Reflections on The Easter Weekend...

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Ours was a great mix of relaxing and productive, with a touch of stress thrown in for good measure. I was so in the right mindset for Maundy Thursday this year. It was probably the highlight of my weekend spiritually. The service was excellent, Oscar did great in the nursery and Jerry and I had a really nice time reflecting and praying together. Logistically, everything went well, which meant I could stay focused. I hate that I tend to be so easily distracted, but when you spend your life in a worship band, or as a Pastor's daughter, you tend to notice the details. I have become better at tuning them out, but not always. Thursday night, it wasn't necessary at all. Great job everyone!

Friday was nice because Jerry got to come home early, so we had some extra family time. Oscar LOVES his dada and follows him around wherever he goes. We also got Butler shirts for the Final Four from Jerry's dad because his wife teaches at Butler and they live in Indy! Needless to say, we were pretty happy on Saturday, despite the fact that we live 30 min from Duke.

We had a great family day on Saturday, starting with my trip to the Farmer's Market and then Raleigh Easter. That event was PACKED so a few of us decided to do an impromptu egg hunt elsewhere. Oscar loved finding the eggs and we had a great time hanging out and letting our kids run around. Jerry and Oscar watched the Butler game Saturday night and I did some reading.

Then came Sunday. AHHH Easter Sunday! The big celebration! I have to admit that somehow, on the tails of an awesome weekend, Sunday just sort of fell apart for me. Oscar had an awful time in the nursery and I missed half the service. I always get so stressed out when he has a hard time. I know it's a phase that he will grow out of. But I feel like just when he has a good time and I think we are through it, the next visit is 3 times worse. And for some reason, this is one issue that I just can't roll with. Amy came to church with us, which was nice. Then we all came home and had lunch. The afternoon/evening were pretty good, but Oscar had a hard time going to bed for some reason. I jumped ship to get some groceries and came home to a nice quiet house. Thanks Jerry! All was well after some ice cream :-).

Looking back, it's not like yesterday was so bad. I think it was just less than my anticipation. I tend to do that. I wanted it to be a fun and spiritually high mountaintop kind of day, and instead it was a run of the mill - in the trenches kind. We ended the evening with a really great conversation about trusting God and the understanding that He gets it all. We don't own anything, nor are we guaranteed flowers and fairydust. God is God of the exciting and the mundane and He can teach in any situation.

I really feel like the weekend came full circle. I think this Easter was different for me. It was far more reflective than usual, yet less emotionally stirring. I don't mind that. I am so thankful for my family and friends. I know that we are truly blessed.

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Happy Easter!

I hope you all have a blessed day! And a little chocolate never hurts ;-)

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Oscar's First Christmas!

Well THIS post has been a long time coming. I didn't just want to throw in Oscar's first Christmas in with the Roan Mountain recap, but now here we are 2 weeks before his first birthday and I STILL haven't done it! Ok so here we go!

We had a blast with Oscar at Christmas! He turned 11 months on the 26th so he was really a great age for the whole thing. We showed him how to open presents and he loved it! He spent the requisite amount of time playing with the paper and boxes before realizing that there were awesome toys inside!

He had 2 different present-openings. One at home before our trip with Monica and Ashley and one in the mountains with my family. They were both so much fun! This year it was more about our anticipation because of his inability to really know what was going on, but I look forward to the coming years and family traditions!

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The Endless Vacation....

Jerry was able to save up a lot of vacation and take a giant 2-week chunk of time off over the holidays. That means we have been in vacation mode for quite a while now! He goes back to work on Monday and I will have to figure out how to take care of Oscar all by myself again. No more trading sleep-in days!

It really has been wonderful though. We were able to spend an amazing week in the mountains with family and friends and even have a few days at home to just chill out and relax. Yesterday we took Oscar to Marbles and Jerry went for the first time. We got a membership for Christmas (thanks Aunt Monica!) and I know this will be the first of MANY visits this year.

Overall, this vacation has made me so thankful. It's always fun to go on a trip, but having these few extra days at home together has made all the difference for me. We have been able to really enjoy each other and take some time to talk about this year and what we want and don't want. We are reworking the old budget and planning to buy a car. Oscar's first birthday is at the end of this month. We have projects to work on around the house. It's going to be a good year. I can feel it.

When we were in the mountains, Jerry finally got to meet what I like to call my extended family, aka The Raymonds. He really loved them and I am pretty sure the feeling was mutual. I had a blast watching some of my favorite people get to know each other and laugh and carry on. We played games, played in the snow, stayed up late talking and laughing. It was the best. Oscar had a blast too. He LOVES his Grampa and Grammy and all his cousins. He slept great and played hard. Below are some of my favorite pics from the trip. It was so hard to choose but these highlight the spirit of love and family that was oozing out of each one of us. Enjoy!

 

 

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We're Back from the Mountains!

I have to say that I feel like I've been in La-La land. A magical place with no cell-phone towers, tv, internet or video games. It. was. heaven. I spent much needed quality time with my family, great friends and all of our children. I am overcome with gratitude for the many blessings that I so often take for granted.

Oscar had an amazing time and once again impressed us all with his amazing ability to adapt. We loved sharing a room with him and while he slept in the pack-n-play most of the time, we enjoyed our morning snuggles immensely. And we even had a couple mornings that started with a gentle tap-tap-tap from Grammy asking if she could take Oscar so we could sleep in. Yes, I said ASKING.

I just don't even know where to begin. In a way the trip was so fast-paced and fun because there were people everywhere. But at the same time, we had a wonderfully relaxing vacation. Memories are rushing through my brain at a rapid pace and all I can focus in on are images of laughter, rest and love. I know once I have a chance to regroup I will be able to write more. But for now, I think that sounds like a pretty great Christmas.

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What Blog??

Goodness I have been busy! Jerry is off work this week and while one might think that would make me less busy, it is quite the opposite! We've been having a great time sharing our days with Daddy. Yesterday we went to the mall and today we had a mini-Christmas at home. We're getting all ready for our Semi-Annual Mountain Trip and I. CAN'T. WAIT.

We let Oscar open his gifts from faraway family and from us this morning and he had a blast! I know that Christmas morning he will know EXACTLY what to do :-) I hope everyone is enjoying this Christmas week and I look forward to posting my reflections once I get a chance to be still, enjoy the snow and porch rockers and dwell on the beauty of God's creation. Until then!

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Santa!!! Santa's Coming! I KNOW HIM!!!

I hadn't planned to get a picture with Santa but today was just the perfect storm of events so we took the plunge! Oscar and I went to the mall in search of adventure and pajamas, what else? Once there, he was absolutely fascinated with Santa workshop and the big giant reindeer. We circled it a few times on our way to various stores, but noticed that there was NO line. Oscar also happened to look pretty festive in a red striped jumper so I decided to go for it. He didn't seem to care much about Santa but kept pointing at different things all around trying to touch them. I stood behind the camera and helped get him to smile. It was fun and awkward to do all my "noises" in front of strangers. But mostly fun.

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Handmade Stockings

Just in time for Christmas! Jerry and I have never had matching Christmas stockings. It's just one of those things we always forgot about until Christmas. And then we would immediately forget again for another year. This year, with my holiday antennae on high alert because it's Oscar's first Christmas, I decided we needed family stockings! I started to look around in a few stores but they aren't cheap. At least the ones I like aren't :-). So I decided to make some!

I scoured the internet for patterns and ideas and decided it looked simple enough. I had a lone stocking from years past that I used to trace the pattern and decided to add some embellishments. It was VERY simple! So easy that you still have time to whip some up for yourself. Read on for the how to.

Step 1 - Go Thrifting

I decided to use men's cotton shirts to make our stockings. They don't stretch but I am still a bit of a beginner and stretchy fabric is harder to sew (at least for me). I found 3 plaid shirts for a total of $8. This was more than enough for our 3 family stockings plus one for Krusty!

Step 2 - Make a Pattern

Like I said, I just traced an old stocking for the pattern, but really, you could probably freehand this. I also drew the cuff and patches and then cut them all out of poster board. I like using poster board instead of paper because it's easier to trace.

Step 3 - Cut your fabric

I decided to make 3 stockings using different contrasting colors. Get creative. This is the part where you make it your own! Don't forget to cut the mirror image of the stocking for the back - you want the right sides to match up hehe.

Step 4 - Attach patches/cuff

On the front side of the stocking, I used fusible bonding web to iron on the patches and cuff. I didn't use alot, just enough to make it stick. The point of this is to keep the patches in place for sewing. Are you seeing a pattern here? i'm ALL about the ease....

Step 5 - Sew Patches

I used a zig-zag stitch directly over the part where the 2 pieces come together. This hides the unfinished edge and gives a fun little decorative touch. Contrasting thread is really fun here!

Step 6 - Join Front/back

Again I used a contrasting color for the backs of the stockings. You want to lay the two pieces flat - right sides together - and stitch along the edge ( I gave about a 1/4 inch seam allowance). leave the top open. Before you turn it right side out, fold the unfinished edges of the top over and sew along the inside, attach ribbon loop to heel side of opening.

Step 7 - Turn right side out and Press

All done - Tada!

I still plan to add our names to each stocking but that is going to take some more cutting and stitching. I haven't decided exactly how I want to do it yet either. Anyway, this was so much fun and SO easy. I promise. I made all 4 stockings in under 3 hours! Happy Sewing!

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The Untree Tree

This year, Jerry and I decided not to get a Christmas tree. We went around and around about whether to get a real one, fake one, when to go, how much to spend etc. But the bottom line was, we were gone the week of Thanksgiving, I was sick last week and we are going to the Mountains for Christmas where we will have a real tree in our cabin. It just didn't make a whole lot of sense to shell out good money for a couple weeks so we decided to skip it.

Of course, me being stuck at the house all week and staring at the empty space where there COULD be a tree, I decided to improvise! I got some ghetto fabulous silver garland at Target and decided I could do SOMETHING with it. I have to say I am loving the result! I call it the Untree Tree. It feels very Ralphie Parker to me and besides, now we have a baby friendly tree and a place for gifts when we open them before leaving on our trip! Win!

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12 Hours of sleep does a body good!

First off, I just want to thank you all for the well wishes the past couple days. I have been under the weather and decided to go to bed last night just after Oscar did. As in, 7:45pm. I then proceeded to sleep for 12 hours! And what a sweet sweet sleep it was. Just what the Dr. ordered. I am still taking it easy, but to say I feel much better would be a gross understatement!

I don't get sick very often, and for that I am thankful. But when I do, it takes me DOWN. I just can't handle it. This is the first time I have been sick since I had Oscar and it was HARD. I had zero patience and could barely keep my eyes open. Thankfully, I have an amazing husband who was able to work from home in the afternoon so I could lie down for a bit. PUBLIC HIGH FIVE, BABY! You rock.

In other news, we still need to get a Christmas tree,  finish the outside lights, and to turn our pumpkin into Orange Santa (ala Marty). Other than that, our house is Christmas central! Music is going, nativity is up and I have already baked some muffins. Cookies soon to come....

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Rwandan Basket Giveaway - Winner!

I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving! I had a wonderful time in Alabama and will be posting about our trip soon. In the meantime, we have a winner for the beautiful handmade basket from Rwanda! Congratulations to commenter #1, Sarah C. from MamaLovesBooks! You have 48 hours to respond to my email with your mailing address. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks to all who entered! If you haven't already, enter to win the 16x20 Canvas print! Contest ends tonight to get going!

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A Week of Thanksgiving: My Husband

There are a few things I know about God. I know that He is faithful, I know that He loves me, and I know that He cares about the little things. I also know that he handpicked my husband just for me.

I don't know a lot about destiny or fate or divine intervention, but I do know that God worked in my life and helped me make the decisions that led me to meeting Jerry. In 2005, I was completely set on moving to New York City. I had an apartment lined up, I was interviewing for a great job, and I was ready to leave my home and all that was behind me just like that. Behind me. To make a very long story short, I lost my peace about this decision, exactly 6 days before I was to drive away. I took the for sale sign off my car, begged my landlord and my boss to reconsider my leaving and unpacked my boxes. I had no idea why.

A couple weeks later, I met Jerry. We casually talked and emailed over the next few months. We were in the worship band together at Vintage. I was not in a great place at the time spiritually and he really inspired me. I would say, "if I could just get my act together, I would hope I could get a guy like that to date me". Little did I know that he was already thinking of ways to ask me out! That Christmas before our respective vacations, we went on our first date. It was the best date I have ever had. I went to the mountains for a week telling my family and friends that I was so excited because there would be a 2nd date! Four years later, we will be going to the mountains as husband and wife, and as mommy and daddy to our amazing Oscar.

I know this about God. He led me to make the decisions that led me to Jerry. I am thankful that I learned about finding my peace and following it. I can't imagine where my life would be if I had moved. This man is my rock. He is an amazing husband and father. He is my best friend and the one person who gets me. He drives me crazy and I, him. But crazy with him is infinitely better than sane without. He is my lobster. And I love him. And for that I am so very very thankful.

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A Week of Thanksgiving: My Son

Yesterday was Oscar's very first Thanksgiving. We spent the day with family and played and took naps and took lots of pictures. He ate turkey and stuffing, scoffed at mashed potatoes and cranberries and gobbled up pumpkin pie. He played ball (and said ball) and watched Daddy play rough with the big kids. Everyone commented on how happy he is. And it's so true! We couldn't have asked for a more wonderful child.

Oscar is very good natured and we are certainly thankful for that! But more than anything we love who he is. The child that God created for us. At 10 months old he is already very much his own person. They say that once you have kids you don't remember life without them. I can see how there is some truth to that statement. Being a mother is constantly changing me. It points out the parts of me that are completely selfish. Motherhood is the hardest and most rewarding job I have ever had. I love my baby boy! I know that I am learning more about love than I ever though possible and how I would do anything for my family. For my child. Oscar makes me laugh every day. Watching him learn and grow has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I am truly blessed and SO thankful!

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A Week of Thanksgiving: My Family

 

I don't thank my family enough for all of the ways they have loved on me throughout my life. I am the youngest child and while that comes with many benefits, I was always the last one to do everything. However, despite age and lifestyle differences, my two older sisters have always counted me a friend (well at least once I stopped stealing their swiss cake rolls and trying on all their clothes when they weren't home). I am especially in awe of their brilliance knowing that they have raised 5 children between them. Now that I have a son and hope to have more, I have a deeper respect for the position of "mom". I know that it only gets better with age. I value my sisters' opinions and am constantly asking advice during the ups and downs of my days. They laugh when I laugh and cry with me when I cry. I can only hope that I am able to return the favor when needed. My brother-in-law Dean has been an awesome example to look up to as well. Technically he is an in-law, but since I was 12 when he married my sister, he totally counts as my brother. I have always admired his drive and faithfulness to his family. He gets it done and is truly a great example.

My parents are truly one of a kind. Not only have they been married for more than 40 years, they have been faithful to each other, to their children and to God. My Dad has been a Pastor for my whole life and the number of people's lives that my parents have touched is seemingly limitless. I am always "Les' daughter" because his reputation precedes him, and me apparently! My mother is a rock and THE perfect example of the Proverbs 31 woman. No matter what our financial situation, she always made sure we had a great time. I am so fortunate to have my parents living near by. I know that most people don't share this amazing blessing and I don't want to take it for granted!

I also want to say how amazing my inlaws are. Seriously, another thing I understand is not the norm. Jerry has an amazing family that has welcomed me in like I have been there all along. I am so thankful for their willingness to embrace me as part of the family. Every time we visit or spend time together, I feel completely at home. It is truly a blessing.

So, thanks family! I love you!

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A Week of Thanksgiving: My Community

Today I want to take some time and express how thankful I am for my community. Friends I have had my entire life,  my church family, people I have never met in person. It takes a village. Or in my case, a metropolis!

I am unbelievably fortunate to have an army of caring friends surrounding me, supporting me and keeping me on the right path. I have friends who make me laugh, who let me cry, and who slap me in the face with truth when I am being ridiculous. My community group is one of the most amazing groups of people I have ever known, always willing to help another. I have grown so much with these folks and thank them for their willingness to do life with me.

Sometimes it's really hard to get out there. I don't think I am alone in feeling very secluded at times. Even though I try to stay connected, I often feel like an outsider. It's hard to meet new people or make friends. Even for an extrovert like me. Getting past surface chatter can be really difficult. Thankfully, my friends meet me in the middle. We give and we take and it's a beautiful blessing. I know that I have so much to learn from you and I hope to be a better friend starting with acknowledging how much you all mean to me. So thank you!

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A Week of Thanksgiving: My Church

To start out my week of thanks, I thought it would be appropriate to thank my Church. I am a Christian and I have always been a part of a church community, but this church is something really special.

Vintage 21, in Dowtown Raleigh was founded several years ago in the auditorium of a Middle School with only a handful of people. I found the church through an ad in a Magazine a few months later when they had moved to downtown. I don't know why I felt drawn there, other than to say God was leading me. I began going to a community group and soon after found myself wanting to become a member.

The thing about Vintage was that anyone could come as they are. At the time, I was really suffering from a lot of poor decisions on my part and trying to find out if I even wanted to seek God. I was able to do this at Vintage without feeling any pressure or guilt. I am so thankful for the leaders for making Vintage a supportive and inviting place for me. As followers of Jesus, the men and women who work so hard for this church have really set the bar high. I know that being a part of this church has been a huge part of what has solidified my adult decision to follow Jesus.

Years later, I met the man who would become my husband while playing in the Vintage Worship Band. The church is much larger now, and the faces I recognize are fewer. But the welcoming, non-judgmental environment for seeking the Lord is alive and well. I love my church and I am so thankful to have found a real home there!

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A Week of Thanksgiving: Giveaway!

Are you ready for more free stuff? Uprinting has been so generous to me that they are offering another giveaway through LargeFormatPosters.com! This week I am happy to offer one lucky reader a 16x20 Rolled Canvas Print! Rolled canvas prints are perfect for home decor, photo prints and signage. Honestly, there are a million directions you could go with this! As always please feel free to check out Uprinting Reviews on their site.

 

Here are the details:

Giveaway Prize: (1) Rolled Canvas for One Lucky Winner

Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping in the US

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents 

So how can you win?

***Leave me a comment with your favorite thanksgiving treat! ***
 
How about some extra entries? 

• Follow this blog
• Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest - sample: RT @Lilkidthings: @Uprinting is giving away a 16x20 Rolled Canvas Print on Lilkidthings.com!
• Follow me on Facebook

Just be sure to leave another comment for each thing you do so it gets counted! And as always, if your post is anonymous, make sure I have an email address to reach you in case you win!

Contest ends on November 30, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. All comments after that time will not count as entries. Winner will be drawn from the comments, using random.org and will be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to notification with their mailing address. If no response is received, a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to residents of U.S. only. For my participation, I will also receive a rolled canvas print. 

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A Week of Thanksgiving!

This week, I have decided to devote each day to a different aspect of Thankfulness. Every year, as we would sit down to Thanksgiving Dinner, my Dad would go around the table and ask each one of us what we were thankful for. Every year, I knew it was coming yet I would always freeze up when it was my turn. Surely there must be SOMETHING I am thankful for....and I would usually say, well I am thankful for my family and my friends and um...yeah. Next!

I always felt like this was a cop-out answer and now that I am older and (hopefully) a little wiser, I would like to really take my time and acknowledge who and what I am thankful for this year. So, on this blog each day there will be a new post of Thanksgiving! Please comment with your own thankful thoughts. And if you feel so inspired to do your own blog post, feel free to grab the Week of Thanksgiving button for your blog and spread the word! Don't forget to come back here and link us to your post! We'll kick off the week with a fun giveaway so be sure to check in tomorrow! Happy Thanksgiving!

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Celebrate Thanksgiving with a Rwandan Basket Giveaway!

Ya'll I have an amazing giveaway to share with you. I am so excited about this one that I have been putting it off because I want to make sure to do it justice. I have been fortunate enough to be included in Rwanda Path for Peace project headed up by The BlogRollers! This project really is amazing. Rwandan women are supporting their families with the sales of handwoven baskets, jewelry and textiles. They are creating beautiful goods that are sold in a fair manner so the profits reach the artisans instead of lining the many deep pockets between here and Rwanda. The Fair Winds Trading Company and Macy's are partnering with these extraordinary women to sell the baskets and other items including the O bracelet that was recently featured in Oprah's O Magazine. They have done an incredible job in aiding these women. You can purchase their creations at Macy's, but today I have a hand made basket to GIVE to one of my readers!!!

As I said earlier this week, it seems like either we are all more thankful or more vocal about our thanks this year compared to the past. Maybe I am just paying closer attention. With the status of the world today, it is so important to appreciate the blessings that surround us. At no given time are we guaranteed success of any kind and sharing with, encouraging and supporting each other are more important than ever. I think these baskets are beautiful and I love the message they contain. Imagine, women working together to support each other instead of tearing them down; creating beauty and passing it on to benefit many instead of just themselves. I am honored that I get to be a part if it and share a basket with you!

So how can you win? 
Leave me a comment telling me how another woman has supported you.(even if you are a man, let's celebrate the ladies!)

How about some extra entries? (Only valid after first entry is completed)

• Follow this blog
  
• Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest - sample: RT @AndreaUpdyke is giving away a hand made Rwandan Basket! http://bit.ly/tfciU
  
• Follow me on Facebook

If you are already a follower in any of these ways, just leave a comment letting me know! Remember to leave a separate comment for each thing you do so it gets counted! And as always, if your post is anonymous, make sure I have an email address to reach you in case you win!


Contest ends on November 26, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. All comments after that time will not count as entries. Winner will be drawn from the comments, using random.org and will be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to notification with their mailing address. If no response is received, a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to residents of U.S. only. For my participation I will be provided with a basket, apron and linens.

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Giveaway! The Gift of Thanks!

Man I am SO excited about Thanksgiving this year! It seems like everyone around me is getting into the spirit of giving thanks in so many ways. I've got a few fun things planned this week and next all centering around Thanksgiving. And what better way to kick it off than with some Thank-You cards?

DigitalRoom.com has offered to give away 50 custom Thank-You cards to one lucky reader of Lil-Kid-Things! I am seriously jazzed about this giveaway because with the Holidays approaching, thank-you cards will surely be something we could all use! They are also giving me a set and I am already thinking of ways to design them. I love that they are customizable! How cool is that? I haven't used this company yet, but I have read good things about the quality of their product and customer service so I am looking forward to working with them. That said, on with the giveaway!

Here are the details:

The Prize: (50 ct.) 7 x 5" (folded to 3.5 x 5") Custom Thank You Cards with plain envelopes

Shipping: Free UPS Ground within United States

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only.

So how can you win? 

***Just leave me a comment telling me how you would design your Thank-You cards! ***

How about some extra entries? 

• Follow this blog
• Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this contest - sample: RT @Lilkidthings: @Uprinting is giving away 50 Custom Thank-You cards on Lilkidthings.com!
• Follow me on Facebook

Just be sure to leave another comment for each thing you do so it gets counted! And as always, if your post is anonymous, make sure I have an email address to reach you in case you win!

Contest ends on November 20, 2009 at 11:59pm EST. All comments after that time will not count as entries. Winner will be drawn from the comments, using random.org and will be notified by email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to notification with their mailing address. If no response is received, a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway open to residents of U.S. only. 

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