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Archive for June, 2011

Carry Me

June 30, 2011

Greetings from the State of the Hogs! Or is it the Toad State? By the sounds coming through the windows here, I’m thinking Arkansas might be the land of the toads. I just thought they were loud at my house!

I made it. Made. It.

Ever have one of those days where you just want to sit down in the middle of…wherever you are where you don’t have to do anything to get there…and be done?

Like…give up?

Let’s say you’re sitting in the middle of the road and a cow walks by and snatches you up by the seat of your britches and carries you away to goodness knows where…and you’re okay with it because at least the cow is the one doing the heavy lifting…

That was my yesterday.

Besides being worried about my dad (who is in the hospital in lots of pain and awaiting bypass surgery on Friday) and concerned about leaving my kids (and husband) so soon after JUST being gone, I was particularly accident prone and absentminded. And sad and blue and sleepy. Not a winning combination.

It could have been worse.

When I washed my husband’s wallet in the washing machine, it could have completely blacked out the numbers of a winning lotto ticket. Fortunately, he doesn’t play the lottery…so there’s that.

When I went to the wrong airport, I could have gone in and gone through the excruciatingly long line and THEN realized I was in the wrong place. Thankfully, the correct airport had ZERO lines and I zipped through once I got to the right place.

When I left my children, I could have cried crocodile tears after we hugged good-bye and made them start crying. Oh wait, that really did happen.

I could have walked out of the bathroom WITH that long strand of toilet paper stuck to my shoe. Verdict’s still out on that one.

That screaming baby could have screamed the ENTIRE trip instead of just half…she was the CUTEST little girl with a crazy set of curls and lungs.

It doesn’t matter. I made it. I was even laughing by midday at all the calamity that kept coming my way. I know any humor I felt whatsoever was because of all your warm thoughts and prayers. That’s all there is to it. I had not an ounce of humor when I left the house and things did NOT improve, at least not with my circumstances. But I had a funny text exchange and then different people let me know throughout the day that they were praying for us and well, things just shifted for me. It’s amazing how much friends can help and it’s downright astonishing what prayer can do.

When I saw my parents, I felt relief. Apparently, my dad perked up more when he saw me than he has for weeks. He shared his secret stash of peanut M&Ms and I shared my lemon Dasani water. We laughed and visited and if he didn’t look so awful and sound so short of breath, I could almost forget that he is so sick. My dad will be in the VA hospital until Friday morning and then he will move to another hospital for the actual surgery. My dad does not want to do the surgery and has actually prolonged it, I guess…I didn’t realize that was his doing until yesterday…but everything that has happened up to this point has clearly happened for a reason. The news is not good. He is really sick, there is a LOT of blockage and it is in all the worst places, but we are trusting in our Creator…and it’s all going to be all right.

Thanks so much for all the wonderful messages. It means so much! Today will be better. And if not, I will remember all the craziness of yesterday and have to smile. If I disappear and end up with the cows somewhere, you’ll know what happened.

Posted in Family, Grateful Heart, Hope, June 2011, Life, Travel | 5 Comments »

My Dad

June 28, 2011

My dad needs your prayers right now. He’s really been struggling with pressure in his heart and spasms for a while now and just found out that he needs to have bypass surgery. He has 4 blocked arteries and they’re the main ones. They encouraged him to have surgery right away and he was on his way yesterday to schedule the surgery, but passed out before he could get there. His blood pressure was 55/35. My mom got him to the hospital and they admitted him for the night. I think he’ll be going home again today and be there until the surgery Friday morning. I wish they would just keep him in the hospital until the surgery!

I’m leaving tomorrow to go be with them for the week. It’s killing me to be so far away. If the brakes had been fine on the car, I would have taken off yesterday, but they’re not up for the long trip right now. I was able to find a ticket that leaves tomorrow afternoon and will be there for the week. An angel from heaven put money in my Paypal account to help with my trip, can you believe that? I’m grateful beyond words to you, my friend.

Please pray for my family too~ I don’t like to be away from them and was just gone to work in Dallas all last week.

Thanks so much to all of you who have already begun praying. I put a prayer request on Facebook last night and heard from so many of you on there. If you don’t mind, please leave a comment on this post, so my parents can see it~ they’re not on Facebook, but read my blog faithfully. They’d appreciate seeing all your sweet comments.

I’ll try to keep you posted.

Posted in Family, June 2011, Prayer Requests | 28 Comments »

Catch Your Breath

June 27, 2011

I have been missing it over here on Girly Muse! I had a crazy week in Dallas and then came home to a crazy weekend with our Youth Choir’s 20th Reunion.

First of all, Dallas was so fun. It’s always great to see everybody and catch up. Work went well~ it’s always fun to see how much everything changes in the showrooms each time. There are people that I get attached to who have moved on to other places in the Trade Center, so that’s always a little bit sad, but then there are new fun people to get to know too. I was able to visit with friends in the early part of the week and then concentrate more on working the second half.

I might even have a little bit of a tan from some of that fun. Woohoo. I don’t even recognize myself tan anymore, it’s such a shock.

I didn’t take a single picture~ can you believe it?

My feet survived. They only hurt like they normally would from being on them all day, every day. Nothing like last time, whew.

I had great Mexican food all week…besides Jason’s Deli and one fabulous barbeque place that I don’t know the name of and a good sushi place, I ate all Mexican and loved every minute of it. I think, so far, my favorite Mexican restaurant in the Dallas area is Mi Cocina in Plano. I thought it was Mi Casita, but looks like it’s Mi Cocina…sorry if I steered any of you wrong~ I did recommend it a few dozen times or so. The brisket tacos are the best I’ve ever had and so is the chicken tortilla soup.

I had a run-in with a pool gate/latch that gave me a nasty bruise. The colors changed into exquisite blues, reds and purples every day and I had to answer a LOT of questions about that…I even put make up on it to cover it up and still had people offering to take care of whoever had roughed me up. It’s turned into a nice yellow and purple concoction today. It was a pool gate, people, no need to get your fists out.

There was thunder like no other thunder. Land sakes, I thought it was coming in to snatch me. I love storms and don’t typically get scared, but one storm startled me so abruptly out of sleep and just kept on making my stomach drop.

And then the reunion…I got home Friday afternoon and went to the church right away. It was the 20th choir reunion and the 10th reunion of our “Washed” CD. We had a big dinner that night and visited and reminisced. It was wonderful and emotional. Saturday we rehearsed all day…oh my, it sounded so good. We filled the choir loft to overflowing and the songs were just right there in our memories even after not singing some of them for 10 plus years. It was a beautiful thing.

Sunday night was the big concert and I wish you could have all experienced it. I think it might have been my favorite concert EVER. I can’t even appropriately express how fun it was.

This morning I am feeling the need for coffee and a massage. Doesn’t that sound nice? Happy Monday. Missed all you bloggy friends. XO

Posted in ABC Youth Choir, June 2011, Market | 2 Comments »

Book Love and To Market I Go

June 16, 2011

It’s that time again…I’m heading to Dallas for Market. This time will be a little different~ I’m working before it begins and only midway through Market. I have to get back next weekend for the ABCYC Reunion~ weeha!

I’m a little nervous~ I injured my feet the last time I worked Market and it took me four months to recover…am actually still dealing with the issue, although they’re WAY better than they were. Say a prayer for me that my feet will survive. I cannot afford another four months of virtually no exercise, just for one thing…and for another, I like my feet and want to keep them around…with feeling and no scary tingling, preferably.

One dilemma (I was taught to spell it dilemna, but apparently that is wrong. Dilemma sure makes more sense, but that never stopped the English language before…um, I digress.) I have when packing for Dallas or anywhere in the hot and lovely Southern states, is that while it is SO hot outside, it is SO cold INSIDE. I am trying to decide on the perfect little wrap to go with all my outfits so I don’t freeze to death even though it’s 103º outside. I’m thinking my trusty jean jacket might do the trick.

I have my Nook loaded up for the flights~ right now I am reading How To Be Good by Nick Hornby. I really enjoy his writing. He has that British humor that I love. I also have A Visit from the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan, Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella and The D Word by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, to name a few. You can never have too many books. I need something light and fun for a stressful and busy week. These will do the trick.

Speaking of The D Word, Liz and Lisa are the authors that write the blog chicklitisnotdead.com/. It’s a really fun blog that features a variety of female authors and has awesome giveaways. I love reading the 5 Do’s and Do Over Lists of each author featured. Check out their blog. You’ll get hooked AND you’ll win books! I’ve won at least 5 from them…so great!

We’ll be shipping out headbands today. For some of you fine folks, you will be receiving Nate’s packaging/Little Works of Art…hopefully the result will be lovely, non-crushed beauties! I think they will make you smile.

Jacket and Nook, check. Yep, that should do it. If you’re in the Dallas area next week at Market, come say hello. I’ll be in the New Generation showroom. XO

Posted in ABC Youth Choir, Books, Headbands, June 2011, Market | 1 Comment »

Meaty Summer Material

June 14, 2011

Thank you SO MUCH to all of you who bought Greyley’s headbands. You have made one little girl VERY happy! She will be going to camp~ woohoo! She is excited beyond belief to have 5 glorious days at church camp with her very dear friend, Kat. Thanks for helping make that happen. And if you still need a headband, it’s not too late. Even if she’s sold most of the ones shown in the blog post, she can make more of the same…although each has its own individual flavor. That’s the beauty of things being lovingly handmade. I do believe she might be addicted to making these lovely things.

I have been in book land. It’s been wonderful. I just became part of a writer’s group and it’s been such fun to read everyone’s chapters. I have gotten HOOKED on these stories and it’s an honor to be part of the writing process with each of them. We’re spread throughout the country and all have such different styles. It will be interesting to learn more about each person in the coming weeks.

Speaking of books, I have been entranced by a book that I just finished…Room by Emma Donoghue. Oh my word. If you haven’t read this book, you MUST get it RIGHT AWAY. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. I had to stop midway through and text a friend who has already read it to ask if it was going to have a happy ending. It felt just a little too much to handle at times. But it is SO worth it! Please read it and then let’s talk about it, shall we? It’s that good.

Have any of you read A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan? I had this on my list of Must Reads and then there was a lot of controversy over a comment she made right after she won the Pulitzer Prize. A lot of female writers really took offense to something she said and it made me wonder if I wanted to read the book after all…before I even knew what she’d said. However, after reading just a chapter, I did want to read more and I figure I’ll let everyone else battle it out.

I just like a good story.

Another good story…and sad, intriguing, heartbreaking and strange…Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. I think a big part of what I enjoyed about the book is that it’s mostly set in Minnesota. Crazy story. And interestingly enough, the two authors~ Franzen and Egan~ were sort of “pitted” against each other for the Pulitzer Prize. It’s a weird, tangled tale about love that takes many twists and turns.

One more book for today…Patty Jane’s House of Curl by Lorna Landvik. It’s a story about two sisters and it’s also set in Minnesota. It’s fun to hear about the different landmarks in the Twin Cities and know exactly where they’re talking about. This book made me think of Steel Magnolias, only set in the North instead of the South. It has that same quirky humor and the love between the women is fiercely powerful.

Makes me want to go read some more…or even better, write.

Posted in Books, Fashion, Hair, June 2011, Kids | 4 Comments »

Greyley’s New Venture

June 11, 2011

My girl loves to make things. This makes me so happy. I love to see what she comes up with and it’s been extra fun because so far she’s been really good at whatever she tries.

Her latest venture is funky wire headbands. She loves making them, loves wearing them and people stop her everywhere she goes to find out where she got them. So…she’s beginning to sell them! I thought it would be mostly girls who would flock to buy, but women are loving them too~ especially the flowers.

Greyley is raising money to go to church camp in a few weeks and I thought I’d help her out by putting her headbands on Girly Muse. I’ve wanted to put them on here for a few months just to show what she’s been up to, but now she has a large inventory, so it’s even better timing.

brown/blue swirly band with coppery pink flower~ $5

light brown swirly headband with gold and purple flower~ $5

The next one is the full shebang. She made it for Valentine’s Day and it rocks. It’s got personality.

plum headband with multicolor hearts & sprigs~ $10

I love my girl. She is my Sweet Heart.

The next one is the Original…this beauty started the whole deal. It’s still our favorite.

silver headband with large silver flower~ $6

light brown swirly headband with hot pink & gold heart~ $5

turquoise headband with turquoise & silver flower~ $5

This is not a good angle, not a good hair day, not a good photo. Cute headband! heehee

brown/blue swirly headband with small/quirky pale pink flower~ $5

blue headband with blue & silver star~ $6

grey/brown stripey headband with pale pink flower~ $5

black headband with gold flower~ $5

silver headband with pale pink, teal & hot pink heart~ $6

The next is blurry, but it’s a different star version…

brown/blue swirly headband with blue & silver star~ $6

light brown swirly headband and adorable bronze & hot pink flower~ $5

grey & brown swirly headband with white & hot pink flower~ $5

black headband with yellow flower~ $5

Now, if you’ve made it this long, I apologize for what I’m about to do to you…and my son. Believe me, he did NOT want to do this, BUT…we needed to see a smaller head to show that these headbands fit ALL sizes AND we needed a blondie… I am so sorry, son. (He was SUCH a good sport…plus, he just lost his 2nd tooth in a week…nice photo op.)

hot pink headband with hot pink & black flower~ $5

Indigo~ “I don’t like this. I don’t like this.”

Mama~ “You can make whatever gross face you want.”

light brown swirly headband with red & bronze flower~ $5

And a little clearer view…

black headband with black flower~ $5

And last, but not least…another of my favorites…

navy headband with pale green flower & gold sprigs~ $6

Oh, look! We have another blonde contributor~ Jill from Spoils of Wear! She bought a few headbands a while back and you know if she’s wearing a Greyley headband, they’re The Thing To Have! So cute.

Hope you’ve enjoyed taking a look at these lovely headbands. They are kid tested and mother approved. If you see one you’d like, leave a comment and I will email you with details. Thanks!

Posted in Fashion, Hair, Headbands, June 2011, Kids | 13 Comments »

Zoolander

June 9, 2011

The last day of school…hallelujah.

My little man had a rough night. He just dragged into my room and isn’t feeling well today either…looks a lot better than last night, though.

When I asked how he felt, he said, “I feel like my stomach has a headache.”

Ouch. I know that feeling.

I kept thinking of the song, “First Aid in the First Grade” by the fabulous Veggie Tales as I was seeing about Indigo in the night. The line, “He could buy a zoo with all the doctor bills he paid…”

Is that line prophetic or what?

My girl is off to enjoy a last day at school complete with a park field trip. It’s great, she’s so excited…so ready to be DONE. She can’t wait to sleep in this summer. I am going to let her. It’s one of the few chances in life she’ll be able to do that.

We’ve had record warm temperatures in Minnesota this week and haven’t even known what to do with ourselves. Indie’s end of the year party was outside~ hurdle jumping, gunny sack race, two-legged race, basketball, “fishing”, you name it…all outside in the 103-degree weather. They played hard and my son’s face was a scary, bright shade of crimson. He had the best time and then laid on the couch the rest of the afternoon.

I forget my children are born Minnesotans sometimes.

Back to 53º at the moment…I think we’re safely OUT of the heat wave…today anyway. Happy Thursday. Happy Last Day of School! On to Summerrrrrrrr!

Posted in June 2011, Kids | 1 Comment »

One Day at a Time

June 6, 2011

I’m feeling behind with pretty much everything. There’s laundry (always) to do, rooms to clean, jewelry to be finished, things to be shipped, paragraphs to write, background vocals to be recorded, graduation cards to mail, end-of-the-year parties to help with, an overgrown yard that needs tending, sleep beckoning me and fun to be had.

Speaking of sleep, I have greatly decreased my coffee intake and…it has greatly increased my desire for sleep. Mint tea just does not give me the same pep. I stopped drinking it a few months ago when I had the flu and since I’d already gone through 3 days of intense headaches and had been reading about how vitamins don’t always get fully absorbed with coffee (and the amounts of cream and sugar I like), I decided to go all the way. I figured since I was having to take insane amounts of Vit D for the next year due to a severe deficiency, maybe I’d try to also get healthier with my nutrition. I went off coffee (and half off sugar) cold turkey for the next month and a half. Oh, was that ever an adjustment. I drank mint tea here and there, but it didn’t do anything to soften the withdrawals. I decided that I didn’t want to be so addicted.

I’m telling you this since I have detailed my great love…remember Melitta?

Here I am a few months later…

I drink coffee once in a while, with cream only. For those of you who know how I love my coffee, you know this is MAJOR. ha!

I think I might have some with sugar today.

All this talk about it makes me want some…

So the desire is not gone. However, my affair with Coke might be ended once and for all. I tried a sip the other day and had to give it to Nate. It tasted so weird.

I do hope THAT addiction will be over…

Now the coffee one…not so convinced just yet. The Vitamin D does seem like it is finally working now…maybe now that it’s made its way into my system, a little coffee won’t stop the flow…yes?

After all, I have things to do! Things to get DONE! A pot of coffee and who knows how much I could accomplish?

Posted in Coffee Love, June 2011 | 7 Comments »

Almost Summer 1st

June 3, 2011

Today my little man will graduate from Kindergarten. He is so excited. However…he’s “shy and doesn’t really want to sing with all those people watching.” Apparently, diplomas AND songs are on the schedule this morning. If I have to love school, I pick Kindergarten. It really is the best.

We’ve been doing the countdown for weeks now. (5 school days to go) Instead of naming the months, lately Indigo has been calling it Summer 1st and Summer 2nd…

Can (So and So) come over on Summer 1st?

Are we going on vacation during Winter 4th?

The scary thing is Nate and I are actually starting to answer back, “No, more like Winter 3rd.” Or, “Well, probably not Summer 1st, but maybe Summer 5th.”

It’s funny how many languages you can have in a family. You communicate through tone, a look, words, inside jokes, made-up words and their made-up definitions…it’s all understood for the most part, when you speak day in and day out.

You also know what not to say, what looks you can’t get away with and what you should and should not do to push or NOT push someone’s buttons.

We are working on communication a lot in my house. I have a so close to being a teen it’s not even “pre” any more. She will be 13 before I blink. She is trying humor, sarcasm, sweetness, aloofness, and sometimes all of the above in the same sentence.

We found video of my baby girl and watched it last week. It was heartbreaking and precious. She was another little person with her baby talk and adorable sing-songy voice. Oh, she was brilliant. She really, truly was. But this almost 13-year-old is new and improved with every passing minute…not that she needed to improve, I wanted her to stay like that forever…but with God, he does want us to grow in every way. We can only get better with him on our side.

My little man~ I do not think he could improve another inch or my heart would squeeze too tight from how much I love him and his sister~ but he’s going to. He’s going to get better and better, or another phrase for it is actually, GROW UP~ and when they are both adults, I will look at them with love and adoration and say that I knew them when.

For now, I will take as many pictures and videos as possible, I will be the one grinning from ear to ear as he sings with his class and I will laugh with glee when he proudly shows me his diploma. If there’s a standing ovation, I’m a goner. I might want to hug too hard and not let him go, but I will have to~ he’s got growing up to do.

Oh goodness, I have to go find a box of Kleenex.

Posted in Family, Heartwarming Events, June 2011, Kids, School | 6 Comments »

MuddleMind

June 2, 2011

Summer vacation is in my future…6 school days left. Yeehaw! I know the kids probably THINK they’re more excited about it than me, but…not really possible. Ah, the lazy days of summer. I cannot wait to not be rushing around anymore at the crack of crack. (That’s super early, in case you wondered.)

We’ve had a lot going on the last few weeks. It’s been a fun, but super busy time. The Memorial weekend was a lot of fun. We had wonderful family time, fun with friends, a blast outside in the sunshine…it was so nice. The kids went SWIMMING. Honestly, after months and months of endless Winter, you start to believe that leaves on trees, warm weather and swimming are just not ever going to be in your future again. It’s truly amazing, the transformation that takes place.

Other Very Important Mentionables:

Indigo lost his first tooth.

6th Grade Band Concerts are wayyyyy better than 5th Grade Band Concerts.

I’m living in a green wonderland.

Casey Anthony’s trial is horrifying and fascinating…can’t stop watching.

A cardinal has flung himself into our window at least 4,000 times this week…NO exaggeration.

Ashleigh Still’s CD is now available and it is a must have.

Today is my mother-in-law’s birthday. Happy Birthday, Nama!

My son has been to Japan, London, camping and who knows where else…all in the grand world of Kindergarten. He has definitely made his peace with school, thanks to his sweet teacher, Mrs. Henning.

I know there Must be More Mentionables, but my Mind is Muddled. I’m suh-leepy today. Hope everyone is having a brilliant day. Happy June! Go run around the block. Enjoy the sunshine.

Posted in June 2011 | 4 Comments »