Last Friday of July Favorites

I'm here to share a few favorites...taking the time to appreciate the little things:

Making August plans

Those plans including a little road trip as a family...just the four of us

Preparing for a trip to IKEA with some of my favorite girlfriends

Making my wish list for IKEA...oh the possibilities :)

The little things that spruce up my home

Suncatchers

Plans to make our first trip to see the Columbus Clippers

Friends who send you tickets to said baseball game because she remembered that you have been wanting to go

Stadium hot dogs and nachos...oh so bad, but oh so good :)

Watching my kids tackle the heat in order to soak up the last few weeks of summer

Playdates with school friends

Hearing the story about how Caleb asked Jamison's school friend to be his girlfriend

Jamison still being excited about school work

Jamison challenging the answers in the book...stating that "nothing" IS a compound word (she is right BTW and I am prepared to send an email regarding this challenge)

Motivating friends

Motivation that is trickling into various parts of my life and I am loving every minute

Music

Remembering that Rondell has headphones and that my phone plays Pandora

Putting those two things together so that I am able to listen to music on my evening walks

A big cup of ice water after my walk

Putting words into action :)

It Is Done!

And I am absolutely thrilled with the new header.  I cannot thank Lyndsey enough for taking the beautiful window and sunflower pictures.  She really captured what I love about my window.  I also have to thank Sarah for such a wonderful tutorial.

Make new header for blog...CHECK!

Wordless Wednesday - Coming Soon To A Header Near You!

Everyone Needs a Motivating Friend

This is my Lyndsey.  Do you have those friends who know you well and know when to give you a swift kick in the butt and who read your blog posts, like this one, and push you to put your words into action...that is Lyndsey.  I love her!

Yesterday she came over to take pictures for my header.  She got some amazing shots and I cannot wait to get them and create the new header.  She is an amazing photographer...she has such an eye for it and the determination to learn to photograph well.

She also helped me figure out how to take pictures of my cards so that I can get my etsy shop up and running (you know, the one I have been talking about forever, but still have not done!).

Typically, I take shots of my cards on my dining table because that is where I make them.  Lyndsey showed me that if I take pictures of them in the kitchen that I would have better lighting...and she is so right.  She also explained that since my table has an orange/brown tone that those colors would reflect onto my shots...ohhhhh.  Look at what she showed me:

I love the way it turned out and now that she has shown me I will be able to take some great shots for my shop!

I also have to add that I got the idea of putting a piece of card stock behind the card from Heidi.

miscellany monday

1.  Goodbye July.  Hello Friends and Happy Monday.  This is the last week of July and I am blown away by that fact.  July is our loose schedule month, so this is the last week of late nights and less routine.  Even thought July has the loose schedule, we have a few things planned for August...VBS, a trip to Indianapolis, more trips to the pool, & an outing to a baseball game.

We need to soak it all up know because before we know it we'll be doing this:

Jamison last year on her first day of school

2.  A pool here, a pool there.  One thing we will continue before summer is over is our pool hop.  We did not get a pool pass this year so we have been visiting few different pools this summer.  We went to a pool at a local fitness center, a brand new pool in a nearby suburb, and to a friend's pool at her apartment complex.  I have one more pool in mind for us to visit and I can't wait...the kids' area of the pool has a little playground.

3.  "What's your sitch?"  This is something my friend Katie always says when she is curious about someone's situation.  I wanted to say this yesterday while we were waiting at a rest stop to meet my dad and Renee (the kids went to Cleveland and we meet half way to pick them up).  

We saw a group of people who looked like they were switching cars, one lady in the car across from us was crying and saying "oh my God" (I was really tempted to check on her), one car was packed full of people and we wondered how they could be comfortable, & on and on.  Sometimes it is just fun to people watch.

4.  Just a taste...of God's Goodness:

Nothing Like A Good Proverbs Revelation!

Psalm 51:12 (ESV)

The other day I was reading Amy's blog and she posted this verse:

Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life; but he who rejects reproof leads others astray...Proverbs 10:17 (ESV)

This blew me away...it was just what I needed to read at that moment (God is good like that!).  See, I have been having a lot of talks with myself and God lately.  Through this verse He pointed out something very real to me...I am not taking action on the guidance He is giving me.

I am a planner, but lately I haven't had much follow-through after the planning.  I make lists, I pray, I discuss with Ron/friends, etc...and then nothing.  Not all of the time, but most of the time and it is about time it stopped.

God has given me clear instruction on changes that I need to make...like NOW.  For some reason I get comfortable and to be honest, I am just not listening.

So this verse was a wake-up call...I do not want to be led astray or away from God.  I want to be living with Him and absorbing all of the good He has planned out for me.  See, He's the ultimate planner, but He has AMAZING follow-through.  In order to receive the fullness of Him I need to be obedient, disciplined and put my words into action...to live out God's best for me.  How can I give Him glory if I am not living out His plan?

So...last night I saw down and finally redesigned my blog.  I know this is not very deep or really life changing, but it is something I have been talking about for a long time and I was tired of just talking about it.  I pulled up this post on Sarah's blog and got to work (it helps that my kids are out of town!).  I pulled up my Picasa and clicked back and forth between Picasa and Sarah's post until I was done with the header.  This will change soon because my friend Lyndsey is going to take some pictures for me to add to my header, but I'm SO happy with the one I created.

Then I did the one thing I was terrified to do...I removed my blog design (thanks Joanna!).  I decided I wanted just a white background to make my pictures pop.  Now I can choose the extra large feature for posting pictures without it going off the page.  I also increased the size of the picture of Rondell & the kids (though on my work computer Jamison is cut off a little...hmmm).

I would still like to come up with cute sidebar headers and I plan (uh oh, there's that word again) to do that this weekend.

Just this little thing has given me so much motivation.  I am tired to being blah and just going with the flow...it is time to change.  It is time to work with the Ultimate Planner.

Testing Picture Sizing

...and I am in love!

Be back tomorrow with a full post :)

miscellany monday

1.  So...I had a bunch of pictures that I was going to take yesterday & share with you.  When I got to my destination I realized that my memory card was still in my laptop.  Note:  Check for memory card before leaving the house.  Sigh.

2.  Yesterday was National Ice Cream Day...did you get your ice cream?  Rondell, the kids & I went to one of our favorite ice cream places and enjoyed a scoop for $1.41 (which is a pretty good deal for this place).  I got cookies & cream, Caleb got chocolate, Jamison got vanilla with butterscotch & Rondell got two scoops of black cherry...yum!  Caleb enjoyed his ice cream so much that he wore it all over...we had to strip him down just to put him in the car :)

3.  Where is July going?  This summer seems to be flying by and I am amazed.  Before I know it I'll be sending my big kid off to 3rd grade and my baby off to pre-school (sniff).  Until then we plan on having more fun days...going to the pool, spray park, library, etc.  We're also gearing up for our trip to the Indianapolis Zoo!

4.  I could use a good exfoliator...any suggestions?

  

***  Just thought since I couldn't share the pictures I wanted to take I'd share a few of my favs!

Happy Monday :)

Wordless Wednesday - Tender Moments

Friday Favorites

While this has been a tremendously hard week for me I have witnessed God's Goodness in the process:


Praying friends...friends who do not know me IRL.  I have total faith that they are at the Throne lifting up Sabrina and her family

Sweet encouraging words from those same friends...they have truly meant a lot to me

Seeing my church truly come together as a family

My Pastor's humble attitude...he introduced himself to my friend as "Kelli's friend from church."

Watching my children

Being OK with Caleb preferring to play his DS rather than watch the parade...he's so content

Spontaneous trips to the movies (even though I saw a terrible movie...Bad Teacher, not so good)

Cinnabon after the movie...I can only get them like twice a year because they are so bad...yet so good.

Three's Company (it's right up there with The Golden Girls for me)

Staying up after my bedtime to watch Three's Company

Being able to see fireworks from our front porch AND hear the booms

Making plans to do the same thing next year, but with snacks

My friend Lyndsey's photography...this girl has a great eye

Hearing Lyndsey's excitement as she called me to tell me that a shot she took was featured in a local magazine...I'm so excited for her

She took this shot of Jamison at the parade on Monday...I love it.

Having my favorite vacation spot featured in Rachel's post today...I adore Destin

A Heavy Heart

Friendship is a major thing to me...major.  So when one of my friends is suffering it makes my heart heavy.  I explained to you briefly on Monday that I have a friend who recently lost her husband...suddenly.  Words cannot explain the grief that we all are feeling, even with the knowledge that he's dancing with Jesus...grief is still a process.

I called on a few blog friends to pray for my dear friend.  Sweet Becky took the time in the middle of her packing to pray for my friend and today she has a lovely post filled with God's Word and expresses feelings that my heart cannot process just yet.

Please read her post here.

Becky...I can't thank you enough.  From the bottom of my heart you are a blessing.

We Want to Know Wednesday

I could use a distraction today...so, I thought I'd answer a few random questions for WWTK.  Ready?

1.  Name 5 of your favorite new blogs that you're readings.  August Fields, Cookie Mondays, Paper in Bloom, I Create, & ReMarkable Home are a few of my newer reads.  Go right now and check them out...oh wait, after you finish my post, of course.

2.  When you were a young child or teenager, did you have an idea of how many children you wanted and what their names would be?  Did you follow through on your ideas?  I always thought I'd have 3 because my Granita would always say "you have to have 2 to fight and 1 to tell."  I did not follow through because I only had two, but that is plenty for me...I only have two hands :)

3.  What is the silliest thing you fight with someone about?  It could be your spouse, sibling, parents, co-worker, etc.  I'm pretty sure Rondell and I would fall into this category.  Yesterday's argument (if you can really call it that) was over who is responsible for vacuuming...I say it's Ron, he says he didn't know that was his job.  Silly.

4.  What is your favorite scent that others my not find very nice?  Ex. gasoline, sweat from your sweetie, etc.  I'd have to say pumpkin candles mainly because I burn them all year long and I know people think of that as a Fall scent.

5.  What are your thoughts on plastic surgery?  (Have you had it? Want it? Regrets?)  My thoughts...do what you like, but just make sure you pick a doctor who can make you look as natural as possible.  Me personally, I have no desire.

Need some distraction...join in on the fun.

miscellany monday (night)...sometimes

1.  Sometimes...it's OK to have a theme to your weekly dinner menu.  This week's theme...meatballs.

I made these little meatball sandwiches that I had at a recent Pampered chef party:

Italian Meatball Mini Burgers 

1/2 small green bell pepper
1/2 small red onion
8 oz (250 g) bulk hot Italian sausage
1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp water
1 pkg (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls with no seams
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup  loosely packed fresh basil leaves (I didn't use any)
1 can (15 oz) pizza sauce
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Finely chop bell pepper and onion.  Combine bell pepper, onion, sausage, bread crumbs and water and mix well.

2. Place dough onto Cutting Board (do not unroll). Using a sawing motion, slice dough into 24 disks (I didn't quite get 24). Arrange disks on baking sheet & sprinkle evenly with 2/3 cup of the cheese.  Place one level scoop of the sausage mixture onto half of the disks; flatten slightly with back of scoop. Bake 15-18 minutes or until buns are golden brown and centers of meatballs are no longer pink.
3. Remove baking sheet from oven & immediately sprinkle meatballs with remaining cheese; top with bun tops. Serve with sauce. 

*********************

The other meatball recipe came from here.  My blog friend Amy has quite a few yummy recipes.

 Here's how it looked after adding the meatballs on top of the spaghetti.

I also topped it with cheese because we are a cheese family and sometimes it's OK to add some extra cheese :)

2.  Sometimes...you just need to look out the window.  We had plans to go to the pool during this holiday weekend, but it ended up raining Saturday (the day they...the weather people...said it was not going to rain).  We then decided on today since the report called for no rain, but definite chance on Sunday.  Well guess what...no rain on Sunday and we woke up to rain this morning.  Sigh.

This weekend we will make no plans...instead we will just look out the window and determine if it's a pool day or not.  Because sometimes it's OK to be your own meteorologist.

3.  Sometimes...it's good to have tradition.  For the past three years we have gotten together with my friends Lyndsey and Amber to watch one of our local parades.  You can see past years here and here.  It's fun to get the kids together and hang out as a family.

This year I remembered to get to Old Navy on time to get the kids matching shirts...because sometimes it's OK to add to traditions.

4.  Sometimes...you just need to pick up the phone instead of emailing/FBing.  A tragic event happened within our church family over the weekend...a woman, a friend lost her husband (he had a brain aneurysm while on a mission trip to Costa Rica). 

When I received word I immediately emailed my friend's best friend...then I prayed.  God laid on my heart to pick up the phone and call...to be more personal.  Because of that phone call I was able to meet an immediate need of my friend Sabrina, something I would not have been able to do over email.

Tonight I will be meeting up with a few other sisters in Christ to welcome Sabrina home (she flew down there after getting word about her husband).  Because sometimes it's OK to be face to face with those you love instead of behind a computer.


UPDATED:  I did not end up seeing Sabrina.  The team's flight was delayed until 2:30 am and she also said that it would have been too overwhelming to have us all there.  Please keep her in your prayers.

Friday Favorites to Welcome July

Hello July!  I can't believe that you're already here, but I welcome and embrace you.  As I say goodbye to June and hello to July it makes me think of a few favorites.

Blue skies

I love seeing all of the "plane marks" in the sky.

Evenings where I can sit and enjoy the blue skies because I'm not rushing to prep the kids for the next day

Very relaxed bedtime schedule for July (I go back to being more strict in August)

The kids taking advantage of the very relaxed schedule and playing their DS games side by side on the couch

Yellow Daylillies

Making garden plans with my mom

The gratefulness that I feel about having my mom help me with my yard...I'd be lost without her

Making plans with my mom to take the kids to a brand new pool this weekend

Having those plans include making little sandwiches with Honey Baked Ham

Taking the kids to the playground and watching them burn off energy

Finding a wonderful new playground thanks to my friend Lyndsey


Talking to my friend Katie yesterday after not talking to her for two weeks (she had a great time in Italy!)

Flip flops

Making bookmarks with Jamison (I'll show them to you next week)

Planning fun outings for the month of July...and sharing them with you :)