When Seasons Change

My mama heart has been a little tense this summer. I can feel the change coming and I'm just not sure if I am ready for it. The change feels heavy and sudden. My kids are growing so fast and I can't make it slow down like I want it to. But the truth is that I'm about to have no babies in my house anymore and it literally is giving me anxiety.

Our family will be in a new season and there will be so much more freedom. Freedom to do so many things we can't do during the baby stage. 

But I just can't shake the sadness I feel to be moving on from the "baby" season. I'll no longer be making them- just raising them and what a scary concept! I love those sweet baby snuggles, the smells and the coos and I don't know that I will ever feel "done" having babies.

This past week I officially stopped nursing what could very possibly be my last baby. It was so bittersweet. I still can't believe it's done but at 21 months old and maybe a handful of full nights sleep in the past two years it was absolutely time. I needed my body to be my own again!

I'm ready for the season to change, I just don't know if my heart is.

Special Delivery!

Special Delivery: Baby Shower Edition

I went out of town this past weekend to my mama and daddy's house to help my mom host a shower for my little sister. She is due labor day weekend and we needed to get her geared up for baby Landry to make his appearance!

My mama purchased all of the decoration items, and I just helped assemble and host. I really hope my sister felt so loved on.

The theme was "Special Delivery" with vintage biplanes as our main decor. A lot of the decor was made from my cricut, and also super cute fabric. I sewed all the table cloths and runners, and y'all, I'm pretty much running on empty from pure exhaustion. 

If you want to say a little prayer for me for next week, the army will be taking my husband for quite a while, I will totally appreciate them. But more on that later!

It's party picture time!

Of course I forgot my camera so these are all Iphone photos. I seriously was so bummed about that!

How sweet is this behind our food table?!

All handmade, the fake "mailed" package and the very sweet mailbox to put in a letter of advice for the mama to be.

I thought this was so sweet. This was done at a shower for me and I cherish some of the notes I was given.

This was HANDMADE by my sister, I don't think it could have turned out any cuter!

Our "mailed" package to be delivered to the mama.

The easiest little wreath possible. 

Mums are HUGE in Texas, you usually get them after delivery with baby's name and weight and lots of goodies.  But I handmade this little one just for the shower. The binky has a sweet little plane on it too.

Is this not precious or what!?

The food and gift table. The food was SO yummy.

Jello rolled grapes, jalapeno cheese balls, layered salad and crescent rolls filled with turkey and pepper jack cheese!

Little wooden airplane kits, that were assembled and spray painted.

Celebrating Mama and baby Landon!

Overall, I don't think it could have turned out any better. I love the theme so much I'm thinking of doing a similar version for my little boys shared bedroom. Adorable.

Happy Monday y'all!

photos in July

The Highlight reel

I went to one of those painting classes where they show you a painting and then proceed to have you remake it, but obviously with your own flair. I had a blast, and my painting turned out pretty awesome If I do say so myself.

 My women's group at church hosted and we were all sitting around chatting, and I got one of the sweetest compliments ever.
I had been talking about how hard this summer had been, and for me it just hasn't been much fun yet. I didn't go into much detail, and the subject changed and a little while later is when I got my compliment.
She told me she didn't know how I did it all, that I always had pretty hair and my kids are always so well behaved. I graciously accepted the compliment and for the past few days it has been stuck in my head.
Here's just what I wish I had told her-
Y'all I don't do it all. Not even close. I am a hot mess a lot of the time. I sometimes yell at my kids. I get frustrated with my husband occasionally. I have a messy house a lot of the time. I always have laundry to do. Something always needs to be cleaned. I don't shower some days because sleep trumps showering. My kids fight, and I lose my cool. That's just real life.
 I don't ever want it to seem like my life is fake or it's something I've staged. I want it to be real, genuine. I want this blog to show you about my life- all of it.
The good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly.
Do I want to show my highlight reel? ABSOLUTELY.
But I also don't want my life to seem all sunshine and roses because life is hard. Being a mama is hard, and being a stay at home mama is incredibly hard.

I think social media has made it so easy for us to believe that people have better lives, when the fact is everybody is showing their highlight reel. Is that awesome? Totally! I want to see the highlights, but I also don't want staged and fake.

#reallife

Cast off!

The cast is officially off. I am so relieved. I felt so bad going anywhere, seriously I felt like I was such a bad mama. Everyone questioning how my baby broke his arm and also the whole hard to bathe him thing- I was so over it. I know he was over it too.
It's been a little over a week, and it feels like he is just now starting to use it all the way. The first day was so hard, he walked around crying and took THREE naps. I felt so bad. The doctor said it would be a little stiff and that he would probably continue to favor the other arm for 2-3 days.
I'm just so thankful it is off and I am praying for no more broken bones!

My pictures aren't very good, you aren't really supposed to take pictures. Call me a rebel. I'm assuming that's in case they really mess up and so you can't sue them.That's pretty reassuring huh.

All off! The rest of the day Benjamin was a hot mess. So I didn't even take pictures with my camera! So sad. 

Hanging out on mama and daddy's bed.

Yay to no more cast!

The gallery Wall

I have wanted a gallery wall for a long time. I finally have one in our living room that I love and I didn't spend a small fortune on. I am extremely frugal, so anything you see on this wall was either bought on sale, or with a coupon. I like things better when I don't pay full price for them.  

The scripture print on the left side of the tv was a gift from a sweet friend.
The vase to the right was used in my wedding, but the sparkly silver filling was bought at the Dollar General! 
I think I paid $4.00 for both bunches.

wire bicycle- half price at hobby lobby $9.00

Letter O- Hobby Lobby on sale for approx $ 7.00
Wooden arrows- half price for $7.00

Blessings sign: $7.99 at Ross
Painted Skull: FREE! I won it at HopeSpoken Conference.
It was painted by Our Green Nest

on clearance at Hobby Lobby- $6.99

When you are making a gallery wall I don't think any rules apply. Textures, colors, and mixes of woods and metals add the needed character to make a gallery wall! I also feel like if you wait for things you love, it will make your wall much more special, Especially if you are going to be seeing it everyday you want only things you really like. I LOVE this gallery wall, and I think the fact that I waited for things to go on sale makes me love it even more.

Versatile Blogger

Versatile Blogger! I'm excited just because I like hearing random facts about people. My girl at MilitaryWifePugLife nominated me and her random facts were as always- interesting and hilarious. I love her whit :)

Now for my 7 random facts.

1.) I am ridiculously cheap. or should I say "Frugal", I do not like to buy ANYTHING at full price, I will wait until it goes on sale or I have a coupon. Obviously this doesn't count for groceries, because we have to have those, and I've started to let that go on clothing prices- just because I can't dress like a teen anymore.

2.) I met my husband in middle school. seriously. We were "boyfriend and girlfriend" in the 7th grade, which basically consisted of hand holding.

3.)I never wanted kids, and now I have four! They are hilarious, and sometimes obnoxious, and I haven't slept in 9 years but so very worth it. I would love to have more, but my body is old. lol. We have talked about adopting and I would love to do that but the price is literally outrageous.

4.) I love watching daytime TV. Don't judge. I can't help myself!

5.)I have never broken any bones. And just since we are talking about bones, only 2/4 kids have broken anything as of right now. My track record is pretty good. Knock on wood I didn't just jinx myself.

6.) My favorite movie ever is Armageddon. It's totally believable and all.

7. My husband and I danced to this song for our first dance as husband and wife.

That's pretty much all I could come up with. And I know you are supposed to nominate people. But I'm terrible about that- so If you want to share 7 random facts about yourself, do it!

Sparkler Painting

I'm all about easy crafts when it comes to my kiddos. They LOVE craft time and I especially love it when it feels special but it's really easy when it comes to clean up and also efficiency. So the craft I picked was a super cute sparkler inspired 4th of July painting. I saw a couple different ways to paint the "sparkler effect" straws, or pipe cleaners. But you literally had to assemble, and let's face it I like to be really time efficient.
I decided to use toilet paper rolls! Free and no assembly required! I was going to use canvases but was hesitant because they are expensive for a craft that may or may not turn out. So instead I bought a 3 pack of foam boards and with my oldest away at camp this gave me a board to paint also :) The entire pack cost me $5.50 and at that price I wasn't worried about potentially throwing it out.
These came out so cute and honestly any age could make one. I really like how mine turned out, so even adults who just like to craft could make this on their own.

Here's the overall breakdown:

Cost- $5.50 I bought the foam boards, but I had the red, white & blue paint on hand, and obviously tp rolls are free!
Supplies- foam boards, toilet paper rolls, paint (any color you want) I used acrylic paint.

Just cut the bottom into thin  strips, the thinner the better I think!

pick your paint colors. You'll need a plate for each color you use.
It needs to have a flat surface to get covered in paint.

Start painting!

Happy Aubree :)

Finished project!
Do the colors in layers so they have time to dry a bit in between layers.

Cheetos cheeser. He was just an assistant in this craft.

Have fun painting!