Project 365...Week 4

{January 22}

Lil man loves his doughnut holes from Shipley's!

{January 23}

He was "makin' me somefin' in the bath!"  Look at that concentration!

{January 24}

Pop Pops was babysitting while I went to Bible Study, & took the kid to Slim Chickens & Target to get a Buzz "like" year to go with his Woody!  

{January 25}

We now have a new snuggle buddy to had to our bunch!

{January 26}

No words are needed.  Every woman in American can't wait to go see this.  Period.  

{January 27}

I got the sweetest & most thoughtful little gift from Brittney!  She also wrote me the sweetest, most encouraging little note ever!  I just thought it was so thoughtful of her to buy me this ornament that made her think of me ;) & take the time out of her busy life to send it to me!  Definitely a highlight!  Thanks Brittney!!

{January 28}

Snuggles before bed!  He is such a sweet boy to his mama before bed time!

Rhea Lana's

Are you familiar with Rhea Lana's?!  If not, you're in for a treat today!  I'm going to tell you a little bit about the nation's premier children's consignment event & how YOU can make a little {or ALOT} of extra money for you & your family, as well as getting rid of all your children's clothes that don't fit any more, & all those toys they have seem to have out grown!

Rhea Lana's makes its way to my town, 2 times a year.  Once for Spring/Summer stuff & once for Fall/Winter.  Each time when it's ready for the season & Ryder's wardrobe to change, I get a rubbermaid tub & fill it up with all of Ryder's clothes that don't fit him any more & am willing to get rid of.  I keep it in his closet, just in case I find more items that no longer fit as the months go on.

When Rhea Lana's rolls around, all I have to do it go get that tub out & get things started on the consignment process!

• I start by washing all the clothes before hanging them up on hangers, as well as ironing them if need be.  {The nicer the items look, the more likely they are to sell!}

• You must hang all of your clothing items on plastic hangers with the hook facing the LEFT hand side {looking like a ? mark} if you are facing the article of clothing.  

• You must then place your white tags {available on Amazon if you can't find them locally} on the left hand shoulder of your item of clothing (right hand shoulder if you are LOOKING at the article) with a small safety pin.  
• I prefer to place all the safety pins on the tags first (while I'm watching TV or something) & then it is much easier to just place them on my clothing once I have them all on hangers.
• It is then very important to put your clothing in order according to size & gender.  This will makes things much easier & less time consuming on you in the long run & will allow your check in time at the event go MUCH smoother!
• Once they are in order by size & gender, you can then begin numbering the items on each tag, just to ensure you keep them in order between the time of entering them on the computer & the time you take them to the sale.  {Some people do this WHILE they are entering their items in the computer...whatever your preference may be.}
• Once you've done this, you can sign up online to get your consignor number & then get started on entering all your items & their prices.  

{Here's a screen shot of what it looks like where you enter all of your items}.

• Here is a great blog post on how to package & prepare all your used toys.  I have always sold 100% of the toys I have placed in the sale, which is always nice to free up some extra space at home!
• Once you have completed entering all of your items into the data base, you must print an inventory sheet.  You will take this with you to the sale when it's time to drop off your items.  
• Once it's time to drop off your items at the sale, they will have your price labels printed out for you & you can place those on all your tags before you leave.  {This is why it is SO important to bring your items in numerical order!}  Rhea Lana workers are always one of a kind!  They are always so sweet & willing to help & always so sweet to answer all your questions--especially if you're a first timer!
• Pick up day comes at the end of the sale when the event is over.  If you want the items that did not sale, back...you must go pick them up yourself or they will be donated!  This is also when you can pick up your check!  WAHOO!

I won't say that it's not a lot of work, but the reward of the outcome is SOOOO worth it!  I always make enough money {or MORE} to buy Ryder's upcoming seasonal wardrobe, & that is SUCH a blessing!  This is my third time to consign with Rhea Lana's & I plan on continuing to consign with them until I don't have anything else to sell! =)

I am also a Rhea Lana shopper!  I have found some GREAT deals on clothes for Ryder at these events & can't wait to see what goodies I can find this time!

As a consigner, you also get a chance to shop early!  & if you are willing to volunteer or bring food & drink for the volunteers, you get a chance to shop even EARLIER!--Something to think about!  =)

Here are a few outfits I've previously purchased at Rhea Lana events!

 {Chaps button down-$4}

 {Gap sweater-$4}

{Ralph Lauren swimming trunks-$6}

If your ready to get started today...click HERE, chose your state & your area & sign up to consign today!

just a city boy...all country-fied for church! =)

Project 365 Week 3

{January 15}

Snuggle before bed!

{January 16}

We had lunch with KeeKee & Pops at Cross Creek, then Pop Pops took R to pick up deer meat in the town over, the park & to get Fro Yo!  He was spoinlin' my lil boy!  But he tells me he that's his job & he LOVES it!  What a fun day!

{January 17}

Baby boy fell asleep on the couch at 7 pm!  I don't know what wore him out so much that day!

{January 18}

He took a nap for Ms. Lauren on her first day babysitting him!--Now why doesn't he do that for me??

{January 19}

Somebody didn't have the best day at school & I guess it wore him out!  He fell asleep watching Mickey Mouse after on the couch after his bath!

{January 20}

We ran into Ms. Robin with her new baby girl Blakely Friday night at Target!  Ryder was just fascinated!

{January 21}

Captain America!

Ryder-isms

Just a few things I want to remember about my sweet lil boy at this age!

• We are now obsessed with Woody & Buzz "like year"
• Today I was waking him up from his nap & he gently pushed me back to lay down beside him & said, "Let's rest for just a few more minutes..." Umm...think he's heard that a time or two?  :P
• Tonight while at Target mom asked me if I wanted anything from Starbucks & I said no, he said, "Yoouuuu donnnn't waaaaant anyyyyythiiiiing from STARRRRRBUCKS?"  I was like no honey, I don't.  He was SHOCKED!  :O
• Before bed the other night he wanted to read ME a book!  He picked one out, opened it & said in the most country voice EVER, "Woonce apooona tiiiime" {country voice} I literally fell out laughing!  I don't think I've ever read him a book that started that way before, but he cracked me UP!
• He has been telling me "No" a lot & I send him straight to his room.  I usually send him to his room, let us both cool off, then go in there & spank him (if he needs to be punished more besides going to his room depending on what he did...) & then we talk, pray & he can get out of his room.  So during times I'm JUST sending him to his room, he doesn't know that at first, so he stands at his door & says, "I need a spankin'!" or "Come spank me Mama!"  I'm sorry...but I can't help but laugh!  & when this doesn't work, he tells me he has to go pee pee!  Oh geez...what do you tell a two year old then!  Ha!
• I was told he body slammed a girl a school yesterday.  He got one out of four smileys on his daily report as well.  THAT IS BAD.  He told me the smiley faces on his report were "crying"..."yes, honey they are."  {How do y'all discipline a two year old for things he did at school hours before you can get home & talk about it?}
• When I'm laying down with him at night, I swear he says, "I love you" a million times before he falls asleep, but it never gets old!  =)
• I tell him all the time that "I love you...SO MUCH!"  So he has started to say the same to me sometimes!  
• Every night from the bathroom to his bed where we put on his PJs, he asked me to "Carry me like a baby" & so I do!  It's one of our favorite things we do together!
• If I run to my computer for a second to print something off etc. (it's not like I sit in here all day...) & he doesn't want me on it, he'll say, "Turn the computer off Mama, turn it off!"  So...of course I do!
• If you ask him who his girlfriend is, he'll say, "Kati...." (& say my whole name, first & last!)  I love it  so much!  =)
• He can spell his name out for you...R-Y-D-E-R
• He will also tell you his birthday is September 9th
• Sometimes he will grab my checks with his lil hands & say, "Look at me"...WONDER where he got that!  ;)
• In the bathroom at a restaurant earlier this week he said, "Mama, there's not a bath in this bathroom..."
• Laying down on the floor watching a movie together, he looks up at me & says, "We're besties Mama..." (I tell him this all the time!)  Melted my heart!
• On our way to church, from the back seat he randomly said, "God made me perfect & special didn't he Mama?"  #melt

Hope y'all had a FAB weekend!  We sure did!  =)

Change & MLK day

• I started a Beth Moore bible study tonight on James & couldn't be more excited about the next 7 weeks & what God has in store for me & all the other woman in the study!
• Mom & I have started to sit down on Sundays & "meal plan" for the week, where she cooks 2 nights & I cook two night kinda depending on what's going on.  But with dad having bible study Monday nights, me on Tuesday nights, & her on Wednesday nights, it kinda makes things a lil difficult but we're making it work!  This way we're not all eating out so much, & even if we don't get to eat together, we still have something prepared for us to eat!  It's also nice that she gets a few nights off from cooking, & same for me, yet we're all eating at home!
• Ryder's new babysitter Lauren starts tomorrow!  I am so excited about her keeping him, & am so thankful for her more than anything!  I know he is going to have the best time!
• This is the first semester I have classes all 5 days of the week (I know...poor me right?)  I was usually only in T/TR or only in MWF classes, or T/TR & MW classes with Fridays off & it was so nice!  Fridays were me & Ryder's day to run errands, go eat at chick & just have fun...that wasn't a "weekend day".  But we don't have that any more!  So I'm about to get a taste of what it's like in the real world!  But...it will be good for me!  ;)
• I love ice water.  I really do.  I would get a diet coke with vanilla at sonic just because it's what me & R did every day...but I've tried to drop that habit, because it doesn't even taste good to me any more. I don't LOVE the way Sonic water tastes, but I get a large ice water every morning on the way to school because I'm always parched, & I always leave my tervis tumblers at school...(GRRR.  $25 down.the.drain.)  So...I'm trying to do better & drinks lots & LOTS of water!  =)
• I am trying to limit & watch the amount of time I am reading blogs on my phone, especially when Ryder is around.  I am trying to give him my full attention rather than being glued to my phone when he is around, because our time is limited together this semester, & he LOVES his Mama!  ;)  If I am doing something else when Ryder is with me, I want it to be actively involved in playing with him (even though he's a GREAT independent player) doing laundry, cleaning house, or even reading for class, but not on my phone.  I don't want him to grow up only remembering me for always being on my phone.  

We had a fun day off from the normal routine of things yesterday.  KeeKee & Pops were off work, so we all met for lunch at me & mom's favorite lil lunch shop downtown.  Pops had never been (for a while it was kind of a "woman's only" place...but has grown to more men coming over the last year) & we wanted him to try it, & finally talked him into it!  ;)  We had fun, & Ryder was a ham, as always!  Afterwards Pop Pops took him to a town over to get his deer meat, & Ryder was just overjoyed he was getting to go with his Pop Pops, & didn't have to go home with his Mama!

Pop Pops also took lil man to the park, & to 3 flamingos for some Fro Yo!  I told dad he was spooling my lil man & he said that that's his job & he enjoys his "job" so I shouldn't complain!  ;)  & I guess he is right!  I am just so glad Ryder has such a good time with his Pop Pops! 

Me & R did a lil coloring when he got back!  I love my lil man so much!  He is just growing up so much right under my eyes!  

Project 365 Week 2

{January 8}

 Ryder was glad to see his Pop Pops after he had been out of town all weekend...they share a special bond!

{January 9}

 Sweet snuggles with his Mama before bed!

{January 10}

 Ryder loves his bath time every night before going to bed!

{January 11}

 He gets to pick out "one book" to ready every night, & he never lets me forget!

{January 12}

 He loves his woody doll!  It was definitely a GREAT Christmas present from KeeKee & Pops!

{January 13}

 I'm such a GREAT mom!--feeding my kid SONIC!  We had a Sonic date on Friday night!  It was actually perfect if you ask me!  ;)

{January 14}

I don't think there's anything sweeter than a sleeping baby!

...He is faithful.

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own...

You are faithful, God, You are faithful.

Those three lines of words hit so hard to home to me...

As I look back at the things I've been thru in the last 3 or so years of my life, those words couldn't be any more true.  During the most trying times of my life, He never left my side, He never turned His head from me & He never made me face things all alone.  

This just amazes me.  No matter how big or how bad the sin is that we commit, He is faithful!-He is right there!  He held me up during some of the most difficult times in my life!  I may not have realized it then, but I realize it now, more than ever & am so thankful for that.  My dad has always told me & my brother that "We can't do it alone"...that is SO true!  We have to lean on Him & believe that He will take care of our needs.  This is so hard for me sometimes being super Type A, & a planner!  But it really does make life easier when you quite wasting time worrying about things that you can't control!  Give it to the Lord & let Him take care of it..& He will take care in ways you may not have ever dreamed!

He has been faithful to me & my family in so many ways...just to name a few.

-Allowing us to find out my dad had prostate cancer when he was just trying to get more life insurance for his family just in case something every happened to him.  If he hadn't have been getting more life insurance, & hadn't have had to get his blood drawn for the process, he would have had the cancer for probably years living & growing inside his body, before it would have shown up else where. He is faithful.   (Just a little did bit of my incite...if you don't have life insurance & have kids, GO GET IT for you & your spouse TODAY--BEFORE you get diagnosed with cancer!  Once you have cancer, you can't get any life insurance or any additional, for 6 or so years.  Yes, I'm only 22, but I have life insurance!  I would rather get it now, while I am able to because I am young & healthy rather than waiting till I'm "older" to get it, but it being too late because I have been diagnosed with some kind of cancer, & can no longer get it to make sure my son is taken care of when I'm gone.  It can cost as less than $10 a month.  JUST something to think about!  I'm not expert...but my parents have taught me a thing or two over the years! :P)

-Even though I made the choices I did, & got pregnant before I was married, He allowed me to carry a healthy little boy to full term (& then some...) & was perfectly healthy the day he was born & we haven't had any problems since then!  I feel SO SO SO undeserving of this, it's something I often struggle with.  But...He is faithful.

-I thought I was doing the right thing by getting married when I found out I was pregnant.  But that was obviously not what God had in store for me, or my little man.  This may sound totally wrong to you...but God allowed me to get out of that marriage I wasn't supposed to be in, in a short amount of time, allowing me to restart my life before it was too late.  He is faithful.

-If I hadn't have gotten a divorce when I did, I don't think I would have ever gone back to school...& that is something I am so thankful for.  He is faithful.

-After me & Ryder had lived with my parents (& brother) for 6-7 months, a house built in 1962 at the front of my parent's neighborhood, that we had never even noticed before went up for sale.  We looked at it the day the sign went up in the front yard & bought it the next day.  It was cute on the outside & even cuter on the inside!  This was totally a God thing, & the fact that he allowed my parents to be in a place where they could buy it for me & Ryder to live in.  Not to mention walking distance from parent's house.  I can see their house from my kitchen window.  I don't think I have to say it...but...He is faithful.

Those are just a few things that I can think of to name right now.  This post has been on my heart since Sunday & I have just been putting it off because I didn't know if I would have all the right words to say.  I know this is just a blog, but sometimes I think it helps me by just being able to have some where out on the WWW that's "mine" to voice my thoughts & opinions--has taught me SO much.  I love that I can get on here & write how I am feeling & the things on my heart, & the things God is trying to teach me.  I hope I didn't just totally bore you guys to death!  

Matt Redman's Never Once video on youTube

Project 365 Week 1

I never thought I would be able to do anything like Project 365, but with the technology of iPhones these days, there is no reason I shouldn't.  I didn't want to get it mixed up & confused with my blog, but once I found out there was an app for it, I decided to jump on the train!  There are days I don't have my real camera with me, or even document the iPhone pics I take during the day, so I'm hoping this will help me stay accountable!  On the app, you can even set a reminder to remind you to take a picture that day, as well as a spot to jot down a few words describing the picture.  So that's what I'm going to do on here each week to help me keep up with things.  I'm also thinking about making a book on shutter fly with all these pictures  & short descriptions...but we'll see!  

{January 1}

This was actually from New Year's Eve, I failed to take a picture on the first...but he loves Chick-Fil-A ice cream & ringing in the new year with his Mama!  :)

{January 2}

 Playing in bed before we got up, he said "Look Mama, Tangy's a cowboy!"

{January 3}

 Eating CFA for lunch with Mama!  Such a wonderful lunch date & shopping buddy!  He ate all of his chicken so he got to go play!

{January 4}

 Swinging outside in the backyard with Mama on a cold, windy day.  We also ate some cuties after a trip to Wal Mart.

{January 5}

It was Ryder's first day back to school after the break.  He stayed dry so we went to Sonic for an ocean water!  Then we came home, ate some cuties & played in the backyard!

{January 6}

Morgan came over to give Mama a facial & we watched a little bit of The Cotton Bowl.  Ryder was so much fun & loves Morgan! 

{January 7}

We lounged around the house today.  R did go over to KeeKee's to take a nap while Mama had some quiet time!