With a 2020 View

2020 is going to look much different for our family. New decade. New ideas.
A new take on our future and the memories we plan to make in it!

This was the first Christmas in a while that it wasn't a struggle to figure out what to get our oldest kid (though at 20yrs old he’s hardly a “kid” anymore).

Let me tell you, there is a season in a boy’s life where all things are a mystery. From trying to discern what they want to eat by their one-word reply, or did they really like that shirt you randomly bought them or are they just saying they did so I will leave their room? Answers without about as much content as this empty frame. Rest assured moms and dads of the world. The teen to MAN gap jump is SHORT and QUICK!

Suddenly overnight they're taking off on spontaneous road trips with friends to later show you photos of themselves hanging from the ledge of a mountainside. You know, all the things that horrify a mom yet you probably did it too when younger. They’re working full-time and buying their 1st car. Maybe even attending a school or program of some sort to pursue their future and career. YES, they eventually DO stumble upon what calls to and inspires THEM. The key is ya gotta let them figure it out on their own. Let them date their passions. They are them. You are you. You feel me!?

As a parent, the waiting and watching part is hard. It’s only hard because we know all the potential our kids have and we want to see them use every ounce of it. So we often hover and at times smother. I’ve been there. I catch myself asking all the questions and waiting for all their answers. Side note moms: By 20 they have moved from a one-word reply to a one-sentence reply. Take it for its worth and leave it, trust me. A big lesson and take-a-way I got this year when I started to lean in with those many questions, is that God will quickly send me a "check yo' self" thought to remind me I'm gonna be 42 and I'm JUST NOW honing in on and owning my own full potential and applying it...or better put applying it correctly, strategically, and intentionally without apology.

In 2019 my patience paid off! This was the year guys! This was the year it clicked with my son and he got that "THIS is what I love and want to do!"
A-HA Moment! Stoked for him is an understatement. Is it possible this choice is just the start and may slightly veer or take him down other potential paths of opportunity in the future? Absolutely! Am I just as stoked? YUP! It is SO fun to watch someone grow and go after something they are passionate about. It gets you fired up about your passions and it just dominoes! It's what made Christmas shopping for him this year extra fun! LOL There was NO guessing people! I had a clear idea of what this kid was about and wanted! BOOM! In kicks my “Krafty-Kellie” side. To the HomeDepot we go. Can I tell you how fun it is to make someone a gift with your own hands? It's one of a kind made with intentional time and care in every measurement and stain you had to scrub out of your nails lol. [Note to self…it’s worth it to find your gloves before you bust out that can of stain.] It's something personally made for them that entails a hint at who they are. It's a gift with purpose. (Yes kid, I better see these hanging in your own home or cabin wherever you move or wherever that may be lol).

So come Christmas time again, we are all about gifts with a purpose. Ones that fill a need, not the floor. Ones that help, not add a load to someone. Experiences we will remember, not break and toss a month later. If the last decade taught me anything, it’s to not try and understand everything. Just go with His flow. Take IN what is happening RIGHT NOW. The future, their future, your future…NONE are guaranteed. Spend your time, energy, and finances well. Appreciate the people in your life.

Before this decade is over, I will have turned 50. We will have celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary. Our 2 youngest kids will have graduated High School and our oldest will be just months from turning 30. That is so much crammed into 10 short years. And that is just the stuff we KNOW will happen. God likes to shake things up from time to time. So if He says "Go!", I'm gonna go. If He says "Do it!.", I'm gonna do it. And along the way I'm gonna do all the other crazy ideas and stuff He's planted in me, our marriage, our kids and I'm not gonna worry about how we look along the way lol. Just take your homemade gift from me if I've blessed ya with my craftiness and smile, your welcome ;)

HOW WE MADE THE FRAMES:
We made three frames. One for each 18x24 print. The size of your print will determine how much wood you need. Measure, measure and measure again ;)

• PRINTS: You can find and purchase prints like these online at AllPosters
  They do great sales all the time and every size under the sun!

• FRAMES: For the frames, we simply bought 3-8ft 1x2s at HomeDepot .
  There are several types to choose from for any budget and style. We knew we wanted rough & rugged and would be staining them. So we went with a basic pine common board. 8ft pieces are roughly under $3 each. Not too shabby. We chose to stain our frames with some leftover stain we had from another project. Painted would look great too.

• ASSEMBLY: While I had my idea and vision in my head, I turned to trusty old Pinterest to find a tried and true successful DIY frame. I knew I only had one shot to NOT ruin the prints, so after many searches, I stumbled upon this Pinterest DIY Pin.

• NOTES: The prints we ordered were on a heavy card stock type paper. To be safe we still applied them to a heavy poster board prior to attaching them to the frames. We used a rubber cement glue to ensure the adhesive didn’t warp the print. FYI cement glue dries FAST!