Archives for December 2014

December 31, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Order Love

December was so crazy busy and I didn’t get a chance to post a lot of orders.  Thought I would post a few today.  I was pretty busy and even forgot to take photos of some.  Oh well.  I am so thankful for your business this year.  It was awesome to work with each customer.  I love my job!

And I’m taking orders again.  Already getting busy on some.  You can place an order by emailing me at pitterpatterart at gmail dot com  If you use the Contact Laura button at the top and I do/did not reply it is because I did not get the email.  The button is still not working 100% so please email me directly.  Hoping to get it fixed asap.

Thank you, thank you, thank you again.  Hope you enjoy your New Year’s Eve.

Happy Wednesday!

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December 30, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Compassion & Mercy

Forgive my all over the placeness tonight.  I have this whole “thing” in my head, and I don’t have the words all worked out yet.  When your heart feels overwhelmed sometimes it’s hard to find words.  I’ve been reading through the gospels and currently find myself in Luke.  Not quite to John yet, but almost there.  I’ve been highlighting and underlining and really asking God to teach me more and more about His character in hopes that not only I will know God more, but that in turn I can imitate Him more.  I sat last night in bed and came to the realization after looking back over Matthew, Mark and Luke and taking note of things I had highlighted that two phrases continued to appear and each time I highlighted them.

…he had compassion…

…I desire mercy and not sacrifice…

Over and over and over again these phrases appear about Jesus.  I’m no Bible scholar at all.  No where close.  I have to google things and verses all the time.  When He says …not sacrifice…from what I understand He is usually speaking to the Pharisees and the way they put the laws on a pedestal.  Over and over and over again Jesus shows compassion and mercy.

I have this love/hate relationship with social media.  I think a lot of people feel this way.  Honestly, I’ve gotten to the point where I get on Facebook to post my blog for the day and then get off.  I have a hard time handling it so I now avoid it mostly.  It’s great for my small business and it can be great for other things as well, but I found my feelings were getting far too wrapped up in people.  And then with all the recent news with Ferguson and New York, I found myself having hurt feelings and being very judgmental…taking up issues with people…their status posts, the articles being posted, the “likes” of certain things, the comments.  I didn’t like how I felt and how I was putting stock in people, when I know my hope should always be in Jesus and Him alone.  People fail us…just like I fail people.  It’s easy to point out what’s wrong with everyone else, to see their flaws, but God continues to point out that I have flaws and people take up issues with me and I get on people’s nerves and I don’t always make the best choices and I don’t always make godly decisions or say the right things.  I’m a sinner saved by this giant redeeming grace.  So I’ve been avoiding certain social media like the plague because I know I let my thoughts and feelings wander far from where God would desire them to be.

I haven’t said anything about all the heartbreaking racial tension in the news because truthfully I feel like I  just don’t know what to say.  I believe completely and totally that everyone is created in God’s image and everyone matters.  Everyone deserves to be loved and to love.  Everyone’s story counts and has value to Christ…and so they should count and have value to me.  I know I am a mom of 4 amazingly beautiful children who I feel honored and humbled to parent.  Two of my children are not only black Ethiopian boys in a majority white family, but also are adopted.  I will never fully understand how they feel.  I will never fully grasp the gravity of their loss or how racism will affect their sweet lives…because racism still exists.  And so I sit with my thoughts and literally beg God to help me and Josh parent them as He would…and when we are just at a crushing loss that He would be everything they need.  Some days I feel so inadequate as a mom to all of my children.  This is the gig I don’t want to mess up.  I don’t want to fail these 4 little souls who call me Momma…and yet, I know I will.  God will be their ultimate rock…their parent who never falters, who always knows what to do and what to say, the One who doesn’t get it wrong.

Tonight while I ran I listened to some sermons.  Our pastor recently addressed the stories like Ferguson and New York and I think he did a really great job and I wanted to share it.  You can listen to it HERE.  It’s week 2: Be Compassionate.

And Nashville’s police department has recently made national news for the way they’ve handled protestors…with dignity and respect…with compassion and mercy.  It makes me proud to be a Nashvillian.  The police chief even publicly addressed a letter criticizing the way his department has handled the protests and he does it with more dignity and respect…compassion and mercy.  You can read the letter exchange HERE.

So I keep looking back to Jesus…the way He always looked onto people with compassion and how He desired mercy.  Compassion and mercy…what we all deserve and need.

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December 29, 2014 By 6 Comments

Hi <3

Hi!  I’ve missed you guys.  I took some time away from here and my email inbox over Christmas.  It just felt nice, but it feels good to plop down on the couch after we just got everyone in bed and start typing this post.  We just finished watching Dolphin Tale 2…for the second time.  It’s out on Redbox and I cried like a big baby.  So good.  Hudson sat by me and we are the perfect movie pair.  He gets emotionally involved asap and wants to know exactly what happens.  This is me.  IMDB is my best movie friend.  I can find out the entire plot…spoilers and all.  Give me all the spoilers…I want to be fully prepared.  So Huddy and I are the perfect movie match.

Last night Josh Kelley and I watched Maleficent.  I totally loved this movie.  So so good.  Like I want to watch it again which doesn’t happen too much with me.  We own very few movies and I don’t watch many movies multiple times.  It was really great.

Josh and Laura Kelley Fun Fact:  A few movies we do watch over and over again…Life Aquatic, Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Big Fish, O Brother Where Art Thou, A River Runs Through It, Count of Monte Cristo.  And a most recent About Time.  If I had to pick a most favorite movie of all time it would be Big Fish.  It reminds me straight up of my Cousin Mike.  It’s pretty dang great.

Let’s see.  So many things I want to share.  Oh, how was your Christmas?  I hope it was grand and just what your heart needed.  Ours was good and different.  Different in a really fantastic way.  I’ve decided our Christmas this year might be my most favorite so far.  Simple, intentional and open to what God laid before us.  Traditions sometimes need to be set aside when people are placed in our path to grasp and to love and share life with.

Hello Christmas morning crockpot monkey bread and scrambled eggs and sausage balls.  Be still my food loving heart.  I might have had some extra homemade cream cheese frosting left over and I may have added it to the top of the monkey bread…a most excellent decision.

Harper got a rainbow loom from her Aunt Jen and let’s just say she has been a busy girl.  This was an excellent gift for her.  We have been youtubing videos and this girl has gone after it.

Me and this guy have been having lots of good, hard conversations lately about the brokenness around us and the why’s and how’s and how do we help stand in the gap and hold hands with our brothers and sisters.  When you look at poverty and see people…their hearts, their lives, their reflection of God…you realize we were created to do this life together.  This messy, hard, completely unfair life linked arm and arm.  We were made to come along side one another.  I’m praying big things for 2015.

We’ve been on a pretty strict “no eating out says our bank account” for a while now.  We kind of splurged over the Christmas break though.  We did take-n-bake pizza Christmas Eve because A) It’s our fave and B) We’re all kinds of fancy around here on the holidays.  And we hit up our favorite Mexican restaurant.  Chips, salsa and black beans were devoured by all.

Tomorrow I’ve got a big date with some serious Oreo cheesecake making.  When thinking about what dessert I would like to ring in the New Year with I couldn’t shake the thought of it.  There were a few options in the mix and Josh Kelley pushed me over the edge on the Oreo cheesecake.  I think it says Happy New Year pretty well.  And why yes that is 16 bars of cream cheese.

Harper:  Are we really buying 16 bars of cream cheese????

Me:  Yep.

And today Amon rocked his last therapy session of 2014.  You guys, I can’t even.  He still has a few more months to go, but when I think about what God has done with this little non-verbal kiddo, well, it’s just joy and thankfulness.  When we started he had no words and no sign language.  And now the words are just flowing.  He works hard.  Today I was completely overwhelmed with gratefulness for his speech therapists…all their hard work and love.  And for God and His mighty works…the way He transforms.  It makes me all kinds of weepy and it makes me all sorts of thrilled to see what this child does in 2015.

I’ll be back tomorrow.  I’m sure it will be back to my random thoughts.  Christmas kind of messed with me heart big time.  It’s hard to work those feelings out sometimes.  And I’m getting down to emails tonight too.

Thank you for stopping by and reading and Happy Monday night!

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December 23, 2014 By 2 Comments

December 23

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I cannot even believe it.  Are you done with your shopping/baking/wrapping/etc???  We’re all done, but the boys and I went out this morning to grab some regular house items and it was crazy town.

Today’s kindness advent was painting rocks to leave at our community playground.  This is always a Kelley kid favorite.

Tomorrow we are leaving encouraging notes on cars.

2 Random Fun Things:

1)  Harper had a girls only cousin slumber party last night so we took the boys to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings.  Josh Kelley and myself dig chicken wings, so we were pretty excited to take the boys for the first time.  No lie, as we were walking in the door Hudson casually says, “So do they have anything other than buffalo?”  We died.

Major success.  They ate all their food, we had lots of fun conversations and they all enjoyed sports at every turn.  So fun.

2)  And I did a little more last minute Christmas crafting today.  Silverware I picked up at Goodwill + my metal stamps = more gifts. Inexpensive and lovely.  Harper loves when they match!

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!

Happy Tuesday night!

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December 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

December 21 & 22

Yesterday’s kindness advent was our Redbox rental goody bag.  A little note, some popcorn, a few $1 boxes of movie candy and a couple of dollars for the next renter.

Today we left sticky notes on the mirrors in a public restroom.  I helped the boys spell all of theres, so I kind of love Harper’s “You are prity.”  Made me smile.

Tomorrow we are painting rocks to leave on the playground!

And I’ll leave with you a few brotherly loving pictures.  They can fight with the best of them, but they love hard as well.

Laura Kelley Fun Fact #37:  When I found out I was pregnant with Harper I begged God to let it be twin boys and even totally convinced myself it was.  Then we had the big ultrasound and found out we were having one girl 🙂  I cried.  Of course I wouldn’t have it any other way now.  No way…Harper is my sanity!  But, I also love that God gave me my twin boys…just later and a bit different.

Amon asked Hudson to sit by him while they ate their breakfast.  Hudson obliged.

Solomon and Hudson watched 1/2 a movie this way.  Made me laugh so hard because they were totally in their movie zone.

Amon and Solomon were having a sweet little moment together the other day as well.  Solomon’s high raised Ethiopian eye brows are my favorite of all time…makes me melt.

And then Amon went back to his crazy self.  Sol is super patient and tolerable of Amon’s toddler antics too.

Now I’m off to do some last minute Christmas baking and enjoy these wild Kelley children.  It’s Christmas week people…enjoy it!

Happy Monday.

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December 20, 2014 By 3 Comments

December 19 & 20

Christmas time fun is kind of getting the best of my time…which I love…so today I’m covering two days again.  Yesterday we delivered one million and one baked goods, but our kindness advent was aimed at our pediatricians office.  I am constantly reminded of how good we have it with access to health care and amazing doctors on our side.  Our pediatrician’s office is The.Best and loves us all so well and I don’t mind one bit showering them with sugar.

Today we are delivering handmade ornaments.  One thing I hope we convey is that kindness doesn’t have to be expensive.  A lot of times it’s about your thoughtfulness and time.  I bought these craft ornaments for .50 at Hobby Lobby and then let the kids paint them.  Super easy.  Our niece Campbell joined in on the fun.

Tomorrow we are leaving a Redbox rental bucket filled with goodies for someone picking up a movie.

It’s the Saturday before Christmas and this is the time I love.  We’re all just hanging out, watching movies, wrapping presents, eating treats, crafting my last few gifts.  I’ve cleaned the house…shocker.  And I might have spent a little too much time on some chalkboard art.  Festive and bright and hopeful is how my heart is feeling.  Christmas and other holidays can be so hard for lots of people.  I’ve had a few weepy moments myself, but ever since Mom died O Holy Night has been my favorite Christmas song because of the hope and the rejoicing I can have in Jesus even when my heart may be a bit weary.  This is the world.  It can be so dark…so hopeless…so overwhelming…and sometimes I get so weary with how can we help, how can we love more, how can we show the hope in Jesus, how can our family really make a difference.  Sometimes I feel like our love actions are just drops in the ocean…never making much of a difference, but God confirms over and over again to keep loving Him, keep loving others and that those drops are making ripples.  He is working in the smallest and what we may feel is the most mundane love and kindness we can show.  So we keep on and we hold tight to that thrill of hope, choosing to rejoice in the gift of Jesus even when our hearts may be weary along with the rest of the world.  Grateful and humbled He would choose to come for me and every one of you.

Happy Saturday.

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December 18, 2014 By 5 Comments

December 17 & 18

I have been in bake city the last two days + about a million other things thrown on top, but I love it.  I actually completely forgot to stop in and say hi yesterday.  Our kindness advent was way fun.  We did surprise chalk art in our friends’ drive-way.  Hudson tends to go a little rogue with his drawings…imagine lots of swords and ninjas and light sabers and very intense fight scenes, so I gave them one rule “You must draw something Christmas or winter themed.”  This was helpful.

Today’s kindness advent got changed around a bit and we did something different, but it’s one of those things you just choose to keep between you and those special some ones.  You get it…like the things God puts directly on your heart.

Tomorrow we are delivering bake goods to lots of people, but a whole bunch to our pediatrician’s office.  They are the best and take such good care of all these Kelley kids.

We also class partied it up today which was too much fun.  Amon is already out of MDO so he was in attendance for all the parties.  I was in charge of cupcakes and pinterest for the win on easy festive cupcake toppers.  Pretzel sticks, green candy melts and sprinkles.

I have been baking, baking and more baking.  I wanted to give you the rundown because I found a few slam dunks.  I  am happy to report all the recipes were delicious…minus me slightly burning the gooey butter cake…just slightly…and I did some cutting off of the a-bit-too-brown-pieces.  There may have been a few curse words, but alas, I survived and moved on.

So here’s what was made:  Gooey Butter Cake (an old fave), Sugar Cookie Bars (so good), Puppy Chow Cookies (crazy messy, but just do it), Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Candy (addictive), M&M Bark (hard to cut, but I totally loved this combination), Double Dipped Pretzel Chips (a fave of Josh Kelley), Gooey Butter Cookies (hold the phone, I may have a new favorite.  LOVE the texture and lightness of these), Oreo Cheesecake Cookies (I’ve made these before and they are always a hit), Andes Mint Cookies (another oldy, but goody and super easy) and Nutter Butter Balls (one of my all time favorites and I always use white chocolate).

Let’s discuss Amon while baking today.  All he wanted to do was A) Eat or stick his finger in everything.  *For those receiving baked goods…Amon did not put his finger in your food because that is just gross and kids are way germy.*  B) High-five over and over and over again with oven mitts.  And C) Stand way too close to the mixer.  God love him.

The conversation we had one million times today:

Amon: I eat dat.

Me:  No, were not eating these right now.

Amon: Maybe, morrow?

Me: Probably not tomorrow.

Amon: Maybe, Tooday?

Me:  Sure Amon.  We’ll eat these Tuesday.

I received the sweetest little package in the mail today from a blog reader.  There was the kindest note and then these two ornaments.  After all that baking, it made me tear up.  Thank you so much Ms. Linda…you made me day…and Solomon immediately hung both ornaments on our tree.

And after a quick dinner tonight and some cleaning of our kitchen, everyone put on PJs, got a sweet snack and we did our yearly Christmas lights drive-thru.  After we finished, Josh Kelley said, “Well, it’s officially Christmas.”  It’s what we do.

This was the best picture I could get of the boys and me.  It makes me laugh.

So how was your Thursday?  I am beyond pumped tomorrow is Friday and Christmas vacation has officially started.  Here’s to a grand weekend people!

Happy Thursday!

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December 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

December 16

Today’s kindness advent was leaving moola on vending machines.  Two things: 1) Vending machines are kind of hard to find these days.  We looked all over until Harper spotted some outside of none other than Kroger.  2) Did you know there are still .35 cent machines?!?!?!  True story.  We found them tonight.  Like the mythological unicorn of vending machines.

Tomorrow we’re doing a little chalk art!

So I have about one thousand thoughts running through my brain.  I’ll let you in on a few of them.

*I’m officially done with all my orders that were needed by Christmas and that feels dang good.  I’m still taking orders, but will not start working on them until after Christmas.  So many orders to share, but for now I’ll just share this 11×14.  I really dig this dog.  And thank you again to everyone who has ordered this year.  I am constantly humbled and so grateful for your orders and to God for having a job I love.

*From now until Christmas I will be baking and making gifts for some family and friends.  I am way pumped.  I made my baking aspirations list and might even go do all my shopping for ingredients tonight before I head to bed.  Crazy excited.

*I always want to try and give people my best.  This doesn’t always happen, but I want to try.  I especially want to bring my A-game when giving to those in need.  Sometimes I hear people say “they’ll appreciate anything” when referring to giving to those less fortunate than themselves.  This kind of makes my skin crawl a bit.  I don’t want to just give “anything”…when we give to those who are in need we are literally giving to Jesus, so I always want to give my very best…treating people how I would want to be treated.

*Amon gets stuck in strange positions each day on a regular basis.  Today.  “Mom, heeeeeelp.”  He also is totally loving watering his Big Daddy and Nene’s tree.  Mr. Kelley, Josh’s dad, is literally like his favorite person on the planet Earth.  It’s kind of ridiculously cute.

*We have an elf.  My mom gave him to us, but we’re seriously the worst elf owners ever.  We can’t even remember his name.  And he hasn’t moved in over a week.  The kids all came to an agreement he has indeed lost his magic.

*The Kelley kids do chores each week and if they do their chores they get there allowance on Saturdays.  This year they decided to purchase presents for each other, but had to use their own money.  This has been crazy fun.  They each went out on their own with their choice of parent.  Josh Kelley got picked twice.  Harper finally threw me a bone and picked me as her date.  She chose Waffle House to eat and there was zero protest on my behalf.  Hello Allstar Breakfast.

*We also give them each a sum of money, but they have to give it away…however they choose.  We’ve talked about all the ways they could give this money generously.  I love hearing their ideas.  Harper made a plan on paper from the very beginning and stuck with it.  She bought books, pencils and bookmarks to take to the children’s hospital where Amon had his surgery.  The boys still go back and forth.  Hudson’s the most fickle.  He’s thinking about giving it all to the Goodlettsville Help Center, buying a goat, splitting it up…1/2 to the GHC and 1/2 for buying toys for kiddos, helping build a well in Swaziland or giving it all to one of his friends at school 🙂

*I’m happy to report the recommendation for using hydrogen peroxide on our bloody couch worked.  Insert raise the roof hands!

*I saw this recipe for Puppy Chow Cookies on pinterest and literally gasped.  And no, no I do not have food issues.

(photo source)

*And today I went to the dentist and got my temporary crown.  Mother of pearl.  It hurt like dang heck…and dang heck is bad.  I feel as if I have a pretty good tolerance for pain, but what was suppose to be a 30 minute in and out appointment turned into this dude drilling on one tooth for an hour and a half.  He used words & phrases like “cracked tooth”, “leakage”, “this was my challenge for the day”, “wow this is deep” and “death”.  I’m confident I almost died.  He had to numb me THREE different times.  This cannot be normal.  And my mouth is still hurting I just want to punch something.  I may have cried some…when they were out of the room…because I have pride issues and almost thrown up.  I’m a foot shaker so imagine how fast my foot was moving.  And I squeezed my own hand for pain.  I’ve never been an anxious/nervous/fearful dental person, but yep, that’s me now.

Now…to Kroger I go.  Here I come scrumptious ingredients.  Those Puppy Chow cookies are calling my name.  Maybe this is why I have bad teeth.  No way, I still blame pregnancy.

Happy Tuesday.

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