Archives for October 2013

October 31, 2013 By 5 Comments

Halloween {Rainy Kelley Style}

I do, I love Halloween.  It’s kind of my fave.  And it rained all flippin’ day long.  So plans changed and we Kelleys adapted.

Pumpkin carving.  Josh Kelley was in charge.  No one was very interested and he free handed our pumpkin…which I think kind of looks like a pumpkin Garbage Pail Kid…with fangs.

Huddy and Sol had MDO and a fun Halloween party.

I picked up The Croods from Redbox at 9:10am.  Rain, rain and more rain was on the forecast and it did not disappoint.  Now we have tornado warnings.

Amon and I did last minute Africa shopping.  He insisted on me taking jelly bellys to Africa.  Well okay Amon, if you insist.

Harper had her class Halloween party.  Ms. Flowers asked me to make the jello spider petri dishes.  It worked perfectly and most of the kids chowed down.  Jello should really make a new green flavor that isn’t lime though.  It’s funky.

I picked my nephew Coop up from school and he was dressed in his ape costume.  How fun and hilarious is he?  Totally.  Made me happy I am his aunt.

The last of my Africa supplies arrived…solar powered lanterns.  I’ve become BFF with the UPS dude.  Today he asked if I ran a day care.  I was all like, “Nope.  They’re all mine.”

Candy, candy and more candy.  I blew my no-sweets during the week, but it is Halloween.  Come on.

Our Star Wars crew hit up one lonely house.  The Barnes family, who never get trick-or-treaters, got the mother load.  And were happy to see us.  We were excited to get in one official trick-or-treat house.  Then we went home with McDonald’s happy meals.  My pictures are terrible…too dark and too windy and Amon was DUN.

And shortly after everyone was in bed our electricity went out.  And remained out for several hours.  Josh and I weighed bags in the dark, but finally got all my bags to the right weights…maybe.  I’m praying for a compassionate and kind Delta worker who will weigh all my bags with some grace.  I think I’m going to need it.

And there you have it.  Our Halloween in a nut shell.  Hope you guys enjoyed the day…Halloween celebrating or not.

Happy Thursday!

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October 30, 2013 By 2 Comments

10 Things

1.  I’m recovering from a very late, super fun pre-birthday celebration with my Zumba peeps and a few other friendly stragglers.  I like to refer to those stragglers as Alissa, Jess and Steffons.  I think 31 is going to be rad.  Thanks for planning this Janet…you’re kind of the best!

2.  I had to make Harper look like a clown for school.  It was kind of a cute fail.

3.  I need to google whether or not you can put food in legit petri dishes.  My husband scientist is skeptical, but I’m hoping he’s wrong because I’ve got a date with 20 petri dishes, lime jello and fake spiders…per Ms. Flower’s request.

4.  I also need to go to Target because Huddy and Sol both need to take juice boxes and treats to their Halloween party tomorrow.  I am the mother whose kids have to wear reminder bracelets so their mom doesn’t forget…again.  Oy.

5.  In complete shock worthy news…I’m still packing.  240 lbs of supplies is no laughing matter.

6.  My days are currently filled with trying to keep Amon from crushing everything in those suitcases.  He’s a maniac…a pantless, adorable maniac.

7.  Dinner is already in the crock pot.  Now is probably the time to publicly declare my love of all easy recipes cooked in the crockpot.  It’s true, true love.  This one is courtesy of Courtney…confusing words to put in the same sentence together…courtesy & Courtney.  #mindblown  Anyways, all you need is 1 can black beans (not drained), 1 can fiesta corn (drained), 2-3 frozen chicken breasts, random amount of salsa (your choice) and 1 packet of taco seasoning.  That’s it.  Throw it all in…frozen chicken and all, cook on low until dinner time, shred chicken and stir it all up.  Boom goes the crockpot chicken tacos.

8.  I die.  Those sweet little faces.  Right before I took this picture they were chucking those full water bottles in the background at each other and thought it was hilarious.  Boys are cray.

9.  My friend Marcie let me borrow her vacuum seal bags.  Whoever invented these has to be a flippin’ billionaire.  I’m addicted.  I’ve become a vacuum sealing fool.  Nothing is safe.  Beef jerky and trail mix and all my clothes for my trip so far.  Josh Kelley wants to vacuum seal his parent’s cats while Huddy is at their house.  #allergies #dontbeahater #wewouldneverreallyvacuumsealacat

10.  That’s a little over 1400 pencils and more pencils are coming before I leave.  That’s a lot of pencils.  Thank you to everyone who donated.  You guys are amazing.

Hope your day is awesome.  Two more days and it’s the weekend.

Happy Wednesday.

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October 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Because My Brain Is Shot

I’ve got nothing.  So I’ll do what I do best…randomness.  It’s my plan A.  99.9% of the time.

**Bunny’s Cake…you have my love forever.  Forever and ever and ever and always.  Please make it.  Remember, it’s like manna from heaven.

**These three make my day brighter.  Brighter and happier and nuttier and more violent.  Why do they love weapons with all their little hearts?  It’s baffling.  Harper only loves books and rainbows and art supplies.  #boys

**Bumper cars are an amazing way for siblings to get out pent up aggression and it’s way cheaper than therapy.  Especially when it’s at a friend’s birthday party.  It was hilarious and all my pictures are blurry because they were moving too fast and having too much fun.

**He’s our kid.  And he’s amazing, but what’s even more amazing is his hair.  I will never cut it.  He will be like Samson.  I’m already praying for his wife.  Josh has threatened to cut it while I’m out of country.  If he does, we’ll get a divorce.

**She likes to run.  She’s even in Run Club at school which she thoroughly enjoys…most early mornings.  And she likes to run with me.  And keeps up pretty darn well.  Funny thing though…this weekend Harper, Huddy and Sol ran in the local Trek or Treat to raise money for lung cancer…aaaaaand they finished dead last.  As Josh told me about it, it was all too hilarious.  Apparently Huddy and Sol just aren’t into running as much as Harper is and she decided to hang with her brothers and bring up the very dead last rear.  Oh the drama Josh said ensued.  My boys + running = grumbling & drama.  Who knew…not us.

**I got my hair done last week.  My roots were seriously like 6 inches long…or longer.  I asked Chelsea, my hair  stylist, if they were the longest roots she’d ever seen.  I was thinking she would laugh it off and be all like, “Nah, gurl.  I’ve seen way worse.”  Ummmm, no.  That is not the way it went.  She answered with a solid, “Yes.”  And then we laughed so hard because she shoots straight, confirming they were just as bad as I imagined they were.  Geesh.

She made me feel like a new woman though.  And gave me bangs…which I haven’t had since 8th grade.  These are way better than my 8th grade ones though.

**He’s trouble.  Lots of cute, signing, adorable, amazing hair trouble.  All of this for his sister’s snowglobe which he is still pointing to in the picture.  He doesn’t give up easily.  And I like that about him…despite the all kinds of crazy it drives me.

**And he’s developing impeccable upper and lower body strength.  He held this squat during his speech therapy for a solid 10 minutes.  I was impressed.  His therapist was impressed.  The baby squat is adorable.  He’ll make for quite the crossfitter one day.

And now I’m off to do some more strategic packing.  And stressing.  And list making.  It’s a vicious cycle.

Happy Tuesday!

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October 28, 2013 By 7 Comments

Let The Week Begin

I’m in full on “How in the heck do I get all this stuff to Africa” mode.  Yes, yes I am.  My nerves have kicked it up a notch too.  I’m nervous about traveling alone and I’m nervous about strategically packing everything and it arriving.  I feel like once I land and all my bags are in hand, I will be able to breath easier.  My personal stuff isn’t the issue…it’s the paint and paint brushes and bubble wands and pencils and frisbees and beads and craft kits and markers and PB crackers and raisins and matchbox cars and solar lanterns and the list goes on and on.  I just so badly want all of it to make it…and in excellent condition.  So so badly.  Can God himself just load my bags?  Is that too much to ask?

One of my SIL’s pointed out she likes the box labeled “heavy”.  Me too.  Bring on the overage charges.  I ain’t scared.  I just want it all to arrive.  I personally love the giant fake spider I didn’t notice until after taking the picture.  Which now the kids hide around the house and it continues to scare the bejesus out of me.  For reals.  Not kidding.

I’m anxious to see how the week is going to play out.  Anyone else have a nerve wracking/really hopeful week their dreading/anticipating?  Could a week be more emotionally conflicting?  Ha.  It seems to be just how life rolls on out.

I had fully amped up the weekend in my mind and then our plans went to crap.  Anyone else?  Amon got sick and Josh and I both realized this was the first time he’d been sick since his surgery.  He rocked a high fever and lots of crying and sleeping.  It was pitiful.  We had to miss out on some fun plans because we didn’t want to expose all our peeps to whatever he had.  I don’t like making responsible adult decisions.  Can’t we all just share the germs and have fun?!?!  Although I did take him on a “necessities only” Target and Joanns run while Josh and the big kids were at church Sunday.  I publicly apologize to all of you who were doing your shopping that day.  We may have exposed you to some sort of germ and your ears may have bled from Amon’s shrill, ear piercing screaming down the aisles.  He was ticked and unhappy and not feeling his best.

We did get to celebrate my birthday a smidge on Saturday…an entire week early.  Donuts and bacon?  Yes.  Absolutely yes.  Josh Kelley you have my heart forever.

Other than the tish of fun we had randomly here and there, we stayed home.  We split up some and took turns hanging with Amon.  And I continued to stress and pack and make lists and cross things off and remake those lists again.  #ocd #don’twanttoforgetanything

And that really wrapped our weekend up.  Crossing my fingers Amon is top notch today.  This momma has major stuff to accomplish this week.  No where on any of my lists does it say “sick kid”…didn’t he get the memo.  We’ve gotta kick this sickness in the teeth.  Come on Ace, let’s do this.  Monday is here and Friday is one day closer.

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October 25, 2013 By 2 Comments

Pumpkello

Harper has had the most amazing teachers so far in her short little school life.  Mrs. Tanner, from last year, will forever be an important part of our Kelley story.  She was such a prominent part of a very tough year for our family and she loved Harper and our family well.  She’s incredible and we all just adore her.  There may have already been a few quarrels over who will get her for kindergarten next year.  Huddy says he will.  Sol says he will.  Do you see the dilemma?

This year Harper has Ms. Flowers…AKA Aunt Susan…AKA Sooooooosan (said in a ghostly manner).  Susan has been loving our family for several years now, so it’s been quite fun for Harper and our whole family to experience her in the roll of teacher.  And what an excellent teacher she is.

Halloween is fast approaching and it’s probably my favorite holiday.  Yes, yes, yes…it’s surprising right…all that loving Jesus and Halloween at the same time 🙂  It’s just so much fun to me and candy is pretty much my kryptonite in the best, most deliciously sugary way in which I completely welcome.

Ms. Flowers has a pumpkin day leading up to Halloween and asked me to get a pumpkin, hollow it out and then fill it with jello.  You can re-read that if you would like.  I’ll give you a second…

So yes, a pumpkin full of jello.  A jello filled pumpkin.  A pumpkello if you will.  Or maybe it should be pumpello.  Or jellkin.  Either way it probably should just be called Straight-Up-Disgusting-Fun.  She then fills it with little items for the kids to dig their little hands through and find.  She even puts in cooked spaghetti.  Did anyone else just gag?  Then they write about the experience.  I’ve decided I would like to re-take 1st grade with Ms. Flowers.

I was a bit nervous about filling the pumpkin, not knowing how much jello I would need.  Susan told me to go with yellow jello because other colors have stained the kids hands and arms in the past.  I bought all the yellow jello the store had and still didn’t think I had enough so I went with some orange too.  I made all the jello at once in two large mixing bowl.  Boiled two pots of water all at once and used my big daddy 4 cup glass measuring cup to knock it all out.  It worked perfectly.  This was a medium to large sized pumpkin…$6 at Kroger.

In the end I made a little over 20 cups of jello.  Josh and the kids hollowed the pumpkin out and then when I was dumping all the jello in, Josh and I just got so tickled with how nasty the whole thing was.  It was quite hilarious.

Then I had to fit this giant jello filled pumpkin in our refrigerator.  I started to put it on the top shelf and realized that was going to be a giant jello disaster waiting to happen because I was positive the weight of the pumpkin was going to break the shelf.  So I removed the stem top and went with the much safer and better idea of the bottom shelf.  Then I enjoyed how funny it was to open the refrigerator and see the smiling jack-o-lantern staring back at me.  Good times.

Seriously, a pumpkin just couldn’t get more fun right?  Susan did say this was not originally her idea, but she’s been teaching for  19 years and doesn’t remember where the idea came from.  So I’m giving her the props 🙂

High-5s or fist bumps for amazing teachers and Halloween love yo.

Happy Friday!

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October 24, 2013 By 8 Comments

Concert Date

You guys are really nice.  I completely appreciate your words of encouragement.  I always want to try and keep a Christ like attitude when it comes to touchy subjects, but also want to protect my work in a professional manner.  Thank you for understanding…A big thank you with sincere appreciation attached to it.

So moving right along 🙂  Last week Josh Kelley and I had a concert date with my SIL Jen and my nephew Cooper and none other than The Lumineers.  It was too much fun.  This was only Coop’s 2nd concert ever, so it was fun to experience it with him.  We ate crazy good burgers from The Pharmacy before hand and Coop drank the most killer malt ever.  Like ever, ever.  And he shared with me because he’s just cool like that.

Laura Kelley Fun Fact #43  I prefer a chocolate malt over a milkshake any day.  Mom always would bring me malts from Sonic and now they just make me think of her.  Josh Kelley, on the other hand, would prefer a McDonalds chocolate shake.  And that right there is just crazy talk.  How did we marry?!?!?!

Dr. Dog opened for The Lumineers and weren’t half bad.  One of the members looked dead up like Bob Dylan…sang like him too.  They were lively and I liked their dance moves and their some-how-worked-and-flowed-together outfits. #diggin’themustardcardi

I thoroughly enjoyed The Lumineers.  Maybe it was because I have their entire CD memorized and it really is fun to sing loudly along with strangers.  Or maybe it was because some members from Old Crow Medicine Show showed up and did several songs with them…which was kind of totally awesome.

Or maybe it was because when they played Hey Ho I got a little misty eyed.  From the moment we learned about Amon’s heart condition it was pretty much my anthem to him…all the way across the oceans.  So to hear it live with lots of other people singing along, well, it kind of did my heart good.

Whatever it was, it was definitely a good night.  Enjoyed being with some of my favorite people and hearing good music, enjoying yummy food, talking things over and laughing.

And when it was all over and done with, we were all ready for bed.  A super late Monday night and needless to say, Coop was in need of sleep when I picked him up from school the next day.  I think we all needed naps.

Have you heard anyone good in concert…any faves out there?  I’d love to hear about them.

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October 23, 2013 By 14 Comments

Soapbox {On Imitating}

Let me take a second to climb up on my soapbox for a brief post.  I was recently made aware of a couple of things…my personal photos being used by someone else without the appropriate source being noted and several Etsy shops where artists were remaking my canvases and selling them as their own.  Some of you may go ahead and just close out your browser right now…some of you may stick around and hear me out.  I know everyone says that imitation is the best form of flattery, but honestly, I just don’t see it.  I don’t feel it.  And I don’t really care for it as an artist.

When I was made known about these things and took a look around their shops…it made my stomach hurt and it hurt my feelings.  It sucked looking through the shops and seeing my ideas…my designs…my work…recreated in a wanna-be fashion.  I have worked very hard to perfect my art process.  I’ve done trial after trial.  I’ve tested and retested ways over the years and then to see someone try and rip that process off and sell it as theirs…straight up same size canvases, same wording, same everything…it’s kind of cruddy.

I’m not one for confrontation.  I’m not one to slander people’s names or their shops.  Honestly, I don’t have the time or energy, but most importantly that kind of heart.  What I will say, is it does hurt like hell to see other people ripping off your hard work and selling it for their own.  I understand being inspired by others, but taking someone’s work…their heart…their time…their income…and copying it as your own is just straight up redonk.  I have contacted these shops…some have been super nice and fixed the problem, others have been not so nice.  I do feel it is my right to protect my work and I’m kind of totally digging my copyrights now.

As an artist…as someone who creates for a living and pours their time and energy and my own personal creative process into my work…I will never sell you something which is not my own.  I will never take someone else’s work and claim it as mine.  Instead, I choose to be inspired by all the amazing artists out there and stretch my mind and creativity to create newness…my own ideas.  God has given me a mind to put to work and I plan on doing just that.

Just for fun businessyness #madeupword…for all you artists out there…here is a great resource from Etsy which outlines your copyright.  Whether you have an Etsy shop or not, your work is still protected.  It’s excellent and expands on what all your copyright covers and it’s a lot…which is nice to know.

Now I’m stepping down off my box.  And because these kind of posts aren’t really much fun, I’ll leave you with a picture of Amon in his socks and diaper getting his teeth brushed by Josh Kelley.

Happy Wednesday.

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October 22, 2013 By 6 Comments

Raising Siblings

One of the things I pray for the hardest and plead to God about is the relationship between our kids.  They are sister and brothers.  They are best friends.  The bonds they share are deep and rooted.  I find myself constantly begging God to care and nurture their bonds throughout their lives.  I have the pleasure and hardship of mothering them.  I have the pleasure and hardship of watching them interact and fight and love each other.  I ask God to show Josh and I the best way to cultivate these tender bonds…to make them strong and unbreakable.  To show them each the best way to love one another.

I recently did an interview for our adoption agency about Solomon and Amon and noticed how the interview went towards our kiddo’s relationships with each other.  They all four share a very incredible attachment to one another.  They are each so unique which in turn makes their relationships with each other wonderfully unique and unmatched.  I laughed when I was getting quotes from each of them and Harper said, “It’s changed my life because my brothers get in my way a lot, but I still love them.”  They are kids and they are soooooo not perfect.  They fight like cats and dogs, but truly their love for each other is ginormous.  Huddy’s cracked me up as well, “Having brothers and a sister is good, but Harper never lets me in her room.”  So very true.

Harper and Amon have something special and unusual.  She’s giddy over him and little things about him absolutely make Harper’s day.  Not long ago she told us it’s easier to get up in the morning for school when she knows Amon is already awake.  She’s smitten.  And as is he.  He saves his biggest smiles for her.  He hugs her the tightest.  And when his speech therapist told us to make up signs for each family member, Amon nailed Harper’s immediately…and she beamed.

Hudson and Solomon of course share their own unique bond.  They don’t remember life without one another.  They are twins true and true.  I’ve been getting a little nervous about kindergarten and the decision to either keep them together or split them up.  I know they will be just fine either way, but I want them to be able to be independent of each other too.  The other day Huddy stayed home with me while Sol and Harper went out with Josh.  When they got back, Huddy ran down the driveway yelling “Sooooool.”  Sol ran up the driveway yelling, “Huuuuddy.”  And then they embraced as if they hadn’t seen each other in years…instead of the hour time frame.  It’s ridiculously sweet.  I want them to always be just that way.

And throw the four all together and life is crazy and hectic and fun and madness.  Everyday at some point I want to pull my hair out or run and hide, but when I think back over our days, the madness and insanity is so worth the relationships which are being forged.  They can drive each other nuts, but also play incredibly well together and are seriously each other’s biggest fans.  I do not want to be the kid that messes with one of them and endures the wrath of the others.  But sometimes feelings are hurt and individuals feel left out.  Frustrations flare.  They get angry with each other and make mistakes.  There are lots of apologies and a simple “Sorry” doesn’t cut it in our house.  We do real meaningful apologies…”I’m sorry because…”  “Do you forgive me?”  “I forgive you”.  And then there is forced hugging…lots of it.  In those hard moments I wish Jesus himself would just come on down and take over the parenting.  I don’t want to make mistakes…I don’t want to mess this ‘mom’ thing up, but when I do…when I don’t handle a situation right…when I fall flat on my face in the parenting realm…I say my apologies as well.

I get so caught up in all the wrong junk in this world.  I make things which are completely unimportant and frivolous my goals.  And then it hits me…these little humans…Josh…my relationships with those around me…those are the important things. I want all of 4 of them to know deep in their hearts the love of God and the love of each other.  I want them to be there for each other and chase after Jesus together…keeping each other accountable.  I want them to know they will always be loved and supported and cared for by one another no matter what.  Being siblings…being best friends…embracing each other fully…investing in each other’s hearts throughout their lives and Josh and I asking God to guide our every move along the way.

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