Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
Youre a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Mr. Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
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There is beauty everywhere. Sometimes we just get too busy to notice it.
Or we believe what we've been taught about beauty.
Certain things can't be beautiful because someone somewhere along the line said so.
"That's not a pretty flower, it's a weed."
Try telling that to a kid who's eyes haven't yet been shut to the beauty around them, as they pick a bundle of these pretty yellow flowers for their mom.
Sometimes we just need to look at things with new eyes.

That was the inspiration for this Fingerprint Friday series. I'll be honest that many times the lack of participation has made me want to quit hosting this each Friday.
But I can't tell you the number of private emails I've received that say, "I love your Fingerprint Friday series! I don't participate/have a camera/have a blog/have time but it's such a blessing each week to click through the links and see what everyone posts." Loads of emails like this.
And that tells me that there is a real hunger by people to be exposed again to what's beautiful.

So even if you're not participating in Fingerprint Friday, still take the time this week to notice the hidden beauties God has placed. Sometimes it's an expression on someone's face that you'd never noticed before, or a stolen moment with a spouse, or just smiling because there are pretty yellow flowers popping out in your yard.
But the beauty is there, thanks to God.

Smart moms rock.

And I try to be smart sometimes.
It's not always easy.
Plus also, I'm kinda slow.

But I have this rule, started several years ago, that the kids use only one cup a day.
I remember the days when there would be 15 or so dirty cups piled up in the sink.
It irked me somethin' awful!
Oh I remember that like it was yesterday!
Wait, that was yesterday.

Okay so I'm not the best at enforcing the rules.

But the idea is that they use only one cup a day. They are to remember which color they chose and reuse it over and over.


And most days it works.
If they get another cup out, I string them up by their toenails.

Oh and Lilo wanted to say Hi again. (again, SOOC {straight out of camera}. I'm impressed with my own mad camera skillz. Well, I did have to crop my big toe out of the picture, but other than that, no editing...)
She's very friendly.
But she piddles when she gets excited so don't pay her too much attention.


Click here to see what people are hooked on this week.

5 things

you might not have known about me.

1. One of our toilets is currently broken, which just leaves us one to use and for a family of 5 that can be a battle. (Way to start the day off with class, huh? Toilet talk. Sheesh, Beki.) The Man says it's an easy fix, but he's currently too busy working on our flip house to make time for it.

2. I tweet. I'm completely hooked on twitter. I resisted for a really long time. I pride myself on being a bit of a rebel who likes to go against the norm.
I don't own a cell phone. Have never texted anyone in my life.
But in January I finally gave in and signed up for twitter and holy cow, it's changed my life! Seriously, it's amazing. Come follow me. But don't ask me to explain it, because I don't do that very well.

3. I'm a bit stubborn sometimes (stop laughing, Mom). I always get my way. Pretty much. And if not, I pout.
I have such a lucky husband. He's so nice to let me win arguments.

4. When I was pregnant with The Baby, our home was broken into in the middle of the night. While we were here. What's creepy is that I'd known for years that it would happen. In my mind, I'd practiced the 911 call a thousand times and knew exactly how it would sound, what I'd say, how I'd react. I knew that I'd hear glass shatter and wake up in the night to a break in. Crazy, huh?

5. I've been to Hawaii a few times, but only when I was single. My brother was in the Air Force and stationed there at the same time I was a flight attendant and could fly for practically free, so I went to visit him a few times. I'd love to take The Man there someday!

Oh, and Lilo wanted to say Hi.


(I almost never use my pictures SOOC {straight out of camera - no editing} but I loved the way this one looked without touching it.)

Happy Wednesday to you!

Green Chili Casserole

Confession: This dish doesn't really have a name. I made that one up as I was typing it.
If you come up with a better one, please feel free to use it and let me know so I can use it too.

So it's a no name/no recipe dish, but it is so good.

If you haven't used green chilis before, don't be scared. They're not spicy hot, just full of flavor. I promise. And the green chili/garlic combo here is what works so well.



What you need -
cooked chicken (any parts you like, I use 3 chicken breasts for this)
tortillas
sour cream (I use light)
large can of green chilis
garlic
shredded cheese (whatever kind you want, cheddar, jack, pepper jack for a kick)

Directions -
Shred your cooked chicken and stir it into the sour cream. Mix in green chilis, plenty of garlic, and a bit of salt and pepper. Add liquid a few teaspoons at a time until it looks like a cream soup. (you could use broth, water, milk, whatever)

Now you're going to build it like a lasagna. Spread a bit of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Tear tortillas in half and place them down until they nearly cover the bottom of the pan. Then a layer of the chicken mix, lots of cheese, another layer of tortillas, and keep repeating.

You decide how many layers you want. I say the more, the better. When you're done, top it with the last bit of sour cream chicken mix and a sprinkling of cheese. Pop it in a 450 degree oven until it's golden and bubbly around the edges.

This is super cheap, delicious, and easy as it comes. I always end up eating too much.

Part of Tasty Tuesday.

Who IS that?!

The other day The Boy found this old head shot in the back of a file box.

"Who IS that?!"
"Me."
"No seriously, mom. Who is it?"
"It's me! Seriously!"
"Mom, that looks nothing like you."

Gee, thanks kid.


So I guess I'm old and crusty now or something.
Can you hear Bruce Springsteen in the background singing Glory Days?
All washed up.
A has been.
The 90's called. They want their lip liner back.

And that shirt? Well you can't see it in the picture, but it was a floral poet shirt with ruffled sleeves and everything. Very Four Non-Blondes.
I loved it! I seriously loved that shirt.

(Now that I look at this picture again, my teeth looked crooked. And they're not! Weird that I never noticed that before.)

Then The Baby pointed out a gorgeous blonde in a Chanel ad, and insisted it was Mommy.
"No, sweetie, that's not me."
"MOMMY!!!"
I didn't argue any further.
And he was my favorite child that day.

(my Life is Funny!)

5 things

that I'm thankful for this week.

The list could go on for days, but a few of the things that stood out to me this week were:
1. My kids spreading out on the floor and playing Clue. I love watching them use their minds and creativity, getting along with each other, working together and building a bond.


2. Signs of Spring. Green grass, ladybugs, playing outdoors... It's good for the soul.


3. These only come out once a year. I could eat my body weight in Reese's Peanut Butter eggs, and these days that's quite a lot of weight. This week it seems like there's finally been a breakthrough in my thick head that says it's really time to lose some pounds. I don't know why it finally clicked, (could be those photos I saw of myself in Vegas) but I'm glad it did. Buh-bye tummy!


4. Sleep. I love it so much. And it was great to finally catch up on it this week, although it took several days. Sleep is good. 'Nuff said.

5. Being a girl. Somehow through the years I've lost a bit of my true self, which I suppose many women go through. (Uh oh, I'm sounding all Oprah-fide here and not meaning to.) I was always a girly girl who enjoyed shoes and hair and makeup, but those things have fallen aside with the busy life of being a mom. It was nice to have real girl time in Las Vegas with my sister and recapture that part of myself.
So here's a photo of ruffled pink tulips I took while we were there. You can't get much more girly than that.


Oh and I have to add a 6th spot here.
My customers. I am so thankful for them!!
I'm thankful that many of them come back again and again.
They support me, my passions, my work.
They support my blog.
Most of them really care about me, as a person, and I am just blown away by that.
Thank you loyal customers!

It's a Beautiful Life!

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
Youre a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Mr. Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
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This week we had a bird build a nest on our porch. It's so sweet to look through the window and see the mom my bird sitting there. And it's been a great lesson for the kids to see just how precise the bird is with every detail of making her nest. They can see how the nest making skills didn't just "happen" but are obviously something God gave birds! The Girl said, "I couldn't take a stack of twigs and make them into a nest. They just be a pile and then fall apart."

Busy Bee.

I've been busy all morning listing new items for sale and getting other orders ready to mail.

And still catching up on that laundry. Ugh.
The weather is beautiful though, (almost hot!) so I'm hanging them all out on the line rather than use the dryer.

Oh, and sipping lots of lemon ginseng iced tea. YUM!

One Tear necklace

4 dates necklace

May Flowers earrings

Uptown Girl brooch

And finally, Blessed necklace. This one is my newest favorite. LOVE it.

On a totally unrelated note, do you remember me raving about BareMinerals? Well stay tuned because I have some goodies to give away. That's right!

Bare Minerals loves me. And I love them.
And it's a flawless match made in heaven, buffed to perfection.

Okay, laundry is calling me...

Girls gone Mild.

As opposed to Girls Gone Wild, which we are not.

My sister and I were so excited to get away to Las Vegas!




M&M museum - More M&M's than I've ever seen in one place!



Even the McDonald's sign is glitzy!


The lion exhibit at the MGM Grand was cool.





Random tourists that wanted me to take their picture with my sister.


Just because you're in Vegas, that's no excuse to dress like this.


We stayed at Excalibur.


We did not see this show.







We were so happy we walked up behind these guys instead of in front of them!


The ceiling at The Bellagio is gorgeous, covered in glass art by Dale Chihuly. It reminded me of this piece I have by artist Rollin Karg. Mine is just one, but this ceiling had tons of them.



Yes Holli, you should be ashamed of what you just did! Naughty girl.


Guess what, sir? You're on the internet. Ha! I win. (There was a story here.)




This guy kept flirting with us. He was really funny.



Nanette Lepore boutique was amazing! I drooled.


We had a really good time on Fremont street! It was much better than the last time I was there.




We got to see a military swearing in ceremony in front of the Bellagio and it was amazing! They had a water show going on behind them, Proud To Be An American playing... people were crying, it was incredible.


And finally, with sore bodies, blistered feet, and more than 24 hours without sleep, it was time to come home. We were beat.


My sister and I had lots of belly laughs coming up with "Sometimes what happens in Vegas" jokes.
"Sometimes what happens in Vegas comes out 9 months later."
"Sometimes what happens in Vegas is communicable."
"Sometimes what happens in Vegas requires an ointment or salve."
"Sometimes what happens in Vegas itches."
... and so on. All.Weekend.Long. We had a blast.

Thank you Holli for going with me!! Do it again next year?

I'm back. I think.

Vegas was so fun!
And so dirty.
I know it's "sin city" but it was more sinful than I'd remembered.

The last time I was there, before this trip, there wasn't nearly as much porn handed out everywhere.
There weren't "dancers" in their g-strings smack in the middle of casinos.
If you wanted to see that you had to look a little harder for it.

Now it's all just there, whether you want to see it or not.

And there were so many families there! That made me sad.
Please don't take your kids to Vegas.
It's an adult playground and can be a great (cheap!) little getaway.
But it's not fair to expose kids to all that stuff.

I gambled $1 and won $2. So I walked out of the casino with $3 feeling pretty proud of myself. I'm such a winner.

Sunday night we pulled an all nighter and didn't sleep at all.
Sounded like a good plan at the time.
But we were hurtin' for the rest of the day!
Flew back Monday morning into Missouri, gathered up the family and started driving to Kansas.

The Baby screamed the entire 4 hours home.
Welcome back to reality, Mom!

I went to bed at 7:00 last night and woke up at 7:00 today. Still tired.
And with a massive headache.

4 Tylenol and large doses of coffee are helping.
I have 267 new emails waiting for me. Whew!
And about 8 loads of laundry that need folded.
The Man washed them all last night while I was sleeping.

I'm so glad to be back, but a bit overwhelmed at the moment!

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:
I can see the fingerprints of god
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of god
And I know its true
Youre a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of god
So look around you and see where YOU can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Where do you see them? Here's how to join in.

1. Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back here so others can find the entire list of participants!
2. After you've posted your blog, sign the Mr. Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please only sign in if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week!
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This is an older picture, but as I was fighting back tears of frustration today I closed my eyes and said a little prayer that God would help me post a Fingerprint Friday. I opened up the photo folder and found this picture right away. The Baby. He is a huge source of frustration for me, but he is SUCH a blessing too! Since The Man and I were "done" having kids, it's quite obvious that God's fingerprints were on the making of this one. We didn't pray for him, we didn't expect him, but he was given to us. And boy do we love him!! Before The Baby came along our family was a bit vanilla, and now it's swirled-cinnamon-mocha-choco-latte! He definitely adds a kick to our lives.

Such a girl.

I like girly things, even if it's as simple as a new pair of Crocs. These are so comfy and the perfect "Mom shoe".


Coffee? Check. Dark chocolate? Check. Escape? Check.


I like jewelry and you can't get much more girly than that.
These are new pieces I listed yesterday.
The Great Debate earrings


Lemon Meringue earrings


Fresh Squeezed necklace


I like girly candles and this soy version in Currants and Acai that I received from Glade is just perfect! It's fresh and crisp and fruity, and has 3 wicks, which I love. Even the packaging was great. Thank you Glade!!


As much as I love chocolate and candles, sometimes I need a real girl getaway so that's what I'm doing. I'm headed here for a girl's only trip this weekend.


I won't be around much until next week. I will schedule a Fingerprint Friday post though and check the links when I get back.

Thank you all for being so great! Enjoy being a girl!! (And I know there are some male readers around here, so I'll say to you, be extra kind to the ladies in your life.)