are you ready?

tomorrow marks five weeks until session starts.

five short weeks.

and almost everywhere i go, friends {and strangers} ask, "are you ready?"

hmmmmm. that's a loaded question if i've ever heard one.

the short answer is yes. i'm as ready as i'll ever be.

i've come to grips with the fact that i'm not strong enough to brave the storm ahead alone. we're not strong enough.

i've accepted the fact that we have an enemy that is consistently working against us & wants nothing more than for us to fail.

but HE is strong enough. it's HIS will that will prevail - and if we tap into HIS strength and patience and perseverance and humility as this journey starts then we WILL succeed in whatever capacity HE has for us.

sometimes we forget that our idea of success isn't always HIS idea of success.

 
i read and re-read a lengthy passage in my bible this morning as i prayed over all that 2013 is going to bring.

i have a big "becky & jeff  - beach camp '99" noted next to it. crazy how much has happened since then. crazy that i can remember sitting at a picnic table with j after dinner, before our next 'session' in a courtyard between 'cabins' {if you can call them that}.

even more crazy is that it rings true. this is what our prayer for our relationship was. when we were in high school, y'all. and we totally had a high school relationship - complete with high school drama, jealousy, fights, weekly breakups, etc. absolutely outrageous.

but the Lord was working. even then. {insert recurring goosebumps here.}

allow me to share:

"and working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain - for He says, 'at the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.' behold, now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation - giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand & the left, by glory & dishonor, by evil report & good report; regarded as deceivers & yet true; as unknown yet wellknown, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things." 2 corinthians 6:1-10

writing this out brought me to tears. to think of all that the Lord has done throughout our relationship... to think that He brought us out of our immature, squabbly, awkward high school relationship to this. HE can do all things. what a sense of humor the Lord must have. we had no concept of what this scripture meant when we "claimed" it as our own over thirteen years ago. we probably still have no idea of what it truly meant when paul wrote this.

but it has wrung true. NOW is the time, sweet hubby. right now.

and i'm so grateful to get to be by your side. on the strong days & on the fragile days. i'm grateful.

happy monday friends.

***pictures are the product of our dear friend sarah avitua***

scenes from life.

a black tie invite for me & my hubby, the "member".

painting, wrapping, shipping, labeling. repeat.

a drive to broken bow, oklahoma.

the wide open spaces were breathtaking. my in laws were kind enough to take the littles in their car on the way there. so the hubbs & i enjoyed a 3 hour drive all to ourselves. i don't know if the scenery was really what made it or the quietness. ahhhh.... it was wonderful.

i am thankful for many things from this past year. this guy. he tops my list.

black friday shopping at the local flea. fiestaware. vintage christmas ornaments {that the hubbs does NOT understand why i bought for $3} and a milk glass pitcher. don't know which find is my favorite.

on our drive out we passed this house about 15 miles outside of paris, tx. it's my house. you don't understand. it's what i dream of when i dream of having a farm some day. so on our way back home j knew i wanted to stop and take a picture... if only for the sake of my wanderlust. the two precious horses were there to greet us. be still my heart.

it's time to get the christmas stuff out! we opted for a fake tree this year. our first fake tree. it felt so wrong. but so right. i now have a candle that burns constantly with the smell of a christmas tree. ahhhh..... hopefully the 20 boxes that came down from the attic on saturday night will promptly be emptied and magically decorate the house & return to the attic. yeah right.

i've started reading a new book. unglued. it's amazing. for anyone who struggles with emotions or communication or barriers or bitterness.... or if you simply think that YOU are a mess... this is the book for you. she's so honest and it's been such a blessing for me. thank you, terri.

sunday our dear friend sarah took our family pics. i love her. she's so stinkin' talented and wonderful with my littles. i can't wait to see how they turned out.

how's your monday? i'm determined to have a glass half full kind of week. are you?

what a weekend!

happy monday, friends.

how was your weekend? are you reading this with a hot cup of coffee in your hand? because i'm sure writing it with one right next to me. 

our weekend was PACKED to the brim. thanksgiving stuff. prep for family pictures {because i sure ain't going to the mall after thanksgiving!} a family gathering for c's birthday....

roasting chestnuts for a green bean dish....

gathering supplies for custom orders...

honey-dos...

 football... {sic 'em!!!!!!!!}

a sleepover...

and more football.

it was a wonderful weekend but i'm thankful for monday. a slow monday.

that is full of painting and sewing. and maybe a little post office trip and pizza thrown in there.  or maybe i'll make chili. i love chilli. the way it makes my house smell and the comfort it brings eating a big bowl in front of a football game. ahhhh..... that's what i'll do.

do you ever find yourself having to make yourself slow down? as in, literally as you walk to the kitchen from the bedroom, slowing your steps so that mentally you slow down as well? 

that's what i hope today brings. even though i'm swamped in orders. 

have i mentioned that i am terribly grateful for my little side business that has been steady and a tremendous blessing in my life. thankful that the Lord provided an opportunity to make this happen. thankful for YOU all that support it?

remember to enter the little branches giveaway from wednesday! i'll announce the winner today at 5! last chance!

happy monday, friends. SLOW DOWN.

***WINNER OF THE GIVEAWAY IS JESS!! EMAIL ME AT BECKY @ SHOPLITTLEBRANCHES . COM TO LET ME KNOW WHICH TWO MINIS YOU WANT! CONGRATULATIONS!!***

happy wednesday, friends!

today, in the honor of little branches being represented at meg's craft weekend in kansas, i thought we should do a mini giveaway!!

 

{photo via meg duerksen}

with each entry {there are FOUR chances to win!} you will be eligible to win TWO extra cute minis of YOUR choice! 

one to keep and one to gift? 

or keep both for yourself? 

YOU choose!

here's what you do!

entry number one:

like our page on facebook and leave a comment below that says you did so. if you're already a FB fan, just write "already a fan!" if you do NOT have a FB account {like my momma...} just write that down here at the bottom too! we don't want to exclude anyone, right?! but be honest! santa's keeping track these days, right?

entry number two:

share this link on your FB page & then leave another comment below saying that you did so! more comments, more chances to win!

entry number three:

share this giveaway on your blog & leave a comment below saying that you did so!

entry number four:

go to the little branches online shop and pin your favorite item to pinterest. {this should be easy, right?} and then leave a comment that you did so!

remember to leave a separate comment for each entry!!

these would make GREAT christmas gifts for your friends, teachers or family! i hope YOU win! 

good luck, friends... and happy christmas!

winners will be announced on monday, november 19th!

{DIY} a knockoff hurricane.

a few weeks ago, i was at target {i mean, when am i NOT at target} and saw these from nate berkus:

hmmmm..... $25? and it wasn't even that large..... no thanks.

so when i saw this jute at joann {again - when am i NOT there?} i thought - i can totally make something with that!

supplies needed:

hurricane {from walmart floral section @ $3.99}

gluegun/gluestick {and in my case a glue plate!}

craft jute {mine was from joann at $4.99 - on sale}

a candle or flowers, depending on your use!

just warm up that hot glue gun and start painting on those lines.

pull the jute tight over the glue and press down for a few seconds. 

keep rolling the hurricane around and around.

since mine was a larger hurricane, i used a candle. {that smells JUST like tyler candles but at a fraction of the price. $3.99. NOT lying, folks. and smells every bit as good!}

and some moss from the craft store. it's probably not fireman approved {eek! my mom will kill me!} but i saw something similar on the beautiful megan's home tour from contented sparrow and had to copy. of course.

and that's that. a beautiful new refurbished hurricane. 

i also saw something similar here and pinned it! 

get your glue guns out! it's time to rock!

lil' miss c.

we celebrated our lil' miss yesterday. she turned TWO. i can't believe it. well, kinda can't believe it. because she acts like she's 16 sometimes {yes, already!} yet i feel like this last year absolutely FLEW by. 

 

saturday we took the littles to the dallas zoo. she loved every second of it. loved looking for all the animals. loved watching them. loved laughing at them. 

she's super funny. she makes jokes. plays hide & seek at the most inopportune times. starts peek a boo games in the car out of no where. she cracks herself up, and makes b. laugh his head off too. she falls down in the middle of the floor and she sings to herself. she spins in circles singing. she sings to her babies. she is going to take after her daddy.

she loves her big brother. adores him. {how is she two?} they've been playing really well together lately. so thankful for that. {as they yell at each other over her new stroller in the background as i type this...} they are friends. i love that.

daddy is super special to her. we are soaking up this time with him. and i am so grateful for their special relationship. she talks on the phone with him like a teenager. she gets the phone and walks away. she sits down in a chair and crosses her legs and uses her hands as she talks. i love it.

she's just now named her babies. so far we have baby bella, baby harper {hoppa} and baby bubba. and she wants different ones at different times. no idea why. this is normal, right?

i am challenged by having a daughter. that she follows me everywhere. mimicks me. tries to do things like me. that's a big "lets-step-back-and-reevaluate-my-life" moment. she's going to learn how to be a mom from me. she's going to learn how to cook from me. to be a home maker. how to be a wife. how to be a friend. how to talk about others. how to treat others. how to serve others. mostly from me. don't get me wrong - i want the influence on her - i don't want media or society or even good friends to have that same influence on her. but it's a challenge. convicting. something i pray about often.

Lord, show me how to love her so that she can be a woman who fears You. Lord, give me the patience to teach her patience. give me the faith that demonstrates faith to her. give me compassion & mercy & grace so that i might show her how to be a woman who gives those things to others. i know that actions speak louder than words, Lord. may i demonstrate to her what True beauty is  and not try to mold her into what i think she needs to be. Lord, i know that You have very special plans for this girl,  and i need You to teach me to get out of Your way. Lord, give her a desire, a yearning, for you - even in this young age. i pray that she finds all that she ever needs is in You. thank you for giving us another year with this precious one. may we seek to point after You in everything we do.