Clara is 2!!!!

Two years ago today after 14 hours of labor, an epidural that wore off, and three straight hours of pushing, Madeleine Clara was laying in my arms for the first time! God blessed me with such a wonderful gift, he knew what he was doing when he gave me Clara. She has made me a better person, changed my life in so many ways, and continues to amaze me every single day. Every single day, no matter how stressed I get, no matter how hard life can be, she does something, whether it's a look or a song, or something she says to me, she keeps me in awe daily. Being a parent is the most amazing thing ever, it's not always easy, it's usually messy, but it is the MOST amazing thing you will ever experience, and no one and nothing can prepare you for parenthood. (That is my mommyhood wisdom.) I have been blessed with the most awesome thing ever, and that is Clara.

Down in the d-u-m-p-s....

I'm down in the dumps due to hormones, which I would like to thank the Mirena IUD for. A quick note on the mirena IUD it's the devil, I am convinced it is pure evil.
My husband has been awesome, taking care of my crazy self, taking care of Clara, taking care of the house and all our animals, he has been amazing. While I'm going through this spell, that I hope will pass soon, I have found joy in the little things, like our new baby chicks, the spring flowers that are blooming (even though they are making Brent go into anaphylatic shock), watching the birds eat out of my bird feeders, and the two fat squirrels that think they should have a little snack too, my sweet girl literally learning to potty train in a day, my boxer Lola laying right next to me in bed all day watching over me while I deal with my crazy mood swings, Brent still loving me and wanting to take care of me when I'm crying and snotting  all over myself, and most of all my family. And like they say " this to shall pass."

( Oh and this little girl makes my day so much brighter to!)

~ Lift them up with our prayers!

I heard the horrible news this morning about the earthquake that hit Japan and caused the devastating tsunami. Let us pray, send thoughts of healing and love to the victims of this horrible tragedy and their families. Also let us keep Hawaii and California in our prays as they brace for the impacts that the tsunami might bring.

Just so.

Just a few pictures of mine and Clara's adventures in the yard and woods! I love the woods and I know Clara does too! Have you ever noticed just how magical being in the woods can be? I am still looking for a "secret spot" as Forrest Carter says everyone should have in his book The Education of Little Tree. It won't be just for me it will be for Clara too! ( Oh and by the way, I got hold of Clara's bangs thinking I could really trim them up, well trim them up I did, more like hack job! Poor thing all she has left are little twigs of bangs, thank God hair grows back!)

Pray.

This is one of my favorite prayers that I find myself saying throughout the day. This is also one of the prayers that Clara and I say at bedtime. I'm teaching her to fold her hands when she says her prayers, well she tries to say them, she's not quite old enough yet to get all the words.
This prayer is so simple and so beautiful and comes from the heart. It brings me comfort when I'm worried, scared, or just plain down. It reminds me that Our Lady is watching over us at all times.

"Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

Fairy Houses!

The hubs came upon an unfinished bird house in our woods, and I immediately thought "that would make an awesome fairy house!" Now let me start by telling you that I am a firm believer is fairies and other creatures of that sort, among many other things that most people wouldn't believe in, but that is for another post.
So....we started making a fairy house, and everyday Clara and I pick something out to add to the fairy house. I haven't completed the decorations for the house yet, and I'm even thinking of doing a whole fairy village! Brent added a moss roof for us, and I added bits and pieces here and there. The pictures aren't wonderful because I took them with my phone, but I'll take better ones soon with my camera so you can get a better look!

 

The first picture is an abandoned nest I found for Mimi from The Feathered Nest! The egg is not real it is actually one of our eggs soaps!
 The other photos are our fairy house in progress!

I have missed you so!

Today I'm taking the day off waiting on my mama to get here so Clara and I can spend some much needed time with her. I've been looking at all the blogs I used to follow and all my blog friends I used to talk to on a regular basis, and can I just say I am AMAZED by some of the wonderful stuff I am seeing! Blog friends I have missed you so, reading your blogs again makes me remember why I started this blog, drinking a hot cup of coffee and catching up warms my heart and inspires me!

Currently reading....

I have just finished The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, which is one of those books you can't put down and spend all hours of the night reading. You know what I mean. Now I have moved on to a book that has sat on my shelf for ages, but I never really noticed it, but it has caught my eye, and my attention and I am stuck in the pages of it daily. The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter makes you look at everything with a new perspective. So far I know how to catch wild turkey, I know that having a secret space in the woods all your own is a must, and that you literally can live off the land if you know what to look for. More updates later.

Diary of a soap maker.

We have been busy as bees at work, which is a VERY good thing! I love making soap, and never thought in a million years that I would be a soap maker our be part of such a cool family business. It's totally out of the norm, but alas I love it, even though I must admit the soap business can be stressful sometimes! But I get to work with my family everyday and I get to keep Clara with me at work, which if you're a mama you know how great this can be! Here are just a  few photo's of soap in progress at the Shop. And by the way I promise every blog post I do will not be all about soap, the Shop has a separate blog for that!;)

And our little soap maker in the making! I'm hoping pretty soon here she'll be able to bag soap and tie bows!!!

Wishing everyone an amazing Friday, and a great weekend!

New obsession....

Newfoundland! I want to visit so badly, it looks beautiful, like something out of a fairy tale! Could you imagine living is a place like this? So rural, so gorgeous and so close to nature.

~ The Butterfly Project.

Thanks to my good friend from Hippie Chick for telling me about this! The Butterfly Project is to honor the 1,500,000 children who died in the Holocaust. The Houston Holocaust Museum is asking the public to submit butterfly artwork to total 1,500,000 to match the number of children who lost their lives in the Holocaust. The project is based on the poem I never saw another butterfly by Pavel Friedmann, a boy who was in the Terezin concentration camp. Unfortunately Pavel Friedmann did not survive the Holocaust.
I am planning on sitting down with Clara and making a piece of butterfly art to send off for the project. Check out the website for further information. This is something that everyone can do, and I mean everyone!
Click here to go to the website to find out more:
The Butterfly Project

~ I'm back in the saddle again!

I'm going to make this short and sweet, I know I've tried to re-start this poor blog over and over again, and so I'm not going to make any promises on regular posts, but I will say I sure will try. Honestly when you're trying to juggle a toddler and a full time job, and house work it can get hairy!
So here's a quick update, my husband and father in-law took over a soap business here in Locust Grove, Georgia where we're living quite happily in the country, goats, chickens and all! I work full time at the Shop and I get to take Clara with me which is awesome, and I get to work with my family all the time, also pretty cool I think!
What have I been up to personally, let's see, chasing escape chickens through the woods, making fairy houses with my sweet girl who will be 2 next month! Can you believe that? Decorating the house, making soap, gardening, reading like a mad women, and attempting to make some art which is a new project! Here are some pictures of the going's on around the Edmonson house, so enjoy! Oh and I have quite the little "beekeeper" helper now!