Mother's Day Gift Ideas Part II

Mother's Day is approaching so Mamas you know Emily and I have your back on fun finds and things you would be excited to receive - you know, no gift receipt required. ;)  And Papas, trust us, as long as you PREPARE and you're not grabbing something in the check out line at the grocery store - I'm sure your Lady Love will be happy with whatever you choose. But in case, you need a little extra help…these ideas may help direct your choices.

I really love gifts that are thoughtful and serve a purpose, either with my every day life or when purchased benefits someone else. This pick below does all of that and then some. This is a great bag that could go everywhere from the grocery to the coffee shop with your laptop or to the beach with snacks. Plus, it is from a really great company:

"No.41 Signature Bags are handmade with love in Gisenyi, Rwanda. Your purchase not only provides a stable job and sustainable income to a young woman transitioning into a life of independence, you are also providing 240 meals to a secondary student in Rwanda! FOR ONE child, FOR ONE meal, FOR ONE year. And that's how you change the world, for one."

No.41 Changing the World for One

You can really never go wrong with earrings and when it comes to Mother's Day, right ladies? I like to receive something I would wear a lot because the kids get really excited about that. These are made of up-cycled artillery from Ethiopia. For $34 they are wallet friendly, handmade, and beautiful to boot!

Noonday Collection

I know this piece isn't an every day wear but you could go the other direction and ask for something you wouldn't typically get for yourself, so when you do wear it it feels really special. This piece is  handmade in India and all of the colors makes it work year round. 

Noonday Collection

Minted offers a variety of styles of beautiful stationary. Personally, I'm a journal girl and you can either buy these "as is" or you can personalize them. Personalize them with a name, a special photo, or maybe even a favorite scripture or quote….For $16 you can even afford to buy a bouquet of flowers that triple in price just because they can… ;)

Minted

I love pieces that make an impact in my home and will remind me of the day we spent together when I walk by. If you like artwork, look for something that would speak to you.

Word Art By Traci on Etsy

If you're looking for affordable, stylish work out gear you may want to check out Fabletics. I recently stumbled upon them trying to find some gear for Barre. If you sign up with them, you can buy your first outfit for $25 - sometimes that includes THREE pieces! Crazy right? Dads - only get your lady work out gear if this is her thing. No Mama needs you t suggest she go work out, but for some of us who are already in to it would really dig this as a gift. And if you're going to guess on size….go for a MEDIUM. MEDIUM will never get you in trouble. Promise. 

Fabletics

I hope you enjoyed a few of my picks - and no matter what you receive - whether its a sweet home made poster by the kids or something extra blingy - I hope you feel celebrated and valued. Not only on Mother's Day but EVERY day because you are IMPORTANT and WHAT YOU DO MATTERS.

Easter - the Story of My Redemption

I know that I don’t bring a lot to the table
Just little pieces of a broken heart
There’s days I wonder if You’ll still be faithful
Hold me together when I fall apart
Would You remind me now of who You are?

That Your love will never change,
that there’s healing in your name
That You can take broken things,
and make them beautiful
You took my shame
And You walked out of the grave
So Your love can take broken things
and make them beautiful

I’m better off when I begin to remember
How You have met me in my deepest pain
So give me glimpses now of how You have covered
All of my heart ache, oh with all Your grace
Remind me now that You can make a way

You say that You’ll turn my weeping into dancing
Remove my sadness & cover me with joy
You say your scars are the evidence of healing
That You can make the broken beautiful
You make us beautiful 
(The Broken Beautiful by Ellie Holcomb)

When I think of Easter...
Easter is a story of redemption. It's a reminder that my God is for me and not against me and that He died so that I could be free. While I think this can be viewed by some as a very basic answer let me break it down a little deeper for you.

Jesus - who never did any wrong, had committed NO SIN AT ALL, and who was definitely not a criminal who deserved the public torture he received  - went to the cross for me, for you, and for those who shouted "kill him!" not long after they were lining the streets for him to walk by and shouting "Hosanna!". That is beyond comprehension for me. He knew what was ahead and yet He still did it. And do you know what that means for me? He took my "stuff" with Him on that cross: 

my rejection from my earthly father
my postpartum anxiety
my victim mentality
my shame
my sorrow
my pain

my bitterness
my bad decisions from the past
my fear
my perfectionism
my unrealistic expectations of others
my doubt
my mom guilt
my anxiety
my critical spirit
my anger

and so, so much more.

I can take all of the above and say "You paid the price so that these things that I sometimes allow to take hold of me can go to the cross with you and stay there, never to come back. Because I am free. All of this was covered with your grace." 

When He walked out of the grave it was done. And instead of these hurts He wants to replace all of the above with HIS joy, love, mercy, grace, hope and much more so I can experience the fullness of His sacrifice. 

The best example of love - EVER - will be the sacrifice that He made on the cross. To lay down His life for me. For you. He did it and He conquered the grave - - - - > Let that sink in. 

DEATH COULD NOT HOLD HIM. 

Because of His sacrifice on that cross (His blood) we are healed. He has come to set us FREE. And in our broken places (that we all have, because we are still sinners) He gives us hope, mercy, grace, love, and redeems us from all of our STUFF and makes it beautiful. That, to me, is the story of Easter.

And to quote another wonderful Ellie Holcomb song...

"I am not who I once was. Defined by all the things I've done. Afraid my shame would be exposed, afraid of really being known. But then you gave my heart a home. 

So I walk out of the darkness and into the light. From fear of shame into the HOPE of life. Mercy called my name and made a way to fly out of the darkness....and into the LIGHT.

...Because when you are hiding all alone your heart can turn into a stone...and that's not the way I want to go.  

There's no place I'd rather be. Your light is marvelous. You have come to set us free. You are marvelous, your light is marvelous to me!" - - - - Marvelous Light by Ellie Holcomb

And with that I say a big AMEN. HALLELUJAH. THANK YOU LORD. Happy Easter, friends!

"He is not here, for he has risen, as he said." Matthew 28:6

Easter Fun for You & Yours...

If you're like me, Easter snuck up on me out of no where! I've been planning in my head all of these fun things to do with the kids and then BAM! It's Wednesday and Easter in SUNDAY. Like, THIS SUNDAY! Who knew? My three are really excited about Easter this year. Whether you do Easter bunnies or not, search for eggs or don't, I'm pretty sure we all agree that we want our children to know the true meaning of the holiday.

We've discussed the true meaning of Easter with our children, but I've found that they listen more, and we are able to engage in more conversation about it if we are doing something together. So, I've found a few crafts that would easily accommodate several age ranges. Nancy, over at Do Small Things With Love rounded up a great list of 30 different crafts centered around Easter. Here are a few that jumped out at me….

Ryder & Lincoln would love rounding up coins to create this Cross and I love the meaning behind it. PAID IN FULL indeed.

Um, its a chocolate covered donut serving as the tomb and an Oreo as the rock…do I really need to convince you of this one? They had me at chocolate. ;)

All three of my little loves love to make necklaces so this one is a must and I know they would love learning how to make a new design.

Ruby Jane would especially love this one. I think this is a great craft for all ages and one I would keep for years and years to come. I also saw a really simple version with finger paints. How precious would that be to pull out every year? 

We hope you enjoy a little crafting fun with your family in preparation for Easter. Keeping things simple means more fun in my home and I hope these activities help to generate great conversation about the true meaning of Easter. 

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

World Market Plates
Plates are hanging in almost every room of my house and are one of my favorite ways to bring new color and/or pattern into a space. I saw these at World Market and instantly fell in love. Aren't they gorgeous?! If floral isn't your thing they have many other beautiful options. We've been pinning them on Pinterest like crazy! I know my mama wants these so I figured if a 30 year old and a 65 year old are liking the same thing it must be good :)

Noonday Collection

By now I am sure you have figured out that we love us some noonday. Since I can't post a picture of everything on the website I will give you 5 great examples of gift ideas:

one of these super handy bags (because you can never have enough bags)

a fabulous necklace (who doesn't love turquoise?! And this goes with everything! And it's on sale!)

this beautiful scarf (swooning over this gorgeous color!)

some classic earrings (it was not easy to choose just one pair - but these are great for everyday)

and my all time favorite go-to bracelet (also available in coral/red)

(if you do happen to find something you like make sure you mark Erin Dorn as your ambassador and Kacey & Emily under your trunk show hosts since we have an open trunk show right now)

Prints or Printables

Echoes of Mercy has one that is my all time favorite HERE

Some of our favorites are by the wonderful artist Katie Daisy - love this new one so much that it's on it's way to my house...  :)

Naptime Diaries - love it, love it, and love this one (and yes, I could keep going, but instead pinned some more HERE)

and we have plenty more on our printables pinterest board (many of them are free!) that would also make great gifts. 

Books

It is never easy for me to recommend books because I like too many for different reasons so I will do my best to give a few options that any age will appreciate and find encouraging. For more book suggestions that Kacey and I have pinned over the months you can go to our pinterest board. 

Surprised By Motherhood - I absolutely love Lisa-Jo's truthful writing. She was one of the first people I started following after becoming a mama and I always felt like she was writing just for me. She is a cheerleader for all mamas and really women in general. "Surprised by Motherhood is Lisa-Jo's story of becoming and being a mom, and in the process, discovering that all the "what to expect" and 'how to" books in the world can never truly prepare you for the sheer exhilaration, joy, and terrifying love that accompanies motherhood. This book is a touching memoir of Lisa-Jo's dawning realization that being a mom isn't about being perfect—it's about being present. "

Love Does - because you will never hear me shutup about how good this book is. The message is for anyone and everyone - "When Love Does, life gets interesting. Each day turns into a hilarious, whimsical, meaningful chance that makes faith simple and real. Each chapter is a story that forms a book, a life. And this is one life you don't want to miss. Light and fun, unique and profound, the lessons drawn from Bob's life and attitude just might inspire you to be secretly incredible, too."

Just wanted to add that Lifeway has this book for $5 right now! http://m.lifeway.com/Product/LOVE-DOES-P005505583 

The Life-Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World - I just finished a study of this book in a small group at my church. This book makes so many things clear for women and is a must read. "In Life Ready Woman, best-selling author Shaunti Feldhahn helps readers take five faith steps drawn from the Bible that will help to define the best life possible (for her). Each one is easy to understand, but requires bold faith to activate. The reward is being ready for the deeper life that God has planned."

It was tough to choose the last gift idea to feature, but I would seriously be doing a disservice if I didn't mention this since I have been drooling over it for months. I have no idea what color I would get, because they are all so pretty, and I am pretty sure I could use one of each length because I would maybe start a trend when I start wearing a robe in public(?).  My mama is going to be so proud of my practical choice of...

this robe

MAYBE my personal favorite, but it really is hard to choose!

These are just a few of the many pretty options! 

Is this not perfect for a mama to be so she can have something pretty in the hospital? 

I have been REALLY good and have not ordered one for myself. And it looks like there is a special on buying 3+  short robes for $25 each which makes it even easier to shop for all the mamas you want to surprise with this beauty.

I sure hope some of my suggestions help! And, you know what? If all of this is too overwhelming just have your kids make a craft or put some family photos in an album (since nobody seems to print those anymore!), in a frame, or on a canvas and give a gift from the heart. Don't stress trying to find the perfect gift. If it's given with love the recipient will be thankful no matter what! 

Oh and if you really want to have some fun Mother's Day weekend I suggest you grab your mama, your sister, your hubby, your entire family, your friends - or go by yourself for some "me" time! - and go see the new movie "Mom's Night Out" that comes out on May 9th. Kacey and I were fortunate enough to see it at an early screening this past Tuesday and I can't say enough good things about it. I will be the first to admit that I was hesitant - would it be super cheesy? totally unrelatable? classic chick flick? just flat out stupid? - and I could quickly answer "no" with any of the above. As soon as the movie started I was thinking "oh this is so true", then I was laughing hysterically, maybe did some crying, and, best of all, I left encouraged. This movie is the best glimpse of life as a mom that I have ever seen. If you can imagine every feel good article/blog/book you have ever read about the craziness and chaos yet complete love of motherhood, add lots of "this could really happen" (clean!!) humor, and throw in actors that are totally relatable, then bam! you have "Mom's Night Out". (Also,I do believe the main character and I would be best friends since the entire movie all I could think was "that was me, this is me, yup - know all about that!"). Kacey reviewed the movie HERE, so make sure and read her thoughts, too. They have resonated with me along with the movie and I can honestly say I haven't stopped thinking about them both over the past couple days. I am very thankful we have this movie in our theaters - make sure you check it out! (and check out more reviews HERE!)

Friday Five April 11-13, 2014

Noonday Trunk Show at the Campus Life office (behind Chuy's at 906 Ridgely Rd Murfreesboro, TN 37129) 5-8pm (drop in) hosted by yours truly - Emily and Kacey!

If you'd like a chance to view the Noonday spring line and visit with some wonderful folks - well, here it is! We'd love to hang out with you while shopping and learning more about how our purchases help empower women all over the world. We LOVE our noonday accessories and enjoy getting to tell others the story behind each piece & you will, too! We are both super excited about visiting with our friends & sharing this beautiful collection with you. We've been pinning on Pinterest & making wish lists ever since we booked our show. Stop on by tomorrow night (totally fine to bring the fam along!) - just in time to order some fabulous Mother's Day gifts - and yes, we will have the delicious chips & dip from Chuy's. We can't wait to see you!

If you can't attend just purchase online at http://erindorn.noondaycollection.com and note Emily and Kacey as your trunk show with Erin Dorn as your ambassador.

The Drowsy Chaperone Friday, April 11th & Saturday, April 12 at 7:30pm and Sunday, April 13th at 2pm

The Drowsy Chaperone is a delightful parody of the American 1920's Musical Comedy. The story opens with a musical theatre fan playing a "record" of his favorite musical - the fictional 1928 hit, The Drowsy Chaperone. The show actually comes to life as this fan comments on the music, story, and actors in the show as well as musical theatre in general in a way that brings about wonderful memories for many, raucous laughter for all and perhaps even a sentimental tear. A brilliantly written piece, The Drowsy Chaperone opened on Broadway in 2006 and won the Tony for Best Book and Best Score. For more information visit http://www.mtsu.edu/tuckertheatre/

Sat. April 12, 8AM-2PM MULTIPLE BLESSINGS CONSIGNMENT SALE at Middle Tennessee Christian School (100 E. MTCS Rd. at Memorial)

Get fantastic deals on children's clothing, baby gear, maternity items, toys, books and more. The sale is a fundraiser for the Murfreesboro Parents of Multiples Club and is open to the public. 
(side note - I have fond memories from participating in this sale growing up since my mom was in what was known as the Parent's of Twins Club but has changed now. It's always been a great sale! - Emily)


Second Annual 4-H 4K run/walk Saturday, April 12 at 8:30 A.M. 
Serving as a fundraiser for the Rutherford County 4-H Endowment Fund, the unique race features a combination road and cross-country course and will serve as the kick-off for the Adventures in Ag Day planned for the Rutherford County Extension office. Shirley explained that after starting on a portion of Agripark Dr., the 4-H 4K course will weave through the vineyards and orchards at the extension office after passing the pond and horse arena. “Part of the 4-H pledge is to commit your health to better living for your community. The 4-H 4K is an excellent way for our 4-H members to do just that,” Shirley said. “We were able to raise almost $3,000 last year for our local 4-H endowment, and that money will make a life-long positive impact on the youth of Rutherford County.” After the race, participants can enjoy the events associated with the Adventures in Agriculture Day. (below)

Adventures In Agriculture - April 12th from 9am-1pm at the Lane Agri-Park in Murfreesboro

Adventures in Agriculture is an event that targets children and their families that have no interaction with the food they consume outside of the supermarket.  Information is provided to folks verbally, through interactive games and with packets to bring home.

This year’s theme is Farmers Care:
C-commodities
A-animal
R-recreation
E-environment.

The Adventures in Agriculture event is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at the Lane Agri-Park in Murfreesboro, TN. https://extension.tennessee.edu/Rutherford/Pages/default.aspx


"Hug-A-Tree and Survive" Safety Program Saturday, April 12, 3:30 PM at the Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Parkway Murfreesboro, TN 37128)
Hug-a-Tree and Survive program teaches children how to survive in the woods should they become lost.
The program, endorsed by the National Association of Search and Rescue, was developed to educate children in a select few of the most basic and vital survival skills. Join Lisa Gatewood of Rutherford Search and Rescue as she presents this fun but important lesson in how to be found. All ages are welcome.

Hikes for Tykes(also at Barfield Crescent Park) Saturday, April 12 at 4:30 PM
Join us after the Hug-a-Tree program as we take a short hike on our backcountry trails. This is a perfect opportunity to point out some of those key principles that your youngster just heard in how to be found in the woods. All ages are welcome.

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And since there are so many Easter Egg Hunts to choose from I have them listed below :

Earth Experience, the new Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History, will host the inaugural Dino Egg Hunt from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the museum, 816 Old Salem Highway. Admission to the museum is free and $5 for egg hunt and other kid-friendly activities. Proceeds benefit the museum’s opening. Visit www.theearthexperience.org for more details.

Saturday, April 12th - Underwater Egg Hunt at Patterson Park Community Center(521 Mercury Boulevard Murfreesboro, TN 37130) Take part in a one-of-a-kind Underwater Egg Hunt! Help gather eggs off the pool floor.  There will be plenty of eggs to be found by all. Make sure to bring a bag or basket to hold your eggs while you are on your egg hunting adventure in the water.  Ages 2-9, Registration begins at 8 am, with jump at 10:15 am.  Free swim and egg hunt water fun until 11:45 am. Admission:$3 per child Contact:(615) 893-7439

Lascassas Baptist Church, 4750 E. Jefferson Pike in Lascassas, will host an egg hunt from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday. Activities, food and pictures with the Easter Bunny will be offered for sixth-graders and younger. No admission is charged. Call 615-890-1858 for details or visit lbcfamily.net.

The La Vergne Egg Hunt is set for 9-11 a.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park, 115 Floyd Mayfield Drive. Games and activities for the whole family will be offered at 9 a.m. and the egg hunt for ages 11 and younger starts at 10 a.m.

Smyrna Fire and Police departments host the annual Easter Egg Hunt at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lee Victory Recreation Park on Sam Ridley Parkway. Ages 1-12 can participate for free. 

Sunday, April 13th from 2-4pm - The Panhellenic Council Easter Egg Hunt (located on the lawn of MTSU President McPhee’s residence, 2212 Middle Tennessee Blvd.) The egg roll, which is free and open to the public, is a family-friendly event appropriate for children ages 12 and younger. For more information, contact the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership at 615-898-5812.

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Thanks so much for your continued support of our blog. We are having so much fun :) If your event is not listed please feel free to add it to the comments below for others to see. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

You Are Enough

Crazy is something I understand very well. Just ask my husband. Having three children in 18 months will educate you really fast. On my son Ryder's first birthday we found out we were pregnant again. We were so excited, yet, what we didn't know was that in a few short weeks we would find out we were pregnant with twins. TWINS ya'll. If ever I thought I would see my husband faint it was in that moment. Flashes of diaper prices, and college, and the fact that we REALLY may never sleep again soared through B's mind like a freaked out tornado. Me? I can honestly say I was more excited than scared, but I have a tendency to lean on the dreamy side of things. Then reality hit. Our twins Lincoln and Ruby Jane were born pre-mature a few short months later at 33 weeks. (That's another dose of crazy we will save for another time.)

Thankfully, we have three amazing, wonderful, healthy, crazy kids who are now 8 & 6 (and we do get to sleep finally). What a ride it has been. This motherhood gig is beautiful, tough, emotional, wild, fulfilling, lacking….everything. As Moms, we know that it is all worth it. I know for me an unexpected "sorry" from my 8 year old, or a sneak attack that spills into laughs or a drawing can fix pretty much any day. But its just nice to be able to be REAL about the ALL OF IT. And ALL OF IT is a combination of every emotion under the sun which can assault your brain if you let it.

"You sure do spend a lot of time beating yourself up. You must be exhausted." This quote is from a character named Bones in the new movie Mom's Night Out. I have to admit, I felt like Bones was talking to me in that moment. The five years ago me specifically, that tired, crazy chick who still tries to sneak into my thoughts from time to time. Who am I trying to be "enough" for? Am I stressed because I'm living to please man - you know, "man," i.e. the Mom in the pick up line who is perfectly dressed, or the really crafty one who all the teachers love, the idea of the kind of mother my MIL was/is, or some other unrealistic expectation or comparison set by…..me. When I feel that crazy chick start to creep in, she gets the boot. Most of the time I recognize the creeping in, but sometimes it takes a good friend to point it out.

Having a group of friends who encourage me, who I can encourage and reach out to is a serious life line for me. My confidence as a Mother is owed directly to them continually pointing me to God's word and me finding my identity only in Him. Do I have everything figured out? Nope. Do I do everything right? Nope. But I do know this:

"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5

The fact is my friends, you simply must remain in Him. You can't do it all alone - you need Him, your family, your friends. You need to see yourself the way He does. Jesus calls you by name, the enemy calls you by your sin, or your lack, or your fault. You must rely on the truth of Jesus' words. You don't have to be a version of anyone else except the best version of you. God doesn't make duplicates, He makes originals. Not one of us is exactly the same. He chose YOU to raise your little ones, to influence them, to encourage them, to train them up in a way that only YOU can. The incredibly, ORIGINAL, YOU. So Mama, let me encourage you today. You are enough. Just as you are. You are made for this, you are His masterpiece.

So, gather up your friends on MAY 9th, wrangle the Dads or sitters or both and go see Mom's Night Out. We left with tear streaked faces because we were laughing so hard (and maybe a little happy/weepy tears too but mostly from the laughing). It is the best movie we have seen in a long time and the only one we've seen that truly reflects all of the beautifully messy aspects of motherhood. A bonus? We left feeling really encouraged.

Win a fun night out in LA by entering the MNO contest! 

Inspired By - Kerri Kairdolf

We are very excited to start a monthly feature called "inspired by" where our readers will have the chance to learn more about the fabulous people who inspire us.

The first person we chose was a no brainer. Our wonderful friend Kerri Kairdolf.

Kerri has influenced both of us in major ways. We believe she is a forerunner in helping to redefine the term "church lady" and her post at our church as the Pastor's wife gives her the perfect platform to do so.

For me (Kacey), Kerri coached me through one of the most difficult years of my life. She blasted through walls I had built up like some kind of Jesus loving ninja who has you saying too much before you even realize it. I couldn't scare her away and she loved me without judgement, helped me to feel safe to say what I was thinking, and taught me how to have boundaries while still being loving. By following her example of being confident in God's love and rooted in the Word, I learned how to stand.

From Emily - Kerri played a very big role during the birth of my son emotionally and physically. From day one she was by my side - checking on me and giving me advice before I had Finley, talking me through the fear and questions when I was scared to death (but in total denial that I was) of being induced at 41 weeks, was (thankfully!) by my side in the delivery room on her day off, and she was the first to tell me I didn't have a single stretch mark after Finley's birth (how can you not love that?!). And she didn't stop there. Kerri came over to my house to do all kinds of things that only loving nurses can do to make a new mama feel at ease - help with breastfeeding issues, baby tummy issues, and to love on us when we were completely overwhelmed. When I look back at that season there was honestly no way that I could have made it through without her love and support. It's not uncommon for her to love on my boy when he's in nursery like she's her own and he ADORES her. As does the rest of my family. This very special woman taught me what support looks like - that LOVE DOES - and reminded me to always be teachable. 

We both agree that we can all learn and be inspired by Kerri so she was kind enough to answer a few questions for us…check it out:

1) Tell us first what one thing people may not know about you? 

 I was a flight attendant for TWA and was based out of NYC.  I flew mostly to international destinations and my very first working flight was to Milan, Italy.

2) What phrase/quote/verse is your go to during hard times? 

My favorite verse is found in Philippians 4:8-9 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."

3) Tell us some of your favorite places and/or events in our community. 

One of my favorite things about our community is the downtown open air market that we have during the summer months.  I love when I have a free Saturday morning to go to the market and buy beautiful, fresh produce and flowers! The sense of community life is so strong and vibrant!

4) What fills your cup so you can pour life into others?

 I love having downtime to read, reflect and just be still.  Stepping away from all of the distractions (appointments, social media, problem solving, etc...).  I also enjoying shopping by myself with no schedule/agenda-just taking time to recharge.

5) Your family is a great blend of grand kids and young adults, and you have many commitments to juggle - Well Baby Nursery nurse, Worship Director, mom, wife of a pastor, etc - what keeps you on track/motivated? 

Yes, my life does feel like a juggling act a lot of the time.  I find what helps me the most is planning and thinking ahead.  I try to map out my week before it gets started, communicate with my husband Ron about it and then get busy.  I try to keep my house picked up and organized daily.  I find when I take the time to do this it helps my mood and helps me function better as
the day/week goes by.

We hope you've enjoyed getting to know our precious friend. Tell us, who in our community inspires you? We'd love to hear - comment or email us and maybe they will be our next feature - or maybe it will be YOU.

Friday Five April 4-6

Murfreesboro Noon Lions Club Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, April 5th from 7:30-9:30am

The Murfreesboro Noon Lions Club is having a pancake breakfast on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at Applebee's on Rutherford Boulevard from 7:30 am to 9:30 am. Proceeds will be used for eye surgeries, glasses, screenings, among other areas of assistance that help our community.The cost is $5.00 per person and can be purchased at the door.
http://e-clubhouse.org/sites/murfreesboronoon

Stones River Relay 8am on Saturday, April 5th at the Arts Center of Cannon County 

image from website 

The Relay is a community event focused on getting people outside and onto the River. Beginning on Short Mountain – the highest point in middle-Tennessee – the Relay has three stages. The first leg is a run (mostly downhill). Stage two is a bike ride (again mostly downhill). Stage three is a paddle (downstream): entrants will switch to canoes or kayaks at the Arts Center of Cannon County. At that location the River is deep and wide enough to accommodate a flotilla of paddlers who will work their way downstream ultimately exiting the River at the newly restored Readyville Mill. Check-in on Event Day will be 8:00 – 8:30 AM at the Arts Center. Boats will be inventoried there; participants and their bicycles will be shuttled to the Short Mountain School where bikes will be inventoried; runners will then be driven to the top of Short Mountain to the Relay starting point. The Run – first leg of the Relay – will begin at 9:30 AM. Proceeds from the event will be shared by the host sites and SRWA to be reinvested in water-focused environmental projects. http://stonesriverrelay.com/relay/ (The Arts Center is located at 1424 John Bragg Highway in Woodbury, TN 37190) 

Bicycle Tours of the Stones River National Battlefield 9am on Saturday, April 5th 

 

Join a ranger for a 90-minute bicycle tour of the battlefield located at 1563 North Thompson Lane in

Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Admission is free. For more information, please call (615) 893-9501 or visit http://www.nps.gov/stri (they will also have the Park Day volunteer project going on that day - http://www.nps.gov/stri/supportyourpark/parkday.htm)

Saturday Morning Stories at the Museum (at the Historic Sam Davis Home and Plantation) on Saturday, April 5th at 10:30am 

Photo from http://www.samdavishome.org/

Help your child connect with history! Cozy up for the reading of a story in the Sam Davis Home Visitor Center and participate in a related craft. Story time begins at 10:30 a.m. and is free of charge. No reservation required. For children up to 10 and their caregivers. Regular admission rates apply for tours.

The home is located at 1399 Sam Davis Road in Smyrna, TN 37167.

For more information, please call (615) 459-2341 or visit http://www.samdavishome.org/events.php

United We Style 5:30-9pm on Saturday, April 5th at the Gateway Village

image from website

United We Style, presented by Tangerine Salon and Spa and benefiting the United Way and Aveda Earth Month, will include local models, fashion and vendors. The show is open to men and women. There will be something for everyone! The VIP hour is from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM and will include celebrity guests, signature cocktails, fun food and exclusive access to vendor booths. Doors open at 6:30 for General Admission tickets, and the fashion show will begin at 7:00 PM.  There will be post show shopping, mingling and photo opportunities. http://yourlocaluw.org/Events/UnitedWeStyle.aspx for more information 

Have a wonderful weekend, friends! Thanks for checking in with us to see what's going on. Feel free to share this on your social media so others can check out all the great activities in our community :) We are so thankful to have your support!  

Last minute - but I got the Discovery Center newsletter & wanted to share these 2 activities for Sunday, April 6   
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm Citizen Science 
Neighborhood NestWatch

Meet Curious George!

Sunday, April 6  

2:30 - 3:00 pm

Last Sunday visit from George before his next adventure!