Snow Days and Other Shenanigans

Friday we woke up to snow! There is just something about that first snow. Expecially down south.
Seeing everything covered in a blanket of fresh snow!!
 It is so pure and beautiful. It is simply amazing how it brings out the kid in everyone.

Unfortunately, it did not take long to start melting away.
But we sure enjoyed playing in it with our little feller.
And He enjoyed driving in it with his Gator.
 It is just the simple things of life that bring us the greatest joy!

God is so Majestic and Wonderful to give us the splendor  of His amazing handy work. A beautiful master piece that we call a winter wonder land.
I am so humbled that He loves us so much and He allows us to enjoy life.

We had such a fun family day. We did not go anywhere. We just took advantage of a cozy lazy day

Saturday my hubby went hunting, so me and the little man just entertained ourselves around the house. Nothing cuter than a 2 year old playing 

Peek-a-Boo 

 He is getting pretty good at the hiding game too.
Today when I told him to clean up his room... he turned, ran and hid from me!!!!...how cute is that!!
Oh the joys of motherhood. You just have to laugh.

Also, this weekend we had a photo shoot for our Real estate company. We took it at the University's baseball stadium. Thankfully it was a beautiful sunny day. We asked Lee's sister to come and help out with Arlee and then do lunch after. 

The photo shoot was a little longer than we expected but I did get one of the family while we were there!

Then we headed off to a Japanese Restaurant.

It was Arlee's first time and it was precious!

His face lit up as bright as the flame on the grill and his eyes got as big as saucers.

The entire table got a kick out of his reaction.

Lee and I get more joy out of watching Arlee experiencing something for the first time.

We had a wonderful long weekend. Love our family time and so blessed to call them mine!

The Battle of being Balanced...in my house!!!

So, funny story......

I was recently told by a lady in Walmart how she could never be a stay at home mom.
She said she would get bored to death.
She mentioned that you could only clean your house so much and then what!!
What do you do then???

I giggled, not really knowing how to respond and told her to have a wonderful day. 
Then I walked off thinking.....

1. I am never bored

2. I can not clean my house enough, I have a 2 yr old

3. She must not have had kids...lol

There are days I feel like I am just going in a circle,  picking up one mess after another. 
I like a clean house. 
I want everything in its place,  and I want it to stay there!!!

But that is not realistic  with a very, very active 2 year old. I want my son to enjoy his home.  I want him to  feel free to live in it.  Make messes and create utter chaos, play airplanes and cars. Dump out his toys in every room and make it look as if a Tornado just hit smack in the center of our home..well, part of me does!!!!

Yes,  part of me enjoys watching him play and be creative.  Part of me can chill out and join right in his little imaginary fort that he made out of every pillow from my couch. Part of me can let loose and says "isn't this fun"?!?!.....but it's the other part of me that's screaming Agh!!!!!!..."I just cleaned this house"
It's the other part of me that sees all the creative messes as total destruction to all of my  hard work. The messes just  seem to mess with my head. My neat and tidy universe has become cluttered and chaotic!!

It's in these moments,  that I have had to battle being balanced in my home. I have had to learn what works for us. Figure out what helps me keep my sanity and allow Arlee the freedom to enjoy his home.
I know I like a clean house. That will never change. I can not function in clutter. I do not judge others that can and do!!!!...it's just me and my environment.
My husband also needs a clean home.  It would drive him loony if he came home to a house that had been over-taken by Toys-R-Us.

Arlee needs to be a child. He wants to play wherever I am.  So toys end up in the living room,  dining room,  office and my bedroom.

So this is how I manage my organized chaos.
While Arlee is up and playing,  I let him play.
I let him play hard!!!!
But if I notice he has made a mess in one room and he is no longer playing with that mess,  we stop and clean up that mess.
I am trying to teach him once he is done playing with something, put it up or clean it up before moving on to the next thing.
He is getting pretty good at "ceen up" (as he calls it!!)

When it's time to get him ready for nap,  we clean up and put all of his toys where they belong.
We clean his room and then he goes down for nap.
When he gets up,  it's play time (destruction time) again.  And I let him at it!!!!
Right before my hubby gets home,  we do a quick clean up and I usually put on a cartoon for Arlee to watch.  That way the Hubs can come home to a clean home.  That is important to him.
And then soon enough,  the Tornado hits again....Lee is usually right in the middle of this one!!
He loves playing with Arlee. He is a good daddy!!
And before he goes to bed we clean up again.
He knows where his toys go and how they are organized.
Kids are smart!
It is up to us to teach them and train them.
We made it into  a game when we clean and we sing a "ceen up" song. I think he enjoys it just as much as making a mess.

So this has helped me to be a little more balanced.
 It has taken me a little while to get here.
 And I have had to learn to chill.
We have a clean home,  a happy home but definitely a lived in home!!!!

I would not change these sweet messes and clutter for anything in the world!!!!!

The Battle of being Balanced

Since I had my little munkin, I have had to relearn the word balance.
Trying to adjust to new priorities and schedules.
 Figuring out a plan as a stay at home mommy.
Maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
Serving the Lord in my personal daily walk and in my church ministries.

Teaching piano lessons from home and in town at a studio.
Keeping the house clean and trying to take care of me!!!

It's a battle to be balanced.

When I first had my little pumpkin, I found myself struggling with the purpose of getting dressed and ready for the day.
Those first few days were so hard.
I stayed in my pjs and made it a goal to just brush my teeth.
I was in survival mode people.
It was a huge accomplishment if I got to fix my hair let alone wash my hair.
And I didn't even think of deoterant or nice smelling lotions. I'm pretty sure I was rocking the smells of baby spit up mixed with baby lotion....yuck!
But, I felt like I didn't have time to take care of myself, cause I was putting all my energy into taking care of my baby.
After a few weeks and a little more sleep, I would make it a point to try and wash my face, brush my teeth and tame my nappy hair, or at least by the time my hubby came home...but there were no promises!!
Besides, it was just me and the baby.
ALONE.
All day.
I felt like it didn't matter.
The reality was, I felt like nothing mattered except the baby.
Not even me!!

Now, 2 years later I look back at some of the things I have learned about myself.

I have always been that  person that as soon as I get home, I change out of my clothes and put on my pjs.
Being comfy is just my preference.

When I worked full time, I loved getting dressed up and picking out my clothes. Putting outfits together and dressing professional was a passion.
I love Fashion but I love my comfy clothes more.
As soon as my feet entered my home, I was out of the dressy clothes and into my pjs!

That was fine when I had a full time job OUTSIDE of my home. But now that I stay home most of the day, I can't just stay in my pjs ALL DAY!!

Why?? You ask.
Well I am the type of person who struggles for finding purpose. Even though I am chasing my "purpose" around all day and cleaning up after my "purpose" and all of his little messes  and teaching and training my little "purpose" throughout the day  I still want to feel good and happy in my own skin. There is just something about getting dressed and ready that makes me feel happy and good.
Getting out of my pjs makes me feel like I have a purupse.
Then when I feel like I have a purpose, I feel like I need to have a plan to make the most of my day. Pl
I notice when I stay in my pjs I don't fix my hair, I don't bother with make-up and I just feel a little down and bummy.
I am not as productive during the day and I tend to be a little more lazy.
I don't want to take Arlee outside to play, cause um hello, I'm in my pjs!!
I don't feel like preparing healthy meals or exercising.
I just don't feel like putting together a plan for my day. Then at the end of the day I feel like I had no purpose!
But on the opposite end of the spectrum, I find it hard to get all  dressed up, roll my hair and do my full make-up routine. Putting on all my jewelry would just be silly!
I'm not going to  want to play on the floor or outside and get my clothes messy.
Ever heard the saying "All dressed up with no place to go"....yeah, not gonna happen.
It's just not practical.

So, I had to find a balance.
Just getting out of my pjs and getting into nice clean, fresh, comfy clothes is always my first step.
It is what I need to help me take the next step.
I do not spend hours grooming, but just enough to help me feel good.
Brushing my teeth and my hair works wonders.
I do a little eye make up (simply because it is what makes me feel better) and I'm done.

I have my quiet time and then I make a list of my goals for the day so i have a plan and purpose and off I go.
I have found that for me, I'm more productive when I feel good about myself.
And I feel good about myself when I take the time to take care of myself.

So for all of us stay at home mommies, there us nothing wrong with us wanting y I feel good about ourselves.
We may not be dressed up in the professional attire that most ladies around us are.
But we can have pride in ourselves and in our profession.
We can have purpose and the find balance that we need!

I believe we need to be balanced:
Spiritually
Physically
Emotionally
Financially
 But for today let's just focus on ourselves and taking good care of us!!!

Here are a few examples of my mommy's style!
I like to dress in a style that is comfy and appropriate for chasing around a toddler and cleaning house. But a style that  does not take much to transform it to be appropriate to wear for running errands or teaching piano.

So, my mommy style at home...

  

Then to transform it for piano

Add a jewelry and booties and ready to go....

Mommy style for home...

Then my running around style

 Add a scarf and some boots and okie dokie...

 My mommy style at home.....

Then to dress it up a bit

 Add jewelry and change my shoes and I've gone from "Around the House to "Around the Town"...

                         My comfy mommy style!

 Most days you will find me in leggings and a tunic. It is the balance I have found that works well  for me.  Its somewhere between my Sunday best and my pjs!!!! But I feel happy and good....because being balanced can be a battle!!

Gates Family Christmas 2015

My husband's aunt now host Christmas at her house. She is Nana to my son and the twins.  This year we bought just for the kids. If was fun watching them open thier gifts. Arlee has  really gotten the hang of opening presents  and he enjoys tearing into the wrapping paper. The twins get more enjoyment from the sound the paper makes! They had us all entertained and laughing.
Oh the joy that little ones bring!

Arlee made Nana a footprint ornament...she loved it!

                The girls famous game of Spoons!!

 Before we broke the table. ..on our practice round!

Oh we have so much fun! 

This is a picture of all the cousins...it's growing 

every year

                             Our 2 engaged girls!!!

 Yep, Lee's sister, Jessica was Surprised on Christmas Eve by an engagement! ....we are sooo excited!!!

Another wonderful Christmas has come and gone.  Our next family adventure will be the twins 

1 year bday party!!!!

Hill Christmas 2015

Well the last Christmas celebration has finally come to wraps..... no pun intended!!!! My family came in for a quick weekend trip.  We had a nice but fast time together.  My sister and her husband were unable to make it.  It seems like it is just impossible to get all of us together.

The girls and I stayed up to wait for the Grandparents to make it in.  Since it was New Year's Eve we brought 2016 in with a picture!!!..of course.

We watched TV and then the little man decided to wake up and wait for Grandma and Pawpaw as well!!

We were up till 2:30 am waiting and waiting. 

Finally, they arrived.  We quickly did hugs and hellos and switched them to  goodnights and to bed we all went. 

We all slept in the next morning.

We did our Christmas that morning! 

 Arlee liked the bubble wrap as much as his presents!

My mom brought a game that was so much fun. It was a huge ball of sticky plastic wrap. It was loaded with gifts and candy wrapped up in foil. You play it like musical chairs. You unwrap as much as you can while the music is going.  You keep the gifts you pull out. But the twist is you do all of this with gloves on. It was so much fun!!!

We all enjoyed it. 

Kaylan was the big winner of the $20 prize. 

I think this will become an annual game! 

The rest of the day was pretty lazy. We did get dressed and do a little shopping...lol

Then the guys watched football so the girls curled up on the bed and watched a movie! 

Our time together was short but fun!

I wish I had taken more pictures but honestly we spent most of our time in pjs, snacking and watching movies. All of our favorite things!!!!

Frugal Fashion

Frugal Fashion.
I know it seems like an oxymoron.
A complete condradiction.
It seems like something that only exist in Fairy Tale Land!!!

If you know me,  you know I love Fashion.
I love all things Fashion!!!
I love clothes,  shoes,  purses, scarves, jewelry and all the sparkly  accessories that go with it!!!

But when you live on a budget you can not walk into a Department Store or in a Boutique and buy right off the racks.
There is just no way.
So how can a person love Fashion and still afford it?

Here are a few guidelines I set up for myself way back in my college days. These "rules for shopping" have helped me for years!
I hope they can be a blessing to you as well.

1. Never pay full price for an item.
 
To help myself follow this rule I pass up all of  the  racks and go  straight to the clearance racks.
I know I will fall madly in love with something that is way too expensive. And I can find a way to justify my need for it!!
But no matter how much I may justify, no sweater is  worth going broke over.
I know that is not today's philosophy.
But it us mine....
So, for me not to enter temptation, I walk right passed those high dollar racks.
I don't look and I don't peek.
It will simply hurt my feelings.

The best deal I  ever found was a $150 dress that was marked down to $49. That price had been marked out and the new price of $29 was written in its place.  I noticed it was on a 60% off rack. And that day they were offering an additional 25% off.
Hummmm....85% off $29.00!!
I did the math and liked the number.
When I got to the register I was shocked by the number the lady told me.
She started giggling when I asked her to repeat the total. Just in case I had misunderstood her.
$.99 as in .99 cents! What!!! Not even Goodwill could offer this kind of a deal!!!
I used the dress for our family pictures this year.

$.99 dress from Belk and $4.00 brand new shoes from Goodwill. Not too shabby!!!

2. Shop out of Season.

This is my biggest bargain tool!
You can find the lowest prices this way.
I love shopping out of season.
Finding a $2 sweater or a $5 coat in the middle of Summer may sound funny but to me it's like finding gold.
Right now, winter clothes are being marked down really low because the stores are bringing out their Spring Fashions.
Even I'd a new style is introduced, I wait till it is on sale.

3. Don't be afraid Goodwill!!

A huge percent of my clothes come from Goodwill.
Before there was Pinterest, I would look at Department Store magazines at the latest Fashions, then I would go to Goodwill and try to re-create it the best I could.
Now we have Pinterest, Fashion Blogs and Instagram to help with that.
Goodwill is my Happy Place!

This is the year of the Puffy Vest.
I found this little red beauty at Goodwill.

Before I wore it I decided to checkout Pinterest to study several ways to style it. I was going for rustic and causal. This was my favorite.

4. Learn to shop in your own closet!

When we did our family Christmas pictures. I got my inspiration from Pinterest. Then instead of buying anything, I went to my closet. I had to get creative but I think I did pretty good!

I had bought this shirt a few years back. I did not have a white tulle skirt so I used a dress. I folded my shirt up and covered it up with a belt.
My goal was not to  buy anything for this photo shoot.
I simply shopped in my own closet and thought outside the box.

5. Pray before you shop!

God promises to supply our needs.
So, if I have a need for a particular item, I pray that God will help me find it and for a good price.
If I don't find it, I know He wants to supply it another way.
He has never failed.



6. Don't spend what you don't have.


It's that simple.
I don't always like it but if I don't have money for clothes even if it's a great deal, I DON'T BUY IT.
I do not own a credit card.
I do not use Department Stores credit cards.
I want to honor God with my finances and my fashion.
But if I drain my account just to dress cute, I will ruin my marriage.
So, budget.
Learn to shop frugal.
And learn when to say no.

I hope this has been a blessing.
Remember, God wants us to enjoy life, and enjoy beauty.
However, we do not have to break the bank to accomplish that!!