21 days & 9

The other day I was on house of 3 looking for some last minute ideas to put together a little sign for my daughter's 9th birthday.

I came across the kit for the 21 day challenge and I thought, I so need this!

I don't know about you, but I struggle with motivation

especially this time of year so I need all the help I can get to get things in gear.

I think the challenge started last week, but I started Monday.

My 3 goals are simple...but I've been having a hard time doing them on a regular basis (or at all).

1. Read my Bible at least 5 times a week

I'm so embarrassed to admit I don't do this but I don't.

I've learned if I don't make something priority in my life (or put it on a list) it doesn't get done. Sad but true.

2. Exercise at least 3 times a week

Since we moved I haven't been exercising and I need to...badly.

3. Unpack the rest of the house

The upstairs is unpacked...the downstairs not so much. There's a lot of sorting that needs to go on down there...

4. Create! Something, anything at least once a week.

I enjoy trying to be crafty but just random crafting doesn't usually make it on the to do list. So I'm putting it on there.

My newly 9 year old.

It's all going too fast.

And I couldn't not include a halloween pic even though that was almost 2 weeks ago!

My hubby got home safely from Uruguay. He had an amazing time (of course). We obviously survived without him although it got a little dicey towards the end. :)

Happy Fall!

xo

whirlwind

(at the pumpkin patch before daddy leaves)

It's hard to believe we're over halfway through October.

There are still boxes waited to be unpacked

most of them are hiding out downstairs now.

I have a few spooky decorations to make my 5 year old happy

I should probably put them up soon

It feels like the busy season has started early this year.

There was the busyness of moving

Monday hubby left for Uruguay

He'll be back in time for Halloween

and then we'll have a birthday party (I still have to plan),

Thanksgiving,

another batch of birthdays (more planning),

Christmas (eek!),

one more birthday

and then New Years.

It's crazy, but I love it. I love being with family and friends.

Even if it sometimes makes me feel like this. :)

(I told him to smile!)

I'm really trying to slow down a little

and savor some moments...

I have to remind myself

otherwise I'm onto the next thing.

Anyway...I'm a little scattered right now (if you couldn't tell).

But am currently enjoying the peace and quiet of 4 kids in bed (although it's a little lonely)...

catching up on blogs...

trying not to think too hard about the busyness of tomorrow

or the new to me noises our house makes...

I'll have to post a little etsy love soon.

I've been spending a little too much time there. :)

And if you haven't already, you need to go to Jeanne's etsy shop.

Her new collection, The French Brocante, is amazing!

xo

So...

I'd planned to find a more recent and better picture off my camera...I'm not sure of what...but now I can't find it.

It's the story of my life right now...

Here's my living room, soon after we got our keys.

I know...not a good picture at all...but it's kind of mandatory to have a picture when you post right? ;)

Moving was crazy.

I've been cleaning like a madwoman.

And now I'm supposed to be unpacking.

We're settling in. It's still surreal...we're feeling blessed.

I haven't decorated anything.

I haven't figured out how to keep my wood floors clean (there's a secret right?)

And my kids won't stop making messes long enough for me to make a significant dent in anything...

did I mention I'm trying to homeschool?

Things are crazy. God is good.

My life in a nutshell.

xo

we're homeowners!

It's still sinking in, but as of Monday we became the proud owners of our very own home.

It's definitely been a journey.

We've been on opposite sides of the spectrum.

When I wanted to buy, he didn't

and when he decided we should buy

I decided I was pretty happy with renting.

Towards the end of April, my husband emailed me the listing for this house.

I agreed to take a look and afterwards agreed we should make an offer.

It's been a long process. Lots and lots of waiting.

A lot of praying and just trusting that if this was the house for us

God was going to work it all out.

In August, when we left Kauai, I was a mess.

I don't know why I felt so hopeless...

the past almost two years were so draining.

Maybe it felt like the fun was over and it was back to reality.

As we drove away from my Aunt and Uncle's, it started raining.

And then the beginnings of a rainbow faintly appeared through the gray.

God reminded me to trust him. Everything was going to be okay. It's one of the few moments in my life where I know he spoke to me.

So that's what I've been doing...trusting.

And here we are!

We've both seen God's hand in every step of the process.

It's exciting and overwhelming.

A new chapter in our lives.

There's so much to do.

Lots of to do lists

Lots of packing

Lots of I have no idea what I'm doing.

I've already found myself having to remind myself that God never gives us more than we can handle.

And God is continually confirming that I'm where I'm supposed to be. :)

We're where we're supposed to be.

That must be the theme for this month.

Amazing how God works.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

~Hebrews 10:23

Keep holding tight to those promises girlfriends, God is faithful.

xo

i'm where i'm supposed to be

I know Summer isn't really over but with school and everything else starting it feels like it.

Yesterday was our first day of school.

This will be my first year homeschooling 3 of the kids.

It was a good start. I felt like I could do it. I felt like I'd made the right decision.

We're going through some changes.

one more busy little person to homeschool

my baby going off to preschool

getting to ready to hopefully move in the midst of it all

I've cut back for awhile in where I invest my time at church.

I'd planned on cutting back my time with Mothers of Preschoolers.

I've been going for around 6 years now. A table leader for 2 of them.

I'm no longer a "new" mom. (although I still feel it sometimes)

I planned on going "just" as a mom, with the freedom of missing a meeting here and there if I needed to.

And then God put on my heart I needed to do more than that...so I'm a table leader again.

I'm so glad I followed what he said.

You know when you think you're going to be blessing people and forget that you are also going to be blessed? probably more so?

Moms, obviously, are close to my heart.

When I first became a mom, almost 9 years ago now, I thought I was joining a sisterhood.

How silly I know!

What I found was that other mom's weren't always as friendly as I'd assumed.

It was almost like high school all over again.

It was painful and lonely.

I thought somehow just naturally the bond of motherhood would make us all friends.

We'd all encourage other.

I wasn't prepared for any sort of competition,

for hurtful words.

Motherhood wasn't quite what I'd expected. :)

Thank God for the mom friends I did make.

I realized I wasn't alone.

I know every mom's experience is different.

We all have different personalities and situations.

I'm just looking forward to being there for other women,

hopefully making them feel loved

and not so alone.

A fave summer quote for those of us who are so sad to see it go. :)

There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~Celia Thaxter

xo

memories

If there weren't the pictures to prove it,

I'd have a hard time believing just 2 weeks ago we were soaking up the sunshine, enjoying family, at the beach or pool daily...

Now our tans are already fading, the laundry keeps piling up, the house needs to be cleaned.

How does reality find us?

When I was in Hawaii last April I remember seeing two little boys playing on the beach and wishing my boys could do the same. Here they are!

I still have a hard time believing we all got to go. We are so blessed.

My sweet girls.

I have so much more to post...

Things are just the usually crazy here.

I'm hoping to have some exciting news to share soon. :)

Hope everyone's having a great summer!

xo

after the storm

We're in Kauai!

If you've read my blog for awhile you know how much this place means to me, how much I love it...I'm so home here.

On the plane ride here my daughter said she couldn't believe we were actually going, it felt like a dream! It still does. That all six of us are here is like a miracle. I've imagined us being here so many times and hoped and prayed and now we're all here.

My kids love it...one's a little homesick, but we're all having a great time. We're getting so much love from our family.

I keep thinking I could live here!

Over my sweet boy's shoulder is the church where my cousin is getting married!

My family has been going through a season of loss.

I've talked about losing my mom, my grandpa less than a year later, and in April we lost my uncle. So to be together in happy times, to celebrate, is such a treasure!

I know I won't take these times for granted any more.

I'm really hoping, believing that this is a turning point for us.

Not that life's going to be a breeze, but that there will be more to celebrate with each other.

I feel like God keeps reminding me that life has seasons, and sometimes you just have to keep hanging in there, hoping and trusting. :)

xo