Holiday BLISS....

I can't wait to jump back into the blogging world and share some exciting changes coming our way but until it's all finalized, I can't! There's a TON to share and I want to but just have other things I've been doing.....like this......

After some encouragement, right after making Sofia's Thanksgiving shirt, I decided to come up with my Facebook page (my Mom came up with the clever name! LOL) and business took off for me!!! It has kept me busy (OVER 50 SHIRTS) and gave us the Christmas money we needed for gifts (YAY!).  It has also brought such peace and joy to my heart and my soul.  This time of year is usually FULL of busyness and chaos, but not this year!  I am peaceful and joyful.  I actually haven't forgot to do an of our Elf activities, our Jesse Tree or The Advent Calendar....I've been focused and caught up and THAT IS GOOD!  My time has been family focused and I've still had time to make some gifts for friends, teachers, troop leaders, craft, etc., but it's been minimal this year and that's okay!

I am weaving a security net for my family, a safe and comfortable place that they will all find peace in during the upcoming changes ahead! I can honestly say without a doubt, I'm doing JUST what I'm supposed to be doing in this season of my life and that realization fills me up more than anything else!

Remember in all the busyness, to take time to cuddle, laugh, have fun - - - it's really what this time of year is all about!!

Love my family!

Heart FULL of Thanks!

"It is only when we as women learn how to lay down our lives for those in our home, that the home will begin to thrive. "


I just read this quote on Women Living Well blog this morning and I completely identified with it! My home is my haven and all the time I have spent in it has centered me immensely!  I had a season of "busyness" a season of "outward focus" and I know it was part of God's plan for sure. Too much good came from it not to be.  But, I also felt Him call me back home this past summer and I LISTENED. I have come to a place spiritually that I actually can discern His voice and follow Him.  I am SO glad I did.  Big changes are coming and it's all Him, I just KNOW it!  Just like I *knew* moving to Texas was RIGHT, I know this next part of our journey is RIGHT.  This is just part of the ride! :o)

As I begin with the menu, the checklists, the organizing and Christmas thoughts this week (yes, we put the tree up right after Thanksgiving!), I will delight in the "busyness" at home this week!  I will not get overwhelmed. I will ask for help. I will let the kids get more involved (like I even have a choice, they truly have become "assistants" to me in so many ways). I will take it all in and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with family and  cherished friends as this one may be our last here in Texas!  

Heart is FULL of Thanks this year!!  

So, come on and let's bring on the week! I'm ready!!!

Mama's Sew Crafty

I never would have thought a year ago when my sister bought me my very first sewing machine that I would be making AND selling items made BY ME!  WOW!!!!  My mother in law taught me how to sew a couple of years ago and I was always borrowing her machine!  I've done applique shirts, nap mat covers, aprons, pillows and even curtains over the years but since I got my machine, I was on a sewing hiatus! Life was just getting too "busy" for me.  I was doing all I could to keep my head above water that sewing was THE LAST thing I was thinking of.  Heck, I even bought Sofia's birthday shirt instead of making it myself this year!

Then an old friend came back into my life and helped breathe life back into a very stressed, hurt and distraught Gina.  My friend Amanda inspired me and encouraged on my first steps into the Homeschool world, helped me take steps towards healing from "church" pain and relationships ending, AND inspired/motivated me to dust my machine off.  God whispered to me through her. She made a statement and it just STUCK with me.

"If sewing is something you love to do, you MAKE time for it."

She is a HS mom of 5 kids and I witnessed her focus and determination to bring in extra holiday money doing something that she loved to do, sew.  I had never really thought about sewing for money since the competition out there is BIG!  I have local friends that sew way better than I do, so why bother?  Last month I broke out the machine making a shirt for my niece's birthday and halloween shirts for my kids and I felt ALIVE!  Music, coffee, and my sewing machine brought another level of peace to me.  There is something about that "hum" of the machine that soothes me.  There is something about being "crafty" and "creative" that just simply relaxes me.

I've stepped back alot in many areas of my life. I've been STILL.  I feel more FULL than I have in a long time.  I found peace that I thought would come in "doing" so many other things.  I found JOY in SIMPLICITY.

A friend asked me to make her a shirt and that was it!  Ding Ding!!  Could I make money sewing shirts too? Can I bless my friends and family with gifts made just by ME?  YES! YES! YES!!  One morning, my mom and I sat around looking up names for sewing/crafting blogs and Facebook pages and she came up with "Mama Sew Crazy" but that was already taken of course! LOL  SEW......we came up with Mama's Sew Crafty as a Facebook page instead!!  In two weeks time, I've done Eleven Shirts, 2 bows and a tutu with 7 more to do by the end of this week! WOW!!!!!  I feel BEYOND blessed by all the support on my new venture!

So my Fall days are being spent baking for my family and friends, crafting with the kiddos, enjoying quiet family time on the weekends, crafting and SEWING!!  This season feels GOOD!  This season feels GREAT!  While a couple months ago everything seemed terrible, it has all balanced itself out and I feel the inner peace to move forward.  THANK GOD!

Here are a couple of my orders, complete!

TIME TO SEW!!!!

Fall Festival Fun

Sofia and I met up with some moms yesterday from a Hutto Mom's Group and had a blast!  This was my first time meeting most of the moms though we comment on each others stuff on Facebook all the time we had yet to meet in person, LOL!  Sofia was the oldest in this group today since most of them were around 2 so that was definitely weird for me.  I'm so used to her being the "baby" not the big girl!!

Something really cool happened for me yesterday.  I was completely affirmed in my "people loving", if that makes sense.  I have been hurt alot over the past few months but yesterday gave me hope and reminded me that I "DO" make friends easily, I'm relaxed and in my element when it comes to meeting people and being social and so were those other moms too! It was awesome!

Facebook can be great for meeting and getting to know people, especially moms since we don't have the opportunity in a group setting with toddlers to TRULY have a conversation! Ha!  BUT it can also "show" a life that isn't completely what it "IS" for real.  I heard the phrase "Super Mom" and was told how great I do this or that so you know I had to correct that on the spot.  I LOVE TO CRAFT, am always on the go, and love to have fun with my kids, yes. BUT, I"m also way hyper and have problems sitting still! The thing that I explained they don't see is what I DON'T post. Locking myself in the bathroom away from screaming kids to have a "mommy time out" and wash my face for a couple minutes so I don't lose my shit on them!  Taking an impromptu nap because I JUST. CAN'T. DO. ANYMORE.  My kids yelling and fighting and me sending them up to their rooms stomping and screaming....my foul language....yeah the REAL stuff that people don't see but we all go through it at some level.....WE ARE MOMS and have CHILDREN.  It's reality.  My hope is with my transparency and "what you see is what you get" way I am will benefit others!

Anyway, spending the morning with new friends and Fifi then a Halloween potluck with a few of my "old" friends, LOL.....turned out to be a great day!

Peaceful.

My life right now feels peaceful.

Thank God!

My and my Baby Girl!!! Meow!

Yes, my big kids had to be "scary"...LOL  Vampire, Zombie Cheerleader and Kitty!

It's Official!

After two Parent Teacher Conferences, one great and one pretty good, I took the first big step and told the teachers we are not coming back after winter break.  That's right, I told them I am going to HOMESCHOOL!!!!!!  I even went to the secretary Gloria, whom I LOVE and talked to her about it. She gave me withdrawal forms making it feel VERY official.

WOW!!!!

This has been on my heart BIG TIME since last Christmas and through lots of talk with Chris, research together, advisement from homeschool friends, and LOTS OF PRAYER, I made the decision in my heart at the end of summer.  I have "toyed" with the idea of homeschooling for a couple of years but only seriously started thinking about it for about a year. Through lots of research, reading and going back and forth with Chris I feel SOLID in our decision.  Do NOT get me wrong, while I'm very excited, I'm also very nervous.  It's the "unknown" that gets me. I *know* my children and because of this, I *know* it will be wonderful for them.  How much luckier can I be? I get to be with them all day!  I get to be the main influence in their lives! I get to watch them grow and learn as individuals without the institutional guidelines and demands based solely on "testing".

Christopher is in 1st grade and is pretty sharp.  He LOVES to read and is an advanced reader and problem solver.  His handwriting is terrible, LOL, but we will work on that of course!  He is my little explorer and I can't wait to see where his curiosity takes us!  He loves to draw and "create"!  He is thrilled to start homeschooling primarily because we can do LOTS of stuff "outside" he told me.

Adrianna, my sweet angel, struggles.  She hates to read. She has major confidence issues and unfortunately has been overlooked during a couple of pretty crucial years of school while I was unaware just how serious it was.  She is in 4th grade and behind.  She's at a 3rd grade reading level and struggles to grasp math strategies and problem solving.  She LOVES to create. She LOVES to work with her hands.  She is the girl who wants to paint with her hands and not a brush.  She loves to write songs, sing and perform for us.  Her mood over the past year has gone a little south. She is stressed and I feel like I'm losing a part of her.  THAT I will NOT let happen.  She is the primary reason I first thought about homeschool when she was in 2nd grade.  I decided to stick it out through 3rd since I knew she would have a wonderful teacher. BUT then came STAR testing and stress and anxiety....she had ENOUGH! I had ENOUGH!  She is thrilled to start homeschooling and asks me ALL THE TIME how much longer! I think it's just because she likes to SLEEP IN, LOL. Kidding, well a little, but really I think she is going to love being with ME, learning with ME. She is inspired by ME.

I have nothing negative to say about public school.  I hardly know ANYONE that was brought up "homeschooled".  For our family, this is our personal choice.  I've had lots of people ask me about "socialization", and in fact was discouraged by very close friends when I had this on my heart last year because they thought "I" would not do well being home all day restricted to teaching my children. Worst part is that I believed that and now know that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I CAN'T WAIT to start!!!  My "I" personality, the innovative, initiator, people lover along with my "D" personality, likes to be in charge, driven by challenge, great leader . . . . knowing these high points of my personality and how it can be used in a HUGE way to educate and lead my children is a HUGE blessing!  I am not antisocial so of course my children won't be either.  This is going to be A FUN learning environment. Structured and organized of course, but also FUN!  Creativity all around will be a must!  We will learn and grow together.  I can't wait to see how God uses my 3 most precious gifts to help me grow as well!

I have SO much to say and so many thoughts to share but if I did that I would never get this post up!  I'm reading "The Mission of Motherhood" right now by Sally Clarkson with "Free Range Learning" by Amanda Grace Weldon in queue next!  Also going to add in "Dumbing us Down" by John Taylor Gatto after I finish with Sally Clarkson.

This past year of INCREDIBLE change, tons of heartbreak and stress has all been for a reason. Our family is moving in a direction, following God's voice, that many people just won't understand. And that's okay. Yes, you heard that right! I said "That's Okay"!!!  I am done being Gina, the "People Pleaser". I want to please God, following the direction HE is leading me and for the first time in a long time, I feel in my gut that I am doing just that!

So here's to the beginning of our new Journey . . .

Keep Your Head Up

I've heard this song SO much recently and just LOVE it!  The lyrics hit so close to home for me with some stuff we've been going through.  I was talking to a friend yesterday and realized, we ALL have tough seasons, followed by AWESOME seasons!  Just like Andy Grammar says, it's a circle, circling around again.  It's only because I make the choice to "LIVE OUT LOUD" that people see my ups and downs, but we all go through it, it's life.  Some people keep those "downs" more private is all.   I have a big heart full of love and passion and have always been up front with sharing it ALL.  Nothing will change that.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday:  White Chicken Chili

Tuesday: Crockpot Orange Chicken

Wednesday: Mummy Dogs

Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner

Friday:  Pizza

Saturday: Sliders, Fries, Broccoli

Sunday:  Spaghetti and Meatballs