Mommy's evaluation

Let me just tell you...I am one blessed momma!!!  I am loving staying home with my sweet babies and sharing everyday as a fun adventure!  With every job that I have ever have...I have always wanted to be evaluated so that I know how I am doing and how I can do my job better so that I can be the best at it.  With being a stay-at-home mom...who is suppose to evaluate me?  My kids? My hubby? Myself?  Well...I decided I would let my kids do the job!  I got together some questions and sat the kids down to see how I scored up!  I thought that I would share my evaluation because I thought it was so funny...I can't decide if it was funny because of the fact that I enjoy a "job well done" a little too much or if it was funny because of the answers I was given!
I challenged myself in fun, house cleaning, Bible teaching, punishment and love.  I am such a goober!

Here we go...

1. Do you think mommy keeps the house clean everyday?
Answer: Sometimes cause you are too busy being silly and playing stuff with us like play-dou and stuff so sometimes you don't clean all the time.

2.  Do you think mommy is fun?
Answer: Yes! Because you like to play with us all the time and be silly with us.

3. Do you think mommy should clean more or play more?
Answer: Play more!  Because I don't really like cleaning either...

4.  What do you wish mommy did more?
Answer: Play with us in the backyard more! 
Me: But remember, Daddy needs to get rid of the wasps before we can go in the backyard.
Kids:  oh, yeah...I forgot
Me: So what do you wish mommy did more?
Kids: Play video games!!! 

5.  Do you like learning new Bible verses? Why?
Answer: Yes!  Cause God told you that you better teach us Bible stuff.

6.  Do you like mommy to be home or do you like for mommy to go to work for a little bit?
Answer: Stay home!!!  Because we love you and never want you to leave us with someone else!

7. When you make bad choices, does mommy help you learn your lesson? How?
Answer:  Yes...you tell us you love us but you have to punish us cause that's what God wants you to do!

8.  Do you know that mommy loves you SO much? Why?
Answer: Yep! You tell us every single second and you tell us too much even when we are trying to sleep and play with our friends and even when we are eating breakfast.

So there you have it...I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job but maybe I should make sure they know how important it is for mommy to keep our house nice and clean although there is a lot of fun going on!

YAY for top 10 lists...Here's one of mine

Sometimes when I feel the urge to blog I want to empty out all of my feelings and then sometimes I just want to share what I am thinking!  The last 2 weeks I have been a stay-at-home-momma and I am loving it (enter the McDonald's theme song).  Since I have been home I have enjoyed keeping our home clean and our family some what organized but I have also been thinking about some of my favorite things that I have not been able to stop and fully enjoy since I was working.

So...the first of many, I'm sure...

Brannon's Top 10 Favorite Things (today...there will be new favorite at any time without notice)

10.  Quiet...do you hear that?  NO!  Because there is nothing to hear...at my house.  I love the laughter, chatter and even the crying and whining and screams of my children but to just have quiet is wonderful.  I get to reflect and just be in praise to the Lord for the moment of quiet...and the times that are not quiet.

9.  A clean home!  It's so nice to have the time to clean our home when my children are at preschool!  When I was working I had to clean when I was home and my sweet son, Mason would say "Mommy, you always need to clean...but I want you to play legos with me!"  So I would stop cleaning to play legos and then it would seem like the mess would get bigger since I decided to play instead of clean.  But today...the house is clean and I can play WHATEVER Mason and Annie want to play when they get home! 

8.  Supper plans!  I am so excited about knowing what is for dinner before everyone in my family says "Mom...what's for dinner?  I am SOOOO starving".  I have our meals planned for pretty much the next week or so!   It's so nice to eat a planned meal!  It makes me feel like a better mom and...we stay out of the McDonald's drive through a lot more! 

7.  I heart The Pioneer Woman's blog and recipe book!  I can't seem to get enough of her!  I feel like if she was in South Carolina that we would be instant BFFs!  I just love her!  Check her out http://thepioneerwoman.com/

6.  Hot pink nail polish!  I bought it for Annie and we have gotten much use out of it!  It makes me feel all girly!

5.  Short hair!  My short hair cut was kind of an accident...but 3 days after the "chop" I found myself falling in love with my new do.  Now, I can't seem to grow my hair long but I am SO ok with that!  I heart short hair!

4.  Proverbs 31 Ministries!  I love checking my email to see my daily devotion that encourages me to be that Proverbs 31 woman that we all wish we could be.  The devotions are so real and I can relate to just about every one of them in my own life and walk with the Lord.  It's such a wonderful way to start my morning on the right foot!

3 & 2.  Mason & Annie!  Duh!  They are my little sweethearts and everyday they say things that just make my heart melt!  Today when I was getting Annie out of her carseat she said...and I quote "Mommy, you are the prettiest best girl ever".  I mean...what in the world?  She is just the sweetest thing EVER!  Mason is in a stage where he makes it very clear that he does NOT want a kiss when I drop him off at school...so this morning he said "Mom, just a hug, ok?" And so I sadly agreed and gave him a big hug...right before he pulled away to run as fast as he could away from me and in to his classroom...I stole a kiss from his forehead!!! He laughed and said "Aw man, you got me" as if I had shot him on the battle field!  I am just thankful he laughed and did not get mad at me for embarassing him in front of all the bookbags that were in the hall to see me kiss my baby boy!  LOL

1.  Being Mrs. Matt Edmonds!  I love being married!  Ever since I knew what a wedding was I wanted to be married.  Once I grew up and knew that a wedding meant that you had to love the same person till you DIED...I took it a little more seriously...and started praying for the man that God designed for me.  But I have to say...the last 6 years have been wonderful!  We have been through many ups and a couple of downs...but with each "down" I just got excited because I knew that God had big plans for us to grow closer as a couple and closer to Him!  I am a strong believer that God provides hardships to make you stronger for other seasons of life that are to come.  If you give Him the glory and hand the problem over to Him...He will reward you with happier days and the vision and guideance to deal with other issues perfectly.

Praising God from whom all blessings flow!!!!!!!!!!!! 

New Adventure

Soooo...I heard God telling me that my job was not with Cynthia Pace Photography but I should be home with my children...and keeping up with organizing my home and family.  Um, God...I really like my job...and yes, I do wish I were home more but I do want to work.  The next thing I know my feelings change and I am having the desire to be with my kids more...even keeping them out of school to "just hang out"...and actually crying as I drop them off with my mother-in-law because I have to go back to work.  What?  When did this happen?  I started feeling by going to work everyday that I was disobeying the Lord.  So...I prayed about it.  God...is this really what you want me to do?  Umm...You know...I don't make any money for my family when I am home, right?  And then...the next thing I know my husband is being called on to do more projects through work and YEP you guessed it...he is making more money.  Go figure!  The Lord ALWAYS provides!  When he closes one door He has another one waiting wide open for you to walk right in to the next season!  I shared my feelings with my boss...pretty much in tears and we decided that if I felt that strongly about being home then that is what I should do.  So I did!!!!  Whew...WOW!  I feel SO much better!  I feel that I am going to get to do what God wants me to do!!!  I may even help out around the studio during busy season!  So that will be perfect...it will probably happen when I feel like I need to be working and then POOF I will get my "work" fix and back to my true calling I shall go!

So..what am I going to do since my job is now with Edmonds Inc.?  I'm glad you asked!  I am not 100% organized yet but I have big plans to have our house so organized that you will throw up when you walk in my house by how disgusted you will be with my mad organizing skills!  When I am not organizing like a crazy woman I will be forming my children's foundation for the Lord...especially Mason since he will be in BIG school in the Fall (let's all take a moment to grab tissues for future our children that are almost big kids and the kids that are already big kids...on there way to growing up way too fast...Dear Lord may they always want to kiss us in front of their friends) and I feel a calling to lead a Bible study or to serve other women some how...I just don't know what God has planned for me yet but I am excited about it!  I love speaking and I love sharing ALL that my God has done for me and I just know that all the life stories and excitement I have can be used for His glory.  A Bible study sounds like a good fit for that calling to lead women but only God knows what I will be doing.  I also have plans to be creative as a wife!  I want to be the best, of course, so I will be busy creating ways to knock my husband's socks off and just to shower him with love and respect...and of course clean clothes!  haha

SO...stay tuned!  I am starting to brain storm and I have some pretty fun ideas for what this new season of life will include!!! 

Until next time...pray for your hubby, pray for your children and pray harder that you will be that Proverbs 31 woman that can do it all!

Who is Momma Said So?

I just erased a novel-of-a-blog after I realized that I sounded like Debbie Downer.  I have since decided to write a top 10 list instead of a little info about me.  I mean, what better way to come back from a sob story (that will never see blogger eyes) than to blab on about myself for a bit.  And away I go...

1.  I am a cryer...yes, I cry about happy times and sad times and everything in between.  I get so thankful for all that God has done with my life and I just can't hold back my emotions.  When it comes to my sweet children...I cry when I can see that they are growing up...because I am sad to see them get big and because I am thankful that God has allowed them to enter in to a new season of life.

2. I love chocolate chip ice cream created by Bryers or Publix way more than any human should be allowed.  I could easily enjoy several scoops through the day as a treat to myself on a crazy day.  But by the time I have licked the bottom of the carton I realize that having an extra 15 pounds on my body was so not worth "treating myself".

3.  With the thoughts of #2...it reminds that if money was not an option, I would have no problem once so ever getting plastic surgery on all of my problem areas.  You know...as a hobby.  But on a side note...if I did have the funds to consider a tuck here or a nip there I would hope that I would think of giving to others before I worried about what chocolate chip ice cream has done to my poor body.

4  I love to cook and bake for my family!  Although...I enjoy spending time with them much more and here lately have been serving my family sandwiches or other fast meals because I have not been getting good rest and I have been up praying about what God would like me to do with my life.  I sometimes think I need to focus on my family instead of the busy-ness of a job.  Venting a moment....I feel that I will have plenty of time to work when my kids are older.  I would much rather be there for them and volunteer in their school and have time to make rice krispies in the shape of anything you can imagine for them to remember that THEIR mom was there for them.

5. I wish that I could go on a date with hubby more...we stay busy these days and by the end of the day we would rather lay in bed and chat ourselves to sleep than to be out and about.  We owe it to our kids to still go on dates and to fall in love all over again each and every day.

6. I have the desire to re-decorate our home about every month...it's an expensive thought but it is nice to be creative and re-design our family space in this crazy brain of mine.  If I could....I would buy new furniture for every season.  I think these thoughts are from watching too much Martha Stewart Living as a child.  Yes...a child.  When I was in the 5th grade I asked for a subscription to Martha Stewart Living and Southern Living magazines for Christmas...I got a new subscription every year until I graduated high school.  I'm so weird.

7. I love wedding cake!  When I go to a wedding I expect to enjoy a delicious almond pound cake with rich butter cream icing!  If the bride and groom opt to go with a trendy cake or something other than the very traditional pound cake...I pout.  Matt knows that if we are at a wedding and they have red velvet or chocolate cake...that I frown and say "no thank you" when I am offered a piece of cake.  I don't know why I do this but I do and for some strange reason I want to share this with all of you.

8.  Hearing a baby cry is one of the sweetest sounds to my ears.  Of course when my 2 were crying babies I did not think it was so sweet.  But the times have turned and I long to hear my babies cry as infants that need their mommy.  I am thankful for their season of life now...but I do wish I would have cherished those cries a little more.

9.  I sometimes think that I God has called me to volunteer my time instead of being a paid employee.  I don't know why but I think about it a lot...

10.  I love to have a clean house but I love to play with my kids more.  So sometimes our laundry piles up and dishes wait till tomorrow to be cleaned because being a part of my kid's day is more important than my cleaning sprees being a part of their day.  I love that when we talk about our day before we tuck our kids in the bed that 9 out of 10 times they say their favorite part of their day was playing with mommy!  And that my dear is better than any load of laundry or clean dishes. One day I will have time to have a perfectly clean house and it will be those activities that will keep me busy from missing play time with my children.

All we need is LOVE

On this day of love, Valentine's Day...I am finding that I can't stop thinking about love!  I am preparing for a fun-filled night at home with my sweet husband and our precious, yet silly children.  I plan on making heart shaped hamburgers and some other yummy treats that my brain has not yet thought of.  We are going to have a movie night where we move all the furniture in the living room so everyone can have a comfy spot on the floor!  And maybe we will even turn some fun music on to dance around the kitchen a little bit too!  On a side note...I love it when my husband puts a song on and makes me dance with him!  Most of the time while in that moment...I think, "you are so goofy, Matt Edmonds"!  But when I look back, I think "I am one lucky girl to get to share life with that man"! Any who...I am so excited and I just know that tonight will be a lot of fun.  As I am being inspired to make this a night a little more special than every other night I am thinking...what do I really want my family to get from this night?  Am I wanting them to know that I am a super cool mom that is creative enough to use a cookie cutter to shape ground beef?  Do I want them to feel that they are loved and this is just a special day to focus on our family? Well, I am sure that they will get these feelings from my actions on this special day but I can't help but to think about what Jesus did for me on Calvary. I mean, THAT is love!  To love me enough to die for me...me, a sinner so unworthy of his love.  But he did it anyway...because he loves me that much...to know that I don't deserve his love or any of the actions he did for me.  In this life...I have been blessed to experience true love with my husband and I have experienced the love of my children and love a mother has for her children and PRAISE THE LORD that I have experienced the love that Jesus has for me.  I one lucky, LUCKY girl.  So, as I plan for this special night of love at the Edmonds' house...I will make sure that we say how special we are to each other but also to be thankful for our ultimate Valentine, Jesus.  No one will ever love us the way that He loves us.

If you are looking for some good "dancing in the kitchen" music...here are a few of our family's favorites right now!  Oh..and while you listen to the words think of your relationship with the Lord...it can apply to Him just as it could the loves of your life! Enjoy!

Our fav! Stuck like Glue by Sugarland http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q9Gou6d9Uo
Bubbly by Colbie Caillat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FjRyV-Mqh4&feature=related
Is'nt she lovely by Stevie Wonder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2WzocbSd2w
Home by Michael Buble http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbSOLBMUvIE
Smile by Uncle Kracker http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP_apsbNev8

Venting and Confession Session 101

Welcome to my venting and confession session!  Please...come on in, take a seat and get comfy!  So I had the flu and strep throat ALL of last week!  This week...I have a totally new take on life!  I have been so stressed...praying about everything...but still very stressed.  I know that by me seeking what the Lord would have me to do that He will be faithful to not lead me in the wrong direction.  I also know that He made me to have the heart that worries about family and everyone they come in contact with, a lady that wants to always have a spotless home in case visitors come by, He wants me to raise children that fear the Lord and call their momma blessed!  And for this reason...I worry.  I even worry about how I don't need to worry. I do feel that when God created woman, that He knew we were special and that we would HAVE to put Him first in our lives to ever survive this life here on earth.  So...as I went on my mini sabbatical...AKA: the flu and strep throat...I prayed and pondered how I can possibly make my life go smoother so that I am not breaking out in sweat at the fear of clothes that need to be washed or floors that need to mopped and no time to complete those tasks.  Another prayer that I had was about the future...my career as well as my children's well being. I have been praying about homeschooling my sweet son Mason.  He will be entering in to 5-year-old kindergarten in the Fall.  I am not really a fan of homeschooling...but I feel that God wants me to be faithful and pray about it...I have been praying for about 7 months now.  I have not yet registered Mason for school at the pure fear that I am making the wrong choice by sending him to public school.  And of course, I enjoy having a career and providing some jingle in my pocket as well as to our family budget!  This prayer has put me in tears...God, am I just being selfish and wanting to keep Mason to myself or are you truly telling me that I must homeschool because I need to protect Mason from something at school?  I feel that parents are the foundation provider for their children...I don't feel that Mason's foundation will be nourished in school.  So my concern...do I homeschool or do I consider making my work hours very strict to allow me to be a part of Mason's school experience and to look those sweet teachers in the eye and let them know that I am praying for them and that I am holding them accountable for this season of my boy's life.  Ok...don't exit my blog...I am not crazy, really...I'm not!  It is just something that has been laid on my heart to pray about...remember, I don't want to homeschool, but I know that the Lord wants me to pray about it.

And worry no more...

Praise the Lord!!!  The Lord sent me a very sweet friend to be my personal cheerleader...she listened to my concerns and then gave me 1 hour and 30 minutes of her personal therapy and advise.  After talking with my friend, I felt a sense of renewal, I felt cleansed, I felt like I am not as crazy as I think I am.  I just needed her to remind myself to take a deep breath and to give my worries to the Lord.  Everything she said, were things that I already knew and even as I prayed before I spoke to her I could hear God telling me to get more organized. But being the woman that God made me...I had to hear it in person.  I know that speaking with her yesterday was a true Divine appointment!  The reason I know this?  Well, I was on the phone for an hour and a half and my children never bothered our conversation!  (enter the Hallelujah Chorus here) I feel that this sweet friend does not want me to give her a national shout out so I will keep her name private. But HC...THANK YOU! THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  You are an amazing woman and I can't tell you enough how thankful I am that God allowed our paths to cross.

So...Hi, my name is momma and I have a problem with my organization.  My plan?  Well, I plan to not let laundry control my life and I plan to spend my time with my children and not think about cleaning in the back of my head and I plan to truly give my worries to Lord and let him help me figure it all out.  I will say...I don't think that I was too far gone...I feel that God allowed me to get a little of my schedule to show me that He has given me control over the things and people He has given to me.  He knows that I will love them with all my heart and He knows I thankful that I have a floor to mop and clothes to wash...and the messier that those clothes are just means the more fun we had that day.  The only catch is that I have put my all trust in the Lord...He has never-ever led me astray and has always been faithful to answer my concerns and to fulfill my heart's desires.

Ok, session OVER!  Thanks for listening and thanks even more for prayers that as a fellow momma I will keep my head up and my heart true to what God has in store for me...even if that means a messy house.

Thank you...and good night. Amen!

I can take a hint...

Ok, so I am sitting here with the glorious flu AND streap throat. A double whammy! I spent all day Saturday in bed with a fever of 102. I just knew that I could sleep this yucky stuff off...I thought that I just was not getting enough sleep. Then Sunday, I was not any better...oh, and did I mention that we were at the beach? Matt was teaching a class on Thursday and Friday so me and the kiddos tagged along.  Matt being his sweet self even suggested that we stop by the outlets before returning home.  GIRLS...I was so sick I did not even want to shop!!  Yeah, THAT'S how bad it was! Sunday we start our journey home and I so bummed that I am sick because I am also missing a sweet friend's baby shower and my sweet nephew's 4th birthday party.  We get back to Lexington and I told Matt "please just take me to the doctor...I can't take this anymore! Just drop me off at the curb if you have to!" But being the sweet hubby that he is he did not drop me off at the curb instead he I got front door service.  I walked in to the Lexington Medical urgent care as if I was 101 years old...I was so slow, my neck and face are swollen, I was shivering as if I was wearing a bikini in Alaska, and I could not speak too good.  Even the nurse intern commented on how "bad off" I looked.  God love her....
After being poked and prodded at the doctor said "well, you have a good reason to look that bad.  You have the flu and strep throat!" Geez, thanks Doc! Then she said..."and you should not be around anyone for 5 days"!  Huh????  Oh no!  I have to work this week!!!  It is very important that I am there...oh my word, what am I gonna do!???? Then...it dawned on me...there is nothing that I can do about this.  God obviously wants me to calm it down for a few days.  He not only took away my work responsibilities but my home responsbilities...I can't be close to my sweet kids or kiss my husband...I can cook or clean or stick love notes in my kid's lunch boxes!  Sitting here at home while everyone is away makes me the saddest lady on the planet.  It has made me realize that my wild and crazy kids and husband makes this house a home.  I don't want to be in this house with out them.  I miss them like crazy and I am SO ready to be over this crazy stuff!  They just better be ready because when I am well enough they are gonna get about 5 days worth of sugars for me!  I have missed their sweet little hands that I get to hold when I walk them in to school. And we sing "this is the day that Lord has made" everyday on the way to school...I miss them singing as loud as they can and off key!  I miss the kisses that I get when I leave them at school...and the kisses I get when I pick them up from school!  I miss meeting my husband for lunch so we can have a conversation with out having to cut up someone's meat or take someone to the bathroom. I have lost my voice these last 2 days and all though it has been nice to take a break I miss talking!  I actually LOVE talking...I am sure that takes you by surprise.  Yesterday I was trying to tell Mason that I loved him and I had to repeat it 5 times...he finally said "mom, if you are not going to use your big girl voice, then don't talk at all".  I wonder where he has heard that before!

But as I sit here sick, I remember a conversation that I had with my boss just about a week ago.  I was sharing with her that I thought I needed to step back an get my act together.  I let my emotions worry me and I am not good at time management.  A few things that I need to work on.  Here lately...if my kids say they want to play...then we play!  But that means laundry does not get done and I don't start dinner till their bed time.  I feel that me being sick is God's was of saying...ok, take a break from eveything and start back refreshed and on a schedule!  Although I am a little hard headed sometimes...I did not want to be this sick to hear what God was trying to tell me...but God, I hear ya!  And thank you for all that you have given to me!  I need to do MY part to organize my life better.

To start some organizing...I went through some of my very favorite baby pictures of Mason and Annie!  Here a few for you to enjoy too!!!

This is Annie's very 1st trip to the pumpkin patch...tell us how you really feel, Annie!  This picture makes me laught out loud every single time I see it!  She is so funny!

My sweet baby Mason!  He was such a happy baby!

One of my very favorite pictures of my sweet Annie!  I am proud because I took the picture, made Annie's outfit that she is wearing AND gave birth to that beautiful little girl!

I could just eat him up!!!  He is truly a momma's boy!

Annie wearing Mason's goggles!  BAhahaha!  She cracks me up!

Ah! My 2 favorite boys!  This was taken at a friend's wedding...the music was loud, it was about 8:00 at night and yet the photographer still managed to capture this sweet picture!



Well, that is all for now...my sweet family will be home soon and I look like I have been crying like a girl that did not get invited to the prom!  I am guilty of being emotional...a little too emotional.  But when I think of all that God has given to ME...I can't help but to break down in tears and thank Him for my many MANY blessings.  Even when I am sick...I am have SO much to be thankful for!