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Sunday, September 12, 2010

Hiatus

You might have noticed that I've taken a bit or a hiatus for the past 2-ish months. It was a much needed break. Not that my blogging schedule has ever been heavy. Its just that there was SO much other stuff going on that blogging wasn't even on my list of priorities.

School was the main thing that's occupied my time, thoughts, days, DREAMS! During the last few days of vacation I began to order books so they'd be waiting for me when I got home. And what do you know! For a good week after we got home I got boxes of books every day. Talk about a high!

Once I had the books in hand I went nuts organizing our year and curriculum. Honestly I haven't stopped. I'll be sharing more about our curriculum in later posts as it's a work in progress. Actually, it's a living breathing thing that grows and moves and changes daily. Sometimes hourly. Ok it can be moment by moment some days.

I am now feeling a bit or the craziness begin to subside. We're in our fourth week already. We've firmly established school into our routine again and I {{{think}}} that we've discovered a routine that will work for us.

So for now I just wanted to check back in. Here's are pics from my phone of my babes...











- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Inbox surprises from The Music Man

I may have said it once or twice that my man likes to email me links and pictures of things he thinks I need to know about.  Often they're silly, sometimes they're helpful, but today it's just sweet.

His link sent me here.

Go see why this picture is so sweet...


(Other than the obvious cuteness of a little girl kissing an old guy.)


Monday, August 02, 2010

Now what???


















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

As good as it gets...

This is my version of getting dressed today...



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

A random list from my vacation thus far...

1. My husband's family has no chance. I have fully and completely taken them as my own. I love them to pieces.

2. Pastor Mike was the guy who called out my man 14 years ago. Four days later, at a Black Crows concert the Music Man surrendered his life to Christ. He's never looked back. Finally I got to meet Pastor Mike. And it thrilled my heart to do so.

3. Where do I begin with #3? It really deserves a post in and of itself. Actually, I could write an entire book about #3, but then that would turn into a 4-book series that would eventually be bought by a production studio to be made into a movie which would then be turned into a tv show which would run for 10 seasons before going into syndication for the rest of time. Of course there'd be the spinoffs and reruns and reunions. It would be crazy. So I'll just keep #3 as simple as I can for this post.

Through the magic that is Facebook, I have my BFF from junior high securely back in my life. Our friendship was fast and furious but cut waaaaay too short. NOW!!! It's like nothing ever changed except now we're married with kids and mortgages and all sorts of adult things. The best part of all of this is that we've spent just about every day with her and her husband because the live 20 minutes away from my inlaws!!!!! And have been here for 4 years. I never knew!

But that's not even the best part.

Ready???

In a few very short weeks she will live only 45 minutes from me AT HOME!!!!!!! We've already begun planning the weekly lunch dates and play dates and shopping trips and daycations into the City.

I feel like I've been given the most precious gift. A second chance at a friendship I always knew got cut short. Maybe we just weren't ready for each other when we were 12. Twenty years later we ARE. SO. READY.













- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday, July 09, 2010

My Bay-Bay!

He has refused to wear a bib since forever ago, but for some reason today was the day he decided to wear one. At least he chose a good one.

He hasn't taken a pacifier since he got the ol' snipity-snip on his little man parts when he was a few hours old. I mean to say that he has never taken a pacifier or even a bottle for that matter.  And what I mean by never is actually... NEH. EH. VER. ER.  But again, there must have been something in the yogurt or pediasure this morning because look at this... 


My Bay-Bay!    

*sigh*   

I love him so!



Thursday, July 08, 2010

Birthday Dinner of Champions: Fried Bananas topped with Rice and Sausage

The other night I had a dream about my brother. It was bizarre. To say the least.


You see it's been THREE YEARS since I've seen my brother.  ***GASP!!!*** How can that be!?!?!  It truly is a tragedy. Life has made if difficult for both of our families to get together.  We live a thousand miles apart. Literally. And both he and my husband have demanding jobs that don't allow for a whole lot of vacation time.  The times that we do get we all spend it visiting parental units.  Siblings get pushed to the back burner.  It is what it is.

BUUUUUUUTTTTTTT!!!  In just a few very short, and fast approaching weeks, we are road-tripping it to see my awesome bro and fabulous sister-in-love and amazing niece and nephews.  

I.

CAN.

NOT.

WAIT.

I'm not the only one either.  I got this cute text from my SIL...

My baby girl cannot wait to hang out with her Uncle Josh! She even put it on our Summer To-Do List along with hug cousins!


Anyhoo...there's excitement a-plenty coursing through our homes! And what better way to say...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE GUY!!!!

...than a post devoted to how much we miss him, love him, and are so excited to see him?  I can't think of any. 

Unless perhaps this is better...



Wednesday, July 07, 2010

WIWW

Is it me, or do your days seem to all run together after a while?  I had the hardest time trying to remember which outfit wen with which day and what I did that day.  After about five minutes of this struggle, it dawned on me that iPhoto has this handy dandy little date thing attached to each picture. Wow.  Wish I would have thought about that before I hurt my brain for five minutes.

So without further ado...

Thursday, we did something so special that I can't even remember what it was. I do remember that the weather was GORGEOUS and I had the windows open all day.
Sweater: TJ Maxx $14.99
Tank: Old Navy $7
Cheap Flower: ???  $??? (Someone please teach me how to make those really cool fabric flowers!)
Jeans: Target $20
Bracelets: Glossy Bands from The Girl $Priceless (until it breaks)
Friday was again beautiful!
Top: Old Navy $10
Jeans (again!): Target
Flippies: Ebay $14
Saturday was a big day! (Props go to the Music Man for this shot.) It was Awesome Girls' Day. We spent the entire day shopping! Blissful!
Tank: The Walmarts $5 (Cute little Miley Cyrus thing. Did you know her dad is the achey breaky heart dude!? I just found that out a few months ago. Also...she and Hannah Montana are one in the same. Whodathunkit?)
Jeans (AGAIN! Why mess with a good thing?): Target
Flippies: Gap $20
Sunday was the Fourth of July as you can clearly see by my uber patriotic ensemble!
Dress: Kohls $33 (and apparently this dress is so popular that it's not even on their website for me to link to. I promise that I just got it on Saturday. Your Kohls might still have some.)
Sandals: TJ Maxx $40
(Trust me when I say that my babes were head to toe red, white, and blue stars and stripes!)

Monday. Ah, Monday. Our floating holiday. I spent the day in my swim suit and cover up. I'm sorry, but the internet does NOT need to have a picture of me in my swim suit on it.  If you're really DYING to see it then you can go here and see a video of my kids that I may or may not be in.)
Tuesday was hotter than the sun, so we went no where and did nothing.
Green Tank: The Walmarts $7
Shorts: Peebles (or as The Girl calls it-Pebbles) $17
Flippies: DSW $19



 :::

On another fashion related note...I need help.  Big help!  I bought something last week at the neighborhood Goodwill that can only be described as a muu-muu.  I loved that fabric and knew that something lovely could be made from the hideous thing.  I just don't know what. Or how to do it. Or anything.  Any ideas???


:::


I'm linked up here.

Poppy

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

And this is what I found in my inbox...

As my long-time readers may remember, The Music Man sends me links from time to time.  Sometimes they are "informative" and other times they're "silly".  I never know what I'm going to get when I see an email from him with the subject line that says..."I thought of you when I saw this..."

This morning I got one of these emails.  This is the link I saw...

http://gizmodo.com/5580276/professional-fashion-shootwith-an-iphone-3gs

And this is what's at the end of that link...


The iPhone Fashion Shoot - Lee Morris Shoots With The 3GS from FStoppers on Vimeo.




:::

How does he know me so well?

Thursday, July 01, 2010

What I Wore Wednesday...on Thursday

I'm not the kind of person to jump in with both feet without first testing the waters a bit with my toes.  Once my toes are damp I like to go back to my towel and check the world wide web for what others are saying about the water and if there's a better deal out there on water.  Then I sit and watch the water for a while.  THEN I'll ease in. Or get distracted with something else shiny.

Ooo...it's pretty!

That's kinda what I did with this here post.  I came across the Pleated Poppy a while back and instantly fell in love.  My favorite posts were the "what I wear Wednesday" ones, because, let's face it, I'm nosy and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE clothes, shoes and accessories.

It's an obsession really.

I thought, Self! You jump right into that water. It's the pool-o-joy you've been waiting for! So the very next day I took a picture of what I wore.  Just about every day since then I have taken a picture of what I wore.  Today-Thursday, July 1st- a mere three weeks after I started documenting my clothing choices each day-I've decided it's time to post.

So here's what I wore last week.  (I bet you thought I was going to show you all three weeks worth of pictures. Ha! I've decided to keep those early shots for days/weeks in the future when I'm too lazy to take a picture of that day. We all know that will happen.  It's only a matter of time. So come this December, when you see me in flip flops and a tank top you'll know what I wore two weeks ago.)

Wednesday-My 9th Anniversary!-The Music Man had to work 
ALL DAY so it was just me and the kids.
White Tank - H&M $5
Black Tank - The Walmarts $3
Skirt - Target $13
Sandals - Rugged Warehouse - $5

Thursday - This was the best I got!
Green Tank - Target $12
Bermudas - Banana Republic $35
Gold Flippies - TJ Maxx $15
Little Girl - My Womb $Priceless

I don't know what happened to Friday
We took the kids to see Toy Story 3.
Oh Lord, remind me to never take my son to 
another movie until he doesn't need a nap!

I can't find Saturday either. 
We stayed around the house so that we could 
RECOVER from the trauma of Friday. 
I wore my old yoga capris from Express circa 1997 and a tshirt.
Trust me when I say, you aren't missing anything by not seeing that in all it's glory!

Sunday was church.
Shirt - H&M $7
Black Linen Pants - Gap circa 2003 $???
Various necklaces and bracelets - Who Knows $???

I like Sunday's hair better on Monday, don't you?
Black Tank - Old Navy forever ago $5???
Skirt - H&M $10
Flippies - Gap $20

Tuesday.
Black Tank - The Walmarts $5 
(That Miley Cyrus has some cute little things.)
Skirt - H&M $10
Gladiators - BCF $20
Necklace - Some shop at the beach $17
Little Boy - My Womb $Priceless or $Best Offer depending on the day

Well there you have it. My week in apparel. It was a loverly week despite it's struggles day-to-day. I'm going to apologize right now for my lack of photography skillz and the random placement of my full-length ghetto mirror. Three weeks ago when I began documenting my clothes I was using our nice Rebel, but then The Music Man needed it for something and I never took it back upstairs with me. So these shots are all from my phone.  I kept moving the mirror (that fell off my wall) to find the best light to get the best, a good, let's be real and say that I was just trying to get a shot in which I didn't look like a) a 400lb giant, and b) my face wasn't in a bazillion shadows. 

Hopefully I can get these issues figured out for the future.

It's a work in progress.

I'm a work in progress.

But then you already knew that, didn't you?

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Narrow Path

So I used to have a whole blog dedicated to book reviews.  I loved it.  But for some insane reason I deleted one day after not posting for a while thinking I was doing myself a favor by cleaning out my blogger dashboard.

Um, no.

I have regretted that decision more times than you could possible ever imagine.  I plan to one day start another blog dedicated solely to my great love for books.  Until then, you'll have to suffer through my musings and reviews here.

Think of it this way: you might actually find a good book or two to read.

:::



I'm generally not one for Amish or Mennonite books. I read a few as a kid, but not since.  They've just never appealed to me much, but since making those Monster cookies and climbing up into my family tree I couldn't resist this today when I saw it at the library.  The cover looked too cute (and you really should know that I DO judge a book by its cover), and the blurb on the back cover was completely charming. 
Can two people from different worlds find love somewhere in the middle? Miranda feels like she's been transported back to the Little House on the Prairie. Ted's head spins when Miranda reads her Bible on her red cell phone. Yet Miranda Klassen and Ted Wiebe must find a way to make peace in order to meet their common goal of opening the doors of Ted;s old Order Mennonite church and community. Will the also find love in the process?
Gail Sattler weaves a delightful little tale of opposites attract in The Narrow Path.  What it lacks in depth and literary savvy, it makes up in endearing and sweet characters.  It's a great afternoon read for a lazy summer day. It will make you laugh, maybe cry, but will definitely entertain.  I would most definitely read more from this seasoned writer.  You can read more about this book and even preview the first chapter here.

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 
Rent it from your local library today!

Friday, June 11, 2010

An Ode...




What I love about this man...

1. He has a splitting headache. He proclaimed it to be "the worst headache short of a migraine" that he's ever had, yet he's escorting me to Costco. (NO ONE, I repeat no one should ever have to go to Costco alone. On a Friday. With two small children. Cranky children. Ever.)

2. He's on the phone with AT&T trying to get me eligible to upgrade to the new iPhone. (Coming soon to Apple lovers everywhere. Yay!). This is the 349,877th time he's called them in the pas few weeks. He's a magician when it comes to getting service providers to do what he wants. (Hello free HBO, Sunday Ticket, iPhone, and Omaha Steaks!)

3. He wearing his South Africa FIFA tshirt he scored at the airport in Johannesburg back in January. He is a die-hard football (of the American variety) fan and has never cared for soccer. Says he doesn't understand it and has no need for it in his sports-lovin'-life. But for some reason he has totally gotten into the World Cup festivities, which blesses this soccer-lovin'-girl. Next step: signing the Boy up for soccer insead of t-ball. (A girl can dream, right?)

4. Did I mention he's getting me a new iPhone? I happened to mention in passing that it would be cool to do the facetimr thingy if we both had the new phone and BAM!!! Mamacita's gettin' a new phone. (We hope!)

5. In conclusion, he is the ultimate provider and protecter. I am completely confident in his ability to care for this family. Lately, he's been under mass amounts of stress and frustrations and while we have struggled during these times, he has remained completely dedicated to working things out to the best of his ability and for the greatest benefit to our family.

He is simply the most amazing man God has ever made. I am blessed beyond measure just to share his name.

Love you, Babe.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Give up the funk!

So last night my husband informed me that I'm in a funk.

{{{annnnd cue Parliament}}}

In order to get out of the so-called funk I'm apparently in, I decided to try these little beauties from a pretty cool life.

This is how mine turned out...
(Sorry about my complete inability to take a nice picture.)



Hey Music Man! Still think I'm in a funk?

I tore the roof off, Baby!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

MONSTER Revelations and other nonsense

I made a HUUUUGE batch of cookies the other day.  (And by huge batch I mean I used a dozen eggs, 18 cups of oats and 4 cups of sugars!) We have a bake sale this Sunday at church to raise some money for the Worship Dept.  So I'm making MONSTER cookies.  And let me tell you!  They ARE MONSTERS! Easily as big as the Boy Wonder's head.

This is just half of the batch and the smallest cookie up there is still 5 inches in diameter! Those Amish sure know how to double, triple, quadruple a recipe!


Here's the funny thing...when I tasted them, I was instantly transported back in time to Valentine's Days as a kid.  That's when my grandparents would send each of us kids a monster cookie of our own.  VERY special memory for me.  These cookies have such deep roots in my heart.

See, my grandpa who made these with my grandma every year passed away a few years back and now my other grandpa is really struggling with his health.  I don't know how long he'll be with us.  Loosing them is like loosing a piece of my heritage; so treasured are they to me!   I know it's inevitable--death, but losing a whole generation is hard.

These cookies represent so much more than just sugar and calories to me.  They're family.  They're connection.  They're my past and they'll be my future.  They're everything that's good in life and make all the hard stuff easier to handle.

So today, I will eat a MONSTER cookie in honor of my grandparents.  And Sunday I will sell the rest of the giant buggers.  I hope the legacy my grandparents left me with will raise much money to support the next generation of heritage-builders.

:::

What foods evoke strong emotions and memories for you?



Tuesday, May 25, 2010

If you thought I was random before, read on and be amazed.

Recently, as in two days ago, I brought these little cuties out into circulation. I've had them for well over 5 years buy haven't worn them in at least 4.



Adorable, right?! So I have re-fallen in love with them and have worn them non-stop since discovering them in the shoe archives that is the back of my closet.

This morning I noticed that they looked an awful lot like another accesory I use just about every waking moment of every day.



(Yep. It's upside down. Sorry. I don't know how to fix it). But it's the skin for my phone. Look familiar?

How 'bout now?


(Sorry its upside-down again.)

No wonder I re-fell in love with the flipper-flippers. I seem to have a theme going.

On another random note...my son is barking at me.



Jonny Lang sounds good this morning.

Also, Jimmy Kimmel's Aloha to Lost was waaaaay better than the actual finale. The alternate endings were hilarious! Good work, Jimmy!


- Posted from my iPhone

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

"Only in your dreams" is not always a good thing.

I woke up upset with my husband this morning. When he sat down on the bed to put his socks on he tried to say good morning to me. I must have growled at him or something, because he asked me if I was ok. I said no and apparently was a bit snippy. He asked if I was mad at him because he did something wrong in my dream again.

What?!?!

Right before I woke up I had a dream that he didn't want to married to me anymore or sleep in the same bed as me. He also wanted me to tell people that we were just brother and sister to explain the whole same-last-name thing. (Hello Abraham!)

I was so irritated with him because I loved him so much, bu-ut because I loved him so much I went along with him. He was letting us live together still, which would allow me to stay close to him. That's always a good thing when you love someone fiercely! But I was so sad!

I'm pretty sure that I was still pretty out of it when he asked me if I was mad at him because of my dream again. I remember thinking "AGAIN!?!?"

Then I remembered... A few months ago I had a dream he cheated on me. I woke up FURIOUS with him that day!!! That fury stayed with me for most of that day. He called me all day reassuring me that it was ONLY a dream and that I was crazy for being mad at him for a dream.

That's why he asked me this morning if I was mad at him because of my dream AGAIN.

I called him a little bit ago. He didn't answer so I left him a message that went something like this...

"So after two cups of coffee and two chocolate/banana crepes I now realize that it was, in fact, a dream. I know you love me and want to be married to me. I also know you enjoy sleeping with me. You'd never ask me to tell people that we're brother and sister--EWWWW!!! I just thought your day would go better knowing that I am no longer mad at you because of my dream. I love you. Goodbye."

I think I need therapy.


- Posted from my iPhone

Friday, May 14, 2010

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: A Night in Alcala
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Saturday, April 24, 2010

Segovia, Spain

We went to Segovia today.  You can read about Segovia wiki-style here. I thought about giving you the historical run-down myself because I strive to educate and inform on this here blaaaawwwgggg...but I'm really tired from the eight miles of walking and a staircase that just about killed me...literally! 

Instead of describing everything I'll let these pics speak for themselves since each one is worth a thousand words...
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Friday, April 23, 2010

Test...Test...Test...

I just got back from a walk to the neighborhood farmer's market and butcher shop.  I forgot to take the camera or my phone so I don't have any of those great shots to share, but I will go back and I will be sure to take a lot of pictures when I do! Until then, I thought I would show you a bit of what we did yesterday...
So yesterday we did test shots in preparation for today's shoot.  There was a lot of this going on...standing around talking about where this and that should go and then there'd be a flurry of activity to adjust then more standing around, then adjustments, then more discussion...

The Music Man was blissfully happy in the the incredibly sound proof studio.  I, on the other hand, did this all afternoon...

That's me running the clapper and Pastor Saba who is doing all the video and narration for this project.  He is a pastor in Burkina Faso of a large church (about 500).  He is also a professor at the Bible schools and he also serves as the Assistant General Secretary of the Burkina Faso Assemblies of God.  


  Those are the tools of my temporary trade...the clapper, clipboard, and powder. And this is one of the hazards of my temporary trade...
Dry erase marker on my jeans...

:::

Tomorrow we are headed sightseeing in a town about an hour from here.  I would tell you the name of it, but I can't remember it.  We will take lots of pictures and hopefully post them tomorrow evening.  Sunday we will spend the day in Madrid...church in the morning and sightseeing in the afternoon. And of course we will take lots of pictures and post them as soon as we can.

Adios!


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