Vision Retreat?

While listening to Jimmy Evans in church this morning he mentioned Vision Retreats and the value that they hold in a good solid marriage. I had never really heard of the concept so I am doing some research. Sense I see that there is very few websites on the subject I decided to post my experience with the concept here in my blog for other ladies who might be interested to know more about Parent Vision Retreats. Remember retreats are for all couples, happy and unhappy. Everyone seems to benefit from these types of retreats.

There are rules apparently to qualify your trip as a Vision Retreat, instead of a get away. 

Rule #1
No Kids

Rule #2
Create a retreat in an environment that will not be distracting. In hard core english, NO electronics, except for maybe a camera.

Rule #3
Design a daily Schedule. All activities should be done together without distractions

Rule #4
Plan your talk time. 
Half of your day should be considered "talk time". This is when you will pray together and discuss the vision you both have for your family. This is when things can get ugly, fighting can happen, but you need this open, honest communication to work together at home. Don't be afraid to be honest with each other about your problems, the point of this time is to work them out together. 

Rule #5
Fun Time
This is when you should enjoy each others company and have some fun together. One on One. 


You should have at least one a year. If necessary though, you can plan one as needed throughout the year. If you are feeling a rift between the marriage, or there is an issue that needs to be discussed. Aim to learn to work as a team, as a unit. The idea is that you are setting time aside to concentrate on each other and your families future. 


http://www.amazon.com/Mountaintop-Marriage-Vision-Retreat-Guidebook/dp/1931585245

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-U_MLq389c

http://www.thesabbaticalcoach.com/html/vision_retreats.html


So anyways, Jason and I both work kinda crazy schedules so I am going to have to be creative to work this out but I am excited to get started. I want us to sit down together and create a vision for our family. I dont feel like that is something we have ever even thought about. Sure, we talk about what we would like, how we want things, but at the end of the end we have never made a plan. Also it has been forever sense we have been able to put everything else aside and just concentrate on making one another happy. I am skeptic however, that 
he will want to spend half the day talking. Jason isn't much of a talker. So I will have to let you all know how it goes~

American Girl TuTu

I saw videos on YouTube and wanted to try it for Maes dolls. It was very time consuming but not really hard. I used the big green bottle as a prop after measuring it against her Julie doll. Then went to work. We loved the outcome! Great day to do with your daughter if you both enjoy crafting.

American Girl DIY

Mae loves her American girl dolls and we are always on the look out for something new to add to her playroom. I was so excited when we stubbled on myfroggiestuff on YouTube. She has hundreds of great diy tutorials for American Girl, monster high, Barbi and more. So basically sense I never really have everything they use in these videos I usually watch them and then incorporate those ideas with mine. Below are a few diy projects we have made in our house using stuff just laying around the house like boxes, old toys, and small left over pieces of wood from other projects.

Duck Tape Tables

I love the decorative duck tape. I went through a stage when it first came out where I duck tapped everything. It was a couple years ago and I still have a desk top computer that is outlined in zebra print. lol.
Anyways I did grow out of it eventually, but went back for a visit for an old desk that I had here at the house. This will be a short sweet idea page. Nothing fancy, just thought Id share the idea.

Happy taping!!!

April showers brings May flowers

I am getting my flower garden started this week. I am a little hesitant to do it sense winter has been so stubborn but I figure if I have to I can take them in.

I purchased many of these items last year after summer when everything was around 75% off and I am using as much of my old soil as possible. This way I have very little money into the plants, especially sense none of these are for food. 

This plant has its own story. Mae and I dug this up this Winter and decided to see if it would still grow so we brought it inside and put it in just water. We were a little slack on keeping it as wet as it should be. It did grow and it still growing, so I figured it would be a great idea to try and replant the lillies now that Spring is coming. These plants are very versatile and can regrow under almost any circumstances annually with very little effort. The previous owner of the house we bought last year planted these EVERYWHERE in my yard in clumps, I like them but I would like them better if they were not so random. There is no method to their madness. They seem to grow in packs and the more the merrier. Which is great if you can make it work for you. So I am trying.  

Here is a website on how to transplant them:

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/transplant-daylilies-39834.html

I bought these all at Family Dollar. They are pretty cheap even if you don't catch a sale and can be found in almost any store. You will spend more for the preannuals and the taller, bigger flowers end up costing more, but the affect is well worth the small cost of DYI garden. 

For some of my plants I used starter soil, it will be interesting to see if these grow better then the ones I started using last years old soil. I will post results later in the season. I also have more plants to go out and this is an on going process because some of the ground plants have to wait until after the last freeze. Which really should have been weeks ago sense I live in NC. Somehow though, winter is STILL dragging on. 

After filling the small container with the dirt or starter mix I put the seeds around the middle way down. Then I watered them all good and left them in the sun to soak up the raise. Unfortunately it didn't last very long. I had to bring them all in tonight (2 days later) to avoid cold weather.ugh!  Spring Where Are You?!

How to Start your own Garden: http://www.ivillage.com/how-get-your-garden-ready-spring/7-b-434684

Mae's 10th Birthday Party Planning

My baby girl is turning 10 in just a couple of weeks. I cant believe it. She is growing up so fast. Sense her sister wouldnt let me plan her a Sweet 16 party in July, because she wanted to go to the beach with her friends instead, I still have a girly party in me, just screaming to get out. I am using Pinterest to gather my favorite ideas and methods. (Link below)

Awesome GIRLY Birthday ideas

This is my favorite look and similar to what I am going for.

Idea 1:One of the ideas I have is to send out bday party reminder favors. I dont think this is too pushy at all, in fact I think it is a great idea to remind everyone and get excitement up about a week before the big night. So I will post pics of the final product before I send them out.


Idea 2: See the pink Tulle material hanging from the ceiling? Well I purchased some on ebay. (link below)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/380850545534?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I ordered these from ebay and received them within 5 business days!! I paid around $12 for all 4.

Next I am going to work on making the big tissue paper lanterns. If  I cant make them there are also stores on ebay that sell these as well.

 I am honestly pretty nervous to try these. So here is my back up ebay site :)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-x-Party-Xmas-Home-Outdoor-Flower-Balls-Decor-Wedding-Tissue-Paper-Pom-Poms-/291094671174?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item43c6982f46

For those of you who want to try on your own :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2uVnIcAMm8

I like these paper curlies too!

Idea 3: We have a spare bedroom. I am going to paint the room this beautiful blue color I found at lowes hardware.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_530819-4-007.0530819.003_4294729371%2B4294791317__?productId=50142874&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=Blues

Cleaning out this room was the real pain. We had used it for everything from art supplies to old books and toys for the past few months and the pile had only grown when we remodeled Brittany's closet to give her a walk in because she brought things out I didn't even know she owned. So I basically was able to get the room cleaned out and painted by myself in one weekend. Brittany was away visiting colleges, Jason worked all weekend and Mae had a friend over so that left the job up to me, but I didn't mind. With a little music and some down time it was fun and the result was perfect. Notice though that I did not use the color I had picked out to begin with alone. It was a bit too dark for what I was going for so I mixed my sample with a gallon of light blue paint we had left over from painting Mae's room and I had the color I needed.

Then we are going to put a Big TV in the room, the girls Wii  system and equipment, and purchase a couple of bean bags.

                                                                      I LOVE THIS!!

There are so many different ideas online, I had no idea when I started this how overwhelming all the ideas can be! So here I am posting the ideas I am actually using. It keeps it easy to have it all in one place.

Decoration Ideas:
http://www.brit.co/confetti-projects/

Cool confetti ideas!

http://alanajonesmann.com/2013/01/handmade-photobooth-backdrop/

Cool paper decoration ideas!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au8H2jP86_I

How to make the double balloon, much easier than you think!!

http://www.ehow.com/how_2108044_blow-up-balloon-baking-soda.html

Make balloons float without helium!! Don't know if it works, and sense I am not much on science, and or mess, I am opting out of this idea. I thought I would share though. ;)

Idea 4: Gone are the days of the plan old ice cream and cake of yesteryear!!  Food to be discussed and more check back as my list grows and for the final pics. :)

Found this on pinterest. Great Idea in lieu of a cake...Let the girls make their own cupcakes!! I already have a nice bowls that will do the trick!

This idea is AWESOME and Mae will LOVE it. Blog Directions below!
http://lickthebowlgood.blogspot.com/2009/05/55-lb-cavity.html

Wanna go with a cheaper or smaller version?

I did find some pre made poms at my local dollar store

But I did not like the way they look as much as the home made ones.So I recommend taking the time to do it yourself if you can.

Supplies 

I laid the tulle out on the floor for cutting. It was hard, but this way I was able to do the lengths I needed. 

These are my final pics taken the day of the Party. I wasn't able to get the full effect of the tulle on camera because of the angle of the room but it was great. Much worth the time....which it took A LOT of.

I made home made pink camo cupcakes and later let the girls decorate them as part of the fun. 

We had a great time and the ideas and plans made the night run much smoother!

Playing with their American Girl and Mrs Alexander Dolls

Make Overs

We also played outside, played Twister, Basketball and had a picnic on our front patio. All in all it was a great night. 

Mae's 10th Birthday Party Sleepover 

Dawn Dish Soap Cleans Everything!! (Prom Dresses too!)

So Brittany is going to Prom soon. She is normally EXTREMELY PICKY and will not wear anything used but somehow this dress won her heart when she noticed it one friends instagram sales site. So after contacting the girl and making plans for me to pick it up from school we had our dress. I was amazed at how lucky I had gotten. I got the dress at half the regular cost and it was beautiful. I was so excited I thought about it all day waiting to get home and have her try it on that night. Of course though, the honeymoon faze ended quickly when I was zipping the back for her and realized it was COVERED in stains. SET stains. Apparently the girl we purchased it from had let another girl take it home to try to on and that girl played sports. This appeared to be mud, and a lot of it. Down the side, back, front and even on the inside. It almost seemed as if it were done on purpose. How could someone do this to such a beautiful dress???!!

After 

realizing that I will never find the same dress in time for prom I decided to tackle the stains myself and see what happened. I was VERY nervous about doing this because when we called around to the local dry cleaners they said they could not clean it. I thought for sure if they couldn't do it, I couldn't. One thing I learned from my mother in law is the wonders of Dawn dish soap. The stuff is amazing. All I used was a couple old wash clothes, towels, a big basin, and Dawn.

I did have to do more than one scrub section, but amazingly enough I got the stains out without messing up the material or any of the sequins. <3 Dawn works wonders. All you really need is time, dedication and Dawn. :)

Will post pics of my babygirl on Prom night asap.

Here is the shoes and jewelry we went with..

After hair and nails she is going to look like a Princess <3