Thankfulness Day 112:: 80's Week! Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

I'm dedicating this week to the 80's!  Every day I will post a flashback for me and see if you remember it!  I will also be Featuring a really cool 80's flashback 80's product for your kiddo on Friday so be sure to check in!

Do you remember this movie?  I must have watched it a thousand times!  It was the beginning of their career and the best 80's dance movie!  If you are ever having a down day pop this sucker in and your mood will improve!

What is your favorite 80's movie?

Today I am thankful for fun memories from the past.

Thankfulness Day 111:: Ironing

Confession-I fall short of being the perfect Housewife.  I can cook (stop laughing hubby) okay I can bake, I clean pretty well, I'm very organized, I make sure the dishes are done, I do laundry all the time, I manage the finances, but.........I can't iron! 

Seriously there should be classes offered for this before you hit your teens!

You see, I make NEW wrinkles and the garment comes out looking much worse then before I laid hands on it.  I've tried to get better, get a better iron, etc but it's not going to change anything. 

My name is Cheri and I cannot iron.  You will know us by our wrinkled shirts.
There I feel better now that it is out in the open.  I don't want to hold anything back between us. 

Today I am thankful for the dry cleaners and my wonderful ironing Hubby!

Thankfulness Day 110:: New Birthday Tutus

Here's what I've been working on::

Making felt creations is no easy task!  I won't say how long these Birthday tutus took me but I will say they are quality! 

Today I am thankful for birthday parties!

Thankfulness Day 109:: Featured Friday Felt Playground

Happy Featured Friday!  Today I am featuring Felt Playground

Felt Playground is a wonderful website where fruit, meals, vegetables, dessert, and finger puppets are made out of felt!  Seriously these items could NOT be ANY cuter!!  I want them all for my boys!  (Maybe for me too!)

Let's get to know the creator of this fantastic felt!

1. Tell us about yourself
My name is Denise and I am the head crafter at Felt Playground on Etsy. I create felt play food and finger puppets using eco felt (make of recycled plastic bottles), and sustainable bamboo fiberfill. www.feltplayground.etsy.com

2. When did you first start playing around with felt?
I opened my shop on Etsy in late October 2009, however I have been using felt as a medium to work with for some time. I am now a stay at home mom, but I used to be a Kindergarten teacher. I would create flannel board stories out of felt for my classroom and always got great feedback from my colleagues. One day last fall, I made a felt pumpkin finger puppet for my daughter and she loved it. I then made a ghost, skeleton, and a whole set of Thanksgiving finger puppets. I got the push to open my Etsy shop from my friend Heather of Chickabug on Etsy, and the rest is history! Heather's link www.chickabug.etsy.com

3. What is the most popular item you sell?
Right now, my felt fruits and vegetables are selling really well. I love making them and use some embroidery techniques that make them a little more special than others on the market. My felt breakfast set which includes 2 eggs, 2 pancakes, 2 bacon strips, 2 orange slices, butter and syrup is also a big hit with customers.

4. Tell us about Bamboo and why you use it?
I use sustainable bamboo fiber to stuff all of my felt foods for many reasons. I am an earth lover and try to use earth-friendly products whenever possible in my own home. I came across bamboo fiberfill in a craft store one day and was amazed at how wonderful it worked in my felt foods. It is much easier on the earth then traditional poly fill, and I think consumers are looking for earth friendly products more and more, especially for their children.

5. What inspires you?
I am inspired by seeing my daughter play and also by the children I used to teach while working. I love seeing kids use their imagination, and creating something that can help with this is truly amazing.

6. What one product can you not live without?
There are so many! But if I only can choose one it would be my bamboo fiber fill (and felt of course!)

7. What one word would you use to describe yourself?
Driven. I am dedicated to my Etsy shop right now, and work on being successful every free moment I have during the day (which is hard with a 14month old at home hanging on you all the time!) :)

Thank you so much Denise for opening us up to your world of felt!  Don't forget to visit her on facebook!

Today I am thankful for EGO friendly products that are safe for our kids!

Thankfulness Day 108:: Sacrificing a Donut

This is a story about a 4 year old and a donut. 

My dad (Papa) took Kai for a walk to the donut store yesterday.  Papa purchased two donuts, one for Kai and one for Nash.  As they were walking back home Kai asks Papa "Where is mommy's donut?"  Papa explains that he didn't buy one for mommy just for Kai and Nash.  Kai's compassion sets in "Well then I'm just going to eat half of my donut and give my mommy the other half because she didn't get one." 

That is one amazing donut lovin' four year old!  I've really never heard of such a thing and I don't get donuts for myself everytime I take him there. 

Hmmm, maybe he read my blog on my donut obsession???

Today I am so very thankful for my son sacrificing something as amazing as a sprinkled donut!

Thankfulness Day 107:: Wordless Wednesday Super Cape

Kai's favorite color is Orange and his alter ego is "SUPER KAI" so I put in a request for a sewing machine on Freecycle  and wah lah I got one!  (If you don't know about Freecycle you are missing out!  Check them out!) 
Yes you read that right, I don't have a sewing machine and I hand sew all my stuff!  But yesterday I used a sewing machine for the first time and made this!  (Don't look too close!!)  I am hoping I can get better soon!

P.S. YES it IS Wordless Wednesday.  YES I have a problem not saying ANYTHING.... YES this could possibly go on in future Wednesdays.  YES I AM asking for grace? ;)

Today I am thankful for the imagination and my very own spawn Super Hero!

Thankfulness Day 106:: Tanning Beds

Sometimes I am baffled at how so many of us in Sunny California, including me in my past, use tanning beds.  The sun is out here almost all the time but in our fast pace society it's just easier to jump into a tanning bed for 20 minutes then lay at the beach for 1 hour.  We live in an age where we want it and we want it now, no wonder I have no patience!  I do admit that I think I look much better with a tan but I don't want to have leathery spotted skin as I age so I stopped that tanning bed years ago. 

Did you know that in Cambodia tanned skin is a sign of lower class poverty?  They value white skin because it means you don't work out in the fields.  Their society places such high value on white skin that the women regularly use cream that will bleach their skin. 

Will we ever see a day when we are content with how God made us, each beautiful in their own way, and we don't need to measure up to the standards the world puts on us?  A day when we stop focusing inward on ourselves and start looking at the people around us and how God can use us to impact their lives?  We are already told that we are made in God's image and he makes all things beautiful.  If we truly believed that then maybe all the striving to be better, prettier, thinner, and more successful would stop and we could just be.

What is true beauty to you?

Today I am thankful that I have a creator who loves me and I only have to please Him.

Thankfulness Day 105:: Angels Game

Nachos, hot dogs, peanuts, oh my!

Huzzy took Kai to his first baseball game ever, Go Angels!!

Today I am thankful for father and son time.  It doesn't happen in a lot of families and this memory just may be one that Kai remembers for a long time.

Thankfulness Day 104:: Geese

My parents have a property on a lake.  Every spring the geese nest on their property and they are very mean about it.  In fact if you even get near them there is hissing and tongues sticking out at you.  One would say they are mean.  Ahem, but I would say they are just being protective of their young.

It isn't uncommon for them to fight with other geese over territory and to chase other geese away if you are trying to feed them all.  The above pictures is a pair of geese with 17 babies.  17??  How on earth....yes I thought the very same thing so I sought out the association master geese man (maintenance guy) and asked him how one goose could have so many?

The answer was astounding my friends!  The geese who are the oldest and have been on the lake the longest have all authority, if they choose to steal (yes I said STEAL!!) some babies from the younger geese they can do so.  And so you have it.  Don't worry I was watching very closely to make sure my youngest Nash wasn't stolen by them as well!

Today I am thankful for the culture that I live in.  When I birth a baby it's mine and no one can take that away.

Thankfulness Day 103:: A new direction

Something is brewing over here at the Sweet Lily site and it's not coffee this time! (Well it is every morning because what mommy can function without it?) 

It's super top secret but I will give you one hint::  Cambodia.

That is all I can say for now as nothing is final yet but I am really excited!  It's like when you finally get an answer to a prayer you've been praying for awhile.  You want to shout for joy, scream out finally, and have a good cry all at once!  So that is what I did when I got my answer/direction.  So stay tuned!

In other news....

The bird that attacked me two days ago gave me stink eye yesterday as I was approaching the long corridor to the gym.  I looked at it, it looked glared at me, and I went around.  He DID NOT win though!  As I was leaving the gym I sternly told the boys we will go around the long way and back to our car and the boys told me that they WANT to see the head pecking bird!  Then they ran for it down that corridor and I ran after them with my sweat towel upon my head for protection!  I am happy to say that the bird was on a break and no where to be seen.  Until next time.

Today I am thankful for answered pray, the sobbing joyful kind.

Thankfulness Day 102:: Featured Friday-Cakes and Kids

 I'm starting a new segment called Featured Friday and I will tell you about a business I came across and love every Friday!  We'll get down to the bottom of how they started it and what kind of person is behind such brilliant products!

Today I'm featuring Cakes and Kids.  I stumbled across Julie's Etsy Shop and loved all her products!  Her website cakesandkids.com is so unique as she gives you so many tips on how to make your own cake!  I think we moms want to make our own cakes but just don't know where to start!  Well she really breaks it down and wants to see us Mommy's succeed!

 How cute are these fondant owls?!!?

 7 Questions we NEED to know!

1.  Tell us about yourself:  I'm a working Mom to 3 wonderful kids (two boys and a girl).  My day job is on online marketing and outside of that I love to spend time with my family and my Etsy store.  I love the creative outlet that working with fondant provides.

2.  When did you make your first cake?  I made my first cake after my first child was born.  Having children inspired me to get creative with baking and cake decorating.

3.  What is the most popular cake topper?  The most popular cake toppers right now are the owls and the monkeys.

4.  What one product can you not live without?  Hmmm - that's a good one and there are quite a few but when thinking about my topper store specifically it would have to be my edible food pens.  There's no other way to get such fine details onto fondant.

5.  What is your favorite cake flavor?  My favorite cake flavor is a french vanilla cake with an almond buttercream and raspberry preserve filling.

6.  Any advice for the newbie cake decorators out there?  Just take the plunge and don't be afraid to try new things.  There are so many ways to make this easy, from shaped cake pans to edible decorations, anyone can get started.  I originally started my website, blog and then my Etsy store to enable Moms to make their own cakes and make them special.

7.  What one word would you use to describe you?  The one word that describes me best is probably "driven".  I'm always looking for the next challenge - not that being a Mom of 3 with a full-time job and a part-time business isn't challenging enough :)

 Thank you Julie it was great to meet you and my children's birthday cakes will look better because of you!

Today I am thankful for Julie and the her heart for wanting to help us moms.

Thankfulness Day 101:: Looking for the End

Hubby became out of work last April.  For one whole year he couldn't find any work except the occasional worship leading at churches.  After one year to the day he got an interview for a temp job and that is what he is doing now.  For a few weeks that has given me peace, a steady income of some sort, and a resting that I haven't been able to do all year. 

But the last few days I've been feeling unrest again.   Will he ever get a permanent job with benefits and a stable income to move us out of my parents home?  Will we ever have a space of our own again?  I constantly feel like a burden trying to make everyone happy, keep the kids from screaming or fighting, and not letting messes stay around.  I'm tired of it all and I want to see an end in sight.  There is an end right? 

That is where my faith comes into play and I know the right answer is to sit back having joy knowing that God is taking care of it all.  But some days, like today, I have a hard time seeing past my current circumstances.  I wouldn't take back the year we've had because we have all gone through so much growth, it was necessary, needed, and painful.  I think I'm just feel done with it all.  I'm ready for some change and I want to see my hubby love what he is doing. 

So here I am today, just praying big that changes will be made in the near future and we can have a place of our own.

Today I am thankful that I have a place to live.

Thankfulness Day 100:: Wordless Wednesday the Bird

I interrupt this normal Wordless Wednesday for this special announcement. 

A certain blackbird attacked a woman and her kids today as they were leaving the gym.  First it dived for her 2 year old son but she hovered over him and apparently scared the bird off.  OR SO SHE THOUGHT!  Then the bird wanted to show her what he was made of and flew straight for her while her back was turned and landed upon her head!  She screamed "RUN!"  to her kids and they all made it safely to their car hair out of place and a bit embarrassed.  Until she heard the next mom with son screaming down the same corridor. 

We are happy to say that everyone survived this very horrifying incident and the bird seems to have some mom issues.

Today I am thankful no one was hurt.

Thankfulness Day 99:: Mannequin

Some people splurge on gagets, some on clothes, but me?  Well I splurged on a Mannequin!  Every good business owner needs one.  Now let's hope it shows my product right and wins the heart of mothers across the U.S.!

Today I am thankful for my Mannequin.

Thankfulness Day 98:: When did you know?

Everyday I see a woman pregnant somewhere.  On a good day I am a bit jealous and ponder my next child.  On a bad day I think 'glad it's not me!'  However at the pit of me I still want one more child.  I don't feel done.  Our situation isn't favoring that though since hubby is still at a temp job with no benefits and could be let go any day.  Not to forget that we still live with my parents and they wouldn't be too fond of me getting pregnant again.

So here is my question:  When did you know you were done with kids?  Did you just have a peace about it? 

Today I am thankful that I have a longing in my heart for another child and I'm learning patience until the time is right.

Thankfulness Day 97:: Kai's Worship Songs

 My hubby comes from a line of talented musicians.  His Grandfather was Dick Stabile a leader of a swing orchestra, his Grandmother had a beautiful voice and did voice-overs in some famous movies, his Father is a professional drummer, his brother is a Hip Hop artisit, and he is a Worship Pastor. 
Will the gifts pass on to our children??

As we're pulling into church today Kai starts singing a song to God and tells me to write it down. 

Here it is, he even gave it a title::

God of Peace
I love God of glory
I love everybody
For all my friends,
He is the powerfulest
The powerfulest of all!

I am so thankful for Kai and his passion for music.  I pray that he would use his gifts and his passion for the greater purpose we are called for.

 

Thankfulness Day 96:: Swapper

It was a great day at the swapmeet!  We left the house around 5:15am and learned the term hurry and wait...hurry! and wait...After a long line we got our paperwork and came in.  We set up and it went much faster today.  Downside was that the sun didn't come out until 11amish and I was FREEZING in my shorts! 
Lesson learned!

My NEW Birthday tutus were a hit!  I sold many of them and got two custom orders as well!! 

(Notice the shirt believe in the middle?  Check out my friend Ester's site for great inspiring apparel!)

I also shared a booth with my most favorite vendor Eli's Lids!

Overall the day was a success and I'm beat so I must go to sleep!  P.S. did I mention huzzy is on vaca?  Actually his brother is getting married in Florida!  I miss him.

Today I am thankful for the sun and the warm days in California.  I was freezing but only for 4 hours!

Thankfulness Day 95:: Not So Faultless Friday=Discipline

The Key to Discipline is Consistency.  So it is said.

I believe it though and do my best to follow through because I know kids are too smart and their behavior will not change if I don't follow through.

I'm not perfect and I smelled.  Bad.  I needed a shower.  What do you do if you grounded your son from watching tv earlier in the day and now you need to distract your child from thinking of anything that may get him into trouble?  Well you sit him in front of the tv so you can take your quick shower.  But I grounded him and need to follow through!  Here was my dilemma. 

I did what any smelly mother would do and I told him due to great behavior of the last hour he has earned back one show (so I can shower) and then the tv goes off again.

I'm not proud of it but I really needed that shower!

Today I am thankful for my shower.  When you are single you don't quite realize what a prize it actually is.

Thankfulness Day 94:: The BEST EVER Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I've never told anyone this recipe.  I savor it.  It's amazing, I got it from a friend's ex-boyfriend's aunt!  It's adaptible, delious, and mine!  But now it's yours too.  I feel that I've been selfish enough and it's time to share it.

Get your pen and paper ready.

The BEST EVER Chocolate Chip Cookies!

1 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of chocolate chips

Mix butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla.  In separate bowl add dry ingredients.  Slowly add dry ingredient mixture to sugar mixture and then add chocolate chips.  Stir together.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Variations: Add 1/3 cup butterscotch chips & 1/3 cup white choc. chips and only 1/3 cup chocolate chips
OR add coconut and walnuts and lessen the choc. chips
OR add some peanut butter and peanut butter chips in

I've done it all and they taste so good!

Enjoy!!

Thankfulness Day 93:: Wordless Wednesday, Shadow

Today I am thankful for new discoveries.

Thankfulness Day 92:: Donuts

For a majority of my teen and college years I deprived myself of anything with fat.  I worried over every ounce I put in my mouth and had the self control of a show dog (please make note that I am not very good at analogies)

However sometime between then and now things changed. 

*Maybe it was eating everything I spent years avoiding while pregnant! 
*Or could it be that my self esteem has changed and I take joy in my chocolate and fuller figure
*What about simply wanting to see that big smile on my boys faces as they enjoy indulgent foods

I don't know when it happened but it did and now I'm a self proclaimed donut junkie! 

Donut:: A deep-fried piece of dough; key word fried and up to 400 calories! 

Nevertheless I love my new found friend the donut and I promise not to neglect you again!  I secretly look forward to them every Sunday morning at church.  Sometimes when my boys see that they ran out of donuts they get really upset (I do too) and I feel compelled to drive them to the donut store after church to make sure they get one (and maybe one for me too!)

Oh how I love thee my Maple Old Fashioned and I promise to never give you up again!

Today I am very thankful for the foods we get to eat here in the U.S.  They are rich, tasty, and full of flavor!

Thankfulness Day 92 :: Your Legacy?

I was running at the gym and I didn't have my ipod (I never use it anyways!) So I started to read the screen that was up for the 4pm News.  I must have watched about 5 murders reported within the 45 minutes of my workout.  It really hits me hard to read about children murdered, raped, and innocent lives just taken.

So then I started thinking if my life is taken today what would I want my legacy to be?  How do I want to be remembered and am I making any effort to be that person?

This is what I would like my legacy to be::  A woman whose life was fully devoted to Christ who gave unselfishly to all showing compassion, grace, and forgiveness.  A mom who loved her children beyond measure and taught them the ways of the Lord and not the ways of the world.  A wife who supported her husband through any and every trial that was thrown their way and stood strong supporting their family in prayer.  A Christ follower to every extent of her being.

What would you like your legacy to be??

Today I am thankful for another day as a wife, mother, daughter, and friend.

Thankfulness Day 91:: Mothers Day!

The day I became a mother! 

And again::

Today I am thankful that my precious sons made me a mommy, what a blessing they are in my life!

Thankfulness Day 90:: Bounce House

When we see bounce houses I think we naturally think of children and the fun we use to have in them.  Well what about us adults?  We deserve fun too right?!

So yesterday at a 4 yr old and 2 yr old's birthday party, my friend Lisa and I decided we needed to have some mommy time and climbed into the bounce house.  I honestly don't remember the last time I laughed so hard!  We were flying into the air and falling all over the place.  Nash didn't know what came over me and apparently got a bit worried because he spent quite some time trying to usher me out of the bounce house so I could just hold him.  lol! 

Caution:: Excessive bouncing can cause nausea when you haven't experienced so much fun in a long time.

Today I am thankful for silliness and having time of immaturity even as moms.

Thankfulness Day 89:: New Birthday Tutus!!

The Birthday Tutus are here!!!!  I'm really excited about these and they are adorable!  A BIG thank you to Sarah Bloomquist for letting me dress up her daughter Jill!  More pics will be taken and posted next week!

All Birthday Tutus are sold with tutu, embroidered shirt, and matching bow!  Selling price is $32 for the outfit.  :)

Today I am thankful for helping to make a child's birthday special!

Thankfulness Day 88:: Big Cow

Sign that you go to Chick fil a too much:: 

1. When you ask your 4 year if he got his water okay and he tells you the guy was new, he has never seen him before!
2. When one of the employees saves a table for you every week
3. When Kai goes off on a tangent about how strong he is and an employee says "That's because you are Super Kai"  (that's what Kai refers to himself as when he needs to feel powerful or in control)

We love going to Chick fil a!  And every tuesday night is Kids Eat Free and a craft table!

I'm hoping to build a fun memory of a night where we met up with other friends and the kids got to play without me rushing them to eat and get home.  We've prayed there, done Ministry, worked on stuff for a Bridal Shower, discussed serious topics, and just had fun.  It doesn't hurt that they are a Christian family owned restaurant and always have good money saving deals going on!

Today I am thankful for Tuesday night Chick fil a!

Thankfulness Day 87:: Wordless Wednesday Buzz Lightyear

A true sacrifice letting my sons have the shooting guns while I just got the moving stick!

Today I am thankful for my sons and a great day at Disneyland!

Thankfulness Day 86:: Sleeping like a baby

Oh sweet sleep.  I admire how my kids pass out in the car, on the couch, and my hubby too!

Today I am thankful for peaceful sleep, the kind you can have when things are going okay.

Thankfulness Day 85:: Coffee

I am a creature of habit.  Every morning I drink a cup of coffee.  I love it.  I use flavored creamer and no sugar.  When you hear the saying "no one talk to me until I've had my coffee" you should know that it was written about me. 

Coffee makes me happy.

Today I am thankful for the coffee I look forward to every morning.

Thankfulness Day 84:: Date Night!

Huzzy and I had date night tonight and so we went to see Date Night!  It was so funny and so worth seeing.  I haven't seen a really good movie in a while and it takes a certain kind of comedy to make me laugh.  I'm happy to say that this one brought me joy. :)  Huzzy liked it too!  It's decently clean so go see it too!

Today I am thankful for a much needed date night.

Thankfulness Day 83:: Devotion on worry

I am leading you, step by step, through your life.  Hold My hand in trusting dependence, letting Me guide you through this day.  Your future looks uncertain and feels flimsy-even precarious.  That is how it should be.  Secret things belong to the Lord, and future things are secret things.  When you try to figure out the future, you are grapsing at things that are Mine.  This, like all forms of worry, is an act of rebellion:  doubting My promises to care for you. 

Whenever you find yourself worrying about the future, repent and return to Me.  I will show you the next step forward, and the one after that, and the one after that.  Relax and enjoy the journey in My presence, trusting Me to open up the way before you as you go. 

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29)

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;  I will counsel you and watch over you. (Psalm 32:8)

I hope this blesses you today.

Today I am thankful that I really don't need to worry about anything because I am loved by my Father.