An Update...

Hey y'all!  Just popping in to give you an update.  I'm sitting at my parents house.  There are no longer beds at our house, so we're staying here until we move for good on Tuesday.  Kids are napping and I it's so quiet.  I've been a nervous wreck all day because John Taylor took the first load to Birmingham by himself!  I really wanted to ride with him in the moving truck or at least follow him, but I had to stay here.  I've been calling to check on him every 30 minutes and cried when he left.  I've been very emotional the past few days.  Packing, I've been getting sentimental when I come across baby items.  I've also shed some tears during good-byes with friends.  It's been rather hard on me.  John Taylor seems to hide it better.  :)

So, I took these pictures two days ago, but I am just getting around to posting them.  Sorry for the poor quality --- they were taken with my iPhone.

Pretty much the view in every room at our house.

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I guess when you move to a different city, your brain just takes a little vacation.  The past few days, I've been zoned out...everything seems to be moving in slow motion.  I have so many things to get done that I just run around in circles getting nothing done!  Am I the only one who does that?  I'll share with you some of the strange mishaps from the past few days.....

Poured me some coffee one morning and got in the car to take him to school.  Bonus points if anyone can tell me what kind of cup I poured it into.  Don't know if it was because that was the only one in cabinet because the rest were packed, or because I wasn't paying attention....

I also managed to:

 --- Wander around Target for at least 20 minutes trying to remember what I was there for...finally remembering laundry detergent.

--- Spend 10 minutes on the laundry detergent isle trying to decide which one to buy since they didn't have our usual in stock.

--- Do 3 loads of laundry before realizing I was using FABRIC SOFTENER, not laundry detergent.

--- Run a red light.

--- Tell at least 5 people I would do something that I never had time to do.

I'm sure there were many others that I just don't remember.

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"Be still, and know that I am God.
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth!" [ESV]

Psalm 46:10

This was my memory verse for last week.  So perfect.  I've repeated this verse every morning, at least 10 times.  Every time I've gotten sad about leaving my family and friends.....Be still.....

Every time I've gotten sad about Taz leaving his little friends and teachers......Be still, and know.....

Every time I've broken down and cried, feeling overwhelmed...Be still, and know that I...

Every time I've wanted to just scream because I want to stay here, where I am comfortable....

Be still, and know that I am God.

Seriously.  Could not have gotten through this past week without God. 

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One of my favorite bloggers, Jon Acuff, tweeted this today:

"Being aware of the story God is unfolding as he unfolds it, instead of realizing what was happening years later, is a gift"

When I saw this, I had just been thinking about how God had other plans for us.  We didn't sell our house because perhaps we weren't meant to sell it yet.  There is a reason.  He had and has other plans.  I'm not 100% sure what they are yet, but I do trust that He's got this.  It brings tears to my eyes when I think about the past two and a half years in Mississippi.  I wasn't sure what God had in store for us when we moved here, but now I see.  I understand.  And, it's truly amazing.  My eyes are open to the part Mississippi played in our lives and I'm thankful for our time here.  I now feel like it was only temporary and our time here was about learning.  It was about growing.  It was about healing.  And now our time here is up.  He has taken us as far as we can go here and now we must trust in what's next.  I have a story and I hope to share it with you one day.  Not to make you wonder, but all in His time.  I want my words to glorify Him and I want my words to be right before God before I share.  For now?  I'm going to pray that I am aware of the story God is unfolding as He unfolds it, instead of seeing the bigger picture 2 years from now.  :) 

Thanks for reading, y'all!  And, for all your prayers and well wishes as we move.

XOXO

Check Out This Giveaway

I know I said I wasn't going to post much this week, but I just couldn't help but share this awesome giveaway that one of my favorite bloggers is having.

Tracie, from tsj photography {too blessed to be stressed} if giving away a piece from one of my favorite shops :: Red Letter Words

{photo from Tracie's blog}

Visit HER BLOG to enter!

between you & me :: a feature

I'm so excited to share this little interview today.  It's only with one of my favorite bloggers --- Tara!  I can't tell you how much it means to me that Tara answered these questions for me (and you).  I have been stalking reading her blog for a while now and I admire her greatly.  She is such a beautiful person, inside and out.  I'm sure you've heard of her blog, between you & me, but if not, you must check it out.....AFTER your read our little interview.  :)  She was so sweet to answer in such detail and give links and all. 

Thanks, Tara!  You inspire me and I know you will inspire my readers!

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and / or your blog.  How did you come up with your blog's name and what does it mean to you?I'm from North Georgia....and I always clarify that I'm from the Northern part of the state b/c its such a beautiful area in the state.  I promise I'm not "hatin" on South Georgia....my husband is from there. :)  I wish I could say that the name of my blog "just came to me," but I  honestly doodled and doodled different names that came to my mind like a seventh grader!  One night, my husband just looked at me and said, "between you & me...that's it!"  And, it was.  I am pretty much an open book and sharing myself with others somehow connects me to God, so the title of my blog describes exactly what I wanted it to be for my readers and for me.

2) I admire you and your faith a lot and I know you share a lot about adoption on your blog, but can you sum it up right here for us.....your feelings about adoption and what led you to adopt?My husband and I talked about adoption before we got married.  It was something that we were always desiring to do.  I'm all about the details so you can read more about our journey to adoption here, here and here.  The best way I can sum up adoption and what it means to me is this way.....we both feel like it chose us.  Does that make any sense?  God used life circumstances and situations to lead us to our precious daughter, Lydia.  Some of those happened in both our hearts before we even met.  Our only real part was saying "YES" to him and walking forward each time he made a way.  Waiting on his timing was the hardest part. 

3) Your "rule signs"!  Oh my goodness!  What a wonderful idea. I know your shop is on hold until Summer, but please share what they are all about.  I love the meaning behind them and would love to share that with my readers.  Which has been your favorite one so far?  maybe one that you really liked what it said.....We had seen so many variations of the family rules signs out there, but decided to make our own version.  It really was just a project that we did for our kids' bathroom.  I posted about the sign on my blog and showed pictures of it, and before I knew it, we were being asked to put up a tutorial on how to do it.  I posted the detailed tutorial,  but so many people emailed me asking if we'd make them one and ship it because they knew they'd never make their own.  So we did!  As of now, we've made and sold around twenty signs.  We decided to close down the orders until this coming summer because each sign takes so much time.  Our weekends have been dominated by sign making, and our kids are sick of it. :)  I am partial to the rules sign that we made for our family because all of the rules have significance to us.  But, there is one rule that we've added to someone's sign that I should have put on ours because we say it all the time.  "Keep Your Promises" is the rule, and I love it!

4) You always post about your meals for the week.  What is your favorite thing to make for your family and what is your favorite type of food to eat?I cook four to five nights per week.  I have to keep it simple because a couple of my kids are slightly picky with their palettes, but I'd say our most favorite thing to eat is anything Mexican.  We could literally eat some version of a Mexican food three nights a week.  I could live on SUPERFOODS, so I eat a ton of raw veggies with hummus every.single.day.  Okay....if I'm totally honest, SUPERFOODS and SWEETS. {a total contradiction..I know}

5) I really admire that you're a homeschooling mom....can you tell us a little about your decision to homeschool?  As something that we're prayerfully considering, I love to ask other homeschool moms!  :)Again..it's so hard to not share the details.  Looking back, God was leading me to it before I ever even realized it or acknowledged it.  Every woman that came into my life that was just a few steps ahead of me in parenting seemed to homeschool.  I loved their children and I loved the close relationships that homeschool allowed their families to have with one another.  It wasn't until my oldest left for Kindergarten that I began to see that God was placing a desire in my heart for it.  We didn't start homeschooling until my oldest was in 2nd grade, so it obviously took us a while to get over all of our fears.  The reason that we decided to homeschool...family relationships and academics.  We feel a strong conviction to teach our children how to be in relationships.  It was nearly impossible when they went to school to be able to pour into them the character traits that we desire to see in our children.  When they were spending more time with peers and teachers than they were with us, those people became their mentors in life.  We didn't like what we were seeing develop in each of them.  There is no better place to learn how to be in right relationships than with family members.  As for academics....I had taught each of my children every single thing that they knew before they each went to Kindergarten.  I enjoyed teaching them and seeing them get excited about what they were learning.  This all changed when they went to school.  They were beyond exhausted by the time I saw them each afternoon after school.  It was all I could do to feed them, bathe them and put them in the bed so they could get up and do it all over again the next day.
It just didn't work for our family. 

6) Do you use a strict curriculum and if so, which do you like best?You can tell from my blog that I'm eclectic, and it bleeds through in every area of my life.  I'm a loyalist by nature, but when it comes to homeschooling my kids, I do what they call "piece milling," which is just adding what I like best from each curriculum source.  We homeschool at home Monday-Thursday of each week and then on Fridays, we're part of a group called Classical Conversations. This program gives us community and it also strengthens the classical education that I am giving the children at home.  Classical Conversations is a National program offered in most cities in most states.  I am blown away with what my children are learning.  Let's just put it this way....they are learning things that I never learned in twelve years of public school and four years of college.  Classical Conversations focuses on seven subjects....History, Geography, Science, English, Latin, Math, {laws & facts to the fifteens} and the Timeline, which covers 160 events from Creation to Modern America. 

7) What is your favorite vacation spot?We are going on our second Disney Cruise, and we think they are awesome for families.  I can't say enough about the wonderful experiences that we had and the amazing memories that we've made on our Disney Cruises.  Of course, we live in Orlando, so taking a cruise is the easiest thing to do.  We also love Asheville, North Carolina.  When we lived in North Georgia, we were about two hours from there, and we would visit often just for the day.  In Flordia, some of our favorite areas to escape to are:  Clearwater Beach & Anna Maria Island, which are both a couple hours away.  We have traveled around the world on mission trips.  Experiencing India was life changing and China will always have a very special place in our  hearts because our daughter was born there.  We love to travel and look forward to traveling to Europe one day as tourists. 

8) If you could recommend one life-changing book, what book would it be and why?Reading is so important.  There is just no way that I can recommend one book!  I love to read the classics....they force you to think about who you are and what is important to you.  I also love to read biographies of missionaries.  We read a wonderful biography series put out by YWAM. {youth with a mission}  We've read many of them in the past two years, and I would highly recommend them!  I also love to read auto-biographies of former presidents.  I love history and enjoy reading it from their perspectives.  We have missional hearts, so anything from Alan Hirsch is great... I also have enjoyed several of Rob Bell's books.

Can you tell that I love to read?  Besides watching my favorite tv shows, it's my favorite thing to do!

wanna know my favorite tv shows?  grey's anatomy, modern family, and for complete HUMOR....real housewives of beverly hills.

Frames Half Price!

Kiwi Wood Werks will be moving from Mississippi to Alabama this Friday.  Due to the move, display frames MUST go so we won't have to move them! 

We have marked these frames half off and they are all in perfect condition! 

They are listed on our

Facebook Fan Page

So, visit now and pick our your frames!

Thanks!

What's in store...

This week posting may be sparse because we're moving on Saturday.  AHHHHH!  Doesn't seem real.  Although I did have my first mini break down last night.  Don't know if it was because I was hit with the overwhelming feelings of packing and moving or if it was sadness that I just sold my baby's stroller/car seat combo.  It was sort-of hard to let that go.  Does this mean no more babies for us?  Absolutely not.  We'll just have to get a new stroller.  :)

We have lots to do this week and I'm going to need some prayer.  I don't adjust to big changes very well.  Or, I should say that it takes me awhile to adjust and feel settled and "at home".  It is going to feel very strange to me moving back into a house that we lived in over 3 years ago.  I was a totally different person then.  We were a totally different couple then.  A different family then.  It will feel new, but in a weird familiar way.  I'm sort-of looking forward to it and sort-of falling apart about it. 

We took one last trip to visit JT's parents this past weekend since we'll be moving that much further from them.  It was so nice to relax, eat wonderful food and hang out with family.  We took the grandkids to the zoo on Saturday and the weather was beautiful!  The farm animals were my kids' favorite part.  Of course, while all the children were petting the horse, my son was checking him out....

....perhaps in places he shouldn't.

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So excited about this week's verse.  It's a short one, which is good the week of moving.  But, it does and will mean so much to me this week.  :)  I hope that you'll join me in memorizing it.  I'm enjoying this so much and God's Word is working in my life tremendously since I started memorizing again.

Psalm 46:10 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.”  [NIV]

Be still, and know that I am God:

I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth [KJV]

"Be still, and know that I am God.
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth!" [ESV]

Love this verse!  Have a great week, everyone!  I have a wonderful guest interview for tomorrow and I'm so excited to share it with you!

This Week's Faves:

Since we just celebrated Valentines Day, my favorite posts fit quite well.  These two love stories will have you smiling and crying.  So sweet and touching.....

Love Conquers All :: by Lissa, guest posting on Tara's blog :: between you & me
Love and Books :: by Tracey, guest posting on Tara's blog :: between you & me

And, just might have to steal this idea:
Makeshift Bolster :: by Rie :: Home & Harmony

Wow.  Really spoke to me and inspired me:
Going Solo :: by Jon :: Stuff Christians Like

Lately...

We are up to our eyeballs in boxes!  See....

Ok, that's not us in that picture.

 Neither is this.....

Or this.....

Truth be told, we haven't packed one.single.thing.  What?  Like that's bad?

:) 

Don't answer that.

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Let's see...what have I been up to lately?  Well, obviously not packing!  We did go out to dinner for Valentines Day.  It was a last minute decision.  We didn't have reservations anywhere, so had decided to just go sit in the bar and order food there.  But, they had a no-show and we got a great table right away!  Lucky! (you have to say that last word just like Napolean Dynamite)

I got a pasta dish, but I got a half order.  JT did not....



Look at the size of that bowl!  Whoa!  We could have shared that dish.  We had such a great time.

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So, I sold 3 out of the 4 stollers I have.  Ironcially, I kept the cheapest one and the one I hate the most.  Murphy's Law...I will somehow accidentally get pregnant in the next month.  Well, not somehow...I know how, but you know what I mean!

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I heard a tiny little whimper/whine coming from the other room.  I looked everywhere, but could not find the 1 year old that the wimper was coming from.  I knew she was in distress though.  I finally walked into the sunroom and saw this:

She was stuck.  It wouldn't seem so by this photo.  It took me a few to get the camera.  And, I was laughing so hard.  By the time I got back and snapped a photo, she was starting to figure out all she had to do was BACK THAT THING UP! 

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Thanks for all the pooping-in-the-potty advice.  Did I tell y'all thanks for that already?  Well, he's pooped in the potty once.  He was so proud!  We made a huge deal about it.  He keeps coming up to me and saying,

"Member, Mommy?"

Me: Remember what?

"Member when I poo-poo in potty?!"  :)

Ok, yea.  Let's not just have it as a distant memory, let's make it an every day thing so that changing poppy underwear is a distant memory for me!  Sorry, I don't know how this become a poop post!

Moving on....

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This is my sister's Facebook profile picture:

I'm thinking it should be mine, too, right about now.  By the way, that's not my sister.  It's a stock photo.  But, it very well could be my sister.  Or me.  Believe me.  Except, instead of post-it's....mine should have a paci, poopy underwear, apple sauce (which my son calls "apple trees" and wants 10x per day), my phone, my computer, my baby (yes, all up in my grill), tampons, my camera...you name it! 

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I must apologize.  This post really had no depth to it what-so-ever.  I'm just so tired.  And I haven't even started packing yet!  We move in 8 days adn I think I'm just overwhelmed.  Please pray for me.  I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Blogiversary!

{source}

This week marks Constant in Choas' (formerly iBlog) 1 year Blogiversary!  If someone would have told me a year ago that my blog would have turned into this, I wouldn't have believed it.  I can not thank you {Readers} enough because without you, this blog wouldn't be! 

Just a few fun blog stats to share how far this blog has come in 1 year!

According to Stat-Counter, this blog :

- gets approx 600 visits per day

- gets visitors from all over the world and has gotten visitors from

Canada

United Kingdom

Australia

Austria

Japan

and even Israel!

- top referring sites are or have been:

ana-white.com

Design Dazzle

Blueprint Bliss

between you & me

- most popular posts have been the post that are on my sidebar under 'popular posts'

Just for fun, if you want to read my first post ever....click HERE.

I know some of you have been here since the first post and that just makes me feel so special!  I really can't believe that I've had things to say that were good enough for you to stick around.  Thank you!  Other blogs out there in blog land, your comments and your emails have been a constant source of encouragement to me as well as God's voice at times. 

I know I have many inspirational blogs filed under the 'inspiration' tab, but today I want to share the blogs that inspire me the most.  Perhaps you've never visited these blogs and the may inspire you...

Stuff Christians Like

Today's Letters

fly through our window

Resolved2Worship

between you & me

tsj photography {too blessed to be stressed}

Bring The Rain

If you're a new reader, welcome!  Thanks for stopping by and staying.  :)  Sometimes this blog feels like a one sided conversation, but I know you're out there, so leave a comment!  I would love to "meet" you. 

If you're new and would like to 'follow' my blog, but don't know how....click HERE.  And, new and old readers, please check out the tab titled 'our story'.  It's changed from the old 'about' page that was on iBlog! 

Thanks so much, y'all!  I seriously can't say thank you enough. 

Please check out all of my *sponsors* too!  Finally got all their buttons up.  Will probably wait until March 1st to do the sponsor post now since they will all be there in March.  But please check them out.

Much love & blessings,

Catherine

to you and yours

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

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This Week's Faves

I have only two faves for you this week, but they are good!  Enjoy you weekend! 

5 ways to guarantee your art isn't a waste of time :: by Emily :: chatting at the sky

The problem with the pigpen :: by Jon :: Stuff Christians Like

Randomness + Memory

Does anyone out there reading watch Iron Chef America?  We are addicted.  We watch it every night.  It's sort-of silly at times, but we just get sucked in by this show!  It's amazing what these people can do with food.  And I'm not a cook.  Last night, I was grossed out though.  The "secret ingredient" was chocolate.  That's not the part I was grossed out by.  They were mixing it with meat.  It reminded me of that episode of FRIENDS....you know, the one where Rachel tried to make a traditional English trifle pie and she used two recipes combined!  And, it turns out to have meat in it!  Ha!  Ok, I don't know why I'm all about clips lately, but it's just so funny!

Ok, so I couldn't get the clip to upload, but if you want to watch it, click here.  Oh my gosh, hilarious!  It's over 5 minutes long, but if you want to just skip to the funny part, scroll to 5:15! 

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My sister updated her FB status last night saying that when they drove by Chick-fil-A, her 16 month old pointed out the window and said, "Mooooo....".  It took her a few moments to figure it out.  I don't know why I think that's so funny.....

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Taz has two Reagan's in his class at preschool.  So, I wondered which one he's crushing on when I heard this yesterday morning when JT was taking him to school:

JT: "Come on, let's get your bag and go to school"

Taz (jumping up from playing on the floor in excitement): "OK!  Bye Mommy, Bye Bob-the-Builder, come on Daddy (taking Daddy's hand), let's go see REAGAN!"  Ha!  Don't know why he felt the need to say good-bye to Bob-the-Builder, but not his little sister though......

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Our memory verse this week......

Ephesians 6:12

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms"

I'm so glad that we just added on to last week's verse, because I feel this is a very important part of Ephesians 6.  I can't tell you how much this verse means to me lately.  Maybe it sounds tiny and insignificant, but this is huge in the life of me.  For so long, I've struggled with feelings of inadequacy when it my insecurities would creep up in certain situations.  Or, I struggled with conflict between myself and others.  And, maybe this is total common sense to some, but I just realized it about a year ago ---- my conflicts in life are not with those people.  My struggles are not against flesh and blood.  My struggles are against a higher power....a darkness that wants us to fail in this world.  I think you know who I'm talking about.  satan tries to destroy our relationships, our marriages, our friendships.  But, if we just realize that are struggles are not with that person or thing, they are with something higher --- then we know we can make it in this world.  Right?  Why couldn't we?  To put it in the words of Chris Tomlin's song (a song that is right from The Word of God, scripture): "And if our God is for us, then who can stand against".  That's so true.  Who can stand against us?  No one. 

I didn't mean to go into that, but I just started typing and couldn't stop!  So, this week's memory verse is now in the 'scripture' section of my blog and I'm so excited to reveal next week's on Monday!  I get really excited when God's Word starts to really make sense!  :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  We have a family reunion to attend and that will be so much fun!

Just a pretty picture.....because after watching Bobby Flay make chocolate pancakes last night, I decided to search the internet for a recipe.

{source}

Looks like the perfect Valentine's breakfast to me!

Oh, and PS (this post keeps getting longer and longer)....
I got a comment yesterday saying that JT should be a carpenter on a HGTV show.  This isn't the first time someone has said that.  How cool would THAT be?!  If anyone out there knows how to go about applying for such a job, please contact me!  ;)

Moving

(1)

What's wrong with this picture?  It's Jesse from Toy Story.  It remind me of this scene in Dumb & Dumber:

That's how I feel right now.  Oh my gosh, that is my favorite scene from that movie.  I've seen that movie way more times than I want to admit and my sister and text each other lines from D&D quite often.  It's sort-of our thing.  :)  The "OUR PET'S HEADS ARE FALLING OFF" --- one we actually use quite often.

Anyway.  We've moving in less than 3 weeks, but you wouldn't know it.  We haven't packed a single thing.  We're down sizing which means we are going to store and sell some stuff.  Have I put any of it up for sale?  No.  Do y'all want to buy my stuff? Ha!  Just kidding.

Thanks so much for all the emails and texts about John Taylor's job interview.  I sort-of left y'all hanging, didn't I?  That job fell through.  Wasn't meant to be.  Turns out the job was more for an entry level person and JT was over-qualified.  He hasn't been on any other interviews yet, but has applied for lots of jobs.  Please keep his job search in your prayers.  I know it's all in God's perfect timing, but I also know it's frustrating for John Taylor.

We do look forward to contacting some of our favorite stores in Birmingham about selling Kiwi Wood Werks products!  Hopefully, John Taylor's business will grow and grow there!

Everyone keeps asking me if I'm excited to move back.  I guess truthfully, I'm torn.  My family is here in Mississippi.  But, Alabama is only one state over.  :)  I won't miss Jackson, the city.  I will miss the things about Jackson that are close to my heart --- family, friends, church, etc.  But, Jackson is not my home town.  My parents moved here after we got married, so I have no true ties to the city. 

There are a lot of things about Birmingham I love and I'm so excited about.  Here are just a few:

(2)

:: our cozy little house ::

Sure, we'll be down sizing, but it will be nice because it will be OURS.

(3)

:: Pastor Chris Hodges ::

Our church.  Oh.My.Word.  How God worked in our lives during our time in Birmingham before.  If you've been there, I don't think I need to say anymore.  If you haven't, you need to check it out.

(4)

:: The Children's Museum ::

We didn't have children to take before, but now we do!!!

(5)

:: Super Target ::

Sorry, Mississippi peeps, the Target here just doesn't compare.  It must have the "super" in front of it.

(6)

:: The Tavern ::

Our favorite restaurant. Can't wait to enjoy some burgundy mushrooms!  Mmmmmm.

Things here do feel like our pet's heads are falling off.  But, we're still here, alive and healthy.  And, every time I watch that D&D clip, it makes everything all better.  :)  Since JT lost his job (again), we've learned so much about each other, how we handle situations and handle conflict.  God is really working in our life through our trails.  That, I'm thankful for.  Thanks again for all the emails and prayers.  I'll try to keep you updated. 

image sources:

(1) my iPhone

(2) courtesy of Southern Living Magazine

(3) Church of The Highlands

(4) McWain Center

(5) Google images

(6) Google images

light of my life

photo & tutorial HERE

How stinkin cute is this?  I think this will be my Valentine project for John Taylor.  :)

My child really loves to line things up.  I'm talking he has an obsession with it.  From a very young age, he was lining things up....his cars....blocks....plastic shapes.....trains.  They had to be in a perfect line.  I have pictures to prove it.  He would place one block perfectly and walk away to get another.  While his back was turned, JT would ever so slightly skew a block out of line.  He would know!  What does all this mean?

The other day, I looked down and he was on the sun room floor lining up his tools.  He stayed there for quite some time, getting them just perfect.  When he finally got up, he had this look of pride on his face.  I see why....

This toy is not meant to stand on it's own.  But, he was determined.  I love a child that doesn't give up easily.  Yep, that would be our child.  :)

So, in other news......he's has the going #1 in the potty down pat.  Accident free for months now.  But, the going #2?  Not going so good.  What can we do?  HELP!  Please share your secrets because we're desperate. 

I guess it's true what they say about children imitating what their parents do.  No, I don't use the bathroom in pants.  But, I do say "bless her heart" a lot in reference to my little Doodlebug.  Yesterday, she bumped her head on something....looked up to make sure I was in the room, then lost it crying.  I dramatically said, Poor Baby!  And, my 3 year old son says, "Awww, bwess her heart!"  

 Yes, he's the light of my life.  He puts a smile on my face ever day.  He's so much like me, but SO much like John Taylor.  Like me in the sense that he's an all or nothing kind of guy.  i.e. if his baby sister walks up to the train table and touches the top of one tiny train with her finger, making it jump the track......he's like THE HECK WITH IT!  And he pushes them all off the track, throwing them across the train table and then throwing himself on the floor and into a fit.  All or nothing.  Just like me.  I just did that yesterday when I was trying to design something in PS. ;)  Just downloaded the newest version.

What are your gift plans for your Valentine?

Guest + Week's Scripture

I have been wanting to feature Christy from Between Here and Home for quite some time now!  I'm so excited to finally be posting our little interview!  Christy is a great blogger and is so beautiful inside and out.  I've never met Christy in person, but I can tell we'd be friends.  :)  I hope you enjoy our little interview and please hop over to Christy's BLOG and say hello!

Can you tell us about your blog title and why you chose that name for your blog?
When I began blogging in July of 2007, I really wanted something that represented who I was and where I am in my life. I am a true homebody and it doesn't take me long to have my heart pulling me towards home. While I know that our home is a place where there is lots of love, laughter, grace and forgiveness , it is also a place of making memories and holding onto past ones. So, in the midst of everyday living, knowing that this world isn't my true home, I am looking for the holy and grace -filled moments that remind me of the home my heart really is longing for.

What are some of your favorite hobbies, besides blogging?  :)
I have such a short list of hobbies right now, because in this season of raising three teenagers, working part-time and serving in ministry with my husband, there's not a lot of extra time. When I do have time I can devout to hobbies, I love practicing photography, cooking, reading, horseback riding, running (this is a hobby I need to pick up again!), and I do enjoy working on crafts, sewing, and decorating. Maybe that's not such a short list after all!

What is your favorite type of book to read and why?  Novels?  Motivational?  Devotion books? 
I really don't have a favorite type of book because ever since I was a little girl, I have had such a love for books. There have been many that have had some kind of impact on me, whether it was a parenting book that inspired and challenged me to be the parent I want to be, a fiction book that made me laugh, cry and made me feel like I personally knew the characters, or a non-fiction book that has completely changed my outlook and given me hope. I love any and all books practically, and if I talk with you long enough, I will ask you, "What are you currently reading?" or "What is your favorite book?"

What is your favorite vacation spot or what was your favorite vacation that you've taken?
My most favorite vacation place is Sunset Beach, North Carolina. When I was a teenager, my family began visiting there and now that my sister and I have grown, we try and make the trip every couple years with my parents and our own families.

What is your favorite thing to cook?  Dinner?  Deserts?  and why?
I don't think I have a favorite thing to cook because I just love to cook. I love cooking for my family, whether it's for a special occasion or just a simple, ordinary dinner. I love everything that entails cooking- gathering and organizing recipes, the preparation, and of course the end result, which is hopefully a great meal and a memorable time.

What is your favorite craft to date?  and, it doesn't have to be something you've shared on your blog!
I think my most favorite craft so far has been the "I AM" sign that I did share on my blog. It was kind of a time-consuming craft, but I am so pleased with the outcome. What I love about it is that the truth of who God is, hangs for all to see.

What inspires you the most?
I have to say that truly what inspires me the most are my husband and children. They challenge and motivate me to be not only the wife and mother I want to be, but the woman I so desire to be. A woman that gives grace fully and completely, extends forgiveness, doesn't let difficult circumstances get the best of me, and really when it comes down to it, when they look at me, I want them to see Jesus.

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And for those that are memorizing weekly scripture with me, here this week's scripture:

Ephesians 6:12

¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [NIV]

¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [KJV]

¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [ESV]

Hope you all had a great weekend and had fun watching the Super Bowl!

Play Kitchen {the sink}

Someone commented a couple of days ago on my Vintage Play Kitchen post.  They asked about the apron sink, but did not leave their email or contact information.  And, their blogger account was not set up to let me reply via email.  This, I hate about Blogger.  Anyway, if you asked about the measurements of the play kitchen's sink, here ya go!

It's basically a box you're going to build.  Dimensions are:

16wide X 13deep X 8tall

He used a router to round the edges off and we used a high gloss paint to give it a shine (to give the feel that it was ceramic and not wood).

The faucet and sink stopper both came from Lowe's hardware store.  They are real and meant to be used in a small, bar type sink.  They were actually the cheapest ones there.

Hope this helps!  We're thrilled that so many people write us inspired by our kitchen to say they are building one for their daughter.  Wish I could see them all when they are done.  I'll try to post any that are sent my way!  :)

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Blog Housekeeping + Memory

The number one question I've gotten is,  How do I 'follow' your blog? or, Where is your 'follow' button?

If you have Blogger, you will:

sign on to your dashboard

scroll down until you get to the big box that says "Reading List"

click on "ADD" in the bottom left hand corner

in the box that says URL, past this web address:

http://constantinchaos.blogspot.com/

click "Next"

click "Follow"

That should do it!  You can also subscribe to my RSS feed and subscribe by email on via my sidebar.  It's a little gray button next to my facebook, twitter and email button. 

If you have any more trouble with this or questions, please email me.  I know that the RSS feed wasn't working for the first day, but it's fixed now!

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The Scripture button is now filled with information about weekly scripture verses in case anyone is interested.  I have added info about the weekly plan as well as this week's memory verse:

Ephesians 6:10-11

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His almighty power.  Put on a the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. [NIV]

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Happy Friday!  We have cabin fever because the weather has been nasty and we've been stuck inside for days now.  I can't imagine living anywhere North of here!  ;)  Think I'll go have some hot chocolate now.

photography inspiration

My friend Missy is having twins very soon!  I'm so excited to see her nursery which from what I hear is BE-to-the-U-to-the-FUL!  Twin A and twin B now have names and are both girls!  You may remember me blogging about her baby shower HERE.

I gave Missy a gift certificate for a birth photo session as a gift.  I could not be more excited because I've never photographed twin babies.  I'm always inspired by other photographers websites and when I saw these photos, I just knew that I'd have to get some sweet shots like this for Missy. 

I might have some connections to someone that could build me a little bed.....

{click on photo to see larger}

Disclaimer:  These photos are NOT mine.  Although I wish they were, they are not.  But, they inspired me so and I could just stare at them all day.  I could also spend hours on Tammi's site that you can visit here:

more than words photography {by tammi}

Lots and lots of new frames!

If you are interested in any of the above frames, please contact us and we'll be glad to give you info on size, color and prices!  Thanks!

kiwiwoodwerks@gmail.com

Inspiration Board :: The Den

We are not taking our house off the market when we move.  Therefore, it's got to be in tip top shape and ready to "show".  Some people get really into staging their homes when they put them up for sale.  I have never been one of those people....until now.  Since our house has been on the market for 2.5 years now, we're willing to try anything! 

Thankfully, my long time friend is an Interior Designer.  And a good one at that!  Brooke from Blueprint Bliss (one of my favorite blogs) has helped me come up with a plan.  Here is the design board Brooke drew up for me for our den when we move.  Since we're on a VERY tight budget (and by that, I mean the unemployed budget), we're using a lot of what we already have and keeping the wall color the same.  I probably would have changed it, but it's a good neutral color and Brooke loved it, so that's all I need to know! 

1. Wall color - Benjamin Moore Paint "Cement Gray" (it looks lighter in person)

2. TV armoire - it's currently painted black, but we plan to paint it with #7 - Benjamin Moore Paint "White Dove"

3. Lamp we already have that we plan to use on a side table or table in #9

4. My glazed Powder Blue frame JT made me for our anniversary - will be hung over our mantle

5. Chair/Ottoman that I plan to make a slipcover for out of fabric in #11.

6. (2) Frames JT made me - plan to hang them in the room, perhaps above the sofa

7. TV armoire color - Benjamin Moore Paint "White Dove"

8. Anthro cabinet pulls for TV armoire

9. Side table, built by JT.

10. Throw pillow - I plan to make my own, but you can by the one pictured HERE

11. Tan/White Ticking fabric for chair/ottoman slip cover

12. Neutral burlap shade for lamp standing by chair/ottoman

13. Ikea white slip cover sofa! It's only $399!  This will be our main purchase and plan to sell our current sofa and recliner.

14. Throw pillows for sofa - I plan to make mine out of the same fabric shown, but you can buy the one pictured HERE

15. Seagrass chest we plan to use as a coffee table/linen storage (we already own it!)

16. Pier One wicker chair we already own - it has a ecru seat cushion

17. Natural fibers rug that was just given to us by my in-laws! 

What do you think?  I'm in love with everything Brooke picked out and can't wait to get started! 

Tomorrow, a post about my sponsors for February!