haircut today, too!)

I am the proud Mommy of two little envelopes filled with baby hair!

I love this moment Mrs. Pam and Hughes had together!

Here lie Hughes curls...in all their glory...on the counter...

tear..

Hughes gave Mrs. Pam a hug and we went on our merry little way.

Off to show Big Daddy at the bank!

It was a wonderful first haircut for both boys!

Thank you Mrs. Pam!



Muma's Little Helper

Let's plant those Mums Mama's been so excited about!

Got these three puppies for $2.98 a piece!

They served as a little pop of color at the tailgate Saturday.

Now, they will serve as a pop of happiness on our back porch!

The weather was just calling us to do something outside this afternoon.

Let's get started.

Get the mums lined up.

Find a little helper.  Hughes will be the perfect fit!

He helped dump the old soil from the pots.

We left a bed of the old soil in the bottom of the pot with some rocks.

Then we placed new soil on top and dug a well for the plant.

Then we took a little rest.  Mums are tough work!

What?

They are!

Back to work.

Wiley was looking on with Daddy.

Hughes decided to get ahead of the game and "stir" up the dirt in the next pot.

Finished product!

Time for bath, dinner and bed!

Weekend Pictures

Gran, Papa Sam and Emma Kate came to our house this weekend!

Oh. How we love for family and friends to come visit.

Please come see us.

Whomever you are.

We love company!

Since the boys have been a smidge under the weather this week, Gran and Papa came to keep the boys while Kent and I went to the football game!

I had to snap a few photos while they were here!

Come back soon.

Really Soon.

My sweet Mama had washed and FOLDED all our dirty clothes.

Boiled Bottles.

Kept the kitchen clean.

Entertained and loved on Hughes and Wiley.

Brought us my chairs...something else that needs to go on my To Do list. 

Brought us a generator for us to take to our tailgate.

Stopped in Starkville on the way here to pick up our grill.

Ran our camera to the car as we were leaving Sunday morning for Joey's Big Day!

...Ran BACK to our car...that was out of driveway...to bring the serving piece for Joey's Big Day!

....RAN BACK out of the house with our clothes that we needed to change into after Joey's Big Day!

....whew.  I'm worn out just thinking of everything they did for us!

Thank you Papa Sam, Gran and Emma!

Little Lesson Today

Just wanted to share something that hit home with me today.

As we were sitting in church, I heard words to this effect:

"Do you your words have promise?"

Basically, do you DO what you SAY you will DO?

So, I turned to Kent, and in my church-whisper voice I said, "I don't want to be like that."

Pause.

Still church-whisper voice.

"Kent, Do you think I am like that?"

Kent never makes eye contact. 

And in his church whisper voice he said, "Naw".

Long stare from me.

Kent: "Well, a little bit."

Stab in the heart.

You see the truth is.

I guess I knew that deep down.

(Another truth is:  Kent and I have talked about just being honest with each other.  If one or the other ask a point blank question, the deal is, just be honest.  No matter how bad the sting is.  It is just an understanding.  You are not supposed to get defensive.  If you don't WANT to know the answer.  You just shouldn't ask.)

Back to words and actions.

It makes me sad.

I could make excuses like.

"I just don't like to say no."

or

"I really do think that I can do it all.  So, I say everything that I CAN do.  Not necessarily that I will have TIME to do it.  But I CAN do it.  So I say yes."

Therefore, I will work on turning my words into actions.

Or. 

Just not saying the words at all.

Because we all know.

Actions speak louder than words.

Things that I have said I would do, but haven't:

*Make curtains for Granddaddy Brown's room.

*Make a bench for Kim's kitchen table.

*Buy at least two Christmas gifts starting in September to help with the hassle of present buying. (I have bought one...does that count?)

*Finish the painting in the new office area.

*Take Hughes to see the Lion King.

*Make a calander of family and friends birthdays/addresses/special dates

(been in works for two years...at least)

*Print out pictures of the boys that just sit on the camera cards.

(or the computers that die...and are possibly lost forever...can't talk about it...might cry)

*Clean out guest bedroom closets.

*Get my Daddy's email to show up on his phone.

*Organize our pantry. (I think I am waiting on help for this one:)

*Learn how to make picture frames.

*Start a morning areobics class.

*Make Hughes, Wiley, Harlan and Francie some cutie patootie pants for Fall.

Do you see where I am going here?

Guess I will just make this my to do list.

Maybe I can check a few of these off in the next two weeks and some of the guilt will wither away.

Do you have a list like this too?

Or is it just me?

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"It is not good enough for things to be planned-they still have to be done; for the intention to become a reality, energy has to be launched into operation." --Walt Kelly

Mums the Word

I can feel a pull of a local nursery right at this very moment...calling me to the mums!

Sweet Moment

I just want to document this moment.

8:38 P.M.

It is a cool perfect Fall Friday night.

Baths have been given.

Boys are headed to bed.

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Sweetest thing I have heard all day.

Maybe all week.

Maybe even all year.

Kent.

Kent ask Hughes what book he wanted to read tonight.

Hughes proudly gave him the "Bible Book".

So, right now.

At this very moment.

Kent is reading from the Bible to Hughes.

In Genesis.

He might have already even made it to chapter two.

I just heard these words, "And God said, And this is good."

It is so good.

So So Good.

Burgers and Brownies

We had Burgers and Brownies at Ma'Lyn and Big Daddy's last night!

The kiddos had a wonderful time playing together.

Here are a few pictures of the evening...

TWO BIG FIRST happened:

1.  Hughes ate a Hamburger...like with a bun.  He has NEVER done that! Big Boy!

2.  MUCH BIGGER....Wiley tried his FIRST baby food tonight.

Squash was on the menu.  You will see his reaction as you scroll down.  However, he did end up eating half of a small jar! Not too shabby little fella!

Harlan and his real fireman hat! (That thing is REALLY heavy!)

Francie, our sweet little mama hen.

Hughes sippin' on his "Pree Sun".

Wiley hanging out with Ma'Lyn

Do you see the deer? 

Big Daddy had to wash off dirty feet before going in for dinner.

Here is a memorable moment.  This was Wiley's very first bite of food.  Makes me poke out my lip as I type this...is he really this big already?

Browines and Grins

The big kiddos got REAL hyped up after the brownies and cream...here are photos to show the evidence.

Daddy and Hughes having a little moment.  Pretty sure he was asking Hughes if he was ready to go.

To which Hughes replied, "No, Gone Say Here." (aka No, I'm going to stay here.)

Wiley didn't care where he slept!  Little Pumpkin was tired! 

Happy First Day of Fall Friday from our backyard to yours!

(Well, not really OUR backyard, but you know what I mean:)