Joplin

A few weeks ago when we went to Missouri, we stopped in Joplin on the way home.


I knew it would be tough to see, but didn't know exactly how tough.
There were still people walking around with hands over their mouths, crying as if it had just happened that day.





I'll be honest, I didn't want to open these photos which is why I haven't blogged it yet.
I knew it would break my heart again to see them.
And it did. I cried as I was editing them.

I've never seen so much devastation in my life. And this was several weeks after the tornado hit, so much of the clean up has already been done.




Thousands of people are homeless.
The official death total as of today is 160. Terrible.



Yet, as horrendous as it is, there is so much hope.
The heart of the Midwest is stronger than ever.
These people will survive, and thrive.
They will rebuild this community.




Please keep them in your prayers!

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
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 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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(going old school with this photo!)
This has been a crazy week. (crazier than normal.)
I haven't known which was was up or down or left or right.
But God blessed me with much needed rest and peace.
He is so loyal!

Exodus 33:14The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

My day with Bill Cosby.

Yesterday The Man and I went to an event to hear some incredible people speak.

Lou Holtz


General Colin Powell


Steve Forbes


Terry Bradshaw

Bill Self

Rudy Guliani

and my favorite Bill Cosby.
I remember listening to Bill Cosby's stand up act on a record album many times when I was younger.
I could recite the entire bit. "Chocolate cake for breakfast!" "Was your head with you all day?? I don't knoooow."
Then I grew up watching the Cosby show. Even into my late teens I watched it in reruns.
And when I had babies, Little Bill was one of our favorites.
So I was very excited to see Bill Cosby.

I'd called a while back to see if I could take my camera in and I got a yes.
"Are you sure? It's a big digital camera. I don't want to get turned back at the door and have to hike all the way to my car."

"No ma'am, as long as it's not a video camera, you can take whatever kind of camera you want into the event." Okay then.

We made it in just fine. But then we broke for lunch. And after lunch that was some hubbub about me and my big ol' camera.
And they took it. Blah.
So I didn't get to take any pictures of Bill Cosby or many of the other speakers.
But they were still really good!
Bill Cosby wore a sweatshirt that said Hello Friend. And it made me smile.

Now, because I have mad google skills, I'd done a little research in advance and kind of knew what we were in for with this event.
I knew that there would be sales pitches sprinkled in with the big names.
But we were okay with that.

We still had a great time.
We walked away with some great ideas.
And it was a rare chance to hear some great people speak.
Next up on the cover of Steve Forbes' magazine? - Me. Ha!

Sweet Baby...

I got to take photos of this sweet girl when she was 3 months old.
And recently I got to do it again. She's 2 now.
Every bit of 2 years old...







These eyes... Good gracious.


And these lips... Good gracious.


Her family has chickens and she gets to feed them.
"Heeeeere chicky chicky chicky!"


This pout... Good gracious.


I really wanted to keep her. But her family wouldn't let me.


We've been really busy lately but if you are interested in photos this Fall, email me for details!

Before and After.

This is The Baby. (who really isn't a baby anymore. He's 4. But he's still The Baby.)

He's holding an old photo of his daddy, The Man, from a similar age.



The Baby is a little Mini Me of The Man.
When they are side by side, they stand alike, walk alike, gesture alike, look alike.

Yesterday I asked The Baby, "How do you still end up in our bed every night?!"
He said, "I walk, silly. I has feet, you know."
So I guess that explains that.

After carrying him for 10 months, giving birth naturally, nursing for a year, and pouring my blood sweat and tears into this child, the least he could do is have a little bit of my gene pool. Right?
Can't there be something, anything, that resembles his mama?

That's not asking for too much, I think.
Apparently I'm wrong though.
The Baby is the spitting image of The Man.

And it turns out that it's really not so bad after all.

Happy Weekend to you!

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
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:

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 Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please sign in only if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week.
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It's been a wild and busy week. I've hardly even picked up my camera.
But this sweet little moment between The Boy and Lilo caught my eye. (I love how she's looking like "Help me...")

Happy Friday y'all!

The time I died...

A while back I got up one Monday morning and through blurry eyes checked my email.
And I saw an email from Ree Drummond. And I died.
Ree?! Whaaaa? The Pioneer Woman?

I opened it and it said, "Hi Beki...." And then I died.
Whaaa? She knows my name?! What the flagnog is going on here??

I read more.
"I think you're wonderful and skinny and stunningly beautiful and hilarious..."
Okay it didn't say that.
It was something more like, "I want to feature you on my blog." And I died.

So we've emailed back and forth for a while.
One night I was dying from anticipation and I emailed her something like "You didn't forget about your wonderful and skinny and beautiful and hilarious friend, did you Ree Ree?" She likes it when I call her Ree Ree.
She told me so.

She replied something very polite about having a busy week.
And the next morning I saw her on The Today Show joking around with Al Roker.
And I died. I felt like a heel!
She's been busy with book tours, national tv appearances, mommying, wifeing, ranching, shooting a new tv show... and yet she's still taken time for me.

So that's where I am today. Featured on The Pioneer Woman.
Because Ree Ree is a sweetheart.

I die.

******
p.s. If you want, you can follow us! On Twitter. On Facebook. On pinterest.

p.p.s. The winners of the recent giveaway are Alexia and Rene! Please email therustedchaininfo AT yahoo.com.

On being a lady...

We ladies shouldn't lose ourselves as we age.
It's important to keep our feminity... to take a little pride in our appearance.


It's good to occasionally doll yourself up.


Lay around with a come hither look. And when you get attention, just act like "Oh this old thing?"


It's important to remain a lady, even as you age.

Thirteen.

1. In thirteen years we've lived in 7 different places.

2. We've had 6 pregnancies, resulting in 3 kids.

3. Between us, we've worked for 11 different companies.

4. Now The Man works for me so I get to be the boss all the time. Ha!

5. After thirteen years, he still leaves his socks on the floor.

6. But he also does laundry several times a week.

7. He's an incredibly hard worker.

8. He laughs at me.

9. He rubs my back approximately 243 times a week.

10. He always says wise and calm things, when I'm a blubbering hormonal mess.

11. He lets me be the spacey air headed artist that I am.

12. We have a very good thing going.

13. I think I'll keep him.

It's hot.

* It's hot.

* Really hot.

* Opressively hot.

* Dog breath hot.

* Stupid hot.

* Too hot to think of a real blog title.


* We are under an excessive heat warning until next Friday. It's brutal.

* Thank God for iced coffee and air conditioning.


* I had a photo shoot this week with a 2 year old and I was dripping in sweat by the time I was done. It was 9:00 am.

* My sunflowers are even begging for mercy from the heat.

* My zinnias keep dying. Too much heat even for them?


* My cucumbers are LOVING it. I canned 8 jars of pickles the other day and still had a mountain of cukes leftover.

* The dogs keep going in the creek to stay cool.

* I've thought about going in the creek too.

* Is it Fall yet?




p.s. I love butterflies.

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
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:

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 Linky below. Have fun exploring the other links as well! Please sign in only if you're participating. Hopefully this will make us look at things through fresh eyes throughout the week.
-------------------



We recently found new kitties in our barn.
They're so cuddly and cute!! I know they're just farm cats, but there is still something so special and sweet about a new life. (or three...)

New... { giveaway! }

Summer is wonderful but it's killer on our schedule.
We're staying up late, sleeping in late, going on trips, going to camp, swimming all day long...

And I realized the other day that it's been a long time since we've listed any new designs!

So here are a few new favorites.

God Is Bigger necklace



Charlotte earrings (in pink or white!)



Sun Sand & Sea necklace



Let's have a little giveaway. We haven't done that in a while either!

We'll give away 2 $25 gift certificates!

To enter: Just leave a comment telling your favorite thing about summer.

For additional entries: blog it, facebook it, share it on twitter, share it on pinterest. Leave additional comments for each of these that you do.
We'll pull random winners in a week or so.

Over the weekend...

We snuck off to Silver Dollar City in Branson.
I've been going there since I was a kid and now we like to get season passes and take our family several times during the year.

Left to right, clockwise:
1. I found a new boyfriend. 2. The big kids and I on Wildfire roller coaster 3. Pretty building 4. Happy train conductor 5. Happy sun 6. Happy Americana decorations 7. Silver Dollar City sign 8. a pretty crocheted lampshade 9. Cute baby who needs a haircut.


Ummmm, yeah. There's just no explanation for this.
It was burned into my brain so I thought I'd share the love with you.


Everything is always so pretty there, no matter what time of year you go.
I want their landscapers to come work in my yard.






We saw a fun dog show. I'm quite certain my huge clumsy Bernese Mountain Dog and floppy Basset Hound would never do these things.












We came home to 111 degree temperatures and excessive heat warnings. Fun times.

*****
Are you a roller coaster rider? We LOVE them!