Thursday, September 19, 2013

Youth Room

Good morning! In all honestly it probably would've been a better morning if Buster, our 4 month old puppy, hadn't kept us up for a while last crying and barking. It was Darrell's fault (the hubs)...naturally. He can not get excited at midnight when he's taken out to potty (talking about Buster, not Darrell haha) and that includes letting him choose to stay out there and play for a while. When Buster decided he wanted back inside, he wasn't ready to sleep in his crate...it took a while to convince him that it was 3am and we needed sleep.
 
All is well. Who really needs much sleep anyways right?
 
Darrell and I have recently started having a teen class or youth service, whatever you want to call it, on Wednesday nights. We have about 8 to 10 kids, ages 10 -16. It's exciting getting to know these kids, but it's also challenging Darrell and I. We have both been in leadership positions before, have been youth pastor's and worked with kids plenty, however, this is a whole new ball game. These kids come to us with things in their past, broken homes, and struggles that I never faced as a child. I love each and every one of those kids, I really do. Darrell and I are praying that God would just give us the wisdom to teach and lead them the right way. To be good examples for them, but also friends as well as their leaders.
 
For the last few weeks, since we started the Wednesday night services, we have been in the sanctuary, the adults have their class in the spacious fellowship hall in the back. We've noticed that the big space gives these kids a lot of room to move around, a lot of distractions, and these kids do not need help in the distraction department haha. We were told that we could pick one of the Sunday school rooms that aren't being used to make into our "Youth Room". This is super exciting! A few of the kids had the idea to put couches, bean bag chairs, and things like that in the youth room to make it comfy and cool. I like the idea and the pastor agreed! YAY! We also get to paint the room chosen whatever color we want and I was given the permission to let the kids choose.
 
Now when I say "let the kids choose" I really mean I'll pick out 2 or 3 options and let them vote on those, otherwise we would never have a decision! So I immediately starting looking up options last night, I already had in mind the direction I want to go, but I need to lock down some definite colors. BTW Gray is a definite...somewhere in the room! Here are the colors and ideas I found...
 
 
 

I love this huge word on the wall, and a very powerful message


These bright colors could be fun




However I'm more partial to these colors and the ones before this




Seriously thought about doing a chalkboard wall...how cool?!


I definitely want some kind of scripture or awesome quote like this in there


I also like the idea of some cool/different lighting, but we will have to see




I'm so excited about this for our teen class. I think they are going to love it, and will love being a part of the creative process. A space of their own in the church. Doesn't every kid need that? Well let me know what you think! I hope you guys have a fantastic Thursday! 

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Reader's Block

Nope, I don't mean "writer's block" I meant what I said...Reader's Block.
Just to enlighten you I will share with you my definition of this condition.
 
READER'S BLOCK:
noun The condition of being unable to read (see choosing a book) any book while waiting for the newest book in one's favorite series to be released (or after reading the last book in one's favorite series.)
 
So there you have it and this is the condition that I've had for a while now. Back in March, J.R. Ward released the long time awaited Lover At Last, a book about some of my favorite characters in the series. The book was good, honestly could've been better, but I love the series, so I can't really knock the book. The next book to come out will be The King! For those of you who do not read these books that will mean absolutely nothing to you, but for us uberfans we were all screaming and crying at the announcement! Unfortunately we have to wait a whole year! "The King" will not be released until March 2014, but she has released the cover!
 

So I am impatiently patiently waiting for this book's release!
 
Back in June...or July I can't remember, my sister, the lovely Ree (check out her blog), tells me about this new trilogy that is AMAZING and that I should check it out. So I did...and loved it!
 
DIVERGENT
INSURGENT
ALLEGIANT
 
Sorry guys I tried loading book cover photos but my computer isn't working with me today. Allegiant isn't out yet, but I bought and devoured the other two, even reading them aloud to my hubby and kiddos. My hubby doesn't like to read, except for when it comes to the bible, but I started reading The Hunger Games to him and he loved that seriers. Now we both love the Divergent series. I am waiting for Allegiant to come out which will be next month. My sis was amazing and pre-ordered the book from Amazon for my birthday, so I will get one of those smiley faced boxes from Amazon with my book in it not too long after it releases! YAY! I'm so excited. I just wish I could find something that caught my interest enough to read in the mean time.
 
Not sure if anyone else has contracted this Reader's Block condition, but it totally ruins your taste for many books. I have read one...maybe two, nothing major and I used to read constantly. Hopefully the cure to my condition will come in the mail in October!
 



Tuesday, September 17, 2013

It's Supposed To Be Fall....Right?

So I've been glancing at some other blog posts and facebook statuses and everyone is going on and on about Fall. "Oh it's cool outside", "The leaves are falling and changing", and on and on it goes. Well let me tell you what it's like outside my window right now.
It's moist, sticky, 80 degrees at 8am, and green as all get out! Fall is my favorite time of the year, October just happens to be my absolute favorite month and I can't properly appreciate it, because I live in the tropics! Okay technically I live in Florida, but seriously...it feels like the tropics.
 
I am literally craving cooler temps and Autumn colors like a preggo person craves pickles (yes I totally just stereotyped there...sorry Ree). I want to get all my decorations out, but for one I have some shaping up to do outside before I can go full on halloween mode, and it's been nuts around here. I would actually love to go to a Friday night football game (Go LCHS Bulldogs!) and not sweat to death before the sun goes down! Gah, is that so much to ask? No...I didn't think so either. On the real though I've been praying God would send us some cooler weather and let us have an enjoyable fall. At least let it be jacket worthy weather on October 31st.
 
Speaking of October 31st, I wanted to share with you all some of my decorating wishes for Halloween this year. I am so excited about it, but I am having a hard time settling on exactly what I want to do to the front porch. I'll share with you guys my favorite things from my Pinterest board (to see my Halloween board click here). In turn ya'll can tell me what you like/disklike and even send me comments and link some of your fav fall decorations!
 
So here goes!
 
















Those are just a few of my pins from my Pinterest board and a few of my favorites. What decorations are ya'll putting up this year?!

Monday, September 16, 2013

A While Away

Hi Everyone. It's me, the girl who's been gone for forever. I haven't even entered the blogging world in months and I should probably be ashamed, but I'm not sure I am. Have I missed you guys? YES! Tremendously! However, these last 5 months have been strange.
 
Just to fill ya'll in on what's been happening in my neck of the woods...I lost my job back in May. So that means...yep you guessed it, I've been back to staying at home! woot woot right? Okay, yeah maybe at first. Isn't more time at home to "get things done" what all of us working mothers want? Maybe it's just the thought of it thats nice. Honestly I'm struggling.
 
The summer wasn't too bad. My hubby is the School Resource Officer at my kid's school. They build up so much comp time during the school year that they take off the whole summer. I think he worked a grand total of 2 days during the summer. It was nice getting to do things, going to stay at my moms and mom in laws, going camping with the kiddos. Well summer is over now, the kids are back in school, and the hubby is back at work. Where is mom? Yeah, I'm still at home.
 
You know I like having the freedom to go the school for my kids different activities and things like that, but this is the start of the school year and there hasn't been much of that going on yet. What I'm trying to figure out is, how to enjoy being at home? You would think that you could keep a perfect house and have plenty of time to do those things that you've been wanting to do when you are at home all day long. However, that is not the case. I literally drown in housework all week long. I clean everyday. I know we will always have to tidy things up, but here I am having chore lists a mile long; and I'm not talking about just putting away strowed items. It's getting to the point that I want to throw up my hands in frustration. It's not only the cleaning, it's the part where you are always here so of course you can do everything and take care of anything that the hubby or kids need you to do. It's not like you want to do anything fun right?
 
Maybe I'm not doing something right. Here is where you other stay-at-home-mom's/homemakers can help me out. How do you keep the house clean, clothes washed and put away, and the kids rooms tidy (not to mention the porches & carport that loves to stay stacked with mess) without cleaning every second and losing your mind?
 
Lately I've wanted to get into baking and experimenting with things. Fall is coming up and I'm just dying to get out all my halloween decorations out, but really I spent 2 hours folding and putting away clothes today and I still have about 5 loads to go before I'm done caught up. I would like to stop feeling taken for granted and feeling like a constant maid. I would like to simply feel like a good mom and wife who enjoys her home. How do you accomplish that?! I know that you working mother's are probably thinking I'm crazy, but seriously I felt I got more things done on some days when I was working. *sigh* I don't know. If any of you lady's have any advice I'm all ears. Do you have a schedule or plan that works for your family? Any pointers on how to make sure the kids have time to pitch in when they are involved in after school activities, ballet, & marching band?
 
Thank you for reading and seriously any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I am going to try and stay a little more consistent with my posts from here on out. 5 months is waayy too long to go without posting something! I hope you all are having a fantastic week so far!