Who's your hero?

I got a new Cricut cartridge a couple of weeks ago from a friend.  I was really excited to get it because in my house we have an ongoing argument about Superheros. My childhood favorite superhero was Superman but my children love others and their list is long: Spiderman, Batman, etc. win out over Superman.  They can tell you all about why their superheros are better than Superman. But for me Superman will always be the best.

My Cricut friends might have an idea where this is going. So, my friend sent me an email and asked if I had use for the Superman cartridge. I said "yes" faster than my little hands could type. Then I could not wait for a reason to use it.  I got a chance this weekend to play with my cartridge and decided instead of just making a card, I would try my had at a 3D image.  With my wonderful husband's help here is what I made:

Washi Tape

I just discovered this new product, Washi Tape. It is so pretty! I ordered 6 rolls because I am curious how to use it. There are so many styles on website that I had just pick two and go with it. Love the music notes because my kids are music geeks. I know will get a lot of use out of that one but I have a huge wishlist for the future, too.

I like cutetape.com because they have a lot of products to choose from, the website is easy to navigate and they have a blog with ideas, suggestions and other great things for you to learn! 

You can buy it  at www.cutetape.com/shop and their Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/cutetape for more information and inspiration!

Are You Talking About Me?

Why do we especially women take things so personally?  I am the first to admit I do this on a regular basis.  I have been told so many times in my life that I need to grow a thicker skin that I have lost count.  This phenomenon is so common in women that I have seen it in my family, church, and work, on Facebook and on websites.  Someone will make an innocent comment and twist it into something it was not meant to be. Like I said, I embarrassed to say I do this more often than I am happy to admit.  As a forty plus year old woman I need to put on my big girl pants and realize something and maybe you do too,  everything is not about me.  Everything written and uttered is not directed at my children, my family, my lifestyle or even what I just said five minutes ago.  I really think overall this comes from an (yes, I am going to say it) insecurity in women that something we are doing does not measure up to other women.  Are we parenting as well as the other moms? Are our marriages as good as our neighbors? Are our homes as nice?  We need to STOP the madness.  We need to be secure in knowing that we are exactly who we are made to be. That God did not made any mistakes when He created us and know that not everyone is talking about us when they make a simple remark. 

I am going to offer a simple challenge today. Post a comment here if you are willing to try to stop taking things personally that people post online or say in general conversation.  I will send a small "bouquet" of handmade flowers to a one random poster (this is just a sample colors will vary). 

Hug Your Children Today

Over the past few weeks, I have learned about the suicides of several teenagers.  The senseless deaths of these children breaks my heart and makes me hold mine just a little tighter each day.  When I look back at my high school years, we rarely heard of a peer committing suicide although it did happen it seems to happen a lot more often now.  To think that kids with their whole lives ahead of them cannot find enough joy, love, and most of all hope to hang on just one more day absolutely breaks my heart.  

This card went to the family of an 18 yr old named Jarrod, he committed suicide because he was being bullied. Another girl, Parker, took her life this weekend possibly due to overwhelming issues at home. Noah took his life because of an onslaught of medical issues that came on fast and the pressure as a teen was just too much. Young lives with bright futures who thought they had no where to turn and no hope.  Heartbreaking.

If you know someone who has had  a child die no matter the cause of death or the age of the child there is a organization that has free resources available to them.  The group is a national nonprofit group called Bereaved Parents of the USA.  There are chapters all over the country; they have people to talk to, newsletters, monthly meetings and yearly gatherings.  The national website is www.bereavedparentsusa.org from there you can find many resources and the local chapters.  

Friend's, Friday's & the Future

I spend a lot of time thinking about my oldest daughter's upcoming journey to college lately, it seems to consume our household sometimes. This weekend, as we were trying to register her for the SAT she was talking about how much time it was taking to login and just give the college board the basic information they needed in order to take the test (20 minutes). 

Friday nights when I was in high school were a work night because everyone else was at football games, dates or the movies.  For my family Friday nights are football games at least in the fall.  Now that football season is over I expected my daughter to hang out with her friends and have a little fun. Instead, she and a friend have formed a study plan for the upcoming SAT. They will be headed to the local library with the 3-4" thick SAT study guide and study for a couple of hours hoping to get their test score up in the spring. They both did great on Critical Reading and Writing but Math is just not their strong suit. 

This is the book they choose to use because the math section looked the best.  My daughter commented that the girl on the front also looked very "thrilled", just like they will for the next 4 months of Friday nights. Wish them luck!

Joy of Things to Come

When I think back to the time when I first found out I was going to be a mom I was overwhelmed with emotions. Those emotions ran from joy to terror. I would envision all the possibilities of things to come with this child I had never met, I had never seen and never held. Then as the pregnancy progressed the reality of the situation reared it's ugly head: I would be responsible for this child.  I would the responsibility for all this child's needs and care. Then I was terrified!   All of my pregnancies were the same way, it was not as if having one child made me a pro at the game.  I am looking back at those times as I watch younger women around me start their families and I wonder if they feel the same way or if they are less freaked out by they whole thing than I was. 

There are still days when I look at my teenagers or my preteen and I wonder what in heck I am going to do in this situation? But through A LOT of prayer God always gives guidance.  He has not failed me in my parenting.  I do not long for those days of babies and toddlers, I enjoy making cards and going to showers for these ladies who are in that stage of their lives.    I am enjoying each stage of my children's lives and looking forward (not eagerly always) to the joy of things to come.  

Don't forget to check out the post from 1/16/12  post for a chance to win a prize. 

Pen Pal

I recently sent a card to a Marine in boot camp, she was hitting a wall and needed a bit of encouragement.  I decided that it would be nice to send a card and a personal note.  If someone is going to enlist and put their life on the line for me, the least I can do is take a few minutes and send them a card.  I was overjoyed yesterday to receive a letter back from her.  She was thankful that I had taken the time to write and liked my card.  I have decided to send another card.  Here is her card and a reminder to pray for our armed forces.