Tonight's Movie Premier...

Just a little sneak peak of what this goat chasing (see post right below), child bearing,
city girl turned country queen is doing tonight.
I know I have mentioned my great sis-in-law (mom of ten),
but my amazing brother has a bit to do with that.
Anyhow, as part of his "side life," when he's not helping me corral the chaos out here on our homestead, he also produces movies.
Some of you may have seen The Ultimate Gift with Abigail Breslin...yep, that was his, and we had tons of fun being in it.
Anyhoo - tonight is the premier of a documentary that he is co-executive producing along with Matt Damon.
Yep, THEE Matt Damon.
It's called, "Running the Sahara,", and is a fascinating look at three ultra-marathoners literally risking their lives to run across the Sahara desert. Can we say in-san-i-ty?
I won't go into all the details now, but I will post some fun pictures later. The proceeds of the premier will go to build clean drinking water wells in Africa.
We aren't sure if Matt Damon will make it...I am guessing the Piedmont Triad isn't his kind of place, but there's some buzz about this getting some Academy or is it Emmy (I get them confused) award nominations, so it will be a energized evening.
Off to figure out which one of my Good Will Hunting dresses will work
(get it...Matt Damon...ha ha), and I am not kidding about the Good Will dresses.
Even for this, I refuse to pay retail!!!!

P.S. And no, I will not be bribed for his cell phone number, so don't ask. All of our kiddos (when my bro first started working with him) copied it down and wanted to bid it off on Ebay - those little entrepreneurs.
Needless to say, we wrested it back, burned it, and threatened their lives...it worked.

Meet the Menace...

What a fun surprise to find mid day some new friends visiting from Emily's blog, and the Nester's sweet comment. Emily is just the sweetest thing, and after our day together, I confessed to my husband that she is someone with whom I could build a great friendship.
My friendship time is at a premium, so I don't thrown that out often.
Poor thing for her family, she doesn't have much choice. We are going to be hounding them for years with all our kiddos in the youth group.
If you're here for the first time...I am so glad!

This is my small spot in the world where I share my reality of balancing beauty and bedlam. The horror today was realizing that I actually had a respectably boring post (another one down below) with no signs of bedlam at all.
So many blogs scream beauty, and I savor those with my coffee, but my goal is to also share the bedlam that pops into my life. It is there...quite often, when I least expect it.
It keeps this place real, and my pride in check (hmm, that may be a proud comment? hee hee).
Since you saw the "beauty" over at Emily's (isn't she an amazing photographer), browse around and you will find plenty of bedlam...breaking hotel beds, dancing in the rain, dogs throwing up gross things, as well as the typical, everyday events that take my breath away from God's goodness.
This is the bedlam that I came home to on Sunday...less than a day before Emily took those great shots. Not how I would have chosen to introduce myself, but it's life...my life.
City girl doing the country living thing.

Meet Mocha, the Menace (you can read more about her here).
Almost monthly she breaks away and decides to join the family for some bonding.
Unfortunately, she decided to start the grill before we were ready, or home from church.

She knows a good thing when she smells it,
and left over steak particles were calling to her from the field...she couldn't resist. The problem? I was dressed in my Sunday go meeting clothes, with all my strong guys following behind in another car. Following way behind.

Who says that goats are herbivores?

You may wonder why I tried to tackle The Menace without changing my clothes?
Well, I did shed the great green wrap that covered up that bare skin that I am showing you all right now...I am typically on the more modest side. :)

At first, I thought it was funny and that my daughter could catch a good picture.
You see, if I were to let go of her, and take off those great $5 leather boots that I got at a yard sale, she would have gone straight for my flower bushes.
I KNOW...she ate 4 rose bushes down to the ground in a matter of minutes the last time I tried to postpone the inevitable, and trust her to mind her manners.

You see, by now, I am getting really ticked. Goats are strong, really strong, and stubborn. So stubborn that they will not give in - even to the point of making themselves faint.
Yep, she faints from that strong will, just because she doesn't want to give in to her little sinful nature. Reminds me of a few kids that I know?
Hmmm...might even make a good devotional topic. :)

It is now an all out tug of war between good and evil,
and the blond will not give in....it's a matter of pride, you see. She has beaten me before; I humbly admit, and dragged me across the field. In my weaker days, of course.
I didn't know my 9 year old kept snapping pictures, but I am glad she did....too funny.
I think she's starting to think in "blog post" terms.

Ahh haa...victory.
Well, almost...it was about another 10 minutes to get her back,
but this makes for a good ending.
My boys all pulled in about 5 minutes after the fiasco was finished and asked,
"Why isn't lunch ready?"
Grr....males and their mealtimes.
The moral of that story....
they ended up making it themselves...hee hee
Oh, and if my regular friends are wondering about that designer wardrobe for $100...yep, I keep promising, but haven't come through. It's coming, but here's a teaser.
Black....begin looking through the Good will racks for classic black pieces that can be the basis for multiple outfits. You want to start with 8 - 10 great core wardrobe pieces that we can mix/match.


What you see me wearing, including the jewelry that you can't really see...
$12 (with the leather boots being $5 of those).
Skirt - $3.50 - Good will
Really sweaty tank from doing battle with a goat.....50 cents - yard sale
Gorgeous sheer green wrap that draws out the green accent on the skirt - $2.00 at the "boutique" section of a thrift store (seriously, that section is labeled boutique:)
Hmm...guess the impact isn't the same without seeing it.
Well, you will. ;)

Thanks for stopping by...can't wait to visit you.

Princess for a Day

Since I have to be at church between 7 - 7:30 am many Sundays, I have had to let a few things slide over the years.
A few of those things have been a cozy Sunday morning "dream" breakfast with the family, as well as getting the final approval on the kids' choice of dress. As they have grown older, it hasn't been as much of an issue, but wow, the scrapbook that we could have had.
I know that many ladies pick out outfits the night before, and I have on occasion. But for the most part, that just hasn't been at the top of my Saturday evening priority list.

My husband ROCKS!!

and the fact that 2/4 weeks of the month, for the whole of our marriage, he has single handedly taken care of getting the kids ready and to church on time, speaks for itself....UN.BE. LIEVE.ABLE!!! I know most wives won't let their husbands dress the kids...ever!
With that being said, over the years it has been somewhat of an unspoken joke amongst the Sunday school teachers...."oh, Jen must be singing this week."
Yes, some of the outfits have been absolutely hilarious.
For the most part, my husband just lets them pick out what ever they wanted to wear...ok, not for the most part....he did.
Plaids, and stripes.....orange, purple, red - it doesn't matter.
Mismatched shoes, and a few choice times - no shoes at all.
And during this past Christmas season, a beautiful velvet dress with tennis shoes ....I admit, often the shoes are not put back where they should be.
I know, I know...if I don't take the time to pick them out, I can't complain.
Through it all, I have learned many things about myself.
Namely, to conquer that pervasive attitude of pride that just manages to sneak its way in when you least expect it.
What will people think of me?
Hopefully, they see me as a mom who passionately loves her children. But more importantly, sees me as a wife who appreciates the husband who has faithfully supported her, and given of himself so that she can use the gifts that God has given her...even when it means putting up with the grief that she gives about the outfit choices.
Thank you, honey....I LOVE YOU!
This is the precious blessing that greeted me this morning as I picked her up from her Sunday School class. Re-encated at home...of course.
Ahhhh.....don't we all just want to be princess for a day?
Well, she was...her princess dress in all its glory.
I must say...after I got past the initial chuckle, she sure does look cute!
I am so thankful that she is conscious of the "no white after Labor Day" rule.
She got it all in on August 31st.

She is a Precious Princess, and the daughter of the ONE TRUE KING!!

Back to School ideas

Every month I send out a traditions newsletter with wonderful ideas to engage your family for that month's upcoming holiday. This month's theme was Back to School, so we're tangenting a bit from the holiday traditions, but I thought I would share some of these great ideas with you. Especially, creative solutions on keeping the kids artwork under control.

Teach your children a little bit about nature. Watch plants grow before your eyes with a bookshelf terrarium. Cover the bottom of a jar with gravel, then add 1/4 inch of ground charcoal. Mix 2 parts potting soil, 2 parts peat, and 1 part builder's sand; add to jar. Dig small holes for plants, such as sweet flag or Chinese elm. Spray completely with water before putting on lid. The terrarium should retain moisture, so rewatering won't be necessary, but you should check the soil periodically to be safe. Your child will be more likely to eat lunch if he gets to help choose the menu. We have made it easy for the two of you to map out lunches for the week which will make great use of your time and make grocery shopping easier. Just download and print our magnetic chart onto a full-size magnet sheet. Then print the food name label onto a second magnetic sheet and cut it out. Together, come up with a variety of sandwiches, fruits, healthy snacks, and desserts; then print them out and let your child fill in the blanks. I offer a beautiful family meal planner in our Chaos to Connection line, as well as "Homemade in a Hurry" meals and mixes allowing you to gather around the dinner table more often. With the start of the school year, children will begin their after-school activities and consequently spend more time in the carpool. A canvas shoe bag is perfect for keeping toys tidy & easy to reach in the car. How many little masterful works of art do you currently have in your home? Whether your child attends preschool or kindergarten or is home schooled, arts and crafts are a natural part of any curriculum. What do you do with these masterpieces? Before we explore the solutions, there are several things to consider when organizing children's artwork. * Be consistent. Kids thrive on structure because they know what to expect. If they know they can keep one art piece a week to go into their monthly file, they will be prepared emotionally which will make the decisions easier. * Realize it is not about the artwork. At a much deeper level it is about teaching them the skills to make decisions and live a clutter free life. * Have the children make the decision. Empower your child to choose which art piece to keep and how you can enjoy it the best. Instead of holding out 10 pieces at a time, try holding two and have them choose one. Then hold two more and so on. Decisions are often easier when there are not so many choices all at once. Okay, now we are ready for creative solutions to keep the artwork under control while honoring your child's creative spirit. 1. Postage Stamps: Can you believe you can turn your child's artwork into real postage stamps? Check out PhotoStamps or PictureItPostage to see how easy it is! 2. Greeting Cards, Calendars, Postcards, T-shirts, etc: You can turn the masterpiece into an actual greeting card! You can do almost anything now digitally! Cafepress.com offers a wide variety of products that can show off the artwork, and family and friends can purchase what they like for themselves! If you have a Mac, use iPhoto to create cards, calendars, postcards and more. Online photo albums will also have these features. 3. Online Photo Album: Create a special website to display all the kid's artwork for everyone to enjoy. Before you think you can't possibly do that, there are easy ways to have an online photo album without knowing all the technical stuff. 4. Turn the artwork into a business: If your child is producing a ton of amazing art, you may want to consider creating a business by turning the art into products others can enjoy. Again, with CafePress.com you can set up your own store. The possibilities are endless--journals, mugs, t-shirts, cards, magnets, stickers, bags, and so much more! 5. Stationery: Who wouldn't love to get a fun piece of mail? In fact, you and your child can create different stationary sets for family and friends so they too can share the artwork with others. Your child can also use their artwork for thank you's, invitations, journal entries, or a simple hello. 6. A Year of Art: Choose 12 pieces of art and turn it into a calendar for your family to enjoy or for other relatives who want a piece of your child in their home. You can do this several ways: buy a calendar and paste the artwork over the picture page, scan the photos into the computer and order a calendar with the artwork online, or make it completely by scratch! 7. Snap Shot in Time: Take a picture of your child with the art piece and place it in a scrapbook, memory box, or online album. Can you think of a better way to capture the age of your c hild and their masterpiece? This suggestion works especially well with larger than life projects that take up way too much space or would require crazy storage solutions. 8. Artwork Portfolio: Contact me about purchasing our Artwork Portfolio (it's huge and beautiful). It's on special this month for $30. Regularly priced at $45.

"Here's a way to make a kid smile and let him know you're thinking of him during those long days when they’ve gone back to school. Place a smiling piece of fruit accompanied by a silly note in his lunch bag. Use a nontoxic dry-erase marker to make faces that are safe to eat and flavorless. While a smile is always nice, a slumbering fruit with closed eyes is cute, and a jolly face with a tongue sticking out is saucy and fun. Then write a short happy note to include with the fruit, such as ‘You're apple-solutely fabulous!’ " ~ Stories of My Life Booklets & Box Set The Stories of My Life are a series of booklets in which you write about events, opinions, feelings, ideas and more. The important thing is that the story is in your own words and your own handwriting. Just imagine how treasured these stories will be years from now as they are shared generation after generation. Store them in our beautiful Stories Of My Life Box. Box measures 6.5" x 5.5" x 4.5". #LC055 Retail: $39** , Special Price: $25*** Artwork Portfolio Show your little "Picassos" just how much you value their artwork by keeping it all in this beautiful but sturdy 20.5" x 26" portfolio with protective sides. Treasures such as these should never be stored in drawers or attic boxes where they can get lost or damaged. #CC021 Retail: $45** , Special Price: $30*** *Special is valid Sept. 1 - Sept 30, 2008 **Customer pays shipping on the retail price of the Customer Special Product.

Stories of My Life Booklets & Box Set The Stories of My Life are
a series of booklets in which you write about events, opinions, feelings, ideas and more.
The important thing is that the story is in your own words and your own handwriting.
Just imagine how treasured these stories will be years from now as they are shared
generation after generation. Store them in our beautiful Stories Of My Life Box. #LC055 Retail: $39** , Special

12,166 feet!

We all know that camping is definitely a mixture of beauty and bedlam.

I am the "Queen of Forced Bonding."

Being in youth ministry for so many years, during the days when I could still do a back bend, and shoot Kix out of my nose, just enabled me to have a knack for forcing people to get to know each other.
Don't worry, as an adult I hate my kind of people too. :)
(how do I put a real smiley face on here?)
Anyhow, camping is the ultimate in forced bonding....I love it....(mostly, except for the don't get any sleep, have the hugest bug bites known to man, and I have issues with trying to go to the bathroom if I think others can hear factor, but besides that)
....it's the ultimate in creating family bonding and special memories, and I am all over that...!
So imagine when my sis in law from Colorado sent us this picture of their camping site.
My nephew picked Wheeler Lake, CO - 12,166 feet to go camping for his bday...
I can't even count that high!

In the second picture, it is
hard to see, but there is a lake in the foreground, in front of the
mountain.
She shared no bedlam moments, but I know if it was us camping, we would have surely broken down with no cell coverage, had no one around for another 15,000 feet, had a leaking tent, and bears would have eaten all of our food.
So just pretend it was us camping...makes the story better.
Have a fabulous Friday, you amazing blogging friends!
P.S.
Isn't God amazing to display such majesty? WOWZA!