Put your DAMN PHONE DOWN!!

You read it right, no sensor. Yes an angry, rant type post. And YES I'm preaching to the choir.

We are all somewhat hypocrites at heart... lets be honest. We are training our children to entertain themselves with TV, Games, iPads, movies.... whatever to just keep them busy for a bit. YES! I catch myself turning on the TV more than I would like to admit.

But it hit me hard. Like a ton of bricks, when I snapped at my 2.5 year old the other day while I was on the phone. It was 10 am.... I mean let's be honest this was not a NORMAL morning. I had multiple people calling me, emailing me and texting me for information on my husbands behalf. I just happened to be on my 3rd phone call trying to explain a situation when BAM. My 2.5 year old yelled at me

"MOM PHONE DOWN!" 

I turned, glared at him and said "DAVID! Just go to your room!" This was the first time ever that I had sent him to his room so obviously he had no idea why he was going there and didn't even connect it with being in trouble so he happily grabbed his cars and went to play.

Insert the ton of bricks hitting me in the face... Yes, children don't need to interrupt. Yes, he can be patient and wait but YES I had been on my phone way too much already.

For my 25th birthday I told my husband all I wanted was an apple watch so that I could still be reached for an emergency but not jump every time my phone rang, yet I still caught myself with my phone in my right hand.

Moms, If you're getting "ticked off" at your child because they want your attention and they aren't letting you creep on Facebook.... 

Get off your DAMN PHONE!

Moms, If your child seems to be getting on your last nerve because they won't pose for another instagram picture.... 

Get off your DAMN PHONE!

Moms, If you find yourself snapping at your child to go play in the other room because you just "have" to text this person back even though it won't change anything and it's not an emergency.... 

Get off your DAMN PHONE!

We do it when we are uncomfortable, we feel like we are going to miss something, we feel like we won't be the first to know, we feel like someone is going to need us in any minute but WAIT... Isn't that what our children are for!?! We have taken pride in being busy when in reality we aren't doing 1 thing well we are doing 50 things poorly.

No Facebook status, instagram comment or like, article reposted for the 100th time on Facebook, Pinterest DIY project, Budget management article, MLM product, Picture inspirational meme, Coffee quote, Facebook product event, those annoying "Share when you see it post", Political argument or Youtube tutorial is going to change your life the way 

YOU IGNORING YOUR CHILD is going to change theirs. 

Moms, I CHALLENGE YOU! I challenge MYSELF, I challenge MY HUSBAND and I challenge every person who is tired of having their face stuck in their phone but isn't tired of it enough to change something.

Its time...... PUT DOWN YOUR DAMN PHONE!

Sincerely,

- The retired FB creeper

Put your rocks outside...

My 2 year old with his morning hair and my starbucks cup with my plexus pink drink... a battle I didn't even give into. 

I was DONE! 

Literally... 30 minutes I had been arguing with my 2 year old, he had been kicking and screaming... received a few time-outs and a few spankings and he would NOT obey. He would NOT listen! I repeated myself again, because this was a battle I was not going to lose "David, put the gravel back outside and we will go read books!" By this time, I was not gently asking anymore. My 2 year old, who had found it was funny to make his mother mad continued to laugh and try to get away from cleaning up his mess. He would even throw a giant tantrum and start kicking me and screaming on his way to time out because... he himself did not want to give up this battle. Both his twin brothers were down from a nap which, as any other mothers know... if the older child wakes the younger child.... It would make for a "Wonderful" rest of the day. I asked again...

"David! Put the rocks outside... NOW!" 

While Mockingly laughs my 2 year old responds "Now!"

At this moment I did what any desperate mother would do, the scariest and most terrifying thing for a child to experience... I bent down. Got face to face and said 

"David.... Put. The. Rocks. Outside......... Now."

And.... BAM! It was like a switch went off... 

"Ya man!" which really means "Yes ma'am" triggered a change in my heart immediately! I bent down and helped him pick the rocks up, I gave him my hand to put them in until all of them were off the ground then handed him a few and we both took the rocks outside and put them back. And that was it. 

It was over. 

As I picked him up and gave him kisses and told him that I loved him, that I was proud of him for picking up the rocks I was gently reminded from my heavenly father of the rocks I carry in my life. #Convicting

The tantrums I throw.

The timeouts he puts me in.

The moments I mock his faithfulness and ask if he's forgotten about my dreams.

The moments I doubt his all knowing and infinite mind and the times I refuse to put my rocks back outside.

I've collected a few, a few rocks that I carry that I hold up to God and say "This is what I want!" As if he as ANY reason to give me any of my desires, as if I could bully him into giving me every dream I've ever had or allowing every dream to come true and lets be honest... I wouldn't be the woman I am today without surrendering these things to a God who loves me and continues to say "No. You are going to put those rocks back." 

NOT 

because he is a mean and heartless heavenly father but because he is a 

loving and kind 

father and he KNOWS that the rocks in my life mean so little compared to eternity with him. He knows he has better than these tiny rocks I hold onto. He knows the future and that it does NOT include these tiny rocks and he knows that some of those rocks will be brought back into my life later on when the time is right. Today, I am not only thankful that my 2 year old put the rocks outside but i'm thankful for the gentle reminder that I, myself need to put my rocks outside.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Magnet Board DIY

MAGNET BOARD! 10 STEPS!

This project total cost around $60 for all the materials, but not only did my client get a magnet board but SO DID I!

Cost: $60

Hours: 2-4

SIDE NOTE: Most DIY Blogs don't account for the tools they have in their own garage, so below i've listed the items I already have on hand and did not need to purchase to do this project.

Supplies on Hand: Grinder ($50), Steel cutting wheel ($10), Minwax Espresso Stain ($8), Drill ($30-$75), Miter saw ($150-$300) Wood glue ($7), brackets ($4) Sand paper ($5), steal drill bit ($5-$25) AND Random Orbital sander ($30-$75)

I try to get my lumber from lumber yards but for this project we went to Lowes and simply made a family trip to get the materials... all 3 kids... and my hot husband.

One, When selecting lumber make sure to either lay it on the ground and walk on it to see if it has any twists or turns OR close one eye and look straight down it. For instance, this board has a bend to the left near the end. THIS PROCESS TYPICALLY TAKES THE LONGEST AT LOWES OR HOME DEPOT! 

1. LUMBER 4 - 1x3x6 @ $7.98 each

2.   STEEL SELECTION!

PURCHASED: 1 - 2'x4' @ $27 something

I totally didn't take pictures for this process, my bad! I just did a 0 degree cut for each, the long sides are 3.5' and the ends are 16" leaving the cap at 10" for the magnet part as requested by my client.

3. Make your cuts - hand sand edges as needed

Since we just moved and I literally can not find anything including my kreg jig (Starts at $20) I used brackets that I previously had to secure the corners after gluing them. Then I let them dry! (4-6 Hours for the best drying affect)

4. Glue and secure corners

Wood screws $6 - We use for the brackets and also connecting the steel later on, so remember these!

5. Cut Steel 

I used a right angle to make sure my line was straight before leaving the cutting to a pro

Then my brother in law (Aka the pro) came in to get the scary part done

6. Holes to attach steel to the frame

I used a white marker so it was more visible to see and made them anywhere from 4 inches to  6 inches apart to make sure it was super secure.

7. Drill holes in the steel

We used a 1/16" drill bit with engine oil to cut the holes in the steel for the screws, since we now had the steel cut in half we laid them on top of each other so they would have the same holes.

8. Measure

I measured and marked where the steel needed to sit on the wood to give a 10" magnet board in the middle, drew a line and laid the steel lining up with it.

9. Attach the steel

Using the wood screws we purchased I attached each and every drill hole into the wood, the steel isn't heavy but it definitely wasn't going anywhere.

BEFORE THE ESPRESSO STAIN

10. Add your stain of choice - Yes I removed the steel and stained the wood after sanding the entire frame with a 320, just until it was smooth and no wood glue residue was left.

AFTER THE ESPRESSO STAIN! 

I forgot to add the small hanging hardware I added to the back, they run about $2 and are great! Easy to hammer in and super useful.

Hope ya'll enjoyed, GO MAKE YOURSELF A MAGNET BOARD!

- Nicole

                                 

Thomas, Elliot (5 Months old) & David (2 Years old)

Why I want my kids to hear me say 

"I'm Sorry"

" For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. "                                                               Matthew 6:14-15

    Due to growing up in a generation that "knows everything" and whose mentality and goal is to be right, we often don't see outside of ourselves. Between arguing about if you should breastfeed in public or not, whether co-sleeping or Cry it out is the best option or why spanking your child "Damages them for life." When was the last time you've heard someone tell their kid that they are sorry.. genuinely, sorry? Sorry for overreacting, sorry for spanking/correcting out of anger, sorry for snapping at them, sorry for not listening, sorry for being quick to correct and slow to hear, sorry for taking anger out on them, sorry for not being in the moment and for texting, sorry for being an imperfect person who's actions are not always with the right heart. What wounds would be healed right now from even an adult child hearing their parents apologize for just a simple time they acted out of anger instead of love?

Why?

How, as a child, did we learn to apologize? Do you remember your parents telling you to apologize when you did something wrong, when you stole a toy from another child, hit your sibling or didn't obey your parents? You were TAUGHT to apologize, by someone or something that decided you needed to know. By watching the behavior of others or even by someone asking forgiveness of you, you were taught. So as parents, we are here to not only love and nurture our children but we are here to teach them. How are they suppose to learn to clean if our house is a disaster, how're they supposed to learn to calm down unless we show them and how are they suppose to learn to forgive and to ask for forgiveness unless they have seen us do it ourselves? Don't you think we would be raising a generation of humble children who don't think they are the ULTIMATE GIFT to this planet if they're taught to apologize for being wrong, doing wrong and acting wrongly. Husbands apologizing to their wives in front of their kids instead of behind close doors before having make up sex!  

But we are parents and we know best! 

Sure.. you could say that. I feel like as parents we can be viewed as a hero, as perfect, as someone who never really struggles and never really sins and honestly that is not the truth. Though all these compliments are GOOD things and yes, i'm still learning... I do feel that if it doesn't excuse us from apologizing. What would the world be like if they constantly heard their parents apologizing while in the wrong? Or even allowing your children to see you weak, humble, apologetic and sincerely asking for their forgiveness.  In my opinion, it makes the child feel as if their emotions and opinions are important. As a parent having the humility to admit to your child when you have done something wrong is not something that is often seen in todays society. 

No one actually does this!

Good fathers should, which is where I got the inspiration for this post. I heard a sermon a while back about a father (A very well respected man of God) who... when in the wrong, tries to always remember to apologize to his children... to lay down in their bed and hug them and ask for their forgiveness because of his actions... it struck home with me. A lot of times as a parent you feel like you know best, you may not have the humility to admit that you're wrong when you snap at your child out of anger or discipline them before giving yourself a chance to calm down. Good parents should ask for forgiveness, good parents should remind their kids that they are not God. 

When? I don't have time to apologize or reason with my child!

YES! Are you kidding me right now?! Spanking your child out of anger is HITTING your child, APOLOGIZE! Yelling at your child when you're frustrated with work and don't extend grace to them is rude, APOLOGIZE! Putting your child in time out because YOU are tired of dealing with them is not correcting out of love, APOLOGIZE! 

"I'm sorry" 

is the most simple yet powerful sentence and when genuine and sincere comes from such a place of humility. Taking stance as an imperfect human who needs grace. As a parent, what bigger message could we send to our children other than constantly reminding them that WE ARE NOT PERFECT? 

        
As a parent, don't we fight for and care more about those friendships where apologizes are made and forgiveness is given? Don't we cherish these friendships more than the friend who's pride gets in the way and allows words or opinions to leave wounds instead of heal them? Shouldn't we fight for that kind of a relationship even more so with our own children.

Please don't confuse me as a perfect parent, mother or wife. I am not, yet I hope to encourage others to continue and fight to be the best that they can be,

- Nicole

So.... First BLOG! Wow, never thought I would type/say those words. Let me start with an introduction, I'm a mom of 3, married to a Marine vet, I live in Fort Worth Texas and I run my own business called Mrs. Wilson's Restorations. I literally LOVE Joanna Gaines and I might just be one of her biggest fans, the day her house goes on the market I will be selling my kidneys to buy it.... oh, and I'm a rocket scientist... Okay that's a lie, but why not add it into the mix right?

So my kids...

David is my first born, he is currently 2 years old and in the "Terrific two" stage. He LOVES being out in the garage with me along with putting his hair in a pony tail like mommas! Oh... and he's a little obsessed with, what we call... COP CARS!

Then the twins, Elliott is 7 months old! He's the "Middle child" and at first was the more "High needs" baby and currently is the calm, nap loving, food loving and cuddle loving baby boy.

                                   

Thomas! The youngest is obviously 7 months at this period in time and wow... does he have a spirit like his mommas! Needless to say, he has some tenacity (As my mother would call it.) 

My support system... 

LAST BUT THE BEST! MICHAEL!

 My husband, the Marine Veteran who harasses me for anything and everything he can. My right hand man. My main support and my best friend, and I bet you he will be THRILLED to find out that I started a blog! 

This blog is here to help women with DIY, for a laugh, for encouragement and frankly whatever I want to put on it! I mean... that's the main point of blogs right? It is YOURS to write what you want! So that is it for now, until next week or my first official blog post!

- Nicole