Pathetic blogger . . . yes.  But, I plan to redeem myself with this post.  We have been busy.  I mean real busy.  The kind of busy that produces work gloves that look like this . . .

The past several weekends we have had warm sunshiny weather, which means work around the Shepherd house has officially begun.  We began landscaping our front yard a few weekends ago, so that we could have most of it complete before our sprinkler system went in.  We made it just in time!  The sprinkler system went in last week and is up and running! Tanner, at Designscapes did a great job!

Shane built the stone edging and I dug up all the ivy in the entire front yard.

before

after

Mai did a lot of this.  She is really into dressing up in swim suits.  We are all tired of winter around here.

Jax made many trips to the rock shop and the dumpster.

Here is where I begin my iphone photos.  Not great, but when you are busy, these photos have to do.

Jax had a well check.  He is in the 90th percentile and will be a very tall boy one day, so my doc informed me. She estimated 6′3″ or taller.  Shane suggested we get his hitting problem under control before then . . .

Jax at his well check.

I love bath time.

Mai reuniting with Jax after being at my moms for 3 days  while Jax had RSV.

Some giggle time

We do a LOT of this . . .

We have had this problem a lot in our neighborhood lately.  We had to stop for 10 minutes this week to let the geese cross the road.  Geeze, they are slow and grumpy, and not at all scared of cars.

My indoor greenhouse is doing splendid!  I have over 500 seedlings popping up!  I also have found this Cardinal at my window the last several days and we have found a woodpecker in the backyard!  They are our two favorite visitors and we hope they stick around!

Sorry for the randomness of this blog and promise to take real pictures this week!  Now, go enjoy the sun!

Our little town has seen too much rain and snow.  We have spent many days trapped indoors lately.  We have played just about every game, watched every movie, and read tons of books.  My kids spent an entire snow day like this  . . .

So . . .  spring may be far away, but as long as I am stuck in here ~ it WILL be spring in here!

I spent today digging in my decorator closet and finding COLOR.  I havent seen the sun in so long, I cannot remember  what spring green looks like, but I am doing my best.   This is a little dramatic, but you get my point.  Here are my ideas for bringing some spring into your home early this year!

add some life i.e. plants, greenery, flowers

fill jars, vases, bowls with color

add texture to your room by adding wicker baskets – bring in color by adding just one new pillow or one bright vase.

I have to share my find from last week.  On a clearance aisle for seriously $5 I found this adorable tea set.  It is now my favorite thing in my dining room.  Just beautiful!

Today I found this . . . its super cute, but what to do with it?  Any thoughts?  Keep or return?  On clearance for $10.

My best friend Becky sent me this blog post yesterday and (although I have thought these words before) this mom puts it in words so well.  It was game changer for me.  I love my job, and in those moments when I just dont want to play mermaid one more time that day, this moms words and story run through my head and my entire outlook changes.

“Nuggey tossed his wet head back in my arms and looked up at me. “Uh-gain!”

So I sang Rock-a-bye Baby one more time, but I told him it would be the last. Yet when I finished, he begged again for more.

I didn’t want to do more. I didn’t want to sing to him one more time. I was tired. Tired of children, tired of singing, tired of the day. I just wanted it to be over. But then suddenly, as if fairy dust was sprinkled from the heavens right onto my tired head, the entire reality of my future set in.

I’m gonna miss this.

I looked down at little Nuggey, his damp eyelashes long and dark batting at me, his tiny bottom cradled in my hand, his soft, chubby legs thrown over my arm, his body entirely dependent on mine as I held him in my lap, and I could see the future. Nuggey, a grown boy, sporting a football jersey and facial hair, walked out of the bathroom. It was going to happen, and soon. And while I knew there would be joys with that time in my life, when our young children are teenagers and beyond, it struck me like a ton of bricks.

When that time comes, I’m gonna miss this.”

This post is for all my mommy friends out there that are so tired, and some days just can’t wait for bedtime to come. Relish it.  Enjoy it.  Let the preciousness of your children consume you to the point that you forget where you are and what you should be doing.

I’m Gonna Miss this   . . .

Mai wanting to go to the park EVERY day. Her wanting me to play barbies with her for the 100th time that day.  Her wanting me to hold her (which she already rarely asks) .  I’m gonna miss this . . .

Jax wanting me to hold him EVERY second of the day.  Jax wanting me to play tractors all day.  Him wanting me to read his tractor book for the 100th time that day.

I’m gonna miss this . . .

I sent this blog article to my mom and this was her response:

” yes, you will miss this.   I do, and catch myself sometimes very envious of you, sweet daughter. I wouldn’t go back, because I can’t, and it is your turn and soon Kade’s turn . . . but I miss it. “

I can’t imagine a day when my babies are my age . . .

Lord, please don’t let me miss these precious moments with my babies because I am too tired, or frustrated.  Give me energy, patience, and pure joy for the littles you have entrusted to me.

Oh how I love my sink.  It’s sad really that one person could truly use a sink so much that it becomes one of her favorite items in her home.  Well, sad or not, this is how it is.  I love it.  Shane and my parents bought me a new sink and faucet for Christmas.  It just makes the kitchen.  I actually like doing dishes now, and I even talk to my sink.  I think she understands me.

Before . . .

After!!!!

My home tour continues . . . a little delayed.  Here is my sweet Mai’s room.  Does it get any more girly than this?  Here we go . . .

-New trundle bed from Gigi for her b-day

-Princess bedspread from Target

-Chandelier on sale – Target

-tea table  - read here

-Dressers found garage sale – repainted – new knobs

-rug – TJX clearance $10

-tent – santa

-bedside table – antique shop under $30 – repainted and new knob

-vintage barbie illustrations – You will have to email me about these

-Boa mirror – mirror Walmart $5 – Boa – Hobby Lobby $3

-paper lanters – found at walmart in Martha craft section (which they don’t have anymore, sorry) I made these fancy by adding pink fancy Christmas ornaments ( these are always on sale by the way because not many people have pink Christmas trees) and ribbon, beads, pearls . . . just anything I could find that was in Mai’s definition of fancy.  She loves them!

I just love this room, what girl wouldnt.  It turned out better than I hoped!  She loves it, even though her walls are not pink, which she reminds me of every day.  Welcome home princess Mai!

Now on to pre-spring projects . . .

My dad has an armoire he wants to get rid of, and I am going to transform it into this . . .

and my garden plans are in the works ( my compost is looking real good!)

My dream garden in my head looks like this

I’ll let you know how that goes . . . Shane rolls his eyes when I explain this garden to him.  Why, it could happen.  In West Texas.  In the dry dirt.  Right?

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I have read and heard and watched this sermon several times, and everytime it moves me to tears.  This Christmas, Who is your King?  I hope that this sermon touches your heart as much as it has mine so many times.  Merry Christmas!

“I’m coming to tell you, the heavens of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explaining Him.
You can’t get Him out of your mind.
You can’t get Him off of your hands.
You can’t outlive Him and you can’t live without Him.
Well, Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him.
Pilot couldn’t find any fault in Him.
The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree.
Herod couldn’t kill Him.
Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him.
That’s my King.”

S.M. Lockridge

So, a month or so ago my mom was telling me how great the CMA awards were and (knowing that my husband and I DISLIKE country music) informed me that I should give it a try, “There is some really good stuff.” So, a few weeks ago I am driving alone at night and decide, “what the hay”. I scan for some country and come to a well known station.

The first song that plays goes a little something like this . . .
“Cause I need a little twang
A little hillbilly bending on some guitar strings
Some peddle steel whining like a whistle of an old freight train
To get that foot stomping honkey tonkin’ feeling going through my veins
I need a little twang, twang, twang”

I swallowed down my vomit and thought, “Now, lets give this another try, maybe, (the most beloved country singer of all time) George Strait, has just made a horrible musical decision, and I should really give it another shot.”

So I decide to stick out for another song.

Song #2 starts . . . and I quote
“Cause I ain’t ever seen a country boy with tires on his truck this high
I said climb on up but honey watch the cup where I’m spitin’ my dip inside.
And hold on tight ’cause its gonna be wilder than any 8 second ride!”

Yes. That’s right. Sorry mom. It’s just not gonna work out. I might also add that before I changed stations I found out that this was a billboard countdown, and I had just heard #9 and #8 of the best country songs of the week. Yup.

Please vote “I love it!” I have entered this invitation into a design contest for a chance to win $1000. Vote here now!! Thanks friends!

I don’t even like country music, and I sang this song all day Saturday.  I had the privledge of taking photos for Chad . . . aka The Fireman.  What is it about firemen?  The uniform, the danger . . . at any rate girls  .   .   .   Chad. is. single.  Yes.  He is so sweet and so mature and so single.  So, if you know anyone in the lower 20’s . . . (Sorry Chad, I had to do this.  You are just too cute to be single) .  So without further embarrassment, here is a sneak peak of my photo shoot with Chad.