prayer board, kindness, and sweet surprises

This weekend my dear friend Heidi and I snuck away for a girls weekend and it was fAbULouS!!!  More on that soon, along with Field Day and a bunch of other stuff, but I just have to share my favorite find.  We went to Canton for their monthly Trade Days on Saturday and I found something I've been wanting to make ALREADY MADE!!  Woo hoo!  Meet my new prayer board...

I've been wanting to make one of these ever since I saw a similar one at a house not too long ago while we were house hunting.  I love the idea of having a visual to help me remember to pray for our needs and for loved ones all throughout the day and not just during my quiet times.  The little pumpkin was very intrigued by it and as soon as I told her about it, she wrote some of our prayers intentions on it...

I can't tell you how happy this little project makes me, I just love going by it and saying a quick prayer randomly through the day.  And although I was so happy to find one ready-made, it would be reaaallllyyy easy to make one if you want to do so!  It's just an open frame, with fabric stapled on the back and 2 wire "lines".  Easy peasy!

There's something to be said for opening up your mailbox and finding a sweet surprise, isn't there???!  A couple of weeks ago a sweet reader emailed me about sending me THE cutest tooth fairy magic wand {which I can't show because I don't want the little pumpkin to see it, but trust me it's adorable!!  she even sent one for Hudson - looooove!} and if that wasn't sweet enough, she surprised me with this adorable prayer star.  I looooooooooooove this!!!

Such a fun tradition to start with my family and such a gift, because in the rush of school mornings, we don't always leave the house in the best of moods, so this little star has given us a moment of quiet and reflection and just something to slow us down and help us start the day off right.  So I'm sharing it in hopes that it will inspire you too, because I think anything that helps us to be more intentional in praying with our children is worth doing!  From the bottom of my heart, tHanK yOU, FaITh!!!

And while we're talking about kindness and love...................look what Grace surprised me with yesterday!!!!  Be still my heart...

This has to be the sweetest "paper bouquet" and sentiment I've ever received!!  I could hear her working on something in the other room, but she insisted I wait in our room and then she came and gave it to me, along with another little tissue-wrapped present containing 2 dum-dum lollies and 2 of her prized pencils.  It's those moments that a mom lives for, hands down!  The little pumpkin sure has a heart of gold and I am blessed to be her mama!  Hudson's too!