Archives for April 2013

April 18, 2013 By Laura 6 Comments

Around Here

Life is in full swing and so is spring…that is, apparently until tomorrow when it’s suppose to drop back down into the 50s. I’ve already put up everyone’s winter clothes…so…yeah, tomorrow they may be a bit chilly. I hope it doesn’t drop. We like the warm weather and want it to stay. It’s been crazy beautiful here.

Our phloxs are in full bloom and our crepe myrtles are right behind them. My nephew Coop and I just recently had a conversation about why red buds are called red buds when clearly their blooms start off as light pink and then go to full on purple. It was a complex and highly intelligent conversation.

If you are on my custom order list, I promise I am working just as quick as I can. This 16×20 Hebrews 6:19 canvas was ordered by Lisa here in Tennessee. Thank you so much Lisa.

And this 11×14 Hebrews 6:19 canvas headed out this morning to Jennifer in Florida. Thank you again Jennifer…hope you love it.

Harper is living up her last bit of time as a kindergartener and the boys are revelling in being boys. The high pollen count is wearing Huddy out, but a little TV watching in our bed always makes up for any annoying breathing treatment that is needed.

They’ve been making lots of treasure maps lately. They glue like a million pieces of paper together and then draw out their map and roll them up. It’s pretty cute.

I never did get to the bottom of how this happened, but I feel confident it was a joint effort from the above two little brother boys…since Harper was still at school. No one was hurt and it was pretty funny, so I just laughed, took a picture and moved on. Oh…and removed Amon from the laundry basket.

Huddy is the king of doing strange things while watching a show or movie. He always sits in weird positions or is just doing something funny. He’s an incredibly wonderfully quirky kid.

Amon is still being his cute little self. He’s taking more steps, but still hasn’t taken off taken off…like a full on walker.

I did get roped into the whole “natural organic cheeto”, if there really is such a thing. I am an advertisers dream…I really am. But Amon did get to experience his first Cheeto. He loved them. Double-fisted loved them.

Pretty darn pumped tomorrow is Friday because A) it’s the weekend B) I get to eat sweets and C) I get to finally meet sweet Delaney as she makes her grand entrance.

The sweet thing has taken some real getting use to. I miss my sweets, but I can tell I feel much better. If I’m just really jonesen for something sweet and it’s not the weekend yet, I do a little something like this…just to take the edge off.

And I totally forgot to announce the winner for the Up & Away 5K. Super congrats to:

mira says:

Running a 5k has always been on my bucket list…but I havent quite made it there yet! I’ve wanted to do the color run- that looks awesome. Planning on running outdoors now that the weather has broke here in MI : )

Mira be sure to check your email for a message from me.

Thank you for reading. Thanks for just even stopping by. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate it. Hope your day is rad.

Happy Thursday.

April 16, 2013 By Laura 8 Comments

Confessions

I ended up adding some things to my To-Do list yesterday and at the end of the day it looked like this. I like a good highlighter.

Before you get all…”you go girl” on me, I must confess I just about ignored everything else in life yesterday to get this much stuff done and Josh Kelley may have folded well over half of 5 loads of laundry. He’s a good one. But hey…I got a lot done and cleaning was a big one because I loathe…I mean seriously loathe cleaning. Confession: I have never cleaned our baseboards and we’ve lived in our house for over 6 years. Gasp. Cleaning is right up there with cooking, which I also loathe. Confession: I will take the kids out to eat after cleaning our floors and table just to get a little more clean time out of my lame cleaning hard work.

And another Confession: I may get a wee bit giddy about leftover birthday paper plates because that means a few days with less dishes. Boom.

Today I have knocked out the rest of my To-Do list stragglers. Confession: Except Bible study. I’m a backslider. We’re doing Beth Moore’s James study which is the bomb-diggity, but alas, I still haven’t done any of my homework for this week and tomorrow is Bible study night. Gotta get on it…big time.

I did get some work done on orders. I finished up this canvas today for Janna. It’s an oldie, but a goody.

Confession: Amon ate a dead spider while I finished up this canvas. By the time I got my hands all cleaned off from ink and paint and sealer, it was too late. Oh, how much harm can a fairly large dead spider cause. Confession: I killed the spider this morning and was in such a rush decided not to pick it up right then and even thought to myself, “I bet Amon eats that.” Sigh.

Ashley and I have been doing no sweets during the week and then having some sweet treats on the weekend. My friend Jami gave me some Cadbury eggs after Easter and I was so pumped about them, but knew I A) had to wait for the weekend and B) needed to space the devouring of them out because Easter was over. Do you see how this was tough and complicated. Confession: This was me finally getting to eat one of those precious Cadbury Creme eggs. I have zero shame. Ashley thoroughly enjoyed this and immediately facetimed me so she could watch me eat it live, but it was too late…it was gone. Devoured. No time flat.

This is a good confession: I haven’t had to buy one package of diapers since bringing Amon home 8 months ago because of lots of crazy kind people. Yesterday was our first diaper purchase. Target off brand all the way. {Insert raise the roof hands}

I love fun patterned bandaids. I do. I really, really do. I’m a total kid. Buuuuut, confession: I require blood to get a bandaid. I know, I’m kind of a horrible mom. Hardcore. Sol hit the bleeding knee jackpot yesterday though. Double fun bandaids.

Well I feel so much better now {wiping the sweat from my brow}. Glad I got all that off my chest. Thanks for listening.

Happy Tuesday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: confessions, family 8 Comments

April 15, 2013 By Laura 3 Comments

Biz-To-The-E

Hope you had a great weekend. Did you do anything new or fun or adventurous or exciting? Ours was cool and busy…soccer, family time, etc. Today is crazy busy. I’ve got a major To-Do list and I’m determined to Knock.It.Out. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Happy MOnday!

PS: Don’t forget to enter The Up & Away 5K giveaway. It’s going to be rad.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: busy, weekend 3 Comments

April 13, 2013 By Laura 15 Comments

Up & Away 5K

We’ve had a really busy Saturday and I’m just now getting to sit down and Random.org the stationary winners. Here they are:

Laurensays: April 10, 2013 at 12:57 pm • Edit

My very best friends from high school all live in different cities in different states but we stay in touch through hand written notes and little packages. Its more intentional than emails and texts and it speaks more love and joy to get things old school snail. I love it and hope your post today encourages more people to do the same

CHeyennE Wardsays: April 10, 2013 at 10:06 am • Edit

I send things through snail mail almost daily. Even though it is the ‘slow’ way of sending things, there is just something about receiving a special note or package. Being able to touch and feel it… Just like printing off your pictures

(I know this one is suspicious, but Cheyenne really did win 🙂

Rhondasays: April 10, 2013 at 9:12 am • Edit

I’ll tell you about a specific time that I received a handwritten note that really made my day. I was going through a particularly hard time about six years ago, and had asked for prayer at church. Well, I came home from work one day, and stuck in my front door was a handwritten card from the kids at church letting me know that they were praying for me. That card made my day, and brought happy tears to my eyes. I love to send cards, and have kept just about every card that I’ve ever received. They are stashed in a plastic bin, and I get them out from time to time to read them, and to remember.

I so enjoyed reading all the comments. Thank you so much for sharing them with me and for entering. And Lauren, Cheyenne and Rhonda, check your email for a message from me.

Now for another giveaway. Again, not my typical giveaway, but I dig running and adoption, so here we go.

Giveaway will be for one adult registration and includes a cool t-shirt.

WHAT: This is a family-friendly 5k with a great superhero Theme! Dress up in superhero attire (as little or as much as you’d like) and enjoy a morning full of fun with your family and friends. The more Super, the better!

WHERE: Parking and event at the Streets of Indian Lake. The 5K will take place on streets surrounding the center.

WHEN: May 11, 2013. Registration begins at 7:00 AM—Start Times: Bike – 8:00 AM Run – 8:10 AM and Walk – 8:15 AM

WHY: The Ho family is months away from bringing their 5-year-old daughter home from China and the Montgomery family will bring their baby home from Africa in 2014 . All proceeds will go toward upcoming adoption expenses for these two local families.

OTHER: For any questions or sponsorship information, please message via FB page or e-mail calvinho7@gmail.com

Kids 12 and under are FREE with $30 parent registration (must be accompanied by parent at all times).

Register here, Active.com

Facebook page for race

Sounds fun right? The event is a fun, non timed event, so what a great way to get some exercise and support some local adopting families. Win, win.

Here’s how to enter:

Entry #1: Leave a comment…any ole’ comment will do. Maybe tell me if you like to run, walk or bike…if you don’t like to run, walk or bike…what you may dress up as or just any comment you would like.

Entry #2: Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter or blog…however you want to share…go for it and leave a comment telling me you did so.

I will announce the winner this Tuesday. Thanks so much to Erica Ho for asking me to participate in such a great giveaway.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Happy Saturday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: giveaway, running, up and away 5K 15 Comments

April 12, 2013 By Laura 3 Comments

Insta Friday

Right now in my head is that horribly amazing song…”It’s Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday…Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday. Today is Friday, Friday…” Oh you know the one. And just for the record, I had to google “Friday song lyrics” to know exactly what they were. Don’t want to lose street cred or anything.

So here’s the run down on my PPA instagram feed this week. If you want to follow along I’m pitterpatterart. Just a heads up, there may be a bit of TMI…you’ll know it’s coming when you see the anchor coffee mug with a tea bag…just turn your head and scroll. You’re really thinking, “Oh wow, this is going to be good.” Well, I have a hunch it will at least induce a bit of laughter…at my expense.

Let’s begin.

THIS.CHILD. Rockin’ yellow stripes and camo…being a trendsetter with freshly washed and combed, tame hair. And a killer smile to boot. I adore him.

Be still my heart. Sour Jelly Bellys are my most favorite, favorite, favorite. And the cotton candy ones too. Please give them a shot…they deserve it.

I always imagined myself the mom of 4 boys…came up 1 short, but I suppose Harper will do 🙂

Snowcones were a must after every soccer game last year…same for this year, until they bumped the price up to $3 a snowcone. “Are you for real? I owe you $9?” I didn’t even have enough money to pay. Good thing Aunt Jen was close by and gave us a snowcone loan. We’re going to be re-evaluating our after game snowcone ritual.

Picture day with balloons and fantastic weather and an incredible photographer even with two sick kids can still equal lovely photographs. Cheyenne is the proof.

TMI time. I don’t like coffee or tea at all. I’ve never even had hot tea until this week. My friend Brea gave me this healthy hot tea to try. I was game based on all the benefits she told me about it. It wasn’t bad…just like lightly flavored water. Flash forward…I almost pooped my pants while running. We’re talking full on stomach in knots…I need to walk a bit to get this under control…I may not make it back to my car…should I go poop in the bushes? My running ladies – Jami and Betsy – Jami semi enjoying the humor in how bad I had to go and Betsy being more concerned with how I was feeling. {They are both laughing right now, I know it.} Turns out the tea was a DETOX tea. Yes, Brea forgot to mention this part…which was kind of important, considering it caused all kinds of spontaneous bowel movement and made me think I had the stomach virus again. And…you’re welcome.

The weather has been off the hook. Outside time constantly. Quilts out, shoes off, play in full swing.

Even our weeds are jammin’.

Swoon. Sigh. Swoon again.

Tuesday nights totally deserve sparklers…totally.

Josh had to work one night this week, so he got to hang with us at home for a bit during the day. Lunch with all my favorite guys made my day.

Representin’. We’re Oakland fans…me by default because I married Josh Kelley. Huddy may even be named after a past Oakland pitcher.

Found him just hanging out on the scale. He’s clearly concerned with his recent weight loss due to the stomach virus.

And date night. Lovely, lovely, unexpected date night. I like you Josh Kelley.

Tomorrow I’ll post the winners of my stationary giveaway…there’s still time to ENTER. Also, a new giveaway will be posted too…one that involves adoption and running. Check back tomorrow.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: family, insta friday, instagram, iPhone 3 Comments

April 11, 2013 By Laura 3 Comments

Oh, Thursday!

Nothing too crazy exciting going on at the Kelley house today. My “snail mail, handwritten love” giveaway is still going on. CLICK HERE or scroll to the post below to enter to win some killer stationary and pens. Sharing the mail love!

I’m doing another giveaway this Saturday that involves running and adoption. I’m kind of a fan of both, so check back.

Josh and I decided Amon takes great side-of-the-face, looking-off-into-the-distance photos. He so does.

We went to see Harper and my niece Campbell’s artwork in the art show at our local college this week. All the pieces were great. Campbell had one of her paintings in the show and Harper’s art teacher chose her symmetrical butterfly. She was so proud…and we were so proud of her.

He makes me all kind of mushy on the inside.

I’ve been working on custom orders. This 10×10 Lumineers canvas is headed to Erin in Colorado. I kind of totally love this canvas. I jammed to it hard…and cried a bit harder…as we waited to bring Amon home for his heart surgery. Sigh.

This 8×10 canvas is headed to Tracy. I kind of like this one too, but hey, I know I’m completely partial.

I know this was kind of a super random, very unorganized post today. And to add to today’s more than usual randomness, here is what Josh terms, “the boombox”.

Now I’m off to eat lunch with this dude. We’re having…wait for it…hot dogs and bananas. Did I just gross you out? Mini throw up, maybe? Awe, you know you like a good hot dog every now and then or often. And bananas, well I despise them…minus banana bread which is heavenly…despise might be a little strong for bananas, but Amon loves them. His new favorite.

Happy Thursday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: bananas, family, hot dogs, random 3 Comments

April 10, 2013 By Laura 148 Comments

Old School {A Giveaway}

Sometimes I find myself doing things just to remind myself of my Mom…like things that are tangible…physical things or smelling certain smells or buying certain items she bought or eating certain foods. This sounds a little crazy when I read it back to myself, but hey, everyone’s a little crazy sometimes.

Yesterday around lunch time I was really missing her bad, so I made myself a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on my aunt Martha’s sour dough bread. This was like Mom’s go-to, short notice, slam dunk of a meal. Josh, me, our family and all my friends have eaten tons upon tons of bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches on Mom’s homemade sour dough bread. It seems crazy, but it totally made me feel close to her again.

Another thing that completely reminds me of Mom are hand written notes. It seems in a technologically advanced world, handwritten notes are a bit old school. Snail mail VS email or texts or FB messages…snail mail is probably losing, but Mom wrote and wrote and mailed and mailed notes and cards to everyone. Birthdays, anniversaries, thank yous, every single holiday and just because notes. She was the best at this. She sent cards to all her customers, friends and family. Her notes were my favorite. Even in her short 10 days of being sick and having brain surgery, she made sure I kept a “Thank you” list and continued to tell me she needed to write me and my brother Chris letters just in case something happened. She never got to write them, but I took care of her thank yous.

As a kid she made me write thank you notes to anyone who gave me anything or did something kind for me and letters to my Maw-maw. As a kid I semi hated writing so many thank you notes, but as an adult and now a mother of 4 wee Kelleys, I love that she instilled this in me. I love that she made me understand the importance of a handwritten note…a personal thank you or a “just because” or an encouraging reminder. I want to be a bright spot in a mailbox, like Mom was to so many.

So I try and write thank you notes for everything. I love to send a little card just to say “hey” or “rock on” or “happy birthday”. I’m trying to fill some big, beautiful, card sending shoes. And I’m doing my best to instill this in the wee Kelleys too.

This year is the first year Harper is writing her own thank you notes. I’ve written them in the past and she’s just signed her name or colored a little picture on the card, but this year she is capable of sounding out her sentences and writing her own. It’s taking us some time, but we’re going to press on because it’s important. I make it a laid back, fun time…writing notes and thank yous is something I want her to see and find joy in. The gratitude and encouragement she is sending in a stamped envelope is something I value and want all my kids to value too. I don’t want to make it a battle, so we make it chill and I let her write them herself and color her little heart out.

I adore stationary and funny cards…the inappropriate ones are the best…let’s be honest 🙂 I walk the card aisle of Target every single time I go, checking out any new card sets they’ve added. It’s my favorite. So today I want to encourage you to send some handwritten love. Break out those pens and pencils and mail a little encouragement or a special thanks to someone who deserves it…or who doesn’t. I’m in love with getting mail. I get giddy when I hear our mailman’s truck coming and I like to assume that others do to. So spread some mail love today.

As a little encouragement for you guys, I picked up three new sets of stationary and my favorite pens to write with. If I had sponsors on my site I would definitely petition Sharpie 🙂

3 sets of stellar stationary and pens for 3 winners. I’ll mail them straight to you, so you get some happy mail too.

Here’s how to enter:

Entry #1: Leave a comment on this post telling me about anything snail mail or card writing related…maybe your favorite stationary or card store or favorite writing tool or who you are going to send some snail mail love to today or if you love/hate writing letters…everyone is different.

Entry #2: Share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter or blog…however you want to share…go for it and leave a comment telling me you did so.

I’ll announce 3 different winners this Saturday. I know these aren’t my normal giveaway goods, but today I’m thinking hard about my sweet Mom and she totally loved sending sweet mail. So hope you guys will enjoy the goodies up for grabs and spread some handwritten love today.

Happy Wednesday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: encouragement, handwritten letters, snail mail 148 Comments

April 9, 2013 By Laura 7 Comments

When I Was A Teacher

Back in the day, before Harper came along, I was a kindergarten teacher. I like to think I was a pretty good one too. I poured myself, time and energy into my kiddos…they were my life. I was there way before school started and stayed late into the night. That time in my life seems so long ago now.

Every now and then I get to use my teachery skills….teachery is a real word…and I get taken back to my little classroom. Some of you may already know this little math trick, but when I was doing it with Harper, I thought it might be helpful to some of you out there in the inter webs.

Harper had some math problems to do last week. She was doing fine with it, but I noticed she was having a hard time with all her little fingers and my pipe cleaner/bead math tool came rushing back. So here’s what you do…take a pipe cleaner and string some beads on it…however many your kiddo will need to do their math problems…then bend the ends so the beads won’t slide off. Easy enough right?