Eighty-Three Percent

"The home is eighty-three percent of your child's world, and you have only one opportunity to make it of maximum benefit."

-Dr. Howard Hendricks

That quote, offered during this year's Mother's Day sermon, is looming at the front of my mind as I type this post up. Gina asked me to share my thoughts on balancing blogging and mothering young children last month, and I thought I'd repost it here in case you missed it....But first I have a little confession.

I'm not a perfect blogger, and I'm certainly not a perfect mother. Most of the time, my floors look like this:

Clearly, I can't boast a home worthy of a feature on Apartment Therapy. And I don't have thousands of Followers clamoring daily to leave comments on my posts. But I have had some experience in juggling the daily demands of being a stay-at-home mom and struggling with the desire to express myself and grow my blog.

For me, my blog started as a chance to talk about something other than sippy cups, Disney princesses, and the potty. I finally had a place to share some of my creative endeavors, air my thoughts on fashion and TV, and even to vent some of the frustration that comes with staying home with two small children every day.

Blogging is slightly addicting. I have totally been the mom who put all the frozen groceries away and left the rest on the counters so I could check my email to see if anyone left a comment on a post that I spent a lot of time on. I let my girls watch a cartoon so I could finish up a certain guest post. Ahem.

You've probably realized that Blogland exists by the notion of Quid Pro Quo. You have to do some visiting, linking, and commenting to grow your blog...unless you're some sort of blogging star whose material is so good that it exists on its own. If you know of a blog like that, please let me know. The point is that getting your blog out there does take time and effort.

I suppose my best advice would be everything in moderation.

Try to set up a blogging schedule that works for your family.

• Early Bird: Can you wake up early enough to check a few emails and read a few of your favorite blogs before your kids are up? I've found this is also a great time for my Bible study.
• Quiet Time: Are you a believer in Quiet Time? This is a must for our family. My girls need the rest (even if my four year old just plays quietly in her room), and I have another chance to respond to comments, work on a new blog post, and catch up on any chores I can't get done while the kids are out and about.
• Night Owl: We have a set bedtime in our house, and it's just as much for my benefit as it is for my kids. Once the Kitchen sink is clear, I can sink into a sort of stupor for a bit. If my husband is not at work, I'd like to make a goal of spending more time with him, even if it means reading a book while he watches The Discovery Channel. If you're a Night Owl, this might be a good time for you to blog, leave comments, or check out some blog parties. 
• Pull the Plug: Know when enough is enough. I am learning to shut my laptop when my girls are awake. This way, I can't be tempted to refresh my email account every hour or be lured into the temptation of reading just. one. more. blog. We spend more time together reading, playing, and sometimes cleaning up. 

If you are beginning to feel overwhelmed with writing new posts, replying to comments, and linking to blog parties, that might be your signal to take your own Time Out. I am so appreciative of the wonderful faces I see in my "Followers" section, but I also know those readers understand that I won't have anything to blog about if I'm not out in the *Real World* experiencing life.

The pressure to "make it big" in blogging is so prevalent, especially with the influx of new blogs, Sponsors, the 4757563 blog parties out there, and the desire so many of us moms have to please everyone.

Your computer will still be there at the end of the day (unless your toddler spills milk on the keyboard). The comments left on your latest post aren't going anywhere. Your blog can wait around for you to finish up that post in your drafts file.

Our little ones won't always want us to play Barbies with them, or walk down the street to the park, or help water the flowers in the back yard. Let's make our "one opportunity" count and make sure the kids remember us as moms who invested time in them. 

In the light of eternity, it won't matter if I had 500 Followers or 5000, but what will matter is what I did with that "Eighty-Three Percent."

I'll take a little breather after a long morning at VBS, and then Natalie and I are going on a date to see Toy Story 3 this afternoon. Michaela Byrd gets to stay home and play with T. My four year old is really looking forward to having one-on-one time with me, and I'm excited to spend time with her.

{What are some special things you do with family members to let them know you care?}

The Older Man

My girlies are pretty friendly, and they can find a playmate or two just about anywhere we go.

As a reward for good behavior during the first day of VBS, I took them to the pool after naptime yesterday. Michaela Byrd was a little wary when we strolled through the gates and she spotted "E" splashing around.

E is an adorable, round, little red head who's actually Natalie's age, but he apparently has a thing for younger women.

He fell in love with Michaela Byrd last summer on the steps of the big pool and had a hard time getting through his swimming lessons because he wanted to tickle her, hand her copious amounts of toys, and follow her around. Michaela Byrd found E's attention a bit overwhelming and spent a lot of her summer running away from E as the lifeguard blew his whistle at her to stop running. I think she plays hard to get.

It seems that the passing of three seasons didn't wane E's feelings for my younger daughter. He did his best to show his affection for his long-lost love by doing what any normal 4 year old boy would do...he followed us around the pool, took her Barbie and threw it in the water, asked her a million questions, and "helped" her jump to me off the side of the pool by giving her a little gentle shove.

I wanted to ask his mother if maybe she thought it was E's dinnertime yet.

Her older sister took the whole situation in stride, but she has her own string of little boyfriends.

I don't know what the summer holds for Michaela Byrd and E, but I imagine it will include a lot of splashing, some screeching, and maybe a few dirty looks from me to E's mother.

But can you blame him? Who can resist those ruffles?

*Stay tuned for a fabulous Giveaway from one9designs later this week!*

I Was Framed

I'm working VBS (Vacation Bible School) at church this week, serving Kool-Aid and snacks to surly 4th-6th graders. I planned a quick post today to link up with some bloggy friends....

The topic for this week's party over at The CSI Project is "Frames, Art, and Wall Decor."

I've shared before that my favorite things to display in my home are family photos, whether they are recent snapshot sessions or old family heirloom portraits.

I don't think I've shown you the wall that runs next to the staircase. Don't you love the popcorn ceiling?!

I mixed some shabby-ish white ceiling tiles with framed photos.

Yep, it's kinda scratched up and dented a bit...I like it like that!

I alternated the ceiling tiles with framed photos that cover several different generations of family:

Natalie saw me taking a picture of that last one and asked me, "Who is that young person up there?"

She was pointing to a picture of me circa 1997. Great. I must look like I have one foot in the grave to her.

And who says you can only frame photos?

My made-over memo board holds all sorts of mementos: a ticket from Girls' Night at the SYTYCD performance, a Metro card and Tiffany bag from my fabulous annual I {Heart} New York trip, the rad invite from my Totally 80s Birthday Party, and a bunch of stuff that I find inspiring or pretty.

So there you have it...just another look at a few of my walls. I'm hoping to have something new in the kitchen to show you soon!

{Do you have any framed photos or mementos that mean a lot to you?}

*Special thanks to today's Sponsor, The Shabby Chic Cottage.

Thrifty Treasures: Dollar Spot Deals!

I've been meaning to share a few of my recent Target Dollar Spot acquisitions with you, but time got the best of me. Our area Targets still have most, if not all, of these awesome $1 items.

The Dollar Spot is always my first stop when we go to Target. Occasionally, I'll visit my friends at the Starbucks counter first, but it's a very rare occurrence for coffee to win out over amazing deals.

Right now, Target boasts a whole shelf of adorable gift wrap, cards, and gift bags. I brought home several cupcake gift bags and matching cards for some of the 362 parties my girls will be invited to this year. I also grabbed a few rolls of super-cute wrapping paper.

Don't you love the damask-looking print?

I knew my girls would flip if we could have a family night to make S'Mores on T's firepit. The roasting sticks from Target are telescoping, which I think is pretty cool!

The Dollar Spot also featured some cute water rings for kids who like to dive. Natalie prefers to keep her face out of the water, but I bet I might convince her to do some water recon. work with these rings.

If you think a couple of Barbies and a fish toy would be enough to occupy two small children at our neighborhood pool, you'd be wrong. Natalie and Michaela Byrd normally tire of our toy collection after awhile and then go trolling for other kids' stuff. We can sometimes arrange a swap, but I guess it's better to be prepared, like the Boy Scouts. Hopefully those rings will keep them busy for 5 or 2 minutes. And hopefully we won't have to use any of the bandages in the little $1 first aid kit, but I'll have them handy in my bag nonetheless.

Am I alone in my love for the Target Dollar Spot? Have you come across any amazing finds there lately?

Happy Father's Day to all the daddies out there! Any big plans for today? I just snuck out to buy T a few Boston Creme-filled donuts...I guess it couldn't hurt that I got a mocha for me.

Enjoy the last bit of weekend!

Linking to Rhoda's Thrifty Treasures party this week.

::Weekend Bloggy Reading::

Happy almost weekend! Any big plans for Father's Day?

I have some great links to share with you today, but I hope you'll oblige me and let me know whether or not you'd like to me to continue with these Weekend Bloggy Reading posts. I have fun putting them together because I sometimes get to share blogs that might be new to many readers, and it also gives you an idea of what I love. I don't get many comments on these posts, but those of you who do stop by to "chat" with me seem to enjoy checking these links out. I'd love your input!

~Beth put together a Beach Snack Picnic Buffet and proved that you don't have to spend a ton of money to impress your kids.

~TV trays + Makeover = Fabulous

~Must. make. Cheryl's. Lemonade Pie.

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~Sarah shared some specific ways that you can receive some Comment Love for your blog. If you're a new blogger, this is a must-read!

~Paula showed her readers how to make a Ribbon Headband.

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~Ashley showed us her Homemaking Card System. Genius!

~Stumbled across this cute project as I was returning comments this week. Check out this sweet Photo Tile Project.

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Not much going on here this weekend. Have to come up with something delicious for Father's Day, probably some time at the pool, and need to work on a long-procrastinated crafty project. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

What We Wore: Charming Charlie Score!

I told you all about The Big Fat Texas Wedding on Monday, but Kathlyn was observant enough to notice that I didn't post a photo of myself. There are many reasons, one of them being that I just don't like having my picture taken lately. But I figure that one photo, carefully cropped (and unfortunately NOT Photoshopped because I don't have Photoshop) couldn't hurt.

Before I share that with you, I thought I'd tell you about what I ended up wearing for the wedding. I found everything except the jewelry and bag in my own closet!

I don't think you can ever go wrong with a little black dress, especially for a more formal wedding...and so I settled on the dress I wore in my brother-in-law's wedding in 2008. I was pleasantly surprised that I still fit in it without having to purchase any "scary knickers," as Bridget Jones would say. I also had a sheer black wrap from a cruise a few years ago, and some cute yet delicate looking Sam and Libby peep- toe slingback heels.

On to accessories, my favorite part....

My mom and I spent a very long two hours in our local Charming Charlie shop. I love shopping, and I love CC, but shopping with my mom can be somewhat of an ordeal. She can take ages to hem and haw over choosing an item and then ends up not buying it.

If you're not familiar with Charming Charlie (I am not in any way affiliated with them or being compensated for this review, I just like the store!), it's a really cool shop that carries fashion accessories that are all organized by color!

I am a fairly quick and decisive shopper. I knew within a few minutes that some lovely canary yellow pieces would be coming home with me.

With head to toe black and dark hair, I knew that some pops of yellow would be really pretty.

My mom, on the other hand, wandered around the store like a lost street urchin for the better part of an hour. After some advice, pleading, and bullying, I convinced her that she needed to step outside of her comfort zone and try something new and trendy. I wasn't expecting her to go to Texas looking like one of those older moms who tries (and fails) to pass for a twenty-something. I just wanted to expand her horizons a little bit.

I badgered her until she gave in and purchased an appropriately sparkly necklace, earrings, and bracelet to wear to the bridal luncheon I wrote about. Here she is, second from the left:

You can't see the bracelet because I cropped the picture (bleh), but also because she refused to wear it. I guess a leopard can't change her spots, huh?

At any rate, CC is a fabulously fun store to wander through if you have some free time. I tried once with the girls, and it was like taking a couple of raccoons in there. Raccoons who are drawn to irresistibly adorable and afforable jewelry. Big mistake. I visit CC by myself now!

As I said before, everything is laid out by color, and the pieces won't make your wallet cry!

(That's $12.97 for a necklace and earrings!)

A word to the wise, this stuff is priced low because it is just stuff. Certainly not a store to shop for heirloom jewelry, or even really jewelry you'd wear beyond a season or two. But if you're in a pinch for something fun, colorful, and affordable...and you can't wait for something to ship to you, Charming Charlie might just do the trick!

With The Frizz a very real threat, I opted for a low side ponytail, and tied it back with an elastic that had a black rose flower thingie on it. Not bad....and my new yellow clutch looked fab with all the "diamonds" on our table during the wedding reception:

It turned out that SuSu (my sister-in-law) also hit the CC. Don't you love her headband? Simple, but chic!

{Do you have a favorite spot to shop for accessories?}

The "Cement Pond"

Summer hasn't really arrived in The 'Burg until the "ce-ment pond" (as The Beverly Hillbillies would say) is open.

The girls wasted no time turning the calm, pristine waters of the baby pool

into a swirling whirlpool of chaotic joy.

The shrieks of happiness and splashing distracted from Michaela Byrd's bathing suit malfunction.

Even Barbie relaxed and enjoyed herself.

I'd rather be cooling myself off in the big pool or reading a magazine in a lounge chair, but it is pretty amusing to watch those two frolic.

{What do you look forward to in the summer months?}

*Special thanks to today's sponsor, RJ Charms.