Crafty

People say I am crafty. And I am. I love crafts. I love being creative.

Enter the life of Rachel from age 12: drawing, painting, homemade gifts, candy making, cake decorating, home decor, jewelry making, photography, baking, cooking, and kids activities.

Sounds good right?

My big problem? I am a comparison queen.

I am never satisfied with what I do. I compare all I do to those FAR MORE ADVANCED than myself. Or, on the flip side, if I know that there is no way that what I will do would ever come close to Suzy Homemaker down the street, then I don't even bother, even if it may be something I love. I always want to be the best, the very first time.

I also have pride up the wazoo. If I create something, and someone says "how did you do that?" I never want to share the details! I want to claim the fame, and never share it! SO SILLY! Here's the big secret though:

Nothing I have ever made thus far has been my own idea.

I may tweak it a little to make it my own, but I am not inventive! I covet these blogs with these amazing mama's who come up with the most clever crafts, or home decor, who also seem to look gorgeous being crafty! What's up with that? When I craft, I have hot glue strings hanging from every limb of my body. Can you say sexy?

Okay, okay, back to what I was saying. Pride, it's like cellulite.......no matter how hard I try to make it go away, it sticks with me, and its UGLY! It may disappear in certain lighting, but it always shows up just to embarrass! (And yes, I have true cellulite as well. This is not like when Paul is talking about his thorn of the flesh in 2 Corinthians 12. He didn't really have a thorn in his physical flesh. I, however, have my figurative cellulite and the real stuff.)

ANYWAYS.....pride. It's yucky stuff. Something that keeps me from doing what I love. Obsessing about what I did wrong. Constantly thinking about how I can make my next "craft" better. Causing me to quit. Idolatry. Sheeesshh. This is rough stuff.

In an effort to cut away the pride, I am going to need help. I am going to share my stuff with you, perfect or not, in hopes that you will offer suggestions to better my craft, offer encouragement when you like something, and suggest tips and tricks to help me grow.

I dare to be vulnerable. Pride can't survive with vulnerability. It suffocates it.

Stay tuned for tutorials and pictures of my current craft or activity, or, get out while you still can! It could be messy from here on out! :)

Human day

Feeling blah today. Jason hates when I say that, he says he doesn't know what that means. Blah really has no definition other than how it sounds. It sounds....well.....blah. I don't know why I feel this way. We got out of the house this morning, I exercised, showered, had a quiet time.......so what is the deal?

Why do I have to feel this way without a reason? Really, there is truly no reason. Ugh, females. It's always us. Its days like today that give screenwriters in Hollywood a reason to exaggerate the truth about us in television sitcoms. I was that crazy woman.

Why do I share this with you? One, because I didn't know what else to write, and I didn't want you all to think I fell off the "work-out" wagon. Two, because well, I didn't feel like leaving my whole life story in a "status update" on facebook,  so to keep from being one of those people that I dislike because they leave cryptic messages, I thought I would enlighten you all here! Nice of me, right?

Jason said I was "attitude-y" earlier, I think he is right!

Haha, this may be the most random post you read from me here, but I just thought I would share that I definitely don't have it all together today! I am having a total human day.

I guess my "super-woman" cape was in the dirty laundry today. Yep, that's my excuse, and I am stickin' to it!

Tuesday Tips: Trick to getting ready

So I don't know about all of you other mom's out there, but it seems as though Mikayla decides she wants me just when I am needing to get dressed and ready for the day. Why is that? I beg her to snuggle with me ALL DAY, and the time I need her to play by herself is the time she decides to be needy. Well, I have a trick, which may not be any big "ah-ha" moment to any of you, but it sure has helped me over the last several months.

Set aside certain toys that your child can't play with regularly, and bring them out when you need to get ready, or get something done. For us, right now, that is Mikayla's blocks and her disney princess matching game. She LOVES to play with these, and because she doesnt have access to them regularly, they tend to keep her occupied when I pull them out of the cupboard (even if it is just for 15 minutes). I sometimes will give her mixing bowls and spoons and she will pretend to cook with them as well.

Also, Mikayla has a drawer of things she can play with in both my bathroom and the kitchen. That tends to help as well, because she typically likes to be in the same room that I am in.

Like I said, this may be a no brainer to most of you, but I know that sometimes its the most simple things that escape the brain of a mommy!

Do you have any tips that keep you sane when you are needing to get something done?

Humble Pie

So this week at bible-study we talked about humility. There is such a fine line between a spirit of denial, and a spirit of humility. There is also an extrememly fine line between bragging and boasting in the Lord (2Corinthians 10:17-18). I would venture to say that most women struggle with these two extremes. I know I sure do.

The conclusion was that a spirit of humility and to boast in the Lord will come as a result without having to preface your intentions. How often do you feel you have to begin a story with "It was totally a God-thing because.........." in order to not sound as though you are bragging? I do it all the time. Instead I would  love that if I have to say it at all, it would be because I am longing to give His name the glory. And if I don't mention God as a part of my blessing, will people see God in me anyways? Or, what about the next time I am complimented or thanked for an act of service? Will I say "It was no big deal" in an effort to come across as humble, or will I graciously accept the gratitude because in my heart of hearts it was a sacrifice, but it was a sacrifice worth doing!

THEN, I was reading today in Hebrews about how Jesus was made lower than the angels. WHAT? REALLY? I have been going to church for 24 years, and this escaped me how? AND THEN, not only was He made to be lower than the angels, but he was made to be lower than most humans due to the death that he incurred. Now, luckily, He is high and lifted up, thank the Lord (seriously :) but Jesus chose to be lower than the angels! He HUMBLED himself, and He never said "its no big deal." In fact, he clearly states ALL OVER HIS WORD that it is a big deal. Just because Jesus didnt shrug it off and say "don't worry about" doesn't mean that He wasn't humble.

So what is there to learn here?? A humble spirit is reflected regardless if "humble" words are spoken. If I want to boast about the blessings God has provided me, all who hear me will know that I give full credit to God, regardless if I preface myself with "It was such a God thing" (not to say that I won't do that, because I love to take every opportunity I get to proclaim the Lord's name, but I will do it as an act of worship instead of a fear of coming across as arrogant.)

Whew! **wipes sweat off brow** I love when I have a God-given tangent!

Jesus, in an effort to lower myself, as you did with the angels, would you open my eyes to a spirit of humility? Would you allow me to desire to do things for no other recognition except yours? Would you fill my thoughts with you, so that I can quit tip-toeing around what I fear other people might think?

Blessed

How did I get so lucky to have the husband that I do? Tomorrow is our 4yr anniversary, and boy it feels like just yesterday that I was telling him "shut-up" as he proposed to me (that story may come at a later date). We have both grown up so much, and yet I still feel like a child at times. Getting married was more than the wedding for me, it was the start of my dream to have my own family. Jason is such a wonderful daddy, the love he has for Mikayla is something I couldnt have even dreamed of. Here they are:

Doesn't this picture just melt your heart? There is no way I could have even imagined 4 yrs ago that I would be this blessed and fortunate.

Happy Anniversary Jason! I love you!

**Awww don't worry readers, I am not always this gushy!**

Bye Bye Ba-Ba

Mikayla is 18 months. Oh. My. Goodness. Really? I seriously feel like it was just yesterday that I was in labor for 32 hours, waiting on my little girl who apparently had her own agenda. And to this day, she still has her own agenda. She does not do things until/unless she decides to do them on her own.

Yesterday was a day that I decided to make a decision for her. Say bye-bye to the bottle (affectionately reffered to in our home as ba-ba.) For the last 6 months she has just been getting a bottle before bedtime and naps. I dont know how long is too long before you quit with the bottle, but something told me that last night was a good night to do it. I was scared. We have a good thing going with bedtime, should I ruin that?

Well she did just fine. Went to sleep normally. No biggie. Come to think of it, all of her transitions have been no big deal. I am blessed. Shocked, but blessed.

Does she really have to grow up?

Until next week.....

Jason and I are headed to Estes Park tomorrow, and won't be back till Sunday! Our anniversary is next week, and we are celebrating a tad early! Boy will it be nice to get away for a bit!

Wow, has it really been 4 years already?



Hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week, and an awesome weekend! Say a prayer for my mom and my mother-in-law, they are on Mikayla duty! I think they may need the vacation after this weekend! :)

Tuesday Tips: Bathtub paints

So I have decided that every Tuesday that I write, I will provide a helpful tip from my vast knowledge and experience with life and motherhood (are you all rolling your eyes at me?)

Today's tip: Do not use too much food coloring when you create your own bathtub paint.

I created this yesterday in an effort to be a cool mommy:

Its shaving cream and food coloring mixed together and separated in a formula dispenser. I put her in the bath with the paints and let her go to town. I then freaked out at the thought of her little body and "unmentionable areas" being stained with an array of color, after examining my own hands and seeing pink and green stains all over them. SO I pulled her out of the tub and set her up at the sink with her fun paints. The mess was worth it, she had fun, and the "unmentionable areas" were all covered:

Messy!

Look at that sweet face!

My little artist!

So, if any of you brave mothers out there try this, which I highly recommend, go easy on the food coloring! As appealing as the vibrant colors may be, your kids will have fun with it regardless of how dark the colors appear!

Happy Tuesday!

Happiness and Contentment....

This time last year I was a bit of a wreck. I was a new mother of a 6 month old, working, and things in my marriage were rough (not rough in the way the world would view it, but things were definitely not optimal). My wish for my birthday last year was for happiness and contentment. Well apparently I wasn't specific with which birthday I wanted happiness and contentment to fall on, because it didn't happen last year.

I am glad to report that the happiness and contentment has come......one year later! That's right, on the eve of my 24th birthday, I am realizing just how happy and content I am. Things are FANTASTIC with Jason and I. My daughter, despite the normal outbursts of emotion, is absolutely perfect in my eyes. I am getting in shape and feel great. My house has never been cleaner. I have new passions and desires for things that I enjoy doing. I have developed a deeper walk with God than I ever thought possible. The best part, you may ask? I do it ALL without feeling like I have neglected something or someone!

So is it truly because I am one year older? Doubt it. Is it because my circumstances have changed? Maybe. I am not really sure why the change has occurred, but I am glad it did. I feel fabulous!

Here's to the next year full of:
*smaller jeans
*a house full of home-made crafts
*a bible falling apart due to being opened often
*a marriage full of fun and romance
*a child who becomes smarter due to my interactions with her
*and happiness and contentment that lasts the whole year long!

Happy Birthday to me!

Dare I say it, but....

I am enjoying working out. **GASP** Yes, I said it. Mark it on your calenders. I have exercised 14 of the last 17 days.

I love Zumba, and the elliptical is more of a friendly acquaintance now as opposed to the horrid stranger it was a few weeks ago. I just finished running 2 miles in 23 minutes, which doesn't put me at marathon status by any means, but I think I have graduated from the running-up-the-stairs-puts-me-out-of-breath category. Big accomplishment.

So, here is the obstacle I run into. As I progress in my attempts to be fit, I find myself feeling guilty for everything, or convincing myself that what I am doing is not good enough.

Have any of you ever encountered that? What do you do to combat those thoughts?

Impression

Mikayla tries so hard to imitate what she sees being done. Take play-doh for instance: I cut out a circle in the play-doh using a cake tip (I hope my mother-in-law doesn't read this, she bought me the cake tips. I dont think she will be thrilled that we use them for play-doh J) and this is Mikayla's version of using the cake tip:



Cute, but not quite the same, it is her own impression.

I was reading this morning in 1 Thessalonians about this concept. In verse 7 Paul is telling the church of the Thessalonains "you became an example to all the believers..." The original Greek word used for "example" was used to describe a seal that marked wax, or a stamp that minted coins. A permanent, constant impression.

It got me thinking. Who's "impression" am I leaving on those around me? Am I leaving my mark, or God's? If Paul was commending the church about the example they were leaving, it was a Godly example, because Paul didnt grant praise to anything that was not Godly.

I was reading yesterday on one of the blogs that I follow that they have obtained 10,000 followers! Well of course that pushed me to lament last night about how I could get more followers to my blog. Then my dear sweet husband asked "What is the reason for your blog?" and I quickly stated "So people can read the stuff I write." I instantly wished I could have pulled those words back in my mouth. That was not the reason I originally had in starting this blog. I feel as though God has revealed some wonderful stuff to me, and I would be doing an injustice by not sharing it. It has nothing to do with me.

So my wonderful followers, all 10 of you, I hope that the impression I leave on you is that of God. And if you are the only 10 followers I ever have, I pray that the impression you receive of me every time I write is that of a Godly one.

I apologize for my "follower envy." Please forgive me J