I'm still Alive!!!

I apologize...between my computer being in the shop for a week to be repaired and preparations for our local county fair AND my hometown county fair I have been racing around like a kid hyped up on Christmas AND Birthdays AND Halloween (It's honestly THAT bad!). I am hoping to get focused next week and share with you all that we've been up to craft wise and LIFE wise. I appreciate your patience...you know how summer gets. ;)

Until then, please pray for the spouse's hometown of Minot, ND...his family is safe and their homes are untouched, but their church and several friends' homes are destroyed. Minot is HOME...can you imagine seeing that destruction in your HOME? Needless to say, there is much sadness and grief. If you're able to make a donation to help the victims please consider donating to the Red Cross or message me and I can get you directly connected to people who live in Minot.

Questions Saturday**Getting it "All" Done

Q: How do you do it all?

A: I don't! Seriously...I know how it is...you look at someone else and they TOTALLY seem like they have it together. Let me assure you...I am NOT that person! I don't have it all together and I hope I haven't given anyone the impression that I do!


Here's the reality:
My house isn't spotless.
I don't always finish a complete thought OR sentence.
My kids don't have a bath every night.
I don't know much about what's on t.v.
My van is usually a disaster.
Our laundry pile rivals Mt. Everest at times.
Not every meal is a square one.
We've been known to eat on the floor because the kitchen table is covered in a project of some sort.


Sometimes I get down on myself and wish that the above wasn't true...then I think of something my good friend Julie said to me, (I can't remember her exact wording, but essentially it was), "I wish I hadn't worried about a clean house and done more cool stuff." Am I blessed with amazing mentor-friends or what!? That ONE comment has brought me so much peace...her wisdom has reminded me to look at my life and think, "What do I want to look back on my life and see?"

(For the record, Julie has done a TON of cool stuff...her kids' theater productions would have been NOTHING without her hardwork in finding props/costumes, not to mention that her four kids are all AMAZING people...to just name a few things.)

So I ask myself, do I want to be able to look back and think, "Good job. The house was always perfect."? That might be what someone wants...a tidy house is definitely a nice thing!

Do I want to look back and think, "My kids were spotless and perfectly cared for." Again, that would be nice.


But for me, that's not my ultimate....mostly I want to look back and think, "I took what God gave me and did my best." God gave me a creative mind, able hands, and a husband that supports my crazy ideas and doesn't seem to mind that the house is less than perfect...that's HUGE! I WANT to create, I WANT to volunteer and help others, I WANT to teach my kids the importance of creativity, of serving others, of loving and being loved. I hope that what I'm doing today brings that to fruition.

So, no, I don't do it all. Not even close. But I try to strike a balance between what must be done to keep my kids healthy and cared for and what is fun and life-giving to my soul. Isn't that what we're all trying to do?

Craft Time...Beach Glass Vases

Another wedding craft...but SO fun and would look AMAZING on a mantle or on a patio table.

Things You Need:
Vase
Beach glass or glass gems
Heavy-duty glue or silicone
Patience

I rolled two beach towels...and laid them side by side, resting the vase in between them. Work on one area at a time...glue the gems on; wait for it to dry, then rotate the vase and work on some more. I used slender tapers and placed them in the sand.

Craft Time...Chicken Wire Bulletin Board

So, this was actually for a wedding, but would be SUPER fun for a kids' room or a family organization area....

Things you'll need:
Wooden frame
Chicken Wire
Spray Paint
Staple gun with staples
Felt or other sturdy fabric
Wire cutter


Begin by priming and painting your frame, as well as your chicken wire, if you desire.

Turn your frame over and cut your chicken wire to the size of the frame.


Being sure to pull the chicken wire as flat as possible use your staple gun to staple the edges into the frame.































Lay your fabric over the back of the frame, cut, and staple while pulling it tightly. We used a heavy felt and it worked well for holding its shape.







Turn over and use paperclips, binder clips, or clothespins to place favorite photos, momentos, or schedules to your new board.

Craft Time...Rocks

Skip to my Lou is doing a super fun 30 Day Craft Camp...you should DEFINITELY check it out...I don't have 30 days of crafts, but here's a fun one we've done at our house...huge kudos to Jean for teaching us this SUPER easy way to do this (we used to color first, THEN heat...this is WAY better!).



First off...you'll need some flat rocks on a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and heat the rocks for about 10 minutes.




















Peel paper off the crayons.












Then place the hot rocks on a paper towel...warn your child(ren) NOT to touch the rocks...they are HOT. The crayons will melt as they draw.







Once they are done let them cool and buff them with a cotton cloth to make them shine.

FLAG DAY!!!

Maybe you didn't realize this, but....TODAY IS FLAG DAY!!!

Maybe it doesn't matter to you, but....IT MATTERS TO ME!!!
(and Betsy Ross, I'll bet!)

Here's WHY this day matters to me...

Once upon a time my dear friend Ryn and I were in 4-H and did a team demonstration on flag etiquette...not to brag, but we rocked that demonstration. We received a Grand Champion on the spot at the State Fair (okay, THAT was a brag...sorry!). Anyhow, Flag Day makes me happy because it makes me think of Ryn. And thinking of Ryn makes me smile and floods me with amazing memories.

May YOU have a great Flag Day and be reminded of a dear, dear friend. The sort of friend that, no matter the distance or the time between chats, you KNOW loves you with the heart of a true friend.

Hugs, Ryn...
"It's us! Which one do YOU want to be?!"

If you'd like more information on flag etiquette you can check out this website...cannot resist an opportunity to teach about this topic. ;)

Scripture Verse Week 3

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you’re all doing well.Thumbs up to those who have been able to get some verses memorized…keep it up! If you haven’t been taking part, it’s NEVER too late to start…you can dive right in by learning this week’s verse:


And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. Exodus 14:13

The bolded portion is what kids can learn that part and we adults will learn it all.

To help solidify the concept consider with your kids…

What might we be afraid of? Why are we afraid?

Read Exodus 14:1-14

Paint a mental picture with your kids…imagine the water on one side, 600 chariots on the other…What did it smell like? What do they hear? What were people around them saying?


Why were the Israelites afraid? What do you think would happen to them if the Egyptians caught them? What would you have said to Moses if you were in that situation and he told you not to be afraid?

Read Exodus 14:15-31

How did God save them? Did God do what Moses said He would? Did they need to be afraid?

Create your own re-enactment of the parting of the Red Sea by using the printables found here; add a few toilet paper rolls and you’re set for fun!

As adults let’s consider this…
Check out Exodus 14:11-12
Did you catch that?! Moses worked his tail off to get Pharaoh to free the Israelite Slaves and they are complaining about being free…are you KIDDING me?! What a bunch of WHINERS! Of course as I point a finger I have four pointing back at myself…how many times has the Lord answered my prayers and then, because I couldn’t see what was coming next, I started to whine? Something like, “God, where are you going with this?” or “Could you PLEASE tell me what to do next?” Isn’t that essentially what the Israelites were doing? They couldn’t see what God’s plan was…sure, they knew He had delivered them from one bad situation…but instead of rejoicing in that they focused on what they didn’t have, what they didn’t know, the bad situation that they saw coming toward them…never mind that God was WITH them, that He had promised to take care of them, that He had shown Himself faithful time and again!


This week I plan to take some time to consider the following;
• What am I afraid of?
• How might I “stand still” and WAIT for God to do something amazing…maybe just WAITING on the Lord is what is needed in the areas I have fear and doubt…so often I want to see ACTION.
• What are the “Egyptians” God might be promising I need not see anymore?

Won’t you join me?

As Promised...

Here are photos of this past weekend's wedding...thanks for your patience. ;) Enjoy!
(Location & Catering by Hiawatha Beach, Flowers by Kelly's Cottage, Cupcakes & Cake by The Cupcake Lady)

Wedding Jitters

I had REALLY hoped to be able to keep blogging this week...but I am running crazy for a wedding this weekend...just not enough time in the day! How about I promise photos of the wedding on Sunday?! To whet your appetite I can tell you that I am spending my week:

*Sifting sand...who PAYS for sand?! NOT this girl! I borrowed sand from the beach, am sifting out the large pieces, and will have that "pretty" sand that the stores charge big bucks for.

*Spray painting frames, cupcake stands, branches, and direction signs

*Checking printers to make sure the photo booth will be a success

*Finding supplies for the rock ceremony


OH! I just got a call that our rental place is giving my Bride a free upgrade from the white folding to the white garden chairs...hooray! I am PSYCHED to share photos with you Sunday. :)

See you then!
Stacy

Scripture Verse Week 2

"For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.’[a]
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[b]” Revelation 7:17


The entire verse is shown here, but younger children can focus on part b, and we parents and older students (grades 3+) will learn the entire verse.

To help solidify the concept you might spend some time at a meal discussing...
"What sorts of things make us cry?"
"Do you think there will be crying in heaven? Why or Why not?"
Talk with your kids that in heaven God will wipe away ALL of our tears...there will be no more suffering or pain, we will truly live happily ever after. How does that make them feel? Is it something that is easy or hard to believe?

Question for YOU...

Alrighty, I've been answering YOUR questions now for awhile and now its MY turn! (We're working on sharing at our house...can you tell?!?!)

Here it is...
What do you like about this blog? What would you like to see more of?

I honestly I am asking not to get any verbal pats-on-the-back, but rather to get a feel for what makes my readers happy.

To help, you might ponder these things...
Do you like essays like "Why is there Popcorn on the Bathroom Floor", "Babies are Easier than Houseplants", or "Bathrobe Mafia"?

Do you like tutorials that you can do as a Mom? Examples are the flower tutorials, or the cuffed pants.

Would you rather have more fun project ideas that you can do with your kids? Like the suckers, nature notebooks, or silk dyed Easter eggs, for example.

Maybe you're more into the Mom-devotionals like "Motherhood; A Lesson in Humility"?

I am LOVING having this blog as an outlet and am truly humbled that you all keep coming to check things out...seriously. I KNOW how busy life is and the fact that I average about 45 visits a day means a lot. I am honored to help you enjoy motherhood and am curious what sort of content would best do that. :)

Bathrobe Mafia

Okay, I have to ask...do the rest of you have well behaved Bathrobes?

Here's the deal. I have this great bathrobe...it's a hand-me-down from a friend so it is already worn in and cozy. It is a lovely purpley blue and fits me so much better than previous bathrobes I've owned.

The challenge? My bathrobe is a total jerk, cleptomaniac, and completely sloveny. Examples? I hang it up clean on the back of the bathroom door and it is filthy just days later. Not to mention that it often is not where I put it and I'll find it down by the clothes drier or in one of the kids' bedrooms under their bed. The final kicker, though, is that it's always taking my stuff...earrings, necklaces, rubberbands, but this morning was the KICKER...my credit card was in there! I'm sure I'll have to comb through this month's purchases to see what my bathrobe ordered online...Ugh...I'm pretty sure the credit card company will not consider it fraud since the fuzzy thing belongs to me. Darn robe.

By the way, I'm sure it's the robe and has nothing to do with my four children's active imaginations or the fact that I am trying to run a household, homeschool, hold down my jobs, and still be somewhat nice to people.

Actually, I NOW see why this robe was handed to me...ahem...

Anyone want a great bathrobe?!

Tis a BIG, BIG Day!!

Alright, I can't TAKE it anymore...I have to shout it to the world...well, my 22 "followers" anyhow...ANNE IS OPENING HER OWN STORE!!! I get to go today and help...I am so excited!!!! She has been doing this out of her garage for the last 4 years and now is opening up the most beautiful storefront full of amazing products and food...and I am SO PROUD of her.

So proud that she's following her dream. So proud that she is stepping out of her comfort zone and opening herself up to the good and the bad that comes with retail stores...so proud of her for sticking with this and being so conscientious about what she wants the store to embody...most of all so proud of her for working hard to be a great Mom to her two daughters during this process...can you imagine how difficult that must be?! She has included them in the process every step of the way and they are as excited as the rest of us to have their Mom's store opening.

Please keep Anne in your prayers as she ventures forth and, if you're from area, be sure to stop on by...you won't be disappointed!

Flannel Stacked Box Flower

So here is the second version of the fabric flowers. You can find the first one here.

For this one you'll cut numerous flowers of the same size and shape.

You'll lay one down flat to begin.










One at a time take each flower and fold it in half, laying it on top of the first one. Add one flower at a time laying one end of the flower on top of the petal
before it and half of it under the other petal after it...it is tough to describe, but if you think of it as closing a box by folding the flaps in it looks very similar...the grey on grey doesn't make the photos any clearer, either!






Here is what it looks like...you can keep adding layers upon layers if you'd like.








When you have it the size you'd like it to be add a button to the center making sure to catch all the layers of the petals as you go through with your needle and thread...add a pin back and you're ready for action!