artsy fartsy!

one of the things i absolutely love to hang and display all over my house, is josie's artwork!
now that she'll be going to daycare (SHE STARTS TOMORROW!!), i can't wait to see what kind of beautiful things she makes!!!
i can feel my proud mommy moments already! {sigh}
here's some darling ways to display children's artwork for your home:
check
it
out.........

*simple & cute as can be!*

the diy tutorial is here

Ok...

check this out...

'cause when you see how EASY it is to create, you'll gasp!

i mean GASP!

todiefor!

go HERE and gasp!

holy

wall 

of

 art 

batman!

do it. i dare ya!

find out how, HERE!

too

too cute!

frames?!

who knew!

:)

p.s. you'll love the blog this idea came from!

adorable!

{get this idea and more just like it HERE!}

how do you display artwork in your home?

***********

Be

Blessed!

~M.

an apple a day.

while i am on this autumn kick... i thought i would scour pinterest for some yummy treat ideas!
do you have a favorite treat/snack/candy that you indulge in this time of year?
one of my FAVORITES is caramel apples!
ohhhhh the sticky delciousness!!!
ohhhhhh the fillings that can be pulled from your tooth!
ohhhh how worth it!
(hopefully!)

(found here)

let's discuss this table and the decor, shall we??!!!

swooning over the large puffy flowers!

and the simple white tray & cake plate....

adorable.

just adorable.

(found here)

sunflower seeds?!

who would have thought!?

i love!!

(found here)

C-U-T-E

amen.

(found here)

genius!!!

and salty

and sweet

and delectable!

are you drooling yet?

:)

my job here is done!

********************

p.s.  i think i would like to go and hunker down in this room for awhile!

ok?

ok.

(found it here!)

today.

today:
it is raining.
the leaves are slowly starting to float to the ground.
i am getting more and more excited for autumn to arrive.
i am thinking about white pumpkins.

(source)

(source)

(source)

(source)

(source)

what are YOU doing today!?

~M.

hello monday.

This is my last full week of doing daycare - my heart is so full of love, gratitude for having this incredible journey and a twinge of sadness as I prepare to send Josie to daycare and begin my new job endeavor!
All of the love and kindness from each of you has been SUCH A HUUUUGE blessing to my heart!
Thanks y'all!
Here's a few pics from life lately....

date night!!!!

Brian and I got to sneak away for a movie date on Friday!!!

:)

awesome!

I decorated for Autumn - all of my owls are out bringing me lots of JOY!

(it's the little things in life!)

I started knitting a SOFT, ULTRA WARM, TODIEFOR wool hat!!!

The yarn is by Martha Stewart (I like to call her "Marty") and scrumptious!

I got an incredible bouquet of sunflowers from my mama and step-dad!

They have graced my table, and now I have divided them up and have little vases of sunflowers all over the house!

I can't wait to dry them and hang them for fall!

Here's hoping you all have a GLORIOUS Monday!!!

Again, thank you for all of the well wishes and LOVE from each of you...

it truly means the world to me!

Be

Blessed

Today,

~M.

{Linking up HERE today!!!  I absolutely LOVE Lisa Leonard!!!} 

exciting news....

hi friends!!!

WOW, it has been a really long time since i have been on my little blog... so sorry!

we have been busy at our house - and are entering a very exciting - NEW- season!

for the past 2 years i have been lucky, blessed and fortunate to be home with josie, and have had an awesome in home daycare: 

"Country Chick's Childcare!"

yeeee haaaawwww!!!

it has been such a fabulous way for me to be home with josie, 

meet new-incredible families, 

care for precious kiddies 

and basically work from home....

i have loved it!

now that josie is getting older (turning 3 in October - AH!) and i am feeling the itch to get out and work outside of the home (i have a teaching license - emphasis in pre-primary ages), i decided to apply for a job i saw posted in our local paper!!!

and 

what 

do 

you 

know...

i got it!!!!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

i will be a home visitor for Headstart, and am BEYOND excited to begin!!!

i literally found out, 

had to tell all of my families the next day 

(gave a 2 week notice - one of the most difficult things I have ever done!!!!)

and then wrap my head around the fact that my daughter would be going to daycare!

Lord help me!

Where do I start?

Being on this end of the daycare process is overwhelming!

we spent last weekend camping, and it was a great way for me to step back from it all...

embrace the NEW CHANGE 

and come back refreshed and ready to start visiting places for her to go each day...

(my hours are 8-4:30)

(my hours are rocking my world)

(i will never wear yoga pants more than 6 days in a row again)

amen.

wednesday night, we went and visited a daycare down the road about 30 seconds from our home and fell in love with it!!!! josie was completely relaxed, played, made herself at home and woke up the next morning asking to go back!!!!

ALLELUIA!

she starts a week from today!

BIG 

CHANGES!

i will have to have myself ready, josie ready and be out the door by 7 AM every morning!!!

SAY WHAAAAT?!?

a day at a time.

that's how i am looking at it!

i know she is going to SOAR with her wings wide open, ready for some independence from her mama...

but i know i will miss her!

i am so excited for this new journey!!!!

and can't wait for all of YOU to come along with us!

BE 

BLESSED

TODAY

SWEET

FRIENDS!

lots of love,

~M.

**********************************************

p.s. here's one of my fave pix  from the girls weekend i was on a couple weeks ago:

oooohhhhh how i love the north shore!

and this little girl melts my heart!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

remember:

xo.

gifts.

here's a small sampling of my gifts from Lake Superior that I dug up last weekend......

sea glass

heart shaped rocks

agates

small drift wood

all treasures!!!

bethie found this INCREDIBLE heart shaped rock!

There is nothing more therapeutic than sitting on the shore, listening to the waves and letting out SHRIEKS of joy when you find a little something!

may your heart be happy and full today!

be 

blessed!

~M.

tidbits from here...

hey kids!!!

remember me?

sorry i have been WAY absent from my little bloggy,

life has been crazy, busy, fun and wouldn't you know it...

little blog had to wait for some lovin!

but...

here i am!

my first thing to discuss?

cones.

cones on dog.

poor thang!

we are on week 3 of this NASTY BUSINESS!

MONDAY is the DAY!  

off comes the cone!

Praise the Lord!

:)

all of my furniture has been re-arranged multiple times and the cone been chewed, fixed, bent and slammed repeatedly!

and this just in: a cone to the ankles isn't pleasant.

Seriously!

***************************

second item we must gush over is the girls weekend i just had!!!

me and my absolute bestest besty spent the weekend in Duluth!

(go say HI to bethy at her blog HERE! you will love it - pinky swear!)

~this girl makes my heart SING!~

we spent hours digging for beautiful sea glass (unreal amounts!!! brings me SO MUCH JOY!)

ate delicious meals

i wore a buff headband and ZERO makeup!  

that's how we roll!

AMEN

ALLELUIA

LESS IS MORE LADIES!

:)

we had SUCH a wonderful time!

i am truly

BLESSED!

coming home to my sweet girl running to me melted my heart!!!!

*****************************

ok...

life's too short not to laugh..... so here goes:

dear autumn,

you and all your glory are more than welcome to come down and COOL US OFF!

amen.

couldn't resist.

p.s. I don't like games.

p.s.s. never have. never will. not board games. not outdoor games.

i like to knit.

and keep score.

:)

some days!

especially with a yellow lab in a cone!

it's RUFF!

**************************

ok,

my coffee is getting cold - so I am off to chug it down!

lots of love to 

you!

Be 

Blessed,

M.

Spin Spin Spin!

 ~Happy Monday lovelies~

(source)

this is how i am greeting my morning!

Mmmmmm....

Coffee!

Josie and I had our first night of Vacation Bible School last night and it was a BLAST! 

I am helping out with the preschool class, so she gets to come along and participate (usually they have to be 3, but she is SO CLOSE! My baby is going to be 3 in October! AH!)

The entire drive home, she talked my ear off about all of the FUN she had!

Seeing her flourish and grow and participate in things like this, puts such a huge smile on my face and warms my heart to no end!!!

We asked her yesterday over lunch, what kind of birthday party she wants to have...

and of course I thought Dora the Explorer, but to my surprise... she was all about the 

SPINERINA!

(aka Ballerina!)

She has this tutu that she pretty much lives in, 

and she informed us that she wants to wear that... and have a party! 

:) 

Party on sweet girl!

Leave it to this mama to set up a FABULOUS "Spinerina" partaaay!!!

 

(source)

I CANNOT WAIT!

Be 

Blessed

Twinkle Toes!

xoxo.

~M.

falling leaves please.

Good Sunday Morning my dears! 

I just stuck my head outside, and let out a small CHEER!!!

It is actually brisk this morning...

A light, cool, glorious breeze!

One might even require a small sweater this morning!

{my mom would say "cardigan"}

Unbelievable my friends!

It has been SO HOT, HUMID, and flat out NASTY out lately -

over it completely!

-this mama is THRILLED about the cool down-

(even if it only lasts for the day - Ha!)

Bring 

It

ON!

So let's discuss some DARLING Autumn finds, shall we?

found HERE!

love love love the long, curly vine!

just precious! 

perfect for all of your necessities, and loving the AUTUMNAL colors!

:) i have a slight purse obsession!!!

get yours HERE!

I have a slew of these dishcloths - and they are A-mazing!!!

start SCRUBBING!

throwing this in for good measure!!

My baby wasn't quite a year old - 

her first Duck Hunting Opener!!!

OH

MY

GOODNESS

:) 

{those cheeks - love them}

*******************************

in other news:

~our dog has been in heat, was fixed on Friday and is a WILD ANIMAL wearing a cone!

~my daughter is watching The Little Mermaid on VHS (that's how we roll) 

~I am still in my bathrobe, and must go get ready for church now!

Later Gators,

~M.

chop chop chippy chop.

Hey all!

So, it is the most BEAUTIFUL, cool morning here and I can't help but feel HAPPY!

Why does the weather affect my emotions so much??? 

Probably because when it is 100 degrees with 100% humidity and no breeze...

this mama is no fun!!!

Sorry y'all.... I like Summer, but the intense heat just does me in!

You know what else does me in?

LONG HAIR!

So......

I took care of that on Monday evening and got it CHOPPED!

Alleluia!

Praise the Lord!

Loving it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So long hair!

It's super easy and manageable and I am happy as a clam!

:)

Here's a couple other things that have put a S-M-I-L-E on my face lately:

(source)

leap frog!

(source)

TRUTH!

p.s. I want one of everything from this Etsy shop! 

Thanks!

(source)

LOVE THIS wall art!!!

(source)

O.K..... I ADORE this line of bags!!!!

Own one... LOVE IT!

~SWOONING~

over this cashmere - wool polka dot pattern!!!!

for reals!!!

*************************************************

Have a TERRIFIC day!!!! 

Ring in August with some JOY...

and

Be

Blessed!

*M*