Inspiration...

So I have come to realize in life, that the people that you think have it all together....Generally, do not! Now, it has taken me a little bit longer to realize this fact because I have been looking at life rather naively.  I just assumed everyone has the best intentions, that their motives are well thought out and meant for good.  Never would I dream that people actually meant harm against you or try to lead you down a path, you don't want to go.  Be who God designed you to be and even if it feels like you are the only one that just doesn't get it.  Stand firm in the faith!  Just my food for thought today.

I tend to look at blogs a lot because I get a lot of inspiration from other moms from all over the country.  Young moms, older moms, artistic moms, chatty moms, fashion oriented moms but one thing that is common is we are all moms.  Being a mom is a full time duty and there are days, being totally honest, that I just want to walk away and have some me time.  I love my children, I love everything they do and love their soft, adorable cheeks first thing in the morning when I give them a kiss as I head off to work.  They fill me with such laughter and joy.  A joy that I don't think could ever be given from anywhere else.  The feeling that this little child is looking to you for guidance, support, upliftment, encouragement, and just all around direction in life is inspiring to me.  I try to be a better person for my children and the success of their future.  I love being just a plain and simple mom! 

James and Susan this past summer at Daytona Beach

We have had a great summer and are now finishing up some last minute things around the house in order to get geared up for back to school!  We are about 95% finished with back to school shopping.  I have to tell you, I do not get that excited about the tax free weekends. I just don't see the huge savings.  Although it is a great way to get people out there spending money that wouldn't normally so I can see the benefits.

A fashion trend that seems to be taking off around the Smith House is long dresses.  My daughter has now turned into a young adult about to be teenager and she has picked up this Smith trend.  She loves long dresses. I have always loved the dresses because they are just so darn comfortable and easy flowing.  Susan asked to get this dress this summer to wear to the fireworks.  We always buy some type of 4th of July apparel to fully partake in the celebration and Susan picked out this long dress. Although it did not have any hint of Independence Day, it was a nice choice!  Absolutely adorable and she looks cute as a button!

Susan posing in her new dress from Kohl's

Last but not least, my honey and I were able to go on date night last month to a place that was designed to be like a Brazilian steakhouse.  All of the waiters walked around with huge slabs of meat on skewers and they would slice off whatever you requested.  The meat would range from leg of lamb, ribs, to sirloin steak.  All of the food was absolutely superb! If I remember the name of the place, I will post it.  It was great.

Now on this date, I wore one of the latest fashion trends, Hi-lo skirts, and I absolutely love this trend!  I went and purchased this skirt from Kohl's and I have absolutely no regrets. Paired it with this crocheted top and I was set to go!  hi-low dresses or skirts are absolutely a must this year! 

 And that is about it for now!  Enjoy your day!  This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it! 

Summer is officially here!!

And we are excited here at the Smith house although circumstances are a little different for Sue.  She starts off her summer with a broken collarbone although after only a week she is starting to feel like she is completely healed.  We have to remind her, 6 weeks!!

James starts summer school next week...kind of an "enrichment" program as opposed to typical summer school. It will only last two weeks.  

Here are some random pictures the last couple of days.  

For anyone who does read my blog, please stay in prayer about my health.  I am going to the doctor to check on some bloodwork to make sure that my body is doing what It should do.  I have an unbelievably slow metabolism and it is starting to concern me.  After exercising, eating healthy and still can't seem to get the pounds off, actually gaining pounds.  Also I have headaches and fatigue.    Now, I'm concerned.

But otherwise that's about it for today!!

Make it a great one!!

Summer blooms...

As summer is now here, I started taking pictures of some of the plants around the yard and how they are doing.  I am hoping that they will begin to really bloom and do well.  I am pretty happy about the progress thus far....

How pretty is this hibiscus??  Tropical ~

My Gardenia Tree with pansies on the base of the planter.  

One of several plumbagos in the front yard

Bougainvillea with only a few blooms so far.  I think this plant probably requires more shade.

I love the petunias!  They are just thriving!

Last but not least, my hydrangea.  It needs a little more love, it is starting to wilt just a bit.  

And that's about it with the plants.  Hoping to add some more soon.  I just think a yard full of flowers make it look so much better! 

Until next time....

Swimsuit choices...

Summer is here and although I am not in swimsuit shape , they do make swim shorts that work perfectly for that!  haha!  Here are a couple of suits that are really nice.

I think this suit would be perfect for slimming purposes.  

I also thought this was really cute.  

Maybe there is a magic pill that could help me lose weight fairly quickly so I can at least be in shape before the summer is over.  Me and the elliptical just don't agree with each other and getting to the gym is almost impossible.  The ongoing story of my life.  Although tae bo with Billy Blanks is amazing!  Just spending a few minutes a day and I can start to see the results.  

Day in the life of a pre-teen

Well, it happened!  My daughter broke a bone.  It was her collarbone.  I was wondering at what point that would happen and who would come first, her or my son.  Between her and my son playing tackle football, doing back handsprings, round offs and cartwheels at the fastest rate of speed I thought it was going to happen soon.   She is in a lot of pain and will be in a sling for the next 6 weeks.  She'll be out of school for the next several days.  Poor girl!  Lets hope recovery time goes quickly!!

Family Pictures

We had these pictures taken in December and I think they turned out really good.  Our first family portraits.  Hope you enjoy!!

Post I found that I had to share....

I saw this post on an email feed that I subscribe to and I just love it.  It says so much as our role as mothers.  I hope you enjoy it just as I have reading it.

 

So God Made A Mother by Ann Voskampe

May 12, 2013

Because God needed someone to love the least and the little into real whole people, and He knew that to love is to suffer…
So God Made A Mother.
God had said I need someone to get up at midnight and scoop the most fragile of humanity close to her warmth and rock though she can hardly stand and nourish though she’s mostly sleep-starved and change the diaper and the sheets and the leaked on, leaked through, and leaked down clothes though she’ll have to change them in the morning and next week and that won’t change for years.
So God Made A Mother.

That God had said I need somebody with a strong heart.
Strong enough for toddler tantrums and teenage testing, yet broken enough to fall on her knees and pray, pray, pray.
Someone who knows that in every hard place is exactly where you extend grace, who looks a hopeful child in the eye and says yes, even though, she knows behind most yeses waits a mess.
So God Made A Mother.
God said I need somebody who can shape a soul and find shoes on Sunday mornings and get grass stains out of Levis.
And make dinner out of nothing and do it again 79, 678 more times, and keep kids off the road and out of the toilet and in clean underwear and mainly alive though she’s mainly losing her mind and will put in an 80 hour week by Wednesday night and still do one more load of laundry.
And one more sink of crusted burnt pots.

And keep on going another eighty hours because raising generations matters and weaving families matters and tying heart strings matters and these people here in hidden places matter.

So God Made A Mother.
It had to be somebody who could comb back pigtails and tie up skates just-right tight.
Who could pretend she remembered algebra and how to get home from here and that she really is just fine, it must be the onions making her cry.
Somebody who would run for the catch, jump on a trampoline and play one fierce game of soccer. Somebody who’d stay up late with a science project that never ends, who’d get up early for the game in the rain, somebody who’d wave at the door until the taillights were out of sight and still be smiling brave.
So God Made A Mother.
It had to be somebody willing to keep loving when it made no sense because that’s what love does.
Somebody who knew that life is not an emergency but a gift, so just. slow. down.  There are children at play here and we don’t want anyone to get hurt and the hurry makes us hurt.
Somebody willing to feed and lead, lay down her life and pick up her cross, give of her time because they have her heart. Someone who knows that we all blow it — and what matters is what we then do after.
Someone who would live like a Giving Tree — who would give grace, give life, and give thanks —  Someone who would live it a thousand times:Someone who would pour out and bend down and surrender not only to the physical pain of childbirth but the far deeper, unending heart pain of letting go, letting go, letting go –  from the womb, from the arms, from the front door. Someone who would know that umbilical cords can be cut — but heart strings never can.

So God Made A Mother