My Children - My Blessings

I couldn’t help from smiling. I was finishing up “color time” with a group of preschoolers this afternoon when I was drawn to the window. I watched my ten year old son struggle with an overflowing bucket of sap as he headed toward his father and the collection barrel. I think about how much I dislike Vermont weather with its unpredictable weather patterns and forget about precious moments as this. I was reminded of a daily prayer that is one of my favorites and I found myself praying.

My Heavenly Father,
Amid the chaotic busyness of our everyday lives You remind me of what a privilege it is to raise my children. Thank You for the rich blessing they are as they noisily run through my house and my days. You know the ways that my heart is tied to theirs, feeling their successes – and their hurts. Thank you for equipping me to raise them.
My children have provided the best years – and the most difficult and exhausting years – of my life; but I am grateful for the hard work, the companionship and the fun of raising them. Thank you for the reminder that these years are not permanent so that I appreciate the most mundane moments as well as the frustrating and exhilarating times. Each minute, each hour and each experience bonds my heart to their hearts.
I am grateful that You have entrusted me to disciple and care for these young ones. Thank you for the wonderful gift they are to me.

Here is a card I made for my mom - she was looking for a bday card for her sister's birthday. I used the silhouette paper pack, Celebrate Life

stamp set and black ink.

I made this card with my 'creative teacher' Michelle using Stampin Up products. We also made fun easter baskets and match books!

PS - I'll post pictures of my little miracles gathering sap and making syrup this weekend!

Blessings,

Samantha

My Best Friends

It's been a long day and a very long week. I realized that so much goes on inside of me and I have noone near me to pour my heart out to. It is at times like these that I long for my best friends ... my sisters. I know that we were born sisters but we became friends. I read somewhere about what makes a good friend. Being a good friend and having a good friend can enrich your days and bring you lifelong satisfaction. But friendships don't just happen. They have to be created and nurtured. That is what I love so much about my sisters. We are all separate: our stories, no matter how similar, come to a fork and diverge. We are drawn to each other because of our similarities but it is our differences that we have learned to respect. Together, we have grown. As I crafted tonight I thought about all the tears, laughter, bright moments and sorrow we have shared over the years. And I said a prayer that they too remember these bonds and know that I am always thinking of them with love and gratitude.

Chocolate Bar Slider Card

One of my favorite crafts to make are chocolate bar slider cards. (Probably because I have a serious chocolate addiction!). For this project I used all Close to My Heart products: Ribbon Rounds (Spring Blossom and Summer Carnival) Inks (Bubblegum, Black, Citrus Leaf and Sunkiss Yellow) Stamp Setss (Easter Eggs and Playful Flourishes)

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Live Fully

We often take life's Little Moments for granted. I have decided that life is too short and I do not want to live it full of regrets. One of my favorite songs is by Country singer Brad Paisley ...

Little Moments

Well I'll never forget the first time that I heard
That pretty mouth say that dirty word
And I can't even remember now what she backed my truck into
But she covered her mouth and her face got red
And she just looked so darn cute
That I couldn't even act like I was mad
Yeah I live for little moments like that

Well that's just like last year on my birthday
She lost all track of time and burnt the cake
And every smoke detector in the house was goin' off
And she was just about to cry until I took her in my arms
And I tried not to let her see me laugh
Yeah I live for little moments like that

I know she's not perfect but she tries so hard for me
And I thank god that she isn't 'cause how boring would that be
It's the little imperfections it's the sudden change in plans
When she misreads the directions and we're lost but holdin' hands
Yeah I live for little moments like that

When she's layin' on my shoulder on the sofa in the dark
And about the time she falls asleep so does my right arm
And I want so bad to move it 'cause it's tinglin' and it's numb
But she looks so much like and angel that I don't wanna wake her up
Yeah I live for little moments
When she steals my heart again and doesn't even know it
Yeah I live for little moments like that

While listening to this song and reflecting on the Little Moments in my life I made some mini-post it holders. I used all Close to My Heart products (found on my website www.samanthaovitt.myCTMH.com). Ink colors: Creme Brulee and Autumn Terecotta Soft Chalks: Autumn and Stamp Sets: Celebrate Life, Playful Flourishes and Treasure Life.

It doesn't have to be perfect ...

Here is a card I made for my mothers birthday today! I love my mom! Here is a canvas frame that I made withClose to My Heart products. I made this as a gift and had a picture in the frame in left corner but removed it in order to share the project and not the identity of those in the picture! I love the paper pack - That's Amore!

I can't remember how many times I have had to stop myself from correcting my child's backward s's or reminding them that a specific toy has a specific location. As the old saying goes ... hindsight is 20/20. I can't believe how many precious moments I have wasted worrying about how things should be instead of celebrating the way things are! At 40 years old I am studying for my bachelors degree and have some pretty tough deadlines to meet. And yes - I am anal about my grades. Something happened to me over the past couple of weeks though. And I realized that I don't have to have a hundred every single time I complete an assignment. So instead of spending my weekend stressing over homework and a clean house I spent quality time with my family and friends. I must admit I felt like a new person and the whole environment in home changed! I then decided that regardless of how I felt my "projects" compared to others in cyberspace I would share them anyway ... because they were made from the heart!

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Family

It has been a bit since I posted a blog. I have been feeling a little melancholy and really missing my siblings. Two of my sisters celebrated birthdays this week and as their special days came I was bombarded with memories of all that we have shared over the years. I thought of the many ways in which they helped mold the person that I am today. Though we are separated by miles, I am so very grateful to have them in my lives. I decided to spend the weekend creating memories with my own children. I had stacks of homework, daycare paperwork and piles of laundry nagging at me to give them my attention. Instead I drowned them with the sounds of laughter escaping my youngest daughter as I put a sticker on her tiny nose while "crafting" with her. I stuffed my school books in a desk drawer on the way out the door with my boys to chase down some games we could play. And as I sit here on Sunday night looking at the piles of laundry still waiting, the school books now on the countertop and the alarm set for 5am paperwork time I find myself smiling, my heart filled with a contentment that no A's or clean house could ever bring me!