It's All About Me

Today, honestly, was one of those days - a good day, one that is rare especially when you are a mother and my children got to share in it. I had lunch with an old friend - you know the kind that you pick up wherever you left off every time you get together. It did my heart good. I also spoke with three of my closest friends in the whole world - my mother, my friend Juanita, and my friend Christy.

I know I have spoken very candidly on here about my struggles with loneliness and in all honesty it has been in the area of friendships. I have really felt that I was in the wilderness land, wandering around, raising my kids, with hardly a girlfriend to share in it with me. It is a very lonely road and for some reason or another this is where God has decided to place me - with my mother in Texas 16 hours away, one best friend in Florida and the other in Auburn.

Making friendships as an adult has been harder than I ever imagined. Why is this? I know other women feel this way because I have talked to them about it. I also know that others also feel they are wandering around in their own wilderness and I wonder why do we all have such a hard time connecting when we have so much in common. I couldn't tell you.

All I know, is it is days like these where I am encouraged and reminded that I have very dear friends. Some that know me better than I would like to think and those that I have stuck with me through many a trial and hardship. Kindred spirits are very rare so I am determined to cherish the ones that I have and not think about the ones I don't. Life is too short to stay in the wilderness! I am determined to make it to the promised land. :)

I Heart Etsy: plum tree studio

More personal posts are coming soon. Family pictures are going through editing right now. You will understand why once they are up.

I couldn't let more time get away without doing another "I Heart Etsy" post. With the cool weather outside we are all beginning to pull out those longer sleeves and also look for clothing that will begin to keep us warmer as the temperatures turn cooler.

I came across this darling shop one day when I was looking through Atlanta based etsy shops. The pirate ship immediately caught my eye and let me just say, Douglass Charles will be getting a pirate ship long sleeve t-shir. I just love this design!

Plum Tree Studio also has many other adorable designs as well as this cute snowflake that they will be offering soon. Check out all their great stuff over at www.plumtreestudio.etsy.com. You won't be disappointed!

Christmas Preview

It seems early, I know. I have given into the commercialism. But honestly, folks, getting Christmas cards out is no easy task and one that I do start thinking about around this time of year. It is never too early so start planning - thus the reason for Christmas cards and it is not even October. These will start popping up on www.theenglishpea.com very soon and I have others available too. Hope you like what you see. :)

{me & my babies}

Doug was gracious enough to snap a photo of the three of us yesterday before we rushed out the door to celebrate my birthday. We had a good dinner. Both kids behaved themselves and I thoroughly enjoyed my favorite martini. For the most part it was good day - much better than last year. We finally got to celebrate on the day of with well babies and my not being pregnant. :) Thanks, Doug, for making my day special.

"Dirtday, Happy"

These are the sweet words Charlotte said to me this morning. Her daddy taught her how to say "Happy Birthday" and this is how it came out. It was so sweet and probably the most favorite thing about my birthday today. It made me cry.

Yes, I am 31 today. I wrote a long epistle last year about all the things I felt like I learned in my 30th year. I don't have as much to say this time around. I truly am unsure of where the year went. While it has been busy, it has been tough, and I feel like I have had to put some of the things I learned in my thirtieth year to practice - aren't things easy to say but much harder to live out.

I guess the biggest revelation for me today is that things aren't slowing down and there is no way to stop or slow down the birthday train. They just keep coming and without a thought to what is going on in my world.

I do realize I have SO much to be thankful for. When I think back to what I desired for myself ten years ago, I truly have been given the desires of my heart. Maybe not always in the package or timeframe that I want them, but I have them. I feel very blessed and know that God is everpresent in the ever running birthday train. :)

Birthday Bash Giveaway

I have been SO excited about this and have been dying to share. Today marks the start to our Birthday Bash Giveaway. I am so thankful to Kd Cakes, Split Second Photography, and The Fancy Bee - all here in Douglasville - for participating. If you are in the Atlanta area you should so enter. You might wind up with a $300 worth of stuff to use towards your little one's next birthday party.

So here are the details and happy bidding!
Our giveaway is easy, fun and all about celebration. One lucky child will receive a birthday party worth remembering. The winnings include:
- A Party Package from The English Pea – includes 16 birthday invitations with matching envelopes, 20 party favor stickers, one set of personalized notecards with matching envelopes, and one set personalized calling cards – retail value $75.00
(all items must be chosen from available graphics).
- A Custom Cake designed and constructed by KD Cakes – retail value $100
- A photography session with Split Second Photography commemorating your little one’s special day - retail value$100
- A $25.00 gift certificate from the Fancy Bee – your place for personalized gifts
- Total Value: $300.00
(each business will award a gift certificate to the winner with specifics outlined in the gift. Some restrictions do apply. Please see each website for more information).
This fabulous prize can be won by visiting each business’ website or by stopping in at The Fancy Bee. You may enter once at each place thereby increasing your chances of winning (only one household per entry). All entrants must list a name, contact email or phone number and the item he/she would choose from each business if they are to win the grand prize. The contest will close October 15th. The winner will be randomly selected by www.random.org and announced on October 26th at 5:00 p.m. at The Fancy Bee’s One Year Anniversary Open House. The Party Bash Giveaway Package will be awarded to the recipient through gift certificates from each business. The winner is responsible for the planning and location of the party as well as any other items – such as food, party favors, etc. – that are not included in the items listed above.
Websites and address locations to enter:
www.theenglishpea.com
www.kdcake.com
www.splitsecondatl.com
The Fancy Bee is located at 6880 Douglas Boulevard in Douglasville (must enter at physical location and not online).

Crafty Projects

My poor husband has been stuck at home because of the floods and I know our house is driving him crazy. I have a list of projects that are laying about and I am determined to get them finished. He will laugh. My projects are never done and I tend to overtake the house with whatever I am working on. Honestely, most every room has something of mine that I am "working on" sitting somewhere waiting to be completed.

I finally finished these bows for Charlotte. The boutique bows are just too darn expensive for me and while these don't look perfect, they are good enough for me (and Miss Charlotte's hair).

I also found the perfect spot to take pictures this afternoon and can't wait to share my new Christmas line of stationery - which will be up next week. I also have some great new photos of the kids as well as a lot of wonderful stuff that is to begin - check back tomorrow for my big announcement.

I feel so blessed, and while sales have been slow, I feel like the Lord is on the brink of doing something big. I guess we will all have to stay tuned and see what He is up to. Happy Tuesday!

Charlotte and her GiGi

Charlotte with her GiGi (Doug's grandmother on his mom's side)

This picture is back from July the 4th. We have the pleasure of having Doug's grandparents only an hour away from us (they live in the Atlanta area too). We enjoy our little get togethers and unfortunately, we don't get to do it enough.

Charlotte loves her GiGi and I am so glad that she gets to have time with her great-grandparents. The great thing about Charlotte loving GiGi is that she normally doesn't like women very much - she leans more towards the Paws and Paw Paw's in her life. GiGi is not the case. They adore one another and when they are together you will normally find the other.

One of my favorite memories of the two was finding Charlotte in GiGi's arms dancing a waltz to an old classic. I don't remember the song, but both were completely and absolutely thrilled - which says a lot for Miss Charlotte. She doesn't stay in anyone's arms for too long.

So, thanks GiGi for introducting Charlotte to wine, a waltz, raisins, and many other fascinating things. We are glad that both you and Poppi can be a part of our children's lives.

Six Months

This was my pathetic attempt to get six month pictures of Douglass Charles. I should have known it wouldn't work. He didn't get his morning nap, we had just come home from the doctor, and Charlotte was literally climbing all over me as I tried to get a good shot. Honestly, this one was the best one I could get.

I can't believe my little baby is six months old (honestly, he will be seven months next Friday - see what happens the second time around). He is sitting up well now and I know is about to crawl. He just has to figure out how to move those arms and legs. He can get up on all fours. It is just a matter of time before he figures it out.

Douglass Charles is still my needy child. He LOVES his mommy and poor Doug - I can tell - is frantic that I am going to ruin the boy. I keep reminding him that he is a baby and that when he is two we can start working a little on the tough guy stuff. Man, does he have a temper. You would think my red-head would take the cake. She is nothing. This child will scream like someone is pulling his fingernails out if he doesn't get what he wants right when he wants it and he can do this for over 30 minutes (because I have gotten to hear him in the car). Regardless of his temper, he is a sweet child and has a sweet spirit. He loves to be touched and most of the time is just happy if you will just sit there and hold his little hands.

I do ponder what we have ahead of us with him. The temper scares me and his sensitivity makes me realize that he is fragile. Discipline will be challenging and while he will have to "toughen up," I certainly don't want to break his little spirit. It amazes me how different children truly are from one another - gender and all.

So... we are thankful for our six (almost seven) month old and look forward to what the next six months bring us.

Mommy's Bed

Trying to sing a song on Wonder Pets - getting every other word I might add


All snuggled up


Serious face - flaring the nostrils

I don't know about you, but when I was little there was just something special about my mother's bed. It was more fun to jump on, more fun to sleep in, and more fun to read books in. I LOVED getting in my parent's bed. If they had had a t.v. in their room I know it would have been more fun to watch t.v. in there.

Well, Charlotte has determined the same thing for herself. She loves to crawl up in my bed, especially at night and watch a little t.v. She always insists on getting comfy under my covers to watch her favorite shows. I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree - Charlotte thinks her mommy's bed makes everything a little bit better as well.

Naptime, Really?

About a week and a half ago I was downstairs during naptime. We have a video monitor that we have put in Charlotte's room and Doug and I get a kick out of watching her sometimes while she naps - or sometimes not. On this particular day I heard a lot of commotion coming from her room so I decided to turn on the monitor. This is what I saw - Charlotte placing all of her animals along the wall. She talked to them, took them out and hugged them, jumped up and down, and so on.

Later that week, much to my dismay, she decided to do this for her entire naptime and skipped her nap all together. This made me wonder... has she done this before? I guess I will never know, but she obviously has a ball having her nap.

The Soft Pang of A Ticking Clock

Sorry, no pictures. I had to write while I was in the moment. I just put my sweet baby boy to bed. It is almost 8:00. Doug is working on his masters and Charlotte is watching Caillou (her favorite right now).

I felt a soft pang this evening as I put my Douglass Charles to bed. He is nearly seven months now and I wonder - especially this evening - where the time has gone. It keeps ticking away with no thought towards my "enjoying" my second born's babyhood.

I realized tonight as I read him Goodnight Moon that this time is way too short. As I watched his small, dimpled hand scratch the pages of that little book I wondered, will I remember this?

My mother told me over and over again to enjoy the small things with my first - holding her, rocking her, reading to her, the little moments that every mother treasures - because once the next one comes along the time won't be there. I think about this and it is so unfair - to me and my second born. She was right and there are many days I must stop - like tonight - and remind myself to cherish Douglass Charles' babyhood.

With Charlotte on the brink of turning two this hits home even more. Before I know it, he, too, will no longer be a baby. He will be my little boy. While I don't wish him to be a baby forever, I do wish that ticking clock would just slow down a bit. I am sure this won't be the last time that I wish this wish.

Do Turtles Fly?

According to Charlotte they do. About a week ago I was fixing dinner or cleaning up - who knows - and Charlotte wanted to go outside. We have a fenced in back yard so I let her wander around out there as I work from the kitchen and can see her from the window. She walked back to the wooded area of our yard and started yelling frantically for me. I wondered what was going on so I rushed out there to see. There was Charlotte standing over a turtle. How he got in our backyard I am not sure. Needless to say, she was fascinated.

That has been a week or so ago and the last several days she has requested to go out side to see the "turrr." We have walked back to the woods to look for the turtle. When she doesn't see him she will ask me again and again, "Where is turrr?" I keep telling her that he went back to his home and he is not here anymore. At first she walked through the yard saying, "Turr, where are you?" Finally she came over to me and said "Mommy, Turr sky." She fluttered her hand up in the air like something was flying and I realized that she thought the turtle was flying in the sky. She has said this over and over again. I began to ponder why she would think a turtle could fly.

I had my "Aha" moment this morning. Sometimes Charlotte watches Wonder Pets before she goes to bed. There is turtle on there who is one of the characters. In each episode they get in their "fly boat" and fly through the air to rescue other animals in need. While I am not sure, maybe she has put two and two together. So, turtles, indeed, do indeed fly - in Charlotte's world. And she has provided me with a story that we will chuckle over for years to come. :)

In Her Shoes

Recently Charlotte has not only taken to immulating everything I do, but she LOVES to wear my shoes (and her father's for that matter). These pictures were too cute not to capture. Please forgive the mess - I was tagging clothes for a consignment sale. My "office" was the only place for me to do this and have them "out of the way."

I have always wondered what Miss Charlotte is thinking and sometimes I do try to put myself in her shoes. This really doesn't do me any good because I really have no idea what she is thinking. I do believe Charlotte thinks she knows what it is like to be in my shoes. So many things that she does have been learned by watching my example - yes, scary, I know - Nonetheless, I do think that she thinks that she is a big person and wearing her mommy's shoes just emphasizes that more. :)

Two Little Monkeys...

Jumping on the Bed! Thankfully these little monkeys did not fall off and bump their heads. They did have a royally good time laughing and playing with one another. Now that Douglass Charles is sitting up well on his own Charlotte is interacting with him so much more. We have also had to get him an upright car seat because he was too long for his old one. Because he is facing backward he and Charlotte can look straight at one another. It is so fun to hear them giggling back and forth while I am driving them around in the car - most of the time Charlotte is laughing and squealing and Douglass Charles is looking at her like she is crazy. Nonetheless, it is fun to watch my kids become more like siblings and they truly do love and enjoy one another.

As for the jumping on the bed - I know my mother is frowning. I was never allowed to, so I let Charlotte from time to time. I guess when she bumps her head or breaks her arm my mother will get her chance to tell me "I told you so." Hopefully she won't get that opportunity. :)

On a side note: The English Pea was featured again today. Check it out at http://susannahbananaboutique.blogspot.com/2009/09/english-pea-making-things-personal.html.

More pictures to come!

The words of a child or a whistle of a man?

So, I know, the pictures aren't posted yet. Ya'll, it has been a busy week. Hopefully I will get to it this weekend. But after my kind of pitiful post I decided to post something funny that happened to me over the last several days.

Now all of you know I have birthed two children in two years and after being pregnant for that amount of time looking like a non-pregnant woman again has been very welcomed.

While at Doug's softball game the other night a girl about 5 years old started playing with Charlotte. She was very inquisitive and started asking about the baby. She very politely let me know that I looked like I was having another baby. I told her no, that what she saw was a little pudge that was left over from the baby sitting in the stroller. Much to my dismay, she again assured me that it sure did look like another baby was on the way.

Obviously, this was unwelcome news. There is one thing I know about children - they are pretty truthful about their opinions.

Yesterday, as I was running errands - not looking my best I might add - I got several whistles from some guys as I ran into a store quickly. Now, let me just tell you how odd this was for me. I honetsly looked around to see who they were whistling at (I got whistles when I was a bit younger but it has been QUITE SOME TIME. I knew that I was looking older several years ago when I ran into some college guys and they kind of looked passed me and said "Excuse me, Ma'am.")I still wasn't sure they really directed their sentiments at me. Then, as I quickly exited the building there they went again, looking at me and whistling away - really guys???

So, two different days, two different "comments." For my ego's sake, I think I will go with the jerks who whistled my way. :)

Quiet My Anxious Heart

I have pictures to post - lots, in fact. They are still in the camera waiting on me (like so many things in my life). Anyway... I thought I would post a funny twist on a not so funny topic. I have been very anxious this weekend. When I begin to worry about something I tend to let it take hold. It is an awful habit and I feel horrible - as well as so many around me. This morning I woke up feeling oh so anxious - so badly that I felt I would explode. I had prayed about the situation, given it to the Lord, been in the Word, everything and couldn't get peace. I hate when I do this because I know I truly am the problem here.

So... I go to pick up Charlotte to put her in her seat to feed her breakfast. The whole time I am doing this I am thinking I wish I could just cry. If I could cry I would feel better. Well, my sweet Charlotte, right after I picked her up, reached out and slapped me across the face. I was stunned. Charlotte normally does not do this and was disciplined accordingly, but right after she slapped me I began to sob. I believe this upset her more than the discipline she received.

For me crying is such a sweet release most of the time. It wound up refreshing me and with the encouragement and prayers of some friends, I am feeling much better.

If you don't struggle with anxiety, you are truly blessed. I truly hope that one day I can completely release this big problem in my life and find peace that God is, indeed, in control. So... while my child didn't act in a manner pleasing to her mother, God used her indiscretion to grant me a little relief and "slap" me back to reality. :)

Hostess Rewards

In my efforts to help out my fellow man in this tough economy I came up with this new promotion. I am pround to launch my new Hostess Reward Program. This is perfect for not only saving you a buck but stocking up on gifts at no cost to you. How awesome is that? You basically “host” an English Pea party and you will receive $10.00 credit for every $50.00 you sell. Here is how it works:
1. Contact me to schedule your time frame.
2. Give your participants 2-4 weeks to make their selections.
3. Have them look through our selection at www.theenglishpea.com
4. When they purchase, ask them to enter your name in the comments line/or you can collect their orders yourself and contact me with their requests. You are welcome to use your credit at that time or purchase at a later date.
It is that easy!
xoxo

I Heart Etsy

Many of you know that my labor of love, The English Pea, has it's home on Etsy. There are so many creative people selling their wonderful creations there that I decided I wanted to start sharing with ya'll some of my favorites.

I came across this Truly Scrumptious shop the other day while looking through some my customer's favorites. These colorful cookies immediately caught my eye. If you know me I am a sucker for icing. These cookies just make me want to sink my teeth into them. Wouldn't they make a great gift - very unique - or even a wonderful party favor. To see more of these delictable cookies just visit www.TSCookies.etsy.com.