A Lil Story

SUYL: Sometimes I make things...

2012-01-27T12:37:00.000-05:00

Kelly is hosting the SUYL "what you make" edition today, so I wanted to link up and just give a couple updates about
Sailor Studio (Enamel on Copper Wearable Art).

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I was looking back through pics from 2011 and I just loved some of the custom pieces we did.

Little Penguins! awww- so cute!

This reversible bracelet was a Christmas gift:

And this has to be the most unusual: A redfish bracelet (sorry- phone pic):

Now remember this was made from copper and powdered glass... I cut and shaped it, but my mom did the detailing- She rocks :)

Now onto the new year!

* I have drawn out some new ideas and I am so excited to get them started. I definitely have more hippie, boho inspiration this year and I will be doing some wrap ribbon bracelets... using hand-dyed ribbons similar to this and making original enameled charms.

Source: papernstitch.com via Lily on Pinterest

* The new studio is almost complete, and I will be taking lots of pictures soon!

* I am working on a totally new website (I know... it will be the 4th "new" site- I am neurotic, I apologize).

* Applied for two spring art shows that I have never done before so just waiting to see if I get in- they are in Atlanta so that will be a new experience! Hopefully, I'll be doing all the same fall shows from last year.

* To celebrate all the new changes of the new year, I will be having a GIVEAWAY of some of our new pieces very soon, so LIKE us on Facebook to join in :)

*I am busy organizing the Etsy store to use while the website is being done. I have uploaded some fun pieces- more coming soon!

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Thanks for stopping by and check out Kelly's blog for tons of amazing handmade shops today :)

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Pinning for you...

2012-01-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

I have to say Pinterest has been a good thing for me. It can be a huge time waster if you let it, but having a place to store websites where I can actually see a picture?? genius. I used to look online and just bookmark things I wanted to look at later... but I never went back to them and usually forgot why I bookmarked them in the first place.

Now it's all pretty and organized in one place. I have cooked several recipes and done 3 home projects off of my pinboards, so it has officially become a worthwhile use of my time ;)

Anyway, some of my favs this week are:

If I had this hat, my collection would almost be complete!

Source: thesartorialist.com via Lily on Pinterest

love, love, love, love, LOVE!

Source: capecodcollegiate.tumblr.com via Lily on Pinterest

This made me LOL

Source: memebase.com via Lily on Pinterest

Pinterest does have one big flaw though... stuff like this:

Source: 100layercake.com via Lily on Pinterest

makes me want to get married again (to the same wonderful goose of course).

And I sooooooooooooo wish I had done something like this with the boys:

Source: mommycreations.blogspot.com via Lily on Pinterest

So many little moments and stages pass by that we forget... if we have another one, they will definitely get more documentation ;)

And I love this quote- I am going to find somewhere to paint this in the studio:

Source: middlechildcomplex.tumblr.com via Lily on Pinterest

So, pin anything interesting this week?

MM: My big dirty secret and other things...

2012-01-23T08:45:00.000-05:00

1. A BIG DIRTY SECRET

So we all love to see those blog posts that share the real, behind-the-scenes photos of people's houses on a day to day basis. Where there are toys all over the floor and dirty laundry in the corner and dishes left on the counter... This link-up is awesome if you want to see other moms who aren't afraid to show the "messy" areas of their lives.

Well I have to say, right now our office/hobby room has to win some kind of outofcontrol mess award. We have been rearranging and de-cluttering the rest of the house... but so far, all that clutter has went into one room- and that room has not been touched so it

just kept piling up,

and piling up,

and piling up.

There is like 3 feet of carpet that can actually be seen and I have a feeling that there are probably some long-forgotten Christmas gifts in there somewhere... Now I am at the point where I don't even know where to start so I just close the door and pretend the room doesn't exist.

I know, so not healthy. Please don't report me to Hoarders.

I promise, this room is NEXT on our todo list.

2. SUGAR AND SPICE

If I have a little girl one day, I am going to dress her like this:

via Lily on Pinterest

I mean seriously, is that not the cutest?

Although, I barely get ~~myself~~ my boys out of the house with matching shoes on each day... hmmm, does it change with a girl?

I have barely spent any money on clothes for the boys because of so many wonderful family member's hand-me-downs. I couldn't imagine spending $40.00 on a dress for a 2 year old...

but still- adorable.

3. LITTLE EINSTEIN

So I take the twins to Subway one afternoon to grab some lunch.

We go through the line, get our food, and fill up some drinks at the little fountain drink station.

Sit down to eat, and about halfway through, Nolan gets his "I'm trying to get away with something" face. (It's the easiest face to read- he never gets away with anything)

Anyway, he starts fishin in his pocket for something and then quickly puts it in his mouth, which of course, makes me go,

"WHAT. WAS. THAT??"

So he grabs another mystery object out of his pocket and opens his hand to show me... it's ice.

Ice, as in, the leftover ice that people pour out at the drink station before refilling their cups...

Ice, as in, splattered with the soda backwash of innumerable people who ate at Subway that day...

Ice, as in, the boy reached up and grabbed a whole handful of old, dirty ice while I wasn't looking and thought he would save. it. for. later.

ice.

in his pocket.

for later.

I take a deep breath and say, "Soooo Nolan, are your pants kinda wet?"

"Yeah mom, but only the pocket part..."

Well great then.

Needless to say, my little Einstein got to strut through Walmart for the next hour looking like he had a serious pee pants accident.

LOOOOOOOOOOVE my boys ;)

(and yes, Nolan will be getting a haircut this week- even though he is adamantly opposed)

Hope everyone has a fantastic week!!

~Lily

Changes: Part 1: Setting Sail Again...

2012-01-13T20:51:00.000-05:00

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened"

For the past year in a half, Center Town Gallery in Stone Mountain has been our home for Sailor Studio.

We have been part of an artist program down there and it has really been a fantastic experience. As 2012 began, we had to decide if we would renew our contract with the city and continue as a business in the art program for one more year.

My mom recently got married and is going in new directions... and she has been needing to work on other jobs to supplement income which made the hours of the program just too much for her to continue.

So when she decided not to renew the contract, the managers of the program asked if I wanted to continue on as the primary artist, and basically take over for my mom. So over the past month or so, I have been analyzing and weighing pros and cons to continuing...

On one hand, I love having the studio in Stn Mtn. The little old village is sentimental to me, and I like the small town feel of knowing all the local people and the crazy characters of the shops around us. It's nice to have a separate work place, and being around other artists is motivating...

and of course, meeting and talking to customers one on one with an open brick-and-mortar store is great.

I also enjoyed getting to see my family and friends who lived/worked nearby on a regular basis.

_________________________________

On the other hand, I was spending about $350 a month in gas driving to Stone Mountain from home 4-5 times a week. The majority of our sales from Sailor Studio come from craft shows and other events, not from people walking in the store- and that doesn't really warrant the expense of being there.

(yellow daisy festival)

Plus, although the boys were fine there for small amounts of time, if I needed to put in a long day there really wasn't a lot they could do, and they would get bored and end up ~~driving me nuts~~ getting into trouble.

So I finally decided that financially, and just all around the best decision for my family would be to move the studio to my house. We have a two-story storage building in our back yard that will make a great studio.

Goosers cleaned it up last week and I got to see just how much space I had to work with.

The building is already wired w electricity and has workbenches already built in. After we started moving stuff in, I really got excited about making it my own.

The boys are going to have their own kid area (along w the yard to play in) and they get to help me paint and spruce things up. :)

After talking to everyone in the program and the city officials, they still want us to be a part of the program as much as we can, which means we still get to do our twice a year fashion shows (yay!) at the gallery and we will still have jewelry stocked there for sale.

That makes me feel like I made the right choice. I won't have the time constraints of having to be in Stone Mountain so many hours per week, but we still get the benefits of having a store front location for events and sales.

A little bittersweet, but I welcome the change and think it is going to work out really well.

So my biggest goals for Sailor Studio this year are to focus on the art/craft shows and wholesale accounts, and to really push the online market which we haven't done because the store commitment took up so much time.

So... say a little prayer for me and this new change, and I'll definitely post more pictures of the studio once we are set up.

Love!

MM: Holidaze and Hats

2012-01-09T22:41:00.000-05:00

1. HOLIDAZE

I am just now getting to look through all my Christmas pictures... We had 4 Christmases this year.

outtacontrol.

First: at my bros house with my siblings and our million offspring = the only place little girls outnumber the boys 6-4.

Second: At home with my boys

(bayblade overkill)

(very serious game of angry birds beanbag toss)

Third: At my gramps with my 40 plus aunts/uncles/cousins

(by far the most chaotic)

(five for five with the ladies)

Fourth: At the beach with Goose's fam

Had lots of fun, but I'm glad the rush is over until next year!

2. MANY HATS

One day I am going to do a hat montage on my blog :)

I heart my ever-growing hat collection, and this is by far my favorite new addition:

I got this at Target (actually most of my ~~hats~~ wardrobe is from there). I wore it to a craft show and everyone thought I made it. I wish! Maybe something to try in the future...

3. STRENGTH

Sometimes I hate that I know this is true.... Sometimes being "strong" bites... Sometimes, I just want to scream and yell and punch things... or weep and whine and lock myself in the closet until everything that is wrong just disappears and life becomes peachy and perfect.

Unfortunately, I am an adult, and I just don't have this luxury. So instead I sit in the closet and pray until God gives me the strength to get up and face my fears... and the hope that everything will be okay.

Sorry I am being somewhat vague about this last part, but I have much more writing to do to explain the rocky start to my 2012. It's just too much for a Monday...

soooo I'll post more later this week. :)

LOVE!!!

Brainstorming... New Years.

2012-01-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

For last year's words belong to last year's language

And next year's words await another voice.

~T.S. Eliot

New beginnings... I love the start of a new year.

This past year has come with struggles and sorrows, as well as joy and unexpected successes.

I get to bring in the new year in one of the most beautiful places on earth (at least as far as I've seen) St.George Island. This place is like a little plot of paradise... it is never crowded, never busy... life just slows down and all there is to do is whatever you feel like doing.

Read a book, go for a walk, ride bikes down the island...

Apalachicola is right over the bridge and the small town is just perfect, nothing commercial or touristy. It's the kind of place you just park wherever and leisurely stroll through quaint little shops ran by locals. I fell in love with the bookstore there this week. I can't believe I missed it before. It is in an old shop about the size of a bedroom and carries a small selection, but you can tell the women running it are just living their dream.

The weather outside is sunny and warm at 75 degrees... Doesn't feel like New Year's Eve, but quiet reflection and a thoughtful mood
has been tangible in the air today.

A new year, a new chapter in the story. I have become a little more introverted in the past few months, relishing my alone time when I can get it. Growing and questioning a lot, but learning to be quietly accepting of certain things... realizing that sometimes that is the only choice there is.

I have lists and goals and hopes for the coming 12 months, but I am more excited about just moving forward and exploring the endless possibilities of this life.

I am thankful today.

Thankful for the year past, and the year to come. Thankful for lessons learned, thankful for the words to express them.

Thankful for another snuggle with the boys, a smile from my love.

Thankful that time moves on, and that no matter what we experience, this is not our eternity.

That even the best days here will never amount to the joy and beauty awaiting in Heaven with Christ.

hmmmm... feeling quite dreamy today... probably because I have had my head buried in books all week and my suppressed appetite for reading has been overly fed ;)

I heart vacation.

Anyway, here is to a fantastic New Year! :)

Twin A: A Letter...

2011-12-21T11:33:00.000-05:00

Dear Ty,

My eldest by two whole minutes… my golden haired, blue eyed baby boy, you have made our lives so much more entertaining and fun. I can’t believe my boys are 6 today!!

I know every person in the world has their quirks, but I think God gave you a few extra ;) You are the most pure spirit I have ever met. You do not have an ounce of sneakiness or rebellion in you, and you hate getting in trouble. You always ask mom and dad for permission, and you keep an eye on your brothers for us.

You are so sweet. If anyone needs help with anything, like folding clothes or washing dishes or cooking, you jump right in. Some days I think I would go crazy if it weren’t for you. :) You even love enameling at the shop- never thought a kid would have the patience to do it, but you do!

You love playing with your brothers and you are getting more social… But, you are still very independent. You have never cared what anyone thinks about you or about acting “cool.” I adore that about you baby, and I hope you never, ever lose that quality.

You are great at math and music is your world. Every time we get in the truck if I don’t turn on music you pitch a fit. You pick out the instruments in every song and are constantly playing the air drums or keyboard with your hands. I can imagine you being a great musician one day.

You are neat and clean, and a Bilsland through and through. You are extremely scheduled just like your daddy, and you get very frustrated at me when I change the plan (which happens often, sorry buddy). You make sure everything is in its place and you never forget anything! You remember everyone’s birthday and what type of car they drive.

You are patient, kind-hearted, and your laugh is one of the best sounds I have ever heard.

I cannot wait to see what God has in store for you. I know it will be something interesting and fantastic!

I love you so much, and no matter how old you get,

you will always be My Ty.

Always,

Mama

Twin B: A Letter

2011-12-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

Dear Nolan,

My tallest, most ambitious little boy… oh, how I have enjoyed watching you grow.

Grandma always says that we are born with our personalities intact, and I definitely believe that to be true. Almost from the moment you were born you were raring to go. You hardly ever relaxed, you did everything from rolling over, walking, and talking early, and you always wanted to win.

At 6 years old, you haven’t changed a bit. You are ambitious and athletic, and your competitive spirit will get you far… as long as you learn how to be a gracious loser on those rare, dramatic occasions when you don’t come in first. ;)

You are my little clone, and along with your mommy’s competitiveness and chubby cheeks, you also inherited the tendency to set really high goals for yourself. You are extremely disappointed if you are not the “best”. I know it takes a while to learn honey, but we cannot be the best at everything. One day, you will find something that you love and put all that beautiful energy into it. There is no limit to how far you’ll go. :)

You are obsessed with video and computer games. Obsessed!! You eat like your daddy (meaning you eat everything!) You always finish your plate, and tell me that you are going to be really tall and strong because you eat all your veggies (so far you are really tall for your age, so maybe it is working).

You are my social butterfly… the kid that runs to the playground and immediately has 5 new friends. You easily adapt and jump at the chance to try new things. You have always acted much older than you are; understanding concepts far beyond your years.

You love hanging out with the big kids, but when you are around younger kids you can be mischievous and sneaky. You have always loved picking on your twin brother...

and often get Reese to do your dirty work (aka- sneaky cookies, etc.). But you love your family so much, and you are a fantastic brother and friend.

Nolan Mark, you are my long-haired, fun-loving big kid, and I feel so, so blessed to be your mama.

I love you more,

Mom

What NOT to wear.

2011-12-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

So I have to go to Goose's company Christmas party tonight...

I've managed to get out of this event the past

3 years, but I have finally run out of excuses. It's at the aquarium, and it will probably be really nice and everything... but small-talking all night with a bunch of ~~computer nerds~~ people I hardly know is not my idea of a good time. I am quite sure my social anxiety will kick in and I'll spend most of the night totally awkward and uncomfortable, but whatevs...

It's once a year... I'll suck it up and

schmooze with the best of them ;)

Next Dilemma: What to Wear

I have my "little black dress" ready to go, but after pulling out the same dress for every semi-formal event I've went to in the past 3 years, I'm pretty much over it.

So I am going shopping today.

Pinterest has been a great help in getting me to drool over fantastical dresses that I have neither the bod or the budget to pull off... but in my imagination I will definitely be looking like this tonight (minus the drugged out eyes):

or this:

Or this:

But I'll probably end up looking like this:

(Links found here)

I have been running from my attraction to the completely mismatched, book-nerd style my whole life, but I think it's about time I embrace it.

So wish me luck... I'm sure I'll have some terribly embarrassing moments to talk about on Monday. ;)

2 Years- I miss you sweet Evie.

2011-12-03T00:44:00.001-05:00

She was no longer wrestling with the grief, but could sit down with it as a lasting companion and make it a sharer in her thoughts. ~George Eliot

I miss her tonight.

I miss her often, but of course the anniversary will always be a harder day. It is amazing how sometimes your heart starts hurting even before your mind realizes what is wrong. The past few weeks I've been feeling... heavy.

Then, as I drove past the cemetery on the way to work last week and burst into tears, I realized I was feeling the ache again. the hurt. the emptiness.

This time of year used to be all about Thanksgiving, turkey, gearing up for Christmas...

Now the week is wrapped up with Evie dates. The Tuesday my family and friends threw me a beautiful baby shower and I watched Evie on the 3D ultrasound. The next Tuesday when I missed my doctor appt. and had to reschedule. The Wednesday I felt like something was wrong and did kick counts all afternoon.. and the Thursday when the doctor told us her heart had stopped beating and she was gone.

David and I were talking on the way home tonight about Evie, and what we went through two years ago... how time stopped suddenly and then fast forwarded, pausing on pointed moments that are like little video snippets that can be replayed in perfect detail in our heads. We talked about these moments and some were the same and some were different between us.

I remember David's mom coming up and hugging me after we found out about all the complications at our 20 week appointment. She was teary-eyed and said, "we just love her so much."

I remember explaining Evie's diagnosis to my sisters, and us all praying together on the park bench next to the playground, not caring if people thought we were crazy.

David said he remembers calling his dad to tell him that Evie was gone... listening to your parent's heart break is something you don't easily forget.

I remember sitting in the hospital room praying with our pastor and my mom and uncle Jay before I went in to have the c-section. My mom was devastated. She is one of the most unemotional women I know, but in that moment she was so heartbroken that she was sobbing, and her whole body was shaking.

We remember holding Evie in the hospital room as family and friends stopped in... how incredibly hard that visit must have been for each of them... but they came anyway.

I will never forget my Uncle Greg walking over and kissing sweet Evie's little forehead- such a big, serious guy taking a moment to say hello and good-bye to my daughter. A small gesture, but it meant so much.

Even before she was born, she was loved by so many... and for that I am thankful.

I try to remember: that day it wasn't just us losing a baby... it was our parents losing a granddaughter, our siblings and aunts and uncles losing a niece, cousins losing a cousin... in the darkest moments you realize just how strong those bonds are.

We have lighthearted and laid-back families, but I know now without a doubt that when it comes to something serious... even something uncomfortable and painful, we are here for each other, to pray, and to care for each other no matter what.

I will never, ever take that precious love for granted again.

Time does heal, but no amount of time makes us forget the definitive moments that are permanently penned into our storyline. These pages can never be erased, and as I go back and reread them I realize that they were part of something so important. Not just losing Evie and the experience itself, but all the lessons I learned through it.

I don't have it all figured out, but I know that over the past few years my views on life have changed so dramatically that I feel like a completely different person.

My perspective, how I view people and situations, has changed. My faith and thoughts have changed... while I still mess up and still get frustrated... I am much less likely to dwell on things that don't matter- things that were so stressful before don't seem like such a big deal.

I love more, feel more, and give more. I turn to Him for guidance first, and I know now without a doubt that He will be there every step of the way.

Evie did that for me...

And I am thankful.

Brainstorming: Posts and Pinterest

2011-11-22T03:07:00.001-05:00

1. I have about 32 unpublished blog posts 90% written that may or may not ever get posted... just in case you were wondering, I do not have writer's block, I have hittingthepublishbutton anxiety.

Why? who knows... I'm a weirdo.

2. I would really like to have a big birthday party for the twins this year... like with friends and everything. We usually just have family (because that ends up being like 50 people by itself).

It is just hard in December... you never know if it is going to be 15 degrees or 75- it is hard to plan for games and all that.

But, maybe we can pull it off. TBD.

BTW- if you are one of those "planner-types" who is thinking about having a baby, I would recommend NOT having kids in December if you can help it ;)

3. Thanksgiving was all around awesome this year. I am so thankful for both of our families. I think the older I get, the more sentimental I am about spending time with our parents, grandparents, etc. I love that my kids are growing up with so many people who care about them :)

4 . My new niece Palmer Lynn was born early Wed morning, 10 lbs. 3 oz.!!

Beautiful mama!

Awwww! Smoooshy face ;)

Aunt LaLa loves you!!

I think Goose is ready for another one! ha!

I know the boys want one- they looooove babies (especially Ty).

5. We are finally redecorating the house. I have completed THREE Pinteresting projects this week and we are almost done with the bathroom. The house looks like a tornado hit, but it will be oh so glorious when we are finished... Don't worry, I am documenting it all- soooooo excited.

Here is an "in progress" pic of the boys/guest bathroom:

I really hope this turns out as fun as it is in my mind ;)

MM: He Lost It!!!

2011-11-13T23:57:00.001-05:00

1. The Artist Within

Being around Sailor Studio all the time, my boys have started letting out their creative side... Ty will spend an hour on one picture, and then spend another hour telling you about all the little details of his artwork.

Nolan kinda rushes through the drawing part... He's more focused on the selling.

A customer came in the other day and smiling, said, "So which artist did this piece?"

It took me a second to figure out which one she was talking about...

Not only did Nolan tack it on the wall under my grandmother's paintings, he also made sure people knew it was for sale.

I guess 4 and 17 cents is the going price for a Nolan Mark original ;)

Speaking of fun at work- the boys looooooove going to my aunt and uncle's cabinet shop. Since it is mostly family working- there are always interesting things going on in the warehouse:

Like box RVs driven by a scooter ....

Held together by a piece of painter's tape...

and destroyed 3 seconds later... ;)

3. MILESTONES:

My eldest (by two minutes) lost his first tooth this week!!

AHHHHHHHHH!

How do I have kids old enough to be losing teeth???

Do you know what this means?

No more cutie pie baby face... This marks the beginning of that gawky, (hilarious) big kid stage. Before I know it their voices will be cracking and they'll be studying for their learner's permit... ugh.

Nolan, not to be outdone by Ty, decided he would be a big kid too this week and took his training wheels off his bike (actually... one kinda fell off and he realized hey, I don't need these things).

It took him literally 5 minutes without them before he was riding full speed down the driveway on his own... didn't surprise me a bit.

When that boy decides he wants to do something- he does it.
So proud of him... Tear :')

3. Sunday Snapshots:

Church, football,

strongest dude contest,

foosball,

world's longest fries,

(Okay seriously... this has to be some kind of record.)

and cousins making memories :)

Never a dull moment around here!

Happy Monday y'all!

MM: Xmen and Pinterest

2011-11-07T14:09:00.000-05:00

1:Confession

I do not have a knack for decorating... my house has looked the same since we moved in almost 5 years ago. Case in point, the boys/guest bathroom still has these hanging up:

The twins are almost 6... and oh yeah, we do have another child that is already 3. Sorry Reese!

I went to FOUR stores yesterday looking for some kind of new decor for the boys bathroom. I came home with 2 packs of ornaments and a red decorative plate???

... told you, the worst.

So anyway, we are planning on having the twin's bday party at our house again this year, so we have a deadline to get this house updated. We already rearranged some furniture- now for the decor.

These prints I bought at an art show by John R. Duke will be my inspiration for the living room:

Love the colors! (and with red couches there is only so much we can do ;)

Horrible waste of space....

I am searching for cool mantle ideas- getting rid of my sorry attempt at abstract ;)

And I need something new for these shelves:

We rearranged our bedroom and need something for over the headboard... I won't even tell you the husband's ideas- let's just say there were some creative slogans thrown around ;)

So all this dreaded decorating stuff has lead me to this:

2: Pinteresting

Pinterest did not appeal to me at first... like I really need another thing to do online. But, since I started looking for decorating inspiration, I am loving it. All these pictures are in one place instead of a folder on my computer that I have to search for... awesome.

I don't have a lot of stuff, but here are my boards so far
(if you're into that sorta thing)

3. XMEN- Bilsland Style

Playing dress up and pretend is one of the boys' favorite games, so I look at Halloween as an extension of that... they just get to play dress up with a million other kids.

Reese LOVED his costume. He got to wear it 3 days in a row, and he was still upset when he had to take it off. Goose and I haven't dressed up in about 4 years, but thanks to my friend Jessie's costume party, we had an excuse ;)

My little Pyro, Ice Man, and Beast:

With Mama Storm and Daddy Wolverine :)

(and I finally got some pics with my new camera- LOVE!)

4. Palmer

My new niece will be here any day... Praying for a smooth and healthy delivery! Can't wait to meet her! :)

Happy Monday y'all!!

FFT: "You're Mine Fravorite"

2011-10-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

Homeschooling is quickly becoming one of my favorite things.

Why?

Because I get to listen to silly breakfast and

lunch conversations between brothers...

where they discuss hard hitting issues like how

many goldfish they could eat or which

imaginary friends are celebrating birthdays that day.

(did I mention they are up to 7 now?)

I get to watch their eyes light up when they finally "get" it!

When they work so hard on a picture and want
to explain every detail,

I am right there to listen.

Nolan tried several times to draw a fish and he was so proud when he finally got it to look right.
He kinda takes after goose when
it comes to art, meaning it isn't exactly one of his favorite things ;)

I get to teach them about Jesus and other life lessons along

with their school work, and I get to reward them when they are

doing their best...

(I guess Nolan decided he deserved an extra sticker that day ;)

...and sometimes in those rare moments when no one is looking,

I catch the boys being kind and helping one another learn,

then congratulating each other on a job well done.

And after lessons are finished, if they are cranky and

feeling cooped-up, I can give them a break.

I can watch them race down the driveway, laugh and play,

and just enjoy being kids.

I have become more grateful for the gift of these moments.

________________________________________

I know home-schooling isn't for everyone, and I was sooo

nervous at first, but I really feel like we made the right decision for our family. I am looking forward to the rest of the year! :)

Oh, and this!

Future Favorites:

I am looking forward to my new camera becoming one of my favorite things!

Can not tell you how excited I am!!

After my old camera died, I have been using my phone camera which is notsogood (you can tell I'm sure, my blog has seriously suffered).

We just bought the Nikon D3100 (after going back and forth between Canon and Nikon for months). It finally came down to price, and Costco had this camera with an added zoom lens and case on sale for $150 less than the Canon Rebel T2i. The reviews say they are about the same, quality-wise, so we went with the best deal. I think it counts as my next 5 Christmas and birthday presents, but it's worth it to me.

Haven't really tested it out yet, but my goal is to learn how to use this camera the right way (ya know, reading the manual and everything ;) So if you know of any great web tutorials or photo blogs, feel free to share!

Have a happy Friday y'all :)

First time linking up with Rachel today over at Finding Joy

MM: If they were girls...

2011-10-17T17:51:00.003-04:00

1: OUTNUMBERED

Yesterday we went clothes shopping. Pretty much the least fun thing we can do as a family... something I think would be very different if I had girls instead of boys.

Goose is bored after one store and the boys are constantly running into people, wandering off, knocking stuff over, and basically leaving a trail of destruction everywhere they go... as per usual.

But we had to get some shopping done, mostly because of this:

Nolan has been wearing toosmallforhim slippers for the past 2 weeks... he needed new shoes.

We went ahead and got the twins shoes, Reese some jeans, and Goose his once-a-year new stock of jeans and t-shirts... so hopefully I won't have to go shopping with any of them again until next year ;)

2: HE'S CRAFTY

I heart our church. The twins moved up to the "big kids" church and they were given little Bibles this past Sunday.

Ty wanted to take his everywhere, but it didn't fit in his pocket... so he decided to put it in the next logical place:

He's thrifty, that one.

3: STRIKES, THEY'RE OUT!

One:

This kid has been waking up at around 5
in the morning and sneaking into our bed.

In an effort to break the habit,

I took him back to bed a few times... seemed to work.

This morning he didn't wake up until his normal time...

or so I thought.

What actually happened was this:

A caramel cake-fest of epic proportions.

When I asked him if he helped himself to cake, his answer was:

"But Moooooooooom, I only ate the icing..."

Lovely.

Two:

As I was checking my emails in the office this morning, I hear Nolan say,

" awwww man, Mom is going to be really not happy..."

So I took a deep breath, said a little prayer, and walked into my room to see this:

The white thing hanging over the back of the bed was a curtain hanging across the back wall. It was now ripped down along with the metal rod it was attached to...

awesome.

And, it gets better.

Three:

On Saturday, when Goose had the boys at home, I get a text that says, "Bring home the other laptop."

My immediate response was, "Why, did something happen to mine?"

"Yep."

This is what "happened" to my laptop:

Yes, my youngest little angel ripped off almost all the keys on my computer... for no reason.

At least my Tybo tried his hardest to fix it for me :)

But still... grounded!

My 3 and 5 year olds are on restriction from all cake, computers, video games, and TV until further notice...

but more likely, forever.

Do little girls do stuff like this??

I don't remember ever being so destructive... although, I was definitely obsessed with cake ;)

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Happy Monday, y'all :)

Boys Makin Noise

2011-10-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

Boy, n.: a noise with dirt on it.

~Not Your Average Dictionary

So I borrowed my aunt's camera this week

because mine is broken (another reason for the lack of blogging)...

After trying to get the boys to take something

resembling a decent picture,

I decided this:

BOYS

WILL

BOYS!!

They are loud, obnoxious, dirty, smelly, messy,

destructive, and completely ridiculous 99%

of the time.

But that 1% of big bear hugs, silly giggles,

and mama kisses make it all worthwhile...

Love, love, love them!

Happy Friday y'all! :)

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If you are a Sailor Studio fan- Click here to enter our anniversary giveaway :)

NMM: Me?? NEVER!

2011-10-03T19:19:00.002-04:00

(MckMama has brought the NOT Me's back!! Yay!- click above for more posts or to link up)

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Oh sweet blog, how I've missed you...

because you know, this is definitely NOT my first post in two months because I am such a scheduled person and would NEVER be such a slacker.

Case in point, I definitely did NOT let my whole, one-fantastic-homemade-meal-a-week-for-my-poor-deprived-boys goal completely go out the window.

And the reason is definitely NOT because I have finally come to terms with the fact that I do not enjoy cooking in any way, shape, or form... I just... don't.

------------------------

So anyway, I have NOT been MIA for good reasons:

Like our 2nd fashion show event in August

and Yellow Daisy Festival Madness... A four day arts and crafts show that we (sailor studio) participated in that was absolutely exhausting (but fun!).

At least we had great help!

Rita and Cheryl were awesome and of course this guy:

would NEVER help me put together jewelry until 2:00 in the morning after we closed so we would have enough of the best sellers for the next day:

Oh, and I would NEVER blame these little guys for my absence:

As, I have NOT been having tons of fun homeschooling... but seriously, LOVE the homeschooling... and we almost have a real schedule down ;)

And, Aunt Rita is doing a great job with the Chinese lessons :)

It is NOT the most adorable thing ever...

And yes if you're wondering...

they are still doing not-so-adorable things like spilling an entire can of paint on the back dock of the studio:

Oh, and then there was the big, fat Braves disappointment in which goosers did NOT almost break down in tears about...

We took the twins to the last game, and we definitely did NOT have to resort to Angry Birds by the 7th inning in order to keep our sweet little angels from kicking and crawling all over the people in front of them.

Oh, and then there was the weddings, baby showers, meetings, workshops, kiln mishaps, and all sorts of other lovely things that have occupied my time.

But that is no excuse...

I am sorry little blog, I will NEVER neglect you again...

for serious...

promise...

maybe...

kinda..

unless I'm really busy..

oh you know what's up.

Happy Monday y'all :)

SUYL: Marriage Advice and an Ode to Goose

2011-07-22T12:13:00.000-04:00

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner is asking for marriage advice today.

Since tomorrow is Goose and I's anniversary, I thought it was fitting to participate.

There are a million things I have learned about marriage over the past 7 years, but I definitely don't feel like an expert...

I guess the biggest piece of advice I can give is to try to be each other's biggest fan. Someone gave me this advice and it is something I still struggle with. It is always easier to focus on flaws... to dwell on everything your spouse isn't.

Everyone wants to feel appreciated.

Make a point to build up your significant other, not tear them down. You will be amazed at how much someone's attitude can change when they feel appreciated and important. :)

And because I haven't been the most appreciative wife over the last few weeks, I figure I'll take some time now to remedy that with...

10 Random Things I Love about Goose:

10. The fact that you love books as much as I do... once you start reading a good book you have to finish it.

9. Your courtesy laugh... you have the best courtesy laugh I have ever heard. Even if someone is telling the lamest jokes ever, you make them feel like they are starring on def comedy jam.

8. Your real laugh (not nearly as common). You laugh just like your dad with your head tilted back... it cracks me up :)

7. How frustrated you get when I break yet another phone/laptop/camera etc... yet you always fix or replace them for me.

6. You think passing gas is just the most hilarious thing in the world... and you have passed this sentiment on to our three boys (thanks for that).

5. It is extremely difficult for you to take a nice picture... which is why the majority of our pictures turn out like this:

4. Whenever you dress the boys, they are completely mis-matched... and you don't even realize it.

3. Because you read about 45 different websites a day, you are always up-to-date with the latest news (and celebrity gossip... ha!).

2. You drink your coffee black... no frills, no fuss... also the fact that you are Mr.McFrugle on everything else, yet you will spend 20 bucks on Dunkin Donuts coffee cause it's the "best."

1. No matter how many times I have changed my mind... regarding schools, majors, dreams, (hair do's)... you always support me, no matter how ~~crazy~~ unconventional my ideas are.

There are a million other things (like the fact that you are an incredibly hard working husband and a fantastic daddy to our boys) but I would just like to say,

Even though I was only 18 when we met and we only dated 8 months before we got engaged (and everyone thought we were nuts!)... and with everything we have been through together: good times, hard times, crazy times...

I can honestly say you are and will always be, the best thing that's ever happened to me :)

Love, Love, Love!

___________________________________

Happy Friday y'all!

It's also my birthday... my ba,ba,ba, biiiiiirthday today... 27 years OLD! Excited to see where my darling hubby is taking me tonight :)

NOT Me Monday: Redneck Rides and Bubble Explosions

2011-07-18T18:45:00.001-04:00

Between the Snellville show, 4th of July, and our beach trip we have been pretty busy the past few weeks.... but we have not been without our mishaps.

In no particular order:

1. Reese has been up to no good at the studio... using every opportunity to sneak snacks.

He definitely did NOT get caught with his hand in the ~~cookie~~
peanut jar.

Actually, he got his chubby little arm stuck in the peanut jar and had to ask mommy to "unstuck" him from it. ;)

2. On Sunday, we would NEVER let our kids partake in such a dangerous redneck past time as lawn mower rides.

...and of course, Nolan did NOT fall out

and basically catch himself with his face.

ughhhhh, poor little guy.

3. Last weekend we had a fun family day with just the five of us. We ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant, ran a few errands, and stopped at the park and let the boys run around.

Reese is starting to follow in his older brother's footsteps in the imagination department...

This is definitely NOT him pushing his imaginary friend on the swing:

Then, after running around all day, we were coming out of a store and I look down and realize...

I was NOT wearing two. different. shoes.

um, yeah...they were both black flip flops, but one was mine and one was my husband's. My husband's??!! How do you walk out of the house with a shoe on that is about 6 sizes too big!?? I immediately had flashbacks of 6th grade (when I definitely did NOT wear two different shoes to school by accident)

I blame Ty... He brought me the shoes and apparently I didn't even look at them before I put them on.

_________________________________________________________

5. And that brings us to our beach trip on the 4th. Goose wasn't able to take off work so I had the boys by myself. We shared a condo with my brother, sis-n-law, their kids, and Kab and Rita with sweet baby Sadie.

(haha, Kab with a baby... never thought I would see the day ;)

a.dor.a.ble.

Ty thought Sadie was the greatest thing since sliced bread and asked Rita about a million questions a day....

(bath time... what a life!)

The boys did NOT have a lot of fun
with Sadie's stuff, including her car seat.

Ty made sure Woody was ready to go!

We stopped by "Peter Park" (pier park) for a bit.

Me and Reese rode the spinning air balloons that did NOT almost make me throw up... (I'm too old for carnival rides apparently)

6. But I have to say the

NOT Me MISHAP of the WEEK

is definitely a tie between:

My little niece Nora,

for her beach wardrobe malfunction:

and my Auntie Rita...

who definitely did NOT put regular dish soap
in the dishwasher and cause a bubble explosion in our condo:

....the kids thought is was the

best. day. ever.

Happy Monday y'all :)

This is NOT me... bringing it back!

2011-06-20T20:34:00.001-04:00

I know Mckmama hasn't really been doing the Not Me Mondays lately... but I miss it, so today... I'm bringing it back :)

Cause when you have three silly boys, there are plenty of things that certainly do NOT happen.

For example, my sweet babes Ty and Reese did NOT almost make me cry when they came in one morning with this play cake and said,

"Mom, I made you breakfast in bed."

Nolan, of course, would NEVER proceed to come in after this with his own adorable surprise...

a water-gun squirt right in the face.

awww, how refreshing.

At breakfast, I NEVER allow Nolan to make a mountain of milk bubbles in his cereal...

and Ty certainly does NOT show of his quirkiness by only eating dry cereal with milk on the side, never mixed.

____________________________

Sometimes we go on super fun camping trips:

Where I definitely would NOT let my kids eat smores with filthy hands and faces...

Nope, I am much too germaphobic for all that.

And I would certainly NOT let my Aunt Gina

braid Nolan's hair like a girl:

and I would NEVER take a picture of him giving

me the dirtiest look a 5 yr old could muster.

But let's not forget the other goofy members of my family...

My Uncle Tim for example, does NOT get the "most thrifty" award this week,

for making his own camping flip flops out of rope and foam.

But, he is in pretty tough competition with my mother...

Who,

after Reese took off his wet swim shorts and didn't have anything else to put on...

did NOT decide to make a temporary

pair of overalls out of a plastic Wal-mart bag.

(y'all know my mama, she thought this was hi.lar.i.ous.)

We celebrated my uncle Trav and my cousin Christy's birthdays:

We only had one cake, so we did NOT just pop a candle into a watermelon and...

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Happy Monday Y'all! :)

FF: Do what you love...

2011-06-17T15:19:00.001-04:00

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner is

having another link up for people to show off what they make!

My mom, my SIL, and I have a art

studio and store in the Village of Stone Mountain called SAILOR STUDIO. We create enamel on copper decorative art, jewelry, and stained glass.

**Our ETSY store is here if you want to check it out.

We update Etsy as much as we can... but our brick-and-mortar store is our main mode of business :)

**Also LIKE us on Facebook!

We are almost at 400 fans!

(Which means it is almost time for another Giveaway! )

Many of the people that buy our jewelry are artists themselves... painters, potters, writers, musicians, crafters, and all other types of Creatives :) Our biggest compliment is when someone comes through the store, and says, "Wow, I love this stuff! It's so different!"

Simple wrap bracelets with our enameled charms.

That's what we strive for... creating things that you aren't going to see anywhere else. It isn't easy; there is a lot of really cool stuff out there :)

(Fashion show peice- Anchored: Sailor Studio)

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Of course, dealing with the ups and downs of running a business while trying to stay in a creative mindset is sometimes difficult. I spend a lot of time working on the computer, trying to keep up with the book-keeping.... not my favorite thing to do, but at least we are staying somewhat organized around here :)

My SIL and partner in crime...

I try to get a full "art" day at least once a week. I am working on my first enamel wall hanging now- I researched all types of lily flowers and made my stencils. I am only on my second firing, but I am really loving it so far:

Our kiln has been on the fritz because the heating elements are old and we really need to re-coil the entire thing, but haven't been able to take the down time at the shop yet. So we have had to quick-fix it every other day- which is always fun :)

They say if you do what you love, you'll never work another day in your life... I am really starting to believe that is true :)

Happy Friday Everyone!!!

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Question for the Day (link up here):

If you got a free pass (money, building, everything) to start your own business, what kind of business would you have?

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Some Lil Thoughts... about Babies.

2011-06-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

Linking up for the first time with "pour your heart out" with Shell :)

Just to elaborate a little more on my last post..

If you have been around this blog or me over the last few months, you know that I have had some serious baby fever happening.

Now normally, when I start feeling ready to have a baby again, I barely get the words out and I am pregnant. I am sincerely thankful that we haven't had issues conceiving, but I do not look forward to the 9 months that follow blessed event.

Physically, they are a.w.f.u.l.

I get every. single. horrible. pregnancy symptom you can imagine (plus some you can't); from ALL-DAY nauseau, throwing up, tiredness, skin-issues, swelling, cramps (crazy leg cramps- the worst!), you know... all those super fun things.

I have never felt like the joyful, jubilant mama-to-be. I usually just feel like a sweaty, sick rolly polly who almost immediately becomes as wide as she is tall.

I can't church it up... it is just not a great experience for me.

But, I can get past all that... a beautiful addition to the family is worth it.

Still, there is something keeping me from jumping on board the baby bandwagon again.... there are financial things to think about, not to mention we are quickly running out of room at casa de bilsland.

But that is not really what is stopping me.

Honestly, I am nervous.

My pregnancies have been rough physically, but they have also been incredibly emotional and stressful as well. Each one came with ups and downs that I am not so sure if I ready for again.

My first pregnancy came with the shock of twins! I mean, serious shock. We were trying to get used to the idea that we pregnant after only a few months of marriage, but then you add the whole, "oh btw, you are having twins" aspect to it... took a little getting used to.

After being on bed rest and being hospitalized for high blood pressure, we had the twins the week of Christmas... so, SO thankful that they were healthy and strong. While we were still in the hospital, we found out that my great grandmother had passed ... we weren't able to go to the funeral in Michigan with the rest of the family... and it made the experience somewhat bittersweet.

My pregnancy with Reese was uneventful in itself, but it ran almost completely alongside my granny's battle with cancer. At 67, she passed 2 weeks before Reese was born, and I just remember sobbing and being so mad that she wouldn't be there to meet Reese and love him and be part of his life like she was with the me and the twins.... that was something I remember the most about being in the hospital after we had him. It felt so strange not having Granny there... she was always one of the first visitors and always so excited for a new addition to our (very large) family.

Then, of course there was sweet Evie... I would never, ever take back a moment of my time with Evie, but I can not pretend it wasn't the hardest time of my life. I can't pretend that thinking about the possibility of something like that happening again doesn't make me feel very tired and a little anxious.

I pray about these feelings of uncertainty, and I know with all my heart that God is in control, and that He will take care of us no matter what happens.

I know this, and I would love to have another baby someday...

But today,

I'm not sure if I am ready to start down that beautiful, amazing, completely unpredictable, sometimes rocky, road.

Today,

I'm not quite ready for this:

But...

there is always tomorrow :)

Rockin the Baby Bump!... okay not really.

2011-06-13T20:57:00.007-04:00

Shell over at Things I can't Say! is hosting a baby bump blog party and I realized I haven't really shown too many baby bump pics on this blog, so I decided to join in and put mine on record...

I was looking on the computer and found a few pics from all three pregnancies.

My last pregnancy (#3) with Evie was the best physically.

I don't know if it was the girl genes or what, but the nausea didn't last as long and I didn't swell nearly as much as my first two pregnancies.

My aunt Steph and my friend Kell were able to take some really sweet maternity pics. I am so thankful that I have them... they are some of my most precious possessions.

________________________________

Now my second pregnancy was out. of. control.

Pregnancy #2 - Reese's Pieces

Sick. sick, sick... I was pretty much out of commission for the first 20 weeks of this pregnancy. I went to work, ate, and slept. Thankfully Goose was a stay-at-home-dad at the time so he was able to pick up the slack around the house.

I gained 55 pounds... that is more than I gained with the twins, and believe me, it wasn't just "baby weight" and I was not exactly "glowing."

I was swollen and chun. ky.


Me and Brit

Me and my sis-n-law were only a few weeks apart, which made things a little more fun :)

(mom, me, and Brit)

GI.NOR.MOUS.

I am pretty sure this pic is why I can't go back to being a brunette....
_______________________________

And then there was pregnancy #1: The Twins

I was 20 years old, 5'1 and weighed around 115 lbs when I became pregnant the first time. I had been married for less than a year, and Goose and I had NO IDEA what we were getting ourselves into...

This was probably around 4 months- not kidding. People started telling me I was about to pop at 5 months pregnant (loved those comments btw).

The boys had no where to go but straight out... and they did.

This is the only other pic I could find:

(My uncle Greg thought this was hilarious)

This was around 6 1/2 months... a full 2 and 1/2 months away from my due date.

The boys came out healthy and happy at 36 weeks, but I can't say I have forgotten how loooong those 8 months were... I didn't rock anything but stretchy pants and Goose's t-shirts, and I was sick every. single. day. I don't think I fixed my hair or wore make-up once during that pregnancy...

good times :)

And no, I am not pregnant again... but I am thinking about it... some of these pictures are making me think twice about it ;) J/K I definitely still have baby fever.

Happy Monday y'all!

AIC: Woohooo- One Down!

2011-06-09T10:00:00.023-04:00

So I told you guys I would be starting my little Adventures in Cooking project this week.

I am going to cook at least one good family meal each week and hopefully blog about the outcomes.

Now before I start, let me explain... I was raised by a mother and grandparents who were very health conscious and particular about what we ate. They ate "organic" before "organic" was cool. We never had soda, chips, sugary snacks, or processed food in the house... and they always explained why we don't eat that stuff.

I hated it back then. I loved going to friends' houses where I got to eat the "good" stuff.

But now, I am very thankful for that up-bringing because I feel like I am pretty knowledgeable about what I should and shouldn't feed my family. Starting out, Goose and I ate mac and cheese and hamburger helper simply because we were poor as dirt, had no idea how to cook, and the boxes had 1,2,3, step directions. ;)

But now, we (and the kiddos) eat healthy foods: a lot of fresh fruit, veggies, and whole grains. The boys don't get special kid meals. They eat what we do, and they usually enjoy it.

But, that being said- I am perfectly fine with eating a bowl of cereal or something really simple every night.

I have never enjoyed cooking.

I don't know how to cook hardly anything from scratch and never really cared enough to learn. This cooking project is really for my husband. He loves to eat and he enjoys good, healthy meals which most of the time he has to cook himself.

Soooooo, I am going to make the effort to make at least one delicious, home-cooked meal for him and the boys per week...

something new that we haven't tried before :)

_______________________________________

This week's dinner turned out great!

We started out with an artichoke with lemon butter appetizer:

THANKFULLY, my sis-n-law came over and helped (she's a great cook). We trimmed the leaves and stem, boiled it, and made the sauce.

Now of course, I had no idea how to actually eat an artichoke. So I just took a big bite out of one of the leaves and said, "Ugh, this is gross!"... as Brit laughs and tells me that you are only supposed to eat the fleshy part that is closest to the stem.

Ahhhhh, got ya.

That part was pretty tasty dipped in the lemon butter.. definitely a fun appetizer to make :)

Next we got working on this Eggplant Parmesan.

Simple enough- the recipe was pretty easy to follow, although I must confess, I didn't make the sauce from scratch (baby steps here ;)

We popped it in the oven, put together a simple salad with romaine lettuce (had to make it Italian because I forgot the Caesar dressing- whoops! )

The eggplant parm wouldn't brown on top so Brit told me to turn the oven on broil for a few minutes and...

Wha-Laa - Came out perfect!!

(Brit and I)

It was delish!! I can't believe we cooked an entire dinner with no meat, that the guys loved too :)

Yayyyyyyy!

One meal down- and I definitely learned a few things :)

Now to plan something for next week.... hmmmmm...

MM: Tobacco and Bangs

2011-06-06T18:17:00.001-04:00

1. Tobacco is... good for something?

Last weekend we went to Ellijay (small mountain town where I lived for a couple years in high school). My BFF Jess went to Belize for a month for school so it was nice to have a get-together before she left. We had a good ol' time down on the farm with Jess's family and a bunch of friends. :)

The kids had a blast swinging and playing "Corn Hole," but Nolan experienced his first bee sting. He screamed like I have never heard him scream before and it was awful. My friend Jess said tobacco is what her grandpa used to put on her stings and we tried it, and guess what? ....worked like a charm.

Nolan almost immediately stopped crying and said it felt much better. Love those old country remedies :)

2. Where Did You Go?

I was pretty much MIA this week from the internets... whenever we have an event going on at Sailor Studio, we pretty much work 12 hour days for the whole week (yes, my mom, Britni, and I all have serious procrastination and attention issues...)

We pulled it together, worked from 6 am to 10 pm on Saturday and the Art Stroll at the studio and the Snellville Market were both a lot of fun! We sold all our extra inventory, so we are pretty much at square one with getting ready for the Yellow Daisy Festival... but I'm not complaining! :)

We grabbed a pic of this sweet woman at the market- she bought these earrings that matched her shirt perfectly!

My little brother even got in on the action and set up a table for his origami. He made his first sales! :)

(haha, what a goober)

3. Rockin the Bangs

BTW, did you notice my hair? I have not always been the biggest fan of bangs... but I was getting antsy about wanting to do something different with my hair.

So I cut some bangage... and I'm lovin it.

4. Checkin' the Tweets

Do you tweet? I don't tweet that often, but I do follow some people that crack me up, and reading other people's tweets are a fun past-time when you are bored (or waiting in a forever long line at the grocery store).

My twitter name is @alilstory.

Feel free to leave yours in the comments... (if you are into that sorta thing :)

5. I Might Be Crazy

So I explained my lack of cooking skills in this post...

Over the past few weeks, Goose and I have eaten chips and cheese dip or cereal for dinner more times than I can count... sad I know. After watching Julie and Julia (wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be)... I am inspired to try to cook at least one decent meal a week- and I am going to pick something I have never tried before.

Tonight is my first attempt at a delicious family meal... I have the ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan, a Caesar Salad and some kind of appetizer using artichokes... hopefully, I can take some pictures and let y'all know how it goes :)

Happy Monday!

I'm SO Excited!

2011-05-30T22:03:00.000-04:00

I am so excited and honored to have a post over at InCourage today. This is one of my favorite websites! All the writers over there are fantastic, and it quickly became a daily read for me...

My guest post will hopefully encourage someone who feels a little helpless today :)

Head over and check it out: "The News"

Happy Monday! I hope everyone has a fun, safe Memorial day remembering and celebrating our country's heroes :)

FF: For the Cooking- Impaired...

2011-05-27T01:24:00.001-04:00

Yeah, so we all know Lily does not cook.... like ever.

When Goose and I first got married we ate Hamburger Helper meals and macaroni and cheese almost every night. When I actually attempted to cook, I usually burned it to a crisp or under-cooked the meal and knowing how much Goose loves to eat, it is a wonder we ever made it through.

He was really sweet though, he always ate what I made... and only laughed occasionally :)

I would love to say how things have changed, and how I am now this amazing master chef who whips out home-made meals that would make the Pioneer Woman salivate.... but no.

Sadly, I am still a terrible cook... but on the upside, Goose has become a great cook! (more out of necessity than anything, but whateves) He makes from-scratch creamed spinach to die for and killer fajitas... oh and did I mention the guacamole?

cause seriously, if we don't have guacamole at least once a week we start getting withdrawals.

But anyway, back to the reason you are here.

My fantastic dessert recipe I am sharing for Kelly's Show Us your Life- Recipe Edition:

JelloWhippedCreamPineappleDeliciousness

...okay, okay we just call it "Orange Stuff"

This is the only dessert I know how to make from memory- and it isn't anything that complicated, but my mom always made it for big family dinners, and I guess it's just one of those things I will always love!

It is light and sweet, but won't make you feel like you have to go run a marathon to burn off the calories you consumed...

(photo credit)

* 1 medium container of cottage cheese(small curd)

* 1 regular. package of jello - orange (can use other flavors)

* 1 8 oz. tub of cool whip

* 1 can crushed pineapple bits (drained well)

(you can also use other fruits like mandarin oranges, but I love the pineapple!)

* Mix cottage Cheese and dry jello together. Fold in cool whip. Fold in fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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If you are ever going to a pot-luck dinner and need something in a rush, it's a perfect dish to bring!

4 ingredients, no cook time- my kind of recipe!!

Try other flavors too- we tried lemon recently and it was great for summer... these little guys loved it :)

don't you just love the "cheese" smiles ;)

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So my question for this week is... What is your favorite family dish that "Grandma" or "Mom" used to make?

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Friday Y'all!

MM: Worst Blogger Ever.

2011-05-24T17:00:00.000-04:00

1. One Year Down

Nolan and Ty graduated Pre-K on Friday. Cutest thing ever. (pay no attention to the kid in the back... ;)

Today was officially our first day of summer break, and we did nothing but veg out all over the house. I guess I should get some kind of routine going or the twin's little brains are going to be mush before they start kindergarten.

2. Haircut

Reese's hair was getting out of control so he got a new 'do.

3. What's New

I was so excited to get some new bracelets from my BFF Jess for Sailor Studio- She makes fabulous beaded wrap bracelets, and we add the enameled pendents. We uploaded some new summer stuff to our Etsy shop, and I am working on a new website through this website builder I found for small businesses.

We also made some fun Braves earrings.

I would love to make a pair for myself... but who knows if we will go to a game this year. For as much as Goose "loves" the Braves, we sure don't go and support them very often. I really enjoy going to the games, especially when we get good seats! (hint, hint husband)

4. BABIES

We got to hang out with Baby Sadie on Sunday. Nolan and Ty are surprisingly sweet to her...

Of course, Reese wanted nothing to do with her. I have a feeling if we have another kid, he might have some jealousy issues.

5. Worst Blogger Ever.

I have had a really hard time getting back into my (already spastic) routine since we got home from the beach. I feel like I need some kind of life organization manager to come help me get it together.

Then, maybe I could post something more than once a month. :)

silly boys.

HAPPY MONDAY!! :)

FF: Faced

2011-05-05T23:32:00.006-04:00

Kelly from Kelly's Korner is talking about favorite vacation spots today- how fitting ;)

Since I can't think of much else right now besides the cool ocean breeze and the steady drumbeat of waves upon the shore, I'll jump on board and tell y'all about my favorite spot: St. George Island, Florida.

I have been to beaches in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, and California... my favorite so far is St.George Island. It is so quiet and peaceful... not the place to go if you are looking for lots of crowds and night-life, but it is awesome for families looking to relax. There are a few small restaurants and a little market on the island, and you can ride bikes everywhere. I love it! :)

So of course, my simple question this week is,

What is your favorite beach vacation spot?

Happy Friday Everyone!!

MM: Beach Bum Edition

2011-05-02T23:00:00.000-04:00

1. TRAVEL

You can not even imagine the amount of stuff we fit into the armada for our family of five...

I always over-pack, yet somehow forget the most important things... like beach towels, or goose's swim shorts, or sunscreen. One day I am going to make a beach packing list and actually remember to use it.

2. VACATION= NO WORK

Vacation equals me not being an obsessed, neurotic workaholic and actually relaxing and enjoying time with my boys.

Okay, I lied, I actually brought some of our new wholesale catalogs down and will probably stop by some of the local gift shops... but that is it... promise.

3. LOVE AFFAIR

My long lost love of reading has finally been appeased... None of the heavy, heart-wrenching stuff I usually read.... Just meaningless, fun books that are pure entertainment.... my brain is taking a break this week!

I have a weak spot for Dean Koontz books, they are always so different- he's got a fantastic imagination.

4. OLD AND BUSTED

I must be getting old... I no longer have any desire to bake myself in the sun for 12 hours a day while at the beach. I am much more concerned about sun damage and how my skin is going to look in about 20 years. I tan easily, but still... I would much rather have a light summer glow and less wrinkles later than be rockin this look for the summer:

I don't go anywhere without my 30 SPF. :)

5. AN EXTRA GUEST

As you know, Tybo has 4 imaginary friends...
Mackey, Sweedy, Jason, and Lax have been part of the fam for about 2 years now.

Well, this past week, he added a 5th friend to his pretend posse.

Enter... "Kool-aid"

Yes, Koolaid is Ty's newest pal who he says, "makes him something to drink whenever he is thirsty."

and yes, Goose asked him if Koolaid is a giant purple glass pitcher that busts through the living room wall saying, "oh, yeahhhhhhhh".... Ty didn't get the reference. ;)

Happy Monday Y'all!!!

Epic Mom Fail

2011-04-22T02:41:00.002-04:00

So the boys had picture day again.

2 picture days = 2 times mom forgot about picture day.

We got lucky the first time, pictures turned out okay.

This time, Nolan was wearing a big sweatshirt,
but at least he is always good for a big cheesy grin:

Ty, on the other hand, must have felt like he was wasting time with this whole picture-taking thing. I feel bad for whoever took his picture having to deal with a look like this:

...and let's not even mention the uncombed hair and one-size-too-small-holes-in-both-knees jeans I dressed him in.

And then there is the classic class photo:

There is nothing more hilarious than listening to your two five year old sons point out each kid is in their class and talk about who is nice and who is mean and who gets in trouble all the time and who is the loudest and who is the prettiest... I am now up to date with all the latest Pre-K gossip.

It was hopefully a good little learning moment for them because I tried to reiterate the fact that we should be nice to everyone and be friends with everyone, even if they aren't always nice to us. I also had to tell Nolan that all the girls in his class are pretty!

He said, "Well Mom, they are just a little pretty. But Breille is REALLY pretty."

This little crush has been going on for quite some time now... Isn't he a little young to have crushes??

You should see the look on his face when he talks about her. That boy is trouble. ;)

So my question for the week is,

"At what age did you have your first crush?"

I am pretty sure I was 8. I had the biggest crush on one of the neighborhood boys: big blue eyes, Zach Morris hair-cut... it was early 90s love at first sight ;)

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Hope y'all have a great Friday
and Easter weekend :)

MM: Down and Dirty

2011-04-11T23:59:00.003-04:00

1. Down and Dirty

Mike Rowe should have been at my house this week because oh my word, was it d.i.r.t.y.

also, absolutelyincrediblygross.

The boys spent their entire spring break at home with a SERIOUS stomach bug...

For all you mamas out there with little babies... you think baby poop and spit up is bad, just wait until your "big kids" get sick.

and throw up everywhere... in the bed... in the car... in my lap.

(for those who live in the area, if you happen to have seen a crazy blond girl trying to drive with her head stickin out the window down '78 on Friday night... that was just me. Ty threw up all over the backseat on the way home.ga-ross.)

I think we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel... although goose just went to bed early saying he didn't feel good. Pray he doesn't get it too!

2. Find Your Match!

Goose and I have beautiful friends named Heather and Jonathan Cape. Long story short- Heather became pregnant with her first child and through her prenatal visits found out she had leukemia. She was able to continue the pregnancy and wait on treatment. She gave birth to an adorable little girl and is now in treatment for a very life-threatening disease. They are going through something most of us can't even imagine, and they are in our prayers daily! Heather writes a wonderful blog sharing her story and has been on news programs spreading the word about bethematch... Go check out her blog here :)

If you don't know what bethematch.org is, please go check it out and sign up to become a donor. Goose and I both did it. You simply sign up on their website, they send you a free kit in the mail, you swab your cheeks, and you send it back in. Then you are on the registry to potentially save. someone's. life.

3. QR Codes

Do you know what they are? Do you use them? Would you use them?

If you have a super fun fancy smart phone, scan this and see where it takes you!! (and let me know if it works...)

Also, click here to like Sailor Studio on Facebook and enter to win a little wearable art =)

4. Lastly, A Serious Question...

Are you ever to old for a bathroom photo montage??

I think not.

Happy Monday Y'all!!

Who am I? No More, No Less

2011-04-08T12:30:00.001-04:00

"The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium." ~Norbet Platt

Writing puts certain things into perspective for me. When I struggle with something, writing it out helps give me direction and always makes me feel a little more balanced.

After fasting and praying over the last week, I came to a realization about myself.

...and what I really want out of life.

We all have material dreams... wants and desires that stem from what we would like to accomplish in this life. I want to be a good wife and mother, I want Sailor Studio to succeed, I want to finish college next year.

But honestly, my true desire can not be spelled out in checklists and monetary amounts. It is not an award or diploma, and it is not a certain house or a wardrobe.

My dream is a person... or moreover, an identity.

A tangible change in myself.... a change that is taking place more and more each day because I am finally allowing my faith to mold me into something better than I am.

My joy is in the hope of miracles... and of a Savior who is so real and tangible that I can hear his voice and see His path without question.

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2 (NIV)

The person who questions everything, who is fearful of rejection and persecution... the person who just wants to "mind my own business" is fading away.

Because even though it might be "comfortable" to stay in my self-involved little bubble, never giving Him my all... I will also miss out on a joy and peace that only comes from living in the Spirit of the One who gave us life.

I'm not interested in more "religion," I want a life filled with purpose. I want to be able to pray with the power of a righteous man. I want to forgive and forget, to love with abandon, without requirement or expectation.

What I desire above all else is to love Him with all my heart and all my mind and all my soul.

I am far(far far far) away from perfect, but there is one thing I am sure of:

I am a daughter of the King.

...and because of that incredible gift, I can not be satisfied with giving Him anything less than my best.

¹¹ You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
¹² that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
LORD my God, I will praise you forever. Psalm 30:11-12(NIV)

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Happy Friday y'all =)

I love the lyrics to this song by Mercy Me...

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