What an amazing day yesterday was for my dear friend Amber of Amber Housley!! She hosted her first ever AH Inspired workshop for 20+ other AHmazing women right here in Nashville!! Some with established businesses, some just starting out, some just about ready to take that leap………

I was lucky enough to be one of the speakers for her workshop along with 3 other incredibly wonderful women — Jessica of Jessica Bishop: Independent Stylist for Stella & Dot, Courtney of Pizzazzerie and Kelle Boyd of Ann Kelle!

It was a day of hopes, dreaming BIG, lots ‘o wisdom, new friendships…even a few tears and lots of hugs. Incredible day.

So very proud of Amber. She’s making her dreams come true and doing just ONE of the many things she does best…INSPIRING others.

Will you be one of the lucky ones and attend her next workshop? Just ask any of these other women and I bet you they will tell you it will be a day you will never forget. A day you wish you could do over and over again.

“She decided to start living the life she always imagined. She turned her can’t into cans and her dreams into plans. She took the leap and grew her wings on the way down. COURAGE”.

X’s and O’s, sararose

Dearest Colton,

I can’t even believe it’s been four years.  Four years since the day you came into our life.  4 years since you made our family complete.  Four years since the day I experienced the most amazing love for the second time….Happy Birthday my beautiful Colton.  

I typically write a letter talking to everyone about YOU, but just like I did for your brother’s last birthday I have decided I want to start writing directly to you.  Let’s hope momma makes it through it while wiping away tears.  They aren’t tears of sadness, but of joy.  Your daddy and I have been so blessed.  More than we could have ever anticipated.  And, more than we deserve.  We knew how lucky we were with your brother, but to bring home another amazing BOY to our family just 14.5 months later was incredible.  A gift.  A gift that I thank Him for every single day.  

So, where do I even begin?  From the moment they laid you on my chest and I took a look at you I knew you were something special.  You had jet black hair like your daddy, full lips like your momma…and, you had the bluest eyes I’d ever seen.  We just couldn’t believe it.  From day one you were beautiful.  You were what they call an ‘easy’ baby.  You were happy and calm…unless you were hungry {which was often} and tired.  Can you believe I let you sleep with me for 6 solid months?  I think your daddy was happy when I decided it was time for you to move to your crib AND bedroom.  But, I enjoyed that special time with you.  That is probably why you are as close as you are to me….even four years later.  But, let’s be honest here…when you slept for a good solid 8 hours for the first time your momma was a happy momma!  Did you know it took you a good 6 months for that to happen?  Yes, son.  You didn’t like to sleep.  BUT, you do now!!  I wouldn’t take back those sleepless nights for anything though.  

For your first 8 months I thought you were going to take after your daddy.  Calm, quiet, happy when fed, easy tempered….I was wrong.  At 9 months you became what I like to call “wild man jones”.  Into everything, crawling everywhere….chose to do things in your own time.  Walking at 15 months….talking all the time.  Who does that sound like?  Yes’m…you.are.my.mini.me.  Holy Moly is He laughing every single day.  Your dad gets a few chuckles in there every once in a while when you do something that is clearly something your momma probably did when she was a young tot.  But, you know what…You teach me patience, you teach me strength, you teach me to see things in new eyes and with an open heart…you teach me to dream BIG.  You see life the way I would hope every child would.  

And, although I wrote almost these exact words to your brother on his 5th birthday the same applies to you.  Every year has brought some challenges.  Being a parent is the hardest job in the world.  You love your children SO much but we have a responsibility to “teach”.  Teach boundaries, teach faith, teach acceptance, teach respect, teach forgiveness, teach appreciation, teach love.  We teach these things by SHOWING you.  Are some of these hard?  No doubt about it.  Some days I fall flat on my face trying to “teach” you, but every single day I get up and try again.  The one thing that isn’t hard is showing you how much I Love You.  I absolutely LOVE loving YOU.  My favorite time of the day is when you see me and wrap your arms around me and tell me you love me over and over again.  Gosh, if I could bottle that up and keep it forever I would.  It’s the most amazing unconditional Love there is.  

This year is going to bring some changes.  Your big brother is starting Kindergarten come Fall.  So, for the first time in your life you won’t be with Tyler all the time.  I know you will be fine, but I know it’s going to be hard.  But, just think…NEXT Year you will join him at the Big School.  What will momma do?  Gosh, I need to stop wishing days away and just focus on today.  

So, for today and always my hopes and wishes for you are simple.  I PRAY for BIG LOVE for you, that you continue to have that *spark for life, that you stay kind to everyone you meet, that you find a sport or hobby you love and go for it 100%, that you continue to love school, your teachers and friends…., that you always enjoy making people laugh, that you stay honest, that you stay best friends with your brother and that your favorite place in the world stays where ever your daddy, brother and momma are.   That you dream BIG!  I wish SO much for you and your life especially that no matter what you know that you are LOVED BIG, that we believe in you and that you are amazing just the way you are.  No one else in this world like you buddy.  Sure hope you always believe that you can BE whatever you want to BE.  

Happy 4th Birthday my precious boy.  May this day be your favorite day ever.  And, one that you never forget!!  

Love you BIG much, your momma

p.s. Happy Birthday to YOU!  Happy Birthday to YOU!  Happy Birthday my Colton James!!  Happy Birthday to YOU!!!

YES, I am so one of those moms that makes a card for every single holiday.  I know, but seriously…who would expect anything less from me?  And, it just wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t share our cute boys and this cute card with everyone.

I took the photo of the boys back in early January when it was too cold to do anything.  I pulled out my backdrop — that NEVER gets pulled out for anything because I am not a “studio” type gal, but I had a vision and it required THE backdrop!  Dressed the boys in light blue and jeans…no shoes and pulled out the R that I covered  in red plaid back when Tyler was a baby {sigh…he’s FIVE now} and this is what it produced.  5 minute fun session with momma and I was as happy as could be.  I know what I wanted the front of the card to look like {right side of image below} and I knew what I wanted the back to say {left side of image below}.  My grandma ALWAYS said to us growing up that she loved us a “bushel and peck and a hug around the neck”.  I just love that saying.  And, I have really been digging the popular subway signs so that is where that inspiration came from on how the words were placed!  Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.  Can you tell I have had WAY too much of my boys Valentine’s Candy?  LOL

May this day of Love be filled with more Love than you can handle!!

X’s and O’s, sararose