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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

showering babies: the in's & out's

so details details details...

invitations: by miss andrea.  i spent a good chunk of time trying to talk andrea into going into business.  she is incredibly talented & creative.  she can basically do it all.  give her something to go with and she will run wild.  lucky for us this sweet girl is also my cousin's roommate and helped so much to make the shower special.  much like the frame cutouts she made as decoration & as a gift {seen here} she also made individual ones for the invites.  each one was hand crafted and unique.  so perfect.

andy was also responsible for hand-drawing the tags attached to the favors.  steph & andy hand-dipped about a billion animal crackers half-way in chocolate.  they were delicious.  i know you're thinking...it's too simple.  but i'm telling you..i wanted to steal everyone's favors and eat them all myself.  i didn't.  but i wanted to.  i would definitely recommend this little treat! and tell me those tags aren't darling!

i was responsible for a fabric bunting for the buffet table & a mini bunting for our library crate.  it was my first attempt at anything like this and let's just say that it was interesting.  the mini bunting was a piece of cake.  a few snips here & there and ta-da!  perfect.

i used a few different shades of linen fabric and a cream cotton binding for the top.  i've seen people use all kinds of things but that seemed to be the most simple place to start.  i first cut a template to trace on thick paper. 
then used that paper template to trace onto my fabric.  at the time i wasn't worrying about pen marks because i thought i was doing two-ply flags.
so... i cut two layers of each triangle but only to find that when i tried to stitch the tops of the flag it was really difficult for me to keep them lined up. i ditched that idea quickly and went with a one-ply flag in both the big & mini versions. hopefully no one noticed that they were a bit thinner. my next attempt i'll try and iron that out.
here's my cream binding.  it was thin but perfect.  i saw online that other people sometimes use fun fabric for this but i don't have the slightest clue how to make my own binding out of fabric so that will have to be another lesson for another day.
{the finished product}
my other main responsibility was 'finish the sentence cards' stolen inspired by ashley ann {here}.  they basically were little notecards made from cardstock {printed at home} that began sentences that could be completed with advise from party-goers.  {when i comes to dirt..., when he brings home his first girlfriend..., when you send him off to school...} we hope these love notes will serve as sweet reminders to sarah & josh of thoughts from loved ones for many years to come.
i stitched a strip of fabric across the bottom of the card with the widest stitch i could find on my machine. i secured the first stitches and last stitches and everything in between i just ran as usual, just bunching, pleating the fabric as i went along. my strips of fabric were about an inch wide and i think they turned out so sweetly. not to brag, promise anyone could do this. i know sometimes people on blogs say that & i never believe them. that's not true of this blog. if i tell you it's easy that means it really is. i am not a master-crafter.

my only other sewing venture was to provide a rice bag {homemade heating pad} as a game gift.  i didn't take a picture but i had to share something i learned!  a fat quarter {those squares premade for quilting} are basically the perfect size for making one of these little wonders.  no need to guess, measure, cut, or trim.  it is just as simple as folding it in half.  fat quarters cost about $1 at walmart.  cheaaaapness!  i just had to share that little tip.

momma steph made pom pom jungle flowers for the centerpieces.  aren't they precious!?  made of pipe cleaner and tissue paper these little guys were inexpensive and cheery.  exactly what each table needed.  we also alternated chex mix & assorted nuts between tables and had a dessert dish filled with m&m's in our theme colors of course {hint: i just took out the red & blue ones...ta da...jungle m&m's}.

and i feel the need to highlight these cuties once more.  i didn't get to participate in the cupcake decorating party but it must have been a blast.  they turned out so well!  just a warning...i did hear that they were time consuming little devils {but how can you resist those faces?} i also heard that it was difficult to get the icing to cooperate on top of icing.  their inventive solution was to ice the vanilla wafers whenever possible.

i'll drag this out just one post further...games, hostesses & family pics to come.
oh sweet showers.  the blessing of babes!

Monday, August 30, 2010

we are really blessed.

things are wild around here.  wild i tell you.

i really did want to share details from sarah's sweet shower but have been overwhelmed with to do's, the work, the fun, the parties, the sickies and more.

i'm committing to post about it this week though. there i said it.

this weekend was fantastic and not-so-grand.  after a week at work that nearly ran me ragged i was blessed to have such a fun friday in the works.  leadership with such an amazing group of people and many new faces.  it was so awesome to welcome them into our little family.  after worshipping, praying & visiting together we parted ways.  i ran errands in preparation for what would come next!  a bundle of students came over to the house.  all kinds of fellas & ladies.  its was perfect.  our house starts to feel "full" really quickly & it definitely felt full.  i like that.  they all mingled together, the girls sang hairspray songs & the joked about boy things in the kitchen.

one humorous anecdote:  i was wearing a danville h.s. football hoodie & a student who had never been to our home before asked if my boyfriend plays for danville.  he was serious.  and i am nearly 25.  hmm.  the rest of our lafayette friends got a big kick out of it because of course they knew us well and this young fella must have thought that my parents were out of town rather than us actually owning a home.

after a few hours of blissful hanging out we headed off to the world's largest water balloon fight at uk.  yes, how fun is that?  definitely one of those things that doesn't happen everyday and you've just gotta fill up your car with friends & head out to join.  ben & i really enjoyed that time with our h.s. friends & with our co-leaders.  here's a video of our time.  we're on the right, surely you can't find us...
{video idea stolen from my dear friend anne who was also at the 'fight'}


dripping wet we hung out for a bit at the field and then headed back to the house.  some more mixed company hanging out.  benny's brother chris & our sweet friends, morgan & joy stopped by for a visit too.  i LOVED this.  how fun to see so many people we love in one day.

ps.  i'm pretty sure our neighbors hate us.


after the boys got the boot it was time for a slumber party.  yes you heard me correctly.  i'm getting pretty rickety to stay up until nearly 4 a.m. but i made it.  laughing, junk food, silent library, a tiny bit of rest, cinnamon rolls & hair trains rounded out our time together.  perfectly perfect.  i love those girls so much & i want nothing more than i want them to know Christ & to understand the huge love He has for them.

saturday afternoon to sunday afternoon weren't worth mentioning.  i was terribly ill & was basically immobile for 24 hours.  it was awful.  i'll spare you the details.

after i was miraculously healed {literally} i was honored to hear my husband speak to l.h.s. kids about Jesus...about how God sees people, how Jesus did ministry, how to love people well & our mission together at the school.  i was so encouraged to see some of them really catch a vision for what could happen at their school.  really care if their friends hear the good news.  really want to lay down their life. it was awesome.  i wish there was a picture i could share of that.

.hope all is well in your home too.

Friday, August 27, 2010

belated but necessary...


yesterday was another 'first day of school' for my benny.  he wouldn't let me take a picture of him when he came home with his backpack on {even though i begged}.  he still looked this cute though.  i wish you could have seen it. and yes, i will continue to post this picture every semester until ben graduates.  you can't make me stop.

benny,
i'm so proud of you, your committment & hard work!  enjoy the time you have around campus in this gorgeous weather.  i wish i was wandering around UK with you all fall.  i.l.y.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

showering babies: it's a jungle out there

as i mentioned this past weekend we had the honor of celebrating my sweet cousin sarah and her itty-bitty {still incubating} baby boy, carter.  my momma steph, cousin steph {carter's auntie} and andrea {family friend} whipped up a perfect party filled with sweetly orchestrated details just for the pair.  it was interesting to plan a shower from two different cities {lexington & nashville} but it can be done, with a healthy helping of reply-all emails and a skype date or two.

here are some memories from sarah & carter's big day.

carter's bedroom is going to be jungle themed so we drew our colors & ideas from there.
{adorable & practical diaper cake...made of diapers of course, and recieving blankets}
{grub for our friends.  everything was absolutely delish.  sorry the pic is mid-grubbing}

did you spy something precious on top of the table?
yep, talented & creative andrea made these paper cut outs as decoration for the shower that will also double as decor in the baby's room.  tell me those aren't the cutest things!
{love that crazy monkey}

here was dessert.  we had jungle baby cupcakes & lemon cupcakes.  both were emmensely enjoyed by all.
lions & tigers & monkeys oh my!

{mountain o' gifts}

{party go-ers}


one of my favorite parts of the shower was this little crate.  as a collective effort mom, chels & i put together this little crate & requested that any guests who wanted to, bring a book or two to help build carter's library.  people brought some old & some new.  i loved it.  he will be such a literate baby.
{lovely favors}


so much to share and so little time. 
i'll divulge more celebration details soon: shower games, decorations, love notes, favors, food & more...
.don't want to forget one little bit, but just a taste for now.

{all photos taken by andrea / stolen from my sweet cousin steph}

Monday, August 23, 2010

you may say that i'm a dreamer...but i'm not.

{friday} zoom.zoom
work..team leader meeting..leadership..h.s. football..visit my momma steph {the baker}..pack up for a baby shower


i was exhausted by the time my head it the pillow friday evening.  what a fun day of working, fellowship with friends, being with students & seeing my family.


{saturday} up & at 'em
rolled out of bed & ventured on over to the site of our shower.  it was time to decorate!!  my dear cousin sarah is expecting a baby boy this fall & of course we needed to celebrate itty bitty baby & momma!  i can't wait to show you all the cuteness.  i'm allowed to say that because i'm not responsible for much of the preciousness.  my oh so creative family & family friends did a fantabulous job of hand-making the perfect details.
quick run to kroger for the some last minute goodies and then off to take care of business...i was a mess, as usual, and couldn't celebrate in that condition.  some more gathering of odds and ends and then back to set up once more.  gotta get all that food out for the hungry masses!  i can't wait to document with pics..



after the shower we scrubbed, cleaned & packed up {all done while visiting with wonderful ladies in our fam of course}.  you know your family is truly wonderful when even cleaning up is fun.


then...hubby time!  yay.  a precious bit of time with just benny & i.  we got a little nap in & watched a movie together.


with so many out-of-towners in town for the shower, of course we had to get together once more.  pizza at my aunt & uncle's home.  it was so great to see everyone, stuff my face & this time around the boys were invited.  football games, old family videos & chitty chats...all hilarious, all wonderful!  i wish i could show you some clips of these videos and scan these old family photos.   wheezing and stomach cramps would be had by all...the laughter would be unbearable.  the curly bangs & pleated jeans would be enough to make anyone burst.  parents, please don't do that to your kids.


{sunday} the day of rest
i slept until 10.  i never sleep til 10.  i couldn't believe i was still in bed when i rolled over & looked at the clock.  ben was out of bed.  i always wake up when he starts moving around, but not this morning.  i rushed out to the den to find my sweet husband and apparently i had medusa hair.  he laughed at my little unopened asian eyes and crazy hair.  i bet he wishes he had a picture to post.  don't you want to remember that forever benny?


we were lazy.  we watched the chronicles of narnia {which i also picked up from the library..wootwoot}
{luci is my favorite.  i love the way she talks.  when i read the book i'm going to read all her parts in this little girl's voice}

additionally, i attempted to non-watch a godzilla movie.  i love matthew broderick.  but not as a godzilla fighter.  then off for a sunday drive.  first to the library, then to get fountain pops, then to lhs, then to the mall.  ben loves sunday drives.  he was eating up this adventure to nowhere.  i had wanted to go on a walk but after being outside for 30 seconds we realized i would melt.  so a 'walk' through the mall was our alternative {are you picturing us speedwalking with jogging suits on?}.  we bought nothing.  and had no intention of purchasing anything, it was just nice to be together, peruse shops & stretch our legs.  p.s. william sonoma & jcrew- you are far too expensive.


back to our humble abode for more reading, hanging out & relaxing.  i had many productive things that needed to be accomplished, but none of them did.  and i didn't feel bad about it. 
{u.o.}


the night came to a close with a campaigners meeting with our students.  i love that time being with kids.  dylan spoke on fellowship.  i am so blessed to have faithful people surrounding me, showing me a real picture of fellowship, living a life in community.  i pray that our h.s. friends will experience that too.  that they will be real with one another, have relationships based on christ & really care for one another. 


after all our friends left ben & i had the opportunity to sing together.  what a blessing it is to have a husband who will sing praises with me!  even greater, who encourages me to sing praise.  i hope i can always remember ben playing his guitar singing to the Lord. {that last part isn't for you...it's for me, for my journal. i don't ever want to forget such a precious time.}


so there it is in a nutshell...a weekend full of everything.

tonight we have a "farewell" sendoff for our dear friend sarah who is moving on up to chicago.  we love sarah & chi-town, so we won't hate...but we will miss her HORRIBLY!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

{visita bella}

.good day friends.
i cannot stress enough how much i LOVE {L.O.V.E.} having people stop by our house.  i celebrate an unannounced visitor. i adore a sweet friend at the door.

some students stopped by randomly last night & after they left all i could think was...that's my favorite thing.  i love having friends in the house & i love when someone thinks to come see us.
.JOY.

you're welcome to drop in 
.any time.



{pics from anthro}