Return of my sewing classes: basic appliqué tshirt and therapeutic hot/cold rice bag

i am excited to resume teaching my monthly sewing classes beginning next month! 

i have taken quite the break, after recovering from the fabulous Craft Explosion, moving and cleaning a new home, as well as jumping the new hurdles in our life.

we are back on track staring on Wednesday, February 8th.

as always, its free, and anyone is invited to join us as long as you let us know you're coming:)

this month i will be teaching a basic appliqué t-shirt class!

the inspiration for this month's class comes from the valentine's day tradition i have for my kids.  since my boys were little i gave them matching shirts for valentine's day.  now as their sizes range in different departments and with a baby girl thrown in the mix, it takes a little more creativity to achieve this tradition.  last year i attempted my first appliqués on t-shirts.  i adored how these "love rocks" tees turned out.  you can see more photos of this darling crew here. this year i will be conjuring up a new design and thought you might want to learn how to appliqué as well.

all the supplies and details you need to know are listed on my sewing blog:

Learn 2 Love 2 Sew

i am also pleased to have my friend heather move back and teaching with me again.  she will be teaching a class on making a therapeutic hot/cold rice bag to soothe our aches and erase our burdens...well close enough:)

would love to have you join us!

a mother's plea

{'cloud light' photo by atelierDU}

The mad morning rush is over and I'm noticeably affected.
As I walk through the door, I quickly turn on my favorite soothing music, the soundtrack to "Pride and Prejudice"
such moving, yet grounded music, even a touch of melancholy to allow for my mood to slowly sink in, permitting time for thoughts to process, then dissipate with the fleeting notes.

Dropping to my knees the tears come.

I, as I'm sure all mothers do at one point in their lives, have a particular child whose well-being produces tears that wet the pillow often.  One I pray I have sufficient strength, patience, love, and ability to receive inspiration in order to parent.  And not just parent, but help foster those characteristics and God-given abilities that he was born with on the earth to fulfill that mission he was meant to do and become.  To help him overcome those weaknesses that will bind him to consequences that I so desperately want him to be able to avoid.  Some of those weaknesses that I see in myself, but for some particularly reason have been magnified within him.  Oh I pray that my own weaknesses may not stand in the way!

As tender mercies do come to those who diligently seek, I have had several of them in the past while to aid in my anxious desire to know how to help him.
One came in the form of a friend who came forth with some expertise on some of the issues that beset him and gave up her time to help provide me with some vital tools.
Another, a conversation from a concerned teacher who supports him at school in the efforts I am doing at home.
An amazingly attentive husband who fills in tremendously during those moments where I lack the patience and love required.

Another came this morning as I knelt down in prayer, overwhelmed from the confrontational events of this morning.  An idea that I can put into action right away, something practical for him and for I.  Something to draw both of our thoughts toward the good.  I may share it with you once I am done.

I am so grateful for a God, a loving and merciful Heavenly Father, who is ever aware of us and our needs.  Who sent his children down to us, and entrusted us with their care and development.  Such an immense  task left to this imperfect woman.  But this woman knows that she has not been left alone in the effort and can draw upon His strength and inspiration hour after hour, minute after minute, as she puts forth her hands to shape lives.

Its All About Your Heart: Celebrating my 14th Wedding Anniversary

Today marks my 14th wedding anniversary.  Somehow 14 sounds so much more than 13!

Recently I was at a friend's birthday luncheon, mostly amongst ladies I was meeting for the first time.  The entire group began remarking and joking about how getting their husbands to write them a love letter would basically be akin to them consenting for a root canal without anesthesia.  How their men would never take the initiative to write one.  I, not wanting to be a human dart board or come across as that 'rub it in your face' girl, kept quiet.
Well, bring on the darts and the envy...

My husband writes encouraging, inspiring, and romantic handwritten love notes, emails, and texts to me all the time, without being prompted.  He has since we began dating...which definitely lent itself favorably to wooing me.
Often they come when I most need them and out of the blue...
when i've started in on a new goal
when i'm frustrated, inadequate, or overwhelmed
when i'm feeling frumpy and unattractive
when he knows I've had it up to here with the whining and fighting from the kids
mostly to tell me how wonderful he thinks i am and what a great job i am doing as a wife and mother.

We as mothers, wives, well women in general, are quite aware on our own of all the millions of weaknesses we possess and exhibit on a daily basis...over and over.  Heavenly Father knew that I needed a man that would never point them out to me, someone who would only build me up.
That is what I have in Mike.
I am eternally grateful for his optimism, his humor, his compassion, his tenderness, his work ethic, his righteousness, and especially
HIS LOVE.

Thank you Michael for loving me the mostest.

I am grateful for the covenants we have made to each other and to God, that will enable us to be husband and wife throughout eternity.  Imagine how many notes I will have gotten by then:)

I have had so much fun sifting through our photos from our life together.  It was difficult to narrow my favorites down, so here is just a sampling of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, 14...going on 15.

Just this past week Mike introduced me to a new music artist Mindy Gledhill and I immediately loved  one of her songs, "All About Your Heart".  As I heard the words of the chorus I began to cry:

Oh, I’ve loved you from the start
In every single way
And more each passing day
You are brighter than the stars
Believe me when I say
It’s not about your scars
It’s all about your heart

As I have battled with the adjustment of Multiple Sclerosis also being apart of our marriage and the toll that it has taken upon my soul companion, I am grateful that my love for him has surpassed the impact of those 'innumerable' scars and is all about his heart, the unconditional outpouring of love that he gives me each and every day.


Oh, I've loved you from the start
In every single way
And more each passing day

It's not about your scars

It's all about your heart

I LOVE YOU MICHAEL!!!!!

The Reluctant Pedaler

this is the story of the reluctant pedaler.

a photo story mainly...

eyan, my six year old has never had the interest of parting with his training wheels.

the image of crashing and burning has prevented him from wanting to.

i haven't pushed him about it, just asked every so often

but i found a little bike jump for the boys for Christmas and i thought this could be the perfect push. 

so a few days before Christmas, we took to the street.

he was definitely resistant.

before the launch we practiced stopping and getting off the bike

once he got on his bike and started to pedal, i barely had to hold on at all.

he did it!

the very first try.

{yes i was the pusher and the photographer...phew, difficult task:) }

a few rides around the cul-de-sac and he was done.

satisfied with his accomplishment but not pressing his luck on that crash and burn.

i love how no matter how he puts on his helmet, 

it always ends up tilted to one side.

lots of enthusiastic on-lookers

cheering him on.

mom, can i have my training wheels back?