A kick butt soccer game and the truth about the Easter bunny.

I am going to start this post with a bit of totally awesome news!!!! Payton is totally rocking soccer. I just needed to find her motivation. Apparently, it was different than mine. When I was a kid and into my High school years my dad would have to yell at me get me mad and I would ROCK! It totally made me more aggressive. I know weird but hey thanks dad you made me a better player. This does not work with Payton she likes things... Before her game last night I told her if she scored two goals I would get her something special... SHE KICKED BUTT!!!! She scored twice, she was super aggressive, she actually ran, she was defiance, she asked for the ball, I am one proud mama. Not that I’m not always proud but I could tell she was putting in 100%! So we went out and got ice cream! 

Then I found out this happened...

My husband went on a walk the other day she asked him about the Easter bunny and he was honest... 

download 8x10 printable

My husband actually told her there was no Easter bunny and explained the real reason we celebrate Easter. Part of me wanted to kill him. Seriously, I was so so mad! I called him at work I gave him a piece of my mind then I got over the shock and then the bigger part of me totally understand stood . She's five I get that, and I totally want her to live a great childhood. Does it have to be filled with lies? And where does it stop? I am not ready to talk about the big man in red. But I don't agree with the Easter bunny.
What is a good age to explain these lies to your kids? Is it fair to let them find out from other kids? Where do we draw the line? 

Valentines recap and a sick baby

As I posted yesterday, not a big fan of the hallmark holiday Vday! I had a good day though. It was busy one of our busiest yet. Yesterday was filled with Tae Kwon Do, crafts, gifts, potted tulips (my hubby knows me well), cards, hand prints, and soccer practice. There aren't any pictures of soccer practice :( I forgot my camera and my phone was updating. 

Around here we’ve started the weekend with a fever... My oldest is staying home today with a 101. Her brothers are helping her get better by watching cartoons in bed! 

I have a favorite kid.

Yep, you read that right! I have a favorite kid.

Most parents aren't willing to admit it. They say things like I love them all the same yatta yatta. Yea I love my kids and I even love them all the same but still I have a favorite kid. And thats okay.

I have a favorite kid to have a conversation with. My oldest has always been “old” for her age. Able to carry and understand conversations beyond her years. I love talking with her. She shows and teaches me so much every day.

I have a favorite kid to snuggle with. My middle man has always been my snuggler. He has always been the first to crawl up in my lap and get comfy. The other two will occasionally try to lay with me but they are all feet and elbows. Preston just has a way of melting his body into mine.

I have a favorite kid to make me smile. The “baby” as I call him is so funny. Man that boy can make a british guard laugh. I think the best part is he doesn't even realize that he's so dang funny, he's just busy being him.

So yep there you have it. I put it out there for all the world to see I HAVE A FAVORITE kid.

So, now lets be honest do you have a favorite? Do you think your parents had a favorite?

Weekend review complete with heartbreak

We had a great weekend around the Miller house.

Saturday was a busy day like most. We shopped, we ate and someone got a heartbreaking haircut.

We recently got a Buffalo Wild wings in a nearby town which is awesome to me, it happens to be one of my favorite hangout spots. No, I don’t think the foods is all that but it does have one great thing going for it. It’s loud inside their restaurants. Loudness isn’t typically something that draws people in but with three kids this can be great. The loudness factor can determine whether my hubby and I get to have a relaxing and fun meal.
The kids had a really good time and they were really good too! Plus it was 75 degrees in December so we got to sit outside!

For weeks my husband has been trying to talk me into cutting the little ones hair. I kept putting it off and making up excuses. I never had this issue with our first two I’d cut and cut no big deal. For some reason it breaks my heart to cut Coopers. It’s just so stinking cute long.

But after my husband put up the argument about it constantly being in his eyes I went ahead and cut it. ☹

I don’t hate it. It didn’t turn out bad but don’t you just miss those curls. It also seems as if I cut his blond off.

There was also this yummy breakfast pizza (recipe soon to follow)

DIY art hanger

DIY window frame art hanger. Let me tell you we use our art hanger religiously in our home. It keeps all the artwork up on display where it should be.

I have three beautiful children! They are now all of age to use crayons and paint and let me tell you they use the HECK out of it. Naturally, as a mom I love to display their wonderful artwork. Covered fridges, doors and walls just aren’t my thing, I was filing* so much of their works or art. Filing= kindly placing in the recycling bin when children are not looking. This was making me feel bad. I mean they really do work quite hard on some of this stuff.

So…
A few months ago I came across a classifieds ad for window frames for super cheap… $4.00 each. They weren’t the thick fancy ones, but I couldn’t pass up that price. After I bought these guys I hung them up in the garage and there they sat. And then they sat some more and then some more again. My husband bugged and asked and pestered me about what I was doing with them. Thinking about my children’s endless artwork I thought up a solution to both problems.

The frames were a cream/white color so I did a light sand to a few areas and a rough sanding to a few areas. Then I applied some blue stain I had laying around. I couldn’t be happier with how the color turned out.

I love jute! I love using jute on my projects. This one was no different. I tied some jute across the frame in 3 places.

Topped it all off with my kids artwork. It’s a great way to showcase kids art and it also works great as a dryer for painted/glued projects. Start to finish not including drying time for the stain (this took about 2 hours) was like 40 minutes.

It's okay

Most weeks I am more than ready for Thursday. We have a busy schedule and days seem to be crazy. This has been a great week. It's okay….
That I am so overly excited about this boys potting progress.

That this is my favorite picture I took of these nuts.

That I totally staged this one.

That I am decorating for Christmas this weekend. (I don't care that we haven't had Thanksgiving yet)
That I ran out of room in my magazine rack so I started a floor pile.
That I am overly excited for my Friday paint class and Saturday morning shopping.
Have a blessed weekend.

Santa stationary

What kid doesn't love a letter from Santa Clause around Christmas time or anytime for that matter. Make it look even more authentic with Santa's very own stationary.

Source

This letter would go great for your Elf letter

30 B4 30

Since my husband, who is 4 months older than I am, turned 27 last month I have been a little obsessive about getting older. I don’t think it’s really that I care that I’m closing in on the big 3 0 it just seems so foreign I hardly feel like I’m 26. However, there is a lot I want to do before I turn 30.
This list was really fun to make. Lets get cracking!

Here’s my list:
1. Weigh 155
2. Decide what I am going to do with my life
3. Be completely out of consumer debt (just one car to go)
4. Personal goal ;)
5. Live in dream home
6. Have a garden
7. Become 50% self sustainable with our garden
8. Set a daily schedule that includes scripture and prayer
9. Maintain 3 days a week exercise
10. Build a menu that works month to month
11. Visit California “home” with my whole family
12. Get a tattoo
13. Build “my style” wardrobe
14. Go to church regularly
15. Fly in a helicopter
16. Visit 4 states I’ve never been to
17. Go skiing with the family
18. Go on a cruise
19. Ride a subway
20. Take the kids to Disney World
21. Run a 5k
22. Have 300 followers
23. No more diapers!
24. Start investing and saving for the kids college
25. Build my business 100 sales
26. Routinely drink more water
27. Learn how to use photoshop or illustrator or some other really cool program
28. Learn how to really use my DSLR camera
29. Zipline somewhere AMAZING
30. Build a better stronger marriage with my husband

Letter from Santa to go with Eli the elf

Dear Payton, Preston, and Cooper,

First off, I have to tell you that I think you are all very special children. I know you are filled with love for each other, your parents, but most importantly, you are filled with love for Jesus, and I know that He lives in your hearts. He lives in mine too, that makes us all especially special!

I have to let you know something important. You know that whole naughty and nice list that you hear everyone talking about? Well… truth is, that’s not really true. I don’t have a naughty and nice list. Because I know Jesus, I also know a lot about grace and getting what we don’t deserve. I know you know all about that! Like when you make the wrong choice and when you choose to sin, Jesus gives you grace and loves you still! And sometimes I know that your parents even give you grace too… like when you deserve to be disciplined, but they give you another chance!

I know that kids are not perfect. I know that you guys are not perfect. But I know that Jesus loves you all the time, and I do too. So you don’t need to worry about being on my naughty or nice list. If you believe that I will come to your house on Christmas Eve and leave you some special surprises, then I will come!!! That’s all you need … is to believe!

To help you remember about grace and about love even when you don’t deserve it, I wanted to send you a very special treat for this Christmas season. Since it’s the first day of December, the month that we celebrate Jesus coming to earth to be our Rescuer, I thought you might enjoy a little visit from a very special friend of mine.

This is Eli the Elf…

He is a dear old friend of mine, but he tends to be a bit naughty. I have explained grace to him many many times, when he chooses to sin and be a stinker. I have told him that is why Jesus had to come… to rescue him. Because he has sin in his heart. He is beginning to learn, but I thought that if he stayed with you for the Christmas season, then you might be able to teach him some more about the way Jesus loves us even when we sin. I know that you both are learning that you get to obey and love God because He first loves you so very much. I love Eli so much and I want him to understand and believe Jesus and know that his heart can make good choices too because Jesus loves him so very much!!

One important thing about Eli… he is an Elf, and elves are not the same as humans. Eli stays still all during the day, but he comes alive at night. You can talk to him; play with him just like your other toys. Eli is quiet during the day, but loves to play at night once everyone else is sleeping. That’s usually when he can get into some trouble, so you’ll have to watch him carefully!

When I told Eli that he was going to stay with you guys, he jumped up and down in excitement! He really things you guys are so fun.

Have fun! I’ll be back to pick up Eli on Christmas Eve when I come to drop off some surprises for you!

I love you guys so very much!

Santa

Santa has his very own stationary for this!