Our next Netflix DVD isn't scheduled to come until tomorrow...

we had to do something with the holiday weekend...

That's all she wrote, baby!

Our next purchase...

...will be a bike for Kaitlin. We had the annual trike-a-thon at school yesterday...

Poor Kaitlin's little legs were going so fast, but those tiny trike wheels could barely keep up with her. When did the little girl that resides in our home be big enough to necessitate a two wheeler? Her birthday's in September, but I think we'll get her bike before the summer so she can ride around with the neighbor kids. Gosh, when did I become so slow on the uptake?! By the time I've gotten used to the idea of her riding a bike, Kaitlin will be ready to get her learner's permit. Sometimes I just forget how fast my little one is growing... when she was a baby, I was so good about giving her baby cereal at the right stage, solids at the right stage, finger food at the right stage. I suppose when it doesn't involve food, I am completely clueless.

let the herald angels sing!

It figures that our phone would be put back into service after two months on the day I lost my voice and can't speak.

Although I'm out twenty bucks...

... I'm cool as a cucumber. Thanks to all who signed the card- especially Stella. I think the kiss with fire engine red lipstick on the envelope really did the trick.

IN MAY?!?!?!?!

ONE HUNDRED DEGREES?!?!?!

Mother nature is getting a memo about this one. Did she not get my thank you email in January for the flip flop weather? Dude, there's going to be a serious brawl at the next meeting if this continues... although, now that I remember... I totally did not plant a tree on earth day- crap! Do you think if I get a 'Happy Belated Earth Day' card and have the office sign it, we'll have the regularly scheduled non-face melting weather back? Maybe I should slip in a twenty spot...

My kind of hostess

My friend, April has a sweet blog of covet worthy goodies. This week, I am a guest blogger on that fabulous blog known as
Flutter on over for a visit...

Photo Shoot

My brother, Kyle, is a great photograper and is going to school for graphic design. Kyle and his family came to visit this past weekend. As part of their visit, Kyle took family pictures. Here are some of my favorite shots!

Oh ye, of little faith

Kaitlin received her first CTR ring a few weeks ago in Sunday School. CTR stands for 'choose the right'. The CTR ring serves as reminder to make the right choices, just as a cross necklace or 'WWJD?' bracelet. Kaitlin was overjoyed to get this ring. Upon arrival at home, we decided together where the ring would go for safe keeping. Kailtin's new good conscience reminder was treasured... so much so, that she placed the jewelry in between her underpants and skirt whilst playing outside because of her lack of pockets. I am fairly certain that spot was not the one decided for safe keeping prior to her jaunt in a field. It broke my heart to see Kaitlin's tears when the ring was nowhere to be found. Less than twenty four hours after receiving her special piece of jewelry, it had been lost. I felt terrible. I wanted to help in any way I could. However, scourging the green ground over acres for a green ring was a little beyond traditional help. My sweet girl suggested that we pray to find her ring. Surely, the God that loved her would help her find a reminder of Him in the vast expanse of grass. We prayed together. Kaitlin prayed fervently while I just felt so bad that her ring would never be found and she would feel like God didn't answer her prayers. We didn't find the ring that day. In fact, I went to go buy her another ring. Unfortunately for me, those particular rings were out of stock both times I tried to buy a new one. Kaitlin continued to pray nightly that she would find her treasured ring. My heart broke in two hearing her pleading for a tiny adjustable thing that, if washed, would turn her finger an unnatural shade. These prayers reoccurred every night for almost a month. Last night we were on a family walk, when my sister-in-law, Lynda, asked, "what is that?", pointing at the front of her shirt. The thing Lynda was pointing at was a tick! I flicked it off and we continued on our walk. Because of the previous insect on her shirt, Lynda kept looking down as we walked to prevent another freeloader trying to hitch a ride. Lynda bent down and said, "What's this?" It was Kaitlin's CTR ring!!! I cannot describe in words the look on Kaitlin's face. It is equally difficult to describe how I felt knowing that Heavenly Father had answered her prayer. I know I felt indescribable joy and shame rolled into one. Joy for her faith. Joy for Kaitlin's answer to a humble prayer. Joy at her happiness.Yet, shame for my unbelief. Kaitlin knew all along that the Lord would grant her righteous desires. I doubted the pure faith of an innocent child. I am sorry to say that I did not pray for her to find the ring. I did try to solve her problem by replacing what was lost. But, the perfect parent taught me more in a silly cheap piece of metal than I had learned trying to fix everything myself. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to learn from Kaitlin. I hope that her faith grows more and more each day and that the special experience she had will always remind her how much her Heavenly Father does love her.

Please, please

puh-leeze!- do not mention my attepmt at making my own header with cute font... I've been working on it for hours trying to make the image fit, but I have to wke up in 4 hours, and I don't have the patience to wait it out!

What we've done with the weekend

Jimmy and I (with the help of SIL , Ashley) did a couple of projects over the weekend.

BEFORE

AFTER*

I knew exactly what I wanted and how I wanted the finish to look on the sideboard. I googled numerous times without any luck. I ended up asking Joy, from Joys of Home, what to do. She responded in record time and was the ultimate lifesaver! She truly is a pro! Thanks you soooo much, Joy.

BEFORE

AFTERI copied this idea from, Carla. We took down the fan blades, spray painted the base with a hammered black finish, added new glass shades (one is missing in the photo) and covered the blades with wood grain contact paper. Thanks, Carla- renovation extraordinaire!

*why green, you ask?

Because these are the fabulous fabrics I'm using for the rest of the kitchen:

Next project? Sewing roman shades for the windows!

At the top of the list

of things I HATE (yes, folks, that's capitalized)...

THE HOME DEPOT

Dude, it's not so much the actual store- although the concrete flooring and metal shelving sends me to the lighting fixture aisle for my daily fix of, "Ooohhhh... shiny..."- it's the terrible customer service.

Upon entering the hardware abyss, my mind goes into hyper drive to save me from self loathing for being so stupid as to not know where to find the FX2578394-T12 light bulb (true story). In all honesty, I should not be able to find the FX2578394-T12 light bulb, for the risk of not having a life. When said light bulb is finally found, without so much of a glimpse from an orange apron clad minion, one realizes that the product is on the top shelf of very large shelves (it's not like me to make understatements, but that last one was one a the century).

So what does one do? First, wait at the customer service counter for 17 minutes, receive no help or acknowledgement, go back to light bulb aisle, push over one of those ridiculous ladders and proceed to get two light bulbs down for yourself. Yes, twelve foot light bulbs. BY YOURSELF. Now that that part of the experience is over, let's move on to the self-checkout.

Can you imagine a woman with two twelve foot light bulbs, a five year old in tow and a fabulous handbag (read:huge), trying to administer a self-checkout to her purchase? It really doesn't help that the purchase is breakable. When the 'customer service' cashier comes to help me, it is in the form of pointing and laughing. Well, I am exaggerating- it was more of a muffled giggle. I suppose I can't argue, it must have been hysterical to watch me try and juggle a credit card whilst holding a light saber in each hand. With purchase almost completed, Kaitlin became temporary bagger. Her competence brought her to bag the remaining six customers following me with the same terrified look on their faces. She even got to the point of asking if they would prefer paper or plastic.

Have you ever tried to fit twelve foot light bulbs in your car? Until yesterday, me either. Let me just say this- it was quite a sight to behold... All was figured out. Self medicating came in the form of an In-N-Out milkshake. I'm an expert at wielding the straw... my training rivals that of an orange aproned ivy league.