Archives for January 2015

January 15, 2015 By 8 Comments

8 Things

1.  Yesterday as I walked into Target I realized two things: 1) This was the third time in 3 days I had been to Target and 2) I was wearing the exact same outfit for all 3 trips. I then gave #2 a little more thought…the clothes I put on Monday morning I also slept in Monday night, wore all day Tuesday, slept in Tuesday night and wore Wednesday morning to Target…yet again.  Send reinforcements please…and cookies.

2.  I am happy to report I finally showered and put on some different clothes yesterday afternoon.  You can all sleep easier tonight.

3.  There is always time for kindness…especially in the form of THESE whoopie pies and I am an emotional eater so I enjoyed 1 or 2 as well.  Baked goods can change the world…and your waste line 🙂

4.  I ran yesterday.  It was like glory.  Any runners out there ever do HIIT  (high intensity interval training) workouts on the treadmill?  I decided starting in January I was going to start doing them to mix my running up.  I found one HERE which I loved and it lets you get in some fast running…so good.  Then yesterday I tried THIS ONE.  Oh wow.  Hardly any fast running, but I was drenched in sweat.  I like to think I’m in decent shape, but it kicked my butt.  If you have any good ones you like I would love to hear about them.  I have a few more I really want to try.

5.  Dressing a little girl is too fun.  Geez its been a long time since we’ve had a tiny lady in the house.

6.  Today I am getting a flippin’ root canal.  Can you tell I’m super excited?  I have never been a stressed dental person, but I am absolutely that person now.  You would think I am dying.  When I go in I just want to ask them to put me to sleep…give me the good stuff…I don’t want to remember a thing.

7.  He always meets me right where I am.

8.  And wow with the baby foods.  Amon is gaga over these puff things.  I only let him have a few and remind him they’re for the little miss.  Josh Kelley said, “I’m with him.  The blueberry ones smell like heaven.”  And what about those crazy little packets of food…you just twist the top off, hand it over and the kiddo does all the work.  Josh and I were so baffled.  Hahaha, it doesn’t take much.

Hope everyone’s week is going fantastic.  It’s almost Friday!

Happy Thursday!

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January 13, 2015 By 1 Comment

Signs Of The Times

We’re all exhausted around the Kelley house.  A weekend long sleepover and a new little one in the mix means we all went extra hard and are now trying to catch up on sleep.  I had all these new and great fitness goals for 2015.  And it was going pretty good until Friday 🙂  I’m choosing to show myself grace now because A) I am wiped out and B) It feels like at this point if everyone makes it through the day alive, we’re all high-fiving each other.  Breakfast and diaper changing and lunches and laundry and emails and blog posts and work and homework and dinner and more laundry and figuring out a new kiddo and scheduling and gathering baby items and cleaning and paperwork and carseat shenanigans and a broken van door and getting everyone in and out of said van with broken door and well, sometimes it feels overwhelming.  I know you all can totally relate.  This is life.

I am about to have a root canal too because a dentist dude jacked my crown up.  I might have sobbed…like embarrassingly sobbed on the phone with the dentist’s office receptionist.  I also missed a doctor’s appointment for Harper.  I feel as if I am batting 0.  On the way out of Bible study the other night Josh Kelley grabbed a honey bun and I grabbed a cream cheese danish…you know the ones…giant, gas station ones.  We both devoured them on the way home at like 9 o’clock at night and all I could think was this is so us right now.  My pants may get tight over the next few weeks, but I’m coming to terms with it.

Did I mention I also hosted my niece Campbell’s 12th birthday this weekend?!?!  First, there is just no way she can be 12!!!  Second, I told you this weekend was crazy town.  Josh’s dad had to come to our house to help transport 7 children to their house while I partied because our van doesn’t seat that many children.  I cleaned and plugged in glue guns just in time for 6 middle school girls to enter our house for a little crafting session.  It was actually the perfect break I needed.  So much fun and they did awesome.

 

I also finished up a set of key fobs just in time for Whatever Craft Weekend.  Such a pleasure to send them off for such a special weekend.  I hope all the ladies enjoy!

Oh and Friday afternoon Amon got a haircut.  He clearly did not need one and I put myself and sweet Brooke his hairdresser through an agonizing 15-20 minutes of screaming for no reason at all.  He was so pumped about this hair cut saying things like “I hug Book.”  “She not hurt me.”  “I high-five her.”  And then she invited him into her room and dude when nuts, screamed “nooooo” and took off running down the hall.  He then proceeded to scream and cry and say “ow” 5 gajillion times until the hair cut was over and then he decided hair cuts were cool once finished.  It was so relaxing.

And thank you, thank you for all the sweet and kind comments and emails about our new journey as a foster family.  I always feel blessed when you choose to share your stories with me.  You were all too kind and such an encouragement.  Thank you, truly.  May God receive all the glory for His goodness and works.  He is so good.

Happy Tuesday!

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January 12, 2015 By 11 Comments

From 6 to 7

And so it began.  Our little family has gone from 6 to 7 for the time being and we’re all in love.  Everyone has done great so far.  We even had 1 of my nieces and 2 of my nephews for the weekend bringing the kid total to 8 in our small house.  Welcome to crazy town people…Crazy.Town.  Truthfully, it was hard.  All you large families out there…kudos…I tip my hat.  Josh Kelley and I are tired.  By the grace of God Amon and the new little one are napping simultaneously right now.

I’ve cried a lot the past few days.  I’ve always said this about things like teaching and becoming a parent and adoption and other big life happenings…even though I’ve taken the classes and I feel like I’m prepared, nothing ever really prepares me until I’m right in the middle of it.  I thought I knew how I would feel when this all went down and then it actually happened and I was not prepared.  I have sobbed over this child and her family.  Our sins are the same in the eyes of Christ.  My junk is no better than theirs and God is madly in love with each of us, desiring only His best for all of our lives.

While we drove to church last night the kids asked a lot of questions and I did my best to answer them truthfully and to where they could understand.  They are already all in.  Harper is deeply in love.  We keep reminding them over and over again…we want her to be able to go home…back with her family…that is the goal.  We all need compassion and empathy so we are tying to place ourselves in other shoes.  Right now our role is to love love love this child and her family.  There is no room for judgment…there’s a giant plank in my own eye for goodness sakes.  Our role is to love and support and show everyone involved Jesus.  And to pray.  Hudson wanted to know, “What can we do?”  I told him to pray and I know he will and his prayers will delight God’s heart.  I keep reminding them that God’s plans are far better than we could ever imagine, we all make mistakes and sin and God loves every single one of us…no one more than the other.

I didn’t know how this would all go.  I didn’t know how we would feel.  Some people have told us “Congrats” and I take that as “Congrats on this honor and privilege you’ve been given” because that’s just what it is.  An honor and privilege to step in for a little bit and love.  Anything good or special about our family is because of Jesus.  He deserves all the praise and glory because without Him we are nothing.  He is mighty and loving and sovereign and He is everything that is good.  To say yes to Him is a gift.

So I may be a little absent here and there.  We’re all leaning into Jesus a little more because sometimes things seem so big and  we feel so small.  I was reminded last night at church we can do hard things because of Christ, nothing is impossible for Him and there is such power in His name.

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January 9, 2015 By 5 Comments

Day Brightener

After yesterday’s post I wish I could say everything was awesome the rest of the day and everyone got along and there were sunshines and rainbows and lollipops, but alas, that wouldn’t be truthful.  The day got better, but not great.  And that’s okay.  I worked on my bad attitude and rocked on with cheesecake making.

Wednesday night Josh’s mom brought us this cute little hat and jacket Josh and one of his brothers wore when they were little.  I wasn’t home when she dropped it off, but Josh said Amon was the cutest thing he had ever seen in it.  And with that statement I could not wait to try it on him.

After he woke up from his nap yesterday afternoon, while we were all recovering from our pissyness, I decided we could all use a cute laugh.  I am not above bribery, so I offered up an M&M and Amon was game.

I die.  I wish you could have seen the circus behind me. All of us ooohing and ahhing and laughing and so many, “He’s so cuuuute.”  We were ridiculous.  And M&Ms are magic.

Today has already been 10xs better than yesterday.  I am hopeful and it’s a new day…and a Friday at that.

Enjoy your weekend.

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January 8, 2015 By 9 Comments

Blah!

Today has just been one of those blah kind of days.  Crazy cold weather has set in.  Local schools were closing, but I remained hopeful since our county was still in and we kept receiving phone call recordings reminding us to dress our kids in appropriate cold weather clothing.  Then Amon’s MDO closed…because of cold weather…and I sighed a not-very-happy sigh.  Thursdays are the days I volunteer at our kid’s school and schedule meetings and appointments.  I’d already made my plans.  I’d already confirmed times with Hudson and Solomon’s teachers.  Not to mention getting my run in and some orders started and finished.  Plus a long laundry list of other things I was pretty pumped to accomplish solo.

Then I overslept this morning.  We all woke up already a bit behind, but it was fine.  Chin up everyone.  Josh Kelley packed lunches the night before so we were doing good.  Amon and I stayed in the house all lounged out in our PJs while we watched Josh leave our driveway to take the big 3 to school.

Then he called.  And there was no one at school.  We never watch the news. Ever.  Sooooo, we had completely missed the memo that buses were having issues running and their phone system was glitchy too and school was cancelled.

I game faced up.  A few appointments this morning and 4 kids who I had not planned on taking with me today.  I can do this.  Heck, we grocery shop together all the time.  I take them to stores.  I take all 4 of them on errands and to the doctors office for the love.  They know how to behave. They know what I expect of them.  They know how this goes and we’ll be golden.  Let’s do this.

Fast forward to me about to lose my *%&$ in public with my children.  No one was listening.  No one was obeying.  And everyone was touching everything.  A wrestling match broke out between two brothers.  Hudson went missing and Solomon was carrying around an 8 lb barbell that I have no idea where he got.  Harper brought her own money in hopes of buying everyone a treat.  Treats revoked by angry, fuming mom.  There were tears…theirs, not mine.  And I had to nix some plans because we all just needed to go home…and fast.  This was not working today.  We were not jiving.  No one was being nice or kind and everyone was just pissed off.  I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs, “What is wrong with you small humans today?”   It was straight up infuriating and I needed a drink by 10am.

We headed home and we’ve been here the rest of the day.  I feel like I lost the day and let my kids down a bit.  They were no angels themselves either.  There have been unkind words and insults and several come-to-Jesus moments.  Amon is finally napping and I’m declaring a full on re-start to this jacked up day.  I just said yes to some iPad time for each of them and they are giggling wildly while doing Photo Booth together.  It’s good to be reminded they actually do love each other.  I’m about to make THIS cheesecake for some special guys tomorrow night.  And a little something called cherry cheese cobbler…a family recipe.  Let’s just say I am not a fan of any fruit cobblers, but when Sandra Hall decided to add cream cheese and powdered sugar…ummmmm, yes please.

I may have stress eaten almost an entire bag of deliciously-awful-for-my-waist-line regular, cheese and caramel mixed popcorn.  I beat myself up about it for a bit and then decided I wasn’t doing myself any good.  Another re-start.  About to fix up a pot of while chicken chili for dinner and I have a Dolphin Tale scratch which needs to be itched…plus it’s due back to the library this week.  We owe it to ourselves to watch it for the 5th time.  I also called our case worker just to say “Hi.”  I literally said, “I don’t know why I’m calling, just wanted to check in.”  I’m a dork.  It was nice to hear from her though and we’re about due another home study check anyways.  2 birds, 1 stone.

My popularity just rose a bit because I made smoothies.  And then came to the rescue and reattached a falling lego bakery.  Not many people can do what I do.  It’s a gift.  I’ll take it.  Anything to bring my popularity back up in the poles 🙂  Legos unite us all.  Except Amon…because he goes all crazy Godzilla toddler when lego creating is taking place.

These days…they come.  They just do.  They are inevitable because were all sinners…we’re all jacked up.  I needed an attitude check and a bag of trio popcorn.  It happens.  And we move on.  We restart.  And make cheesecake.

Happy Thursday.

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January 7, 2015 By 55 Comments

Bible Journaling

**LATEST UPDATE:  You can find my online Bible journaling class HERE.  Current funds are going directly to help us fund our adoption of our son from China who has several complex heart defects.**

So I’ve been getting some emails and comments asking about information on my Bible journal…like where I got it, what kind of pens I use, supplies, etc.  I thought a quick post would be fun with some details.

I believe God creates everyone in really special, specific and purposeful ways.  He wires us differently.  Gives us different gifts and talents and loves.  And I think we all learn differently as well.  I know He created me with a creative bent…a love of color and creating and drawing with an artistic flare.  So I decided when I was really going to commit to read through the New Testament that I wanted to make sure I learned what I was reading.  And for me, adding an element of creativity would definitely enhance my ability to grasp what His words really mean…what all those parable are about…plus the added help from Google.

I ended up buying an ESV journal Bible from Amazon.  There are a lot of different options.  I loved the wide margins for notes, words, drawings, etc.  I wanted to pull out the things which really spoke to me.  I wanted to emphasize them and spend a longer amount of time looking at them.  The large margins had me at hello.

I draw, paint and color directly onto the pages and then sometimes I use plain white copy paper to work on, cut it out and then glue it to the pages.  I highlight and pull phrases and words that speak really loudly to me.  If I don’t understand something, I google it.  There are always 5 bazillion commentaries on what the passage means.  I read here and there and then make my own best judgment.  And move on.

Everyone is created so differently, but I’ve found this works for me.  I am retaining more and more information tapping into this quirk of mine.  I’m learning.  I’m remembering.  And I am enjoying spending time with His words.

Sometimes your fruit turns out looking more like a butt, but that’s okay.  It’s set in pen, so no erasing…I think God probably has an impeccable sense of humor though.

So here are the supplies I use.  There are tons and tons of options out there to work with.  These are just my choices…the ones I like to work with.

*ESV Journaling Bible

*Sharpie Highlighters

*Koi Watercolor Field Set (I bought this field set for Josh Kelley years ago on Amazon, but I’ve seen them at craft stores.)

*Pencils

*Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils (pretty much any where)

*Micron Pens (bought mine at Joanns, but I’m sure they’re at most craft stores.)

*Sharpie No Bleed Pen (also at Target) I love the medium tip.

*And an eraser

I still love Flair pens, but just didn’t dig them on this paper surface.

And I keep everything (minus the watercolor set) neatly in my Timbali zip pouch so I can grab it and go.

That’s it.  Super profesh right?!?!?!  You know, those Crayola twistables just scream “I’m an adult.”  Hahahahaha.

Hope this helps and answers some questions.  If you have any other questions just leave them in the comments and I’ll answer them as best I can.   And maybe you have a journaling supply item you love to use…feel free to share it with us.

Happy Wednesday.

**UPDATES**

I did a few updates within the post, but also added this area just in case you missed the main things I get asked a lot about.

I use the ESV Journaling Bible  I purchased mine on Amazon a while back.  It’s the plain black cover, but I painted it with acrylic paint and it’s held up well.

I now use the Timbali Costmetic Bag instead of their zip pouch to hold my supplies.  It’s bigger, but not too big and will hold all my supplies…even my watercolor set.  You can read about it HERE.

My watercolors are the Koi Watercolor Field Set (Hobby Lobby has them as well…use their 40% coupon)

I also teach Bible Journaling classes from our home once a month.  All the money from the classes goes towards doing some kind of good in the world.  I also will come to you and teach the class.  If you are interested you can message me HERE or email me at pitterpatterart at gmail dot com and I can get you all the details.

I’ve also started a Pinterest board with all my journaling pages.  You can check it out HERE.

*amazon affiliate links

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January 6, 2015 By 3 Comments

Insta Tuesday

Thought I’d drop in and do a little Instagram pictureness for the night.  I’m pitterpatterart on Instagram if you want to follow along.

Hudson and Amon are always the fist awake in our house.  Hudson literally falls asleep within minutes of his head hitting his pillow and wakes up and immediately hits the ground running.  Most of the time he has created something from paper or legos before he even leaves the house for school.  This was his alien and with a laser gun.  And I love his hair.

This is our house.  The traditional “no throwing  balls in the house” rule was never even an option.  I remember when we discussed house rules when Harper was a baby and when considering this rule Josh Kelley said, “But balls are meant to be thrown.”

Harper is the artsy creating kid.  She paints and makes and crafts and now, looms her little heart out.  She made a loom bracelet for all her classmates and teacher.  She writes letters and wraps up fun little quirky gifts.  I like her a lot.

These yahoos went roller skating the other day…and laser tagging…and bowling…and bumper car riding.  They were all sweaty.  And totally goofy.  My favorite was watching them roller-skate.  Everyone had noodle legs and was terrible.  So so funny.

Another goal for 2015…rid my shoes of stench.  I’ve tried so many things, but thought, what the heck, it’s a new year, I’ll give this another go.  I’m here to accomplish the impossible in 2015.  And then some ladies on Instagram said to dump baking soda in my shoes and stick them in the freezer.  Josh Kelley is fearful our frozen hamburgers will taste like feet, but I’m going to give it a try.  Wish me luck.

This was us Christmas morning.  I feel like it speaks volumes about our hot-mess-ness.  And Solomon’s shooting guns…oh wow, how I love that kid…he’s a committed little funny picture taker.

This.

Josh Kelley Fun Fact:  He’s amazing at watercolor paintings.  He used to paint all the time, but doesn’t much anymore.

While cleaning out a giant watercolor pad of his I found a baby Harper watercolored hand print.  I cut it out and then compared.  Sigh.

And my favorite purchase of 2015 was my journaling Bible.  It’s my jam.

Happy Tuesday night!

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January 5, 2015 By 1 Comment

As of Late…

And so it begins.  The first Monday of the new year feels pretty legit.  Our Christmas tree is down and decorations have been put away.  I took down all our Christmas cards and cleaned our chalkboard for some new art.  We cleaned the house and de-cluttered and tossed stuff and donated and re-organized.  I even threw out all my running socks that had holes in them and Josh Kelley got me new hole-less ones.  Maybe this was our prep for the new  year.

It seems there are 5 million different ideas and dreams and thoughts and goals running through my brain.  Josh Kelley is a good listener.  He helps break things down and brings wisdom into my chaos.  We’re a good pair.  Ideas and goals have been discussed.  Plans have been made.  Everything isn’t set in stone though.  Some things will develop more over the year and we don’t want to miss out on God’s works, so we’re keeping our eyes open for all the new relationships and opportunities He will present.  Everyday is meant for service..to love Him and others.  Everyday is His.

A big thing for our new year is just flat out attempting things.  So many times I’m hindered by my own pride and the possibility of failure and what that looks like to others or the awkward and uncomfortable feelings.  I’m going to learn to be okay with failure.  I want to learn to wear it proudly.  I may fail, but I didn’t sit still…I did something.  And the more we talk about how awkward and uncomfortable things will be in the beginning, when action is put into place and you just keep doing, the awkwardness and uncomfortableness lessens and relationships build and love moves in.

I want to be thankful this year and honest and encouraging.  I want to stop feeling like I’ve been inconvenienced by someone or something and realize things just aren’t as big a deal as I’ve made them out to be and everything doesn’t revolve around me.  Give people a break, show grace and mercy…goodness knows I need more myself.  Jesus lived in service and in love.

“…But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:43-45

I want to be more Christ-like.  I want more of Him and less of me.  I want to love like He loves.  Show compassion and grace like He does.  I want to be invested in people’s lives as deeply as He is invested in each of us.  I want to be generous and kind like He is.  It’s so simple and yet so difficult.  It kind of feels like the answer to everything…the solution to all my struggles…the resolve.

I also realized quickly when making my goals I started adding to-dos to my goal list as well.  Things like…call plumber…because Amon has officially put the upstairs toilet out of commission.  Listening to water pour down in between your walls and then run out of a door frame makes my stress level rise 🙂  And fix dry wall.  I’ve decided throwing some to-dos on your official “Goals of 2015” list has the possibility to put the pressure on to actually get these things fixed and will make me feel a tad accomplished upon completing said things.

Tomorrow school starts back.  This brings hope to my heart for a few reasons:  1) Tomorrow I will be in our house…alone…and I will listen intently to the silence.  I might cry.  2) I will eat lunch with a friend.  She’s a grown-up, which means we’ll probably have a conversation and she won’t throw any food on the floor.  3) For approximately 5 hours tomorrow I will have my own personal space.  This has the potential to bring about tears of joy.

And now I’ve got an intense date with Harper, Hudson and Solomon to finish the nail biting movie City of Ember.  What can I say…Josh Kelley finds us some winners at the library.  We had to turn it off yesterday when a giant bug entered the scene.

Hudson:  Turn it off.  Turn it off.  It’s too much.

He then proceeded to wake up at 3am…”because of that scary movie.”  Geez.  We’re about to tackle our fears people.  Giant bugs, PG rating and all.  Wish us luck.

Happy Monday!

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