March 17, 2015 By 1 Comment

Housekeeping

Just a few random housekeeping items today.  Not like housekeeping as in actual cleaning of a house because well, I just don’t keep a very clean house.  Don’t ever look at our floors, baseboards, tops of lights, furniture, etc…dirt and dust everywhere.  What I’m good at is an optical illusion by having lots of white and not a lot of stuff, so therefore it makes our house to appear clean to the untrained internet eye…muhuhahahahahaha.  And then I went on a strange non cleaning tangent.  What?!?!?!

Back to the housekeeping…of the blog variety.

**So lots of spaces still available for the Saturday, April 18th Bible journaling class.  You can read all the details HERE or scroll to the post below.  Shoot me a message or email me if you’d like a spot(s).

**We currently have 3 spots open on our Swaziland trip this July.  Final deadline for the trip is going to be April 1st.  We need to get down to booking flights, etc so we need to nail down our final head count.  You can message or email me for information about this as well.  It’s going to be such a great trip.  Rumor is we may even get to do a safari which I’ve been to Africa quite a bit and never been on one.  So excited.

**For a while now my Contact button at the top has not been sending me any forms submitted by yahoo or aol email accounts.  I’m so pumped because it’s officially fixed.  I promise I answer all emails I receive.  If I have not replied then for some reason I did not get your email…spam, wonky internet or broken contact form.  I always try and respond to emails in a timely manner.  This is sometimes a few days with all that goes on around our home, but I never just don’t reply.  Cross my heart and hope to die…not really the die part 🙂

**I have a few sets of key fobs available for purchase.  Each set is $36.  Message me and please include the letter(s) of the set(s) you would like.  I will be able to mail these out as soon as tomorrow.

A. SOLD

B.

C.  SOLD

D.

**And I keep making THIS for dinner.  I throw in a bunch of shredded cooked chicken and use those spinach fettuccine noodles…who knows if they are really better for you or not, but I like to pretend they are…and I sub in almond milk…we’ve got kiddos with milk issues.  It’s so so good and fast and all in the same pan.  You know I like a good one-pan-wonder.  Try it.  You’ll love it.

 Hope your day is stellar.

Happy Tuesday!

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March 13, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Queen Of The Random

*It’s Friday.  Big kids have a sleepover tonight.  The 2 littles have an evening date with Big Daddy and Nene.  Josh Kelley and myself will be rocking on with Francis & Lisa Chan.  Then we’ll set up tables in our downstairs along with a whole slew of random chairs.

*Today I am making the following:  Gooey Butter Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies (Duh!), my Aunt Tootsie’s homemade chocolate sauce <—-it’s becoming an addiction and a bunch of key fobs.

*Yesterday was busy and I never made it to the store. Last night I went shopping alone from 9 to almost 11 at Target and Kroger. Swoon. I planned on getting popcorn and sharing with no one since I was alone, but when I checked out the concession stand was closed. I apparently was the last person in the store. They even turned the lights out.

*I got a lot of work done this week which was really nice and refreshing.  I’ve struggled with balancing the family growing to 7 along with work.  Completed and shipped orders makes me feel kind of proud.

*We talk about death probably a little too much around here.  My kids may be a little too comfortable with people dying.  While we were pulled over for a funeral processional the other day Hudson yelled from the back seat:  “Which car has the dead body?  Did we miss it already?”  Geez.  And then there was the following death deep thoughts before bed courtesy of Hudson:

Hudson: Would you be naked if you came out of your tomb?

Me:  Hmmmm, well I don’t know.

Hudson: Well, you’d definitely have some weird stuff on you.

It all makes perfect sense.  We’ll pay for therapy later 🙂

*And I’m having an April Bible journaling class!  Eeeek.  I’ll post all the details on Monday so check back if you are want to join in.  I’m still so excited.  Like a big kid.

Now I’m off to claim this day, fix 2 littles lunch and eat some cookie dough.

Have an awesome weekend.  Happiest of Fridays.

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March 9, 2015 By 7 Comments

Seven

1.  It’s Monday.  We just finished up therapy and next week is officially Amon’s last week of therapy.  Tear.  And what are you having for dinner tonight?  I would love to know.  I kind of loathe cooking and I’m always on the lookout for some easy, good dinners.

2.  This picture of Amon absolutely kills me because A) Waiting for donuts is hard even for me, but for an almost hungry 3-year-old it’s near impossible.  And B) He totally reminds me of a young Bob Dylan.

3.  Does anyone else have a random cereal jar?  Just us?  You know the small portion remnants of all the cereals in your cabinet…well, at our house we combine them all in one jar and it’s like a suicide of cereal.  Please tell me you remember mixing all the fountain drinks and calling it a suicide??!?!?!

4.  Josh Kelley and I are reading this book…again.  This makes for the 86th time 🙂  It’s just THAT good people.  Buy it.  Read it. Get ready for the change.

5.  Want to share some baked good love today?  Here’s what you do…make my Aunt Tootsie’s (Margaret for you fancy people out there) amazing homemade chocolate sauce and divide it into small jars.  I use cocoa powder.  Then buy the following: Breyer’s vanilla ice cream, mini M&Ms, spray whipped cream, cherries, sprinkles and some fun bowls if you can find them.  Put everything in a bag along with the chocolate sauce and give it away.  Just do it.  Ice cream is fun and brings about smiles.

6.  I’ve been working on my Bible Journaling prep for this Saturday.  I am so crazy excited/so nervous I may puke.  True story.  And I still have some spots available if you would like to join us.  Just shoot me an email at pitterpatterart at gmail dot com

7.  And orders.  You guys I am so out of sorts with balancing work and home now that my alone days at home are non-existent.  I’m learning again how to work with a little one in tow, but she’s the cutest little helper/mess maker in all the land.  God is teaching me everyday His ways are far better than mine and His dreams and desires for me are more amazing than I could fathom.

Another week.  I think it’s going to be an awesome one.

Happy Monday party people!

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March 5, 2015 By 4 Comments

Important Things

Today is our one millionth snow day.  Tomorrow will make one million and one.  Sigh.  I feel like I’ve been pretty inconsistent around these parts lately, but honestly I just don’t really know what to type.  I feel like I don’t have much to offer you sweet people.  All my feelings are wild and crazy and swirly and sometimes I feel like I just can’t put my thoughts into words.  So on those days I’ve chosen just to sit tight and let the day slip by without typing.  I wish I had the words.  I like blogging.  I like you kind people.

I will tell you my tooth saga still has not ended.  I braved the snowmageddon weather here in Tennessee just to put a final end to my crazy tooth journey only to get there and find out yet again, this dang crown does not fit.  To make myself feel better I ventured into the super Target I never get to go to and knocked out all kinds of snowpacalypse grocery shopping which needed to be done.

Too Many Snow Days Fact #3:  When our kids have all these dang snow days our grocery budget is blown for the month.  They eat breakfast and several lunches during the week at school…for free.  Soooooo, no school means give them all the food of the world.  Budget shot.

The other day I made something super glorious.  Double THIS recipe, but instead of all chocolate chips put in a mixture of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.  Press the whole concoction into a greased 9×13 pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or so.  I was pretty crazy smitten.  Especially when we warmed one up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Hold the phone.

The March Bible Journaling class is just right around the corner.  I am probably embarrassingly excited about it.  The class was full, but then people backed out.  I now have 5 spots available.  If you’d like to join us shoot me an email at pitterpatterart at gmail dot com

Pretty pumped too because I’ve got some Timbali zip pouches ordered for the class as well.  These will be available to purchase.  I use mine to hold all my Bible journaling supplies.  It’s the perfect size and the ladies who make them are incredible.  Empowering woman with every purchase.

I’m a big lover of mail.  Every week I mail something to someone…it’s one of my quirky commitments for 2015.  Long live snail mail.  My mom did this.  She was always mailing encouragement.  She lived about 10 minutes from us and still mailed us and the kiddos cards for every single occasion.  Reading through Acts showed me yet again how important it is to be an encouragement to others.  Paul was constantly encouraging because of Jesus in him.

“Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

“…strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in their faith…”

“…encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.”

“…they rejoiced because of its (a letter) encouragement.”

“..after encouraging them…”

“…and had given them much encouragement.”

God is constantly reminding me how important it is to encourage one another.

And I’m officially in the groove of grocery shopping with 5 kiddos.  It’s not always pretty, but it gets done.  At first I just lamented in the car and dreaded it, but then I got courageous and was all like “Let’s do this.  There are people in the world with 10 kids who grocery shop with all them.  I can swing 5.”  Now it’s old hat.  Plus, at Target there’s the glorious concession stand and on good days we celebrate our grocery trip survival with popcorn and icees.

There you have it.  All the important things I just had to relay to you on this snowy Tennessee Thursday.  It’s bath night, so I’m off to tag team all the baths with Josh Kelley.  Then a movie and some fun snacks.  We shall survive.

Happy Thursday.

  

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February 24, 2015 By 5 Comments

7th Snow Day

Yep.  The Kelley kids are out of school again today.  They haven’t been since February 13th, but I mean, who’s really keeping up.  I’m surprisingly okay with another day and feel it’s because yesterday we had a lot of fun.  And things are looking up.  I mean, it’s quite possible they will go back to school tomorrow.  Possibly.

Yesterday we ate lunch out and then went to Monkey Joes for like 4 hours.  We never go to those places because it’s so expensive for all these kiddos, but yesterday was a big day so we went and it was AMAZING.  I sat.  In a chair.  At a real table. Alone.  While my kids ran wildly around burning off so much pent up energy.  And I brought my Bible and supplies and I read and got creative right there is the midst of Monkey Joes crazy town chaos.  And Monkey Joes is definitely straight up chaos.  Is a Monkey Joes frequent visitors card a real thing?!?!?!  If so, I might need one.

I’ve been thinking about all the randomness I could bestow on you this week.  Get ready.

Kindergarten Teacher Tip #2: Cheap shaving cream can be your best boredom buster or just a quick fun activity.  And it cleans your table and makes your house not smell like a dirty diaper or feet.  Try it.  You can even get all educational and have them write numbers, letters, words, etc. Or just let them go to town.  I’m for the going to town.

Please notice how some of them are choosing only to coat their hands and arms in the shaving cream…like this guy.

OCD Confession:  I love love love when I get to grocery shop alone and am able to load my groceries in the check out in the “correct” order.  Please some OCDish people speak up and affirm me.  1st: can goods, milk, any other uncrushable items.  2nd: boxed items all grouped together…eeeekk!  3rd: refrigerated items.  4th:  Fruit, eggs and easily crushed items like chips.  And lastly…those precious irreplaceable items like Mega M&Ms and sour gummy worms who stand alone.  It literally makes me so happy.  And I’m aware I have problems 🙂

This girl.  She’s a special one you guys.  And not seen are 4 other small children possibly losing their minds while we wait for the doctor at the doctors office because duh, we needed a case of the croup.

I was so disappointed to miss this sledding in action.  Imagine Sol in the sled…wearing his protective head gear while using his baseball bat to propel himself down the hill…similar to a guy rowing a boat, but he just needed a few good paddles.

No words needed.

And you guys are crazy awesome.  And I mean that.  Absolutely.  Thank you for taking a chance with me and for being willing to help make this Fun Day possible for these sweet kids.  Only 3 spots left in the March Bible Journaling class.  You can read all the details HERE.  Shoot me an email at pitterpatterart at gmail dot com if you would like a spot(s).

Happy Tuesday.

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February 17, 2015 By 1 Comment

Tuesday (at home)

Middle Tennessee is still nearing its doom.  This ice and snow is no joke…I mean, our lights even flickered yesterday.  The sun is out today and serious melting drippage is going on.  Whether or not it’s affecting the sheet of ice on our street is still to be determined.  We’re marching on in sheer determination to conquer this snowmageddon with things like cookies and watercolors and sledding and movies and Josh Kelley working from home.

In other news, Noonday Collection launched it’s spring line today.  You guys…in all big seriousness…and I don’t say things like this lightly, but it may be my favorite line to date.  I’ve been looking and looking and looking some more.  With each piece I just get pulled in even more.  My wish list is a long and lengthy one.  I tried picking just a few of my favorites to share on here and then eventually just cut myself off because there were too many.

My best friend Ashley is a Noonday Ambassador, so if you make a purchase choose Ashley Mills in the ambassador box.  It’s always a win/win with Noonday helping support woman and families here and around the world.

I’m now thinking about anyone in the near future who I will need to purchase a gift for.  Everything is so bright and lovely.  Noonday will always be my go-to purchase with a purpose.  Always and forever.  And ever.  Amen.

Everyday I’m thinking about Swaziland.  We might have a date change for our trip to the last week in June.  If you would like more information please shoot me an email at pitterpatterart at gmail dot com.  I’ve had several emails from people saying they can’t make the trip, but want to help.  You can help by making a donation for supplies or buying supplies for us to take with us.  Or the most awesome of awesome ways you can help is by sponsoring one of the unsponsored kiddos at the Ngungwane carepoint.  GO HERE and look through all these amazing kiddos and help get these crazy awesome kids sponsored.  Just $38 a month and all the information you need is HERE.  Then maybe next year you can join our trip.

I read this POST today and wanted to weep.  So well written Shannon.  So well written.  I just need a stand in…someone who is wiser and knows what they are doing and can parent way better than me.  I’ll just make the cookies and give hugs and play 5000 games of mancala.  I need someone else to do the crazy hard parts.

The other day I read in Acts 10 about Peter’s vision and now I cannot quit thinking about it.  I love when Peter says, “…but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.”  God didn’t create common and unclean people.  We’re made in His image…we’re made for His glory.  We’re not common…we’re all spectacular and unique and special and cleansed to a spotless white because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.  Just yes.  We’re all in this together…all amazing brothers and sisters in Christ because of Christ’s love in us.  Good news people.  News I need to be reminded of daily.

And thank you for all the feedback on the Bible journaling class.  I’m not sure about the whole online thing yet, but I’m definitely going to have a local class and hopefully in March.  Josh Kelley and I are looking at dates and thinking and praying over where the money should go.  I will pass along the final information as soon as we get it nailed down.  Thank you again for being such a kind and encouraging group of crazy special people.  You amaze me.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

Happy Tuesday.

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February 16, 2015 By 3 Comments

Mondayness

Tennessee is in a complete snowmageddon.  Under a giant snow dome and were all freaking out.  Most of us Tennesseans don’t handle snow well.  The last few days the stores have been mad houses…everyone stocking up for what is sure to be the end of the world.  A snowpacolypse if you will.  This morning we’ve already done waffles and bacon and hot chocolate with giant and tiny marshmallows and enjoyed some mad sledding.  Bring on the all day movieathon.  If you need us we will surely be snowed in for the rest of our lives.

Last week I realized how strangely wonderful it is to be cutting up food into tiny pieces again.  We’ve been flung back into the world of babyness.  This sweet little is stealing all our hearts away, but we’re so proud of all the hard work and fight her family is putting in.  It’s something God orchestrates when we stand side by side supporting each other and fighting together.

This kid got the new barber at the barber shop.  Josh Kelley said it was going really well until he straight lined right across the front.  This bad haircut might have caused a fight.  I can now laugh about my ridiculousness.  Sigh.

Everyday I am falling more and more in love with my watercolors.  They bring an unseen peace and burst of color into my day during nap time.

Cake says “I love you.”

I’m still taking orders.  If you’d like to place one just shoot me an email at pitterpatterart at gmail dot com.

The other day Amon was keeping himself occupied with my tape measure while I finished up some orders.  I went downstairs and discovered what exactly he was measuring.  Quirky kids unite.

We haven’t had birthday parties in several years.  This year we decided to let the kids have a little party.  Sol decided on a sleepover.  He asked to play legos, play outside in the dark with flashlights, pizza & brownie sundaes and watch a movie.  Easiest birthday party ever.

Books and beans to celebrate Valentines around the Kelley house.  It’s tradition and I like a good tradition.  The kids know it’s coming and they still get excited.  It doesn’t take much.

Several of these are Instagram pictures and you can following along.  Find me at pitterpatterart.

Happy random Monday peeps!

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January 30, 2015 By 2 Comments

Hi!

Sickness is running rampart through our little brood of both big and small humans.  Sinus infections, ears full of fluid, strep, a weird body infection which then infected an eye, etc, etc, etc.  We get the weirdest stuff around these parts.  Feeling like death is for the birds.

Can I tell you when a sweet friend brought us all dinner last night and I opened a small extra bag which contained some yummy chocolate bars, I got all teary.  Yes, teary.  Over chocolate bars.  This is my current mental state.  Just give me all the chocolate of the world and kind friends and I’ll cry you a river.

And Wednesday when I was feeling most like death and Harper was as well, I sat in the parking lot of our pediatricians office and read an email from another friend who was letting me know with the  kindest words she was in on the Swaziland trip…like she wants to go with me…and you guys, I kid you not, I sobbed.  Like heaving, ugly cry sobbed.  Harper asked softly “Are you going to be alright?”  We’re going to pull this off and it’s crazy awesome and joyful and I am so flippin’ excited.  I’m going to share a few more re-posts next week to hopefully lure a few more of you in 🙂  You know you want in on this wonderfully wild trip to Swaziland, Africa.

In other random Friday news I feel like I should report to you…I made THESE BROWNIES last week and I am permanently madly in love with a  brownie now.  We even got all wild a few times and heated them up for a few seconds in the microwave and added a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.  Just slap me right in the face because I wanted to eat the entire pan.  So good.

You know one of the easiest and cheapest kind things you can do?!?!?  Buy a friend, stranger, co-worker, teacher, family member, any person will do, their favorite drink at Sonic during happy hour and make them feel a little extra loved on.  Less than a dollar and you can make someone smile a little bigger today.  Crazy easy.  Just do it.  It’s Friday.

I’m going to attempt to fanagile <——real word, some kind of brownie, ice cream cake up for Solomon for Sunday.  Dude loves brownies.  10 out of 10 times he will request a brownie.  This time he asked if I could make a brownie ice cream cake.  Absolutely.  I’m on it.  Anything for my about to be 2nd 6-year-old in the house.  And Monday he wants to take brownies with M&Ms to school.  I’m going to give THESE a shot.

I’m venturing into Acts now.  John oddly enough was my favorite gospel…I think.  I’m kind of pretty confident awarding this to John.  My most favorite last things I read in John were:

John 16:22 “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”  Can we just all Amen together in unison via the inter webs?!?!  I have so many friends walking hard roads right now and this is just such a promise from Jesus…our hearts will rejoice and no one will take our joy from us.

And John 21:4-7 “Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”  He said to them, “Cast the net on the other side of the boat, and you will find some.”  So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.  That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”  When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.”

Everyday I want to be so excited to see Jesus in my day…so eager to be apart of His works…to love Him that madly…that I throw myself right into the sea.

And my random Friday post is now complete.  There are two sleeping wee ones in their beds right now and approximately 1 hour and 31 minutes before I pack both their small bodies in the car and head for the car rider line for the big 3 Kelley kids.  Despite sickness looming, Sonic happy hour is in our future and this Friday is looking up.

Happy Weekend you favorite people of mine.

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