Saturday Snapshots {39}

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Did you all have a good week?

I sure did! Plenty of downtime with the family…so nice.

Today I’m helping set up for a wedding reception. Should be fun!

{Last Sunday}
All dressed up with nowhere to go. I ended up staying home from church with Miss M.

Miss M crashed on the couch like this. Yes, she is asleep.

Sunday Style…
Dress & Sandals :: Target || Necklace :: J. Crew Outlet

{Monday}
Punching balloons!

{Tuesday}
Food trucks!

Lobster Mac is where it’s at!
{Man, that stuff was soooooo good!}

{Wednesday}
A gorgeous South Florida day…Spent in the shade…Heavenly

Have a great weekend, friends!

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Conch & Crab :: God’s Amazing Handiwork

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The wonders of creation just fascinate me. How about you?

When I think about the sun or the stars or flowers or animals and creatures and see how amazing and different and unique they all are,  I stand back amazed.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, the stars proclaim the work of His hands.” Psalm 19:1

“They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and sunset shout for joy.” Psalm 65:8

“Shout joyfully to God, all the earth” Psalm 66:1

“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy” Psalm 96:11-12

Don’t those verses just make your heart sing?!

God’s creation reveals Him. His creation points us to God in awe and wonder with rejoicing!

Looking at the tiny ant or the beautiful flower – it reminds me that God is so wise, so perfect, so creative. So – “Wow, God!”

So, yes, nature intrigues me. :)

I took some video on my phone when I was over in Fort Myers beach of some of the sea creatures I found on an evening stroll.

I was so enthralled with how amazing God’s creation is!

These aren’t super-amazing videos, but I thought I’d share them for whatever they are worth.

All I could do was be amazed as I watched these creatures behave in the way God created them to.

A skittish hermit crab…

An amazing conch! Very weird, yet very cool!

God’s handiwork is amazing, don’t you think?!

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You Know You Wanna Win :: #CB2NovogratzBrasilSweepstakes

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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CB2. All opinions are 100% mine.

Let me be honest, okay?

Yes, I'm being paid to bring the content of this post to your attention.

However….

CB2 in its awesomeness has a giveaway going on that you may want you to know about.

And trust me – you want to know!

The CB2 and Novogratz Brasil Sweepstakes…

A chance to win a trip to Brazil? With three friends? And stay in the vacation home of designers Robert and Courtney Novogratz? For a week?

Um….Yeah.

I am so there!

And … if you win … Can you pretty please include me in your group of three friends? {I'd love you forever!}

And if you don't win that, you might win a $100 gift card to CB2 along with a signed Home with Novogratz book. And that'd be cool too.

You know you wanna enter! So go and do it!

And, yeah, I know…What are you chances of winning….I have no idea. But someone has to win, and it could be you {or me!}.

And since were talking about it – the CB2 and Novogratz Collection is really fun! It's chock-full of bright colors that exude life and spice.

I've been dying to spice up our pool deck out back. Nolan bought me some great outdoor chairs and an umbrella {yay!}. I could just see this bright and funky coffee table out there in the mix! {Hint, hint, honey.}

And how about this Quadrado Rug? Gorgeous…

So what are you waiting for! Go enter that giveaway! Click here: CB2 and Novogratz Brasil Sweepstakes
{The giveaway closes June 3rd, so get moving.}

And be sure to invite me if you win! I'll be hopping on that plane quicker than you can say "CB2" three times fast.

Visit Sponsor's Site

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A Tree for Me

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In a movie that I saw not too long ago they had these beautiful little citrus trees planted in terracotta pots.

It was love at first sight for me!

Since I live in South Florida this was totally a real possibility for me. So I started thinking about owning a potted citrus tree or two.

Fast forward a month or so…

Our home is in need of some serious curb appeal.

The one thing it’s got going for it? It actually has some vegetation.

One thing that’s not working for it? The vegetation is cra.zay. There’s not a very good rhyme or reason to it. And sometimes it can feel a bit jungley.

And…I really don’t know what to plant or how to make it look good. {I’m dying to hire someone to give us a landscaping layout!}

We have this flower bed by the front door. It’s an awkward shape. And I have NO idea what to put in it!

We moved the fountain from the backyard to that planter not long after we moved it. And I really, really like it there.

There are ferns growing behind the fountain. They came up out of nowhere and have gone crazy! I like them too; so they can stay.

But I’m at such a loss as to what to plant in front of the fountain. Any ideas?

We did plant a white climbing rose on the opposite side of the big planter. We haven’t taken very good care of it, but it does reward me with sweet little blooms from time to time.

Okay….that was totally a rabbit trail!

I said all of that to say……..we stopped at several plant nurseries a couple of weekends ago with the intention of buying plants for that big planter.

Suffice it to say that I had a total melt down in aisle 502 of the plants and could not decide! I was completely overwhelmed and utterly frustrated. {To say the least.}

We DID, however, find the “plant orphanage” at one of the nurseries. Plants in need of a little TLC {mostly because they were root bound and needed to be repotted} were marked down by at least half!

Enter….a cutie patotie little citrus tree!

Nolan said I could bring one home, so I settled on a Tangelo tree.

Yes… yes, I did pick it entirely based on the way it looked.

Popped it in a terracotta pot from Home Depot, and I was one happy wannabe gardener.

The Society Garlic {which has been with me longer than any of my kids!} in the urn has been replaced and needs to find another home. Maybe in the backyard?

I’m totally loving my little touch of Mediterranean exoticness by the front door. It makes me smile.

And the scent of the blossoms…heavenly!

I’m on a bit of a plant kick apparently. Must be something about spring!

I’m woefully aware that there is still much to do in regards to curb appeal. I am telling myself that slow and steady wins the race. So I’ll take this sweet little tree as a step in the right direction.

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A Letter to My Children About Hiding Food

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Dear Children,

It is unclear to me which one of you has discovered the knack of food hiding instead of food eating.

I daresay that, you, my oldest, are most likely to blame. You tend to be the more cunning of the bunch. And I highly doubt that your brother or sister could have so cleverly figured out the technique.

However, you, my second born, are the most likely to not want to eat your food. So, of course, you could have figured out the trick.

Alas, I do believe, you, my youngest, are least likely at fault. As it is, if you do not like your food or do not care to finish eating it, you throw it calmly on the floor as if that is where all discarded food belongs.

While I was vacuuming the dining room yesterday, I discovered your hiding place, you cunning food hider, you.

Stuffing the end of your sandwich and half of a soft taco under the crossbar of the dining room table was quite clever, I must say.

The fact that you precisely placed it so that it didn’t stick out was also evidence of your careful planning.

However, your secret is out.

And even though none of you will admit to the food hiding scheme, I am on to you now. I will be more observant to what happens to your food when it seems to disappear at lighting fast speed. I will check your hiding place right away, and you will be caught.

You were stealthy and clever. However, do not underestimate the sleuthing abilities that come to all mommas with the birth of their children.

With all my love,
Your personal detective,
Mommy

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Ramblings on My Mother’s Day

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I hope that all of you moms out there had lovely Mother’s Days!

Mine consisted of ending up at home from church with a slightly feverish and very tired little girl.

Taco Bell for lunch.

A quick trip to the mall accompanied by my hubby and sleepy children, complete with one who cried the entire time that his head hurt.

Followed up with take out crepes for dinner. Eaten while the kids slept due to late naps.

A very unconventional Mother’s Day!

The biggest highlight – and the reason for this late post – was that I spent the evening with my mom watching our weekly Call the Midwife, and then chatting and visiting and sharing until 1:30. In the morning. :)

Nolan did surprise me with these lovely peonies! It’s a Mother’s Day tradition that he started several years ago. Those peonies are truly one of the highlights of my year! This year he paired them with white orchids. He’s picked up on my orchid crush of late. Smart man. ;)

What did you do for Mother’s Day?

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Saturday Snapshots {38}

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It’s Saturday!

Whoopie! I love the weekend!

I’m off to a 9 am ballet class. Not very excited about the 9 am thing. I am, however, excited to be taking a class! My regular teacher is off on vacation, and I’ve been slacking on the practicing…

{Sunday}
Sunday Style…Navy polk-a-dots and fuchsia

Blouse: The Loft || Skirt: Target || Shoes: Sears || Necklace: Swell Caroline

{Monday}
A gorgeous evening sky!

Family trip to Ikea!

{Tuesday}
Outfit of the day… Mint and hot pink seahorses. {With a blur of baby girl}
I’m in LOVE with this top from Target. So fun and summery and beachy.

Top: Target || Pants: Old Navy || Shoes: Target

{Wednesday}
My little Dr. Dolittle monkeys!
This picture CRACKS.ME.UP! Miss M….lol…
We just finished reading Doctor Dolittle for school. I found those great monkey masks at Michaels.

{Thursday}
I got an unexpected package in the mail! So sweet and special.

For “Throwback Thursday” {an Instagram deal} I snapped a picture of this old pic. Mr. B was in my tummy!
This was the first class of kids I taught on Wednesday nights at our church. They were a super-fabulous bunch of kids!

Wanna follow me on Instagram? Search for JennaQu.

Have a great weekend, friends!

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Grace {for myself}

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Grace.

Something I am learning to give to myself because Christ gave it to me.

I’m a perfectionist. Did you know that?

Now if you walk in the door of my home right now you will see dirty dishes and toys scattered and two bathrooms that need to be cleaned. So I’m not a total perfectionist!

But I do try really hard.

I am learning and accepting the fact that I will never {on this earth} be perfect.

Even the Scripture tells us that God knows our frame; He knows that we are but dust. He pours grace, upon grace, upon grace out on us.

Grace in our salvation. Grace in our daily failings. Grace to do the tasks we need to do. Grace, Grace, Grace.

via || emily ley

I beat myself up when I fail.

I am learning {so slowly at times!} – to take my failures in stride, learn from them, and heap on the grace.

If God extends grace to me, I must extend grace to myself.

Strive to honor God. And accept His grace in my weakness.

I don’t have to be perfect – I just have to follow my Savior.

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Love Me an Orchid or Two {or Five}

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It all started here…

A sweet friend gave me this beautiful orchid after we lost the baby in January.

That orchid had me hooked!

I had bought one before. Do you remember? For the master bedroom.

I forgot how pretty it was! That one died an untimely death. Death by lack of fluids I think. I always forgot about that poor thing.

But after keeping this one alive for several months {water helps a lot!}, I got to thinking I would like to have some more inside the house.

I think I mentioned before that I was having a hard time knowing how to style my sideboard in the dining room. The Blue Mystique orchid lived there for awhile, and I really liked having it there. So that got me thinking that maybe I could have a whole forest of orchids on the sideboard.

Because if you ask me :: orchids = elegance.
Therefore :: lots of orchids = lots of elegance.
Or maybe :: lots of orchids = crazy plant lady?

You decide.

Anyhow!

I had read on a blog that this lady had recently found bamboo blinds on clearance for something ridiculous like $5 at Lowe’s. I know, right?!?! So I dragged Nolan and the kids on a wild goose chase to Lowe’s – just to see. Umm…She lives in Canada. I should have kept that in mind. Their sales probably aren’t our sales. So….No $5 blinds.

However…while perusing the garden section, I stumbled on their clearance plants! {Love those!}

And wouldn’t you know that even though they didn’t have $5 blinds, they did have $5 orchids!

So I bought a few.

As in 4.

::giggle::

I never, ever seem to buy enough of anything. Probably because I’m cheap. This time I was going to buy enough!

Five orchids was a little much.

But there are so pretty!

Then I went on a hunt for some kind of tray to put them in. So they would look “collected and put together” and not “random pots of orchids sitting on the sideboard.”

I found a beauty in this box thing at Home Goods. Oh so perfect! Even scored a discount because it was missing one of its feet. Ha! And settled on three orchids on the sideboard.

So now I’m in LOVE with my sideboard!

Having just that box of orchids under my “masterpiece” is the perfect decor for that space. Not busy, but not boring.

And I’m love, love, loving have those live plants in the house!

Only the middle pink one still has its blooms. And one of the white ones is about to bloom again. But that’s okay. Green leaves are pretty too. And once or twice a year I’ll be rewarded with lovely blooms! That is…if I can keep the plants alive. Here’s hoping!

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A Quick Girl’s Getaway

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Last weekend I stole away for a couple of quiet days with these two sweet friends.

We took a “girls getaway” over to Fort Myers Beach on the West Coast of Florida. I’m a HUGE West Coast fan! Laid back atmosphere, slow paced, friendly people, beautiful beaches, and a quick drive for us.

Our goal for the weekend?

We left behind responsibility and just chilled. Lots of time on the beach. Minimal cooking. Just hanging out. Time spent in the Word individually and praying together. It was glorious!

In the book Desperate that I was telling you about they say something like “be sure you take a break before you break.” So true. I think we moms feel guilty taking time to rest undistributed. But we really do need to make sure that we are taking time to recharge and refresh with the Lord.

We started the weekend off with lunch at Flutterbys – a sweet little butterfly themed cafe.

Lunch was followed up by shopping downtown. If you ever go to Fort Myers, make sure you head downtown! Great shops and great food.

Lush is a to-die-for French bakery. You must stop there!

We discovered this little shop…Linen Cottage…so charming! Beautiful vintage linens at great prices and other lovely things too! It was beautiful…

Downtown was even hosting an old car show in our honor. ;)

The rest of our time was spent on the beach! Oh, and a scrumptious dinner out.

The first night I took an evening stroll down the beach to enjoy the sunset. There were all kinds of live creatures washed up from high tide! That crazy looking thing up there is a conch.

I was in awe! God’s creation is so incredible!

Lots of relaxing on the beach…

If you’re looking for a place to stay, we rented a really nice condo right on the beach for a reasonable price. I’d definitely go back to the Pointe Estero.

Dressed up for dinner out!

{Top: Old Navy || Shorts: The Loft ||Necklace: Swell Caroline || Earrings: J. Crew}

LOVE these girls! {My favorite picture of the weekend!}

Dinner.was.delish! For a yummy dinner out, stop by Fresh Catch Bistro. Yum!

With beautiful sunsets each night…

And then it was time to come home. Believe it or not, I was happy to be going home! That’s unusual for me – I LOVE to be away exploring new places. But I was missing my hubby and missing my littles. And it felt good to be home.

It didn’t hurt that they had this to welcome me…

That little weekend getaway was just what I needed. I’m grateful the Lord provided it at the time that He did.

Anyone else taken a retreat or getaway lately?

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