{the rough days}

Yesterday was a doozie.

It started out OK, aside from the fact that it was a Monday. The boys started their first day of a new summer camp with a cooking theme...so fun, right?

But then right after school we had to take them to get their 5 year shots. 

This is when my motherly anxiety kicks into overdrive, big time.

We hadn't told them ahead of time because we knew they would freak out and it would be next to impossible to even get them through the front door of the doctor's office. So we didn't break the news to them until we were in the room with the nurse. 

We took them separately and I went with Ben first. He was so brave and such a trooper until after the first shot {there were 4!}. The poor guy lost it after the first shot. They do them in their upper legs because their little arms are so skinny, so he was laying on the exam table and I had to basically hold him down for the other three. Talk about horrible. The poor thing had broken blood vessels around his eyes after it was all over from screaming so hard. 

I held him and rocked him to try and calm him down but he was so worked up. But amid all of that heartbreak came the sweetest thing...he kept sobbing, "I don't want Landon to have to do it!" Bless his heart. The thing I love most about my Benny is his caring and loving heart. He worries about others...he wants them to be happy and not hurting. He didn't want his brother to have to go through what he just endured. 

Broke and filled up my heart all at the same time.

Landon's experience was equally as horrible...lots of screaming. :(

Afterward Dan took them to get a new minion toy...

That of course helped quite a bit. :) 

{and that up there is more like what our family room usually looks like}

And speaking of my heart filling up, over the weekend Landon said something that just about made my heart burst. I was fixing dinner and out of the blue he came up to me and said, "Will you pray with me Momma?" At first I thought he said "play" but nope...it was "pray." 

So I kneeled down and he sat on my knee and thanked God for his toys, our house, our food and for Mommy and Daddy. I worry that we don't pray enough with the boys but if this is any indication, we aren't doing such a bad job after all. 

Snuggling with him on the couch after praying with him...these sweet moments are the best part of parenthood for sure.

I wouldn't want to redo yesterday but I'm so thankful that we made it through, and today is a new day!

{Mohawk Home Rug Giveaway}

This is a super exciting post friends...maybe my favorite so far when it comes to giveaways...

A free rug!? Pretty sweet, huh?

When my friends at Mohawk Home gave me the thumbs up to pick out a new rug for our family room I was just a tad excited. You see, we've been living with this boring brown number for a few years...

The room was looking really blah. Except for those two cuties on the couch of course. :)

Our space needed some pattern and color! I knew right away when I saw this rug, sold over at Walmart.com, that it was the perfect choice...

Isn't it beautiful? *sigh*

The colors match so well with the decor pieces we already had and the pattern is perfectly midcentury modern. I took the rug arriving on our doorstep as my cue to do a little budget-friendly shopping spree at TJ Maxx and Goodwill to fill the space with some more decorative touches.

First I added some more wall decor with an iron birdcage photo frame from TJ Maxx and a round, flat basket from Goodwill. 

Next I added a great blue lamp and amber glass candle holder, both from Goodwill, and a blue lotus flower candle holder on the other side table from TJ Maxx. Both of our side tables are also thrifting finds. 

Our coffee table is a new Goodwill piece {$6!} and the faux succulents are also from TJ Maxx.

And can I just say again how freaking much I love this rug?!

The colors are even more beautiful in person, and it is super soft on bare feet. Can't say more about the quality of this rug. And all Mohawk Home rugs are made in the USA!

So now, its your turn to enter to win one of your very own! Mohawk Rugs is generously offering one of you a rug valued up to $150! Enter below via the Rafflecopter widget to win!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

{new etsy shop open!}

I'm super excited to announce that my new Etsy shop, This Girl's Doodles, is open!

I'm offering printables of my doodles and will be adding other products as I go along. And the first 10 purchases will receive a free printable of their choice!

Here are a few of my favorites...

I'm so thankful for all of the encouragement I've received on this little project of mine and so happy to share my art with you!

Head on over to the shop!

{goodwill tray makeover}

I made a little trip to Goodwill yesterday and came away with some great finds. One of them was a metal file tray for $3.99.

I knew right away that I wanted to use it on my craft desk. My washi tape collection has grown larger than my previous storage for it can handle, and I also needed a place to store my jewelry making supplies. A can of cream spray paint was all it needed!

I used a few pieces I already had to hold my washi tape, as well as a fun new milkglass piece I picked up when I bought the tray.

The bottom tray is perfect for holding my jewelry making supplies...

And now I don't have an excuse for not buying more washi tape, right? {wink}

Have you transformed any Goodwill finds lately? I'd love to see them!

{hello friday}

Hello Friday! This week you look even better because I'm off work...yay for a long weekend!

This week I've been saying hello to a lot more doodling. I can't stop!

That one above is an order. {wink}

And this one below is a free printable!

Hello to my two very cute lunch dates...

Hello to the carnage that is life with two boys...

Hello to a cute new ring from Amy Cornwell...

And another I created with one of my doodles...

{my nails had to match of course}

Hello to the trifecta of bad work day cures...

Hello to documenting a rarely clean family room...

Hello to a whole lotta happy on my craft desk...

And hello to two boys who are ready for when the tooth fairy needs to pay us a visit...

{cute pillows from Groopdealz}

What are you saying hello to today?

Linking up with...

Wild & Precious Life Lately

{free summer printable}

I'm just a tad obsessed with doodling right now.

If you didn't know that, just check out my Instagram. :)

And of course I had to share one of my latest pieces, which is perfect for the season we are in, with my lovely friends!

Click on the image below for a free 8x10 PDF...

If you hang it up in your home I would love to see a photo!

xoxo,

{Warby Parker Meridian Collection}

Hey there friends! I have an exciting announcement to share with you today from my friends over at Warby Parker!

I recently purchased my first pair of WP glasses and I absolutely love them. If you remember, I narrowed my selection from my free at-home try on to these two frames...

And ended up choosing the Nedwin frames...

I actually get excited about wearing them every day, that's how much I love them. 

Well, Warby Parker is launching a new line today - their Meridian Collection!

This is what the WP folks have to say about this new collection...

The Meridian Collection is for renegade travelers and roaming aviators, a tool for impromptu expeditionsand perilous treks. We’ve named it after the geographical mark that pilots use to determine their longitudinal degree. 

These are sunglasses for off-road excursions and uncharted territory—perfect from North Pole to South Pole to anywhere in between.

Our three new frames are teardrop-shaped and fashioned from Japanese ion-plated titanium. We’ve named them after some of our favorite disruptivewriters—Frederick Exley, Ellen Raskin, and Flannery O’Connor. Each author lived a vivid life, on and off the page. Available in Jet Silver and Polished Gold, these sharp sunglasses are made for a cinematic slow-reveal, whatever your locale.

My favorite from this new line is the Exley...so sharp!

You can find the new Meridian Collection online at warbyparker.com and at Warby Parker retail locations.

Thanks to the WP folks for letting me share this exciting news!

{I was not compensated by Warby Parker for this post...I just really love their glasses, and their mission!}

{fun weekend activities for chlidren}

My hubby got a part time job and lately he has been working every Saturday from about 12-8, which leaves me with a BIG gap of time to entertain the boys.

I love having this one-on-two time with them, but the past few weekends I've felt like I had to take them out and entertain them with shopping and other special trips which can get pricey. {But who doesn't love a trip to paint pottery and get an iced coffee?!} 

So today I'm determined to keep them excited and full of 5-year-old wonder with some fun and inexpensive at-home projects.

I've been collecting ideas on Pinterest and here are a few that I can't wait to try out with them...

Source: craftiments.com via Mandy on Pinterest

Source: anationofmoms.com via Mandy on Pinterest

Source: crystalandcomp.com via Mandy on Pinterest

Source: sunnywithachanceofsprinkles.com via Mandy on Pinterest

Source: alisaburke.blogspot.com via Mandy on Pinterest

You can see my entire Pinterest board here.

Any other great ideas you wanna send my way?