adventure.

we went a (small) adventure.
it may have involved parking in a remote area,
climbing a fence
and me laying in wet grass...

i also have 7 baskets of laundry to fold.
i am allowing myself to edit 4 photos of my adventure and share them.
then i MUST do my real job.
then maybe 4 more tomorrow?
you are gonna love them.
love. them.
here is the preview....

want a little pick-me-up?

hey have you tried this??

it is special nail gel polish that lasts a SUPER long time!

i am not really a manicure girl.

i always feel like it's a waste.

my job makes it impossible for the normal nail polish to last even a day....

but this!

it works.

i have had it last up to three weeks!

all you have to do is ask your salon if they carry this product.
i have asked three salons around here and 2 out of 3 said "yes".
and if you live near me, i will tell you that the little nail place under the escalator
at the shops at mission viejo DOES do it.
you just gotta try it.
it is about $35.
you will be amazed.
and feel very "big girlish"
with painted nails that don't rub off after washing dishes and buttoning tiny pants for a day.
i just got um done today and here are mine...

the longer i look at this last one, the more i think of those nasty little "finger hot dogs" i  make at halloween...you know the ones that are lil smokeys with crescent roll dough shaped into fingers and then an almond for the nail.....gross.

don't look for too long.

a home tour and my sweet girl

hello friends.
i just wanted to mention that i added a tab up top (under the header)
it is called "the reed home"
the photos are mostly ones that i have posted before, they are just separated into rooms.
i am planning on adding to those photos as time permits so you can get a better idea of what each room looks like.
heres the thing.
i love my house.
it's our home.
but, to me it always feels cramped and messy.
i am sure you feel that same about yours.
i just feel like i should mention that before you look at my photos that are taken at the best angle and at the rooms most clean.
that is why i felt weird about just listing two "perfect empty room" photos of each room.
we live here...i have to add the smiles and laughing and crying and jumping and reading that actually goes on in those rooms.
because that is just as much a part of what makes my house a home as the curtains and ikea couch...actually more.
also, i should mention that i am a FREAK when it comes to re-arranging furniture.
i do it a lot.
so don't be too confused.
i will probably switch it again tomorrow...
but for now enjoy these few photos i took of my girl at the park....happy weekend!

if i had today off...

if i had today off, to do whatever i wanted, i'd....

go shopping at anthropologie and try this on.

go to the bookstore and get this book....i think...if i am not too afraid.

while i was gone, i'd have a nice electrician guy install this.

if i could snap my fingers and be anywhere, i might stop by this shop or this one. (these two shops have the same name!!....they are both really awesome)

and visit one of my favorite blogger friends that live in different states than i do...like Amy or Danielle or Meg or Heather....or even out of country like Kristy.

i'd go antiquing with Joy in beautiful sunshine, and maybe have a lemonade in her kitchen.

i'd go pick up up this sister and we'd go to Bend and visit this sister and eat here.

this is a very extensive dream, huh?

ahhh, it's just a dream....off to walmart.

well, i am linking this dream up with Cherish at Kiwi Freckles today....
check out her link love today.

prizes and collages and an inspiration request

i have been getting a steady stream of treats in the mail ever since i won danielle's amazing giveaway!
these are just a few....
there is one photo of my arms full of packages(see it down there?)
i took it in the mirror as i was walking in from collecting the mail.
i actually took a few.
the first one few looked kinda....relaxed.
for this photo i sucked my stomach in so hard that i may have pulled a muscle...just being honest.
ha!
don't you think it would be funny/shocking to see all the "throw away" photos we take when we are just trying to get one good photo of ourselves?
i'd have A LOT of reeeeallllly ugly photos, wouldn't you?
i have the funniest process of getting a good angel of myself....
i'm a real piece-a-work.

as you can see, i am trying to learn how to make collages on my new computer.
i am trying not to loose my patience and just be ok with not being great at it yet.
i do like to be good at things right away, so it is a....challenge.
i promise to get better.

i am also having a sorta rough time blogging lately (again?)
i just go through weird phases.
sometimes i have no idea what to share.
and sometimes i am overwhelmed with a need to put myself out there.
i need inspiration.
does anyone have any questions for me that i could answer?
or ideas for anything you have been wondering about me?

me today

this is what i look like when i am talking to you.

a gift

i know i have mentioned the jesus storybook bible several times lately.

i even put a link on my sidebar.

but i feel like i need to do a post on it, since, while lots of you mommies(and daddies) know exactly what i am talking about, some may be wondering what it even is...

this book is a lovely, extensive group of Bible stories.

the amazing, significant part, that keeps every person in my family(including grown ups) coming back for more, is the way the entire book is connected.

it isn't just a buncha stories.

it is many stories that make up one long story.

God's story.

HISstory.

in a very simple voice it continues to remind you of how each story is working toward God's rescue of his children.

it repeats this idea over and over...in almost every one.

it reminds you not to forget...the point is God and what he is doing for you.

it is not condescending.

it is beautiful and i just LOVE it.

we first bought it as a ibook.

we would wait for daddy to get home with his ipad and then read a few chapters every night.

a couple nights of reedo getting home late or having over night trips and i realized we needed our own copy.

i headed to our local christian book store and they had one nice copy.

$24.99. ouch.

then we got in the car and ripped it open..... and i realized it included the entire book on CD!

wow! the kids have not been able to get enough!

they ask for it on every car ride.

i was even driving by myself the other day and left it on! ha!

it was the best 24.99 i've EVER spent.

if you are a parent, you MUST get one.

if not for the children, for yourself!

check out the website by clicking here.

you will also notice that you can watch weekly Bible videos on that site...very cool!

 i knew i needed to tell you friends about this, so i payed jake 3 gummy bears to let me take some pictures of him reading it in the garden(that is just where he is with pictures right now, i can't really blame him, i am kinda crazy).

but....

...then i came downstairs this morning and look what i found!

there was craziness happening all around.

ella was whining.

ty was sick.

reedo had music on.

but just look at my boy.

no posing.

eating his sausage muffins and reading that Bible.

moms, is there ANYTHING better than that?

ever in the whole world?

i think not.

and just to put a big smile on your face,

look at this little sick fella.

i just love my sons.

how could i deserve such sweet little boys in my life?

i am beyond grateful for their unique little lives and souls.

isaiah 8:17-18

"and i will wait on the Lord...

and i will hope in Him.

here am i, and the children God has given me!"

daffodils and cookies

daffodils always remind me of my mom.
they were her favorite.
it's funny how "things" can trigger such strong memories.
this time of year is hard for me each year because right about now(end of february, early march) is when my mom's heath really took a turn 8 years ago.
she weakened quickly.
i know she wouldn't want me to dwell on those last few weeks of her life, but they really changed me forever.
each year when i see the daffodils bloom and when the girl-scouts come around with their thin mints i feel a little sick with memories.
i remember how the cookies were the last thing she asked for to eat, even when she really couldn't eat anymore.
my mom loved eating and cooking and food.
sometimes i just have to think about that and feel sad.
it makes me know i am alive.

and every time the daffodils bloom i remember the day we spread her ashes in
  the ocean at dana point.
we threw hundreds of daffodil blooms in too, and that vision i think will stay with me forever.
the waves and the churned up water and seaweed.
some flowers sinking, but most staying in large blankets.
my dad's legs getting wet, and thinking about my mom's body drifting away from us in our tiny boat.
hearing my own voice singing on a recording that my dad brought to listen to while we were out there.
the voice sang,
"it's all about you, Jesus.
and all this is for you,
 for your glory and your fame.
it's not about me.
as if you should do things my way.
you alone are God and i surrender to your ways"

i had sung that song before my mom was sick.
before i had really known much sorrow.
it makes me glad i cannot see the future, ya know?

just because i love them, i will share the rest of the lyrics of the song.

"Jesus, lover of my soul,
 all consuming fire is in your gaze.
Jesus, i want you to know,
 i will follow you for all my days.
for no one else in history is like you.
and history itself belongs to you.
alfa and omega you have loved me,
 and i will share eternity with you..."

that makes me feel part of a larger picture.
less small and alone.
more like a character in an amazing story.
(i know, i have been reading a lot of the Jesus Storybook Bible...it's SO good!)

so,

on the day i saw my first daffodil this year,

ella and i made these cookies.
rainbows are so full of hope.
and as much as thinking about those days, all those year ago, seems real and vital and sad and true.
my life, now and my sweet family is full of hope and love and food and flowers and LIFE.
beauty for ashes.

my monday...in photos