Sequins and Granola

As we were strolling the streets of a small mountain town in Arkansas it hit me. My kids are perfect. My 10 year old with his lanky legs & forgetfulness, his creativity & inability to keep track of any item for longer than 2.3 minutes, sporting the coolest sunglasses $6 can buy.  My 8 year old with his pigeon toed walk, he's spitting of course- I'm sure something smelled funny & he had to expel it from his mouth immediately, he's wearing my Birkenstocks because he stepped out of my car in the bustling downtown streets of this quaint town in socked feet, no shoes to be found. But these 2 guys of mine- they're perfect to me.  It's sometimes hard to see- we're rushing to school & events, they're hitting each other, whining & tattle telling- I'm worn, frustrated- but still, it's there. Their perfectly imperfect perfection. These little boys are my life. I live & breathe for them- I will fight tooth & nail for their well being.

It's finally here ladies! Longer days, shorter sleeves, bright colors, & happier moods! Time to paint your piggies a bright color & let them free after a long winter shoved in boots! Grill some veggies, eat some fruit, lay in the grass, stare at the blue sky, smell the breeze, smile, laugh, be happy! Shake those winter blues! Get in the yard & hula hoop, do handstands, ride a bike, take a hike, throw a party, BBQ, go fishing, walk with a friend, go for a jog, plant in your garden, just get outside! Hope in the future, live for the moment, bloom where you're planted, shine love, hope in the unknown! Thank God for today- because it is glorious! 

I'm a brat. Straight up, spoiled brat, diva. It dawned on me as I drove away in the rental car- putting an actual key into the ignition *um, don't I just push the start button?!*, trying to adjust the seat with a manual crank, turning on the NOT automatic headlights & sticking my arm out the non-automatic window to adjust the rear view mirror- I'M A BRAT!  My car got into an accident- it actually just got hit. I was parallel parked on a downtown street while I was inside the hair salon I work at making folks beautiful. I finished up around 5:50 & gathered my things...chatting for my usual extra 10 minutes before I walked out the door. As I walked to my car I noticed a cop car parked in the center of the road blocking traffic. As I looked to my right on the sidewalk I saw three men: beards, long hair, bandanas- OH MY GRAVY! IT'S UNCLE SY! Only....it wasn't! I grabbed my phone thinking, "I'll get a pic with Willie for my boys- Duck Dynasty & Mom-

I love ROMPERS- if I've said it once I've said it a gillion times. I remember the first romper I bought - it was about 4 years ago. It was denim. I thought it was adorable. I tried it on for my hubby- you know the one that is so sweet to me & always tells me the truth? Example: your hair is too blonde, you look like you colored it in the trailer park bathroom OR you're going to have to just deal with wrinkles & dimply skin- you're in your mid-thirties & you've had 2 kids. 😳 Yep *That guy*  So I slip into my cute denim romper & sashe into the room to show him all the cuteness- & he takes a quick look & starts singing "come & knock on my door". Ummmm...the theme from Three's Company?! Yep. He said I looked like Suzanne Somers circa 1979. But did it stop me? No sir! I wore that little denim romper proudly & am going to keep on keeping on. So 4 years later I don't wear that particular denim number but I am still a huge

As I play in the yard with my boys, listen to the giggles of them & their neighborhood buddies, watch my neighbors buzz about on their bikes or out for a run I realize it- I'm living the American Dream. We aren't rich or celebrities but we are lacking nothing monetarily.  Mostly because we serve a great God, attend a church we love, My husband & I are successful in our careers, our kids are healthy & bright, they attend a great school, the town we live in is fun & full of opportunity- but there's a missing piece. I know that sounds crazy- but for me- there's a lack in my life. What is that you ask? My extended family.  I'm a family girl! Born & raised in the same town with the majority of my relatives. My family was there for every single one of my life events. I spent the night at one of my grandparents houses every weekend. Most of my childhood memories involve family members. That is what I miss- I miss the every day interaction. Dropping in t

There I was scrubbing the floor- a literal Cinderella moment- scrubbing on my hands & knees singing a song when the same thought that typically crosses my mind during such wifely actions crossed my mind once more, "Josh will love that everything is so clean!" With a smile & a hum I continue to scrub. Feeling proud- look at me- wife of the year over here. Earlier that morning I had ironed all of his button ups that I had just washed & hung them ever so neatly in his closet, on perfect display so that when he walked in his closet he was sure to think "That wife of mine is a good one!" However, the reality of it is- that ain't his love language, so as much as he appreciates my kind gestures, they don't necessarily make him feel loved. Say what?!?! I just pressed all your polos & scrubbed that spot that you so gently keep mentioning out of the bedroom floor- that is love, my dear! It dawns on me, that's not his language. To him that means - I

II love everything about spring! The smells, the flowers, the colors, Easter, & of course the fashion! I love dressing for mild weather, the temps are comfortable & you can break all the rules. This season I'm obsessed with a few things- whites, rompers, & mixing winter clothes with summer clothes.  WHITES/CREAMS:  First of all, it's totally ok to wear white year round/ but I especially love the all white & cream look for spring. Always great with nude, tan, or camel shoes. By the way, in the pic on the left I'm wearing skorts- remember those?! Don't be shocked if you see them in lots of stores this spring! Bring out your sequin pants, skirts, or shorts from that holiday party & pair them with a casual sweater or tee - great way to use them after the party is over!  ROMPERS: I'm obsessed with ROMPERS this season. I've been wearing them for a few years but I'm really into wearing them with boots in the spring. If your romper is sleeveless

I am a volunteer by nature- an 'I love you so I'm going to make you happy' kind of gal. I have a heart for helping others, giving back, making people smile...it's just in me. Somewhere along the way I started believing that me helping others meant coordinating a large volunteer effort, or donating $100 at a time, or getting in a routine or rotation of some sort that would be an ongoing effort. A weekly ritual of sorts that I would be fulfilling God's will one huge, everybody can see it, wrapped in a pretty red bow, act of ministry. But as a mom of 2 busy boys & a wife of a traveling hubster, what I thought ministry looked like has changed a bit with time.  A month or two ago I was shopping at a store, casually thumbing through the prints in the home decor section & spotted a beautiful picture with these words written across it: "DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE." There in the middle of a large discount store I had an "aha" moment.  Every t