2019! How is this real life?!

I am not kidding when I say this y’all…This has been the fastest year of my life without question. I tend to be a person who packs a lot of living into a year. This year I tried so intentionally to take things off my plate. I did only one show as opposed to the five I did the previous year. I made less new products and I even took the summer off work to be with my kiddos and yet I feel like 2018 was more overwhelming than ever. How does that happen?!

I know it is super cliché to do the whole new year, new you, goal setting thing…blah blah blah. However, that is what I am here to do. Just call me basic. Ha. Instead of a new you though, I think the reality is we are still who we are but we can work hard to be refined and better versions of the people we are. To me, there always seems to be a great deal of shame in this season. Looking at all the things we don't like about who we are and how we want to be better, while forgetting we are amazing humans with unique giftings and talents that don't have to be being skinny, eating gluten-free and saving a million dollars.

All that aside I do really enjoy the reflection over the past year and looking forward to the new. I will say however I nearly always rush the whole process. Like I do most other events in life (I am an enneagram 7) I get excited about the process and then I push through to get to the next thing or to start the goal instead of sitting in it. This year I am choosing to sit. I am resting in the uncomfortable in-between time, where I am looking both backward and forward, and choosing not to move.

That awkward week between Christmas and the New Year is where I am leaning into the discomfort of the unknown. I pile on the expectations and then come up with a solution so I feel like I am taking action. Since I am sitting in the weird in between I thought I would bring you along.

I plan to gather with a few close friends in the following weeks to share all the things. Our highs and lows of the year as well as what we have learned from them. Even if you are not able to gather with someone or a group I do hope these downloads are helpful to you in getting your thoughts out in the open.

There is one for reviewing 2018, looking forward, and picking a word, phrase or mantra for 2019.

If you do want to gather a group of friends...KEEP IT LOW KEY! This is not to add another expectation for you. You don't have to have a Pinterest worthy centerpiece, a full catered meal, or even printed papers for that matter.

Mine will be small! I plan to have drinks and honestly that is it at this point. I am sure everyone will be trying to be healthy so making a bunch of food that nobody will eat is a waste of time and energy.

For me, the goal of doing this with others is simply for accountability. I want strong, passionate friends to hear my goals and speak into them. To encourage or to tell me to bring it in and quit being so extra, which let’s be honest is a real possibility, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha!

We will spend time praying together, sharing about out highs and lows as well as ending the night with a fun little DIY project! I am making us all leather keychains that we will hand stamp with our words for the year!

I think it would be fun to write your word on mugs or even do a hand-lettered framed piece. So many fun options.

Of course, I have been praying over all my thoughts and will continue to pray over them. I deeply desire to be a person who is grounded, planned and has intention. This doesn’t come naturally for me since I am a huge extrovert with total FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), I want to dive into EVERYTHING. My husband even teased me that I would just use all my friend’s goals as soon as they shared them. Ha. He isn’t wrong. I love every idea I hear, which is why I am working ahead now to have a plan when we meet so I can share and listen and not be distracted.

Do you have your goals set? Do you pick a word each year or is that too restricting for you?

Regardless, Happy New Year and I do hope you look more forward to this year than any other.

Whether your goal is to lose 30 lbs., purge your home, save money, be kind to your husband, stop yelling, or to simplify your life...I hope you reach and even exceed every goal.

Please remember there is no shame in looking back and seeing how we can be better. There is no shame in wanting to be better. There is no shame in setting a goal. It does not mean you have failed, aren't worthy or that you aren't great at something else. Be proud of your strenghts and work hard to better them as well as your weaknesses. 

Hi friend! I have decided to start a new little series of posts over here. 

This world can tend to be pretty self-focused, at least mine is. Ha. Full disclosure. In the past few months, I have been trying to get creative with ways I can care for others. For me, I ended up thinking of my kiddos' teachers. I have a deep fondness for the hard work teachers put in each day. Not only do they teach our kids but they care for their little spirits, help them build confidence and tools for life but they also deal with crazy parents and hard family situations. 

Here in enters the little project I wanted to share with you.  Again it came from my desire to bless the teachers in my community. After I shared my idea with a few friends we decided to make a “Mom squad” for our school.  There are eight of us who are each assigned a grade or members of the administration. We rotate monthly and our only task is to take them some sort of treat the first week of the month.

It has ranged from homemade cookies, scones, and granola to dollar spot goodie bags and gift cards. It does not have to be fancy, detailed or extravagant. Just sincere. 

I have had so much fun the past few months already that I wanted to share with y’all some of what we were doing so you might be able to take it to your communities. 

I had the kindergarten teachers last month and made up these simple Starbucks cups and included a gift card. You, of course, would not even need to do the cups. You could simply print and tie them around gift cards. Done and done. 

If any of you are teachers I would love ideas for treats we could do in the future. I plan to share our future projects here so you will hopefully have several ideas leading up to the holidays that you could use. Of course, you don’t have to wait for Christmas. You can do it anytime. Random blessings are the best. Am I right?

Here is your free download! Enjoy sharing the love! 

Have a great week and bless someone around you. 

I am a mom of two little boys who both love creating and if yours is anything like our home your kids come home with 5 billion pieces of paper and or paper plates that they have cut, colored, glued and smashed. Of course, each one is a masterpiece to them and they just cannot wait for you to display their work all over your home! Let's be honest a fridge can only hold so much. 

Don’t get me wrong. I Ooh and Aah over each one and then I secretly sneak it into the trash after they have gone to bed and hope they don’t ask for that particular paper plate craft again. I kept up these game until I created a designated space just for all their work.

This space has been a game changer! I now hang any and all items they want up on the wall until it is too full and then I just slowly start pulling the “art” that is towards the back and throwing it away.

I came up with this concept when I wanted to have an advent calendar for the kiddos as well. So I strategically placed 24 hooks on three different boards. Super simple!

Y’all this is an easy-peasy weekend project that is a game changer for your home.

Supply list:

3 boards (size to fit your space. My boards are 6 feet long by 7 inches tall.)

Stain (I used Jacobean) You could totally paint too if you want them to blend in more with your wall or even pop with a bright color.

24 clips (I got a huge roll from Michaels on clearance)

option 1, option 2, 

Some kind of glue

A few random screws

Please keep in mind you can literally use and change any of these directions to make something that best fits your space.

I went and bought three boards knowing I wanted to fill a huge chunk of our hallway. I then used stain I already had to stain the sides and front of each board.

After they dry for 24 hours I measured out where I wanted each of the clips to be. Because I wanted 24 for my advent calendar that meant I needed eight on each board. If you don’t necessarily want it to be an advent calendar you could put as few or as many clips as you like.

I initially used hot glue to put each clip in place but they have slowly fallen off over time and I have since used gorilla glue to keep each clip in place. You could also run a little screw or nail through your clips depending on how they are shaped.

Lastly, I measured my wall space, centered the boards on the space I wanted them and then just drilled straight into the wall. Please keep in mind I don’t plan anything so I didn’t find studs or anchor them in any way. I am sure you perfectionist, math minds are screaming right now but it works for me. Imagine an ashamed face emoji here. Ha.  It has stayed fine in the wall. If you think your kids will pull on it find the studs but neither of my kids mess with the boards at all. They literally come home and either hang their creations themselves or ask me to put their artwork up for them.

There you have it! For 11 months out of the year these boards are bursting with paintings, plates, glitter, and crayons and then in December I put it all of that in the trash, ha, or save some of their favorites for next year.

I got my advent bags at the dollar spot two years ago but there are some other great options online. You can determine the size you need. We do very small items, candy, and letters so mine didn’t need to be big at all. This year I actually did more notes than anything so I could have gone even smaller on the bags. Another change we made this year is that I actually had the boys open the last bag on Christmas morning and it had the baby Jesus that goes in our nativity set. So we started the day by putting Jesus in the manger and talking about His birth. It was a very sweet time that I look forward to next year.

I know twenty years from now I will miss all the many many children’s crafts that line these walls, my floor and countertops but for now I keep them as contained as possible so that I am truly able to enjoy them rather than loathing when they walk in the door with yet another ten pieces of paper with one line of marker on each, claiming that they are of course all their favorites and said line on the paper is actually a beautiful drawing of our family. 

If you don't have a space this large but still want a way to display your child's artwork I have a few other options in the shop. They are found here and here. They are great alone or even as a part of a gallery wall. I am happy to customize with a name or quote as well. 

Do you store and keep your kids art in any special way?

Oh My Gosh! Y'all, if you need me I will be sitting here sitting on the floor staring at my new buffalo print wall!

So if you follow along on Instagram you probably remember my post about Jillian Harris and Janna Allbritton. They both featured a buffalo plaid wall and y'all...my heart filled to bursting! I love all things that include mixing patterns (I mean I wear stripes, polka dots and leopard all in one outfit!) and if it includes buffalo plaid all the better! 

I waited a bit to pull the trigger but I wish I had done it weeks ago. It took me approximately five minutes to unbox, move the furniture and get to hanging. Ha. My seven year old snapped this quick photo. It was done so quick I am glad to have one in process picture. 

You all need to do this! It is around $30 for the roll and it is removable if you decide against it. That was my main selling feature. I loathe removing wallpaper so knowing that I can easily just pull it off was just another reason I couldn't wait to get this in the mail and hung! 

You may not know this about me but I am not a girl who never measures or overthinks much when it comes to decorating. I literally just dive in! In total this whole project took me ten minutes! I am not even kidding!

For the bottom cuts and even around the outlet I used a normal old steak knife to cut the length and did a total hack job around the outlet but it was covered by the outlet cover. There you have it! Easy Peasy! That isn't a word, I don't think, but you get the point. 

it was so fast and turned out better than I thought. Target also has black and cream wallpaper, so if grey isn't your jam, no problem!

I plan to put it in my laundry room as well?

Where would you want to put it in your house? 

BEFORE...(sorry, only shot I can find)

And AFTER...yes, please! I plan to paint a sign to fit perfectly above the shelf space as well. What quote do you think I should paint?

Holy Mother! I love being a working Mom! So so so very much! It is my favorite! Being able to do something I love and care for my kiddos equals living my best life but Y'all...mom guilt stinks! 

I am traveling this week and it is going to be the best time ever. I cannot wait to get on that plane, kid free with a HOT coffee and a People magazine but getting to the flight feels like all of the Lord of the Rings trilogy in a single morning. I don't think Frodo had near the pressure I do on a morning that I am trying to finish all the things to perfection and get out the door. 

My list is a mile long and all I want to do is sit and hold my kids while I read them a book that will, of course, make them brilliantly smart, kind, and perfectly well behaved. Ha. 

I actually started giggling thinking about when my hubby travels. His only thing to check on..."Hey Abby, are all my clothes clean?"

Literally, he packs his bag, gives kisses and hugs and is out the door. Hear me very clearly! My hubs is the best! He is a great dad, amazing husband, very helpful and very competent. But dudes just don't get what all we women do! 

As I fought tear after tear after tear this morning I actually texted my girlfriends and asked for prayer. My list kept getting put off because I couldn't stop crying. I felt guilt over leaving, guilt over having to get others to pick my kids up from school, guilt for not having the dishes all done and put away, guilt for my youngest having a runny nose and guilt for asking my husband to man the fort while I was gone for three days! Three days Y'all! Three stinking days. It is not like I am leaving for a month or even a full week. 

I am just sharing this to encourage any others out there today or next week or next year who read this and need to know they aren't crazy. We all experience it and it is ok. We are normal for wanting to follow God's call to be a great mom as well as a great working woman!

I am leaving my home pretty clean, a fridge stocked with a week full of food so my family is fed, medicine to care for my sick kid and a note on my husband's pillow thanking him for being so supportive of this working life I love!

We can do hard and wonderful things ladies! Let's go love those around us today. Looking forward to what we are going to and not guilty over what we are leaving behind because my kids will be fine. My house will be fine. Hy husband will be fine and my business will be fine when I come back. 

So if you need me in the next few days, I will be fighting back tears, drinking my coffee, reading my magazine and enjoying being away for work but also looking forward to coming back home to this life I love.