The Best Thing About College . . .

 . . . is when they come home!!! Kelly's coming home this weekend! We're off to pick her up today.

We were going to have her stay there for Labor Day weekend because she's coming with me to the Women's Retreat NEXT weekend.

But .  . . 

She said, "Please." 

Actually, it was more like, "Puuuhhhhhh huh huh leeeeaaase!!!

Also, isn't this the cutest thing, ever?

It's Paul's niece. =) We're determined to have birthdays once per month just for her, she loves them so! She doesn't even care whose birthday it is, as long as it's a birthday!

Call to Order

The one area where I feel I've FINALLY gained control is my bathroom.  For three months now, the counter is clean and clear of clutter. The shower looks great, and the entire thing is cleaned regularly. I love walking in there in the morning!

I keep my makeup and hair items in trays or carryalls. Since I have no drawers in my bathroom, the choice was to either have everything all over the counter or jumbled in the cabinet. This way, I take the tray and carryall out in the morning, then I put it away when I'm finished. I know Himself really appreciates a clear countertop when it's his turn (because he told me so!).

Anything that has to be on the counter is in a cute tray from Ikea, nicely corralled.

I MOSTLY have control of the kitchen. That feels pretty good, too. Each day my goal is one load of laundry completed, plus making dinner. I don't always get the dishes done completely at night, so I'll finish them in the morning.

Then there's my bedroom.

WHY?

Why can't I just throw everything away and start over? My room is the place Kelly tosses everything when she cleans the house before company, and there it sits until I can get around to it. I have all kinds of charts and plans for organizing my bedroom, but they have not inspired me yet.

Anyone else have victory with bedroom clutter?

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

If you've ever considered home schooling or could use a refresher, check out this blog post! She has compiled a pretty thorough list.

As for me, the light at the end of the home school tunnel is getting brighter and brighter!

Oh, Hi!

She got a haircut. 

If You Give a Girl a Camera . . .

Click to make larger. Can't wait to see what she comes up with when she's had some classes!

To the New Mr. And Mrs.

 I'll bet you all thought it would be about Ty and Jessie!

Congratulations to my Sweet Mama and Charlie on their wedding day. Wish I could be with you, but I am holding you both in my heart! May today be the beginning of everything beautiful. 

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. 

 (Numbers 6:24-26)

You are dearly loved!

Bible Club

Our church used to host Vacation Bible School each summer, but the budget made us cut expenses. Instead, our high schoolers hosted a neighborhood Bible Club!

For three days, they set up a canopy in a local neighborhood. They had games, crafts, and Bible teaching.

Although flyers were passed out ahead of time, only one adorable family showed up each and every day to participate.

One family, but it was enough!

Kudos to the high school group for putting themselves out there!

Behold . . .

. . . the most ridiculous shoes. . . .

. . . . ever. 

That's a puffy nylon "flower" on the side.

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

This is an older post that I just got around to reading, and I'm so glad I did.

In our home, the rules were simple:

1. It's only fun if both people are laughing

2. When someone says stop, that means STOP.

What a simple way for children to feel heard and respected.

I Will Bring Praise!

I didn't even realize that I had a sour attitude until I got to church yesterday.

I thought I was moving along pretty well, and even cheerfully, given the fact that I'm feeling a little sleep deprived and trying to catch up on rest after a busy weekend. I arrived at church and greeted my friends. I may have "hmphed" a little because Kelly was back at college and not up there singing with my Glenna and my friend, that Little Stinker Margaret.

After the first song and announcements, the music team started playing their set. That's when I looked over and saw her. I immediately started bawling, and I'm bawling right now as I write this!

Joanna was in church after almost SIX YEARS of being unable to fellowship with us due to illness. SIX. YEARS.

Joanna was home!!!

I cried the rest of the service. I cried after an abbreviated hug with her, thankful that I didn't put on perfume that morning! (I'm sure my flowery deodorant was too much as it was.)

She's been on such a journey and you can look back at it here, though she still has miles to go. Until Joanna went through it, I never even knew E.I. (Environmental Illness) existed. I have since become more conscious of my product choices though.

Welcome home, Joanna. It was a glory to God to see you! I saw Sunday morning through your fellowship-starved eyes yesterday and my heart was changed.

Twenty

Happy Birthday, our Dearest Kelly!!! We already miss you and are counting the days until we see you again. I hope your day is wonderful! We love you so!

Back in a Few

Today, I won't much be around. I'm taking my girl back to her college town.

Does that sound like a country song to anyone else?

It's her Junior year and she was asked to be a Dorm Leader! We have all kinds of adorable things to decorate her unit. Pictures to come!

Note to Self

After almost a year of avoiding fast food and processed food, what made you think it would be OK to zip through not ONE but TWO drive-thrus?

Not so convenient at 2 am when your guts are ripping out, huh?

Lesson learned.

Sock It To Me!

My first attempt at making a sock bun!

Put hair in a pony-tail. Cut the toe off a sock and place it over the pony-tail. 

Roll the sock and the hair downward, tucking it in as you go. It's totally secure!

The added bonus is that if you sleep in it overnight, your hair comes out in nice, loose waves.

(PS: Happy first day of school, my Glenna! I know you're going to rock your Jr. year. Philippians 4:8!)

Tuesday is Guest Star Day!

Even though she wrote this a couple of weeks ago, I just wanted to share what Amanda had to say.

So many times we try to make things exactly perfect for ourselves and our children. Is this, instead, a handicap?

Observations at Unload and Restraint

The bag on the side of the rocket is NOT for used gum.

Indoor voices please. Or, try not talking all at once.

People of Walmart - skipping the morning shower is never a good idea.

Please, take your time gathering your things before exiting the rocket. There are not 12 other rockets hurtling through space and due to arrive in 2.3 minutes.

Little kids who conquered your fears and rode a rocket for the first time - you are my favorite. You're stinkin' adorable. And YES, that was AWESOME!

Dads who make fun of the Moms for checking the lap bar 40 times on their little ones - we see you making gestures behind your kid, asking us to check the lap bar. Kudos for being discreet and not letting the kid see you do it.

Conversely, parents who force a screaming and hysterical child into a seat - no, I will not send that rocket. You can do a Rider Switch. The boy was begging and pleading with us to get him off the ride! A 2.3 minute ride is not worth your child's mental well-being.

Guests who ask, "Is this ride fast?" It's a ROLLER COASTER.

Guests who ask, "Is this ride scary?" It's a ROLLER COASTER. (Thrilling? Yes. Scary? No.)

Guests who salute me or give me Trekkie hand gestures - you are also my favorite. Carry on, Space Traveler. Carry on.

Hats

For one of Jessie's showers, we were invited to wear hats. Glenna and I went shopping immediately (this is back in the day before THE CAMERA) and would you believe there wasn't a single mirror near the hats? How in the world were we supposed to see what it looked like?

I finally told Glenna to take pictures of the hats I was trying on, and then I did the same for her. What is it about putting on a hat that makes one immediately strike a pose?

Wasn't ready

I might go back for this one!

By the way - I had NO IDEA how expensive hats could be. Glenna or I would find a beautiful hat and fall in love with it, only to see the price tag. It got to where we would sigh with resignation, "Well, at least we know we have excellent taste."