whatever

how do you take your coffee?

 

i have a lot going on.

i bet you do too.

i have a bunch of things to blog about... but don't have time right now.

i just made my second cup of coffee SO i am going to pretend that you and i are having coffee togerther and just say a bunch of stuff... as if we met for coffee.  :)

my phone is still gone.  i am hoping it arrives tomorrow.  
i have REALLY missed it.... but also not missed it at all.  that's weird right?  i love being in touch but i have had so much to do this week that it's probably best it's gone.

i really miss instagram and keeping up with my friends on there!  i feel WAY out of the loop!  
i mean what are people doing right now?? what are they eating?  what are they wearing?  where are they going?!
i need to know!

just kidding.

but i do love that when i have it.  not because i want to KNOW but because my far away friends don't seem so faraway with instagram.... ya know?

see... i told you i was having coffee.
i also went running this morning with my girlfriends.  
i am still in my gear... 2 hours later.  

i did put on some lipstick because i brought no make up to Haiti and at the customs line to get back in the US the man looked at me and my passport and said "so... you are a missionary?"  
i said "HEY.... come on!"  it was the no makeup i am positive.

no disrespect to missionaries of course.
if anything HE was disrespecting missionaries.   just assuming they look like that.
and i had thrown up earlier in the day.

then 5 minutes later a customs officer got my attention and said "Maam...maam?  Are you alright?" 
i stopped and looked around and said "Me? Yeah i am alright.  What? WHY?!"
he said "Ohhh....well you just looked like you were sad."

what i wished i had said :

"ummmmm... NO!!  
THIS IS MY FACE WITHOUT MAKEUP THANKYOUVERYMUCH.  now excuse me i have missionary things to do."

what i really said:
"I am fine.  thanks" 

so i figured i should at least put on some lipstick for you since i am still in running gear.

i stopped at the antique store & thrift shop on my way to the Craft House because sometimes it just calls to me.

look what i got!

a coca-cola crate with big spaces.... my favorite.
and a little chalkboard.
the chalkboard will look so nice in a grouping of other wall hangings i think.

and i got this quilt!

these pics are from photo booth on the computer.  and my screen is smashed (bummer!) and so they are all grainy.

but you can see that i found a neat-o quilt.
for $15.

yes.... kansas thrifting is ammmaaaashing.

oh... have you seen the SNL skit of the californians.  it's from last may.
it is so dumb.
but so funny when you watch more than once and start talking like that.

craig and i quote it all the time! 

see..... i told you it was dumb.

:)

but sometime today you will catch yourself saying aammaashing.

ha ha ha

 

alrighty.
i am cleaning the craft house again today.
because it's rented this weekend!

did you know you can rent the craft house?

yep.

all the details are coming soon.

if you can't wait and you need them before i get around to blogging it.... email me.

 

so i have to get to it.... time to crank up the Pandora and rock the vacuum.

one last sip....

wait....

i forgot to ask about YOU!

How are you?  what have you been up to?  what are you doing this weekend?

(see... that is truly what happens when people run into me out and about... they ask a question and i blab on and on and then have to run and then realize all i did was talk and didn't ask how they were.  i want to know those things but i am poor question asker. but on the flip side.... i am a great question ANSWERer! :)

 

so...really.... what IS going on with you?

 

 

craft weekend is my fave.

alrighty... i have made it home from Haiti.
it was a super quick trip to meet some of the stove vendors and see how it all is working IN the field.
my trip was lovely.
i will share my pictures and stories at the end of the week.

i stupidly left my phone in the car of one of the girls living in haiti so i am without a phone for awhile.
feels like i am missing a limb.
somehow though i think will survive.... ha! 

and now.... Craft Weekend January 2013!

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

a new year begins for Craft Weekend.
it is pretty exciting to me.
we have some pretty big plans for the Craft House and Craft Weekend this year.


we brought in a new piece for supplies....it's from the barn.
it is so COOL!  
it was from a post office but i am sure it is much happier living at the craft house now.
it was a pain to clean but i am loving it!
i  want to paint it.... although i never have time.  

(Katie Daisy art is from Pottery Barn Teen)

lindsey helped me set up my shop on the stairway.... so adorable!
she is so good with displays!
and a new/old map is up in the foyer making me happy every time i walk by.






we were ready a little bit early this time (YAY!!) 

our guests arrived and the party was officialy under way!

after dinner we got busy on our aprons.
i am always so interested in watching how they choose.
some are done right away and some are still deciding an hour later.

:)





ironing, hemming, pinning, sewing...almost done.
i love the sounds of 6 sewing machines going at once!





they were all done earlier than any group has been! 
that doesn't mean it was early, but it was earlier than the previous groups.
and i am fine with getting a little more sleep.  


on saturday we took a COLD field trip out to Marion to our favorite shop, Bearly Makin' It.
it was crazy cold.
craaaazy.


tere had a jeanne oliver bag!  
so cute.

i always like to see what people gravitate to at the store... the quilts? the books? glassware?

after a sonic break we made it home to get crafty again.

these girls were fast workers!
most of our projects get quite messy.
if you are going to make a mess it may as well be a pretty one right?



i found another 7up crate at the barn (and then quickly got back in the van before i froze to death)


Lindsey led a project that she has posted about on her blog before.
it was so fun to make!! i LOVED it!!

i want to make a huge one now.  :)

joy led a project that let us use hammer and nails for the first time at Craft Weekend!

its fun to get a little noisy!
(actually it was A LOT noisy...kind of unreal how loud it was!)














my canvas before i started with bright colors. 
we used canvases and paint sponosered by DecoART! 
we love thier products!


my friend wendy of blue lily photography came for friday & saturday to take a ton of photos for us.
i was so happy to have extra time with her!
she squeezed us in before she took off her World Tour with Tyler and her kids.  
i am so grateful!
you NEED to get on their schedule .... they go every where in the world!  
check out their dates by you!

roomie pics.....

                     

                    


seriously adorable aprons!
they added flowers and pom poms and really cute trims.




i don't think i have ever been able to pick a favorite.



we made fabric covered button bracelets..... LOVE these!





these are the signs we built with joy.
everyone came up with neat quotes and colors!



our paintings with lindsey!




everyone's was slightly different in the shades they chose.
but i thought they were all awesome!  

what an awesome group we had!

i felt completely relaxed when it was over....love that...how wonderful to finish your WORK and feel great?!

    krista from kansas                                                       erin from kansas

                                                       mary from kansas                                     angie from dominican republic

   katherine from texas                                                    meredith from texas

                                                           dani from utah                                                   tere from washington

   charly from kansas                                                       sara from kansas

                                                                                                                                           gale from kansas

   joy from california                                                       lindsey from california

 
here's the whole gang!  
such a lovely group of women.... i miss you girls!

                     

kimberlee and i pretty much have the best jobs ever!  
we love serving all these women and guiding them as they create alongside their new friends.
somehow i have no photos this past month of all the YUM-O food she prepared.
i was too busy shoveling it in my mouth apparently.
her meals are just the best...prepared so thoughtfully...taste so GOOD!
i am so grateful for everything she does at Craft Weekend.

but it's really too fun to be called work for us both!

what is your favorite part of craft weekend when you read about it?

i would LOVE to hear that!

happy monday!

 

haiti...

i am still here in Port-au-Prince.
we have had a really great time so far.
we met with 7 stove vendors yesterday in their homes or shops.
i loved that!

i will post more about it in a few days but for now here are a few pictures from today.... 

OH....and how amazing my readers are!!

we raised $6230!!!!!!!!!!!!

that is so CRAZY awesome.

i love it.

NOW.... go over to The Adventure Project Blog and read WHO won the trip to Haiti.

it was exciting to make the video....GO WATCH.

 

i am having a Haitian beer and chillin' with the team before we head home tomorrow.

more photos soon....

bye.

 

:) 

 

 

winter sunset

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

it has been reeeeally cold here but then suddenly there will be a 65 degree afternoon here and there.
this was one of those.
sometimes you have to rush out and soak up as much of it as you can.
(squeezing that inbetween laundry and dinner prep and everything else)



talby went out just as the sun was setting and shouted for me to come see her flip she has perfected.
she has worked for years on it!
woo-hoo!!

as soon as the trampoline springs start squeaking the neighbor dogs show up in our yard.
they love my little girls.




talby pretends she has a ball and they wait and wait for her to throw it.
she and annie play with them a LOT!






so silly.

as we were taking these pictures craig pulled up from work.
that is my favorite part of the day.
all my people under one roof for the night.... yes.

 

the stoves are still being sponsored!!
YOU are AWESOME!

we only need 15 more stoves to reach $5000!! 

that is totally doable in three days!

it's INCREDIBLE that it's up so high already!

you guys are the best best best! 

i am dying to see one of these stoves in real life and be able to share my stories from Haiti!!

the more i read about Haiti... the more i am falling in love.

FIFTEEN STOVES.

three days.

be a SUPER STAR today! let's make a difference!

we can change things in the world!
WE CAN!
we can change children dying from toxic smoke.... we can.
 

SPONSOR A STOVE CLICK HERE.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ok....i have crazy long list to check off today.
all the last minute things that i need to pack and have copies of, etc.
i made two more freezer meals last night and two more this morning.
i am feeling prepared i think.

we will see how i feel tonight.... yikes.

 

 

wowza!

well.... how awesome are you?

i was not sure i could meet my goal of 50 stoves...$1000.

and as of NOW we have raised $4230 and sponsored 211 stoves.

THAT IS SO AWESOME!!!

 

let's keep this momentum going! 

:)

we have five more days.... let's hit $5000!!!!!  i bet we can!!

thank you to everyone who gave so far!
the adventure project thinks you are so cool. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

 

this fake commercial was on Saturday Night Live last week.
i thought it was very funny....

 

also The Lumineers were on!!!!
they were so so SO goooooooood!
did you see it?
you should go over here and watch  and then watch this one too!
they are pretty dreamy to listen to. 

 

i meant to have my craft weekend post up and ready today.
but it's not gonna happen.
i have been so busy....very happily busy... all good stuff.

how about some instagrams from the past week-ish?  

annie loves to go to the thrift store with me.
i told her she could pick one thing only..... i wish she would have chosen that couch!
instead we came home with that valentines bear from 2006.
i know it's 2006 because that is what is on the bear's foot.

my favorite mug.


kimberlee's coffee cake....it was totally delicious.


many monrings look like this over here.


i went back to the mall last week and the gold shoes
that were completely covered in gold glitter were 70% off!  
score. 

annie shouted "MOM pleeeeeease can i get one of these?! They are only $39.99!!"

only???

 

ran five miles by myself.... well, me and the avett brothers and mumford & sons.


tulips.
they are so nice on the eyes.


talby found these in the bathroom and wanted to know WHY? 
Why do we have them? Whose are they? What are they for? Where did they come from?

(they are a mold of craig's teeth...fascinating right?)

a vase of dr.seussy flowers were sunny and nice during this FREEZING week we have had.
 

so cold.
going running in this cold weather is quite something.
frozen thighs no matter how far we go.
but the reward will be endurance when the weather improves.... right?
i hope so.

i love this breakfast.
cutie...greek yogurt... granola... coffee with LOTS of half & half.


cleaning at the craft house is always pretty decent because it's all so pretty to see.


i steal my husband's socks for cold running.... they are just better.


on friday we did our run and then gathered at my friend's house and helped her prepare 25 meals for her freezer as a birthday gift to her.  :)
the gift was helping it get accomplished.
she is super organized so we did what we were told and it all worked out great!
that is my favorite way to cook... "just tell me what to do"

i chopped and chopped and chopped.


then i put together calzones.
it was a lot of work but so worth it!  it's a GENIUS way to cook meals.


saturday morning i snuck in some time under a blanket with coffee and my book.
the sun came up and became too much for me sit there anymore.
but i will take that sunshine anytime!

i took sean to his basketball tournament for the day... just the two of us.
he had three games and i really enjoyed it all.
it has been SO MUCH fun to watch my kids improve in their sports this year.


after sean's three games we went to scott's game at our old high school gym!
it was very surreal to be there as a grown up... as a parent... of a HIGH SCHOOLER?!
so weird.
and lots of the same people sitting or standing in the same place they did when i was in high school?!!

i am reading The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out.  

it's wordy but so far it's reeeeeally good.

"for grace proclaims the awesome truth that all is gift"

sunday night swimming.... yes please.
craig and sean spent almost the whole time wrestling.
why do boys do that so much?

talby organized all annie's babies for her so annie had to feed them all before going to bed herself.


and this morning.... we ran 6.17 miles in 17 degrees.
it was HARD.
but it's done. THANK GOODNESS!


then we met AGAIN but this time at the craft house and we made freezer to crock pot meals!
we made 6 recipes all together and bagged them in freezer ziploc bags!
awesome.

touching all that raw meat all day was kinda gross but i think we will all happily eat it.

i will definitely blog the recipes we tried and show more pics of that soon!
i honestly can't wait to do it again!

and now i am stinkin' tired.

i am going to bed.

 

thanks again for the stove sponsors!!!

you are RAD!

if you haven't given yet and you want to... CLICK HERE  and it will tell you how.
it couldn't be easier.

 

twenty nine.

i kind of threw everyone for a loop when i just casually mentioned i would be traveling to Haiti next week.
as in... everyone.
my own mother texted me within minutes "WHAT!? WHY don't you tell me these things?"

all day my friends were texting me asking "how did i miss this?"
they didn't.

i think i had mentioned it to three people. 

total.

it was a coping mechanism.
i knew it was coming but i also knew i had a very busy month and needed to get through it one thing at a time.  
so craft weekend january is done and now it is time to think about going to Haiti.

i am nervous deep down.  for my heart to break.  for my world to be rocked again.
but i am not scared.
i am aching in my heart already because once you SEE and KNOW... you see and know.
it doesn't go away.
you can't UNSEE it.... and that is major. 

so here we go.

i am going with Becky Straw and Jody Landers. (they are the two women in the video)

i have not met Becky yet but i am stoked about finally getting to meet face to face.  

Jody was the team leader from the trip to Sierra Leone, Africa a few years back (so sad that it's been years)

there are a few others going along that i will meet there too.

we will be documenting stories and photos of the stove vendors that are part of The Adventure Project.
i am SO excited!!
i don't have any idea even where to begin with the emotions in my heart about it all.
i feel like i cried my way through africa.... it was a lot of crying.
and i hope i can be a little more composed on this trip.

hmmmmm.

pray for me ok?  
that i will have a servant's heart and mind.  
that i will see what God wants me to see... not necessarily with my eyes.  
that i would listen when i need to listen and keep quiet when i should.

and that there will be no speed boats.  (just kidding)

 

i would LOVE to reach my goal of 50 stoves sponsored in the next 7 days.

i would actually truly love to exceed my goal and i would really like your help.




i need 29 more stoves sponsored to reach my goal.

each stove is a $20 donation.

twenty dollars.
that is.... a disney dvd.  a new cardi from target.  ONE earring at anthro.  

twenty dollars can provide so much good!

{{{sigh}}}

 

Give a Stove this Holiday - The Adventure Project Campaign on Vimeo from The Adventure Project on Vimeo.

 

twenty nine more stoves.

 

i am fully aware that a stove won't change the world.

(but... will your cardi?)

i am not trying to "save the world."
i am trying to help where i can and when i can.

the leading cause of death is from breathing smoke while their mothers cook their meal?! 
oy.

lets help to change this.

 

thank you for helping reach my goal of 50 stoves.

if you sponsor THREE stoves your name is put in with all the others who sponsored 3 stoves and we will draw one name to win a trip to Haiti!  
seriously?!
you would get to see it all with your own eyes.
i get to help pick the winner!
wouldn't it be so rad to see that YOU won?!
life changing. 

but one stove is awesome.
it's super amazing.

and so much better than a cardi.

(that says a lot coming from a cardi collector....)

 

SPONSOR A STOVE TODAY.  :)