Monday, June 29, 2009

Magical

We had a magical night.
The kids caught lightning bugs and put them in a jar.



But then one of them noticed that a couple of our lightning bugs kept... ahem, "wrestling".
Those two just would not cut it out!

(I blurred the pictures so you don't see the actual "wrestling" going on. What kind of blog do you think this is?")

They "wrestled" and "wrestled".
"Mom, why do they keep doing that?"

"ummm, they think it's fun to wrestle." The Man and I were trying hard to stay serious.

The lightning bug population in Kansas will be increasing soon.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Sometimes...

a piece of chocolate meringue pie makes a day perfect.

I'm just sayin'.


And it's even better when it's on clearance at the bakery.

What, did you think I baked that myself?

Friday, June 26, 2009

Gone.

We're gone to our cabin in Colorado.
Where it is not sticky or hot.
And where we don't have internet. Or TV.


We live like mountain people there. (okay, that might be a stretch.)
We'll be making these.
And hiking.
And sleeping.
And relaxing.
And reading magazines.
And fishing.
And hiking some more.
And relaxing a little more.

I have some auto-posts for you, so you can still hang out here. You know, if you want.

Hope you're loving your summer!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Fingerprint Friday

**I'm away on vacation for a bit. So today's guest blogger is Judy Tanner of Artsy Clay.

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
You're 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!

-------------------------------------------
There's a serene little garden at work, tucked away behind one of the administration buildings. I found these incredible pink roses there the other day...such sweet-smelling sweet-to-the-eyes Fingerprints of God.



Thrifting

I have mentioned before that I love thrifting.
A good yard sale or thrift store makes me so happy.
But a good one is hard to find, unfortunately.

I think if I were in a bigger city, rather than a small town, it might improve my choices.

Because I find things like this beauty:

Full length, handmade, polyester, hanging on the front end of the rack because that's the prettiest thing on the rack. Wow.

Or magazines. Lots and lots of outdated magazines.
Not vintage enough to be good vintage, just enough to be laughable.
I could totally rock a set of eyebrows like this.


I find plenty of Jim Nabors albums. Because, you know, they're so desirable to collect.


This one made me laugh and be thankful that I had my camera on me.
"Music to Watch Girls By" ?? Creepy!
And check out his eyes in the middle. Yikes.
At the bottom it says "If You Go Away" ... What?! If I go away, what? You'll find me?
You'll hunt me down??
You'll peer through my windows with those eyes?!
Whatever.
He's the king.


(Click here to see a great post on bad album covers.)

I'm always impressed by people like Rhoda, Sarah, or Jen who can grab such great yardsale finds.
Because the above list is more common for me.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Not good. But still so good.

I'm not a good host. I wish I were, but I'm just not.
I invited friends over for a tie dye party.
Then sorrrrrrta forgot they were coming.

We decided to do it in the backyard.
They had to ignore the dirty dishes as they walked through my kitchen.
And then when we got out there, we saw a dead bird in my bird bath.
Gross!
And dog poop on the grass.
And several baby birds hopping around.

My plan was red, white, and blue tees for my kids to wear for 4th of July.
Then realized I'd bought a kit with fuschia, purple, and turquoise.
No red or blue.
I'm a dork.
We did not make these cheesy faces while we were dyeing.


Lilo is too crazy to be around kids so she howled from the basement the entire time.
Not exactly peaceful and relaxing.

I only have a small amount of dye on my hands, but my kids are covered head to toe.


I offered lunch.
Then realized I only had a few slices of bread.
So I pulled out hamburger buns to make turkey sandwiches on.
Then saw my friend pull a chunk of mold off the side of her bun.

We ended up with watermelon, chips, and water for lunch.
That's the kind of host I am.
It's not good.
But we laughed a lot!
And the kids played really well.
And we enjoyed each other's company.
And that was so good.

You all want to come visit me now, don't ya?
My Life is Funny!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

4th of July wreath

Confession: I'm picky about crafts. I don't like having my kids do crafts that end up cluttering the house.
Goodness knows, that's already a battle I'm losing!
I want them to be useful.
No handprint molds or macaroni necklaces here.
Does that make me a terrible mom? Don't answer that.

We had some extra kids here the other day and I needed to keep them busy.
We had gone to the thrift stores the day before and bought red, white, and blue items.
The plan was to make 4th of July wreaths.

I'd hoped to find styrofoam wreath forms at the thrift stores, but didn't.
Our nearest Hob Lob is a 35 minute drive, so I used embroidery hoops instead.

We cut strips, strips, and more strips of fabric. Maybe 1.5-2" wide?
Then put on a Disney movie and have the kids tie knots while they're watching.


It's so easy, you could even do it naked. Ya know, if you wanted.
Not that we'd do that here.


Just keep doing knots and scooting them close together. The closer they are, the fuller the wreath will look.
It's a shabby, country, cottage look.
And when they were done, I trimmed the ends to make the fabric strips similar lengths.
Because I'm picky like that.

(pretend you don't see that bent curtain rod above the wreath, where The Baby has hung Tarzan style from the lace curtains.)



Altogether, I spent less than $5 for two big wreaths.
And had several hours of quiet kids.
And saved the world from a lot of bad fashion.
You're welcome.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Sometimes it's not enough.

I tried hard. I really did.
But it just didn't happen as I'd planned.

The Man will receive his Father's Day gift today rather than yesterday, when he should have.

The first photo shoot had one of the kids in a very bad mood and it came across in pictures.
I'm not naming names.
They looked terrible. So we redid them yesterday.



Put them on a disc and ran to the store, and the picture machine was broken.
Ran to another store and their picture machine was broken too!
We're in a small town and there are only two picture machines that I know of.

We were already late for an appointment, it was 100 degrees and humid, and I had three cranky kids. So I cried.
We gave The Man his card and told him he'd receive his gift today.

*sigh*
I tried. I felt like a complete failure, but he really didn't seem to mind.
He still had a great day. He's a great man.

My own dad? Also a great man. I talked to him on the phone into the wee hours of the night.
It was good.

You must read Nic's simple, but moving Father's day post here.

I've been seeing these pop up on various blogs, so here are a few - (If you've done one and aren't on the list, let me know and I'll add your link!)
Jen
Jenny
Amy
Emma
Beth
Trasie
Kandis
Beth
Heather
Maple Memories
Linda
Jessica
Skamamama
Brenda
Jenny
Karla
Happy Belated Father's Day!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Lazy days...

We are completely enjoying our summer.
We're forcing ourselves to take it easy. (as much as possible, anyway)
The kids aren't enrolled in a single sport activity.
We're doing a lot of parks, playing in the yard, walks, cooking, crafts...
They do have a few VBS's coming up and those always make for a bit of a crazy week.

I'm doing lots of jewelry (thank you buyers! LOVE you guys!!) and photo sessions.
One of my clients the other day, however, stood me up. Hmph.
It was too beautiful of an evening to let pass by, so I went and grabbed the kids and made them model.
Their clothes were mismatched, and their faces were dirty, but we had a good time.






They loved how this piece of trash on the ground formed an arrow. I hadn't even noticed!

The Baby was behind me rolling around on the ground screaming for most of it.
That's why he's not in the pictures much.
When we got to the train tracks, he decided he wanted to participate.
He's naughty.



If you're in the central Kansas area and would like photos, please email me!
I'm still booking people throughout the summer and into Fall.
And I think you'll be surprised at how reasonable my prices are. Ha!
Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

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!
---------------

I took this picture the other day and it just kept making me think.
We don't know what's ahead of us.
We don't know what the future holds.
What we see is just a tiny portion of the picture.
There is so much more than that.

We put our faith in the fact that God knows what's ahead. The road may get bumpy and rough.
But He is there.
And someday when the road ends, He'll still be there.
This is all just temporary.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Unplug it Day.



If you're not familiar with it, you can click the logo to learn more.
I sneak on the computer early to check my email before the kids get up.
And I generally watch The Today Show with my breakfast.
Shhhh. Don't tell my kids.

I turn everything off when they get up and they have to go all day without.
Because that's the kind of mom I am.

Happy Thursday!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Tell me...

What was the last blog you visited before you popped in here? (besides your own)
Just because I'm nosy.
And always on the hunt for great new blogs.

My newest favorite? I want to be her.
I might stalk her, in a Single White Female kinda way.
I will become her...
Click here to see who it is.


A collage of all the grandkids eyes I put together when I visited my brother recently.
Some of the coloring is off, but I still like all the innocent little eyes.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Summer treat...



On hot sticky days, Sonic has been my go-to refreshment for years.
A Route 44 Diet Cherry Limeade. YUM.
Or a Route 44 Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper, for an afternoon caffeine fix. Yeah baby.
But, a while back my friend Jen told me I had to try their Mango Limeade.

Holy mama, Jen knows what she's talking about!! It is amazing!!
And 1/2 price drinks during happy hour (2-4pm)? We're there.

Oh and when you're in a mood to be really naughty? Try the coffee milkshake, called a Java Chiller.
If you want to get real crazy, you can even have an extra shot of espresso, called a Sonic Boom.
Not that I would ever consume that many calories and caffeine in one setting...

Funny story - when we lived in Colorado Springs a few years ago they did the happy hour thing.
I think they were a test market for Sonic.
Then we moved to Kansas.
I went to Sonic one day, pushed the red button and said, "Do you have happy hour?"
There was a long pause and then the 17 year old girl came on the speaker, laughing, "Ummm, ma'am? This is Sonic. We don't serve alcohol."
*sigh* I tried to explain it to her but I don't think she believed me.

Drink in your summer!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Happy

A few weeks ago I showed you my studio.
What I didn't show you was the blank wall that was begging for original artwork.

So I grabbed a cheap 3-pack of canvases and paint, and put my kids to work.
The only direction I gave was "I want rainbows."




The Baby thinks rainbows are all red.
I tried to tell him otherwise, but he was convinced.




Color makes me happy!!! In the drab and dreary midwest winter, I know I'm going to love this space even more than I already did.


The finished product (not hanging on the walls just yet, still sitting in the dining room) -


Now everyone sing with me - "Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection. The lovers, the dreamers, and meeeeeeee!"
Wow, one of you can't carry a tune.

Happy Monday!

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Summer days...

are for running around barefoot.
Through the fresh cut grass.
Through the sticky popsicle drips.
Through the puddles of mud.
All. Day. Long.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Rock Stars.

That's what this entire family is.
They are ultra talented musicians.
Adoptive parents.
Foster parents.
Take a group on a missions trip every year.

They seriously rock.




Hammin' it up.



Mom and Dad of this crazy crew.



These two are getting ready to be married.



It got a bit crazy. Boys like to wrestle.


I wanted to get some shots in a field with some guitars, but we were super limited on time.
Rock stars like this are busy people.


Williams family, I hope you love these!
You guys rock.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

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!
---------------
My friend called me the other day.
"Grab your camera and get over here!"
The biggest and strangest turtle I've ever seen.
He was over 12" across.
And moss growing on him?! I didn't even know that was possible.
He was certainly not the cutest, cuddliest, or fluffiest critter I've ever seen.
But he was still created lovingly by God.

Col. 1:16 - All things were created by Him and for Him and in Him all things hold together.
(I have no idea why Mr. Linky says "announcement galore" but you're joining in Fingerprint Friday!)

A jewelry winner!

I was supposed to pick a winner yesterday for the necklace giveaway from my 1000th blog post.
But goodness knows I can't be on time!
And my keyboard and mouse died.

The Man went and got a new set all hooked up for me. He's so nice.
Now my computer is new (as of December), my monitor is new (as of a few weeks ago),
and the keyboard and mouse are brand new.
Hopefully no more problems any time soon.

I'm lost without my computer.
Sad, but true.

So, according to the Random Number Generator, the winner of the necklace is Fifi Flowers! Congratulations!

I also listed a couple new items -

Live it. Dream it. Do it. necklace


Cotillion Earrings



Thursdays are supposed to be our Unplug It Day but I made and execption today because of the way yesterday went.
So we're only doing it for a half day today.

Craft time with the kids! Wheeee!!
Happy Thursday!