Archives for May 2013

May 31, 2013 By 449 Comments

Summer Loven’ {It’s A Giveaway}

***GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED***GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED***

We are super pumped about summer at the Kelley house.  Every morning we’ve been starting our day with blaring some Mowgli’s and right now I’m typing in my bathing suit because today is our first official pool day.  Yep.  We’re going to live it up.

So to celebrate I thought it only appropriate for a fun giveaway.  And giving makes any ones day better.  Fo sho’.

Up for grabs are several goodies…how about a camera strap.  This floral is to die for.  Totally my favorite print right now.

And two matching key fobs.  What, what!

And finally, this 5×5 “Whatever you are, be a good one.”  Abraham Lincoln canvas.

Camera strap, key fobs and canvas for one winner.

Here’s how you enter:

Please leave a separate comment on this post for each entry.

Entry #1 Share something you are super pumped about for summer…anything your summer-loven’-sharing heart desires.

Entry #2  Share this giveaway with your friends on your personal Facebook status or Twitter.  You can now use the snazzy Facebook and Twitter button at the bottom of this post.  Boom.

Again, please leave a separate comment on this post for each entry.

Giveaway will end this Monday, June 3rd at midnight and I will announce the winner in Tuesday’s post.  Goodies will be mailed directly to the winner.

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend.  And now we are off to the pool.

Happy Friday!

***GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED***GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED***

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 449 Comments
May 30, 2013 By 7 Comments

Oh, Just Some Thoughts + Giveaway/Sale Info

Our, well used to be our, dog Carmen, who is now my inlaws dog, is staying with us for a few days.  I remember now why we gave her away.  We have too many crazy kids who drive her bonkers and they are the ones who gave her all her gray hairs.  On a plus side, she does clean up under our kitchen table.  High-5 for less sweeping.

I am pretty much hating on Flickr right now.  They changed it…big time…and I don’t like it…not one bit.  I know it’s small and trivial, but I am a total creature of habit.

Huddy “wrote” this crazy good story the other day and he read it to me while wearing his cowboy hat.  The cowboy hat really made the whole thing come to life.  I was entranced.  The story was called, “Pirate Ship”.

I ate a cookie today…and yesterday I ate a cookie and some jelly bellys…and I ate a sweet on Monday, but Monday waaaaaaaas Memorial Day…that should be allowed.  It has not been a good week for the no-sweets.  This is why I give away all baked goods.  They are not welcomed here.  Actually they are welcomed, maybe too welcomed.

We were suppose to go to the zoo yesterday and Amon woke up with a fever.  Boo.  Pretty confident it’s just the oh, FIVE teeth he’s cutting all at once.  He was a major hellion Tuesday night while sleeping and then last night I didn’t hear a peep…not a peep.  Weird.

When the wee Kelleys get messy and creative my heart wants to explode.  Like for reals.  Explosion.  I really really really really really hope they like art…maybe God, pleeeeeeeease?!?!

Some May orders I forgot to share.  Boom.  16×20 Joshua 24:15 headed to Sandra in Georgia.

16×16 2 Corinthians 12:9 went to Ellen in Tennessee.

And this little 5×5 was a gift for Harper’s teacher Mrs. Tanner.  Definitely one of my most favorite quotes.  You’ll see something like this again soon {insert wink}.

I’m working on Saturday Sale items.  What about some camera straps?!?!  Yep.

  Oh and after further looking at our calendar, my next Saturday Sale will actually be next Friday, June 7.  I know.  It’s not a Saturday.  Sorry.  But our Saturday is crazy, so Friday it is.

I took a whole bunch of time working on an art piece for a Mumford and Sons design contest…yes, I am a big dork.  Anyways, so after all my brainstorming and working, then I questioned and doubted myself and missed the deadline.  #hackedoff  I know I wouldn’t have won, but it would have been fun to have entered.  Definitely one of the selfish things I miss about Mom…her encouragement and the ability to seriously make me believe I can do anything.  #afterschoolspecial

I’m not going to make my 75 mile goal for this month.  It was bound to happen, so I’m cool with it.  Going to come up 9 miles short.  Pressing on and making a new goal for June.  And we started speed workouts at the track this month…love the track, hate the speed work.

This is alarming isn’t it.  I’m just not sure what to say.  You either?  Good to know.  Harper probably needs a sister.

And tomorrow is a giveaway day.  I hope you will dig it.  I think you will.  One winner and a few prizes.  See you tomorrow.

Happy Thursday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 7 Comments
May 29, 2013 By 12 Comments

Letter to the Chocolate No Bake Oatmeal Cookie

Dear Chocolate No Bake Oatmeal Cookie,

I like you.  You are tasty and delicious.  I have made you hundreds of times since I was a middle schooler and started dating a very cute, tall, maroon dyed hair boy named Josh Kelley who had a Metallica patch sewed onto his backpack.  What else is a young girl to do to win a young boys heart?  Bake his favorite cookie over and over and over again.

I tried you out and learned quickly you were a tricky little thing.  Very temperamental.  Why so temperamental?  Why couldn’t you be like your cousin the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie…easy?  I’ll tell you why, because you are you and you are different and bold and chocolatey.  You put that so-called Oatmeal Raisin Cookie to shame.  No cookie should ever contain a raisin.

I failed many times making you, but my Mom, well, she owned you.  She mastered you.  She made you into the perfect lumpy oatmeal peanut butter consistency every time.  I’m still attempting you and every time you are like a completely different beast.

I made you last night and you were a gooey mess…a gooey hot mess.  Still tasty, but crazy messy to eat.

I made you today and you were a chalky mess…a chalky hot mess.  Still tasty, but a crazy crumbly mess to eat.

Ashley called and I complained about you.  Instead of taking my side, you lured her in with your temptress ways and I ended up giving her your recipe and directions over the phone and you were perfect…the perfect drop cookie you should be every time.  We facetimed and I watched her eat your perfect little cookie self.

Exact same ingredients and a completely different texture each go.  I blame your boil time…it couldn’t be you…your consistent deliciousness is your saving grace.  Dang you boiling time…just a few seconds off here or there and we get a crap texture.  Oh the ups and downs of baking.

I just want you to know that even though you make me want to scream and cuss when I get you wrong, the times when I do get you right completely make up for all the failures.  You really are tasty and delicious and take me back to a most magical time in life.  Thank you for being you.

Sincerely, Laura Kelley

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , 12 Comments
May 28, 2013 By 3 Comments

Over The Long Weekend

Hey…I missed you guys yesterday, but the weekend was good and long and yesterday completely got away from me.  How was your weekend?  I hope it was amazingly good.

Ours was full and over our long weekend we…

looked back

rode bikes through sprinklers

picnicked

made mini mauve velvet cheesecakes…dang you almost empty bottle of red food coloring, but they were so yummy and mauvy

finished up soccer season

grilled out

broke out the plastic pool and sunscreen

and we tried some of Sonic’s summer of shakes shakes…and yes, I carry chalk around in my car cup holder.

It was a good one…for sure.  On this week’s agenda…giveaway, gearing up for a Saturday sale and how about more random posts because that is apparently what I am good at.

Happy Tuesday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , 3 Comments
May 24, 2013 By 3 Comments

Insta Friday

What a week.  It’s been a crazy and good one, that’s for sure.  And I’m pumped for a long weekend.  So here’s some Instagram pics from the past week.  If you want to follow along I’m pitterpatterart.

He kind of only wears stripes.  Like all the times.  Smiles and stripes is his go-to look…and I’m totally cool with that.

Amon love the Kitchen Aid stand mixer.  They are bffs…4-life!

Posted my first ever sun rise/sun set picture on Instagram.  I kind of didn’t have a choice.  It was around 5am and the sky looked on fire…crazy, amazing on fire.  I even stopped and got out of my car to take it.  I made sure there were no cars coming…safety first when Instagramming.

Snickerdoodles are pretty much love in baked good form.  And baked goods can change the world…or at least make your principal and vice principal feel awesome.

I told Harper she could have anything she wanted for dinner since we were celebrating the last day of school.  She said, “Anything?”  I said, “Anything.”  Rainbow waffles it was.  I like her.

I just mixed up the waffle mix, divided it out into however many bowls I needed for each color, added the food coloring and then just randomly dumped the different colors onto our waffle maker.  Totally easy.  Everyone declared they were the best waffles I’ve ever made.  Of course they were.

And the aftermath of the last day of school and soccer practice and rainbow waffles and a late night baseball game.  There are so many dishes in the pile…ugh…time to get washing.

Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.  I sooooo love a long weekend.  Enjoy.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , 3 Comments
May 23, 2013 By 13 Comments

Be Kind

If you have a Pinterest account then you have probably seen printable after printable after printable of this Plato quote.

(I made this one using Red Stamp.)

You really and truly never know what’s going on in another person’s heart or life.  Be kind.  Two little words that can totally change a person’s day.  It’s not always easy to be kind, but how incredibly important and what an amazing way to show someone God’s love…kindness.

This blog and what you read is really just a snippet of our lives.  There is so much…so so much more going on…easy and hard, good and bad, joyful and painful.  Battles.  I choose to share some of the crazy and boring and mundane and joyful parts and some of the battles, but I do keep some things to myself.  Sometimes it’s just because I don’t feel like the world should know every little thing…sometimes it’s out of respect for the people who are on the battle field with me…sometimes it’s because it’s just too much to try and explain or share.

But today God showed our family great favor in a battle we’ve just been pouring our hearts out to Him with.  Asking and praying and petitioning Him for some amazing results.  And honestly, I prayed with lack of confidence because doctor’s said otherwise and tests were reading otherwise.  And God reminded me today that He is always in control and faithful, whether I’m confident or not.  He is God and He is enough.  Today God showed us favor with some little ears that could hear.  And a right ear that just 6 weeks ago could hear nothing.

Today could have gone differently, and you know what, God still would have been His faithful self.  And He would still be good.  And as I drove home from the hospital I thought to myself how this day could have played out way different.  And my mind immediately went to the quote above because kindness stuck in my mind.

The sweet valet guy at the hospital who said, “You are always welcome here.”  Dude could have just pointed me in the right direction and been done, but he went out of his way to speak kind words into my life when only God knew how anxious and stressed and worried my heart was at that very moment.

For close friends and family who took time to pray for this appointment and then celebrate with what I’m deeming a miracle, because I don’t care what you say, God still does miracles…big and small.

For the kind audiologist who patted my back as I absolutely sobbed in the sound proof booth after watching Amon turn his head not only to the left when he heard sound, but to the right as that crazy sweet little right ear took in sound.  That previously, completely unresponsive little right ear was hearing.

And for the kind couple on the elevator who chatted with me and said such nice words about Amon and then held the elevator door so I could get off the elevator with Amon in his stroller before the door closed.

None of those kind things had to happen, but they did and they made my day so much better.  I am thinking hard today about kindness and how we really and truly never know the battle someone is in the middle of or facing…how our kind gesture or deed or words could completely impact their day.  So let’s be kind.  Let’s make that big, important choice to just be kind to others and love with a God sized love.

Happy Thursday.

PS:  Working on my giveaway items…thank you for all the input.  I hope you will love it!

PPS:  Happy Summer!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: 13 Comments
May 22, 2013 By 36 Comments

One More Day

First, I just wanted to say thank you.  Thank you for reading my itty bitty piece of the internet.  Thank you for not only reading, but for making me feel normal and for always being kind and thoughtful and sharing.  It thrills my heart when you share with me your stories and when you can relate to my words.  I like to know I’m not the only crazy one out here.  So I really do hope you know how grateful I am for you.

Second, tomorrow is the last day of school…only one more day until summer break.  I’m ready.

I recycled Harper’s birthday door decorations into “Happy-End-Of-The-Year” decorations and I bought Fruit Loops for a special breakfast.  My kids are like elderly people when it comes to their cereal, so Fruit Loops will be way super fun.

I am extremely ready for the lazy summer days filled with sleeping in late and swimming and the wave pool and grilling out and baseball and ice cream and fun trips and Gotcha Day celebrations.  It’s going to be a wildly good summer.  And it’s also sad that this school year is coming to an end…we’ve just been crazy blessed.

And lastly, I’m thinking it may be time for a giveaway…you know…to kick summer off really right.  I was thinking maybe a “Favorite Things” giveaway or a canvas giveaway or key fob and camera strap giveaway…what do you say?  I’d love to hear what would make for a killer summer giveaway in your lovely eyeballs.

Again, thank you so much for reading and stopping by.  You’re pretty awesome.  Gearing up for our big day tomorrow and trying to get just a few things accomplished today.  Hope your day is great.

Happy Wednesday!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , 36 Comments
May 21, 2013 By 14 Comments

Harper {Sigh}

Yesterday I received our CD of pictures in the mail from Cheyenne from Shots by Cheyenne.  If you haven’t heard me sing her photography praises enough, well then just hang tight and you will.  She’s amazing.  And she’s quick.  And she nails it…every time.  I love how she captures our family on that day in time.  It’s always just right and even if everyone’s not looking or smiling or not even looking somewhat normal, I still love the pictures.  They are ALWAYS just sooooo us…and that is totally perfect to me…Every.Single.Time.

I literally cried while scrolling through all the pictures and laughed and then cried some more.  I have so many I want to share, but today I thought I would highlight Harper.

I made a resolution this year that I would have more professional pictures taken and all the years following.  I got on Cheyenne’s books asap last year to make sure I followed through.  I should probably go ahead and book 2014, but don’t want to scare Cheyenne away just yet.

I take pictures all the time, but there is nothing that compares to letting someone else take the reigns and shoot our family all together.  I could never have gotten these shots on my own and as incredible as Cheyenne did.  For that I would pay over and over and over again.  Cheyenne and her talent are priceless to me and our family.  Absolutely.

Off my professional photography soap box and onto Harper:  I’m kind of hung up on her right now.  I guess because she’s finishing up kindergarten this week and she is just getting so big and it makes my heart super sad and super excited to see who God is molding her into.  I usually take Harper to school in the morning and I always pray out loud for her day as we drive through the car rider line.  Yesterday morning I started praying for her day and thanking God for such an amazing kindergarten year and for blessing us with Mrs. Tanner and I immediately just started to bawl and then Harper started crying too.  I felt so bad that I had helped push her towards tears, but she told me how much she was going to miss Mrs. Tanner and what a good year she had had and my heart was just so full.  How blessed we have been this year with an awesome school and teacher.  We really hit the jack pot.  She wiped her eyes with the palms of her hands, smiled and jumped out of the van.  She loves school and I just pray so hard she will keep that love and keep her joy.

When I saw these pictures of us last night I immediately noticed and fell in love with Harper’s joy…that’s all I could think about.  That is Harper.  Our ever running Harper quote is, “She’s just happy to be here.”

I want to freeze time right now.  She is growing so big and so strong.  She is changing right before our eyes and I just want to pour into her and invest in her.  I want her to know that being just her will always be just enough for God.  That’s all He wants her to be.  I want her to know that she is truly beautiful because God created her and there is no one else like her.  I want her to know that God looks on the heart…and that’s what He most adores.  I want her to know that He is crazy about her and in hot pursuit after her heart.  I want her to know that being kind and loving and compassionate and generous is far more important than being first or smartest or prettiest or having the most of anything.  I kind of want to hide her away from the world and keep her pure and innocent, but I know God designed her to step out and change the world and not for me to keep.

I’m having to constantly remind myself that she really isn’t mine, but God’s.  He has His plans for her…He created her…He intricately and purposefully designed her.  What an honor Josh and I have.  Today as her mom I am humbled…like crazy, crazy humbled…to be her mom.  To have a chance to sit and watch His plans unfold for her and try my hardest to invest in her as God would have me as her Mom.  Goodness.  And I’m praying like mad that she keeps her Joy!

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , 14 Comments
Next Page »