I AM DOING A GREAT WORK AND CAN'T COME DOWN!!

First of all I am doing this from my iPad so there isn't going to be any fancy stuff going on, because well, I don't know how on here and I don't have time :). I am also a bit embarrassed for some of the things I am about to tell about myself but find comfort in knowing it is all about to change! Today, I was going about my usual morning routine which includes me immediately grabbing my phone and finding out what happened with my Facebook friends while I slept and then it continues with me throughout the am. My phone goes where I go! If I am doing laundry it is on the washer, if I am on the trampoline it is sitting on the rim, if I notice it isn't near me, I freakout! In fact, while I was in the bubble bath last night after my run, I was on my phone, Facebook, pinterest, playing a game... I was so tired and wanted to go to bed but I really wanted to keep playing. I even get to the point where I refresh my Facebook repeatedly waiting for someone, anyone to update their status... A new pin to show up. Anything! 

TV and computer are just as bad! I was just doing what I usually do today and my friend Mandy had posted this blog and of course I had to read it.

Here is the link to the blog, you should definitely read it... After mine of course ;) while I read it I started to cry. It. Is. Me! It was calling me out! I am MISSING EVERYTHING! We live in such an amazing time of technology and I am so thankful for all the conveniences that our generation has, however, the cost to our families is great. While I was reading certain instances came to mind, for example:

*I know I have said this many times, "Excuse me. Don't you see this (pointing at my phone on my ear). Mommy is on an important call. Please wait til Mommy is done."- Making my babies feel like the person on the other end is more important than they are.

*Answering my phone when my child is mid-sentence.

*I hate this one, but happens more than I like, "MOMMY! Watch... watch... are you watching?" Because it has happened too many times that I have missed moments or things that are important to them.

*Instead of focusing when I have delicate time with the girls I am checking my website or Paypal or whatever else.

*Instead of playing dress-up or having a picnic I am too busy watching TV, a TV I can pause or record.

She list a lot more in her blog and I know most if NOT ALL have occurred in our home.

Now you must be thinking, what a horrid mother! Of course I am picking out moments of our lives. My girls are fully aware that I love them and we do have lots of special moments but when I was reading this blog today I realized how much better I could be doing!

On Sunday morning Pastor Tony was preaching on Nehemiah. While he was working on finishing building the wall there were times he was asked to come down for different reasons and his response was, "I am doing a great work and can't come down." This I have decided to implement into my life. My work right now is my family, my babies. Yes, I do have other works but repeatedly they come before my girls and that is where I draw the line. Boundaries are about to be set because, 

"I AM DOING A GREAT WORK AND CAN'T COME DOWN!!"

As you all are fully aware I have an online business, which makes what I am about to do even more interesting! But I refuse to use that as an excuse for my commitment to my family and I honestly, wholeheartedly believe that God will honor my commitment and make it work!

Now for the fun stuff! Here are the life changing commitments that are about to take place in our house and in my heart.

*Adrian decided he was going to join the party and we are cancelling our cable, we waste so much time watching mindless movements when we could be creating memories with our girls. Not to mention, they don't need to be watching TV ;)

*The end of this month my phone will no longer have data or texting! This is HUGE for me but as much as I think I NEED these things... I DON'T.

*I will be implementing "HOURS," that I am available on my phone. I will not be available every time I get a call.

*Same is going to happen for Facebook and emails.

We talked about getting rid of my phone completely but with the girls not always being with me or us being without Adrian, in the car and such Adrian decided against that. Plus my number is the number that the girl's know... So I have decided that it will just be silent and put away when I have my family with me.

I am so excited about this! I am scared too... they changes are going to be so drastic for us but, I am doing a great work and can't come down! It is going to be worth every missed call and I am absolutely not going to die if I don't see your status update right when you post it. Am I giving up phone and computer completely? NOPE! But while my girls are home and awake I will be focused on the most important people in my life. I am going to have to start using a real camera cause I won't be able to upload a quick shot. Things are going to be so different! 

I hope this challenges other moms. Maybe not to take such drastic steps but to be aware of what we are doing and where our focus is. I don't want to miss another moment. And I thank GOD for opening my eyes to how things have been. I have been feeling this way for awhile but today when Mandy posted this post, I was brought to a breaking point and it is over. The girls will know that they are more important than my phone, computer or a stupid TV show.

The Rainy Rose Tea Room

Ladies! It is up and ready to roll! The calendar is already filling up so please don't wait to call or email me to reserve your date! 620.481.7851 or therainyrose@gmail.com.

Since the weekends are the most popular time to host a party we do recommend that you consider contacting us about a month in advance, however that is not saying that we would not be able to figure out a closer date if needed! I will also be allowing weeknight parties, on selected nights and weekdays in the summer.

Each party will be styled based on the age of the birthday girl!

There will be an initial deposit required at the time of booking. Once the date has been selected, the party can only be postponed. As a mother, I understand things don't always go as planned. I will work with you to find a new date that will work for everyone's schedule! The remaining of the balance will be due on the day of the party!

Mini Lady Tea: (recommended for 3-4yrs)
Min # of guest: 6 Max # of guest: 12
Price: $110 (+$12 for each additional guest past 6)
Party Includes: Decorated Tea Time Table, 1.5 hours of entertainment, Served Tea (or Lemonade) and snack, Dressup Time, Fashion Show, Group Photo for the Birthday Girl, Storytime and MUSIC!

First Class Tea: (recommened for 5-8yrs)
Min # of guest: 8 Max # of guest: 18
Price $130 (+$12 for each additional guest past 8)
Party Includes: All from Mini Tea, in addition: 2 hours of entertainment, Beauty Session, and a Craft

Sophisticated Tea: (recommened for 5-8yrs)
Min # of guest: 8 Max # of guest: 18
Price $150 ( +$12 for each additional guest past 8)
Party Includes: All from First Class Tea, in addition: Party Invitations and Group Photo for all guests

Spa Party!: (recommened for 6-12yrs)
Min # of guest: 8 Max # of guest: 18
Price $150 ( +$12 for each additional guest past 8)
Party Includes: Decorated Themed Table, 2 hours of entertainment, Party Invitations, Drinks and Snack, Face Mask (including cucumbers:), Nail Polish, Choice of Craft, Group Photo for each guest, and MUSIC!

Easy Breezy Tea: (recommended for all ages)
Min # of guest: 5 Max: 15
Price: $15 per guest
Party Includes: 1 hour of entertainment, decorated table, served Tea (or Lemonade) and snack, Dress Up Time and MUSIC!

Holiday Party!: ( recommened for all ages)
Only available certain times of the year
Min # of guest: 6 Max # of guest: 18
Price: $100 ( +$10 for each additional guest past 6)
Party Includes: 1 hour of entertainment, decorated table, served drink, food craft, holiday realated activity and MUSIC!

Space Rental: We are opening our space for baby/bridal showers, girls night out, meetings, holiday parties or any other activites that you may come up with! Starting at $45

I so look forward to making your little lady's birthday one she will never forget! Thanks for taking a look and I can't wait to hear from you!

I am also making big plans to offer over the summer! Keep checking back for updates!

Christmas Craft Countdown!

I think that I am going to do a blog, actually 15 to be exact on Christmas Projects that I do until Christmas!! This First one rocks my socks off, and I didn't make it. HA! My mom came down for the day to help me decorate the store. I will show pictures of that on another blog... However, I had to have a KIM MOORE exclusive Wreath for my door at the store! When I was a little girl, I remember watching my mom make wreaths for friends and others during the holiday season. This was my big year, I will now have the coolest wreath on my storefront! OH YA! If you haven't seen pictures or been to my store, I have white and black striped walls and HOT pink floors so for Christmas I knew I wanted FUN COLOR, FEATHERS and GLITTER and I got just that!

First things first... little helpers...

The woman took a $2 wreath from Walmart to start... I had a photo but I can't find my cord for the computer... Just picture a $2, thin, crappy 20inch wreath.

Then we had this decorative wired netting...

Then I had found tons of odd little things that I thought maybe, just maybe, the master would approve and she DID!

MY mom! Basically, the coolest mom anyone could have worked for, ummm, under 15minutes...

AND POOF! I am the VERY PROUD owner of a Kim Moore original! You know how cool she is?? She has even donated one for me to auction off at our spa night! DON'T miss out!

This is going to ROCK on my Hot Pink Door at the shop!

You know MY name!

Today I was simply listening to Pandora while I was working on bows and a song I have heard, 1,000,000 times played...

If you want to continue to think that I am perfect and never have a weak moment in my life then DO NOT continue cause you might eat just a little bit of truth... There is your warning :):)

I am TIRED! You have have those moments, days, weeks, months where you are just tired? (I am not talking about physically, however I find that to be a common side effect.) I have been tired, emotionally and spiritually drained, these last few days or weeks. I just feel like life and the busYness I involve myself in have me wrapped and I can't breathe... that kind of tired.

Now I am not one who normally expresses when I am feeling defeated, however, I feel like this is something I am suppose to share cause I believe I am not the only momma out there who has been there. We... errr... I have gotten so good at putting on my mask every morning that I don't even realize that I am doing it anymore. Until God takes a simple phrase, one that seems over used at times and brings me to a humble and broken place.

I have been SCREAMING, "Where are you?!? Don't you see me down here? Have you forgotten about me? Or do you even care?? I am trying my best... just so you're aware!!"

A song came on... the words go, "He knows my name, He knows my every thought, He sees each tear that falls and He hears me when I call..."

I felt like He was screaming, "Britanie! I, ME, Creator of all the Universe, the Heavens and the Earth, I care about your every move. I am watching, I see you in the morning when you open your eyes. I know how many breaths you took today. You have been on My mind since the moment I made you. Your worries and your joys, you matter to me. Oh and Britanie... I know YOUR name."

I feel special when someone remembers my name after the first time we have met. Don't you? Maybe it is just me. Now if you don't remember my name after we meet, it doesn't bother me, AT ALL, so don't be scared to ask me again. :):) but when someone thought I was important enough to remember who I was after I have met them, is a pretty cool feeling, right? And here was God saying, "I haven't forgotten. In fact, I have known your name before your parents choose it. Actually, I knew your name since the beginning of time... just sayin'" That very thought is so mind blowing. And God would totally say, "just sayin'..." ;)

So my prayer, for myself but also for you is this:

Jesus, I love you so much. And I thank You for who You are. I thank You for never leaving or forgetting about me. I ask that as I head into today, that I would take it on with the most incredible knowledge that I don't have to walk by myself. Help me keep in mind that You care, You care about the big life altering events but also about the smallest worries we have, and you want to carry them for us. Thank You for the reminders that you know ME and that I matter to you. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.

I hope you are reminded that He knows who you are and He cares what is going on in your life. I hope that you find time to hear a little something from Him today and perhaps get your own personal reminder that He Knows YOUR name.

Brit

Carnival Birthday Success!

So this mama is pooped! But my girls had so much fun at their Carnival Birthday party, and I cannot tell a lie, I had fun too :) I thought I would blog some details for anyone who likes a good party!

Every good party starts with a great invitation! I found a great one on Etsy!

Next the food! Papa Ramirez borrowed a popcorn machine from work, we wrapped hotdogs and chips for dinner. Then the good stuff. We had carnival candy in bowls at every table. Plus we had cotton candy for the kids to take home, giant pixie sticks, cracker jacks, animal crackers, chocolate dipped marshmellows, cotton candy cupcakes, bubble gum cupcakes AND the cutest popcorn cupcakes! MMMMMMM.... LOVE~



The popcorn cupcakes were a big hit! They were just chocolate cake with white icing. Then you cut about 30 mini marshmellows in half and squeeze them back together and POOF you have popcorn!




As far as activities go we had a clown who did balloon animals for the kids and a HUGE bounce house. Not what I was expecting but it was great! We even kicked the kids out for a minute and tried it out... I couldn't stay on my feet. HA!


We had a blast with facepaint...

Thank you Morgan for doing that! Even Papa was a good sport!

We also had a very fun "photo booth" this was probably my favorite! We set up an old painted frame, which I love so much. :) And I had made about 18 props for the booth. The kids and adults alike had a blast with this one! Of course the photos were better once the sun dropped behind the building! I am no photographer... we just picked the place the fame would even work. HA!

ANDDDDDDD, you can't have a carnival party without a good ol' fashion pie eatting contest! I just bought some gramcracker mini pie pans and loaded them with jello!

AND the prize for winning?? What is better than smashing a pie in Papa Ramirez's face?? What a good sport he was!

All in All I call Leila and Landyn's Circus Birthday a huge success. Happy Birthday to my sweet girls. I can't believe how fast the time is passing. SLOW DOWN GIRLS!!

(Landyn turns 5 in a few weeks and Leila turned 6 a few weeks ago.)

"Out of a Dream, Into Reality"

So, I haven't blogged in longer than I can even think about it but I had the urge this morning. :) LUCKY YOU!! HA!

Yesterday I went to a meeting and was asked many thought provoking questions... Almost 24 hours later I am still beyond encouraged, extremely humbled and in great awe at how God has lead my life to this very moment, for this very specific time.

Why did it take me until yesterday morning to realize?? Well, because I am human and dumb. HAHA~! I have trusted the Lord and knew that there was a purpose and reason for the way my life has lead... even though I questioned it OFTEN and pleaded with God more than I should have to change my situations, do it in my timing, or give me what I wanted. "It's my money, and I WANT IT NOW!" Type of attitude. (Ok, so maybe I watch a little too much T.V. :))

If you knew me, my last year of HS and into Master's, my dream was to run a pregnancy crisis center. I started volunteering my time to Advice and Aid in KC when I was... maybe a Junior in High School. My passion for these sweet unborn AND born babies is quite overwhelming and has never gone away. When I met my husband, my sweet, amazing, husband who lives "above the porch" and believes in me more than I believe in myself... besides the fact, that we absolutely despised each other when we met, I found out my dream fit right inside of his. Isn't that just how God works?? Jesus makes me laugh sometimes the way He fits things together, things that we would never think of, just to make us laugh later.

Now at this point, I believe Adrian and I made a choice that altered our lives a little... ok, maybe more than a little. We left Master's and didn't go back for a second year. A year and a half later we were married, still planning on pursuing everything we felt God NEEDED US for. We got that a little backwards, huh?? But isn't God amazing?? He doesn't have Plan B. He just has a pocket full of Plan A's for us crazy people. :)

First came Love, then came Marriage, then came Leila... then Landyn... then Liviana in the baby carriage.

They became my world, my focus, my new Plan A. And I wouldn't trade them for the entire world. They rock my life, it is so much more exciting and scary... Especially with 3 girls not 29months from the oldest to the youngest, pray for us for the next 20 years. I think Adrian might kill a boy or two before the girls are adults. I may hurt a couple myself. HAHA!

OK! Now that we are way off point...

I really though, welp. Maybe the girls will be it for me, not that I had a problem with that. Maybe they are going to be the only ministry the Lord has for me.

Have God in a Box much??

That was SLAPPED out of me earlier this year when we went to Antioch Worship Retreat. Literally felt like God slapped my face. Nice! A new dream, a refreshing desire was poured into us as a couple, and He has begun to reveal why we are where we are. Both physically and spiritually.

Do you ever feel like God has forgotten about you and the dreams He placed in your heart?? Even as a young HS student... How DUMB is that? Like I said before I am so humbled by Jesus. I had to apologize and ask for forgiveness for doubting or giving up on the desire HE placed in my heart 9 years ago. I have learned that even if our new dream's path takes us 40 years through the desert, we won't be giving up.

Jesus has made Himself that much more real in my life this week. I was reminded, YET AGAIN, that it is in HIS perfect timing, not my own.

The meeting I started this blog with was with one of the founders and one of the directors of the Shiloh Home here in Emporia. The Shiloh Home houses mothers in need of some help, to have away to get out of life situations that are leading to sure destruction. One of the divisions of their program there is FAMILY LIFE SERVICES.

Remember the dream I had when I was young? Family Life Services is a PREGNANCY CRISIS CENTER...

So all that build up... that could have been summed up in this 1 sentence, but since I am a woman, you needed all the details and background:):)

Jesus rocks my socks off because I am now the Director of Family Life Services.

I hope this post, encourages you to trust in the dreams God has placed in you. If you are living them now or still waiting to live them. If you are still in HS or a Mama holding her sick baby. You are where you are right now for a reason... maybe you won't understand for 9 years. Don't give up on God because He hasn't forgotten or given up on you.

Love,

Me,

humbled and so thankful

Out of the Mouth of a 2 Year Old

So today we were sitting at the Donut Shop, just Liv and me. I take her there every Monday after we drop Leila, Landyn and Daddy off at school and work for their days. We were just talking about whatever, girl can talk... I have no idea where she gets that from. Anyway, she looked across the table and as serious as she could be asked, "What would happen if we got naked in the Donut Shop?" It made me laugh out loud and later while we were driving home, I am NOT proud of this one! I need to watch my mouth... she said, "MOVE FREAKING LADY!" ... I got a phone call the other day from a good friend of mine who was watching Liv and she said Liviana came to her close to tears saying that, her daughter, Addy had thrown her pants in the toilet. She asked Addy and Addy, of course, said, "NO, I didn't!" Liviana persisted that she had and was sooo upset about it so Jayme went to check and Addy's pants were NOT in the toilet. Right when she looked in the toilet, Liv ran by the bathroom laughing and yell, "IT WORKED, I TRICKED HER!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! All of these things that happened just in the last few days made me think, these girls say the sweetest, funniest, not always the best, most out there, most common sense things ever. And then days later I forget, I know they said or did something I wanted to remember but I didn't take the time to stop and write it down or type it up. I am going to start TODAY. I don't wanna forget anymore. When I am an old grandma I wanna be able too look back at this blog and stay entertained and laughing for hours. I love my girls and life happens too fast to not stop and take note of the things that your kids have done. So I will be blogging daily, perhaps a couple times a day. They will probably be quite short just quotes of the day that I want to share or something that happend that I want to remember.