October 25, 2012 By 13 Comments

So It Begins

Order making is in full swing.  This camera strap is headed to Jennifer in New Mexico.  Thanks so much Jennifer.

 

And these key fobs are headed to Jinny in Tennessee .  Thanks so much Jinny.

Sickness has hit the Kelley house.  Sol has the croup so he was home from school with me and Amon all day.  I think he was a little lonely.  I really wanted to completely quarantine him.  Nothing like a contagious awesomeness floating around our house and our little heart dude.

See that little white line on Amon’s incision…How do you feel about exposed stitches…and one that is supposed to be on the inside of his body and has made its way out?  Me, well it makes me nauseous…like gag worthy…I’m weak.

I think I should be Lysoling everything…all day long.  Amon got on board with the super hero craze today.

And apparently I’ve started falling apart as I approach the big 3-0.  I’ve never had to ice a leg/ankle/calf or whatever, ever…now I’m all broken down.  And icing something is pretty hardcore…like it’s not a massage of anything…kind of burns.  Not pleasant.  Any tips for leg injuries?

Tonight I’m working on more orders.  And once I finish up these 10 orders, I’ll re-open some more order spots.  Hope you guys had a great sick & injury free day.

Happy Thursday!

Filed Under: art, faith Tagged With: , 13 Comments
October 9, 2012 By 9 Comments

Humbled

I just have to say, sitting here on Day #19, I have been completely humbled to be apart of Amon’s journey to his new heart.  I have been terrified at some moments and sad at others, but joyous and thankful and humbled the most.  What an amazing son I have and what a gift God has given Josh and I to be his parents.  And I am just completely overwhelmed with how we have been loved on and prayed for over the past month.  We truly know some amazing people.  I will be the first person to tell you, I’m prideful.  I don’t like to ask for help…I don’t like to appear weak…I don’t like to put others out, but God has brought me to my knees and taught me a very valuable lesson about swallowing my pride and asking for help and accepting help when people offer.  We could not have done this past month without help.  I have written countless thank you notes, but I just want to say again and again “Thank You.”  Sincerely, sincerely, sincerely…Thank you!!!

Tomorrow is Amon’s big day to start attempting to eat again.  He will start with a little bit of pedialyte and we’ll cross our fingers and toes from there.  I’m just praying everything goes smoothly.  Here’s to no puke!

Like I said, we know some amazing people who have done some super amazing things for our little family.  One of the sweetest ladies I know, Sandra, continues to bless our family all the time.  She loves us so well.  She brought me an entire bag of movie night treats, including an oldie, but a goodie movie, Now and Then.  One of my all time favorites.

And she also brought me Heart Health stamps.  Can you be smitten with stamps?  Yes, yes you can.

Sweet Miranda sent me the best labels ever for my baked goods.  Miranda is a digital queen and just does so many amazing things.  I told her she needs to sell these asap.

And today Kara brought me this awesome coloring book…from the Dollar Tree.  I’m probably going to photo copy the entire book before letting the wee Kelleys loose on it.  It even has a Swaziland page…score.

And I have been working on more canvases.  I finished this 11×14 “Standing in God’s grace & mercy” canvas.  Lots of doodling going on due to lots of down time at the hospital.  This canvas will be up for sale once we get home.

Hope everyone is having a great week so far.  I think this week is going to be very stellar…I’ve got really high hopes.

Happy Tuesday!

Filed Under: ace of hearts, art, family, hospital Tagged With: , , 9 Comments
October 2, 2012 By 10 Comments

Hospital Art

We’re on day 12 here at Vandy’s children’s hospital.  I haven’t left the hospital yet and don’t plan on until we’re going home together.  I am getting a bit antsy and I’ve watched enough cable TV to kill a person.  I’ve tried my hand at other little crafty projects, but I was really itching to have stained finger tips and have been super inspired by the new Mumford & Sons CD.  If you don’t have it, just go ahead and do yourself a favor and head on out right now and go get it or download it on iTunes.  I like to still buy cds so Josh picked me up a copy at Target.  Anyways, you’ll thank me later.  Happy brilliance.  It’s infectious.

So Josh brought me all my goods and I made this 10×10 canvas with one of my most favorite lines from the album:  “So I’ll be bold as well as Strong.  And use my head alongside my heart.”  Someone mentioned this maybe being a giveaway canvas…I hadn’t thought about it, but maybe it could be a “Hallelujah We’re Going Home Giveaway” when the time comes.  Who knows.

I also made this 8×8 canvas with a bit of Alabama Shakes and an ode to the Tennessee flag, since Tennessee is one of the greatest places on earth.

I think I’m going to try and make a few more canvases as well.  In other hospitalish news…Amon is doing really well.  He’s annihilating his infection and his smile is as bright as ever.

One of the nurses did glue his shirt to his body…on both sides…with suture glue.  I am not kidding.  I wish I was because it was super sad having to separate him from his shirt that was glued to his body.  He puked all over himself and Josh went to take his little scrub shirt off and well, it wasn’t coming off.  You just can’t make this stuff up.

He was much more pleasant after he wasn’t covered in puke and wasn’t laying in puke and after his shirt was no longer glued to his body.  Oh the joy.

Being in the hospital with Amon has given me time to think about really important things…like maybe my next tattoo 🙂  I’m working on several drawings for possibly my next one.  I like to sketch out lots of sketches…like 20+…before I make a decision, so I’ve got some more work to do before a decision is made.

And Josh got to hold Amon for the first time since his surgery yesterday.  It was a great moment.  I love my Kelley boys…all 4 of them.

That’s all for today.  We still so appreciate all the prayers for Amon…I feel like we’re almost out of here, but just not quite yet.  Almost though…almost.

Happy Tuesday!

Filed Under: ace of hearts, art, family, hospital Tagged With: , , , 10 Comments
August 30, 2012 By 9 Comments

Sweet Heart

Thank you so so much for all the sweet comments and emails and FB messages you sent on behalf of Amon.  I cannot express how much your prayers and thoughts for him mean to our family.  Please know that when I type “Thank you” I really and truly mean it.  And thank you for sharing Amon’s story…the more praying, the better.

And you can still enter to win the 11×14 Hold Onto Hope canvas…either scroll to the post below or CLICK HERE to enter.  Giveaway ends Friday and I will post the winner Saturday.

I wish everyone could meet Amon in person…and I had more questions yesterday on how to pronounce his name than anything…funny huh?  You say it Long A-mun.  Amon.  Anyways…he is seriously the sweetest little thing and happy as all get out.  My sweet heart…for sure.  We have just fallen so hard for him.

Lots of you also wanted to know how he was doing.  Well we have had quite a few doctors appointments since arriving home and had another one today.  Amon is a bit sick…ear infection & fever and is an anesthesia risk with the congestion he has at this point.  What that means is if they were to do surgery today, they wouldn’t do it due to how congested he is.  So we are now home bound with no visitors…trying to get him better asap in preparation for surgery and trying to limit the amount of germs he is exposed to.  Other than that he is awesome.  He’s eating and sleeping and pooping and peeing…just your everyday baby, but with a special little heart.

So thank you for praying for him and if you don’t mind, please continue to do so.  I feel like we’re in the semi home stretch…less than 2 weeks away from surgery and even though I’m a bit on the terrified side, I also realize he needs this surgery and therefore I’m ready for it to be done and over with.  Just having to let God have this one…big time…and pray that congestion away 🙂

In other random Kelley news…I wanted to prove to you that we Kelleys do not live on sweets alone.  Here is some proof.

And to completely negate those fruits & veggies, I wanted to share this truly incredible Thin Mint Brownie recipe.  I do not like texting language, but OMG!  This is crazy good.  You must make this…today.  And I doubled the recipe because I bought a 9×13 brownie mix…it doubles fantasticly.

I also realized I had never shared maybe one of my most favorite recipes EVER from our family Hall Cookbook.  Ham & Cheese Poppyseed Sandwiches by my Aunt Tootsie.

I make these all the time coupled with some pasta salad, raw veggies and fruit.  I like to use the whole wheat kaiser rolls or my favorite…ciabatta bread…it is the best.  And we switch it up with turkey or ham or we’ve even been known to get a little crazy and use a little of both.  Make these for dinner tonight and thank my Aunt Tootsie afterwards.

I have been enjoying my days when it’s just the boys at home.  They are so crazy and fun and unpredictable and yet, so predictable sometimes.

Huddy has been a drawing and cutting fool lately.  He is really getting the hang of drawing actual things…like this tiger.

Cutting paper may be his next favorite thing to super heros.  I’m trying to teach him to use the whole sheet of paper because right now, at the end of the day our bathroom trash can looks like this.  EVERYDAY.

And yesterday Sol fell asleep on the steps…and this was after nap.

Huddy made Amon a hat this week too.  I take it off of Amon periodically and it never fails…a few minutes later he is amazingly wearing his “hat” again thanks to a sweet big brother.  Amon was crying one day and Huddy said, “I think he just wants his hat.”  Yes Huddy, that’s it.  Amon just wants his hat 🙂

I’ve been missing Harper during the day, but she has been having the best time at school.  And we LOVE her teacher.  She is incredibly wonderful.  And the other day Harper got a Role Model award and seriously, you would have thought she won the lottery.  She hopped right in the van and it was the first thing out of her mouth.  She was so proud…and I was too.

Since we are home bound now, I have been running all my errands at night.  Last night while out I discovered that Hobby Lobby is in full on Christmas mode already.  Seriously?!?  We’re talking aisles and aisles and aisles of Christmas stuff is already out and ready to go home with you…in August.  I think it happens earlier and earlier every year.

Well there you have it.  A random Kelley family post including some Amon heart info, wee Kelley shenanigans, new recipes and even an update on Hobby Lobbys Christmas paraphernalia.  Hope you enjoyed!

Happy Thursday!

Filed Under: art, family, giveaway, heart, recipes Tagged With: , , , , 9 Comments
May 23, 2012 By 3 Comments

You Got To Hold On

Harper is my chore doer.  She loves to do chores.  And I love to watch her dust bust…flying hair and all.

The boys fit just perfectly under the counter at the post office.  Just perfect.

Target dollar bin, how I love thee.  Act surprised if you get a card from me in the mail.

I’ve been itching to make my first itty bitty boy purchase.  Harper has been too.  I put my personal wishes aside and let her make the first choice today.  I love that she knows I dig the anchors and even more, I love that she knows they remind me of Grammy.

We had lunch at the park today with Brea and a few of her wee ones.  A fry dropped out of the bag when I was getting everyone’s lunches out.  A rad little squirrel enjoyed it…then proceeded to hang out and find his way into our personal space.  Brea enjoyed it…it freaked me out a bit.  I like my personal space…squirrel free.

2 hours of park play = very, very dirty wee Kelley feet.

If you haven’t heard of Alabama Shakes yet, you should be soon.  They are all over the place…super popular.  I’m not completely crazy about them yet, but I do dig their “Hold On” song.  My heart may explode soon with anxiety and anticipation and just pure craziness.  So many things on the line…so many things just hanging in the wait.  Me…just holding on.

I’ve prayed for a solid 6 months that God would give me a dream about Mom…just one…that was all I was asking for.  Last night…I got it.  I went to the post office and she was standing beside the trash can with her royal blue dress on with her hot pink blouse over it.  She had on her infamous high heels and jazzy, big earrings.  I gave her a hug and said, “I miss you.”  She said, “I know.”  And that was it.  Not super long or enlightening, like I had hoped, but just enough.  I’m praying for another one, like asap.  “You got to hold on…” and that is exactly what I am doing.

Come on healed heart & itty bitty boy.  I’m holding on like mad…for you both!

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: art, faith, family, quotes Tagged With: , , , 3 Comments
April 11, 2012 By 3 Comments

New Day

Everyday is a new day.  His mercies are new each morning.

Thank you so much for all the sweet and encouraging comments and emails…seriously, THANK YOU!

I am working on getting a few new canvases posted under “Currently Available”.  Hopefully will have some posted soon.  Thank you again for your crazy, wonderful encouragement.

Filed Under: art, faith Tagged With: , 3 Comments