A Strange Place {Weekendness}

How was your weekend?  Was it full and fun?  Was it hard and good?  Sad?  I’ve come to learn that a good day or wonderful weekend or a good life can contain so many of these emotions all wrapped into one.  This weekend was good and hard…fun and emotional.  Our little family is in such a strange place right now…so many big hopes and dreams…it’s like we’re sitting on the edge of tomorrow, just waiting for the word to jump…just waiting for the guidance to know whether to jump to the left or the right.  We’re in a strange place.

And strange is okay…it’s just hard to be patient sometimes.  We also got the last bit of my stuff out of my Mom’s.  We close on her house Friday and I have a feeling that will be a very hard day.  I’m not good with stuff like that yet.  I miss her so very very much.  So yeah, life is just strange right now, but the hopes and dreams are big.  The faith that God is moving and working and healing is amazing to sit with.  Life is just full.

Our weekend was full too.  Like with Chick-fil-A.

And sweet treats…sugar cookie squares.  Rad to the radness.  Make them.  Now.

And tiny cut up food for a tiny toothless baby.

And lunches with Dad.

And practicing for the Color Run and park adventures.

And the sweetest little running partner ever.

And yummy Valentine candy.

And crafty creativeness.  I adore how she sets her stuff up…ready to create.  All options available.

And checkers with chess pieces.  No kinging going on.

And Amon love.  It’s good Yo!

And flowers from Huddy.  Oh he is so funny…scarf, boots and all.

And toy playing.

Today we had a bit of an Amon scare, but after a quick doctor’s visit, some new meds and stocking up on Pedialyte, I know he’s going to be just fine.  Having a sweet little heart baby raises my blood pressure a bit sometimes though.  And he’s pretty pitiful.

When I was picking up his Pedialyte, I totally stressed shopped.  Some are ingredients for a baked good this week, but even so, I’m so weak…totally and completely an emotional eater.  Why, why, why.  I told the cashier, “Only the necessities today.”

So life is a bit crazy and strange these days, I’m sure no one out there can relate at all right?!?!  Bahahahaha.  Here’s to a great week people.  One that is full and fun and hard and good and sad and wonderful.  Make it grand.

Happy Monday.

Wednesday

Big thanks for all the tips so far on all my random goal inquiries yesterday.  I do sooooo appreciate all the advice.

I don’t have much to report today.  It was just kind of your totally random day.  I did make cookies and something went terribly wrong.  At Christmas Sol brought home a mason jar with cookie ingredients and a recipe from school.  Today the boys and I made the recipe…we just added the butter, vanilla and an egg.  I’m thinking I added too much butter.  The cookies were a hot mess and yet, delicious.  It was kind of crazy.  They appear totally unappetizing and then taste yummy.  Word.

We did a little grocery shopping too.  Cookies at Kroger definitely are an upside to shopping with lots of small children.  Several of the ladies at Kroger are way too good to us and are way sweet to the wee Kelleys.  I suppose we ate quite a few cookies today now that I’m looking back at my pictures.  Guess it was just that kind of day.

Do you guys use your library a lot?  We do.  Josh Kelley is the #1 library checker-outer.  He’s always bringing home new stuff that is too fun.  The other day he came home with an old school Transformers cartoon movie.  It’s beyond stellar…like vintage stellar.  And yesterday he came home with a Tinkerbell movie.  A 5-year-old Kelley girl was thrilled.

So while they enjoyed Tinkerbell, I wrangled Amon and got some loven’.  Amon love is the best love.

Lame post right?  Nothing exciting…just an average, run-of-the-mill day.  It was still pretty awesome though.  Oh and to add to our averageness…I made spaghetti for dinner.  Boom.  Now to finish up an art piece for a friend and I just may have several Mumford & Sons canvases up for sale at the end of the week.  Holla.

Happy Wednesday.

Insta Friday…hold the front door!!!

I’m kind of proud of myself…this is my 3rd Insta Friday in a row.  Welcome to crazy town.  I love it.

You know it’s the really good stuff  when “gold liquid” is printed on the side.  Sleepy town here I come.  Definitely a “do not operate heavy machinery” type of medicine.

Remember when I told you about these really awesome Brooks Pure Flow running shoes that Jami had recommended to me?  Yep, they’re this good.

Sol and Huddy were sword fighting and then Sol would play dead.  The only thing was he continued to yell out, “I’m dead.  I’m dead.  Someone help.”

Josh went to help his dad clean out their basement.  He came home with cowboy hats and a coon skin hat.  There are some happy boys in our house now.

She’s my favorite girl in the whole wide world.  Bedtime chatting is our fave.

Shirtless boys…or boys who just constantly pull their shirts up.  I do sooooo love Huddy’s outie and Sol’s sealed up innie.  Swoon.  Can you swoon over belly buttons?  Sure you can.

Our van has been in the shop so I have been toting around 4 kiddos in our CRV.  Huddy called shotgun.

They were fighting hard one day from the moment Harper got home from school.  Punishment:  Sit and hold hands and give each other compliments for 5 minutes.  They started out with things like “I love you” and “You’re a good artist” and “I like your shirt.”  Near the end of the 5 minutes I heard Huddy tell Harper, “I like your skin.”

Babies sitting on counters are way cute…like waaaaaay cute.

Paper rockets and lots of them.  Compliments of Huddy and his master glue stick and cutting skillz.

Turquoise frosting.  Kind of totally delicious.

His little clinched fists are pretty dang cute.

In the words of my friend Alissa, “Swag for days.”  He’s totally for real.  Look out ladies.

Their brotherly bond and friendship melts my heart into a big drippy puddle.  Like really big and drippy.

Stellar little sleeping baby.  #aceofhearts

The world’s most grooviest map.  Hello 60s.  Peace, Love and Geography.

And a surprise running date.  I had a lot to get done…so much to do…but was glad we took a bit of time to run and then grab dinner.  Dates are important.

Are you on Instagram too?  Come find me pitterpatterart.

Have a superb weekend.  Crazy happy it’s Friday.

Third Times A Charm

I’m happy to announce I went to a great new doctor today and turns out I have a little something called bronchitis.  Yay! for an official diagnosis.  I got my third set of prescriptions filled tonight and I’m crossing my fingers and toes they’re going to knock this junk out.  And if you need any sort of prescription cough medicine…I can hook you up.

I even put on a pair of jeans to meet this new doctor.  He knew my mom, so I decided to dress up for him.  The other doctors I’ve frequented lately just got pajama pants.  I’m keeping it classy.

Harper went back to school today and I missed her.  I soooo enjoyed her being home over the holidays, but she was excited to head back to school with her friends.  Tomorrow she gets to take one gift she got for Christmas to share with her class.  She chose a small notebook and a set of washi tape she got.  I’m for real.  She’s totally my kid.

I spent the day with my little boys.  I coughed a lot and had to explain one million times about why I’ve lost my voice to Huddy.  He was a bit concerned.  We also played legos and sword fighting and tried to keep Amon from eating and tearing up the legos.  Riveting.  Truly.  I like them.  I like their kiddoness and their big brown eyes.

And maybe my most favorite thing about today was watching Amon try to figure out how to get over the tiny little rise into our bathroom.  He was so baffled…and then would get a bit ticked…and then get distracted with his paci.

And I know this all sounds mundane and just like regular ole’ life, but this is the good stuff.  The legos and the kid conversations and the watching them figure things out for themselves and all their tiny accomplishments…those are the really good things.  The crazy good things in life.  The moments I am so thankful to experience everyday with these crazy wee Kelleys.

Happy Thursday!

Merry Christmas!

“And the darker the night got, the brighter the star would shine.”

Thankful for a baby who came to save the world.  Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

December 24

We still have some gnarly coughs, but everyone is definitely on the up and up around the Kelley house.  We even ventured out last night and drove around to look at Christmas lights.  The wee Kelleys adored it and we kept our germs to ourselves in our car.  It was a win win.

Today we made germ filled kid decorated cookies.  I will only eat one of Harper’s…I wouldn’t touch one of the boys decorated cookies with a 10ft. pole.  They lick and touch and lick some more and add more sprinkles, all the while grossing Josh and me out.  Harper is careful and cleans her hands and doesn’t lick all over her fingers while she works.  I like her.

All our presents are wrapped and under the tree.  I know the kids are excited and I’m pretty darn excited too.  Anticipation and Joy.

Huddy brought me the sweetest picture all wrapped up in wrapping paper.  He said it was my Christmas gift.  I opened it up and just cried big drippy tears.  Tis’ the season.

And tonight before bed we read the Christmas story from the kids’ Jesus Storybook Bible.  I love this little Bible.

“This baby would be like that bright star shining in the sky that night.  A Light to light up the whole world.  Chasing away darkness.  Helping people to see.  And the darker the night got, the brighter the star would shine.”

Oh how thankful I am that Jesus came.  The anticipation and joy.  The weary world rejoices.

  Happy Christmas Eve.

Boys & Haircuts

First of all, No we are not cutting Amon’s hair…never, ever, ever.  Not in my life time at least.  He will be Samson.  Except his power will be in his eyes.

Both Huddy and Sol have been long over due for haircuts.  We’re talking loooonnngggg over due.  I noticed Huddy’s hair this morning and decided today was the day.

Josh had part of the day off so he took the boys separately to get their cuts.  Huddy was up first and off to Great Clips he went.  When he came back he was a new man.  He seriously looked like a slick little dude.  He is just this crazy sweet-hearted child and now is looking as handsome as ever.

 

Sol was next.  Josh dropped Huddy off…treats were exchanged…and Sol was off to the barber.  The boys are not separate much, so Josh used this time to be one-on-one with each of them.  The only thing is Huddy missed Sol.  He kept asking when he was going to be done with his haircut and back home.  Truly he pestered the fire out of me, so finally we made a phone call and Huddy and Sol had a good brotherly kid chat on the phone.  It was hilarious.  I love them so very very much and it’s deep.

Sol got home a little later and was looking sharp.  Like seriously S.H.A.R.P.  Sol is the kid you just want to ball up into a cannon ball shape and carry in your pocket for good pursed lip kisses and tight hugs.  And he’s passionate as all get out.  Dude is looking good now.  Ladies beware.

That’s how our day rolled.  Nothing super spectacular or even crafty.  Just some cute little Kelley boys and new haircuts.  I’ll take it.

Happy Wednesday.

Friday

I don’t normally post on the weekends, but I wanted to wrap up my 30th birthday week…30 Acts of Kindness.  Yesterday was my official birthday and it was great. I felt extremely loved and encouraged and that was really nice.  Thank you so very very much.

And here’s how my last six acts of kindness played out.

#1  Birthday bag & cupcake drop.  My friend Eric has the same birthday as me and well, that makes us practically twins.  Eric loves bacon and I wanted to surprise him with a little birthday and bacon love.  I bought some fun birthday items like a birthday banner, hats and blowers, plus an awesome $1.50 game of Pin-The-Tail-On-The-Donkey and paired them with some Maple Bacon Cupcakes.  Let me take a moment and say how super amazingly delicious these cupcakes were.  They were awesome…bacon and all.  Give them a shot…you really will not be disappointed.  And happy birthday Eric…glad we’re twins.

#2  Muffins to pediatrician’s office.  We love our pediatrician Dr. Eidson.  He’s really just the best.  And he loved my mom.  He always brings up sweet stories about her that make me cry, but the good kind of cry…the remembering and sweetness.  We see him quite often…we actually had back-to-back appointments this week and yesterday Huddy had his 4 year check up.

Dr. Eidson and all of the staff are always just too, too good to us and as a mom, I cannot say enough how much I appreciate their love and kindness and patience and hard work.  Instead of muffins I ended up making Nutella Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting.  Why don’t you, right now, stop whatever you are doing and go make these.  That’s about all I can really say.  Superbness.

#3  Cupcakes to the bank.  My Mom loved her job and she was incredible at it.  Mom’s job at Pinnacle Bank was not just a job, but great friendships and family.  Her co-workers have loved on our family like crazy and it has just been humbling and made us feel so very cared for and we truly appreciate it.  I wanted to bless them with some yummy chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  Just a little something to say “thank you.”

#4  Buy someone’s lunch.  Since it was my birthday, the boys and I headed to Chick-fil-a after Huddy’s check-up.  We drove through and ordered some lunch and then paid for the car’s order behind us.  A very simple act that could change someone’s day.

#5  Popcorn, candy and movie rental bucket.  We love a good movie night and decided to share this with another family.  I fixed a little box with some microwave popcorn, some popcorn mix, giant movie theater candy and a Redbox gift certificate.  Did you know you could buy Redbox gift certificates…you just print it off or email it to the recipient.  I drove around looking for a family checking out a movie together and found one outside a McDonalds.  It took some persuading…no, I did not want money for the bucket…no, I did not want them to sign up for something…no, there was not a catch, but finally after some explaining the mom took the bucket and said thank you.

And #6  Surprise art drop.  At Harper’s school fundraiser a sweet friend really went after my silent auction art basket pretty hard.  She ended up not getting the basket and made a comment about one particular piece.

I made this canvas up and did a surprise art drop yesterday.  Who wouldn’t want to come out to your car and find something fun on top of it?

And that wrapped up my birthday week.  It turned out to be a much better week than I had anticipated and I credit God for every bit of joy and love this week encompassed.  I am just your everyday person…a very flawed individual and sinner…the deal breaker is Jesus.  Because of the love of Jesus I have been transformed into something special…something extraordinary…something created for a purpose.  Just like all His people.  That is something definitely to celebrate and share with others.

Happy Saturday!