Red and Pink Week {2013}

Willow joined me for some RED and PINK fun this week!!

 

 

The Fusion girls got their first taste of RED and PINK! 

They did a lovely job, if you ask me!!

XALT. lol! I guess Black's the new RED and PINK for most of these girls!

Love this girl and her enthusiasm for theme outfits!!

To Kill a Mockingbird starring a Fusion student as Jem.

He rocked it!!

The entire play was amazing though!

I seriously feel blessed that we live in a town that loves theater!

It's one of my faves!!

 

Chase's sister gave me this scarf and it's too cute.

"Thank you" if you're reading!! 

Oh! Winter Jam, how you wear me out!

You provided some good entertainment and

quality time with TSM students so...

I'll let it slide this time!

But seriously, the one day it snows in NC! C'MON!!

 

Eats of the Week

Chase, so generously, offered to make brownies for a Superbowl party. As we were getting ready to leave he said, "we're never buying Aldi brownies again. Brownies are supposed to be flaky on top and these are fluffy like a cake. I even tried to flatten them down with my oven mitt!"
Having more faith in Aldi brand than my husband's cooking I asked, "well did you make the cake that was in the cabinet?" Checking the cabinet we found the brownie box quietly untouched!! LOL!!
He made one delicious cake...even though his heart was set in brownies, poor fella.

P.S. I love how loyal he is...still sporting the Brown's gear!

Monday at work we had a SOUPerbowl party. Over the past three years this has become one of my favorite school days. I always get to see some different faces when we potluck. It's nice to see how some of the other teachers are doing and chat with them. Plus these ladies know a thing or two about soup! I tried the Taco Soup and a Cream Cheese Chicken Chili. Our wonderful PTA made the goodies...red velvet cupcakes-yum!!

After mastering self-control over my Sweet Frog addiction by not going at all in January I have returned to fro-yo. It will have to be on a more limited basis than before...but gosh it's just so good! I shared Sweet Frog with two friends from church who also are amazing volunteers at Xalt!! We had a blast be-bopping along to some Jamie Grace and chatting about life.

Times with friends and good food cannot be beat!

Shop and Drop

This weekend was our Annual Shop and Drop event where the girls (obviously) go shopping and the boys (implied) drop each other AKA play video games and have air soft wars!!

It is neat to see the different personality of the group each year. The first year our night was defined by getting ice cream. My group included to very sweet sisters who now volunteer with the student ministry. The following year, we spent a majority of the time in Clair's as well as trying on fancy dresses. Last year, the girls chose Bass Pro Shop as their destination of choice.

That's the fun thing about student ministry the personality grows and evolves every year. So this year we just had a chill window shopping vibe. Of course, we did buy some things, I mean we are girls!!

Improv Class

Chase and I attended our first improv class on Sunday with the Charlotte Comedy Theater. Taking these classes has been Chase's dream since he moved down to NC in 2009. We have been to a few shows of the improv team and enjoy it every time. So here we go trying it out for ourselves!!

We car picnicked to make sure we made it there on time! lol!

The class was surprisingly big, 19 people were there.  Everyone was over 18, of course, but acting like kids on a playground...perfect for Chase and I, that's how we act every Wednesday night at Fusion.  We played some super fun warm-ups including one called Samurai.  

Samurai

The "it" person had to run to someone and slice them with their fake sword, the victim screamed in agony while drawing their sword upward in defense.  However, while their sword was up the people on either side of them swung devastating blows to that same victims mid section.  The victim then became the "it" person and started the cycle all over again.  Did I mention each person had to scream war cries the whole time? Sounds like a fun student ministry game, if you ask me!!

This first class had the emphasis of knowing that we do not have to try to be funny, just simply be yourself and funny will come! I liked that about it. 

We also learned A LOT about teamwork: 

• being there for one another 
• taking one for the team (looking stupid for several minutes or simply saying "the")
• playing off another teammate's idea or character 

The trainer talked about how when you learn improv, you retrain your brain to use the left and right sides at the same time.  How cool?! While looking like crazy people we are becoming smarter!! AH!

Let me know if you've ever done a class or club similar to this.

Tell me about your experience. 

Driver Fail

In a matter of a week I had a few ridiculous car experiences. Some might call them mishaps or accidents but I prefer experiences. 

One morning I stopped by subway to get my lunch for a field trip.  Although the sign said they opened at 7 A.M. the inside was completely dark when I arrived around 6:55. I thought if I got there a little early whoever was opening would have things ready and be able to take my order so I wouldn't risk being late for work but that wasn't the case. After deciding to wait until 7:03 I sat back in my car listening to my morning pick-me-up K-LOVE. 

Two minutes went by and a car zoomed into the parking lot to park their car nose to nose with mine. As she exited her car, I recognized her green subway shirt so I got out to ask her if it would take long to set up the food. Mid sentence she starts interrupting me with wild hand flails. Finally I realize she's trying to tell me my car is drifting towards her front end. 

Frantic I stick half a leg in to try to slam on the brake as my head is looking at her shouting OMG I'm so sorry and crazy. Ahhhhh how did I do this?! My foot found the brake petal simultaneously to my bumper finding her bumper. Luckily ole' CiCi the Civic hadn't picked up enough speed to do any damage. I guess, sitting there I never put my car in Park, and apparently thought I did. Ugh!! 

If that wasn't bad enough now I had to walk into Subway with the girl and order my sub. Talk about awkward. She kept apologizing for being late. I gushed apologizes for hitting her car. Our conversation pretty much went back and forth like that until I was out the door. What a way to start the morning?! 

Driver Fail Part Two later this week...come by again for confirmation that you're not the only goofball out there. 

Recreating Pumpkin Show

Envying everyone's Pumpkin Show Facebook status's then driving with an Adele CD in is a bad combination. It made me sad! So I got to thinking and Chase was so sweet about deciding to spend our evening recreating the greatest free show on earth!!

The pumpkin patch was our obvious first stop. A local church sets out tons of pumpkins in their front yard and sells them as a fundraiser for their mission trip. Willow helped us pick out the perfect pumpkin, not too big, not too small, pretty rounded but not perfectly.

For a fair-like dinner we went to Uncle Bucks where fried food can be found everyday. The next time you're there try the bunless burger with 'mashed taters.' delish!!
The closest thing to the large variety of sweets the pumpkin show has to offer was Sweet Frog, our local froyo shop. Too bad they didn't have pumpkin flavored froyo.

That night we had plans to attend the downtown ghost walk. The tour goes through the historical district, tales of the cities history as well as particular individuals history were shared by our guide who is a local pastor. Our group was bigger than average which made the experience of walking city streets hemmed in by a crowd of people even more authentic for our purpose.

Recreating the Pumpkin Show was a complete success. The Pumpkin Show is a must see so visit Ohio in the Fall and make sure to go the third week of October! If you ever find yourself pinning for some hometown traditions think outside the gourd and recreate.

Catalyst 2012

Chase and I attended a leadership conference for church leaders a few weeks ago, called Catalyst. I wanted to share an inspirational nugget from some of the speakers who SO inspired me.

It's better to make a difference than to make a point. 

~Andy Stanley, pastor of North Point Ministries, Inc. in the Atlanta area

An introvert just has a longer runway to get to where they are comfortable. 

~Susan Cain, author of Quiet

If I love those around me I owe it to them to enter into the danger of accountability. 

~Patrick Lencioni, founder and president of The Table Group and 

author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team

 We need to realize the full dignity of every human being.

~ Bryan Stevenson, Executive Director of Equal Justice Initiative

Stewardship means to do whatever you do better than you were asked right where you are right now.

~Perry Noble, Senior Pastor of NewSpring Church

We can't lose our identity because of our failures. 

and

We get to make along side the God who fixes problems with parties (reference to the Prodigal Son).

~Jon Acuff, Blogger, Stuff Christians Like and author of Quitter

These are just a hand full of the speakers who challenged and encouraged us over the two day conference.  If you work in a church or lead in some sort of ministry, Catalyst was awesome and you should totally check it out.

Pool It Together

Over the weekend some friends of ours had a pretty rad idea!! A large out building stands right by their outdoor pool so we set up a projector and watched JAWS while lounging in the pool. Talk about atmosphere!! I jumped, I yelled, I squirmed, I jerked (not the dance). Did I mention that was my first time seeing the movie? Pretty unforgettable...not to mention I'm slightly terrified of sharks!!


Awesome Labor Day Weekend shindig even with the two hour search for Chase's lost keys!!! We couldn't have done it without the help of our great friends!! Thanks a ton for a fun time!!

Computer Fail

This Fall I'll be taking online classes toward a Master's in Counseling. My first week of class just ended Sunday. That afternoon I needed to turn in an article review and do a timed quiz so I turned on the computer and opened the Internet to find it wasn't connecting.

Oh No!!!!

This had never been a problem before, of course the time it acts up is the day of a deadline. Isn't that just how it seems to go? No fear though...my terrific husband came to the rescue and stayed on the phone for over an hour working everything out!! I love that guy!

Favorite Things

July's Favorite Things  

This romper I bought from Marshall's last summer for my sister-in-laws' rehearsal dinner.  Happy One year Anniversary!!!

That seashell wall paper is also...GONE!!!

Spending the mission trip and just everyday time with Xalt students! If you aren't already involved in a church whether it's attending the main service or a small group, give it a shot! It just might brighten your life!

$10 floral wedges from The Shoe Department

The midnight premier of The Dark Knight Rises and all of the conversations  since then dissecting it with the ultimate Batman fan aka my husband!! If you have a question about the trilogy he's seriously the person to ask.

The dance for Sunday's So You Think You Can Dance message about Career {video to come} and the super fun ladies who joined in, the guys are pretty cool too (and amazingly talented) I just don't have a picture of them.

Our one day visit to Virginia!! {that's a post in and of itself...more to come}

Thanks to Dancing with Ashley for the link up!!

 

Accessory Awareness

Inspired by a college friend and fellow blogger I decided to post about my jewelry space savers. I had the problem of my jewelry not being easily accessible. These items helped me to have full awareness of my organized accessories so it's easy to wear them more often.

Something like this can be purchased at T.J. Maxx or Marshall's. It has plenty of storage for earrings.

A cork board with some snazzy push pins can do wonders for a mess of necklaces.  I love love love this idea...{for the life of me I can't remember who I got it from, so if you know who you are...thank you and please feel free to comment!!} If you are more creative than I, you can secure fabric over the cork area before you apply the push pins.  You could use fabric that matched the room or give a splash of color to your vanity area.

 

I've had this little beauty for quite a while. It was a gift from my parents for Christmas when I was in high school.  It holds all kinds of things.  The middle door has a ceiling rack with hooks for bracelets or rings. The floor of it has rows to insert your rings.  I store chunkier bracelets in the drawers.  

The two side doors have hangers on the door and on the inside of the compartment, perfect for necklaces.

 

sorry this pic is darker...with all of the glass the flash seemed blinding.

There you have it...all of my jewelry space savers. 
What are some of your cute and creative organizers?

You can't handle the truth...or can you?

One beautiful thing about Jesus is that 
He sees who we really are and loves us any way.  

The crazy thing, though, is that we have to be able 
to see the truth about ourselves before we can fully accept His grace.  
It might be ugly, in fact if you're anything like me, 

it definitely will be 

U.G.L.Y!!

{Pretend that spoon holds the scum I've come to face.}

I want to experience the fullness of God's grace so I wrote down the truth about me as it came to my mind, probably not everything but some things that I'm wrong about.  I found out something amazing while I was doing this...I didn't feel overwhelmed by my sinfulness, I didn't feel disgusting. I saw that yeah...while things in my life {how I speak to people, trying to control every detail, being critical or judgmental, etc.} are sinful; Jesus knows they are part of my life but is just waiting for me to give them to Him, to ask forgiveness, and accept His grace.  I don't have to wallow in that scum.

His grace wants to let me experience His love even though I do sinful things after being a Christian most of my life.  His grace waits patiently to forgive me when I finally admit I've been wrong.  His grace offers compassion to me so that I can be changed from speaking hatefully to speaking with love (1 Corinthians 13), from trying to control to trusting God's timing and plans (Matthew 6: 25-34), and from criticizing to being open and loving (1 Corinthians 13, again-it's that important). 

Truth is the front door to the warm, inviting home of grace.  

You can't know the second without embracing the first.

~Jen Hatmaker in Girl Talk

Breakfast for Dinner

Who can resist french toast for dinner? 

Definitely NOT us!!

Last night after swimming a few laps 

we cooked up some french toast.

Swimming for exercise and french toast for dinner...

probably cancel each other out but oh well!

My legs were jello but my stomach was full of goodness!!

 

There is just something about breakfast food 

during a relaxing weekend

that puts the icing on the cake! 

Maybe it's because growing up and still when I travel home

we eat an amazing weekend breakfast

or just the word "SYRUP" (say it to yourself a few times)

Weird, huh?

What I do know is I love breakfast foods!

They remind me to stop and smell the rose shaped pancakes.

What do you do to top off your weekend?

Niagara Wear

We experienced absolutely perfect weather for visiting Niagara Falls, the sun warmed us while a gentle breeze blew to cool us off. I never felt hot or sticky like the humid heat of NC.

I wore a childhood inspired outfit. My family camped/hiked a lot and my dad always preferred - pants with lots of pockets. I thrifted these beauties for a total of $3.50 which included tons of pockets. We're talking pockets inside pockets, zippers, Velcro, hidden pockets, you name it these ultimate hiking shorts have it.

For the Cave of the Winds tour, we all got ponchos and matching sandals. We went right up to the bottom of the American Falls. On the "Hurricane deck", even with all of our gear, we still got drenched from the water gushing down over us. Hearing the rushing water all around us and feeling the blasts of water pelting our bare skin made for an experience we'll never forget.

Marshall's

My last pair of sunglasses bit the dust at a ripe old age of 2 years and a month. For me and sunglasses that's a relationship record!

Today, I traveled to Marshall's to fill my sunglass need. I found not one but two glamorous (but functional) pairs.

They have super cute ones for great prices if your sunglasses have met the midsummer slump.

Marshall's is the equivalent of T.J. Maxx if you live in a different area.

Bummin' to Grinnin'

Holidays away from family can be a bummer.  Ohio has one of the most amazing fireworks shows called Red, White, and Boom!  The local radio station, WNCI makes a soundtrack to play along with the show.  In my mind, the whole event exemplifies American Patriotism.  People gather together all over Columbus to see the great show, they camp out all day to get a good spot with friends and family, they play games, have cookouts, and at the end cram in their car and try to cut everyone off so they can beat the traffic.  Just kidding about that last part being patriotic.  Seriously, though, people spend time with one another and just enjoy their company then join with an entire crowd of strangers to sing along to the year's greatest songs as well as our Country's anthem.  Simply Magical!

Just because Ohio definitely knows how to party doesn't mean we totally missed the fun train.  Today, a generous and hospitable family invited us over with several other families.  We've kind of formed our own little family away from family.  If you are ever away from home, boldly step out there and search for good friends who you can party with, shop with, and sometimes... cry with.  It takes some time but God will provide exactly what you need.

After a refreshing pool party we ate some delicious grilled chicken and corn.  Chase and one of our friends started "pickin' and a grinnin'" as my grandpa would say.  As we clapped and sang along the fireworks show started.  Fireworks lit up the sky and the ground, it was a little scary.  Holidays away from family can be a bummer but that bummer doesn't have to last all day.  A phone call back home will heal the heart. Then put on your party hat and enjoy the day!!

In this case our party hats are a sun hat and a bandana!!

I've got friends in low places. LOL!

Two WV boys so we heard Country Roads.

Favorite Thing: Flea Market

My Favorite Thing about today:
The Webb Road Flea Market met many needs in our life today. We went originally because Chase needed to buy a gameboy so he can play Pokemon with the boys when we go on our mission trip. Through the journey I found a sweet pair of cloth polka dot pants that I'm pretty pumped about. In a huge table of piled up shoes, we sifted our way to some Tom's.

Now I know used Tom's #1 scream of foot disease and #2 defeat the purpose of the whole Tom's organization but they were being sold for $15 a pair or 2 for $25. That's half of ONE pair at regular price!! So...we bought some.

We Lysol'ed them for good measure.

Finally at the end of our trip, Chase found a gameboy and haggled his way down by a whopping $1 difference. What a success!!! If only we'd traveled there on a cool Spring day. Afterward, we refreshed ourselves with some delicious fried ice cream.

Yum!!

Two Days!!

Two days until summer break! 

So far this week...

Talent Show

lots of dancing and tumbling

Michael Jackson impersonators

Boy do I wish I could show footage?

Hilarious!

Field Day

water games

bouncy games

sharp Frisbee games

My personal fave: 

a little fella 

singing and jiving 

along to the DJ

The next TWO days 

finalizing grades

catching up on some work

sharing the kids' enthusiasm 

for the beginning of Summer!!

Party Nail!!

Awhile back, I saw the ring finger nail referred to as the "party nail." This transformation from ring finger to party nail happens once it is painted or designed different than the other finger nails. I couldn't wait to try it out!! This afternoon I went to Greystone Salon and Spa for my manicure!! Amazing place and people!!