SWAP MEET TONIGHT!

I'm so excited I can barely stand it!!!!! Tonight's Swap Party starts at 6pm at mi casa! If' you're thinking of coming, please let me know if you need directions.

Just wanted to share with you some scripture that has lead me to having this party and to the place I am with the Lord right now. I've been studying these verses and have them on paper for guests to take with them tonight :)

Not that I speak according to want; for I have learned to be CONTENT, or self sufficient in whatever circumstances I am in. Philippians 4:11

And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be CONTENT. 1 Timothy 6:8

Let your character be free from the love of money, being CONTENT with what you have; for He Himself has said "I will never desert you, nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

There is no one hidden from His sight. All things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him. Hebrews 4:13

Being content with what we have been blessed with leads us to a closer relationship with Christ. Desiring a connection with Him instead of earthly possessions is my ultimate goal. The last verse from Hebrews 4:13 is especially challenging to me and actually quite scares me sometimes. It reminds us that even our deepest secrets that are hidden from others here on earth, are not hidden from Christ. I thought that my extreme desire to shop was not a sin, so it wasn't hindering my relationship with Christ. I now realize that ANYTHING that I desire MORE than spending time with Him is an IDOL! Digging into God's word and spending time in prayer daily should be my number one desire.

What brings you pleasure? Is there an activity that you partake in that brings you more joy than spending time with our Savior? If so, you may be leaning towards an idolized mindset in regards to this activity. Ask the Lord to reveal those things in your life that are keeping you from truly focusing on Him.

Hope to see you tonight at the Swap Meet! Bring a hungry belly :)

Vacation Anxiety

I haven't had the best luck with family vacations.

In the past, I tend to get very nervous in preparation for a vacation, almost like I'm afraid that I'll forget some minuet detail such as not shutting the garage door or (gasp!)  leaving the coffee pot on. Along with this slight anxiety I often get either:         a.) constipated
                                              b.) the extreme opposite of constipated
                                              c.) deathly ill
And I seriously mean deathly. Two summers ago the hubs and I went to Philadelphia for a week and I had THE MOST horrible urinary tract infection of my life. So horrible in fact I was bedridden for 2 days of our trip. I then continued to have a urinary tract infection for about 3 months until I had surgery to remove some infection along my bladder wall. Horrible, I know.

So that was the summer of 2009. The following summer we went to Gaston's Resort for a long weekend get-away. We decided to drive the 6 hour trip and it was the worst decision we've ever made. The roads looked like a slinky they were so curvy. I had to drug myself to keep from being carsick, but little John was not so lucky. I've never seen that much puke come out of such a little body in my entire life. We then had to continue on the trip with our entire car smelling like rotten baby formula. Lovely, let me tell you.

So as we prepare to leave on vacation next week, needless to say I'm getting a little nervous. I'm trying to pack and plan now, so next week I can just concentrate on the Swap Meet. I've made a list of all the arrangements that need to be made before we can leave and hopefully I haven't left anything out. I'm also taking daily doses of vitamins to keep myself healthy and my bowels "regular."

If you think about it, send a few extra prayers my way this week. I want to be able to enjoy this time with my family, not be wishing I was home in bed.

I'm also still looking for a guest blogger! I have someone in mind that I'm thinking of asking unless someone speaks up!

Re-Purposed Windows

Back in February I showed you guys some pics of old windows that we tore out of one of our rental properties. In the post I shared some ways to re-purpose the windows into something new. My friend Adrienne used one of the windows to make a picture display for her daughter's room. It turned out soooo good! She's so talented!

Tadaa! She painted the window with black paint, added the zebra fabric to the back and then attached the four pictures inside. Great Job Adrienne!!

Sanity Saving Monday Tip: Pegboard Closets. Also, on a completely different subject: Items To Swap.

Closet organization can be tricky. I always want my closets to look appealing, but also be functional. I have seen pegboard backing hung in garages before, and heard from good ole' Martha that pegboards can be handy in closets as well. This site, Wall Peg Store, has everything you need to get going, including hooks. You can get a 48 inch by 48 inch pegboard for $28.00!

This is a pegboard with garage stuff on it, but I'm thinking it would work great for hanging purses, scarves, belts, or necklaces. Basically anything that can be hung on a hook that you want easy access to. Pegboard backing is an affordable and easy way to organize your closet. Not feeling the white? Just add a coat of spray paint in the color of your choice for a cuter option :)


Now that you're thinking of organizing your closet, don't forget that my Swap Meet is coming up on Tuesday, June 31st. Here are a few items that I've pulled from my closet to swap.

If you're planning to come to the party you can either send pics of your items to my email or post them on the Facebook Invite. Hope to see you there!

Fashion Friday: My favorite shirt.

I think everyone has a go-to-when-you-don't-know-what-to-wear-and-you're-starting-to-panic shirt. You know, THE shirt that makes you feel pretty and polished, not too dressed-up but not too casual. A shirt that goes with every pair of pants you own and even every skirt. It's season less. Perfect in the summer with shorts and just as cute in the winter with a cardigan.

My favorite shirt I bought at Macy's 3 years ago. I remember that I had a gift card and was just looking for something to spend it on, and I saw this shirt on a mannequin and HAD to have it. I don't even think I tried it on. I just grabbed my size and got it. I do remember it costing $30, which is a lot for me to spend on just one shirt. It was definitely worth the splurge though! I get more compliments on this shirt than any other shirt I own.

I love how it's floral and sweet without being too busy. I can wear a belt around the waist to cinch it in as well. Today I'm wearing it with skinny jeans and gladiator sandals. Cute enough for casual Friday at the office and appropriate for Tunes at Twilight tonight downtown.

Do you have a favorite shirt? Post a pic below! If you want to see the detail of my shirt close-up just click on my picture.

Have a great weekend everyone! xoxo

Upcoming Events, and a GUEST BLOGGER WANTED!

Hey friends! Just a couple of quick announcements and upcoming event notifications :)

In case you didn't see on Facebook, I decided on a date for the Swap Meet! It will be Tuesday, May 31st at my place. Go HERE to see event details and the guests who have RSVP'd so far.  Here's a quick description of what we'll be doing at the party:

SWAP MEET!!
I will have several items up for swap. Each party guest will also bring items that they are wanting to trade for my items or other party attendees items. Items to swap can include jewelry, clothes (only Spring/Summer wear), shoes, purses, knick-knacks, dishes, towels, home decor, nail polish, tablecloths, books, cd's, magazines....the list is never ending! There will be a sign-up sheet for each guest to list what they've brought, and whoever borrows an item will have 40 days to use it and then will need to swap it back. Of course, if you don't want your item back you can do an even trade for keeps! :)

The purpose in having this party is so that women around me can experience having something new without actually having to pay for it. The way I see it is, we're all family, so why not share? I'm not saying bring your Grandmother's ruby ring to swap, because there is always a chance that something could happen to it. But I would like to see items that are in good shape only and that you care about and would eventually want back. That's why this is a "Swap Meet", not a garage sale. I know that we as women get attached to our belongings, that's why I think this would be good for us all to let go of some of that anxiety we have when it comes to our things. After all, they're just THINGS, right?!

Let me give you an example. I have 2 pairs of black dress pants, 4 floral-print tank tops, 2 Dooney and Bourke purses, TONS of necklaces (not my good pearls, but things from American Eagle and NY&Co), several nice candles, and a set of adorable dish cloths. Since I have several of each of these items, I plan to bring at least one of each to Swap. Is this starting to make more sense to you? I LIKE all of these items and will eventually want them back, but for 40 days I can go without them. Things I would like to swap IN EXCHANGE FOR would be some new necklaces, maybe a couple new books, a new pair of heels, etc.

This description was taken from this post where I first shared my idea.

Another upcoming event is the SEMO Bloggers Conference that Emily and I will be hosting. We are still deciding on the date to have the event but we are shooting for June, and more than likely it will be held on a weeknight.

The most exciting event to announce is that my family and I are going on VACATION! Yes, that's right, a four day vacation! I will be taking a break from blogging during that time and I'm looking for someone who would be interested in guest blogging while I'm away. I'm looking for someone who does not have ANY blogging experience or a blog of their own, but is interested in trying it out for themselves. If you're a regular blog reader and want to give it a try, let me know! You can either respond to this post or email me for more information.

Since my guest blogger will be new to the blogging world, I wanted to throw out some possible topics to write about. Of course, I will want my guest blogger to write about whatever their heart desires, but here's some ideas to help joggle the brain a bit.

POSSIBLE GUEST-BLOGGER TOPICS
A book that's interesting to you
A new recipe you've recently tried and loved.
A funny family vacation story.
An "outfit of the day" post
Spiritual lesson or scripture verse that speaks to you
A product review post

Those are just some ideas, but like I said, I want my guest blogger to feel free to write about what they want.

Have a great Thursday Friends!

Neato Deal, Gap.

I'm still sticking to my shopping fast, but I had to share with everyone this email deal I received from The Gap!

Pretty neat, huh? Bring a bag of unwanted clothes to any Gap store and they'll give you 30% off your purchase! I've honestly NEVER heard of any clothing store that has done this before. Way to go, Gap! Unfortunately we don't have a Gap here in Cape, but there is one in Paducah, KY which is about an hour and a half southeast of here and there are four in St. Louis which is two hours north.

STL shopping trip, anyone?

Faith County has changed me.

As most of you know, I was in a play with the River City Players community theater. The play was called Faith County and we had 6 performances over the last couple of weeks! Saturday night was the last show and I can honestly say that I have conflicting feelings now that it's over. The practices were hard on my family because I had to be away from them every evening during the week and then during the performances on the weekends. So on one hand I'm relieved that the show is over. On the other hand, I spent so much time with the cast and crew of the show I'm going to seriously miss them all.

It's hard for me to describe how over just two months I have drastically changed, but I definitely have.  Being in this play has made me feel younger, happier, and more "free." Between work, family and school, it's been a LONG time since I've done something completely for myself.

Not only is it liberating to do something just for ME, but each and every one of the cast members brought a different aspect of my personality to the surface that I haven't experienced in awhile. Every person in the group, no matter what their age, had a youthful, lively personality that was contagious. In turn I laughed more than I have in probably years with this group. I hope these new friendships will last a lifetime.

I think that it's good for the soul to meet new people. Every member of Faith County had a different story, a different family life than I have. But somehow we all connected and grew to love and respect each other. Sometimes when you've had the same friends and relationships for years you can start to feel lazy and lose respect or gratitude for one another. Being a part of Faith County helped me to realize that no matter if you've known someone for years or weeks, you should always show them love and appreciation. And you should always BE YOURSELF! Laugh, love, and be kind, folks. That's what it's all about.

Here are some pics of the cast and crew! Love them all and can't wait until the cast party May 27th!!

Emily and I, AKA Naomi Farkle and Faye McFaye! Emily is a sweetie. I know we'll be meeting for Starbucks sooner or later because we are both obsessed hehe :)

Cynthia, AKA Mildred Carson. She's a hoot! Even though we were somewhat enemies onstage, she's a beautiful person in real life, inside and out.

Justin, Brenda, and Wesley! Justin and Wesley played Luther and Bubba onstage, and I'm sure I'll call them by their stage names forever. Miss Brenda was our lovely assistant director and she's a doll. Fun fact, Justin and I are distant cousins! Go figure! Only in Southeast Missouri, right?

Thomas and I. Thomas, AKA Delbert Fink, was my "love interest" in Faith County.

Leslie and Wesley :) Wesley played Bubba and he's so sweet and fun I just love him :)

The beautiful Miss Debbie and I. Debbie was our props and costume manager for the show, she's also the President of the River City Players and the woman who makes this all possible. Thank you Miss Debbie!

CATHLEEN!! She's a sweetheart and I've so enjoyed getting to know her. Love ya girlie!

Bob played Gladys in Faith County and is sure to be named "Best Cross-Dresser of the Year!" What's really special is that Bob was my theater teacher in Highschool, and cast me as Faye McFaye in Faith County in 2002! To me, he'll always be Mr. Clubbs :)

All the cast together, including our wonderful director Andrea up in front. I know some of you didn't have a picture on here but some of the pics didn't turn out so great, sorry!

Faith County taught me so much, and I love and appreciate everyone who was a part of the show!

Fashion Friday (err Tuesday): The Denim Shirt is Back.

Blogger was down Friday so I wasn't able to post Fashion Friday, then I didn't want to skip Sanity Saving Monday thus Fashion Friday is coming out on Tuesday. So there :)


Have you seen anyone wearing denim on top lately? Denim shirts are "in" again, and chances are your Mom has one stashed in her closet from the early 90's. Check your Dad's closet too! Oversized denim shirts are just as cute as fitted!

Here's some Stars sporting the trend.

Alexa Chung, Christina Hendricks, and Reese Witherspoon in their denim shirts. So cute huh?

I think the key in making this trend work is pairing denim tops with feminine accessories, like heels or sparkly jewelry. Here's my take on the look, 3 ways! Please ignore my wet hair, I have to catch my hubby in just the right mood for him to help take pics and I had just taken a shower hehe :)

JD likes to pose just like Mommy :) Denim shirt paired with rolled khakis and grey heels for a casual work look.

Denim shirt tucked into skinny black pants and black summery wedges. This look is great for the office or for church! Casual, but dressy with the black pants. I think this is my favorite look!

Denim on Denim. The trick to this is making sure the shades of denim are different. I paired my light-washed denim shirt with darker, rolled jeans. I also am wearing bright yellow wedges for a splash of color.

What do you think of wearing denim on top? Too "early 90's" for your taste?

Sanity Saving Monday Tip: The Backup Plan

In case of emergency, do you have a back-up plan for childcare? I THOUGHT I had plenty of extra help, but it turns out I didn't have a long enough list of babysitters in case of an emergency.

My Nana keeps John during the day while I work, and next on the list in case Nana has something she needs to do is my Mom. If Mom's working, Daniel's parents are the final option. That's four babysitters, you would think between all of them I'd have an emergency situation covered - wrong. Nana has strained her back and needs to take a few days off to rest, and my Mom is working today, tomorrow and Wednesday. Daniel's parents are all working nights this week, so they can't watch him during the day because they'll be sleeping. Last night I was in a panic trying to find someone at the last minute!

Thankfully, I have amazing friends. My friends Rachel and Mandy both agreed to watch JD for me today. Since Rach is driving our friend Mindy back to the airport (Mindy flew in from Wisconsin to see my play! I'll post on that later!) I asked Mandy if she'd watch JD so that Rach wouldn't have to deal with him on a car ride to STL. Mandy is such a sweetheart!

The tip of the day is; Have a list babysitters to call in an emergency that are non-family members. This week I plan to call a few girls I know to see if they'd be willing to babysit just in case something like this happens again. Hopefully we can meet up first so they can get to know JD a bit. It helps SO MUCH to have supportive and loving friends to help, but I should have been more prepared for a situation like this.

How long is your list of babysitters? I'd say a list of 10 sitters should be plenty, just to be safe.

Happy Monday Friends!

Shopping Fast Day 12: Withdraws.

Hey friends.

So it's been 12 days since I started my Shopping Fast, and it's beginning to sting a little. I guess you could say I'm going through slight withdraws. Yesterday I had a free hour at lunch because John was at my Mom's in Jackson and I didn't have time to drive out there and see him. Normally when this happens I grab a quick bite to eat and head to either the mall or Target to look for something new. Since I'm not buying ANYTHING new for 40 days, I had an entire hour to kill that couldn't involve shopping. I spent my hour at the park instead eating my lunch and watching the ducks. At first I kinda felt like a creeper sitting by myself on a park bench eating but no one seemed to mind. The hour was actually really relaxing. No rushed trips into a dressing room to try on clothes, no long lines at the check out counter. Just me and......Jesus. I thought about His ultimate sacrifice being SO much greater than my little shopping sacrifice. He's the reason I'm doing this fast, so that I can feel what it's like to give up something that has become a little too important in my life. I already feel closer to Christ, and it's only day 12. Thank you Jesus for helping me!

I did run into Target the other day to get something, (don't worry, I didn't buy anything besides grocery items!) and I found myself wandering down the shoe isle. Before I went on my shopping fast I had been eyeballing these cute wedges......I had originally been waiting for them to go on sale so I was just curious to see if they were marked down yet or not.

I LOVE both of these pairs of sandals and I think I'd get a lot of wear out of them this summer, so it hurt just a little bit to leave the store without them.

After I left, I checked ebay for a used pair of the shoes, but since they're so new no one was offering them for sale used yet. That's part of my fast, if I REALLY NEED something I try to find it used first. Not that I really need a new pair of wedges, but I just wanted to check ebay just in case! :)

I know some of you have been cutting back on your shopping lately, either for spiritual reasons like me or maybe financial reasons. Is there anything that you've been wanting to buy recently but instead held back?

Blogs are a lot of work.

I'm NOT an expert on blogs. Actually I'd say that my blog knowledge is VERY limited and I could use some help. Did you notice I changed my pic up there? Yep, that took me about an hour to figure out. Truthfully I don't really like the way it looks but I'm so frustrated at this point that I'm leaving it this way until Emily can help me. She's a graphic design genius. Did you see the site yet for SEMO Bloggers? Emily created it and it looks fantastic!

It's Wednesday and I just wanted to share with you that my list of To-Do items from Monday's Post is half-way complete! John and I have been studying his books and I'm all caught up on my blog posts. I still need to make a few calls for the blogging conference and I haven't started on my sewing projects yet, but I still have until tomorrow to work on those.

How's your weekly to-do list shaping up? Are you about half-way there, since this is Hump Day?

FINALLY a vegetable garden.

It's been sooo rainy and wet here I haven't been able to put out a garden yet. It's been dry for about 3 days now so yesterday I jumped on the chance to plant. We put out 8 tomato plants, 2 habanero plants, 4 jalapeno plants, 3 zucchini, 3 squash, and a pot of cilantro and basil. We make homemade salsa every summer to can and give out as gifts throughout the year. Thanks to my Father in Law for letting us use his tiller to break up the ground, and to Daniel for doing the heavy digging work.

The ground before we planted and the heavy duty tiller.

All my pretty little vegetables waiting to be planted :)

It was getting dark when we finished, but you can still see the little babies popping up!

My cute blue pot with cilantro and basil!

It's a little expensive to put out a garden every year, but it's worth it. We spent about $80.00 all together on plants and soil today. I prayed over the garden when we finished that it would "bare great fruits and multiply!" Just as long as we get our money back in produce it will be worth it!

Do you plant a garden?

SEMO Bloggers FB Page and Blogsite is up!

Hey friends! Back in March I shared with you an idea for a SEMO Bloggers Conference. Basically we are trying to unite people who are interested in starting a blog or already blogging. We want to encourage each other and share ideas on anything from writers block to how to create a unique blog page. Even if you have no desire to blog but just are an avid blog reader, please come! We want to hear what YOU enjoy reading and what you think makes a good blog post.

My friend and fellow blogger Emily has set up a blog site and a Facebook Group for anyone interested in joining.

The blogsite is HERE

And the Facebook Group Page is HERE

I look forward to hearing what you think about this idea!

Couponing Attempt # 2

Two weeks ago on grocery shopping day I shared with you my first couponing experience. Yesterday was shopping day once again so I gave couponing another go. My last trip was a little slow and confusing, so this trip I tried to make things more simple.

I wrote out my shopping list in coordination with WM Jackson's layout, listing my "Non-Food" items first. I didn't have ANY food coupons this shopping trip, but I had tons of toiletry/home goods coupons. I paper clipped all my coupons in the same order as listed on my shopping list and to the top right next to the Non Food section. I then listed all my food items on the bottom.

The shopping trip went well! We were outta there in under an hour (which is ALWAYS my goal) and I saved a total of about $17.00!

Keep in mind, my goal is not to become one of those couponing Mom's with stock-piles of more diapers than she knows what to do with. I want to use coupons ONLY for items that I currently need. I don't have the space to store extras of everything.

Couponing Attempt # 2.....a success! It feels good to save money!

Mother's Day 2011

I didn't want you to think I forgot to post pics of my Mother's Day!! We ended up spending a lovely afternoon fishing and then eating what we caught for dinner. I took these pics using my Mother's Day gift : A new digital camera!!

JD and his Auntie Lauren on her Birthday! Thanks for all the prayers everyone Lauren is going home from the hospital TODAY!

After my matinee performance of Faith County, Daniel, JD and I went on a little fishing trip.

JD and his Daddy fishing. I don't have very much patience for fishing, so I mostly watched :)

He kept trying to set all the worms free, then secretly eating the dirt they were squirming in. Sigh. He's all boy that's for sure.

Booger and I about to go home after our fishing trip. I was pretty tired at this point :)

5 yummy bass for dinner! Way to go honey! There's something kinda neat about eating something the same day you hunted it. I felt like I was really "roughin" it. Ha.

My Mother's Day dinner featuring fried bass fillet, potatoes, mac n cheese, and salad. Daniel did all the cooking and even cleaned up afterwards. We ended the night watching the SERIES PREMIER of The Sopranos, which was a big deal to us because we've been watching the entire series for about 4 months now.

I had a relaxing Mother's Day, and I hope you all did too!

Sanity Saving Monday Tip: Procrastination Nation

How many times do you have to be told something before it actually sticks in your brain and makes sense? For me, it's probably an infinite amount of times because I daily do things that I know I shouldn't do.

Something that I've been having trouble with lately is procrastination. While I'm far from being the most organized person on the planet, I would say that I have a knack for keeping my schedule orderly and finishing tasks on time. That being said, I haven't had much of a problem with procrastination since.....well probably high school. I learned quickly that the feeling of freedom and accomplishment when you are finally DONE with something is much better than feeling rushed to complete a task you've put off.

How many times have you heard a teacher, a parent, a colleague say: Don't procrastinate!?!? I'm sure I've heard it about a zillion times in my life. But does that mean I always finish tasks on time because I know it's the right thing to do? Definitely not. The past three weeks have been so rushed and busy for me that I've put a few things on the back burner, and it's making me crazy.

1. My sewing projects.
 I have two sewing projects with blog posts started that I haven't had time to finish. Normally, I would have finished these on the SAME DAY because sewing is something I enjoy. Being to busy for the things I love to do is NOT OK with me!

2. SEMO Bloggers Conference.
 Since my friend Emily and I sat down to talk about possible dates for a conference and meeting topics I honestly haven't thought about it since.....maybe that same day? Emily, when you read this, I hope you're not too terribly angry! I still have every intention of making this event work, but I just need to get started.

3. John's reading/speech work.
This one just kills me. I had been trying to work with John every night on his speech and with reading, but since I've had play practice at night I just haven't been able to. We picked up one of his favorite books last night and I pointed at some objects that he usually recognizes, but he couldn't remember what they were :( Tonight and tomorrow night we'll be cracking the books for sure!!!

4. My blog.
I want to let you in on a little secret.....I usually work on my blog at least 2 days in advance. That way if something unexpectedly comes up, I can just hop online and post because I know that I have at least one extra post ready to go. Right now, as I'm typing this Sanity Saving Monday post, it's Monday at 11:30am. Normally I post before 9:00am. So as you can see, I'm about two days behind on my posting schedule.

Those are just four examples of things I need to "get back to work" on, but I definitely feel the weight of these unfinished tasks. My Sanity Saving Monday Tip: Don't belong to the Procrastination Nation. Keep your schedule, take a little time for yourself, and don't put things off until the last minute. One more thing.....don't beat yourself up if you do procrastinate. Take 20 minutes to sit down and right out a list of your unfinished tasks, like I did here. Then plan specific times during the week ahead when you'll finish them.

1. My Sewing Projects will be completed on Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm.
2. I will make contact calls for the SEMO Bloggers Conference by Friday and text Emily about meeting for another planning session.
3. I will study with John tonight and Tuesday night, and ask Daniel if he could work with John Wednesday and Thursday.
4. I will get back on my blogging schedule Tuesday late afternoon when I'm off work.

See, I already feel better knowing that I'll finish these tasks before the weekend.

Have a great Monday Friends :)

Fashion Friday: Used Nail Polish

Actually, used nail polish sounds kind of gross. But when you get a manicure at a salon, you're using nail polish that has been used on someone else, correct? Today's Fashion Friday Tip is: Used Nail Polish is cheaper than new and just as good.

I bought this color last year "used" from a local nail salon here in Cape.

This is OPI's The "It" Color. One of my favorite polishes last year! As you know, OPI polish brand new retails for about $8.99 per bottle. I paid $3.99 for this bottle that had only been used a couple of times. All I did was ask the girl at the salon if I could buy it for a reduced price since it had been used! What do you have to lose? Ask your manicurist today!

Don't forget that tonight is OPENING NIGHT of FAITH COUNTY!!!! Hope to see some of your smiling faces in the audience!

What are you doing tomorrow?

Don't forget that tomorrow is OPENING NIGHT of FAITH COUNTY! I would love for you all to be able to come! Here's a Sneak Peak of my costume for the first act:

I know. You're totally diggin' the boots with that skirt.

Also, don't forget that tomorrow is First Friday at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri. The Arts Council will be open late and will feature the new Flip Flop Wines donated by my work Major Brands. My lovely and talented Aunt Marti's shop Mozaic Art Studio will be open late as well. She always has beautiful pieces that are all made by local artists! I plan to swing by before the play starts!

However you plan to spend your Friday, I hope you have a blast!

Look for a Mother's Day post tomorrow with my fabric covered flower vases and my vintage birthday gift for my sister!

Sanity Saving (oops) Thursday Tip: FREE MOTHERS DAY GIFTS!!

I'm sure you're aware by now that today is day 5 of my 40 day Shopping Fast and I'm feeling much better about it today than I did yesterday.

One reason is because I found a GENIUS and FREE Mother's Day gift idea thanks to another local blogger Blessings N Couponing. She posted today that Walgreens is offering a FREE8X10 Collage Print with FREE Shipping if you choose in-store pick-up. This will be perfect for my Mom and if I can use the coupon more than once I plan to and give collages to my Nana and Aunt Gina!

If you've never checked out Blessings N Couponing I highly suggest it!

I also plan to pick some wild flowers for my Momma and put them into fabric wrapped tin cans. I have some scrap fabric that I'll glue to the cans so they look Springy :) My beautiful friend Laurie gave me this idea! Laurie is the owner of Annie Laurie's Antiques which is my all time favorite place to shop. I've told myself that during my 40 day shopping fast I won't buy anything NEW, which means I can still buy USED from her shop if I need to. My sister's birthday is Saturday and since she's been sick I want her to have something special, so I plan to come to Laurie's and find the perfect piece of vintage jewelry for her.

What are you getting your Momma for Mother's Day? Don't forget it's this Sunday!!!

I love my readers, and you deserve better!

Hi readers. Miss you. Sorry I haven't been around much, but I can tell you that it's all for (fairly) good reasons.

1. I haven't had much to say. I've felt a little bit of a creativity block this past week. My brain usually has one or two good craft ideas and/or organizing strategies flying around, but not this week. Must be the caffeine withdraws I'm having since my coffee pot gave out on me Saturday. Sigh.

2. My sister is in the hospital. She had surgery and is needing to stay in the hospital awhile longer to get healthy. Prayers are welcome for her! She's a tough one but I know she doesn't like staying in bed. I've been working half days this week so I can sit with her at the hospital in the afternoon until I have play practice.

3. FAITH COUNTY OPENING NIGHT IS FRIDAY!! While I'm super excited to be onstage again, I'm also very exhausted. Between work, hospital visits, and evening dress rehearsals, I'm worn pretty thin this week. But trust me when I say I won't let exhaustion interfere with my performance :) Please come see the show if you can, it's going to be hilarious!

4. I cannot buy anything. It's day 4 of not buying things I don't need and trying to re-purpose things I already have. I was super pumped a week ago in thinking about starting this Shopping Fast, but it's already proving to be pretty difficult. Like I said, my coffee pot gave out on us so I don't currently have one. I also didn't end up getting a new digital camera so I can't take any pictures, which just kills me because I love having pictures with my posts. Mother's Day is Sunday so I'm trying to think of creative gifts, and it's also my sister's birthday Saturday and I want to do something really special for her since she's in the hospital. This is all really difficult when you can't buy something new and you're already busy as it is!!

Thankfully I've already thought of a plan for Mother's Day gifts. For relatives who live far away, I plan to use blank stationary cards I already have instead of buying brand new cards. I'll put a poem in some and Bible versus in the others. I also have TONS of extra pics of my family just laying around waiting to be scrap-booked, so I think I'll cut them down to wallet size and stick some photos in with the cards. That way there is a special keepsake in with the card. For my Mom, Nana, and Aunt Gina, I'm just planning to pay their way into my play. They're going to the Mother's Day Matinee Show which includes dessert for $20.00 per ticket. What do you think? Does that sound ok as far as gifts go? I will of course give my Mom, Nana, and Aunt Gina a stationary card as well with some wallet pics.

How have you guys been surviving this past week? I know some of you are working on finals and finishing up your teaching semester. I also know that some of you are in the same boat as I am when it comes to being just all around BUSY. Let's pray for each other this week, so that we can have renewed energy and strength.

Lord, I thank you for all of the fun and exciting things that we have going on in our lives right now. I also want to thank you for the trials and troubled times that are happening as well. Your Word says that we go through difficult times so that we may become closer to you, so I praise you for that. Please give my friends and I extra strength this week. Help us to remember that none of the petty things in life matter, only You matter and furthering your Kingdom. I love you, Daddy.

xoxo,
Les