My Day was Made...

Today my little guy made my day... He made my bed!

Considering he is only 4, I think he did a bang up job!! 

For those who know me, and for those who don't... I am a professed neat freak (see past evidence and more past evidence)! It just so happens that today I had already planned to continue my cleaning in this part of the house, and I will admit I thought about redoing the bed! 

BUT... I didn't!! 

I decided that neatness and a tidy bedspread was nothing compared to the love and effort that went into this idea he for me!! Plus, I wanted to save it so I could brag on him to Dad when he got home!! 

I think all too often we pass up impromptu moments to give and get love, especially if your days are as jam-packed as ours are!!! So, whether your kiddo brings you a wilted flower, a handful of rocks to keep, yet ANOTHER piece of drawn upon construction paper, or wants to help you do something you usually do alone (like cleaning or cooking) cause it's just easier.... put that dead flower in a pretty vase and display it, show off those silly rocks to your friends and brag on them, hang up that piece of artwork somewhere important, and most of all don't miss out on those little moments when they want to be with you or do something with/for you!!! 

Because believe me, we 'Moms' will turn around twice and those same kiddos will totally think we are so not cool, and roll their eyes at us, while pretending they aren't related to us!!! Time goes fast, and so does our coolness as parents... soak it up now while you are still the coolest person they know!!!! 

:))))

Always - Abbey

Trade Offs

This week slapped me in the face! I have been 2 steps behind, feeling like my days are mixed up and losing time all week ! We started the week off with a school holiday, which always seems like a great idea but then the rest of the week just goes too fast!! I have been behind on laundry, off on my grocery shopping and totally not about cleaning the house... I just can't catch up!!! At times I would find myself getting frustrated and losing my temper because of it!! What is up with that?!!?!?
But in the midst of it all, I  took some time yesterday to upload and looked back through some pictures from our day 'off', and it hit me!! I know exactly why I have been feeling behind, and it makes perfect sense...

I traded my real trip to the grocery store for a trip to the pretend one... and man, did we fill our baskets!

 I traded sorting laundry for learning about insects and dinosaur bones... 

I traded cleaning the tubs and scrubbing the toilets for touching tornados and making things fly...

 I traded sweeping, mopping, and dusting for pretending to be doctors and making funny faces...

 And most of all I traded the need to keep everything nice, clean and tidy... because sometimes it's more fun to get dirty!

Sometimes all it takes is a little reminder to make you realize life is all about trade offs!! There is a reason why I chose to be behind this week, and I am so glad I made that choice!!

Always - Abbey

A day for the record books

To say we had a good Valentine's Day would be an understatement!
I got the idea at the beginning of the month to set out a jar and little pieces of paper for us all to write what we love about each other on throughout the days leading up to Feb. 14th!! I can not tell you how by thinking of one unique and utterly simple thing to do, our family dinner turned into a night to remember!!

First we started with a 'favorites' dinner... Daddy's favorite: Pesto Chicken Puffs, Little Man's favorite: Mummy Dogs, and Big Boy's favorite: BLTs
(Mommy's favorite was the wine ;))

 

Special surprises were waiting at their seat's... 

every boy's favorite: a t-shirt and candy!

Next we toasted our little team of 4 with some fancy drinks...

After dinner the real fun started...

We each took a turn to read a note from the jar... the boys LOVED it!! The smiles on their faces when they heard something about themselves was priceless!!! And a bit goofy too!

Who knew a simple little note, with no more than 6 or 8 words could bring so much laughter and cheer to a Tuesday night dinner!!

Even the dog got excited about the notes...

Needless to say, this will become a Valentine's Day tradition for years to come around the Lewis casa!! It goes to show you... All you need is LOVE!!

Always - Abbey

p.s.
After a fun night, I got the best treat of all,
all to myself...

And yes, I like the fruit cream filled ones!!!!! ;)))

1 Corinthians 13 4-8

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends...

My life thru this scripture...

Sometimes I am not patient, I could always be kinder. I do tend to boast about those that I love, and in hast I can be rude. Some days, I am irritable and I resent when time isn't on my side. I am forever yearning to learn from wrong doings and I do try to see the truth in everyone, but some times I fall short. All of this is in an attempt to bear all things, believe all things, hope and endure all things for my family and friends....

 because I KNOW in my heart love NEVER ends!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Always - Abbey

Simple + Easy + Cheap = Just how I like to craft!!!!

I made this the other day and posted it on Facebook this morning...

Thought I would give a brief tutorial on how to make it since it is so simple, cheap and totally cute!!

First, I bought this little beauty from Goodwill for $1...

Then I bought this cool product for $5.99 at JoAnn Fabric...

I had to pick these little guys up too but they will last me (and my boys) a long time for a lot of various projects... so I don't really factor them into this project's current total ;)) See how my mind works?!

I followed the instructions, putting on the first coat and then letting it dry for an hour before applying the 2nd coat...

Here it is dried...

I then put the 2nd coat on and let it sit for 24 hours. Here it is 24 hours later...

Still a bit streaky to me, so I applied a 3rd thicker coat and let it sit for 24 hours! So, 2 days and this is what you get...

I should have taken a closer pic of the paint all dried but it was all I could stand to hang it and not write on it right away.... so this is all I did before I had to walk away so that I wouldn't bust out the chalk and start writing away!!! LOL :))))))

Always - Abbey

Journaling thru January...

A Crafting Craze has hit Casa de Lewis... and it brought LOVE with it!!!

I got the first 2 ideas off pinterest:

 Love art

Valentine Free Printables 

We are going to write notes to read on Valentine's Day to each other :)) 

I am so excited!!!!

 A personal fav... one of my candles!!

 Rearranged the front entry way...

 Some hanging LOVE above my 'office', aka the kitchen sink!!

Nothing major, but crafting happiness to me!! 

I have one more project up my sleeve... pics to come!!!

Always - Abbey