Addiction

I have a serious addiction problem---my "drug of choice"---candles! And not the unscented kind either, no, no, the kind that trick your senses into thinking that there just must be a freshly baked apple pie somewhere nearby. Oh, yes, that kind. To me an unscented candle is like flavorless food---utterly useless and completely pointless! I like authentic scents though, and prefer to stay away from candles that smell really artificial.

To say that my addiction has gone overboard is probably an understatement. I used to just light a candle after a room was cleaned up---my own personal reward and the sign of a job well done. But, I realized that after I would clean up a room & then spark the flame rewarding my success, I would usually leave the room to conquer another area of the house---and I missed out on being able to enjoy the use of my sense of smell during the clean-up process. So, now I just light them whenever I please...and it's usually one of the first things I do in the morning. My morning coffee & candles are two things I can hardly live without these days.

Some people like the change the decor of their homes according to the seasons. I however like to change up the scent of my little nest. I found some candles that fit the bill quite nicely as summer is turning into fall---Mulled Cider---oh how it makes me want to jump into a pile of leaves or go visit a pumpkin patch...it's the perfect Autumn scent. I love to walk through our home and smell the essence of fall as it wafts from room to room. It truly relaxes me, and makes even the most mundane chores enjoyable.

Thank you God for the sense of smell! I am totally taking advantage of it!

Mushrooms on the Mantle

You know you have some dampness issues when you find these growing on your mantle...

I was doing a little mantle update today, and upon removing a photo frame (which I had just replaced only 2 days prior) I found these three little guys, growing apparently due to the excess amount of moisture that lies within the fireplace wall. As soon as I tried to wipe them up, they turned into the finest brown powdery dust I've ever seen---it was really weird. Looked almost like dark brown chalk dust. Anyways, they're gone for now, but you can bet that I'll be checking behind that frame every day for a little while to see if they return!


I'll leave you with some happier images...isn't he precious?!!! I just love the peacefulness of a sleeping baby. So innocent and pure---my sweet baby boy!!!

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

After a somewhat strange "vacation" up in Dallas, we are slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things here in CC. And, like I have known for some time, I really do like for things to be routine! None of this crazy, unplanned and unexpected stuff for me---no, give me a schedule and let me stick to it! Haha! Life has a way of turning upside down though, but that just makes the times when the world is "right-side-up" all the more sweet and memorable. Well, life is getting sweet again, and for that I'm truly thankful.

At almost 18 months of age, Johnathan is FINALLY sleeping through the night---and by that I mean that I am not getting up in the middle of the night to nurse him anymore! He still wakes up maybe once or twice, and either Aaron or I will just go in and give him his pacifier or water and he goes right back to sleep. Sometimes he'll just fuss a little and fall asleep again on his own. Needless to say, this was a long time in coming. I realized during our stay in Dallas just how drained I was getting, so hopefully our new no-night-time-nursing routine will help me to get some extra ZZZZzzz's! Wouldn't that be nice?!!!

Here are some pics of life at it's sweetest...

Two sweet lil' cousins, watching a movie together...they sat still for about 1 minute!

Having fun at Papi & Nana's on the bouncy horse!

Look what we found at HEB---like they say, Here Everything's Better! ;)

Trying on Dada's shoe.

Getting into mischief with Miles!

Lovin' some pineapple! They almost ate the whole bowl full all by themselves!

Uncle Aaron and Baby Levi Samuel.

Silly boy! He does this goofy little smile a lot right now!

Cute teeth! Chubby Lil' Monkey-boy!

The sweetest face in the world!

The face that brightens up every day for me!

Five years ago today...

...a precious little boy was born into Heaven.  It's hard to believe that these past 5 years have already gone by.  Like they say, it seems just like yesterday, and in a lot of ways, it really does.  I can still feel the extreme soul anguish at the knowledge that my baby wasn't going to ever walk this earth.  I can still smell the newness of life that never fully got to be.  And, I can still remember saying to myself that no matter what I was going to always cling to God, that I wouldn't ever turn my back on Him, no matter how difficult life became.  

Five years and one sweet "earth baby" later, I realize that September 14th, 2004 will always feel just like yesterday---yet also like an eternity ago.  I guess when you lose someone that you love so dearly, time is able to stand still while flying by.  5 years hasn't lessened the pain of losing our sweet Daniel Cole, and I'm really glad that it hasn't.  The pain is certainly different now that Johnathan has entered our world, and the overwhelming joy that he brings us adds a new dimension to the loss that we feel over our precious Gideon, Daniel & 2 Angel Babies.

Sweet Daniel, we love you so much.  We talk to Johnathan about you, and in a couple of years when he can understand more, we're going to show him your pictures.  I wish you were here to play with him, to teach him things and to love him.  He will miss you just like we do, even though he never got to meet you.  I know that you love him, and know that he will love you too, just as your Daddy and I love you.  Happy 5th Heaven birthday.  Today is a very special day, because it's the day that you met Jesus face to face.  Stay safe in His arms until you can be in mine.  

Snips & Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

...that's what little boys are made of!

Johnathan truly lives up to this little rhyme. He loves all things boy - playing outside, getting dirty, poking around at bugs, and most of all hanging out with man's best friend, dogs! He loves playing with our do, BoBo, but sometimes Bo's 95+ lbs. of muscle and fur are a bit much to handle. Although BoBo is very sweet around Johnathan (and vice versa) he can get worked up with excitement, and those nearly 100 pounds become a little dangerous around my little 24-pounder. So, all that to say, whenever Johnathan gets a chance to hang out with a dog a little more his size he takes advantage of it! Here he is with my aunt's dog, Rascal. Rascal is a sweetie, and has learned that having Johnathan over usually means getting a treat or two...Johnathan loves to share his food!...and because of that Rascal is willing to put up with all the petting and playing! I love watching Johnathan with this cute little dog!

Trying to decide if he wants to nap with Rascal or just sit and relax...

...maybe I should pet Rascal first, yeah, that sounds good...

...this does look pretty cozy though, okay, I'll lay down...

...ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our New Nest - Desk Edition

I was greatly inspired to re-make my desk area when I saw the beautiful office of Karen Russell - which I wrote about here. This desk area housed a year's worth of garage sale type items just a few days ago. Within 12 hours I transformed the eye-sore of our house into one of my new favorite places! Here's the scoop...

I made curtains out of some organic cotton dish towels that I found at Target last year. They are perfect for hiding the items that are stored under the table.

I decoupaged the top of an old cigar box that I got from my great-grandpa years ago. It holds some of my jewelry making tools.

My Inspiration Board! I made it by hot-gluing burlap to the back of a frame.

Used candle jars hold some of my favorite gemstones and beads. The little basket holds beading wire and a few beading odds and ends.

Pink jewelry display holds a few of my early jewelry creations.

I painted used coffee tins and they now serve as storage tins for some of my beads and jewelry making supplies.

Silver cup holds some earrings that I want to re-make. The cute red/white lamp shade was purchased for $3 at Big Lots! I painted a lamp that I thought was ugly and that I almost threw away...I almost forgot that I could paint it! The little birdie holds paper clips and the jute twine is just because...I love the way it looks!

I made a $2 plate and a candle holder into this cute tray. Silver basket holds some post-its and note cards. Vintage pill jar holds some antique white buttons. Old metal-lid jar holds matches...so I can light my candle when I want to feel inspired!

Candle in the center of the desk is Paris by Tyler Candle Company---and I know I've said it before, but I just adore these candles!

Sepia Version of my Jewelry Display.

I love my sand dollar! I found this at the beach on my 26th birthday!

The metal tray used to be a perfume display tray---Ralph Lauren to be exact!

My place of creative inspiration!

Design, Love, Joy, Inspire, Create, Work, Make, Nest, Home, Life!

I love my desk!!!

Brushes aren't exactly jewelry-making supplies, but they just looked too cute in the jar here!

Our New Nest - Bedroom Edition

I've been working on figuring out my new camera's features...what better way than to take pictures of our newly re-decorated home! So this post is the beginning of the "Our New Nest" blog series...

View from the doorway, taken with the Sepia setting...
loving the vintage slat door on the side of the picture!

My favorite magazine, Country Living, sits inside a wire basket that is on top of the burlap runner that I made.

View of our memory wall...pictures and mementos of our Heaven babies sit on the shelves and adorn the walls.

Doorway view in color, although it was taken after dark so I had to use the flash instead of natural light.

Blue pillows that I made...I blogged about them on this post.

A lace curtain hides the clothes hanging up in the closet. I made an old wine bottle into a vase for some of my pothos plants to root in. An "extra" wine glass serves as a tea light holder...nestled on top of wine corks in coffee beans, of course!

Front view of the bed...I love my little birdie pillow!

Wall hanging that I made using an old wooden cupboard door. Grace & Aaron United in Christ was stitched on top of the quilt that we used to have on our bed...I always liked the phrase and wanted to keep it in our bedroom, so I incorporated it into my wall-hanging. The key symbolizes Aaron holding the key to my heart...pretty sappy and sentimental, huh?!!!

Life Through a Lens!

I finally got my camera! We went to Best Buy today and picked up a new Canon A1100IS! I'm still trying to learn all the features it has, and while I was fiddling around with it I took these...

Big Brown Eyes!
I love this goofy little face that he makes!

Being Silly!
Cute Little Chin! (Check out the nostrils---no peas!)
The "Queen Bee"...aka, Mama...aka, Me!

Life with a Little Boy

There is no greater thing than life with a little boy. Where else are you going to find Duplos hanging out in your Kitchen Aid, a favorite pair of flip-flops somehow stuck in a Kleenex box or the DVD remote hiding in the dirty clothes basket? I searched forever for that remote, and *gasp* I actually had to walk and push the play button on the actual machine! Thank goodness I do laundry fairly often or it could have been lost for weeks!

Living in the house with a little tot running around has its share of challenges, but, when I go looking into the kitchen cabinet for something and see those toys sitting in the mixing bowl, life gets immediately sweeter and I feel like the most blessed woman in the world---and I am!

I love you, Johnathan!

Blog-Hopping

I've been hopping back and forth between my Johnathan's Daily Buzz and Ruby Moon Designs blogs...copying some of the posts from RMD to put on here. I think that I will try to make them a bit more separate though, so if you're interested in what I'm doing decorating/designing and crafting-wise, please visit me on my blog at Ruby Moon Designs. If I ever do something totally fantastic, I'll alert you all here, just to make sure you are privy to my success! If you're interested in being put on the Ruby Moon Designs blog e-mail list, let me know and I can give you instant access to my creative journey. Thanks and blessings to all! ;)

Sneezing Peas!

Lately Johnathan has had a fascination with sticking things up his nose, in his ears, and I even caught him trying to shove some peas into the corners of his eyes! A few days ago he was eating lunch, and I thought that I had been watching him pretty diligently. I had thwarted several of his attempts at sticking his veggies up his nose, and as he finished eating I was relieved that we had made it through the meal without any food ending up where it didn't belong...or so I thought. As I prepared to clean Johnathan up from his meal, he started to sneeze and sneeze. And, after about 5 or so really hard sneezes, out popped a pea from his nose! I was mortified! I cleaned him up, and as I went to rinse off the wash cloth Johnathan started to sneeze again---this time a carrot chunk flew out! So much for my hawk-eyes watching him. Now I make a point to sit down right beside him and watch where every piece of food goes! He still tries to make a move when he thinks I'm not watching...yesterday a noodle almost went up right before my very eyes, but I managed to pull it out before the whole thing ended up in his nasal cavity. So, if you have any ideas on getting my little guy to stop shoving food into places other than his mouth, please help me! Any and all advice is greatly appreciated! ;)