Just Praying

Just Waiting out the storm...
Praying for all those in the path of Irene and her winds.

It is blurred a bit, but it reads...
"Don't Wait For The Storm To Pass
Learn to Dance In The Rain..."
This sign was a gift from a dear friend, whose family does not like storms...
So all Our Dear Friends Up and Down the Coast...
Be Brave... and take comfort in his care.

Sonny's Waterfront Restaurant, Hatteras Island

You Gotta Eat,
Where Ever you may be,
What Ever it is that you are doing...
You Have to stop and EAT...
If you are visiting Hatteras Island all the locals will point you in the same direction.

Heading to SONNY'S WATERFRONT RESTURANT...

Family owned and opperated for over 35yrs.

We had the wonderful opportunity to sit and chat with one of its Co-Owners,

Lee Ann Quidley-Cannin


But only briefly, because life in the resturant business is
NON-STOP.

Lee Ann took time out of her already very short lunch break to talk with Us.

It was very inspiring to hear of her commitment to

God, Family and her work.

Being a Mother of 3,
And running a business with such a name to carry is no small feat in its self,
But staying grounded in her Faith has allowed her to maintain a good balance.

Please, take a look at our video interview.

You can also find Sonny's Waterfront Restaurant on Facebook


We have more pictures to share with you courtesy of the wonderful and talented Resident Photographer, Jenn Johnson. However she like many residents in the OBX, heading off the island.

Please Continue your prayers for all those who

 will be affected by Irene.

From Sonny's latest Facebook Post:


Matthew 8:27~Who is this that even the wind and

 the waves obey HIM~




Sonny's Waterfront Restaurant, Hatteras Island


57947 hwy 12, po box 447, Hatteras, NC 2794 


2529862922

Mission to Organize

It seems that we are on a MISSION to get ready for school this year. More so than normal.

our attempt to organize bulk snacks

Grab-and-Go Snack Stashes

from http://www.realsimple.com 

  Maybe, it is due to the fact that we have 3 and 1/2 little ones marching out each morning and it is our best defense to keep the small bit of sanity we have.

   It could also be that we are getting a little more "seasoned" as the years go by and realize how much more smoothly life can be when things are organized.


   Or the fact that the girls are able to do more things on their own, so having things "prepped" gives them that much more of an advantage.

    With out a doubt my mind, as a momma, is freed up tremendously because we have such a great year ahead of us. We could not be more happy about our girls teachers.
So since I am not burdened with worry, I am more relaxed.

Lunch Box Chaos,
not a big a fan of all the plastic.
We are gradually going more toward stainless steel 

   BUT... It probably has more to do with the fact that we can't control anything else.

God has given us domain over this house, for now... And truth be told that is big enough. :)

I had a great friend who shared a similar life,

enlighten me of this a couple years back.

Our oldest closets are actually 3 smaller ones

We have made a good system out of it

This is our 8 yr old's,
Give her a reason to organize and she is all over it

What ever the rhyme or reason,
it is off to a good start....

If you have any great and easy/commonsense ideas...

Please share them with the class...

I.E.-us.

It will not be perfect, but we are gonna try to keep at least one step ahead....OK status quo is good enough.

Kinnakeet Clay Works With Antoinette Gaskins Mattingly

Our Day, Our Chat, and Our Great Pleasure, To Feature Our Friend Antoinette Gaskins Mattingly

WHO SHE IS....

Antoinette is a life long family friend, one of those you were never introduced to, but always knew. With a larger than life smile, to greet all those she sees, it is easy to fall into the category of life long friend. She brings that kinda flare into her artwork as well as her studio.

WHERE SHE IS...

On the historical fishing village of Kinnakeet (Avon), N.C., Kinnakeet Clay Studio and Showroom is nestled in an adorable shopping center right off the main road into Hatteras Island. “Right beside the Dairy Queen”, she said, in giving directions.

Beside her studio is a coffee shop, that opens up “later than the one down the street”. Antoinette tells frequent seekers of early morning coffee, as their eyes wonder around at all the dancing clay figures on their crisp white surroundings.

WHAT SHE DOES...

“Antoinette creates two distinctly different lines of work in clay, hand pressed relief tiles (wall hangings) and functional stoneware.” 

In her studio, a mix of several artisans work shows her diverse sense of style and appreciation of others in the world of art.

OUR DAY WITH ANTOINETTE...

Our day started several weeks earlier with Facebook messages and phone calls in preparation of our visit. Excitedly, Antoinette took on the opportunity to host our family for a day in her studio.

WHAT WE SAW...

Nothing but pristine color everywhere. Absolutely stunning. Antoinette choose a  white pilate to showcase the art around her studio. We continually oohed and aahed at all the treasures we passed by. 

From beautiful drawer pulls to amazing press reliefs, all featured dutiful crawling crabs, dazzling seahorses, and dancing sunflowers, were just a few of the amazing creations that held us captive. 

As mentioned before, Antoinette also features other artisans’ beautiful works of art. While proudly sashaying around her studio in one of her favorite skirts, Antoinette explained how she has come across so many of the pretties she displays and are currently sold in her showroom. “I just fill my space with things I love. Special soaps, are a luxury for me - it is the one thing I will spoil myself with. So it is something I enjoy bringing to my customers” She said with a sheepish grin.

With drastic shifts in the economy, it is places like this that are effected greatly. Being a small business owner is not an easy feat, but as spoken in her interview portion, “Anything that is enjoyable, even if it is hard... It’s well worth it.”

“I am meeting my goals, I made goal in the beginning and they are happening” This expression of meeting goals was evident in many things Antoinette spoke of through our time with her. It was refreshing and encouraging to hear.

WHAT WE DID...

Antoinette prepared the most incredible morning for our girls in the midst of her working day.

Knowing of our plans to create a victory garden for the fall, she set up a small table with slabs of clay and all sorts of tools. With absolute patience and an unwavering smile, she walked the girls through the process of making “garden tags.” How amazing is she.

They each made several different tags. It was very important to Antoinette that each of the girls initials belonged to their work, labeling them all as they hurried along.

Her plans with us were not yet over. To our absolute surprise, Antoinette had the girls all take turns in creating a perfect and, of course, original bowl for them to keep. At each step, she gave great details about the process of her clay works.

From start to finish, a bowl, she explained, could take from a week in a perfect world to more like two weeks in a normal world. From throwing, to molding, to glazing and then firing, this is not a process for the faint of heart, but rather someone with a passion for their work.

Her attention to detail was evident in every possible aspect, from the placement and thought of her showroom to her diligence in all that she did for us. It is impossible for us to share how much her time and compassion meant to us as a family.

Her words will resonate within the hearts and minds of our girls for years to come. For this, I am so ever thankful.

To further our time and our experience with Antoinette, she has offered to create and make available to you our readers the same garden tags she help us make.

Take a visit on her webpage to see what she has available now.

Everything in her studio would proudly be displayed in our home.

http://www.kinnakeetclay.com

Goals

Goals are tricky little things, but mean a lot to people.
They give security to some and focus to others.
I respect that, just never been very good at it.

 But to be successful at something worthwhile,

There needs to be a destination,

Especially, when you have others along for the ride.

So for those of you, who have stopped by,
I pray you decide to 'come along', for the continued ride...

Please, Brace Yourself...

There maybe sudden stops,

Fast turns...

And maybe even a few U-turns,

OK... probably a lot of U-turns.

I do always have a goal in mind...
often in my mind..
That tends to be the biggest problem...
And I pray over it daily....
Asking for guidance, and wisdom,
And umpf, to carry it through.


SO.....

My goal is to give, you the reader, a reason to stay.

Not by entertainment, or silly stories alone.

No, more importantly by Encouragement. 

It is my Goal that You are lifted by what is spoken, and shown here.

That you too, may find your UMPH...

Whether it be, tackling your bathroom tiles....which can be super pretty when they sparkle...but really hard to make happen.

Or walking away from an establishment that does not treat you well, which is very difficult and embarrassing...especially with kids in tow.

   (I know, I was that kid many a time, when my folks would pick us up and walk out.)

OR, BETTER YET,

Following your dreams....

I love Passion, 

Oh it looks so good on people, 

When guided in truth.

See, it looks like I am off path again...
The thing is...
Life is the path...
And, It is my goal to embrace it,
To embrace those who are in it.
The doers, The shakers... and the folks behind them, giving them their encouragement.

Please,

I employ of you all,

and ask for your prayer,

As a reader,

And as my friends,

To hold me accountable...
To encourage me to stretch further than possible...
To reach more and more hearts and minds.
To follow the inspiration and passion of those around me.

These are the goals I have been given.