I feel as if my life has been on hold since we have been gearing up for Black Friday at the store. A little insight on the madness...last week I worked 60 hours, the week before was 50 which has been the trend for a couple months now. If I hover around 45, I consider it a great week. This week is going great.

I've been through several holiday seasons in retail but never at the head of the planning and mapping out strategy for it. It was pretty tiring. By Sunday I couldn't think straight. But as we sat down as a family to our small and unassuming Thanksgiving dinner which was very brief since I had to be in the store at 8 pm, I was still very thankful. Originally we were to go out of town but then I took this job and that canceled our plans which was disappointing. But despite hectic schedules and less than ideal holiday plans, this family pulls together and no one complains. They could if they wanted to. We want the kids to be able to tell us how they wish things could be but they know that we try our best. And in the real world, sometimes you have to make sacrifices. The worst of the holiday season is over so now we can go into Christmas full steam ahead...as soon as we get the tree, and put up the house lights, and send out cards, and go shopping...and...we'll get there eventually.

I hope your holiday season is joyous so far.

And one last thing, for all the bad you hear concerning humanity in the world, read this and be uplifted.

xo
Laura

Besides, it's a good workout

Raking up 25 bags of leaves to have this brilliance out my window?
Completely worth it.

 

 

Fall on display

So I got through my first month at my new job. It's been a little overwhelming but things are getting better. It's just been a lot more difficult coordinating schedules for the kids and us than I thought. But it's just something we all have to get used to so there's no need to complain.

Because I haven't made the seasonal door display change a priority, September kind of got away from me and before I knew it, there were pumpkins and fall flowers on every door and porch. It's one of my favorite times of year and I haven't done anything to bring it to life in the house or at the front door except for buying some mums. We're already half way through October so it's time to get in gear. I looked online for some inspiration and here's what I found: Enjoy!

 via

 

 

 Using pumpkins as planters - I may just do this.

via
 

via

 

via

 

 

 

 via

 

 I love all of this. I'll even take the dog. (Don't tell my pup.)
via

 

via

 

 Now I regret not getting the lanterns at Ikea when I was there a few weeks ago...must go back.
via

 

via

 

via

 

via

 

via

 

What have I done??

I think I just signed my life away...

A few weeks ago I received a job offer that I felt I could not pass up. It was a whirlwhind round of interviews. The first one went well the 2nd one I bombed but the 3rd one was ok. Each time when they asked about me and heard a little about my family, they got really serious and told me this was a "big job, a really big job."

And me not being much of a panicker, thought 'what's the big deal?? It's just retail.' Oh my gosh, I came home after a few days of training with numbers and technical reports and deadlines thrown at me and I was second guessing this whole thing. Jon had to talk me down a little. I guess it also didn't help that I've been on a heavy dose of steroids during this whole process but that's another story. ANYWAY, a good night's sleep and a talk with our family, making a game plan with them, really helped. I feel much better and excited to implement changes and ideas to see this store run well. We decided that since Mommy is going to be working hard out of the house to do that, we need to play just as hard when she's home. It'll just be one more week of chaos until I have a team fully in place and after that all should be good.

Enough about that. Is this weather just beautiful or what!? It's gettting me excited for fall and planting some color in the flower beds and seeing house projects to completion within the next month. On Friday night the stadium lights were beckoning me to come to the highschool so we all hopped in the car and watched  our team get beat, but whatever, it was just fun to be out. Football season is exciting for us at our casa. We even keep up with our high school alma mater, #1 in the state ya'll in both athletics and academics.

The new season for this family will be a fun one! Oh and I have new senior pictures to share. I'm not giving that job up. It was fun and I taught him how to "smeyes." It totally worked.

Fair moments

The last week before school is our local fair so we made plans to go a few times. Blair also decided to enter a lego sculpture  which won her 4th place and a whole dollar! She was so happy she cried. She made a robot scientist. Not bad for thinking of it in the 11th hour and using leftover lego pieces.

Trae entered the potato sack race and was on his way to victory when he fell and came down on his elbow. I had to pick him up as he was crying in his potato sack. Poor guy. But he quickly got over it when I told him we could go to the petting zoo to hold the bunnies. While we were there the news channel filmed the kids and it was so funny. Trae put his face right into the camera. I'll post as soon as I get the video.

At the end of the week we watched the closing fireworks from our house which was so nice. We laid out blankets and the younger kids and neighbor friends just ran around the yard.

Good bye summer.

Winding down

Summer's last hurrah is upon us so I am getting all things ready for the school year. We're in transition at our house. The last one is off to Kindergarten. Even as I write that, my eyes well up with tears. It's safe to say I'm pretty attached to my boy; all my kids of course. The one real talent I've always felt that I had was that I could go with the flow and enjoy the stages with them, letting things roll off my back. That's not to say I haven't wanted to pull out my hair but overall, the raising of these future adults has been a kick. We still have some years to go in rearing children but we're at a milestone here and those times cause me to reflect.
Soon when we're back into the swing of things, I'll be on a regular blogging schedule. I'm shooting for September! Lots of ideas swirling...                                                                                        

xo
Laura

Soft and light - a baby photograph

   For this child I prayed
 1 Samuel 1:27

This baby was long awaited. 

We (along with all those that know her) are so happy for our friend and her family. I was also honored that they asked me to take some photos. There were no special photoshop tricks here; no layers or enhancements. Just a lovely mother, her beautiful newborn and soft afternoon light.