Stillness

The other day in Sunday School we talked about stillness.

Quietness.  Finding the time to quiet down/power down and listen.

We talked about how we (those who grew up in the last generation without cell phones, smart phones, ipods, wii's, etc.) have eased ourselves into this generation's "plugged in-ness" and find it hard to find "quiet" anymore.

We talked about how HARD it must be for our kids who are NEVER away from technology.

Where is their quiet?

Our kid's quiet comes from us FORCING them to get away from their electronics whether it is a punishment or just to BE AWAY.  I'm sure we're on the more conservative side of this.

They HATE it, but too bad.  I think it's rude when kids are with other kids, and they all have their heads down, texting people who AREN'T EVEN IN THE ROOM WITH THEM.  It drives me crazy.

This week, Grace is grounded from her ipod.  It usually breaks her, so we find it's her best punishment.

That being said, last night, while weeding the garden, I listened to my children jump on the trampoline and play games together for at least an hour, without a fight.

It made me smile inside to hear them.  It reminded me of when my sister and I would play for HOURS outside during the summer.  Tetherball, in our playhouse, riding bikes, tennis against the barn, etc.  We didn't have the electronics pulling us away, and it makes me so sad for my kids.

Last night, I FELT God in the quiet of my weeding, in the happiness of my children.

It was a stillness that I don't feel often, that I need to make a point to FEEL more often.

Where is your stillness?

An Adventure

So I have a great cousin, who is WAY younger than me, but we have SO MUCH in common.

She moved back home to the family farm after she graduated from college this past spring.

She's been my crafting/thrifting/antiquing partner ever since.

She also came up with a fabulously great idea recently.

You see, we have a local flea/craft market about 45 minutes from here.

She Facebooked me and my aunt and a couple of my other cousins one day and asked if we wanted to join together and get a booth at the flea market and sell our "goods" a couple different weekends this summer.

Um, yes....  I think so.

It was both exciting and terrifying at the same time.

So, needless to say, we're DOIN' IT!  We will be there Memorial Day Weekend, Fourth of July Weekend, and Labor Day Weekend.  (I think those dates are right....)

We're all planning on crafting up a storm until then.

I've been perusing booth ideas and craft ideas on Pinterest like my hair is on fire.

I have to say, I'm a bit smitten with April Kennedy from Funky Vintage Lovely's booth ideas. You can find her here.

Her booth at the Queen Bee Market was fabulous!  And of course for the other shows she's been at.

A great mix of vintage and coolness.

I've been pinning some crafts I want to make, along with some of the things I currently make for my Etsy shop.

I've been thinking of these things...

What do you think?  Would you come see us if you live in the area?  We're all making different things.  I can't wait for this endeavor.

Great idea cuz!

Saturday...it's what they are for...

I started the morning with 3 cups of coffee.

I DO NOT have a problem.  It's just that some days, I desire more coffee than others.

After my 3rd cup, I headed outside to water my flowers around the house.  (Yes, we are STILL experiencing a drought.  We are officially 8 inches of rain behind where we should be at this time...or so I  heard.)

I had to water with a watering can instead of the hose because the hose was attached to the sprinkler watering the sweet corn.

I made about 10 trips inside to fill up the can and go back out.

That's ok.  It's good exercise.

After that, I headed out to the garden.

To my patch.

They say daisies are the "friendliest flower," so what does that make zinnias?  The "best friends" of the bunch?  The "tried and true, never let you down flower"?  I think so.  They hang around till the very end of the season, and they just keep on bloomin.

I LOVE THEM.

After I cut some and brought them inside, I did some laundry, washed some dishes, and went to town making 9 more things for my etsy shop.

If I didn't have a certain child asking if I would take her and her brother swimming, (like 20 times), I could've maybe cranked out a 10th item.  Just kidding.

Now, it's supper time, then time to weigh the pigs one more time before we take them into our County Fair next Friday.

Later, a magazine, or book, or maybe my decorating binder will call my name as I aimlessly flip through TV channels.

This is what Saturdays are for, right?

When did I get so dumb?

So, did you know that Amelia Earhart was born in Atchinson, KS?

How about that Kansas is known as Tornado Alley, and the Sunflower State.

Or even that Kansas is a big producer of wheat.

Interesting, no?

Here's one for you...did you know in 1999 that Marilyn Monroe was ranked the 6th greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute?  Or that she was only 36 when she died tragically and mysteriously?

Why am I spouting facts like the Encyclopedia Britannica?

Well, I live with a 5th and 6th grader.  We're in the midst of research and state reports for end of the year grades.

We have math tests/ Science tests/ ISTEP tests, and book reports coming out of our ears.

I don't remember this much stress when I was in 5th or 6th grade.

And since when does 6th grade math kick my butt?  I LITERALLY cannot add or subtract a fraction to save my life.  (And kids, just so you know...I DO NOT use these on a daily basis!  No matter what your teachers may tell you.)

In the next month we will sit through Opening Day for Softball, a 4th-6th grade Music Program, 6th grade graduation, 2 field trips, a 5th grade Spanish Market, and one 6th grade "Survivor Games" at the high school to get ready for Junior High.

My mind is all a twitter with information.

For example, fear grips my daily when I wonder if I've turned in the right paperwork for Grace's schedule for next year...or whether I've added more lunch money to their accounts, or even if I've gotten the paperwork needed for Grace's sports physical this summer.

You know, it's not like there wasn't enough swirling around in my head, just throw in another couple 100 things to do before end of the year May 25th.

Oh well, those of you with full time jobs are cursing me through gritted teeth..."At least you get your summer off!  At least you see an end in sight."  True.  I'm sorry.

It was time to vent.

Is there anyone else out there even mildly perplexed as to how HARD school has gotten for kids anymore?  How a 5th grader is doing the Algebra I once did in Junior High?

No wonder these kids are burning out so fast.

No wonder their parents are too.

Just sayin'.

Nothing a little chocolate can't cure...

I'm in the run-around again. 

So I'm linking you up to one of my spring projects...from LAST SPRING.  Lame, I know, but it's gotta be done.

Currently this beauty resides on my front door, as it did last Spring when I first made it.  It's a staple.  A keeper.  A great project put to use for a couple seasons each year. 

My flower/burlap/ribbon wreath.  First displayed here .

I love it. 

I'm linking up an old craft, cause, let's be honest, with the job change I made a month ago, the sports schedules we keep, as well as 4-H, and just plain 'ol cleaning, grocery shopping, meal making on a regular basis...my creative juices haven't been flowing. 

You don't know how SAD this makes me.  I so want to be creative, but I SO LACK the time. 

Instead, tonight, I made some of this...

turn into these for the teacher I work with, whose birthday is TOMORROW!

During snack time we'll get these out and all the kindergartners will sing Happy Birthday to her.  There is NOTHING a kindergartner loves more than recess and birthday parties!

So, forgive me for a recycled project...I will come up with an original one again soon.  I promise.

I need an ibuprofen!

What do you call a truck load of duck mulch (for $20 no less)...

a very willing 11 year old with a shovel...

5 flower beds...

two hours of work and 3 ibuprofen?

Finished!
Well...almost.  One more flower bed to go.  I ran out of mulch.  But then we're done.  Feels good.  

A Turn of Events

This week has been one of great highs and even lower lows. 

Today was a low.

I know it's Sunday, and aren't we all supposed to be happy on Sunday?  We're supposed to go to church and sing our songs and feel close to God.

Well, I had no problem being close with God, in fact I prayed quite fervently BEFORE church.  But I was praying for all the frustration inside to be taken away.

I was overloaded with frustration.  Frustration at someone who let me down AGAIN.  Frustration that my new job wasn't going quite how I planned.  (It is MUCH harder than I expected it would be...), and frustration that I am running out of time in the day, (and in the weekend), and my house cleaning, blog posting, and general happiness are falling behind.

So, needless to say, I felt as if I was overflowing and ready to explode.

Tears ran down my face during church.  I felt humbled before God, and knew he kept telling me to "let it go." 

It's hard, though, isn't it, to cut through the crap sometimes.

After church we went to a bridal shower for one of my cousins who I feel close to, and who is so great with my kids.  He actually calls them on the phone to come over and play video games with him.  In their eyes, he rocks.  We had a good time at the shower, and there was good food, of course, but I was still holding on to some of that stinkin' frustration.

Then we went home.  It was a gorgeous day today...sunny and warm.

I put on shorts and took a walk around the perimeter of my house, looking at the flower beds I STILL had not weeded, even though last week was in the 80's all week.

I knew in the back of my head it was Sunday, and you DON'T work on Sundays.  They are a day of rest.  But you see, even though weeding my flower beds IS work, it's also a great "cure" for what ails me sometimes.

I got to work.  I got my gardening gloves on, got my hand cultivator, and a small spade shovel.  I beat those weeds into submission, and all the while, my frustration at all those "tiny things" slowly dissipated.  I felt rejuvenated, and close to God with my hands in the dirt.

I got alot done, and I only have a little more left to do on Spring Break in a week.

It felt GOOD.

It's the small things...

Wednesdays, for some minor reasons, are NOT my favorite day of the week. 

Sure, I mean, it's halfway through the work week...that makes it somewhat good...

and Wednesdays are also the day my great husband takes the kids to church.  He has Bible Study, and the kids each have their youth meetings, and I get my night out....TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING!  Gee, isn't that the most glamorous thing you've ever heard of?  (Brent thinks going to the grocery store is what I so desire....brother.)

Yeah, whatever.

Tonight, though, at the grocery store/superstore, I picked up some great things that made my Wednesday night ritual, not so bad.

The best purchase...along with the groceries that is....was the latest issue of Flea Market Magazine.

The next in line...a new purse calendar...on sale for 99cents, which I will be recovering and sprucing up a little.  I needed a smaller one that weighs, oh, less than the 5 pound one I've been carrying around!

And lastly, a great green long-sleeve men's T on clearance for $6.  I will be making another infinity scarf like the one here, and using the arms to make some more t-shirt flower pins.

So, Wednesday this week, was alright.  I even made it home before Brent and the kids, so I got to eat and read my book in silence for awhile.

What do you do on Wednesdays?

I'm sorry

I'm sorry.  My content hasn't been the greatest lately.

I've been struggling with what to write, dealing with the new van issues on what we thought was a bad deal, but which has now been fixed, and all the Christmas last minute stuff which you all are dealing with as well.  I'm trying to get through the last couple weeks of school with the kids acting like crazy circus animals cause they are just as ready to get out as we are.

The kids did allow me, one day on the way to the library after school, to stop at the local apple orchard and take their picture for our Christmas cards.

This place has the best old truck sitting outside.  I've used it for pictures when the kids pick their pumpkins, as a back drop for their yearly pictures when they were little, and now for this.  It's a GREAT truck.

They weren't crazy about the scarves.  Oh well...it's Christmas, it's cold, WEAR THEM!

I think they turned out pretty well.  They've already been sent out.  At least that is done.

So, today, I'll be following my "LAST MINUTE CRAZY LIST" to the "T".  I'll be finishing up the gifts I make for all the kindergartners every year.  I'll finish up my mom's gift, and write the "family" story that we need to write for the family Christmas we have tomorrow.  I'll make my layered jello salad, and get my freezer corn ready to eat.  I'll pick up Grace from a sleepover, take Evan to a birthday party, and take all the stuff back to the Library.  I'll probably have to do several loads of laundry, and get supper ready to.

I'm eagerly anticipating the fact that there are only 3 more days left of school this week before break.  And I have high hopes for Christmas break that I will get many more things accomplished.

My last wish, though, before Christmas, that we at least get SOME snow.  It feels more like Christmas that way.  Up until yesterday, our temps soared back up to the mid 50's and we were getting rain every day.  It's December, it probably should feel like it.

So, I'll stop complaining and listing all that I have to do.
Have a happy Saturday.  I know I will.