I am a stay at home mom. I don't get out much.

Therefore....

building things...


like this train track...


might bring me my greatest sense of accomplishment for my day.



And then this happens...


*sigh*

Smiles All Around

Labels Can Stick

I randomly found this article on a site I had never visited before.  I feel like this is great advice for all of us parents!

Labels Can Stick

By Gregg Stutts

When I was a kid, my mother once called me “anti-social” because I didn’t want to go to a party. I’ve never forgotten that.

During her childhood, a friend of mine was introduced by her mother as the “pretty, but not too smart” one. She’s never forgotten that.

Words matter. Labels can stick. Especially when they come from a parent.

So try to catch your children in the act of using their God-given gifts or exhibiting a certain character quality you want to reinforce. Identify it. Give it a name. Then point it out to them.

Let’s say you ask your son to clean his room. An hour later you check and the job is done. When you tuck him into bed, you could say, “Son, you not only got your room clean, but you did it right and you did it the first time I asked. You are someone who is responsible and trustworthy.”

Maybe your teenage daughter is trying a new hairstyle (or make-up, clothing, etc.). Try saying, “You sure are beautiful, but not just on the outside. I’m so proud of who you are.”

Your words are going to stick one way or the other. You might as well make them good ones.

You can read more interesting posts on the site HERE.  It is called the DadPad, and it is a site for Dads with articles written by Dads.  (I am not a Dad, but I still found a lot of the articles enlightening!)

Light for Love.

Some of you may have seen my post a few days ago with this picture:


Steve came up with the idea to start a company, sell a product, and give 100% of the profits away to missions projects that we believe in. When he first told me he wanted to make candles and sell them, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. I have never made a candle, nor seen anyone make a candle. I just wasn't sure how easy or time consuming it might be.

Steve sold one of his nicest camera lenses and used all the money to buy supplies to start making candles. He bought molds, wax, a pour pot, dyes and fragrances, wicks, etc.

When Steve gets an idea, he is just an all or nothing kind of guy.

So he started making candles about two weeks ago, and I have to admit that he is pretty kick booty at it already!




Our friends Mike and Janessa came over on Friday. Mike and Steve are very like-minded guys, so Mike is into the selling candles for those in need idea as well. This is Mike:

And this is Mike's candle he made (with Butternut Pumpkin scent in case you are interested to know!):



So I was taking this picture of Mike's candle, and as I was focusing on the candle I was seeing his tatoo out of the corner of my eye.  So now we have evolved from:

light.

to 

light for love.

Kinda catchy, huh?  

If you don't think so, you don't have to tell me.  I posted a semi-controversial article the other day and after getting a few comments from people that might have been slightly offended by the article, I decided I am sticking to my usual subjects. To be totally transparent, I just don't much like debating at all!  I will leave the controversy to our friend Brett Tilford. 

So I will keep you posted as we get further into this.  We have lot's of details to figure out, but we are excited about the money that we could put into the hands of those that are being light and love to people (especially kids) around the world that desperately need it.

OK.  So while the guys were making candles, Janessa and I were knitting.  I am just getting started, so I haven't even finished my first scarf yet.  I will post a sneak peek of that in the next few days.

This is Janessa:



See Janessa knit:

I'm Sorry...

but I LOVED it!  I know, I am stuck in a genre and I can't get out...