Those were the good ole days

I think that's what I'll say when I look back on these pictures.  I hope my kids will do the same!

We had such a great time jumping around together.  Check out our faces!  We laughed so hard!  A trampoline is a great investment!

(Oh and my hubby's back was hurting, so he became the photographer while we jumped!)

Daily Verses for Easter Eggs, Week 3

Second Sunday of Lent

"Lord, it is good for us to be here!"  Matthew 17:4

Monday

"Our God, you keep us safe.  Now help us!  Rescue us."  Psalm 79:9

Tuesday

O Lord, help me be the servant of others.  Matthew 23:11

Wednesday

"You are faithful, and I trust you because you rescued me."  Psalm 31:5

Thursday

Lord, you bless those who trust in you.  Jeremiah 17:7

Friday

I trust you, O Lord, and I remember your miracles and wonders in my life!  Psalm 105:5

Saturday

"With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise his holy name!"  Psalm 103:1

I hope you are blessed by these verses and are having a good Lenten season!

I'm a winner! Really I am!

I sound pretty full of myself, don't I?

I am so excited!  Today I found out that I won a giveaway!  yahoodie!

I got an email from Danielle at Humes, Party of Three saying that I won a custom blog header!

She just had a blog makeover done by The Frilly Coconut and it looks great.  So I am excited about it!

Well, "Is that all?" you may ask.  No my friends, it is not.

Miss Jenn over at South of Sheridan, was sweet enough to send me an award!

How sweet is that?  Thank you Jenn!

So you know, there are the usual rules.

1. Thank the person who gave you the award.

2.  Paste it on your blog.

3.   Link to the person who nominated you.

4.  Tell 7 interesting things about yourself.

5.  Nominate 7 other bloggers, or less, and link to them.

Here are my nominations:

Danielle at Humes, Party of Three--Thanks for the lovely prize! 

"The Girl" over at The Girl Next Door Grows Up--Thanks for helping me remember the good stuff on Fridays!

Lynette at A Work In Progress--Lynette is such an inspirations, you should visit her!

Shell at Things I Can't Say--Go on over and Dance Your Bloggy Off! 

Heidi at Wonder Woman Wannabe--Oh how I loved Wonder Woman as a kid!  Heidi has awesome ideas about "Re-igniting Date Night".

Now, for some interesting things about me.  Hmm, what to say, what to say...ok, I hope you'll be interested!

1.  I am number 9 of 10 children.  All from the same parents.  My mom is an only child.  I now have 15 nieces and nephews and 2 great nephews and 3 great nieces. 

2.  I wanted to have lots of kids, just like my mama, but morning sickness changed my mind!

3.  My family gets together every other summer for a family reunion.  For years we went to the Outer Banks, but last year we tried something new.  We went to Gulf Shores, AL and had a great time.  I loooove the beach! 

4.  I am always afraid I am going to dress too young for my age.  I will be 40 this year and I still want to be a hot stylish mom!  You know "brick house"!  (not sure if that's working)

5.  I love fried chicken.  Any kind, if it's chicken and it's fried, I love it! 

6.  I stopped drinking coffee after my first baby.  I never want to have to go through caffiene withdrawls again.  I'm sure it was worse coupled with the morning sickness. Now I drink hot tea.  I love Tazo Chai and at night I like Yogi, Egyptian Licorice.

7.  My sister and I have code words for people watching.  If we want to point out someone's "interesting" hairdo, we say "Lid, 4 o'clock".  If we want to point out some "stylish" footwear, we say, "Flippers, 12 o'clock." 

Alright, you can wake up now!  I hope you were not bored to tears!

Have a great weekend!

Feel Good Friday

I can't believe it's Friday already!  The second half of the week flew by!  I'm linking up with The Girl Next Door Grows Up for some feelin' good action!

Here are some things that made me feel good this week!

1.  My big girl got sick on Saturday.  (no that's not what made me feel good)  She was really sick.  But a trip to the doc, a stop at the pharmacy and a dose of antibiotics later...she was already feeling better!  Yahoodie!

2.  For said trip to the doc, my sweet mama took care of the lil bit.  She would not have lasted during that long wait.  We got there at 3:15 and didn't leave until 5:30.  You know the drill.

3.  My sister, who is a pedi nurse, was on call the whole time!  She even called me to check on us!

4.  My lil bit has started calling me "mama".  Like a little southern girl.  It's so funny it just makes me smile!

5.  Today, I am going to do some crafty shopping with my friend Kelly.  We are going to Goodwill.  I've never been to Goodwill before!  We haven't been able to hang out in a while, so it should be fun.  Hopefully, there will be lunch involved!  I'll let you know how the hunting goes!

It's a lovely day for a skirt!

Update on the "Skirt Sewing Project"

As you can see the snow is long gone and it is such a lovely day! 

Here are some of the skirts I've been making that will be taken to some sweet little girls in Haiti.

I got an email yesterday from my sister asking me if I wanted some free fabric for sewing more of these skirts!  One of her clients offered it up for the cause! 

I have plenty to keep me busy for now, but I will certainly get that fabric transformed into something sweet.

If you know of someone who may be interested in doing a little sewing for this project, I'd love it if you'd send them in this direction.

I hope it's skirt wearing weather where you are!

Can you believe it?

Well, I am sure you can.  I know a good portion of the country has been buried in snow.  But around there here parts, it doesn't happen all too often!  Oh yeah, it snowed today!

My girls had no dance lessons.  The studio called and cancelled due to the weather!  Ha!  I am sure all of you Northerners, East Coasters and Midwesterners are laughing right now!  It's ok, the dance instructors probably wanted to go home and build some little snowmen themselves.

So here are ours.  I know you were dying to see them!

These are my snowbunnies.  They helped me with the construction.

I guess those chairs were pretty cold because that was the only place the snow was sticking!  It melted as it hit the ground pretty much. 

So, after this...we went in for some of this...

Happy Wednesday!

T Shirt refashion

I just love all of the corsage t shirts!  I got a really pretty one from JCrew for Christmas.  I have been thinking of how I wanted to make one of my own for a while.  Then Jen at Tatertots and Jello refashioned a cardigan!  My lightbulb went off.  (or on)

I had some of this stretcy, ruffled ribbon that I wanted to do a project with, but never got to it.  And then I have all these tired, plain old tshirts, so I decided to give it a whirl.

All I did was pin the ribbon on and sew!  On my shirt, I did a zig zag stitch, but on the little one I did a straight stitch.  I think the straight was better. 

I was wearing mine yesterday, and as I put my little bit to bed, she said, "Mommy, I like your shirt!  Make one for me!  Now!" 

I hope she doesn't get that pushiness from me! 

This ribbon sells for $2.99 at Hobby Lobby.  Practically every week, they put all of their ribbon on sale for 1/2 off!  So I paid $1.50 for it and the tshirts were some we had on hand!  What a deal!

I am linking up with A Soft Place to Land for DIY day!

Calling all Sewers!!

I don't know about you, but I still find myself worrying and wondering about what's happening in Haiti.  I still have all of the images in my head that I watched on CNN in the days following the earthquake.  Well, I have been wanting to do something to help out.  I saw some different ideas on some other blogs and wanted to try and do something.  I've decided I want to make skirts for the little girls in Haiti.  Now, girls are my thing. If you would like to join in, you could make a skirt or as many as you'd like.  I think anything will help. 

 I've told a few of you, I would not know what to do with a boy if you gave him to me, so there is an opportunity for some of you who are all about boys.  If you would like to, you can make shorts or pants for the boys.

  If you'd like to help out and start sewing, make the style or size that you like.  If you need some ideas, let me know, I can point you to some online tutorials for pattern free skirts. 

I have been in contact with Lila Tueller, who will be helping out with this project as well.
(By the way, she has an amazing giveaway on her blog.  You should check it out!)

I think we can make a difference, if we all come together!

More details to follow, but if you'd like to join in, let me know!  Any questions, feel free to email me.

thefreckledbug@gmail.com

P.S.  If you know of someone who may like to participate, pass it on!  And so on and so on and...

Daily Verses for Easter Eggs, Week 2

Okay, so here are the verses to put into your Easter Eggs for week 2 of Lent. 

First Sunday of Lent

We cannot live only on food.  We need every word that God has spoken.  Matthew 4:4

Monday

Your are the Lord, our God.  You are holy, and we must be holy too!  Leviticus 19:2

Tuesday

Our Father, in heaven, help us to honor your name.  Matthew 6:9

Wednesday

"Wash me clean from all of my sin and guilt."  Psalm 51:2

Thursday

Lord, help me to treat others as I want them to treat me.  Matthew 7:12

Friday

"With all my heart, I am waiting, Lord, for you!  I trust your promises!"  Psalm 129:5

Saturday

Help me, Lord, to love my enemies and to pray for those who mistreat me.  Matthew 5:44

I think that these are really good verses to pray for the week!  Not only for the kids, but I feel I will benefit from them as well.  Have a blessed week, I'll post for next week on Friday or Saturday again!

Easter Egg Stuffers

Today at church I picked up a packet that had all kinds of fun ideas for things to do as a family for Lent.

One section was "Lenten Daily Prayers".  I thought the scripture that they chose for each day would be perfect to put in the pocket Easter Eggs!

(just scroll down to the next post for the pocket eggs)

Here are the verses for this week.  I'll post next week's either Friday or Saturday and so on for each week!

I hope you enjoy them!

Wednesday

It isn't too late, we can still return to the Lord with all our heart.  Joel 2:12

Thursday

If I want to follow you, Lord, I must forget myself and put others first.  Luke 9:23

Friday

Create pure thoughts in me and make me faithful again.  Psalm 51:10

Saturday

Lord, I hear you say, "Come with me."  Luke 5:27

Pocket Easter Eggs DIY

I am a little sad that Valentines Day is over.  I never did get to make a Valentine wreath for my front door.  I do plan to make an Easter wreath, though.

Tomorrow will mark the beginning of Lent.  Ash Wednesday.  Forty days until Easter.

I feel it heavy on my heart to do more with my kids in teaching them about the Lord.

I decided to leave up the "love tree" and now it will become our Easter tree.  Today, we made some pocket Easter eggs.  They are just felt pieces cut in an egg shape.  I used some ric rac to decorate them.  (we used all of the rhinestones on the hearts!)  Then we added a little "pocket" to the back of them.

In each pocket is a little slip of paper.  Each day we will take some time and empty a pocket and follow the instructions. 

This is a fun project to do with your kids.  My 6 year old did some of the sewing around the edges and felt so big!  She's been asking for sewing lessons forever!  We plan to make more and cover the tree.

Hopefully, my kids will learn a bit more about the great sacrifice Jesus made for us and not just be concerned with what kind of candy will grace their baskets this year.

Be sure to stop by A Soft Place to Land for lots of other fun DIY ideas!

A Love Story

Today I am linking up with two other blogs!  I am sharing my "love story" for a link up with Wonder Woman Wannabe.  

 I think it will also count as a Feel Good Friday post at The Girl Next Door Grows Up!

So, here goes...

In 1997, I was a wild and crazy single girl woman.  I had dated and dated, but just had not found a guy I really wanted to spend any time with.  My friends kept trying to set me up and of course, it never worked out.  Finally, I feel like I came to a place where I was happy.  I was working and having fun with family (I had a new niece that I was spoiling rotten!) and just hanging out with friends.  I decided I was good, didn't need to join the convent, but didn't need to be on the prowl either.

I have a good friend who is a guy, not gay, who I hung out with all the time.  We worked together too.  One day he says to me, "You should meet my neighbor."  I'm thinking, "How have I not met all of your neighbors already???  We are always together!"  But I say, "Don't do me any favors.  I really don't want to be set up!"

After a while, I gave in.  But with conditions.  I told him, he could bring him over to my place and we would cook out.  There had to be other people there as well because, if I didn't like him I wanted to have other people to talk to!  So we set up an evening and my friend put out the invitation.  Later, I get a call from the guy saying thanks for the invite, but he can't make it.  He has bible study.  Yes, I could not believe it!  I was beginning to think maybe I DID want to meet this guy!  Not only did he have manners, but he was a Christian who attended bible study!!  Well, he asks if we can reschedule, so we do.

My friend and I stuck with the original plan and invited others to come for a bbq and everyone shows up.  When my blind date comes in, all I can think is, wow, that guy is so cute!  Why is he single?  What's wrong with him?  (Later, he tells me he thought the same about me!) 

So, the night goes on, we have a great time.  Great conversation, us sitting at the table with our friends outside peeking in the windows at us trying to figure out if we are having fun, and realizing we have a lot in common!  We had such a good time together, we made plans to see each other the next night.  We made a date to go out to eat with a couple that he was great friends with.  I guess he needed approval from them.

Well, I guess he got it, because we saw each other every single day after that.  My family fell in love with Greg just as quickly as I did.  Just like any girl, I had my wedding all worked up in my head.  The only problem was, he took his sweet time asking me to marry him!  In 1999, my dad passed away.  He was very sick with cancer for a long time.  I was heartbroken, but Greg was right there with me the whole way.  I was really sad though, that my dad would never be there at my wedding to walk me down the aisle.

The following year, Greg and I were spending Thanksgiving together, alone.  My mom had moved out of state and Greg's family lived out of state as well.  That day I was in such a funk.  I was glad to be with him, but so sad not to be with family.  I missed my dad so much.  Greg knew I was sad.  He was hugging me and drying my tears.  All of a sudden he said, "Would you cheer up if I asked you to marry me?"

I was all...WHAT???  I was so surprised!  It was the furthest thing from my mind at that moment.  Then he reached over and picked up a hat off the counter.  Under it was this beautiful red box with my beautiful ring in it.  Yes, it cheered me up! 

We were married almost a year later.  All of our family was there.  My brothers, all 4 of them, gave me away.  And Greg wears my sweet father's wedding ring, given to us by my mom.  The one he wore for almost 50 years.

My mom said, "I know how much he loved Greg, he would want him to wear it."

I hope that he will wear it for 50 years.  Or more.

Happy Valentines Day!

Gifts under the Love Tree!

We have a few little packages under the "Love Tree"!

They won't be there for long though, the girls have their dance lessons today and we will deliver the goodies to their teachers for Valentines Day.  I decided to make up a batch of Angelica's kettle corn and top them off with a little flower from Skip to my Lou.

Pretty quick and easy little gift for teachers...yummy too! 

Tribe Talk

Happy Monday ya'll!  I was over visiting my friend Gay at It's a Hodgepodge Life, and she's having a little party!  She's having some "Tribe Talk"!  She invited me to come over and bring along some of my new found bloggy friends!  I have been having so much fun reading all of the comments from everyone.  This is such a new thing for me.  I started blogging for out of town family.  I wanted them to be able to see new photos of my girls all the time and show off some of my crafty stuff to friends without having to haul them around everywhere with me!  Last month I joined up with SITS and also The Texas Blogging Gals, and now I have "met" so many cool people.  So, if you haven't met them, here are a few that I read regularly, and I hear from them in my comments section as well.  So thanks for the bloggy love ladies!

The Mommyologist

Things I Can't Say

Humes, Party of Three

Wonder Woman Wannabe

The Girl Next Door Grows Up

South of Sheridan

and don't forget to visit Gay!

I wouldn't be a good bloggy friend if I didn't let you in on a cool giveaway!  Head over to Tatertots and Jello for a $50 gift certificate to Madison Reece Designs!

Tomorrow, I will be back with an idea for teacher's Valentines!  Simple ones at that!  See you then!

Feel Good Friday

I am a little late in the day for this post, but I love the idea!  So I am linking up with The Girl Next Door Grows Up for Feel Good Friday!

Overall I have had a pretty good week.  Monday I started out a little bit in a funk, but I think we all do that when we have a little sickie in the house.

Here are 5 of the things that have made me happy this week:

1.  On Monday night, I made a Mahi Mahi with citrus sauce.  My husband said it was the best fish he ever ate.  That man is so sweet, I could feed him hot dog food and he'd say it was delicious!  I got me a real keeper!

2.  Thanks to that keeper of mine, I got to go grocery shopping ALL BY MYSELF!

3.  My little boo boo is feeling well enough to twirl around in the new skirt I made her.

4.  My older daughter decided she wanted to show our dog in a (home based) dog show.  I think they won.  But I am not so sure the dog will participate again!

5.  I am happy that I have two sweet assistants for baking brownies on a Friday afternoon!

Another reason my husband is a HOT TAMALE

Have you ever heard the old joke where the punch line says something like, a man is really sexy when he's in the kitchen,

with a broom!

Well, yes, I do think that's sexy!  How about you?  I hate to sweep...or mop for that matter.  I don't often find my husband in the kitchen with a broom though.  He is a very neat person.  Sometimes, it makes me nuts!  We don't have any rugs that have the fringe on the end.  He'd be straightening the fringe and taking his scissors to it to make sure they were all even.  My mom says she feels sorry for him! 

Well, I told you he stayed home from work on Monday.  When I came back from grocery shopping, I didn't know where he was.  The kids were hanging out in the living room and it took me about 3 or 4 times of asking where daddy was to get an answer.  "He's in my room with the chalk."  my oldest finally tells me.

As I go around the corner in the hallway, I spot a few big trash bags full of trash.  Then I walk into the my oldest's bedroom to find this:

(insert angels singing here)

I should have gotten a close up of how neat and clean the chalk tray is!

It all began in the closet here, which was a complete disaster area.  And he got on a roll and finished the whole room.  The bedroom part really was not bad, but he made it fabulous.  I did dig a few things out of the trash, like some Build a Bear clothes, but I am trying not to think about what else was in the bottom of those bags that the trash man took away!

Of course, I have no before photos for comparison, but, trust me, the singing angels are in order!

Isn't he cute? 

He's good at Wii bowling too.

Does your guy clean?

Passing along the Sunshine!

I met a sweet new friend named Gay who sent me this:

Isn't it lovely?  I sure think so.  Especially since the weather man says it should be raining around here for the next 2 days!

So along with this comes some responsibilities.  I am supposed to:

1.  Put the logo in my post or within my blog.

2.  Pass the award onto 12 fellow bloggers.

3. Link the nominees within my post.

4.  Let the nominees know they have received this award  by leaving a comment on their blogs.

5.  Share the love and link to the person who gave you the award!

Thank you Gay!  Go check her out at It's a Hodgepodge Life!

I am just really beginning to kind of form a tribe.  Here are some of the blogs that I enjoy reading.  Some I can really relate to in many ways and some just really make me smile!   Maybe you will too!

(I understand that some may be such blogging superstars that they may not be able to fulfill all of the obligations stated above.  If that is the case, just know that I wanted to spread the sunshine and I love to read your blog!)

1. Kelly at Home and Apparel Trends for the Frugal Fashionista

2.  Angelica at Tygrlilies

3. Melody at 6 Feet Over

4. Sasha at Lemonade Makin' Mama

5.  Stacey at Living by Faith, Hope and Love

6.  Mrs. Montoya at One Foot in Front of the Other

7.  Crystal at Balanced Moms

8.  Freddae' at Coffee, God and Me

9.  Chrissie Grace at In His Grace

10.  The Mommyologist

Have a sunny day! 

Apparently, I accomplished a lot today

It was hard to get out of bed today.  I went to bed last night all gung ho about how productive I was going to be this week.  Well, I got up and my husband decided to take the day off.  I had a dr's appointment and needed to get my grocery shopping done.  Well, my 3 year old woke up with bad cold symptoms and a low grade fever, so the day's plans were changed.

I cancelled my appointment, but not without a scolding from the lady at the dr's office for not giving 24 hours notice.  Then I made an appointment for the little one.  I was really in a funk, but said some prayers to try and let it all go and remember how blessed I am.

I head out by myself to the grocery store.  That is no small blessing in itself!  I am strolling along through the store and spot a couple in one of the aisles doing their shopping together.  The lady is in her pajamas!  Now, I have seen this before, but usually it's a 15 year old, not a lady in her 30's sporting a pair of high top tennis shoes with her jammies!!

So, I bring home the food, get it all put away and feed the kids some lunch.  I pack up my little girlie, after having gotten her dressed and washed up, and head off to the pedi's office.  As we are leaving, I see a man carrying a baby into the office, followed by his wife and another two kids.  Well, guess what?  He was wearing his pajamas!

Did I miss the memo?  Was it pajama day? 

So, then I am driving home and it's like 3:30 in the afternoon.  I see a man out checking his mail.  Yeah, you guessed it, he was in his pajamas.

You see, if I didn't do anything else today, I figure I accomplished a lot today.

I got dressed.

How do you feel about wearing pj's in public?