Monday, June 27, 2016

She's so popular

Luke 9: 25
" What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?


This is the section in Luke where Jesus is performing miracle after miracle, and then he empowers and sends out the twelve disciples to also perform healings and miracles. Popular couldn't even begin to describe what Jesus has become, even Herod has heard of him. Herod has just beheaded John the Baptist, so you can only imagine what is going through his mind. But Jesus takes this moment, after revealing himself to the disciples to be the Messiah, that he was not put here on earth to be popular, but to be rejected, and killed and raised again. The one who is truly perfect and worthy of our praise and adulation, will take on all of our sins and imperfections so that we will live eternally. Thank you Jesus, that you sacrificed all for us.  Even when we denied you when you were no longer popular, you loved us so much you opened up your arms and breathed your last breath to fill us with everlasting life. Amen.

I was never "popular". I just kind of went through life, loving who I loved, and living how I lived. Did I ever long to be popular? Sure! Probably junior high school was quite the awakening of the pecking order for me. A big part of becoming an adult, is not caring about status, but living the best life you can life, taking advantage of every opportunity you are given and still loving everybody that God puts into your life. Let me tell you, it took me a long time to grow up and I'm still a work in progress at nearly 50!! As we approach the end of June (already!), I thought I'd look back at some of my most popular posts. Some are due to tragic circumstances and sadness, while others were popular for reasons of happiness and hope. They are only popular because you took the time to read them and mourn or laugh with me.

Here are some of our faves...

Mr. Football

Gold Blogging Day Mug
10,000

Love me through this

Choices

Shells
Stitch Me Up!
I hope you were able to click on the above links and revisit some of my posts. I know I've enjoyed rereading some of them. It's fun to see how my son has grown over the past year, how with faith, I've dealt with some troubles and sorrows in my life, and what I've liked or worn over the last year and a half. I've noticed a common theme is hope. I pray that through these writings, you always find hope.

Have an awesome week!!

Thursday, June 23, 2016

MY 1st day of summer vacay

Psalm 27: 2
" In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat- for he grants sleep to those he loves. "


I love this verse, however, the next verse goes on to talk about what a blessing children are... kind of an oxymoron, rest/children... if you're a parent you get my drift. God does want us to rest. The Bible mentions rest (physical rest) 72 times. That's why quiet time, meditation, vacations, and even a much needed nap should be very closely guarded. Our minds and our bodies need this time of recovery and peace. Lord, thank you that you want us to rest. Resting in the safety, peace and serenity of your arms is where you would have us be. Amen.

Yesterday, was my 1st true day of summer vacation. I didn't have any extra children, I only had 3 of my own (I have 3 grown children, and 1 was on loan), and my husband was at work. Whoop, Whoop!! So, how did I spend my day, you ask? (pretend you asked) Did I sunbathe? watch my favorite soaps while eating bonbons? get a mani-pedi? No way...I went to the library to sign my girls up for the summer reading program, I took my 13 yr old to JC Penney to finally exchange a Christmas gift, and then I went to the grocery store, and to cap off my fun day, I took the dog to a meet and greet (yes, that's a real thing!). The fun never ends! So it might not have been my dream 1st day of summer vacation, but it was a good day. Here are some things that I left off the list.

    I ran! in the morning, all by myself!! And then I showered and dressed like a real girl!

I love this romper. I purchased it last year on sale from Nordstrom.
(similar style here- Nordstrom, and here- Nordstrom rack)
Ignore the silly expression of my nearly 10yr old.
 Our outfits were similar in color and style so I thought I needed a pic
(3yr old is wearing this dress- Carter's)

 The library puts some great local coupons in a cute little drawstring/tote bag, 
and we went here after the library.

The holy grail of cupcake shops!!
Flavor Cupcakery
My 3 little beauties!!



And I ate this beauty!!  
Hello flamingo!
Hello marshmallow!!



  I didn't just go to any grocery store. I went to Wegmans. I love their artisan breads and cheeses.
 I made a big pot of chicken soup on Tuesday and picked up some delicious bread there to go with it. 


This is Wegmans Red, White & Blue Bread. So delicious and festive for this time of year.

So, you see, I had a great vacation day! It wasn't as restful as it could have been, but it was chock full of good things that I enjoyed with my family. I pray you set aside some time for rest this season. Whether it's a trip to the beach with your family or just some downtime at home, rest! God said to, you can't argue with that!!
Have a blessed Thursday!

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

By a hair

Luke 21: 18-19
" But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm and you will win life. "


In this chapter in Luke, Jesus is talking about end of times, the signs, wars, uprisings. I'm not an expert on this subject (or most any other subject...), but I love how he ends this paragraph. "Not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm and you will win life."  I like that. Even in the context of our daily struggles, whether large or small, if we stand firm in our faith, we have the comfort and hope that one day we will stand before Jesus. We win in the end. Victory is ours. Thank you, Jesus.

Um, so this seems kind of silly after that Bible verse. But I'm going to write about my hair today.Yes, my hair. I have a love-hate relationship with my hair. I had bone straight hair growing up and wanted to have beautiful curls, and now that I'm approaching the big 5-0, I have curls and I long for it to be straight. I recently got my hair cut again, even though my goal a few months ago was to grow it long (it was kind of halfway there). I found some super cute hairstyles on Pinterest and took the plunge to short again.

Here's what I loved on Pinterest.

ANH CO TRAN:
I was looking for something that would be easy with
my new found waves.
(Image found on Pinterest- here)
Pixie Short Hair Styles Back Pictures:
I really liked this look. This is the pic I showed to the stylist.
(Image found on Pinterest- here)
Here's my before.

My hair is so thick, even at this length it took forever to dry and to straighten.
And after...

                   
Here are the waves.
Here it is straight.





       

















    I'm thinking I might go even shorter...or not. What do you think?  It sure is easier to straighten, and on the days I don't have a lot of time it doesn't take long to scrunch up my curls. What's your current favorite hairstyle? Are you going short, growing it out? Do you love your hair and wouldn't change a thing? (I definitely want to hear from you, you're amazing!). Please comment below, and share your hair thoughts.

I pray you're having a wonderful week!

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

I got my Fix!

1 Kings 18: 30
" Then Elijah said to all the people, ' Come here to me. '  They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. "


You have got to read this story in 1 Kings. Elijah was amazing! He was the rock star of prophets. This particular miracle has fire coming down from heaven, proving to the people assembled (all faithful followers of the god and goddess, Baal and Asherah) that God is the one and only true God. God answered the prayer of a man, to turn the hearts of the people back to Him. Don't underestimate the power of a faithful prayer.

I have no idea what this verse has to do with my post today...just divine intervention I guess. I wanted to finally share my latest Stitch Fix with you. I have shown you bits and pieces here and there. I really think my stylist does "get me".  If I could have, I would have kept everything (you get a discount if you keep all 5 items). Here are the pics of my latest "Fix".

This outfit has "me" written all over it.
This definitely would have been a keeper. I loved the cargo shorts.
The top was absolutely perfect.  Even though I have tops in this exact fabric,
the styling was different with 3/4 length sleeves and  cute button detailing.
I really liked this necklace. I love the tassel detailing.

I'm pretty sure I was yelling at one of the children here...never a dull moment!
This top was not my favorite, but it was a good staple. I paired it with my black shorts and layered it over a black cami.
It would have been great with some white jeans.

And then there was this dress...OMG!

I love this dress! You guessed it, I kept it!!
I normally would wear it with some cute sandals, but we were off to the boat show,
and I wanted to wear some good walking shoes. I think it still works with these espadrilles.
It's hard to see the detail here, but it has a sailboat print on it. It was the perfect dress for the day, and of course I'm sure I'll wear it all summer long.
I had to add this pic of me and one of my photographers.

Isn't she cute? Look out world, she's a teenager now!!
As always, I got a card for each piece I received to show outfit options, as well as some tips from my stylist. I love that I can pair these pieces with things I may already have, and if  I don't have them, I get an idea of what to shop for to build my wardrobe. If you are interested in Stitch Fix, I encourage you to give it a try. I have enjoyed it, finding a box of clothes on my front porch, certainly brightened my day! 
Click on this link to try Stitch Fix-  https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/7443608

I pray you have a terrific Tuesday! 



Monday, June 20, 2016

Hello from the laundry room!

Psalm 139: 9-10
" If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. "


This was my view on Saturday...

Here's the "Winnie Estelle". We ride her every year in the Miles River when we visit the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD, during their Antique & Classic Boat Festival.

Here's my view this morning...(wah, wah, waahh).


But, I have to say it was so worth it! This weekend we celebrated Father's Day in St. Michaels and in Ocean City, Maryland. On Saturday we attended the Antique & Classic Boat Festival in St. Michaels, and then on Sunday we went to Ocean City to see the Thunderbirds perform in the OC Air Show. My husband's dream weekend, boats and airplanes!! 

Here are some more fun pics from our weekend.

Aboard the "Winnie Estelle".



We built and raced our own boat, "The Frankie".

Shopping in St. Michaels is the best. I love these fun Tees from Simply Southern.
And here we are on the beach yesterday.
This is how you watch an air show in Ocean City. It was such a beautiful day.

And of course one extra shot of my baby girl!
I hope you all had a fun Father's Day weekend. We certainly did. Maryland's Eastern Shore is so beautiful, especially this time of year. There are a lot of great historic towns and places to go. I can't wait until we go back again.

I've got some more laundry to do, so I'll talk with you later.
 I pray you have a wonderful Monday! 

Thursday, June 16, 2016

In the navy

1 Kings 10: 22
" The had a fleet of sailing ships at sea along with the ships of  Hiram. Once every three years it returned carrying gold, silver, and ivory, and apes, and baboons. "


This verse is in a passage in 1 Kings describing the great wealth of King Solomon. In the previous verse it describes how he drank out of cups made of pure gold.  It reminds me of an episode of the Kardashians. Cups of gold, sheesh, I'd be happy with a cabinet full of mason jars. I realized the other day, after looking at a blog post from another blogger that I follow, that I sometimes really start to want some things that just aren't in my budget (currently that would be $0, Lol!). I'm going to try to keep my posts real and show you what a women with my vast resources (sarcasm) can do! Lord, you provide me with so much, I am grateful for all I have. Help me to be a good steward and not waste time or money on things that I don't really need. When you give me mason jars, help me to see them and care for them like cups of gold. Amen.

Last week, I got my box from Stitch Fix. I have to tell you, the stylist nailed it, she got me. But I also have to say, that I was disappointed that I didn't' get something a little bit different and out of my comfort zone. I love to try new things. I kept one thing, a dress, and I LOVE it!! (pictures will come later, I'll do a Stitch Fix post). I got my box the day I came home from the zoo. This is what I wore that day to the zoo.

I tried to dress us all alike, it makes it easier for me to keep track of my girls. Our uniform for the day was navy and white striped shirts. The girls wore pink pants and I wore my boyfriend jeans. It's basically my momiform..

Here's the top that came in my box...

The fabric was exactly the same! It was certainly a different cut and style.
This Stitch Fix top was so cute!  Sadly, I couldn't justify keeping it.
(great pic, stylist!)

Here's what I ended up wearing to my daughters' last flag football game. Their team was the Giants, so I had to keep it red, white and blue (actually, I didn't wear anything red that night).

(My 3 yr old was sitting on the step being adorable, hence the look on my face.)
I love this classic top from Talbots (no longer available, similar style here, and here, and here!).
 I wear it all the time, year round. It was a bit cooler last Thursday evening, so long sleeves were appropriate.

Do you see any style trend here? I'd consider it classic, casual and of course, nautical. Navy is definitely my "summer black".  What style trend are you currently loving? I'd love to know what you are wearing this spring and summer: nautical, tassels, Boho chic? Please leave a comment below. 

Here's a link to Stitch Fix
If you're not sure what your style is, give them a try. They'll pick out some great things for you to try right at home (careful, you'll probably want them all!).   https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/7443608



I pray your Thursday is a good one!

Monday, June 13, 2016

Pray for Orlando


Lord,
Today we are praying for those innocent lives that were lost in Orlando. Heal those that are fighting to live and those who are wounded both inside and out. Comfort family and friends as they mourn and live through the agony of loss and of worry. Protect us all, Lord, from the evil that is in the hearts of others who seek to destroy us. In you, Lord, there is comfort and peace, there is hope and there is love. In the midst of those that hate, Lord, we cling to you. We cling to love.
Amen.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

It's a zoo out there!

Genesis 6: 19
" You are to bring into the ark two of every living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. "


Well I have to say, that Noah did a fantastic job of saving the animals. Thank you, Noah, and of course God, for animals! Amen.

Yesterday, I took my daughter and her bff to the zoo with some of our neighbors. We had such a nice day! The temperatures dropped a bit yesterday, so the weather (aside from a quick 10 minute rainstorm) was quite comfortable. My daughter's favorite part of the day was feeding the giraffes. They are awesome creatures! So tall and majestic with beautiful markings and coloring. It was a bit intimidating to have such a big animal come right after your hand, so I had a few looks of concern from the girls, but afterward they couldn't stop talking about it.

 Here are some pics from our fun day at the zoo!



This was the best! If you ever have an opportunity to interact with the animals, you've got to do it!!


The picture above and the two below were taken near the elephant habitat.
 You know I love me some elephants!!


This pic was taken in the Children's Zoo,in the oriole nest replica.
There are many interactive displays in the children's area, culminating in a farm setting with  a goat pen.
The children and adults are encouraged to brush and pet the goats.

You have to have a snack to keep up your energy.
These soft pretzels were as big as the girls heads!

I hope you enjoyed the glance into my day. I hope if you're ever in Maryland that you make some time to spend a day at the zoo. I have been going to this zoo for nearly 50 years, and I always seem to learn and see something new and wonderful!

I pray you have a great Thursday!

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Same but different

1 Corinthians 12: 4
" There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. "


Wouldn't it be boring if we all had the same gifts and talents? And, Lord knows, I'm still discovering mine. Thankfully other people are in tune with the gifts that God has given them. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to be when I grow up! Thank you, Lord, for creating us in Your image. We are all the same, precious in Your sight, but different!

On Mother's Day, I went shopping with my mom and my sil. We have done this many times, the day culminates with a dinner prepared by my dad (hot off the grill!), and when the kids were younger, they used to do some kind of performance: a poem, a skit, or a story.  My sil and I often end up purchasing the same shorts or top. This year was no exception. As you may have noticed in my Memorial Day pic, we were wearing our same paisley shorts. We're so cute!! I came across a picture in my latest Talbot's June catalog that made me want to try a striped top with those same shorts (I am wearing a navy tee with them in the pic).

Here are some pics of the same shorts with a different top.

Here we all are on Memorial Day.
(see Memorial Day Wear)
Here's a pic from the Talbot's catalog.

I realize these shorts are not similar to my shorts at all.
What I like about this picture is the juxtaposition of the stripes and floral patterns.
(pic from Talbots June 2016 catalog page 6 )

and here's what I wore last Friday.

Here, I'm wearing my navy and white striped tee from Target (similar style- here) with my paisley shorts.
My nearly 10 year old told me it didn't match...but I kinda liked it!
Don't be afraid to mix prints. Maybe this particular look isn't for you, but something a bit less bold might work.
Remember to  keep your patterns in the same color palette, I have only 3 colors here: red white and blue,
above in the Talbots catalog, they are using 2 colors. 

Try mixing some of your same wardrobe pieces with something different, something you might not have tried before.  You might just like the way it looks!

I pray you have a terrific Tuesday!





Monday, June 6, 2016

Daughters

Genesis 31: 50
" If you mistreat my daughters or if you take any wives besides my daughters, even though no one is with us, remember that God is a witness between you and me. "


Ummm....I really want to throw a name out here, he knows who he is...but I digress.
Poor Jacob in this Bible story. He had to flee his home because he "stole" his brother Esau's inheritance, He wanted to marry the beautiful Rachel and worked 7 years to "earn" her but was awarded with her sister Leah. He worked 7 more years to be able to marry Rachel, and was now in jeopardy with his father-in-law, Laban. It all turns out for God's good, but oh man, the hardships that Jacob endures. Read about him in Genesis, starting in verse chapter 25.

I have five daughters. 5! Oh my goodness, they are all so different and so much the same all at once. They are all so smart, so pretty, so competitive, and so, so wonderful!!! Most days. Some days, not so much.  My oldest daughter just had a big weekend over Memorial Day weekend. She is an actress, and we were able to see her in a movie screening that Saturday. What a fun night. I've gotten to see her in some television shows and some commercials and even some print ads. She was in a few scenes of "Killing Kennedy" (I remind her that she was in an Emmy nominated movie!). But this was fun because it was the first film I was able to see her in a major role. The film is called "Liv, Jack, and Berry" (which reminds me of some Veggie Tales character: Rack, Shack and Benny, no relationship here whatsoever!!).

Here are some pics of our fun evening.

Here are my mom and me waiting the restaurant to open.
We dined at a new trendy restaurant in Philadelphia called
Wm Mulherin's & Sons
The food was delicious!!


It was warm and a bit muggy so we stopped in
a bar across the street.
This is my girl and her bf!
Here are my parents.


















Here is my superstar!
She asked me to take some pics on her phone and she's checking them out.
Mom at the restaurant!

Me with an onlooker on the way to the car.




Here are my parents and my 2 oldest girls!
Love my family!!


BTW...my daughter is trying to raise some money to join SAG-AFTRA. They have a one time initiation fee of $3,000. She will be able to get health insurance through them and have more opportunities and rolls. I hope you will take a few minutes and visit her gofundme campaign to see what she's been up to.
(click this link to visit her campaign- https://www.gofundme.com/sagaftra4emily)

I pray you have a wonderful week!