I spy…

Never did I know that seeing our Mary & Martha products here and there sprinkled throughout everyday life would bring me so much joy.

Sometimes people send me pictures of themselves using or wearing a product. Sometimes I’ll see it being used without anyone saying anything to me. I’m not sure which brings me more joy?

A tray used to hold balloons…

The lazy Susan to hold a church celebration cake.

And maybe my favorite was the use of the Grace and Gratitude pitcher for a baptism.

And when you think about Grace and gratitude as it relates to baptism, it couldn’t be more perfect. The grace we receive in loving Jesus and the gratitude we give because He loves us.

pics say it all…

Sometimes being the “little two ” has it’s perks. Especially when older sisters have more responsibility being older, practices, and games they are a part of. Even when as a “little”. You most of the time wish you could be older, doing the things the “big kids” are doing. But not last night. Last night, it was awesome being little.

No pun intended.

it’s a partay…

In some ways, one year ago seems forever ago. And in others it feels like just yesterday. Journey@McPherson has now been meeting for a whole year and we celebrated hard on Sunday! New members, a baptism, and of course, KidJam! If anyone knows how to party, it’s our JourneyKids…

How awesome that Journey’s Lead pastor, Howard joined us for the whole day—leaving his mark as a KidJam Clubhouse character, Gordo!
You never know what’s going to happen at KidJam. In fact, where else do you find a high school youth willing to dress up as Lazarus in a skit—-thanks, E!!!

Perhaps the funniest addition to KidJam this month was Reginald.

In fact, I found myself having a very difficult time keeping it together. Oh my—Luke Loganbill—you have a gift. And Reginald is right up your alley!!! I watched the video and I am on there laughing my head off in the middle of the script. I am obviously not meant for the comical stage…

The most fun I’ve had at a KidJam yet! Praying they all just keep getting better and better from here on out. And three new precious girls!!

In the words of Reginald…..”Thusly!”

an opportunity for us ALL to bless—8 hours ago–Operation Penguin Blessing!!

It was 8 hours ago when we started what I am now calling OPERATION PENGUIN BLESSING.  Before I go on, I am completely overwhelmed.  Like stop me in my tracks overwhelmed, when within the first 2 hours we were over half way to our goal.  I want the children and youth of our community to know how important each one of them are.  I want you kiddos to know that when it comes to you?  There are people who love you, care deeply for you, and want you to know how special you are.  There are people from Pennsylvania, Iowa, Texas, Lawrence, McPherson, and of course right here in our community who did not think twice about how they could bless you.  I want the youth leaders from the littlest of the littles to the leaders of our oldest high school youth to know that we see what you do, we appreciate what you do, and are thankful for what you do each and every Wednesday evening.  To those who cook the food and serve, we thank you.  This community rocks.  Seriously.

And now?  Are you ready for the number of Penguins who are going to line the room at West Zion on Wednesday, February 12th?  You’re not going to believe it.  I still can’t believe it.

80.

80!!!!

This has been one of the most fun selling experiences of Mary & Martha yet.  Wow.  Loving God and Loving Others!!  You are all showing me how to live in the “&”.

Thank you.

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Meet Gabriel who has the sweetest little heart on his hiney!!

After my Mary & Martha leadership conference last weekend, I have been so convicted to give back in some way.  To think of things I am passionate about.  To pay it forward.  To love God and to love others.

When it comes to passions, I have a lot. (pros and cons to that!)  Which will be good as I look towards the next few months in areas I feel led to bless with my Mary & Martha business, so the ministry part of this job can SHINE.

As different things have been on my heart, I have been waiting for something that is just so clear to me.  And early this morning, I found it for this month as we close out our Mary & Martha sale.

You met Gabriel up there, right?  He is on sale for only FOUR more days  (or less, if he sells out!).  $10!!!!

Now here is the deal with this deal…

Our community youth ministries meets on Wednesday evenings providing 60 + elementary aged youth with a meal and a chance to meet Jesus.  It is awesome!  We have many, many volunteers to bring the love of Jesus to them.  We have many, many volunteers who feed these kiddos.  And I know that people want to help in some way—but Children’s Ministry may not be your thing?  And neither is cooking?  And then you just go about your day realizing that this ministry is doing some awesome things and happy there are people who are there to do it.  Then it goes to the back of your mind, not to be thought about again.

I have a solution for us ALL.  Because Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and because EVERY one of those kids needs to know that God made each one of them special (see Gabriel’s hiney!) I would love to bless each one of these kids with a Gabriel, the Penguin.

But it doesn’t stop there.  This is where the pay it forward comes in.  Stay with me here for just a minute…

$10 is going to get a HUGE smile on a child’s face the Wednesday evening before Valentine’s day, February 12th.

AND, that’s not all.

All of the commissions towards this Gabriel FLASH sale of mine will be going towards the MYM children’s ministry.  I don’t care how they use this $$, whether it’s to provide a meal or two, or purchase crafts for the kids, or celebrate the volunteers who put forth so much time, I don’t really know.  But I do know, by providing each of these kids with Gabriel, there is much blessing going on over here in our little small town.

So.  The deets:

$10 (shipping and handling is covered by me) per kid.  How many kids would you like to bless?

The leaders told me they average about 60 kids.  So AT LEAST that many.

Can you imagine the looks on their faces?  I can see it now.  All of these precious Gabriel’s lined up ready for each kid to take home.

And beyond the joy it brings the kiddos, the commission $$ is going to bless the program.

Who’s with me in this effort?

FOUR DAYS only to order.  I just did a “mock order” to see if I could still order 100 Gabriels today.  And we can!!

It’s 10 bucks.

You’re going to bless in more ways than one.

Contact me to order in your name for the youth of our community!!

I am so excited about this!

if only I could rock her…

If she was 15 months old, we’d be rocking our day away, in between medicine, fluids, and snuggles.

Remember when they are little and they feel so awful—but as soon as the meds kick in, they run around like crazy people.

And now when you’re 15, the best you can do is share the couch with your mom, and when the meds kick in? Instead of running around crazy, you talk and talk and talk. And watch High School Musical for the 3000th time. And wait for the next time you wake up shivering. And oh—worry about how much homework you have to catch up on.

Life was so much easier when we could just rock…

gotta love Larryville…

Lots and lots of great things about a trip to Lawrence. First of all—family.

That’s always the best. And always a perk for us when a basketball tournament shows up in the land of the ‘hawks…

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Food is always a plus. Especially when the burger is bigger than your face.

And then again this year we met up with a Baker basketball buddy of Steve’s who coaches his son against us. In fact these boys guarded each other. Awesome.

And you know what else we gained from Lawrence this year? A lesson in adversity. Hard work and an outcome of a 1 point loss in a championship game.

And perhaps one of my favorite things was a Mass Street shopping spree–where I found a KU blue PIkO!! That’s right—and this is Steve before I told him of my shopping excursion….

thank goodness for Landon.

Know what happens when your husband is up late working on projects?  When he’s up early working on projects?  When he has early morning meetings in a city 35 minutes away?  When this 40 year old body of mine works a night shift and tries to stay up for a meeting the next day?  When this old woman doesn’t get more than 3 hours of sleep in one day?

 

Know what happens when your teenage daughters don’t set their iHome alarms—or their phone or iPod alarms?  (because, you know that is the reason they need their phones/ipods to charge in their rooms so they can be sure to get up…)

 

Know what happens when your 9 year old son comes bounding in your room at 7:21 am asking “is there school today, Mom?” And “oh, I forgot, I have homework.”

I will tell you.  You shoot out of bed, heart racing, near panic attack, and hope and pray with all of your might that your girls did in fact set their alarms the night before.  And when you find out they did not?

You send Landon to wake them up.

 

What an appropriate devotion for me (us) today.  “thank Me when thing do not go your way, because spiritual blessings come wrapped in trials.  Adverse circumstances are normal in a fallen world.  Expect them each day.”

 

Too bad we didn’t have time to read it BEFORE school.

 

obsession alert: PIKO!

Alright—so I have not been able to get PIKO out of my mind since my conference last weekend.  I didn’t want to post about this, because you know, it’s just another one of my obsessions and I don’t actually have a PIKO in my possession…yet.  I am also hesitant in posting because Steve is not always such a fan of my obsessions.  Mostly, because they cost $$.  Can anyone relate?  Now before I show you why I am obsessed with this, I have to know if anyone else is as obsessed as I?  I know one person who is.  But does anyone know what PIKO is?  Why have I never learned of this?  Is the suspense killing you?

This is what I would describe as PIKO clothing—comfortable, can be dressed up or down, and flattering.  Now who would not want a closet full of this?  Mary & Martha’s general sales manager rocked the PIKO the whole weekend.  And finally I just had to ask her where she got her tops from and what they were.  She is obsessed with them as well I found out.  And my friends and I there were buzzing around about PIKO.  And then my friend facebooked me that she had in fact ordered some PIKO on MONDAY when she got home.  And I laughed and said my PIKO is sitting in a cart waiting for me to order.  And now as I am typing this, I am totally freaked out that Steve is going to freak out that I am spending my paycheck on said PIKO.  Well—freak out buddy.  Because I am gettin’ my PIKO on.

If you have not clicked on the word PIKO yet, you can just CLICK {HERE} to see what I’m talking about.

And then…today my JANE deal came across my email.  And what did my eyes see?  A top that looks VERY similar to a PIKO.  The description is the same.  And it’s at an awesome price.  So I bought 2 without thinking twice, because I have lost out on deals with Jane before due to thinking things over and discerning my purchase.  Hi Steve!  I love you, Steve!  I may have used your credit card today, Steve…

This is what the JANE website showed.  They look exactly like the PIKO I have been obsessing over for the last week.  And so I commented on the Jane facebook comments—and then my cousin saw that, texted me and said she had ordered one of these tops (which we still don’t know if it is PIKO or not) and said SHE LOVED IT!!!

Ok.  I am done.  I am pumped and can’t wait to see this shirt.  And if it’s what I think it is?  I may be wearing it each and every time you see me.  Thank you to Mary & Martha for not only a wonderful weekend of business planning, unity, and product reveal.  But for the introduction to PIKO.  {Thanks KIM MARQUETTE!}

(and if you too would like to get in on the JANE deal, click HERE to sign up)  But if you want those shirts, you better hurry.  There were just a few left when I ordered.

changing the face of laundry, forever.

I would like to know how many people fold their underwear? Why have I been doing this for the last 20 years? Who taught me that underwear should be folded?

It stops here. It stops now. I have stressed myself out trying to figure out whose underwear are whose. Whose spandex is which girls–and the sizes are wearing off making the distinction nearly impossible. And which sports bra goes with which girl.

I have cut my laundry folding and laundry stress in half. Why didn’t I catch on to this years ago? In the basket it ALL goes. Unfolded. And it’s ok. It’s ok for each to sift through and grab their own. There. I feel better. It’s a laundry intervention. Don’t fold your underwear.

and this is how it shaped up.

This may come as shocking news to some of you.  It sure did me.  But…my family did AWESOME without me this past weekend!  HA!  Not shocking at all, actually…but you know how we as moms think it can’t happen without us?  I am here to tell you.  It happens.  And it happened well.  Just look at these four smiling, happy, thriving, well fed kiddos…

I seriously bet ya’ll wish I didn’t use my iphone pics, huh?!  These kiddos got everywhere they needed to be on time and maybe some places they didn’t really want to be on time as well.  Natalie went to the homecoming dance without her mommy to come home to and tell all the details to.  Landon got out the door to Pratt for a tourney with hopefully a bag of snacks.  (not sure about that, actually) Kourtney buddied up with Uncle Sam and Kass was Steve’s right hand woman for the day.  I got updates throughout my days in between some of this…

Receiving gifts of the Mary & Martha brand—“living in the &”…

and this…

Learning to know new people, finding out my roommate was a nurse too(!), listening to the heart of a mom who lost her son tragically in a car accident and connecting with her because of Steve’s sister, Janelle’s tragic death, and reconnecting with Sandra–the gal I called out of the blue one summer morning to become a Mary & Martha consultant.  And I’ve got to say, this stay at home mom/work every once in awhile labor and delivery nurse LOVES the words business casual.  I’m guessing it’s because most of my days are in yoga pants, sweatshirts, or nursing scrubs.  I love to dress up.  I admit it.  It is the funnest thing ever.  (funnest?)  And the formal dinner nights?  Right up my alley…because you know you have to dress to the nines when you have a dessert plate that looks like this…

Thankful for a mom who took time away just to drive with me. Paid a lot for a hotel room and I don’t think she ate a thing the whole time she was there, all while I was fed 3 meals a day plus snacks. A great 22 hours of road time, I made sure we got at least one good meal in her before crossing over to the Kansas border. As good as it is to be away (for everyone’s sake), it does not change the fact that this was the most precious text I got all weekend long… Now before you jump to conclusions–no—my 9 year old son does not have a phone. He used an iPad with a free texting app. We debated this decision, and rightly so from the texts I’ve received from him when he’s sitting on the couch just a room away from me telling me he’s hungry.  But he redeemed himself with this one.  And I was so thankful he had texting once I received this.  There’s so much in this text that says what he’s feeling.  Even if he doesn’t admit it, I can feel the love and it made my heart smile.