Four years ago today I was laying on the couch watching Cars with the family when my water broke. We had no idea whether you were a boy or girl and now that the time had come, I was excited to find out.
As crazy as it may sound, I giggled as I was prepped for my c-section, once I was numb anyway. I felt the tugs and heard the doctor say, "it's a girl!"
Oh what a girl you are.
For your 4th birthday you received 9 new dresses. You prefer dresses to pretty much anything else. You can be the pickiest, most stubborn child.

Your favorites right now are My little Pony, which we got you 5 of the 6 for your birthday, we've gone back twice to get the 6th but the store is out. Lets see, Barbie movies, any of them, Disney Princesses, nightgowns, jewelry and tiaras.

Chelsea has now graduated out of the church nursery and into junior church with her brother and sister, God help them all. LOL
The Thursday before her birthday party Chelsea got a horrible case of the flu and I wondered if we should cancel her party. By Saturday her fever was gone and we had a blast with the family. That night though,

Wyatt and I got the flu. Wyatt rebounded better than I have but I think I'm finally feeling better. I just pray no one else in the family gets it. I would feel horrible.

Chelsea, you don't like to eat dinner at dinner time or you don't like what I make, you like pizza crust but not the pizza. We are trying to break your habit of BURPING every time you drink anything. You love Cheetos and are crazy for dum dum suckers. You also like bananas, cheese sticks, and grapes.
I love to listen to Chelsea sing in the car, she seems to have Adele nailed in the chorus of Rumor has it and Katy Perry in Firework.
This will be our last year hanging out at home together while the big kids are at school and I pray that we live up every moment. Of course life is never dull with Chels around. Happy Birthday baby girl, we love you
*Carrie*

For the last couple weeks I have been working on the second installment of the Artist's Way books called Walking in the World.
Oh my goodness how this book has spoken to me.
Do you know when people tell you that you need to hear or do something X amount of times until you get it? This has been my X. I've completed my tasks for this week and I think my favorite has been my letter to my inner artist. Before I re-write what I wrote (type that 5 times fast) I also want to mention my second favorite task which was to write 20 things that you wish for. That task was an eye opener because I think it truly showed who Carrie really is. As a person I feel that I'm greedy, materialistic, and selfish most of the time but give me 20 things to wish for, and dang it! I guess wishes are selfish! I found that most of what I was wishing for leaned more towards making me a better person.
Here is a few things that I wished for: a large studio, to travel with my family, more generous, an interior designer for my home, a cleaner house, to be more brave, to take classes in any subject that interests me, to have original ideas, etc..

My last task was to write a letter to my inner artist. I don't plan on rewording everything so that it flows better for you, this is just my thought process as I wrote the letter.
To my inner artist,
I have down played  my creative nature for so long, I still don't know what it would look like to truly set free. My dream from many years ago has been this, to have a home in Oregon, mostly Astoria, with a beautiful view of God's world around me. A big studio with lots of light to just create. I wanted to have family picnics in the vibrant green grass and go sailing on a calm lake or tossed around on the  ocean. Yes, I have spent many years holding back and not even trying because I thought that I'm not enough. Honestly that was fear and fear is mostly in our heads, it doesn't materialize. I want people to know my dreams, because I feel we are all connected and who knows, maybe that one person is part of my path that will lead me closer to my dream. I have always had a "try something once" attitude and "life is an adventure". Why didn't I apply that to my creative life sooner? I need to stop worrying about the cost of one piece of paper and try. If I fail, what happens? I at least know how not to do it. Experiment, let go. Experiment with color, with angles. Put your visions on paper and revisit them often. Admire those around you for their strengths and avoid looking down on people. We are all on a journey, for this you know too well. Some prosper, some give up, some deny, and some at least try. Obviously right now you are trying many creative avenues. I think that this is a good thing, many things in life are intertwined, who knows where it can/will lead you. Are you open? Are you willing? Than enjoy the ride.

Last Saturday I took the kids up to Walgreen's thinking that they could get a pack of go-gos and Chelsea a my little pony toy. We walked out with a pack of go-gos for Kelly, a Lego man for Wyatt and this tiara combo set. This tiara set has been the best investment of $4.00 that I've spent in a while. Chelsea has worn it every single day since. Seriously it doesn't come off. At bedtime its on her shelf and as soon as she awakens its on her head and she comes to us to help put on her necklace.  We've gone to church, grocery stores, Lowe's, she is a princess and everyone thinks its the cutest thing. If they only knew what a terror she is.

Our front yard is in bloom and my favorites have to be these day lilies that originated from Rob's grandmas yard in Mississippi. We've had them for about 10 years and they continue to bloom every summer. In the last day or so my hibiscus are blooming again, the jasmine is flowering and my rose bush is unfurling it's pretty petals.
I love seeing all the color.
On Monday we went to Lowe's to pick up a couple of things and we added some dianthus, a red mandavilla and a honeysuckle bush. 

I really wish we had the money to pay someone to come work on our yard. I have this vision in my head of all the ideas that Rob and I talked about and I just want to see it come to fruition. Yes, I know that it will mean more if we do the work ourselves, but I'm just so excited to be able to sit under the arbor, watch the birds eat from one feeder and drink from the bird bath. We have some beautiful hummingbirds and to know that we bought some of our plants to cater to them and the butterflies just fills my soul. To be able to watch the vines climb the trellis that will one day provide shade to sit under. To see all the colorful artwork that the kids and I are making.
In two years, wow, that long?! I can't wait to show off how are garden is growing. The oasis that we envision. Rob would tell you that he is excited about growing a bigger garden next year. So far, our crop hasn't yielded any veggies, but to see them grow and spread out, watch the blossoms pop open on the squash plants has made him very excited.
Every morning and/or evening we make our rounds and discuss how some of the plants are doing. We make adjustments on water and shade and then our talks circle back to a few of the plants and where they might go in the back yard.
Maybe I'll try to sketch what the yard will look like. Of course it could take awhile because we keep changing our mind on where everything is going to go.
Last Saturday before going to Walgreen's the kids and I tried to make the paint pots that were buzzing around Pinterest. rainbow pot tutorial I let the kids pick their own colors obviously. I will try this again because these pots sure didn't turn out like I thought they would. I probably didn't use enough paint, so I plan on trying again, I just need to go buy more paint.
*Carrie*

 Summer vacation is in full swing around our house. Late mornings in our jammies, video games, reading. Yep, pretty much lazy days.
Its driving me crazy.
I was journaling last night about how my schedule is completely off and except for house cleaning, I'm not getting much done.
I even went so far as to make a creativity schedule and I haven't accomplished one thing.
And yes, I'm beating myself up about it.
Yesterday I took the kids to Bookmans, a local used book store, an awesome place.
Kelly was looking to start the Dork Diaries series, Wyatt wanted Spy kids and Chelsea wanted pretty much everything. I headed over to the self help to

look for more books on creativity, motivation and self esteem.
I could have sworn that my reading list was on my phone but alas, it was not and I could not remember what I was trying to find.
So I browsed. I ended up grabbing the third book for the Artist's Way and a book called 100 ways to motivate.
I love the feel of a book in my hands and though I would love a tablet I don't think I could ever stop buying books.
There is just something about them.
I glanced through the books again last night and already I'm getting twitchy to get out of this mini funk.
I keep beating myself up about what isn't getting done, that I'm not realizing that the kids are having fun and not saying their bored. I have projects that I want to do with them but I haven't because I think I've been too lazy. Next thing I know it will be 2 days before school starts. Your probably saying, "well then do them". And I say, "I'm going to". If its bothering me this much then I'm gonna do something about it.
Moving on...
OK, last week I saw a glimpse of this quote on either Ali's blog or Pinterest and it just really spoke to me in that moment and so I grabbed my gypsy and recreated it. I cut it out in vinyl with my Cricut and attached it to the mirror.
Two hours later I realize what I should have put up there; flush the toilet and wash your hands. Yeesh.
*Carrie*