ONE MAN'S TRASH

Do you know what I love most about second hand shopping or as my sister and I call it segunda shopping? I love the mystery of each item.  I love that as far as I know, what I'm looking at could have came from anyone.  I often imagine what the last owner did with it or while wearing it.  I always hope no one died wearing it or while holding whatever it is I'm buying.  Sometimes I even imagine that the owner of the item will one day see me with it and say "hey, that use to be mine!" and then we go to lunch and talk it over and become the best of friends (maybe). I take extreme pleasure hunting at the segundas (thrift stores, for my american friends). What will I find today? What can I get for one dollar?  What can I do with this? 

My sister and I were able to have a 'sister date' on her birthday, I scored a babysitter, well a couple of babysitters, willing to watch all four of our 'little darlings'

    

we easily spent six hours hunting through the store and to be honest we probably could have gone longer had they not closed on us.

 

We both scored some pretty great finds. I even found some tap shoes.  I carried them around the whole time we shopped debating the huge $7 purchase.  My sister told me that some little girl would probably love to find those shoes, I then told her "I am that little girl" and they went home with me.

some things we had to leave behind...

all in all it was a very successful trip, I found a few dresses to repurpose (I'll share later) and a few other little lovelies!  And although we both kid that we could just take off (we are tired mommies) we both made it back to our adorable children that we love very much...oh and the adoring husbands we both have.

  

Today's Reflection:

The things we find at these second hand stores are things that someone no longer wanted.  Items that someone no longer had any use for.  Sometimes we can feel a bit worn out, a bit unwanted.  People may not see the use for us, they may disregard us, throw us off to the side.  Lord, you are a good God, you find use in me continually.  You renew me.  I am no longer worn or unwanted, thanks to you!

"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

-Isaiah 40: 30

MY FAVORITE SISTER

Dear Bridgette,

You are probably one of the best things that has ever happened to me.  I know we joke that if we were not sisters we probably would not be friends, but I think I would still probably facebook stalk you.  We both march to the beat of our own drum and have our own way of doing things, but somehow God has brought us together. He must have known that there would be days that I would need you and days you would need me. I'm now 30 and a mom, I probably outweigh you by at least 50 pounds, I've got easily an inch of height over you but still when I am with you I feel like a little girl hanging with her much cooler older sister.  I believe in you, you inspire me, you are one of the most talented people I know.  You are a free bird and I am a hedgehog or something just amazed by how you take flight.  I feel like God spoiled me by giving me a sister to go through life with, like he said "and on top of that I'm going to give you a best friend." I love you, Happy Birthday! God made you beautiful, he made you just the way you should be and he has big plans for you!

love,

You little sister 

Today's Reflection:

Lord, Thank you for my sister, please keep her safe.  Protect her from the people and things of this world that may try to lead her astray.  Help her to remember that you are her creator and your works are wonerful!  Bless her and everything she does as she becomes everything you have created her to be!

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

-Psalm 139: 13-16

SEWING WITH MOM

I am easily inspired.  I am easily inspired which means I buy fabric and dream of all of the wonderful things it can become. Often I don't have a pattern or really a plan, I just hope for the best. 

My mom on the other hand is seamstress extraordinaire!  Her and I sew together, and most times she could sew whatever it is I'm making in her sleep.  She'll ask "So what are you making" and I'll tell her in which she will reply, "let me just show you real quickly how I would do it."  Today, I decided I needed a maxi skirt.  She of course knew the best way to do it, and I told her "I prefer to learn from my mistakes."  So off I went to make myself the best maxi skirt ever!

Here she is inspecting my work...

 and here she is fixing my disaster... 

(She's smiling because her stubborn daughter is finally listening to her.)

So well, I never made that maxi skirt, my mom did.  But I did make some lovely family headbands out of the scraps!

and for the record, stubbornness runs in the family.  Henry refused to wear his left sock all day because he didn't like it.

Today's Reflection:

Lord, often times I am so busy thinking I know it all that I miss the opportunities to learn. Thank you for the people you bring into my life to teach me.  Help me to stop being so foolish and instead listen and learn.  Let me be open to the advice they can give me and be blessed by it! Forgive me for not appreciating them.

"The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice."

-Proverbs 12: 15

PLAY DAY

I am finding that in an effort to tire out the kids, we sometimes end up tiring out ourselves. Today, was a good day and like many good days with kids, we are all now tired. My kids are so blessed to have cousins their age. I loved growing up with cousins my age! Today we had a play day with cousins, pretty much God's premade crew for my son.

I swear, we did not pose them, this is what happens when we try to pose them...

 

It's so much fun watching them play together, they've been buddies since they were babies and they are a fun bunch.

and soon enough my little Lucia will be in the mix, just one more to chase after.

I know, not much of a post today, but like I said, it was a good day, let's not ruin it with talking. :)

Today's reflection:

Lord, thank you for days like today,

DATE NIGHT

The first time Steve asked me out he asked if I wanted to go thrift store shopping with him. Ten years later, I am still a cheap date and he is still not the most romantic when it comes to planning our dates.  No matter what the date though, I still get excited to just be with him, I still love the way holding his hand feels and I still will change my outfit three times so that I look pretty for him.

I never would have guessed that it would become hard to date my own husband, but since having kids going out has been a challenge.  Some of you may remember it's a resolution for me to go on a date with Steve at least once a month. I have a hard time letting go of the reigns and feel extreme guilt leaving my children, even though they practically push me out the door every time I say goodbye!  I know most of you are much better at this than I am, and I wish I could, but it is my struggle so all I can do is work at it.  I do very much love that man of mine, so I give it an honest try.

This weekend, that honest try worked out and we had a successful date night! Like many years ago, it was still a simple inexpensive date....Movies

and a drive-thru,

but you know what, he could take me to the mail box and I would still try to flirt with him, I would still laugh with him and talk his ear off and of course still hold that giant hand of his. Anytime we can just be Steve & Serena we jump for joy!

(Thanks to Marvin Maldonado for the great photos!)

Today's Reflection:

Lord, I will honor the commitment I made to you and my husband.  Forgive me when I put other things above that commitment, things like my pride, my foolishness, my stubbornness, my selfishness, my own agenda.  Forgive me, and help me to become the wife and woman you created me to be. 

I am meditating on the scripture below, Lord help me live this!

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
-Colossians 3:12-14

IKEA, I LOVE YOU

I love IKEA, I love IKEA and I don't care who knows it. When Steve and I purchased our home, we were younger, newlyweds, childless.  So naive, so young, we had no idea that one day we would need storage, closets, you know somewhere to hide this mess... 

Lately, all I can think about is organization.  Organization for my son's toys, organization for my thoughts, organization for my life.  Anyone else with me here? Instead of daydreaming about pretty dresses and shoes, I'm  currently daydreaming of shelves, boxes, labels.  Sounds like a perfect excuse for an IKEA outing, right? Of course, to start any IKEA trip off right, you must have a little something to eat.

Follow that with a bathroom trip, and we're off, ready to discover all the wonderful possibilities! 

I think Henry loves IKEA just as much as mommy.

And did you know you can now become a part of the IKEA Family? Free coffee each time I visit. Oh IKEA, you had me at 'free'.

I mean, I get butterflies in my stomach just thinking of how lovely you are. You are magical, you inspire me, all you really need is an adorable mascot for me to take a picture with and you would be my Disneyland!

Okay, so maybe I'm going a little overboard, but it is a pretty great place, no?  Hopefully this weekend I will be able to get a little more organized. Hopefully you will get to do something you love, something that brings joy to you.  Have a great weekend my lovely readers!

Today's Reflection:
Lord, without the joy that you bring me, I think I might go crazy!  Thank you for the joy you give me, in the little tasks and the big ones.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones"

-Proverbs 17:22

MY KIDS MOM

I was spending some quality time with my mom the other day (at Joann's of course) and she said something that perplexed me.  She said that some people might think I've got it all together, so when they discover that I'm crazy it might catch them off guard.  I laughed at the idea, because well, I can't even imagine someone looking at me and saying "that girl has got it all together".  Now, just so I don't catch any of you off guard, let me tell you a thing or two about "My kids mom."  That woman is a control freak, she doesn't let her sweet husband cook her dinner because he probably will cook the chicken in a way she doesn't like.  She is incredibly obnoxious, don't play anything competitive with her because she's a sore loser and an even worse winner.  My kids mom is an emotional wreck, incredibly sensitive.  She's always saying things without thinking and let's just face it she's wrong a lot.  She's incredibly passionate, even when she fights.  Her husband is way to good for her and well most of the time she doesn't even realize it. Now here is what she has going for her, she loves a God who accepts her anyway.  She serves a Lord that can make a masterpiece out of this mess.  She knows that when she doesn't have it all together her God is saying "I've got this!"  Lucky her, right? 

Today's Reflection:

Lord, I do not deserve such a loving God, you see me, you know me, you know the things I don't want anyone else to know and yet you still offer me grace and love and forgiveness.   Thank you, I will never deserve it!

"I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

 - Romans 3: 12-1

MAKING TACOS

Do you ever have those a-ha moments? I made tacos last night for dinner.  I'm talking made with love tacos that started hours before dinner time.  I boiled the chicken, pulled it off the bone, then hand pulled it and steamed it.

I made over a dozen taco shells.



 Hand stuffed each one.

 We all work together for these tacos.

Already tired, I thought to myself, why am I making these the hard way, they take so much work! Instantly, I reminded myself, I do it because they come out so goooood this way!  And then, the a-ha moment.

 

Life has been really busy lately, I'm still adjusting to raising two kids.  Just about everything else has been on the back burner. Someone or something always needs to be cleaned, fed, held, played with or just loved. Some days, I'm afraid to go out by myself with them, I have to pump myself up, tell myself "You can do this!" Imagine 'Eye of the tiger' playing in my head. Some mornings I want to pull the covers over my head and call Grandma to babysit (please don't misunderstand, I adore my children). When I thought about that taco and how good it was going to be, the light bulb went off.  These kids, life, can take a lot of work, but it's going to be worth it in the end. I'm in the midst of all of this, I need to remember to look ahead. When I look ahead I am reminded of everything I'm working for.  When I look ahead and remember who I serve, there is peace.

Today's Reflection:

Good one God, using a taco to give me a little peace!  Lord, you know me better than anyone ever could, thank you for your patience with me, I know I don't always get it.  Thank you for what lies ahead.  

BREAKFAST TIME

I am not a breakfast person.  Let me rephrase, I'm not a morning person, which means, I'm very boring when it comes to breakfast.  Don't get me wrong, I love to cook, I can rock a dinner, but breakfast...that's Steve's area.  My son is usually pretty hungry when he wakes up, which means, I have to fake being a breakfast person.  My best friend for faking it is this:

  just add a little water, and shake.

 Pancakes were on the menu this morning, I even tried to make it fun for him, I poured the pancake batter in a squeeze tube, added a little food coloring and made cute shapes.  fun right?

He was not very excited about the idea. This boy just wants those pancakes in his belly...my kind of kid.

I even made him a red Lightning McQueen as he requested, but still he was not too impressed.  We'll have to try it another time, maybe when he's not so hungry, or when Daddy's home, after all, breakfast is his thing.

  

 

Today's Reflection:

I thought my son would be excited about fancy pancakes, he was not, but after we sat down, him at his table, me at mine, he picked up all of his breakfast and brought it to my table to eat with me. We had some fun Mommy & Henry time, we chatted, laughed and even danced. He's got the right idea.  Sometimes things don't go how we imagined them in our head, but that doesn't mean that they can't be even better.

Lord, sometimes I imagine what my life should look like, and when it doesn't quite come out like that I can get a bit disappointed.  You, however always seem to make things better. You have got the right idea.  Thank you, for having better ideas for my life than I do!