Five on Friday

Happy Friday!

Here are the goings-on...

{one}

Most of the areas in my house are beginning to look like this:

Packing, packing, packing...that is going to be my life for the next 5 weeks...and then after that, UN-packing for the next 5 months I'm sure. I'm making some headway though...I'm mainly trying to pack any thing and everything we can live without for 5 weeks. Furniture of course is staying put until move day and we will probably wait to take things like beds and the crib apart until the weekend before the move.

{two}

All the hectic-ness of the last few weeks had kept me away from the gym. This week, I got back to it and I feel great...a bit sore, naturally, but the good kind of sore. Just have to keep at it. I finished this week's workout plan and here is next week's ready to go (it starts tomorrow)...

{three}

I stole this meme from another friend's Facebook page and I just loved it because the background was of a girl painting. I am an artist, but in recent years, I hadn't spent much time at the easel...my mind has been bogged down with work, kids, etc. and I haven't taken the time to do something I really love - which is paint.

Recently, though, I've taken the time to do it more...here is a painting I've been working on. It's not finished, but I plan to frame it and hang it in our new house when it's done {hopefully very soon!}

{four}

I am two weeks into my new job and it's going great. I will definitely have a lot to do and it's definitely a good opportunity to have visibility to a lot of the "big-wigs" in this company. I am also excited about taking advantage of going back to school completely paid for by the company after one year of employment. That will do so much for my career path with the company. I'm hoping to start in Fall 2016.


{five}

And, fittingly for #5, tomorrow my middle child and youngest son, Breckin is turning FIVE. I can't believe this guy is already headed to Kindergarten...time seriously just flies by, people.

Not much on the docket for the weekend...Jake has his USCG Reserves duty, so we are celebrating Breckin's birthday next weekend instead. I will probably do something special for him tomorrow, with just the kids and me. Other than that, just packing and cleaning...woohoo! Have a wonderful weekend - xo.

Linking Up With:

Mondays: Life Of Meg // Still Being Molly // Lipgloss & Crayons // B Loved Boston // Fizz & Frosting // More Pieces of Me

Tuesdays: Bless Her Heart Y’All // 2 Cats & Chloe // Style Elixir // Designed Décor // Enjoy The View // Olives 'n Wine // Confident Twosdays

Wednesdays: Pampers & Pearls // Fitness Blondie // Because Shanna Said So // The Pleated Poppy // Get Your Pretty On // Let It Be Beautiful // Tucker Up // Pumps & Pushups // Shopping My Closet // Cappuccino & Fashion // Classy Yet Trendy // Book of Leisure

Thursdays: Home of Malones // East Coast Chic // Living In Color Style // Stylin’ In St. Louis // What I Wore To Work // What Wives Wear // Look What I Got // ThrowBack Thursday
Fridays: Hello, Happiness! // The Good Life // A. Liz Adventures // Carolina Charm // Lauren Elizabeth // Meet @ The Barre // September Farm // The Farmer’s Wife // All The Joys // Momfessionals

Five on Friday

Well happy, fabulous Friday! I've certainly been scarce this week! Just a lot going on in work and life and I had no time to sort any thoughts into a decent blog post. But it's Friday...work is winding down and I am ready for the weekend. How about you?

{one}

A sweet friend lent me his NASM study materials for getting a personal training certification, so I'm diving into those and finally going to work toward getting certified! It's only been like a decade or so that I've talked about wanting to be certified. It's something I've felt strongly about for years and for whatever reason, things would get in the way, or I would procrastinate. Pregnancies did not help either, as I'm a little crazy, so mentally I would think that I can't be a personal trainer if I'm not my fittest and still carrying  baby weight. Though I still have a few lbs of baby weight left from Farrah, I'm feeling good about the future and want to get started with this process. Plus, it does make for extra motivation in my workouts.

{two}

Speaking of working out, we had such beautiful weather this week, well, until today that is. High 70s pretty much all week and today it's in the 30s...#WTF. BUT, I did take advantage of that nice weather and took a couple of runs this week after work before I picked up the kids {it was my "me" time}. They were short and I didn't feel that great about my time...it's been a while since I've run and getting back to it while it's hot outside is a challenge. I'm working on it...don't mind my rant about the construction during Monday's run...

 {three}

I started a giraffe drawing for Farrah's nursery sometime in December, I believe, and sort of forgot about it. I pulled it out last night and finished it. I still am not 100% happy with it, but think I'm going to go ahead and frame it for her room.

 I then got a little hooked {it's been a while since I've sketched!} and I started playing around...I love drawing hibiscus flowers.

This one is not finished, that was about 10-15 min of work...I really need to keep up on creating art...I get so rusty and I do love it...it was nice and relaxing to just sit there and draw. It is good therapy. Hopefully you'll be seeing more from me.

{four}

This weekend is going to be pretty nice - temps in the 60s and sunny. And I am SOOOOO looking forward to daylight savings time on Sunday! I swear I am always in a funk by this time of year - whether it be mood, fitness or just all of the above and once that DST starts back up again, it changes everything. I'm hoping to take the kids to the beach to play and I also need to get some things done around the house...Jake is almost done with our bathroom {can't wait to show you!} Here is the countertop he made himself:

Glad my man is so talented and hardworking...we are able to get a lot of nice things done around the house for way less than what it would cost most people.

{five}

To top off this Five on Friday, I'll leave you with a picture of my happy baby...she's 3 days shy of 10 mos and REALLY trying to crawl...she's just like Tanner, too big to crawl! He was exactly 10 mos when he crawled AND pulled himself up in the same day...I wonder if she will follow suit? This is her playing ball with Daddy...she just loves catching it.

Have a great weekend!

 See where I like to Party.

Become a Fashion Designer

I Want My MoMA!

Or at least I think my kiddos will.

Check out these adorable coloring and art books I stumbled upon, by MoMA:



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As an artist, it's important to me that my kids discover and develop their creativity. 

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I think MoMA's line of coloring books encourage a lot of creativity and artistic techniques.

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They are also affordably priced...ranging from $10-$17 each.

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And aren't these tablemats the cutest idea to help cure that "bewitching hour" craziness by giving the kiddos something to do while waiting for their dinner...I know I could use this!

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Can't wait to receive these adorable things for my boys! 

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My Artwork Page

Hey y'all. I recently added an artwork page on my blog and hope you can take the time to check it out. I am working on some new pieces and will also post them in my Etsy shop soon for sale. Appreciate any feedback you have on the art and/or the page. Thank you for looking! xoxo

Here's a preview:

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Writing Prompt: Facebook Photo

Linking up with Mama Kat this week for her Writing Prompts. I chose to do a couple, so you'll see couple more posts this week on them. Here is the current prompt I chose:

4.) Share the story behind your current Facebook and/or Twitter profile photo.

This is a photo of a painting I started 5 days ago and just finished last night. It is my first painting after years of not painting. I used to be an artist. Even my college degree is in Graphic Design. I loved drawing and painting and it was a very therapeutic past-time for me.

Almost 9 years ago, my car was stolen. Inside my car at the time was my backpack and my portfolio. Both were gone when the car turned up. In the backpack were all of my digital art files from graphics work I had done in school, and my portfolio of course had all of my original paintings and drawings. It was so sad...it felt like someone had literally taken something from me that I could never get back. And really, though if I tried, I could have recreated most of what was in there, I just didn't have the desire...I had literally lost my desire to create. Years of my hard work and pieces that meant something special to me...gone. That moment was pivotal. It was pretty much the moment I dropped my brushes. It would be years before I picked one up again...to truly use my artistic talent. I've dabbled in it on and off since, but never really tried to create anything wonderful...or I would just create little cutesy art stuff with my son, who is as artistically inclined as Mommy once was.

I don't know what sparked me this past week to pick up the brushes and paint again. I was at Wal-Mart picking out some Halloween craft things for Tanner when I saw they sold stretched canvas. Without thinking, I picked up a few of them. After the boys went to bed that night, I pulled out my acrylics and brushes, dusted off the easel and started messing around. My first attempt was pretty quick - created a sunset in less than an hour that was albeit OK, but nothing spectacular. The next night, I tried to mess with it a little more and over the course of the next few nights, it became a completely different sunset. One I'm a little more proud of. Not by any means my best work, but some of my old techniques still have yet to be rediscovered.

I set up my easel and supplies in a nice area in my guest room...so I'll be more inclined to go in there and use it. I'm so glad to open up this part of myself again...eager to see what I will create in the future.