whatever

my last 10 pins...

i am secret on pinterest.... but these are some of my recent pins.  :)

 

best colors.  
that mint green in there... seals the deal.

 

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such a grown up lady bedroom.  
someday i want to be a grown up lady.  (ha ha ha)

 

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drooling.

 

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melissa you made that hallway TOO CUTE!

 

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get in my belly.

 

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i know just where i would like to do this.
super sweet isn't it???

 

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i love a great poster.  it's an oldie but goodie.

 

well.... there are no words necessary.

 

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when i see things like this i am reminded how little details are what make a home so special.

 

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this room is CRAZY fabulous.
the palette...the honey comb...the headboard... i love it.

i would like to smile into that mirror everyday.

 

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how much fun is this house tower?!!

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totally making this this summer with the kiddos.

 

we are doing this for our chicks when the coop is done.

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chicken coop is underway with this picture as the inspriation.... FABulous.

 

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i could make this quilt.
i want to make this quilt.
it's fabulous.

 

i want to go to there.

 

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this has been a recurring theme in my life this year.

 

i would like to stand in front of that wall.
the cake looks a little... cardboard-ey.
but if i had to eat cake while stood in front of that beautiful wall...i would do it. 

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The LORD.... He's awesome.

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color is so rad.

pretty.
too bad horses aren't as easy as dogs.  
if they were i would need some in my life.

 

and did you notice....i shared 21 pins... 11 more than 10.  

it must be your lucky day.

:)

 

now...i am off to eat lunch at school with Talbs.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

randomness.

ok....

i know i haven't blogged about Haiti.
i know i haven't talked about the freezer meals.

i have had a lot on my mind.

and five kids can keep a mama busy.... especially if they like basketball and it's february.

it's craft weekend this week already.
i am super happy about that.
new crafts this weekend again!!

 

my lady friends and i ran SEVEN miles this morning.
no walking.
seven miles straight.... legit.... please pass the advil.

 

since i can't seem to make a blog post about something....
please enjoy this blog post about nothing.

 

 

i found this blog recently...

Art as Life   

she owns an Etsy shop i love called Inspire Lovely.  :) her blog is beeeautiful...look at her studio!!

 

 

 

 

letters.... this blog post and this beautiful blog got me all teary.

 

 

totally making these donuts!

 

 

i want to have this party.... FOR ME.
a big 38 painted on the wall.
a cake with bunting.
watercolored handmade bunting hanging in front of turquoise striped walls.
yes.

this party looks like perfection.

 

i can see myself getting carried away with this project.
i can imagine painting more and more.
like....i would start this with my kids and the next day i am still going making funny outfits and hairdos.

 

 

this is an awesome rooster painting.
i adore it.
it's from this blog.... paint a bird a day.   she makes me wish i was a painter.

then i found that you can buy a print of it.... wouldn't it be lovely at the craft house?
even though it is more farmy.

i think i may need it.
and a real chicken too. 

 

 

 

 (photo off sold product on ebay)

surely since i am training for a half marathon... 
i will soon be able to wear white spandex and look GOOD.

right?

no?  

dang.

 

and this was the best super bowl ad.
i left the party at half time...i know beyonce is gorgeous but i don't like to watch THAT with the men in my life.  
you know what THAT is.
it bugged me.

so since i left....i didn't even see this commercial live.
but it's amaaaashing.

makes me proud to know so many people like that... unbelievable men and women who work so hard.
RESPECT.

 

 

:)

 

 

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. 

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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.

 

tuesday.

 

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i took annie in for her re-check this morning on her cast.

she is not an easy patient.

we both thought this was going to be just an xray and i wasn't thinking they would need to take off the cast for that but they did.  
there was LOTS of screaming and crying.... LOTS!!!
not because of too much actual pain but mostly from sheer panic and terror of the unknown.
i almost started crying too. 

but it is healing really well thankfully.
and she got a new christmas colored cast and can't wait for Santa to sign it!

 

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how are you doing on your christmas shopping?

i have.... hardly anything done.
i think i have 4 gifts done.
ugh.
and none of those four are my own children. 
i can feel the christmas melt down coming on already....

i am struggling with finding my christmas spirit this year.
boo.
i need to find it. 

tell me what to get my kids and that would help.  :)

 

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this past week or i have been using my awesome recipes section of the bloggy big time!

i have made cream puff dessert...



crescent chicken.... cheesy potato soup.... spicy tortilla soup.... noodles with ham...

spinach artichoke dip... pancakes... glazed apple bars...

and i am making my mom's mint brownies soon!

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last night i played Mexican Train with my kids.
does your family play board games together?  do your kids sit quietly while they play?
because mine do NOT.
they squirm and sing and stand up and sit down and stand up and spin and squeal and every other little annoying thing you can thing of while we sit and try to play a game.
oh yeah...and they fight too.

but it's stil better than being a zombie in front of the tv so i'll take it.

here is a visual list of some of our favorite family games here at the Duerksen House....

 

Mexican Train   
it's a game of dominos but a bunch of people can play it at once.
my kids LOVE this one.

Blokuseven i like to play this game... but i NEVER win! 

Farkle   
 craig loves to play this with the kids... 

 

Zingo   
oh my goodness my younger kids LOVE this game so much!

 

Guess Who Extra 
fun fact: we have this game and have never put the batteries in and they don't care!  
they still play it all the time even without sounds and lights!

Uno 
everyone likes UNO... how could you not?

Memory 

even though my kids are older i can still challenge them to Memory.
it was the best game we played when they were preschoolers.
i think this game is amazing for their minds!

 

Sequence 

my older kids like this one
and craig & i play it with chicago dave & jenny EVERYTIME.

Scene It (Disney edition)   
we always agree to this game when we don't have the energy
for the bouncing squirming craziness at the table.

 

Sorry 
it's a classic game!  
i played and my kids love it too!

 

Apples to Apples Jr. 

this is probably their FAVORITE game of all of them...
and for the grown ups too.

 

HedBanz 

we don't have this one but they asked for it for this christmas.

 

Memory Challenge Holiday 
and this one looks like fun...
it's for ages 6+ so it must be harder than the original Memory.  
i think it will go in my amazon cart.

 

Holiday Scrabble 

and this one will too!  
it looks fun and different and i want to challenge their minds with spelling and math whle we have "fun"


so... maybe that gives you some ideas for gifts at your house?

do you have a favorite family game that isn't listed here?

please share!

 

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i guess i should go out for my run.
sometimes it's such a chore to get out there!
and cold!
i wish i had downloaded new music yesterday with fast internet... it takes 8 minutes to download one song off iTunes out here with our farmy internet!

ok... i will go.
i will.

ready..... set.... GO. 

 

normal.

i will update on pam's sweet Beth as soon as i know anything different.
thank you and keep praying .............................................................................................

 

just regular everyday goodness.