goodbye perfectionism

I have grand plans when it comes to the Advent calendar. I was just picturing my family making memories, enjoying each other, and serving others. It was picture perfect. Day 1 & 2 were a huge success so Day 3 was to follow in their footsteps. The 3rd day was to color a picture and mail it to someone you love. I found these cute, little wooden postcards at Michael's that the boys could paint so I snatched them up...for 50 cents a piece on top of that. Gotta love 50% off.

After school the boys ran to the calendar to see what the day had in store. Tristan read the paper and both of them got super excited. Tristan has to finish his homework immediately after school or it is meltdown after meltdown. So, he got to work on that and I let Tanner start his postcard.

Since his favorite color is blue he got to

painting the sky and ground blue.

Tip: if you have never used Q-tips for painting,

they are great! I always let the kids use these

when they are painting because it's almost like a little

crayon. Plus, having a brush for the 10,000

colors they want just ain't gonna happen.

As Tanner and I were busy at work, Tristan was lolly gagging (you've used those words before, right?). The homework buzz was wearing off and his little meltdown was starting. I tried to ignore the whining, begging, pleading but my patience was wearing thin. We talked, I explained, he pitched one.

Poor Tanner didn't have a clue to what was going on. He was just painting away, so proud of what he was doing. As he was finishing up, he decided to add some more blue (he would love a Smurf). I gently instructed him to not cover up the words because you wouldn't be able to read what the postcard said. That is when it happened. My perfectionism broke his heart. As he burst into tears, my heart left my body then and there. My sin had destroyed his masterpiece. My want to try and make everything perfect had ruined my perfect scene. My child's heart was beaten along with his sweet spirit. As I ran to him to embrace and hug him, my hurt and pain came roaring to the surface. I was in tears for hurting my child. I did this. As I apologized a thousand times, thinking he would remember this for the rest of his life, he simply wiped his tears and said "that's okay mommy". Oh, boy...I couldn't hold it in. He forgave me so easily. Without question...just like my Savior. I gave myself a minute to gather myself and we went right back to our perfect memory. Sometimes our idea of perfect isn't so perfect after all is said and done. There is only One perfect thing. God used this moment to show me just how damaging my sin can be. As much as I hate that I hurt my sweet boy, I am grateful for his forgiveness.

(yes, it was after school time and we were in our jammies)

Usually I would see imperfection in this but this

time, oh this time, is see utter perfection.

Nothing could be more brilliant.

advent-day 2

Advent calendar day 2 was writing Santa a letter with your wish list. I almost dreaded this because I get nervous that they will ask for something so ridiculous or unattainable. Mom and dad are pretty safe this year....or so we thought.

What is up with Mr. Crazy Eyes?

"Tanner, where did you get all those stickers?"

"From my teaaaachers...I love dem."
"Your stickers?"

"Mommy...I loved my teaaaachers."

Tanner moved on to drawing Santa a picture.

Being a boy, he decided to draw a snowman peeing.

Classic sweetness. Only moms of boys will be rolling

their eyes right now instead of laughing.

Tanner's Dear Santa...

word for word. Never change a young child's words.

Writing our name. He's so proud! and I am too!!!!

This is serious business with Tristan.

He did not want to be photographed.

Oh, wait. Dad and I thought we were in the

clear this year. Is that a DSi and an iPhone

that you think you want?

Sorry sport...

After I told him Santa had a budget this year he

decided to add less expensive

things. Glad he's thinking of the old jolly guy!

Of course, I was not allowed to take another picture

of the finished product.

This might just be our last year

mailing off letters to Santa and the

kid would not even smile.

Oh how I hope he still believes.

Maybe, just maybe...a smile. But of

course we can't be caught dead

looking at the camera.

wordless wednesday-advent day 1

stop...and listen

Two posts without a picture...what is wrong? I love a good post that has a cherry on top. A picture is always the cherry on top. It grabs my attention. Having ADD is not a good thing when it comes to reading.

This Christmas I am busy making lots and lots of things. I decided to go handmade or recycled. Not recycled as in regifting...I would never, ever! Well, maybe once. Twice. This new found burst of greatness has also brought a weight on my shoulders. Will I get it done? Will they like it? Will it come out the way I think it will? Then I realized....the people I'm giving gifts to are people I love. I know them. I care about them. I cherish them. Of course they'll like it, it's from the depths of my heart. I've been so worried about all these things I've gotten swept up in the commercial aspect of just giving a gift. This year though, I'm rethinking everything and giving not only a gift but my spirit of thanks. Thanks for letting me be part of their lives, thanks for a greater reason this holiday season than just Santa, thanks for sweet memories that last a lifetime. A gift of purpose. A gift I hope they will hold dear to them. Sometimes you have to stop and listen to the One who gives us everything to truly know what Christmas means.

I'm linking up to Kimba's DIY Day so check out all the creative gals over there!

advent calendar events

Advent calendars take planning. Something I try to be good at but with the hustle and bustle of the Holidays it is hard to plan your next 25 days and actually stick to each and every day. My plan...write out all our events and service projects and drop them in the calendar the day of. So far here is what I have:

~WRITE SANTA A LETTER AND GO MAIL IT AT THE POST OFFICE.

~GO SEE THE REINDEER AND DROP OFF A TOY FOR CHILDREN LESS FORTUNATE.

~GO SEE SANTA AND TELL HIM ALL YOUR WISHES.

~DRAW A CHRISTMAS PICTURE FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE AND MAIL IT TO THEM.

~MAKE POPCORN GARLAND FOR THE BIRDS.

~CALL SOMEONE YOU LOVE AND TELL THEM HOW SPECIAL THEY ARE TO YOU.

~BAKE CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND TAKE THEM TO OUR NEIGHBORS.

~MAKE YOUR TEACHER A CHRISTMAS CARD.

~DECORATE THE TREE WHILE LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC.

~DRIVE AROUND AND LOOK AT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

~MAKE A CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT.

~MAKE A SNOWMAN TO PUT BY YOUR BED.

~WATCH ELF AND DRINK HOT CHOCOLATE WITH EXTRA MARSHMALLOWS.

~TAKE SOME CANNED GOODS TO THE FOOD BANK.

~READ CHRISTMAS STORIES TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.

~HAVE A BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR JESUS AND READ OF HIS BIRTH.

~MAKE REINDEER FOOD.

~GO TO ALPINE VILLAGE AND PLAY IN THE SNOW.

~MAKE MONKEYBREAD FOR DINNER.

~GO SEE ZOO LIGHTS.

~GO TO STARRY NIGHTS.

~GO TO A CHRISTMAS PARADE.

~GO SEE THE LIVE NATIVITY.

~GO TO THE SINGING CHRISTMAS TREE.

What are you putting in your calendars this year?

advent calendar & christmas banner

I'm going homemade this Christmas, from decor to gifts. I'll probably change my mind on Christmas Eve when I'm still up finishing up last minute touches but for now, I'm so excited to see the finished products.

I have a few friends that have been making Advent calendars so I decided to try my hand at it. One thing I knew for sure was I didn't want to spend a fortune on this. I used a scrap piece of lattice my father-in-law gave me for the base of my calendar. Now, this is not how I want it. I envision it framed out, painted antique white, and then roughed up to all it's glory. Getting that done around here before December 1st just wasn't going to happen so, here it is.

I purchased these little white boxes/bags from the Dollar Tree. To string the boxes on I used ribbon and tied them on each side.

Thanks to my new birthday present, a Cricut!!!!!!!, I cut my numbers, the circles, and squares out. Add some little stickers and other embellishments and viola! This whole project cost me under $10 to make....gotta love that.

Remember that Halloween banner I made? Reverse it, add new ribbon, and now it's a Christmas banner for the amoire.

Don't you just love when your ink pad decides to come lose and smear dark, dark ink on your lovely creations? I guess it's time to rough it up some. At first I didn't think I wanted to but now seeing in pictures I think an antiquing will do it good.

adorable, affordable

I know I've said before that we love our teachers. God has really blessed us with such caring, loving women to nurture and teach our boys. For Thanksgiving, we gave them a gift of thanks. I used leftover scrapbook paper so this gift was so cheap to do! To cut the letters out, because...once again, I do not have a Cricut, I used some chipboard letters to trace and cut the letters out. We wrapped them up, put a little note in that said:

We are thankful:

for teachers that share!

Teachers share their knowledge with me.

for teachers that love!

Teachers love for me to learn.

for teachers that care!

Teachers care about my well being.

For all you do and more, we are thankful!

You can't get much easier than that. To all the teachers that love our children and take the time to know them, care for them, and mold them...we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

where's breanne?

Blogging has taken a backseat to birthday parties, being chair of a school fundraiser, a death in the family, and now this....

carpet being thrown out a window.

Let me paint a picture for you. I've finished up all of Tanner's sweet little birthday party craziness...mess still to sit on my kitchen table (pictures of the party to come...I promise!). Move on to a school fundraiser. Again, mess on the kitchen table, floor, and kitchen counter tops. As I'm leaving for said fundraiser crazy day, I open the garage door to find puddles of water...everywhere. Hmm, what in the world. Ooooh, "Tristan, go get your daddy RIGHT NOW!!!". Said hubby jumps out of the shower and comes strolling out in a towel, it was only 45 degrees out and only for our neighbors to be leaving for work. Classy, classy I tell ya! We have a leaky hot water heater, he tells me. The rest, the whole long story, is history. For the comfort of your eyes, I will not bore you with the long drawn out story. It does however involve ripping out carpet and having all of that room's junk in your living and dining area.

Table, who needs a table to sit at?

jealous yet?

In the midst of my crazy, hectic Monday....

I received this!

O.H. M.Y. G.O.S.H!!!!!

My mother sent me my birthday present and being the impatient one I am, I had to rip it open right away. I died, cried, and my heart melted. Nobody loves you like your momma. Your mom doesn't just give you a simple present. She spends hours upon hours making you exactly what you wanted that you never even knew you wanted.

This is a beautiful pearl necklace that she made, on the right. Look at that cute

button and seashell! Pearls, seashells, and turquiose. DONE!

One thing about my mom is that she always coordinates the wrapping of a present with the present itself. I almost died when the box she mailed everything in was wrapped to a t. Seriously, we wonder where I get my ocd tendencies. An adorable, aqua, chunky picture frame and a super cute fluer di lis. You can't see in the pic but she did some aaaa-mazing bead work for the handle.

Now for the creme de' la creme. A sewing basket.

Swoon, pass out, try to pick my self up.

Monogrammed. Enough said.

Handmade pinwheel flowers...lots and lots of them.

With mother of pearl buttons.

Someone, please start my heart back up.

Then, I opened the basket up, as if that just wasn't enough in and of itself, to find notions galore, bobbins, threads, scissors, and...drum roll....vintage buttons. Three bags to be exact! I seriously cried and cried. I have received many, many presents in my lifetime but this one hit the spot. I can't believe someone cared about me so much to sit for hours and make all this. Be still my heart, I love her. Not for the gift alone but for knowing me. For taking the time to really, really know me. For listening to my frustrations about having nowhere to put my sewing knick knacks and coming up with not just a sewing basket but a memory. A memory I will cherish for years and years to come. That I will, hopefully, be able to pass on to my daughter-in-law or grandchild.

And because the front and top aren't cute enough...

the back is detailed too.

A millions thanks can't top how I feel even when life is crazy!

birthday sneak peek

Party hats with the kiddos initials.

I'm addicted to birthdays...even more addicted to details.

Tanner's birthday party is Saturday so check back to see all the cuteness!

Favor Chinese take-out-boxes for the candy bar.

Pinwheels!

mostly wordless wednesday

yummy cupcakes

presents

why so smiley?

double hearts for miley...hannah.

my mom says she is going to disguise herself as hannah on the phone. she just wants her boyfriend's heart back.