God is good!

New favorite song: "Bring the Rain" by Mercy Me.

I just had to get that in before I started my post. I love that song. It just makes me feel so good and to remember God is with me.

I have had a WONDERFUL two days off from work. I didn't get to go to Myrtle Beach this year with my parents, as planned, so I decided to just take 2 days off and get stuff done around the house at my own leaserly pace. It has been good to me. Yesterday I cleaned and organized the house, went grocery shopping, and waited for Ryans parents to come and help us clean up the tree that fell over the other week from the wind storm. I did get to take a 2 hour nap int he afternoon, it was good to me.

Val and Paul came around 6:30 and with Joe's help, we got it cut up and put into a huge pile for my dad, who will take it to their house and burn. We enjoyed pizza and pop, along with good conversation the rest of the evening.

This morning I have done so much already. A trip to JoAnn Fabrics was pleasing, as I spent about 20 minutes with these two older women, who graciously helped me find the correct needle for my sewing machine. I then caught up on my photo books, putting piles and piles of photos in them. I then did offically get the Halloween invitations out. I have already got responses on it. :) Being a graphic designer, it is always wonderful to get positive feedback on them. I still have alot to get done today, but I have got a good start.

I must go wake up my napping husband now, but I just wanted to sing God's praise for giving me these two days off. They have been great!

Until next time- be kind, be love, be creative!

Erin

Weekend with Noah

Who's Noah? Noah is my 2 year old nephew. The biggest sweetheart and cute as a button, but 100% boy. (Meaning he is rough and tough).

We watched Noah from Thursday through Sunday. Heather and Jon got a free trip to Napa Valley in California, but were unable to take Noah. So being the awesome Aunt that I am, I took on the role of "mommy" for the 4 days.

I knew what I was in for, I knew I would be tired. This is something completely new, for I am not a mom yet, but I have had doses of it from babysitting him (only for a couple of hours at a time).

Thursday was an early morning. I was so nervous that I would do something wrong and he would cry, have a fit, and wouldn't be cooperative at all. We were on a time schedule to get him dressed, with a chocolate milk and to the babysitters for the day. We did make it on time, but I was extremely stressed.

We made it through Friday, YES! It was was the weekend! It was easy to get him to wind-down in the evenings, but hard to get him to sleep all night. So Friday night we were up at 4am and he never went back to sleep. He also didn't take a nap all day..... so by Saturday night, he was growchy and exhausted. He wouldn't eat anything either, so I just didn't force it, to stay away from tantrums.

He didn't ask for mom and dad once! Not once! Which tells me Ryan and I were doing a good job of keeping him occupied and happy. That was my goal, I didn't want him to think they weren't coming back, or make him feel homesick. So for 4 days we watched Scooby Doo and Cars and Alladin- over and over and over.... needless to say, they are getting some new DVDs for Christmas :)

Sunday came and my parents were in town from returning from Myrtle Beach. What a relief! To have someone else entertain him was wonderful. I was exhausted but still trucking. We made it to around 8:00pm on Sunday night and Heather and Jon were going to be at our house to pick him up at 9:15ish. About 20 minutes before they came, for the first time that weekend I mentioned mom and dad to him. I said they were coming to pick him up and take him home. And with his little voice his said "ok." is a sort of dissappointed way. :) Bless his little heart.

So we made it through the week and weekend. It was a rough ride, but so many joys and blessings in that little man. I'm just glad they don't come out 2 year olds. LOL There is hope for me as a mommy in the future! So much energy!

Great Blog

So I came across this blog. I found this couple through Angie Smith's blog, they are friends. I love these two people. I wish I lived next door to them. They are hilarious

They recently had their first baby in July, Elias. They have been doing these video blogs on their journey of being new parents.

I absolutely love these people. Their video blogs are hilarious and just plain great!

http://jessicaturnersblog.blogspot.com/

Amazing Story

For all you who want to read the most amazing story, please go to this blog:

http://www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Start at the beginning. It was truely an amazing story and testimonial of God's Hope and putting all your trust in Him when hardships come along.

I hope you enjoy!

I am sure you will cry- just a warning.

God Bless,
Erin

Finding Him Once Again....

So I feel I need to blog about this, because something tells me I need to. Something has happened to me within the last week, and I have no idea what. But what I do know is that I have found God back in my life.... Not that I ever lost it, I mean I found God a long time ago. But something has changed. I want to tell my story...

So I grew up a good Catholic girl, went to Church EVERY Sunday, said prayers.. you know, the norm. I was close with my religion, went to CCD in high school, prayed for people and my sports (Maybe could I get 5 kills next game? A double would be awesome Lord!) haha, typical high schooler!

My sophmore year in high school, my grandmother passed away from breast cancer. We were very close and it was extremely hard to see her a few weeks before her passing in the nursing home. She was skin and bones, not how my grandma usually looked (you know, the chubby fat grandma everyone loves to hug). Her funeral was beautiful, and I knew she was in a better place. She died on Thursday, May 13th and her funeral was on Saturday. The service was so hard to get through, as people told stories about her and I think it hit me the hardest because we were so close. But this is not why I am writing this, my story continues on the Sunday AFTER the funeral. I was outside, playing with Justin, my doggie, and we would go back to the creek behind our house and look around at stuff (it was a good half a mile behind our property, I always played down there, once I found an old horse shoe- very cool)... and I was talking to God and my Grandma up in heaven, crying as I said my goodbyes. I was walking along the creek, up on higher ground when I noticed a patch of asparagus growing right in the middle of the weeds! I had to take a double-take, because I have played back there for YEARS and no asparagus has ever grown back there in the weeds and tall grass. What struck me was that when I was little, my grandmas would grow a patch of asparagus in the garden, and we would go out and pick it! I can still smell it as she cooked it up.... but yeah, I just stared at it for a while... then decided to pick some. I knew it was Grandma and God sending me a message that everything was fine and to not be sad and to think of her and the memories we shared. So I picked some, but not all. I brought them back to the house and I think we ate them (I can't quite remember). But I knew that was HIM, giving me a sign! It was amazing. The next day I went back and the patch was gone, I looked and looked, but it was gone. Amazing.

My second story was when I was in college. It is kind of gross, so just bare with me people. So I played sports in college and was in and out of alot of locker rooms. Well, I developed planters warts on my feet. If you had ever had them, you know some of them hurt. Well they started to spread all over my feet and on my toes.... I thought it was calluses at first, from my feet being completely sore from being in my volleyball shoes 24/7. Well I had them for around a year and a half, and they were so gross, but I was so scared to go to the doctor to get them cut out. I was home for Christmas break and I talked to my mom and we were going to make an appointment for Martin Luther King Weekend at the Doctors Office. One night I laid in bed and just prayed and prayed to the Lord to heal me if he could. I finally told Him that I give all this to Him and I trusted Him to get me through this. I told Him I know it will hurt, but I know He is there and will get me through it. I cried myself to sleep (I was really scared, I hate blood and knives and all that jazz).... So it is probably 2 weeks later, I was in my dorm room at school and I climb up my loft to get something. Now, these planters warts on my feet hurt and when I would climb up the ladder in my loft, I could feel them. But suddenly I realized that nothing hurt! I was confused and so I got down and took my socks off. I was in disbelief! They were all almost gone!!!!! WHAT?! HUH?! What happened? They all just disappeared, just like that! I immediatly fell to my knees and cried to the Lord. It was a miracle! I had these things on my feet for over a year and just like that they disappeared! I knew it was Him. He answered my prayer! I was so grateful for that. I will never forget that moment. I just cried. I knew He heard me! Such a wonderful and powerful feeling. I never told anyone about that. So now I have. I gave all my fears to Him, and He healed me. Praise to you Lord.

I will continue my story to today. I am very happily married to the love of my life, Ryan. We have been together for over 7 years (2 1/2 married), and we are very blessed with amazing family and friends, jobs and a beautiful home. We took our pre-marriage classes very seriously, and listened to the priest, Fr. Bob, closely to what he had to say. We still talk about things now and then what he told us. Once we were married, and especially since we got the house, our faith has kind of been on the back-burner. And its totally not on purpose, it is just EASIER to sleep in on Sunday when you have worked 50-60 hours that week, have events to attend, work to do on the house, and so forth. We have gotten caught up in materialistic things: for example me (having the new clothes to wear to work, even though I have a whole closet full of stuff or a new peice of jewelry, or I must have a new couch or new pictures for the walls) and Ryan (wanting to buy that new fishing lure or that new game). And I am totally NOT saying that women don't deserve a nice Coach purse, or a nice piece of jewelry! NO WAY! Let's be honest, every woman needs one. Just not a new one every season. Its about QUALITY NOT QUANTITY PEOPLE!

So this is where something has changed. I used to be so caught up in glamour and trying to get my house to look like a Pottery Barn catalog (still love them though). But suddenly, that stuff doesn't mean that much anymore. I suddenly don't feel the need to go buy new stuff, or even shop. WOAH! WEIRD! LOL Ryan seems to feel the same way. Who cares if we still have old carpet in our bedroom. Who cares if I have last year's sweater. What difference will it make if I buy a new one? I will still be the same person. Again, I am not stresssing the idea of being frumpy. When I need a new pair of jeans, I will surely buy one- but not at a designer store, at Kohls. I will still look cute and "with-it"! It's not like my status in life will go up to "celebrity" if I have a pair of Citizen jeans.... it will do nothing but set me back $200 for my children's college education someday... LOL.

But that is not the only thing that has changed. I find myself really paying attention to things around me. For example: Today I went to Noodles for lunch. I was waiting on my food To-Go and I noticed this pregant woman come in, order and then was waiting on to-go food as well. I was sitting on a 2-person bench with 3 people. I got up and let her have my seat. I felt so good that I did that. I felt Him smiled down on me.

So I have found this amazing peace inside me. I had it once, but it faded- no- I let it fade. I thank you Lord, for my life and my blessings. You are the reason that I get through my days. You are with me always, everyday, every hour. You are with me when I play volleyball on Monday nights, You are with me at work as I look at countless Halloween websites, You are with Ryan at work as he makes people healthier, You are amazing!

I am embracing this new peace and feeling of God's love and presence so much.

Thank you for listening (or should I say reading) this blog post.

God Bless,
Erin

Marblehead

Last weekend we went up to Lake Erie for a mini-vaca. It was so beautiful and peaceful. Ryan fished and I ran around with the dog. We loved it so much, we want to buy a second home upthere someday. I have already been looking! LOL Here are some pictures our amazing weekend.

PB = LOVE

HEY! Whazzzzzz up?! LOL Sorry, just sitting here at work, going a little 'crazy'.

So I love Pottery Barn, who doesn't?! BUT who the heck can afford their shite?!?! Seriously! Maybe once in a while I find something so unique that is on sale, that I get it (okay, like once in a blue moon- oh, I like that beer, could use one right now).

So yesterday I got their new fall catalog (yes, I said FALL, but I love fall, so I was excited). I found this photo deep within the pages and it stopped me in my tracks: (look at photo on top).

Isn't this perfect! That is exactly what I have been wanting to do with my stairway. I thought about the idea before, but this is just pure inspiration man! If you know me, you know I LOVE black and white photos, and I have a ton. So the photo thing, not a problem. The frames, going to Kohls for that one. Now the actual hammering holes to make everything fit? Going to be a HUGE project! This is going to take some time, some planning, and some patience. WHEW! But won't it look gooooood! :)

So that project, along with finishing up some handmade Halloween decor, and a Christmas box calendar, and this and that, I have alot going on.

But man, I love Pottery Barn. If I won a million dollars, I would have a personal interior designer of their's come in and redo my entire house in their stuff. Probably would cost about 1/2 a million, but ya know what I mean.

Busy Summer...

Whew! It's July already, where did June go?! Hey everyone. Sorry it has been a while. I have had alot going on. Wish there was about 10 more hours in a day.

Things have been good. I had an art sale a couple weeks ago and got a huge response about my artwork. I sold alot too, which is always a positive thing. It was exhausting, but worth it. One of my best friends got married last weekend, Jill and Steve Congrats. I was hired as their photographer, will post some pics soon. Jill looked beautiful! It was a wonderful day.

Now July- I have alot planned. I have recently been in motivation mode to do some interior designing.... I started with re-organizing the office, mainly to make room for Ryan's guitar equipment (which is currently in the basement, which isn't a good thing). This involved purchasing a new cubicle storage unit, new ice blue curtains, a clock, and complete reorganization of scrapbooking, photo albums, old files, etc. A HUGE JOB! I am on Day 3 and not yet finished. I would like to purchase a funky rug (colors of brown, black, tan and accents of blue), and some floating shelves as well as some black frames to hang a row of black and white portraits on the wall. I did go through alot of stuff and threw alot away. I LOVE going through crap.

Along with the office, my plans are to remove the grape vine border from the kitchen. It's not bad, but with a new kitchen table (black pedestal- 5 piece dining set) we will be getting soon, it will all tie in better without the border. We also purchased this beautiful black sideboard for the dining area, that will sit adjacent to the new black table.... that is what inspired all this change.

For Christmas, we talked about getting a new couch for the tv room. We currently have a sofa and loveseat that the previous owners sold to us, but since we have started "Sunday Movie Night", it would be much more comfy with a new couch. My heart is set on a sectional, not a big clunky one, but a low-key stylish one.... not sure how it will fit in since our room is pretty much filled up with the 65" flat screen tv... but I am determined to figure it out.

Along with those changes, I want to purchase area rugs. We have carpet currently, but no where in the near future will we be replacing that, so rugs are my next option. AND MAN- are rugs expensive! I found the best deals at Old Time Pottery and Garden Ridge. I am holding out on those until the last minute.

But finally, this coming weekend, Ryan and I are going to mulch. We have been contemplating doing this for a long time. We didn't last year, since it was our first year in the house, but we really need to this year. Bad Part- WEEDING! I hate it and we have alot of weeds growing. It's gonna suck, but the result will be finominal (sp?).

I will keep you posted on my projects and get some photos up soon!!!!!

Peace Out!

NEW! Mountain Photos!

Below you will see a series of posts with photos for sale.
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