Friday, September 1, 2017

Gatsby, Bike Ride, and a Bulletin Board!

I've been listening to podcasts lately..and a recent one (NPR TED Radio Hour), was on time (8/4/17), and how it slips by so quickly!  There's a man taking a one second video every day (and he has been for three years!) to keep track of where all his days went.  I feel that way a LOT with a busy life and four active kids.  I feel like my days run together, and I can't remember what I've been tackling lately!  I will try ("try not, only do" says Yoda) to do better.  Even if it's just a picture a day. : )

Yesterday, I worked on our church youth bulletin board.  It's almost time to start back to class and youth group! : ) I had extra little Hawaiian themed things from our neighborhood bike rodeo on July 4th, so I was trying to work water/ocean into back to school.  All the places where the cut border was overlapped..I covered with bright pictures, haha!  The flyers aren't in the folder yet..but they will be! : )



Today Ches, Mary Claire, and I went for a bike ride up to Starbucks (and Ches got a drink from Chick-Fil-A!) in Rogers.  Then he and I caught a movie, I had a little nap, and we went out to dinner for BBQ and a trip to Wal-Mart.  (Obviously the beginning of my birthday weekend!)  Hope you have a blessed Labor Day weekend! : )




And..apparently I forgot to write about our puppy, Gatsby!!  I think we got him about August 4th.  He was tiny and super cute.  He is now much bigger, and after grooming..less cute, ha!  He is a GiAnT fluff ball! : )

Here are some pictures from the beginning:








Time goes so fast!  I'll do better.  Stay dry and safe, hugs!

Sunday, July 2, 2017

The One Where I Sang!

Hey there! : ) We have been working a local fireworks stand (indoor, whew!) to raise money for Mary Claire's trip to the national youth conference in November!  It's been good for both of us to spend time together, we've met some super sweet people-and youth!  It's not just for our church (although our men's club runs it), other groups can come learn and work too.  We sign in and out, and they give us a percentage of the total sales based on the hours worked by each group.  



We also had an Arkansas Naturals ballgame today in cooperation with JDRF as a fundraiser!  We didn't have that many people, but it was fun! : )  I got to meet two new families that have kids with diabetes, so that's a total win!



We made little last minute treat bags, mostly with fireworks since a.) we were working at the fireworks stand today.. and b.) we couldn't bring food into the stadium!  I snuck a few chocolates into them, but they let them pass.  Score!



Carter with Brody!

I did something kinda crazy.  I agreed to do LIVE karaoke in front of everyone at the ballpark.  At the end of the third inning, I stood on top of the dugout, and sang.  It was very brief (thank you, sweet baby Jesus!), and I LiVeD!!  I was DYING beforehand, sweating, sooo nervous, but I lived.  I got some free stuff that I gave to two families who attended the game with us, totally worth it. : )  When is the last time you did something that SCARED you?!

Oh, and then my friends and kids said nice things to me.  Like, I know I can't sing well (or AT ALL), but them being positive was really awesome!



We met another new-to-us family with a sweet young lady, both with diabetes and with some anxiety, about a year younger than Mary Claire.  We have been there!  It was good to talk with her, encourage her, and I think she's on the right track.  Her momma is doing a great job!  We do remember how hard it was in the middle, I have not forgotten.  The above happens to be my girlie on the other side, hooray!  She's winking at me, it totally makes me laugh..and she knows it.  God is good, friends.  Please pray for our friend, Brianna, as she grows confidence in herself!



Hugs!

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Friendly Day

Had some wonderful conversations with a couple friends today-I'm so thankful God has placed them in my life. : )  One is finding themselves in the midst of a miracle (hard to tell in the moment!), and one is cleaning out closets.  So thankful I can assist in any way.



Mary Claire had a friend over today to swim, lunch, and play hide and seek!  I didn't even get a picture.  She's a sweetie though!



Clay left for work, and I found him a wallet online for only $12.99!  Remember he lost it this weekend? :o/  I sent pictures, and he likes it.  Probably the price, haha!



Lots of laundry today after swimming and biking sweat, and thankful I have a washer and dryer I love, and time to do it!  Another good day, no big stress.



Knowing people around me have real hard days, my hard looks easier.  Makes me thankful for the hard I can manage.  High blood sugars?  I got this.  Site changes?  I can do it.  Fund raising for a cure?  Sucks, but I can do keep at it. ; )



Hope your hardest days are manageable.  No?  Compare to others...you might want yours back, ha!
Photo Credit, made with PicMonkey Magic : )

We're doing a book group study on One Thousand Gifts (being thankful for any and all the teensiest things..especially after walking through a hard time). . .and we talked about the fact that when you don't have faith, it's kinda like being a practical atheist.  You don't really believe you can turn over what you are worrying about.  Let's turn it over, and let it go.  Hugs, friends!

Monday, June 26, 2017

Sweet, Sweet Summertime!

It's been a while, and I've missed writing!  We had a fabulous school year, and survived four schools.  That's its own hooray!  : )
Tulsa Zoo last weekend : )

We've had some slower days, thankfully!  Today I took Clay to the DMV to get a replacement driver's license since he lost his wallet at a party on Saturday night. : O  Then home to lounge with my faves.  We made friendship bracelets, watched the end of Trolls and Daddy Daycare.  Sweet afternoon.  I'm making dinner, and Clay ran to the store for me to buy Oreos and chili sauce.  We're having a really good meatloaf that everyone loves, but it needs a little chili sauce on top before it bakes for the last 15 minutes!  .. and homemade Oreo ice cream! 

Last night we took our bats, balls, mitts, and some cones and had a free-for-all baseball game at our local park.  Then we went to Braum's for ice cream cones afterward.  It was a great night, and the kids want to go play baseball again!  So..I'm making homemade Oreo ice cream to have when we get back.  Yum!
Sweaty, but it's my sweet family!!

We're still riding our bikes daily in preparation for the JDRF Ride to Cure Type 1 Diabetes.  Ches, Clay, Mary Claire, and I are all riding October 5-8th in Amelia Island, Florida.  I was super excited, but I'm more nervous.  We have to meet our fundraising deadline by September the 7th, or we owe the balance.  To get to ride, we have to raise $8000 all together.  We're at about $4500.  Oh yeah, and now I've been told how windy it is!  I was just so happy it was going to be flat.  Now I know the wind currents are crazy!   

On the way back from Chick-Fil-A in Fayetteville!

I've been decorating for a few clients for donations to JDRF, and we have a fundraising car wash next Friday.  We're working on a t-shirt design so we can sell t-shirts too.  We usually do a Walk shirt every year, but since our large focus is on the Ride..we'll just have one for that! : )

Please pray for our sweet little friend, Baxden, and his amazing momma, Hilary!  They have some new information that he may have been misdiagnosed with glioblastoma.  It's potentially a life-changing bit of information.  Please pray with his parents that they correctly test, diagnose, and treat him!!
Lighting candles, praying for Bax.
Hope you are having a relaxing summer, enjoying the family God gave you, and each and every sweet day we are gifted.  Hugs!