Extraw Special Valentines Just for you!

 

I saw an Instagram reel the other day asking how January had 47 days unlike the rest of the month of the year.  I laughed and moved on because yes, we are still in and Christmas seems like a memory rather than just a few weeks ago when in reality, Weston's birthday is next week (hello, February!) and Valentine's Day is not to much later.  In fact, every time I head to Target, I am reminded that the time is nearing where I need to get a classroom worth of treats and quirky sayings. 

With as much candy as my youngest brings home (most of it he can't really eat because of food allergies or because of his braces), we throw so much of it away.  Over the years, I've made it my goal to find some creative ways to do Valentines that are cost effective and not full of sugar. Last year, we found a fun and silly punny slogan and then I created a little tag to slip the straw through.  

 

I ordered some silly straws from amazon. . . they were very reasonably priced and one package was more than enough for one class of 5th graders plus extras for friends in other classes! It was a win!  I printed out the tags at our local Office Depot (they do have some great quality printing and I can order than from my desk at home and pick them up the next day while I run errands!). From there, I cut them out and then did an optional step of cutting each corner with a rounded corner punch. . . I just really liked the way it looked.  I also made two slits above/below the pun for the straw to stick through.  Weston signed his name and took his Target bag full of valentines to school with him for some Valentine fun. . . because even upper graders love a good valentine!  

 

So, my Valentine gift to you is a link to this cool Valentine Printable!  Go, have fun! Enjoy and feel free to share on your social media and tag me in it!  I would love to see how you use them!  (#outoftherightbrainblog or @jolieklassen will work!).  It really makes my day when you share!  

Click here to get jump to printable.

 

I used these straws

And, if straws just really aren't your jam. . . I have a handful of other Valentine printables here

 

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Happy Creating!

hello 2023.

 

Hello 2023.

Maybe I should acknowledge that we are a week away from January’s exit and I am just now sitting down to write.  I have missed it.  Ethan reminded me that I haven’t be writing and I didn’t realize he even noticed. . . Or else he was procrastinating a math assignment.  Probably the latter.  Anyways, I have found myself at a local Starbucks with my favorite iced coffee attempting to put my thoughts to paper. . . Errr. . . Screen. 

 A new year has begun and I didn’t make any resolutions (who are we kidding, the whole resolution thing is too much pressure).  I didn’t even make a list of goals for the upcoming year.  I did buy a new planner to help me keep my head on as the kids went back to school and all their stuff (hello after school practices, ortho appointments, and birthday parties). 

To be honest, this year feels scary.  In just a few short months, we will no longer have an elementary school student in the house and that alone is just craziness!  Change is happening and it is both exciting and terrifying. I have been praying for some very big things and well, I am both scared and excited to see how God answers those prayers. 

I share this because maybe you, too, are moving forward into a year that also feels scary and daunting. It’s okay to own that.  In fact, good job for owning it.  Give yourself a pat on the back or a big bear hug! And while only a handful of people will actually read this, maybe I am writing it for you (also, thanks for reading!). 

My first Bible as a kid was this white Precious Moment’s Bible that I just loved.  I read the Christmas Story on repeat, and it had the best little explanations about things that my little mind somehow understood.  In 3^rd grade, I stumbled across an explanation of how God answers prayers (confession: i fingered through those incredibly thin pages while the pastor was speaking).  I prayed for a Courtney doll (she was Skipper’s brunette, cheerleading bff. . . #IYKYK) for months.  I put a poster above my bed reminding me each night to pray for her.  After months of praying, I finally got her for Christmas, but what I didn’t know then, was the valuable lesson a Barbie doll taught me about prayer and waiting on God. 

I mentioned earlier that my family and I are praying some pretty big prayers that are at times overwhelming, because we’re in that period of waiting and wondering.   Here are some things that encourage me as I think about this year. 

1.   Acknowledging that God is in control and not me.  
Yep.  He hasn’t let me down yet and when he hasn’t answered me in the way I prayed, I realized that the outcome of the prayer ends up being far better than I could have planned.   I have been reminded over and over recently of Jesus sleeping on a boat during a horrible storm.  A storm so horrible, they wondered if they would really make it.  Can I confess to you that sometimes, thoughts come that make me wonder and question everything.  But, then I am reminded that Jesus is our source of peace and is in control of all that turmoil and craziness and I really don’t have anything to fear.  Yes, the future is uncertain, but I know and trust that God has everything under control.

2.    Go to His Word           God’s Word is full of accounts of people who waited, and waited a really, REALLY long time! (Sometimes, they died before their promise ever came to fruition.  I mean, the entire Old Testament waited and waited and waited for the Jesus, Joseph worked as a slave and a prisoner before his dream became reality.  Countless people lived with ailments that caused them to be outcasts and undesirable before they found healing.  There is no book better than the Bible for finding encouragement while you wait or face scary things. 
                           

  3. Pray.  
Grab a notebook and write your prayers down.  Give thanks and worship in pen and pour out your heart as you wait for your prayers to be answered.  Daily.  It’s fun to watch how your prayers change as God changes your heart, gives you patience and courage and answers your prayer.  (Side note: when you are writing it down, it’s a whole lot easier to stay focused. . . Squirrel!)
 

  4.  Fill your mirror with scripture that encourages your heart.   

 There’s a verse In the Old Testament that commands God’s people to “Hide God’s Word in our heart.”  Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians that we need to think on whatever is true, honorable, respectful, and lovely.  When I take the time to put a verse up on my mirror, I can think about that verse and while I do my make up and hair each morning.  By doing this, it reminds me that God is in control and I don’t have to worry, thus preventing a spiral or worry or shame. 

  5.  Do something. 
I know that waiting is hard, but sometimes we must actually do something.  I know that it means taking a risk and oh, man, do I know how hard that is.  But stepping out in faith sometimes opens doors or closes them and moves us to where God wants us to be.  It may mean turning in an application or even volunteering on a committee while you are waiting for your prayer to be answered.  Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!

As I type this, I am reminding myself all these things.  Change is hard and I think this year is going to be just that.  But it is also going to be a sweet adventure of watching my boys grow and mature and seeing what’s next for us all as we move into a new season.  I don’t know what your prayer is, but I hope and pray that you are encouraged and please know, I as I write this I am praying for you, dear friend. 

Waiting on God is far from easy, but trusting that God has something wonderful ahead is 100 percent worth it. And praying for big things is way scarier than praying for a Barbie doll, but it’s worth it!   Let’s go and sleep great knowing that God has everything under control!

 

Sparks of Joy (and links I'm loving)

 

 Whew!  It's been a minute.  Life got a tad crazy over here. . . but good crazy.  It dawned on me this morning that next week will be the first week there has been no after school sports practice since the night before the first day of school. . . and it's the last week of school before break!  We have survived 2 soccer seasons (rec and school) and cross country plus, so many other things that happen in between all that.  It has been fun, but we are longing for the rest that Christmas vacation will bring.  

There are so many things that have been bringing me joy lately.  In a season where the weather is gloomy (I love it!) and budgets are tights (thank you, inflation), it may be hard to find those sparks of joy.  But, they are there. . . just waiting for us to look up from our phones or look past the negative reels and find a funny one and just let out a little chuckle. . . it's good for the soul!  

Here are some of them:

Jon took me to San Francisco for my birthday last month and it was simply, so refreshing to have a change of pace and just relish in a weekend away.  We managed to get into the Top of the Mark (a really nice cocktail bar at the top of the Intercontinental hotel on Nob Hill) right as the sun was setting.  It was such a clear night (Karl, the fog, didn't make crash our party!) that we could see all over.  Plus, the food and drinks were great!  If you are in the area, I highly recommend the visit! (they have great mock tail menu, too!)  

Amanda, over at @graccieone has started up #miniquiltmonday and even though life has been crazy, it has done my heart so much good to get each weekly block done.  This week was the cozy house block and it is seriously the cutest!  Here's mine.  

I got this cookbook for my birthday and I've already used it once to make the most delicious butternut squash and Italian sausage pasta.  It was a huge hit. . . even with the teen and tween!

I think that this cake is needing to be baked. 

 Fall walks are my favorite.  The crunching of the colorful leaves and the time to think or listen to a podcast is just so peaceful.  

I just bought this sweater and I want to wear it all the time!  It's so cozy and soft!

I've been playing around with this tutorial.  It's so easy and relaxing and it might just make a dent in my fabric stash! 

I've also been playing with these!  This is so much fun!  Hallmark movies and creating for the win! 

We played this game the other night and it was so much fun! Also, the kids noticed UNO now has notches so if you are color blind, you can still play!!!

And finally, Target dollar spot has glass trees again!  Be still my heart!! 

I'll be honest with you, busy seasons are hard and finding time to create is hard.  But, I know, the way I am wired, if I don't I start to go a little crazy.  So small projects are my jam. . . So right now, as things are kind of hectic (but slowing down), the things that are bringing me the greatest joy are often the small creative projects lying around.  

What things are bringing you joy this week?  Post yours in the comments or over on the social medias. . . i love hearing from you! 

When the busy creeps in

 

There are several things that make me anxious.

Traffic.

Doctor appointments.

And believe it or not, watching my son play soccer (he likes to fall and roll around on the ground. . . He’s fun to watch, but oh, man, my mamma heart!)

A few weeks ago, I finally ventured in for a routine physical (I really loved the excuse the pandemic offered to kind of ignore needed appointments) and after waiting for a little longer than expected, my heart rate was a little elevated. I didn’t even notice because that is how I’ve been feeling for awhile.  I realized that over the past few weeks, I have felt like a nonstop adrenaline rush that I could not snap out of.  Every day was a mad rush to get people where they need to be (because as a mom of very involved boys, I am also a part time taxi driver. . . Tell me I’m not wrong!), the house was a mess and I just couldn’t stay on top of it, along with so many other things that needed done. I also couldn’t make room for things that are life giving for myself.  Needless to say, I was tired, and I knew I needed to take a bit and just slow down.

Something had to change. I had to be intentional about it, but at the same time, I still had to do some things.  So, last week I spent some extra time watching tv and just chilling.  I still did things, but I wasn’t going to stress if some of things went ignored.  I slowed down and so did the adrenaline soaring through my body.  I watched old Matlock episodes, took time to watch Where the Crawdads Sing (which I thankfully was home alone for because I cried. . . A lot!), baked something just because, and had a Hocus Pocus marathon with my family over hummus and peanut butter boards after soccer games. 

As the week went by, my body slowly reset itself and it felt so good.  I started feeling more rested, relaxed, and all around better.

It’s amazing how easy it is for busy to sneak in.  The calendar fills and you know it’s coming, but it still feels like it sneaks up on you.  This fall, I went in knowing just how busy it was going to be and said no to some previous commitments.  It was a bittersweet decision, but I am one hundred percent glad that I said no.  As much as we want to plan for the busy, it comes and often it is full of all wonderful things, but we become tired, short tempered, stressed, and often put God on the back burner. Our pastor recently shared something that’ve heard before, but it is still very good wisdom: Satan loves Busy. . . all he needs to do is keep us busy and we slowly start taking our eyes off Christ and he LOVES that! I’m not going to lie. . . my quiet times are often the first things to go on most days when it’s super busy.  When I’m not spending time reading my Bible or taking time to talk to God, my attitude suffers and busy wins. 

Back when the boys were little and schedules were oh, so quiet (man, do I sometimes miss those days!), there was a popular saying that you could buy on pretty much anything: CHAOS COORDINATOR.  I used to think that being a mom, those young children running around like crazies was the chaos.  Maybe it was?  But in all reality, there is nothing like the chaos of navigating everyone’s different schedules. . .extra curricular activities, ortho appointments, and work.  It is both wonderful and crazy.  Some days, I very much hate it. . . But I absolutely love watching my boys flourish in the things that they love.

Being busy is not necessarily a bad thing.  I love the things that are filling up our calendars, many of them bring me so much joy, but maybe over time business wears on us and causes our adrenaline to flow and a heart to become uneasy. . . like something is missing.  I’m an enneagram 7 and FOMO is a real thing, but I’ve had to learn to say no and choose rest over fun at times. 

As I was resting last week, I really thought about what I could do to help maintain a calm heart (and mind) amidst the chaos of this busy season we are in.  I’m sharing them, because maybe, you are also in a season of business and are just feeling like you can’t get it all done or struggling to find time to just breathe. So here is a quick list of some of my favorite things to do to encourage a calm heart in the midst of the busy.  

1.      1.  Ask for help. 

I’m a stay at home mom and I still need help.  Between Jon and our good friends, we make it work.  But, I can’t do all the busy by myself.  We need each other!  So, don’t be embarrassed to ask for help when things get tricky.

      2.  Make time to spend time with God. 

This one is hard.  But, I am going to be 100 percent honest here: THIS is probably the one thing that keeps me sane.  Taking a few minutes a day to just open my Bible, read, and spend some time praying shifts the state of my heart quicker than anything else on this list. Am I perfect?  That’s a hard NO! In fact, the busier it gets the harder it is to get that time in, but I try really hard.  Invite God into your day and I will guarantee your day will be better.  God might not take the busy away, but He definitely calms my heart and never leaves us without His presence and strength to get through the day. . . that there is encouragement to my weary heart.

3.       3.  Get outside and take a quick walk.  

     Vitamin D and a little movement helps so much.  Vitamin D and some movement are just what we need to take a breath in between all the crazy.

4   4.   Treat yourself.  

      I know this sounds crazy.  But schedule in your favorite coffee from your favorite coffee shop in between appointments or drop offs.  Or grab your favorite lunch and spend a few minutes just reading or soaking in the quiet.  Laura Tremaine talks often on her instagram about reading lunches.  I know I need to get back in the habit of this one! 

5   5.  Do something that brings your heart joy.

If you are reading this, there is a pretty good chance you’re a mom.  But, I know that if you aren’t. . . This still applies!  The calendar fills up and we are the first to give up the things that feed our soul.  You know how you are wired.  I am wired for traveling, crafting, and the occasional good book and it’s so hard to fit those things in, but I realized this year, that when I do fit in something, whether a quick quilt block or a delicious reading lunch, my step is lighter and somehow the busy doesn’t seem to feel so overwhelming.

These are just 5 things.  No matter what your life is throwing at you today, know that you are not alone and you will get through this.  Busy or not, our life is better when we put Christ first and take time to breathe.  Let me know what helps you through the busy seasons down below in the comments.  I love to hear from you.