whatever

ice ice baby.

All right STOP. Collaborate and listen.

(dorkiest title E V E R but i did listen to that song on my first date with mr. duerksen) 

yesterday i wore a skirt and flip flops.
we woke up this morning to a blanket of ice.
it was wrapped around everything in site.
kansas is going off the deep end!






these are icicles!!
icicles on every branch and leaf and blade of grass.
and it was still raining.






i took all these pictures in my yard while i waited 20 minutes for my car to warm up enough for the ice to melt off the windshield!
SOMEONE took my ice scraper this morning before she left for school even though she got her own ice scraper in her stocking this past christmas... a NICE one with a fur glove from eddie bauer!  

the ice was so thick over all the windows that i couldn't see out AT ALL.

this was my view from the driver's seat out my front windshield!!!

seriously!

and if you have never experienced an ice storm...
it has a very weird sound.
it seems quieter because of how the ice must absorb sound? maybe 
but then all the branches and bits of ice touch together when there is wind and it makes a crackley sound.
and then big tree limbs fall off all over town because of the weight of the ice on old heavy braches.
very exciting!  
not.

for now... we have power so that is good.
this happened 8 years ago when annie was a new baby and we lost power for 8 days!
so i am hoping this ice junk (even though it's pretty) will be all melty by tomorrow.

besides... i have running to do!
that little 13.1 mile run is only 18 days away!
ugh.

i wish it was 18 days ago.
i am ready to stop thinking about it.
i want it over! 

i put bbq ribs in the crockpot this morning.
then drove very slowly to the craft house for a hot bath because the hot water was out at the farm.
for reals.
the washing machine is broken too.
a tree limb knocked down the fence in the yard.
and the glass in the back door shattered last night.
AND for some reason this storm makes everything smell like the lagoon in the back. 

so yeah... a hot bath was happening no matter what.

and now a blanket and a movie?

yes.

that.

 

 

 

 

blue lily is my fave.

hello.

our last day of GoPro we had a session of discussing business plans & ideas, a flash seminar, camera cleaning, personalized critiques (that's a good thing) and two more shoots.

some of our group went up on the gondola and hiked around.
but i could barely walk around the house and up the stairs so i wasn't up for a hike.
i stayed at the house and we practiced on each other and did headshots.  :)






 


i am thinking my editing looks funny on all of these....hmmm.
it's hard to learn something new!


there was a fox that was all around the house during our stay.
he was wild but seemed to really not care that we were there.
we were all very close and he ignored us.
weird.
and cool. 

i promised the girls that if he attacked i would be sure to take lots of pictures of that.
and then of course i would try to help save them. 

 

we had our group photo very impromptu... with some taxidermy.

                                         

coolest group photo ever taken....NO OFFENSE.

 

we went out in the evening to practice some harsh lighting shots.
wendy and tyler had us turn our backs and then when we turned around this is what we saw!


how crazy cute are those masks?!!
so so funny.
these are their kids...not wendy and tyler in the masks.  :)

(ps...their kids are so lovely...i want to squeeze them.)




they said the masks were ordered from amazon.


not as cute on a grown up....

my new friends.  :)

we went on to our last photo shoot of the weekend.
i was so excited.
i was going to be one of the models!!


everyone was helping wendy set up.
it's looking cool already....

well....i don't have many pictures yet since i was IN the shoot....but it ended like this.



that's my kind of modeling job.
 
we had a big paint war!!!

6 of us threw paint on each other while the other 16 people photographed it.
it was washable craft paint mixed with water to make it fly faster. 

it was SO MUCH FUN!!!

and you can see our photo shoot last year with colored powder here.

i can't say which one i liked better....they were both AWESOME. 

you can read about it here on the Blue Lily blog and see when the next GoPro workshop is.

if you are considering going to a workshop....DO IT.
you will learn so much.
you will be encouraged.
you will meet people who love what you love and have great ideas.
you will be SO glad you took the leap and tried something BIG.

and check their travel schedule....they take pictures ALL OVER THE WORLD.
get signed up for a photo session with them near you! 

you will be so happy you did it.

thank you AGAIN wendy & tyler.  
i loved my time with you.

 

last day of summer F U N!!!

i was really ready for school to start but feeling like this summer was missing some FUN.
you know...REAL fun.
i felt tired and busy all summer.
and a bit checked out.
at the store i got the last minute school supplies i had forgotten before and as i grabbed the shaving cream that was on my grocery list...i had the idea.

                                

shaving cream fight.
it's been two years.
we needed to bring it back.

after dinner that night i called them out for a surprise.
i was nervous they were going to think they were too old for it.

           
 


clearly they were not too old for this awesomeness.
well, scott was...but you could tell he really wanted to come out.  
isn't it a bummer to get older and put all these "rules" on yourself?
because are you really ever too old to be in a shaving cream fight?
the answer is no.

       
 



 

 
i keep a few wet rags nearby for when someone gets it on their eye or mouth.
there were no tears this year or fighting.
YAY!!!



        





the yard smelled amazing.

         







waffle really wanted to come out and play.







        

                      





she did throw it at me.
it wiped off my camera.
and i had it all over my shirt....but that is no biggie.


best picture ever!!!



i sent them to the trampoline which was like i told them to get a third scoop of ice cream!
they were so happy.
         









THEN i turned on the sprinkler under the trampoline and they cleaned most of the shaving cream off of them.
they eventually went in one at a time and showered while i sprayed down the deck.

                   

it was the pefect last night of summer activity.
they said so many times how fun it was and how awesome all that shaving cream felt.

smile.

at least we ended on a good note.

goodbye summer.
you were too hot and kind of sucky.....autumn i expect more from you!

my advice today:

GO BUY TEN CANS OF BARBASOL AND TELL YOU KIDS TO GO NUTS!

............................................................................................................................. 

craft weekend post is coming on monday!
did you think i forgot?
no way.... those posts just always have so much goodness they take a long time to write.  :)

 

tornado alley

we are ok.
there were tornados in kansas this weekend....LOTS of tornados....but not at my house.
this was one about 8 or 10 miles away.
craig and scott saw this one on the video driving home from scotts game. (which i was not at because i was in the basement!)

they did not make this video...it was just someone driving in a severe weather watch...that seemed surprised that there was a tornado!  whatevs. 

crazy.

that's kansas though.
every year.

i was in the basement with my other kids...telling them it was fine....relax....it's going to be fine.
my little girls worry.
A LOT.
i try to just be very calm and hope for the best.
we were watching HOP and i didn't mention the sirens.
then Scott came running in and yelled "I SAW THE TORNADO!"  and they were done for....
they ended up sleeping in my bed.

thanks for ALL the emails asking if we were okay....so sweet.

i am so thankful that EVERYONE is ok.  

 

now...the winner for LuciusART's wood block City Print.

NYC is my favorite city in the US, so I would want that- but I live in Joplin, MO and I would love that too! Maybe I need two...

Posted by: Carrie | April 12, 2012 at 03:41 PM

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

email me Carrie and i will hook you up with Kevin!!

thanks for entering everyone!!!

 

 

i am trying SO hard not to be nervous about the SNAP conference this week.
lots of prayer here.

i am going to be spending extra amounts of time with God the next few days getting a clear vision of what HE wants me to share in my session.  
i am on a panel with Jeannett and Ethan about "Using Your Blog for Good."

i know, i know, I KNOW that God is able to take away these fears and nervousness.
He can and He will.
because HE brought me to this....God gets all the glory....i have to share that.

so....here's the deal.
if YOU are going to SNAP and YOU see me...PLEASE say  hello.
i think i will know 3 people that i have met in real life.
out of 300+ people that makes me feel extra nervous.
it's hard to leave your kids, husband and home and go some place NEW with lots of people.
at least it is for me.

so i promise to wear a big friendly smile and fill your ear with lots of chit chat if you promise to say Hello.
ok?

:)

AND WHAT WILL I WEAR?!!!
so many decisions. 

i did get some new shoes....maybe too many shoes.

 
i WISH Payless Shoes would be sponsoring me...but they are not.....BUT THEY SHOULD!

i just always seem to find great shoes there all the time.
i did a little online BOGO shopping.
just for me.


i think the glitter flats are my favorite.
but it's a hard choice.
the red wedges are REALLY cute and comfy and come in several colors.
even yellow.
and i LOVE the little yellow flower sandals too.
shoes sure do make me happy.
i am a dork. 

 

ok....have a great monday!

i just got back from a run and i feel like today is going to be a good one.
THE SUN IS SHINING!
woo-hoo!

thank you God for that.

 

 

christmas craft #3

ok....

this craft is a bit more time consuming
BUT
all three kids said "that is AWESOME!" when i showed them. 
sean said "it's so creative!"  
:)

i saw one at the hallmark store that was similar but clearly mass produced & i thought "i bet i could make that"
so we did! 

you will need clear ornaments, foam balls that are smaller than the glass ornament, fake snow and scrap fabric. 
i found those all at hobby lobby. 

i did this step apart from when the kids were working.
i carved a hole in the foam that was exactly the size of the top of the ornament where it hangs from.
i used a screwdriver....? it was what i found in my drawer.
the foam is really soft and easy to work with.

it will look like that.


take the silver ornament hanger off the ornament.
make a cone with paper and fill your ornament with fake snow....as much or as little as you want.
this stuff goes everywhere so the cone was the least messy way we found to work.


add hot glue to the top of the ornament... around the top ring.


then you IMMEDIATELY push the foam ball that was hollowed out onto the ornament.
it should be tight... i had to help annie.

we made hats by cutting a circle of black paper for the brim and rolled paper to fit inside the silver ornament hanger.
and hot glued it all together.
there is a close up picture of the hats below.


cut a strip of fabric or felt for a scarf about 12" long.


tie it around the head in a knot.


we cut some "fringe" on the ends.


the faces are painted onto the head before the hats are glued on.
and buttons on their tummies.


and we added a little scrap of fabric or felt for the hat.
(p.s. mine is the one with the really wide set eyes...i like my snowmen that way.  :)


sean


for this hat we hot glued felt around the head and tied the top together.
then snipped the end into fringe.


annie


we watched frosty the snowman tonight on tv.
man....frosty returns was on afterwards....ummm....yuck.
how did that movie become a "classic?"
seriously.

we watched "it's a Wonderful Life" last night.
i cried from the start.
love that movie.
but i fell asleep at the last 10 minutes.
like...i was out cold...missed the best part.

 

DID YOU WATCH MY CRAZY VLOG???

the sound was nuts wasn't it?

DID YOU DONATE TO CHARITY: WATER??  

do it.

come on....join us!

it's $10 to change lives!

CHANGE LIVES!!!!

it's real.

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.

you make a difference.

your heart is big.

you matter.

HELP OTHERS.

:)


don't forget to enter my giveaway (and the others) if you donated!

 

 

he could quit his day job.....

let's just call him Magnum P.I. from now on.

he checked on my phone through t-mobile & got all the numbers that had been called since i'd lost it friday night.
i had lost my phone 30 minutes away from home.
he called them.
he got names and figured out who took it and was using it.
and then talked to the thief's neighbor!
she said "what?! that is terrible!  i will go and get it for you! that is AWFUL!"  
and she called back with my phone.
Magnum drove to her house and picked it up and surprised me with it.
we are sending the neighbor a thank you gift! 

he is awesome.

like....way awesome.
thanks MAG.

so yeah.......i googled magnum pi and there were over a million results for images.
a million!?!
that is pretty crazy.
and worthy of a picnik collage don't you think?? 

come on....you know you want THAT on your pinterest!

when i look at those pictures i feel like i am 6 years old.
my uncle had that mustache....my parent's friends had those....everyone!
can't you hear his voice in your head????  smoldery tom selleck.....mmmmm. 

but you can't stop there......i had to YOUTUBE him.

and then i found you can find full episodes on hulu from season one!

oh my.

 

how was that for a monday morning post???

there was NO WAY you saw that coming.

:)

................................................

 

answers to the question on the photo collages above the summer list?

i posted about it here.
 

................................................

chrissie grace has had a FABULOUS response to the fundraiser for Davis!
thank you so much for ordering from her shop so we can get Davis to his mommy!
amy was so surprised and happy.
she was crying and texting me.
loved that!
surprises are too much fun!


well......chrissie decided to be PURE awesome 

and give 25% from ANY sale in her entire shop in june to davis's adoption. 
what a beautiful heart chrissie has! 

she answered some questions you may have about the pillow order on her blog.

i think i may need this....


 
and these two are really cute.....
 

25% of chrissie's sales in june go toward Davis's adoption fees through resses's rainbow!

i cannot wait to see davis in amy's arms.

go shop!