Another year ends...

    The years end is always at time of reflections, a time for looking back and taking stock. Where have we been? Where are we headed? And what have we learned along the way. I am always thrown back by how my mood changes after Christmas. Every year it is a big surprise that I get the after Christmas Blues. I don't think i'm the only one, all year there is this build up of excitement , then we wake up the day after Christmas and we are sad that it is over.
      Life occurs in stages you take the good with the bad. Sometimes you get stuck in a rut and you feel like you'll be there forever. Other times you are on top of the world and you feel like you always will be. It's okay to feel this way, it's completely sane and normal. This condition can be further complicated when someone close to you is going through conflicting stages. (I know this is beginning to sound like a self help book, but bear with me.) Be there for your friends and family when they are going through things, despite what you may be going through. Not only can it help them, but it may help to get you back in the place that you need to be. There comes a time to recognize it for what it is. It's life. You can't control it, but you can't let it control you either.
       So that's it, go out into the world and love each other. Be there for one another. Let the spirit of Christmas be with you all year long. Have a happy and safe New Year.

A whirlwind of thanks!!

      I'm sitting in my living room on this beautiful Sunday morning, in silence reflecting. The kids stayed with their Grandparents last night and I was able to get a full night sleep and awaken refreshed. That in itself is a rarity around here. The past two months have flown by and there have been so many changes for all of us. Violet started Kindergarten, Mike started a new position at Morris Broadband, I opened a new business and started working after 4 years of staying home, and Zeke has a new teacher as well as many new friends in his class this year. All of these wonderful changes have been like a whirlwind of excitement, fear, and sometimes chaos. It has been a beautiful thing for all of us, but as with anything, it has come with many challenges. The biggest challenge thus far has been time management, imagine that, a struggle I have always faced, even as a stay at home mom. I am so thankful for my amazing family and friends that have made it all possible.
      I am reminded every day that I am surrounded by extraordinary, loving, kind people. So many of my friends have gone out of their way to buy produce, crafts, and flowers. Some friends come by every week, some old friends, some new, some tried and true. I am so grateful for all of you and you know who you are. My mother and father in law have helped with the kids in countless way. Picking Zeke up from school, keeping them over night, picking them up from my work, watching the stand while I take them to a party, taking them to a party because I'm sick. The two of you are so greatly appreciated and I would be lost without your help. My mom has also come through on several occasions and taken the kids off for a day of fun. One friend of mine, was there first thing on the morning that I opened, she is my biggest buyer of tomatoes, she has helped with my kids, she has always been supportive, listened as I rambled on about my fears and apprehensions, she is a supermom in my eyes, (heck, she's just a super person!) and I love her dearly. Andrea, thank you for always being there.
      Last but most importantly, the man who stands beside me, encourages me to follow my dreams, father to my children, and best friend. Michael, thank you for encouraging me, listening to me ramble and bitch when things aren't going my way, hugging me when I cry, easing my fears, and most of all thank you for being an amazing dad. I appreciate so much for the time that I was able to be a stay at home mom while you worked in a job where you weren't always happy. And thank you for pushing me to follow my own dreams and desires. I love you!
     I am writing all of this down to all of you for two reasons. One is because I cannot thank you enough for all of the love that you all give me. Everyone of my friends and family hold a special place in my heart. The second reason is that I want to always remember how you all have made me feel. Starting a business is a scary thing and I have had your words of encouragement and lovely faces to help me through it, that my loves will never be forgotten. Thank you!!

Memorial Day Weekend

Last weekend was Memorial Day weekend. We spent the weekend camping at Mt. Pisgah campground, which was our first camping trip of the year. Violet had Friday off so we drove up in the morning after dropping Zeke off at school to find a spot. We found a nice spot up on a hill and set up the tent before heading back down to get everything and pick Zeke up from school. We found a spot down the road from some friends and the kids spent the day running back and forth. I locked the keys in the car and luckily some friends helped us break into the car. I had put some potatoes on the fire and completely forgot about them while we were locked out of the car. So for dinner we only had chicken sausage. Friday night we had all of our camping friends over for smores at our site.

Saturday we woke up and Mike made an awesome breakfast of bacon, egg and cheese wraps. I realized that Mike is a much better camp cook than I am and that maybe I should let him do all of the cooking when we are camping ;) We spent the morning hanging out at the campsite and walked up to the camp store for some coffee. Saundra came up that afternoon and we hiked through Pisgah Inn's Staff Quarters up to Buck Springs Lodge to spread some of dad's ashes. It was a great hike and the kids did an awesome job. The view was beautiful! That night we went to Pisgah Inn with some friends for dinner and then went to another friends campsite for dessert.

Sunday morning we woke up early and hiked up Mount Pisgah. The kids did a great job. Zeke struggled a little and complained about his legs hurting and I told him that it was okay because my legs were hurting too. I spread some more of dad's ashes at the top and back down the mountain.

After the hike we headed back to break down camp and head home. On the way back to town we stopped at the overlook where we were married and I spread some more of dad's ashes. It was a great weekend. I know that dad would be glad that I was able to spend the whole weekend outside with my family. I miss him a whole lot, but I know that he is still with me.

A Cherry Tree for Caleigh

     A good friend of mine is having a baby this month and for her baby shower I wanted to give her something that she and baby Caleigh would love and enjoy for a long time. She had told me that she wanted a Vinyl Cherry Tree for Caleigh's room to match her crib set. So, I bought brown and white vinyl from the internet and pink from Michaels. I borrowed a friends Cricut to cut out cherry blossoms and i'd like to say that I got right to work, but I procrastinated for a few months. All the while I was picturing and planning in my head, and on paper what this tree would look like and how it would turn out. I used an idea that Meredith had found on the internet and using that I sketched a tree on newspaper in Violet's room.

   Then I cut piece by piece from this template and put it on the wall with masking tape first to make sure that it turned out as planned.

It is actually flip flopped from the first drawing, but that was the easy part.

 It took about 5 1/2 hours to cut and apply the tree it's self.

 I left Meredith with the flowers to place them where ever she liked.

 And she made the birds herself with scrapbook paper.

I am so happy for Meredith and family and can't wait to meet Baby Caleigh!!

Spring has Sprung

      Wow! I can't believe that my last blog was in February! Time flies when you are busy mom of two. We have had a lot going on, and sometimes we click into survival mode. Doing what we have to do from day to day without anything extra being tacked on. Spring came early this year and that means lots of extra work. We have started some seeds and we will be planting them in the garden next weekend. We are planning to grow corn, peas, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow squash, Zucchini, jalapenos, and serrano peppers. I spent some time weeding the garden today and I found a volunteer pumpkin growing. The kids had rolled the pumpkin around the yard last fall until it completely turned to mush. I am excited with the prospect of having our very own garden and being more self sufficient. I have always loved the idea of living off of the land and this is as close as I've ever been. In years past we have grown squash and tomatoes, but never have we tried to this extent.

       Volunteer Pumpkin

        In March I was fortunate enough to go to the NC Head Start Conference as WCCA Parent of the Year. I was able to attend some classes, spend time with Emily and enjoy my first 'vacation' without Mike and the kids. It was a great experience and I had a lot of fun, even learned a little, but I missed Mike and the kids terribly!

It was nice to get prettied up for a special occasion. 

       The end of March was the Kindergarten fair and the first week of April was Kindergarten Registration! My baby girl is growing up so fast!! We applied to several area schools, two of which are year round, lottery schools. We received a letter yesterday that Violet got into our first choice school!! And we are excited for her to start in July!

Violet after her first professional haircut

     In April we went to spring break at Myrtle Beach with Mike's Family. We had a great week of fun in the sun. We visited Myrtle Beach State Park, spent a lot of time on the beach, some time in the pool and even made it to Ripley's Believe it or not. We had an awesome time and were glad to come home after an exhausting week of vacation.

The kids enjoying the beach together. 

    Violet and Zeke finished up there Monkey See Monkey do class at the Flat Rock Playhouse- YouTheatre. It was a fun class with music and creative play. Mike, Karen and I all volunteered at the spring festival. YouTheatre is a great program and I am excited that Violet will be going to summer camp there for a week this summer!! We have a short summer, but I assure you that we will make the best of it! I hope you are all well. Much love, Rebeccca

    

Finding my self in the woods

I took a walk today, all alone, in the woods. You see, I was introduced to Meditation at the beginning of the week, where I was taken on a visual journey through the forest. It was very peaceful and calming and ever since then I have wanted to take an actual journey into the forest. Today was like seeing everything for the first time. I have hiked with the kids often for the past two years, but there is something magical about being there alone. I always hear people say, "Don't go hiking woods alone (insert scary scenario here.)" I have been hiking solo for years, I grew up in the woods, they are my home and my spiritual connection. I feel completely safe and serene in the woods. From the moment that I step into the forest, I see God all around me. I feel his presence with the sun on my face, the wind in my hair, the rustling of the leaves, the creaking of the trees, the chirping of the birds. I feel like my whole body relaxes and takes in the beauty around me. Today I walked slow and let it all soak in. I stopped several times to admire the view, to breathe the air, to pray and give thanks for everything good in my life. In this quiet hour alone. I felt more myself than I have in years, I didn't worry about what happened before or what was to come, nothing mattered except for being completely present in that moment. Today was a gift and I accepted it with open arms.

Dreams

Dreams are important in any existence. It is important to work towards personal goals, to be motivated, to find something that you love to do. Dreams are dreams because they are distant from reality. Sometimes dreams can lift you up and pull you away. Your mind wanders at the many possibilities of what could be and what is to come. They make you think in a different way, they make you yearn, they can even change you. Not all dreams are out of reach. A lot of people have the means to make their dreams come true, some people work toward their dreams everyday and never make it to the end game, but they are happy with the journey.

Many of my dreams have already come true. I have a great, loving husband, 2 amazing children, and a handful of close friends. These are people I love and cherish. I consider myself fortunate. I don't have much money, and though I feel like things would be easier if I did, I take to account the fact that if I did have a lot of money, I might not have a lot of love. I would choose love over money any day. I am a caring, compassionate person. I'm not incredibly smart, and most things don't come easy for me. My dreams may take a whole lifetime to accomplish, but I look forward to the journey.

Seven Years....

Seven years ago today I met the love of my life. I had no idea at the time how much he would mean to me today. We had crossed paths before, but we had never really spoken. He was a long haired skinny guy that worked at Mr Gatti's and was friends with my best friend. I will spare you all of the awesome details, but when I met him, I was a mess. I didn't know what I wanted, I wasn't sure where I was headed, I was floating from day to day in a fog. He rescued me, more than once, in so many ways, more times and in more ways than I even knew at the time. I like to think that we rescued each other. That we were always meant to be.

Today he is the father of my children, the provider for our family, and the love of my entire life. We don't have a lot of money and we aren't perfect.  He, till this day, refuses to fight with me. He lets me get angry, yell, and then brood until I get over it. I always do. He has a great sense of humor, even though I don't always admit it. He is fun, strong, loving, loyal, and dedicated. He is my everything. I love you Mike. Happy Anniversary!


Seven years ago today the hit song was

Wikipedia's Picture of the day was

A lot has changed about the world in 7 years, but we remain the same, together. 

Things beyond my control...

Most of you who know me, know that I wear my heart on my sleeve. I have a hard time hiding any of my emotions. I hate that feature about myself. Sometimes I wish I could bottle it all up and smile through it. I can't, if i'm having a bad day, people know it. Life is hard and bad days come and go, but I wish I didn't have to talk about it. Because everyone can see how i'm feeling I feel the need to have to explain it, and I don't always know why I am feeling the way I do. Maybe it's because I didn't sleep well, or I got cut off on the way to take the kids to school, maybe some one didn't say hello back when I said hello to them, maybe the kids were hard or maybe i'm just in a mood. Those are all simple explanations and shouldn't be cause for a ruined day, but i'm not perfect.
I am an honest person and always say what I think. But there are the instances where 'if you can't say anything nice, you shouldn't say anything at all.' Sometimes someone will say something that upsets me and I try to act like it doesn't bother me, to avoid conflict. It drives me crazy that they can always tell when something bothers me! Even if it is a phone conversation, they can hear every bit of anguish in my voice.... I don't want to be transparent. If I feel the need to shake something off, let me. There are some instances where I don't want to share my opinion, but there it is right on my face, or in my voice or possibly both. I can't control my reaction I've probably lost friends over it and didn't even know it. I don't know how to change this about myself and I don't think I can. But the up side is that it keeps me honest. And honesty is always the best policy.


Writing this blog was a kind of release today. I don't expect that many people will take the time to read it. I am sad to know that one person, in particular, who has been subscribed to my blog since the beginning will not read this :(  Rest in peace Sarah <3<3

Creating an Outer Space Room for Zeke

So I still have a long way to go, but a few of my friends have asked how I made the vinyl wall decals for Zeke's room so here goes. I wanted to do a theme that would grow with him. He really doesn't know much about space, yet, but completely by coincidence he is learning about space this week at his new preschool.

The most frustrating part of the whole thing was finding sheets of vinyl for a reasonable price. Now that I know what I  am looking for it will be much easier in the future. This is what I found http://www.amazon.com/12-Adhesive-Backed-Vinyl-Assorted-Cutters/dp/B00331S0GO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1326310048&sr=8-2. In the future I would buy bigger sheets because there is so much that I would like to do with them and I am already running out of some colors that I would like to have for Violet's room.

These are the colors I had to work with.

 I borrowed these from my mother in law and intended to only use them with paper, but to my surprise the cut vinyl just as easily as card stock. (Don't worry if I had messed any of them up I would have replaced them.

I traced and printed these off of the computer as templates to trace the shapes that I needed onto the back side of the vinyl. And then I cut them out and simply stuck them to the wall!

 I like the contrast in the sizes and colors of the stars

I am still adding to it, in fact I have added more stars since I took this picture. It may not be done till the end of the year, but his walls finally aren't bare.

I plan to make paper mache planets to hang from the ceiling and I have plans for some foam 3D rockets as well as a few framed pictures to go with the one below.

This one is made from scrapbook paper I have been collecting for a few years.

Feel free to leave me a comment to let me know what you think. Thanks!

Through the Trees

In the past two days we have done two hikes as a family. This isn't a rarity it's something we do quite often. We all get exercise and we have a great time together in this beautiful place that we live. Today we hiked Big Glassy, which I am embarrassed to admit that I have never hiked in my adult life. In fact, probably the last time I hiked it I was only a little older than Violet is now. I remember thinking how steep the trail was and how long it took to get to the top. My kids have done a lot of hiking in the past year and I don't think they found it nearly as intimidating as I had at that age. We made the mistake of letting them wear their new snow boots so the biggest complaint was sore feet from Zeke on the way up. It feels really good to share the love of the forest with my kids. I love the cold breeze in the shade and the warmth of the sun shining through the trees. I love the sound and smell of the dry leaves on the ground. We sat together at the top of the mountain enjoying the view and had a picnic together. I love my little family and I love spending quality time with them.  When we headed back down the mountain Mike and the kids ran ahead, I kept up for a while walking at a quick pace and eventually told them they didn't have to wait for me. Soon they were out of sight, I could still hear their laughter and screams as they chased Mike down the mountain side :) After a while I could no longer hear them and I began to miss them. It's funny, you would think that I would appreciate a quite walk in the woods alone. Instead I realized that they didn't need me in that moment. I thought as I walked in the quiet, that my kids are growing up. Tomorrow Violet goes back to school, the following day I am taking Zeke to check out his new preschool. From now until summer time our lives will be busy and hectic, and the busier things get the quicker time passes. My babies aren't babies anymore, they aren't even toddlers, they are preschoolers!! This year I really would like to make time to slow down. To go on more hikes, have more picnics, read more, play more, cuddle more, and create more special memories. I don't ever want to spend a day were I am ungrateful of all that I have. I love my family!!

Yesterday's hike at Jump Off Rock.

Welcoming 2012

Well, today is the first day of 2012! I usually try not to make resolutions for fear of failure, but in 2011 I became a much stronger, more confident person. I know, this year, that I can do anything that I put my mind to. Last year I didn't write down my goals and I wish that I would have. I remember having so many in mind that I was overwhelmed. I friend of mine told me to list them, but to plan on conquering one at a time. The one's that I remember were loosing weight, exercising, becoming more healthy, crafting more, becoming a better mom and spending less time on facebook. Five out of six isn't too bad ;) In 2011 I was able to lose 20 lbs through eating healthily and exercising. I was able to make Christmas presents this year for most of my family and friends. And I became more involved with Violet's school by volunteering. The only goal that I didn't attain was to spend less time on facebook.

1) This year I would like to continue my journey to become healthier, not to become skinnier or lose weight, but to build muscles, eat well and live well.
2) I would also like to continue to find more time to make crafts. My first projects of the year will be Violet's quilt and decorating Zeke's room. I also want to make a scrapbook.
3) As for becoming a better mom, I have come to realize that everyday is a learning experience and everyday is a chance to become better. I would like to be a better mom, wife, friend and community member.
4) I most definitely would like to spend less time on Facebook and have more face time with my friends and family. Instead of updating my status several times a day I would like to push myself to do a bi-weekly blog about what is happening in our lives.
5) Lastly I would like to find ways to become more financially secure by learning to use coupons more, eating out less, using credit cards less and opening a saving account to save for a down payment on a house.

All of these goals are completely attainable and I believe in myself enough now to make them all a reality in the coming year! I hope for all of you that your next year is filled with hope, love and prosperity despite what obstacles may lie ahead! Only you can make your own happiness. Happy New Year!!