30 Day Challenge - Day 30

•Day 30- Who are you?

Who am I? I asked myself this question the other day. I came up with the usual stuff: wife, mom, sister, friend, etc... But then I stopped myself. What if I wasn't any of those things? Then what would be left? Who/what would I be then? You know what the first thing that came to my mind was? Artist. That kind of surprised me. I usually shy away from calling myself that. I fall back on saying that I'm crafty, or creative but that I am not really an artist. But you know what. I am. I love to create things. Most of the time the ideas are not 100% original. I'm inspired by lots of things that I see around me both in everyday life and online. I take those inspirations and create something new with them. I do. And I love it. There you go. Kind of a break through for me. I am an artist. Whoo hoo! ;-) I guess I have learned something through this 30 day Challenge after all!

30 Day Challenge - Day 29

•Day 29- In this past month, what have you learned.

Through this blog challenge I'm not sure what I've learned. I often have a a difficult time with self reflection. I would much rather talk about others than myself. I hope that over the past month, through the challenge that my readers have been able to learn more about me. ;-)

30 Day Challenge - Day 28

•Day 28- A picture of you last year and now, how have you changed since then?

This is a photo of me one year ago... 30yrs old, three kids, one husband... busy, tired, but still basking in the glow of having my first daughter!





















I am now 31yrs old, I still have three kids and one husband. Still busy and tired. But we're all a little older. We've grown stronger as a family. The last year hasn't been very easy. There have been some real struggles. Our house is on the market, which can be pretty stressful. And as always there is the ongoing situation with Joe's special needs and now also Christine's developmental delays. It is a challenge to deal with this daily. But we continue to persevere and God is always by our sides carrying us through, even when we don't feel His presence.

30 Day Challenge - Day 27

•Day 27- Why are you doing this 30 day challenge?

I had been in a bit of a blogging rut. I thought doing the challenge would get me to stretch myself a bit and encourage me to blog a little more consistently. So far so good. ;-)

30 Day Challenge - Day 26

•Day 26- What you think about your friends

Well... I am really blessed to have some really great friends. God has given me long term friends, short term friends, friends that I have things in common with and some that help me branch out and try new things with. Some that I can teach and some that teach me. They all hold a special place in my heart. Love you all!

Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Fat Quarter Apron Tutorial for Back to 'Cool - and Giveaway!

Hello Brassy Apple friends! I'm Wani and I'm so excited that its back to school time again! I love that Brassy Apple is helping us all get back into the school spirit with her Back to 'Cool - DIY Style series. I am happy to be joining in the fun by sharing a tutorial with you all! I hope you like it!

I don't know about you but I really like to wear a pretty apron while I'm cooking or cleaning. It makes me feel fun and flirty instead of gross and dirty - which is more often the case. ;-) So, today I'm going to share with you how to make an apron with just a four fat quarters. This is my cute little man modeling the apron for me because I was wearing pj's and not looking so cute. ;-) But this guy is always cute! So head on over to Brassy Apple for the full tutorial on this adorable rat quarter apron!

And just because I am cool like that... I am going to be giving away this very apron! I mean, who doesn't love a giveaway? So if you would like to enter the giveaway just become a follower of Wani's World and then leave a comment on this giveaway post telling me that you are a follower. Bonus entries if you become a follower of Brassy Apple's blog or facebook and comment telling me so. I'll announce a winner September 6th (after I get back from our Labor Day weekend at the lake!).

30 Day Challenge - Day 25

•Day 25- What I would find in your bag:

on any given day you would find the following:
a large pink wallet
chapstick
diapers
coupons mostly forgotten and expired
crumpled receipts
keys to my van, my hubs' car, my house...
cell phone
half a dozen hair bands/clips
wipies
a pair of earrings that I wore to church and then stuck in my purse later after my kids tried to yank them out of my ears

30 Day Challenge - Day 24

•Day 24- A letter to your parents:
Mom and Pop,
You both have served as great examples to us. I am so thankful for all the sacrifices you both have made to make a life for our family. I think I appreciate you even more now that I am a parent. I can see more clearly how much work being a spouse and parent is and you two made it look easy (most of the time ;-). Thank you for all you have done and all you continue to do in my life. What a blessing you both are. I love you.

30 Day Challenge - Day 23

•Day 23- Something you crave often:
my guilty pleasure... DQ's Frozen Hot Chocolate. Technically its not really on the menu anymore but most DQ's will still make it for you. Its delicious! Here is a copycat recipe that I'm dying to try out sometime!

30 Day Challenge - Day 22

•Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else

well... one thing is my unusual name... the other is I have blue eyes but my left eye has a brown streak in it.

First day of first grade...

Last week we made an impromptu trip to the aquatic center near where my friend works. It was kind of a last summer fling before starting school. I'm kicking myself for not taking Nate to this place before! He liked hanging out in the lazy river. And to my surprise he loved the tube slide. I can't believe how big he is!

Last Monday we started our First Grade year of homeschooling with Nate. He was pretty excited to get started. He is such a smart boy.
This year we are using Heart of Dakota Little Hearts for His Glory. Some of the first grade stuff is a little on the easy side for him but it will pick up the pace shortly. And we'll be filling in with some additional reading.
Its good to get the year off to a good start. I'm glad that he is such an eager learner!

30 Day Challenge - Day 21

•Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy

Lava cake at Chilis. YUM!

30 Day Challenge - Day 20

•Day 20- What does your future hold/where would you like to be?

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

I'd love to have us living in a house closer to the country. I'd love to have all my kids healthy and strong. I have lots of ideas of things I want us to do... But I am trying to focus on what He has planned for us. That is still to be determined.

30 Day Challenge - Day 19

•Day 19- Nicknames you have; why do you have them

Well... this is dumb because I just did a post about my blog/screen-name which is basically my only nickname. Its hard to really remember exactly where "WANI" came from. Its a nickname that a friend gave me - a twist on my real name. I think it was in college. If I had the nickname before college then it wasn't popularized until then. I used it a lot. I called my car the Wani-mobile. Its been interesting because it used to be just college friends called me Wani but when I started using it as my screen name more people starting using it. It could be worse. ;-)

30 Day Challenge - Day 18

•Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have


- I plan to someday have a house in the country where my kids can explore and romp around outside all day long.

- I dream of my children to growing up strong in their faith.

- I want to keep my marriage a priority so that Isaac and I will enjoy a long and happy life together.

30 Day Challenge - Day 17

•Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
I'd like to switch with my hubs for a day. You know the Freaky Friday movies (and others like them), they always seem to have a greater appreciation for the other person after the switch. I think it'd be good for our marriage relationship if we could trade duties and responsibilities for awhile.

30 Day Challenge - Day 16

•Day 16- Another picture of yourself (baby pic!)Aren't I cute? And looks a little bit like my baby girl if I do say so myself!

30 Day Challenge - Day 15

•Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play

I don't have an iPod (my husband thinks they're evil ;-). But I do have a simple mp3 player... so here are ten random songs from that:

A Moment Like This - Kelly Clarkson
Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Buble
Larry Boy Theme Song - Veggie Tales
I Wanna Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
Ruthie Pigface Draper Song - Dan in Real Life soundtrack
My Escape - Relient K
Here Comes The Sun - Phil Keaggy
Stolen - Dashboard Confessional
If I Didn't Care - Amy Adams the Miss Pedigrew soundtrack
I Won't Dance - Fred Astaire

30 Day Challenge - Day 14

•Day 14- A picture of you and your family

This challenge post comes at a good time because a couple weeks ago we all gathered at my parents' farm for family pictures. It was a really hot day (when hasn't it been hot this summer?) and the humidity ruined my hair but we were blessed to have the rain hold off until after we were done with the photo session. I was relieved that my mom actually enjoyed the experience (unlike last year). We were all pretty happy with the pictures (which were taken by a friend of my sister's) and I have been fiddling around with them creating different Christmas card designs. You'll have to wait and see what I come up with!