Six flags with Jenny!

My black swan

Faithy starts ballet next week.  When we went to pick out all of her required attire, this is what she wanted.  ALL BLACK.  I was hoping for a pink skirt, or pink tights, or pink leotard.  But nope. 

What color tights do you want Faith, white, black or pink?  "black"

What color leotard do you want Faith, pink, white or black?  "black"

etc.  etc. etc.

So here she is - looking as beautiful and ballet-ish as ever.  She works it :)

Instagram Fun - Mug Swap!!

Almost two years ago I deleted my Facebook account (you can read about that here and here) and a couple of months ago I downgraded my extra appendage known as an iPhone and exchanged it for a phone that is: 1. hard to text with and 2. cannot check email or the internet.  It was kind of my "if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out" moment.  It was affecting my true presence with my family, so I got rid of it.  (I will post about that at another time)

Anyhow, before trading in my iPhone, I was faithfully on Instagram.   When I got rid of it, I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep up with my IG peeps.

Then I discovered that if I took pictures with my camera (that I had to buy of course, because I no longer had a camera phone) I could put them up using our family iPad :)    Yippee!

And because of that, I was able to participate in a super fun exchange sponsored by acuppakim.com!  

Kim, from acuppakim.com held a "mugswap"- a type of secret santa but with coffee/tea mugs.  I was so excited to participate I went right out and purchased a mug before I even got the name of the lovely woman I was to send it to!  In hindsight, I probably should have waited.  I sent a lovely mug, but after seeing what an artistic and creative woman this was, I would have likely sent her something altogether different and more suited to her personality.  I love your love of JOY happymamalisa!  

Next year I will have to up my game a lot.  Come to find out a lot of these swapping ladies are super crafty and artistic!  I sent a mug and some chocolates, they are sending things like "mug rugs" and "mug cozies" and notecards, etc.   ALL HANDMADE.  It was incredible!  So of course I was looking forward to getting my mug - I even took a picture of the box when it arrived -

And then the big reveal!!  This was a mug I had seen before on IG and LOVED.  I love the color, I love the size, I love the owl and I love the little flowers that peek at me as I sip my coffee.

**note how amazing instagram makes my photos look compared to straight from the camera!**

It also came with hot chocolate and homemade sugar cookies :)  You can't go wrong with that!  Thanks  so much thechattymommy.com!

I'm definitely signing up next year :)

Kim

Life Snapshots

Noah read 100 books this summer (either he read them or we read them) - so he earned a medal form the local library, and he gets to meet the mayor and be on local TV!  I am so proud of this guy.

Painting in the street

Blue eyes :)

This is what mom/son time looks like - mom building and rebuilding various lego Star Wars vehicles.

Noah and Faith asked for orange hair - let's just say I earned a "you're the best mom ever!"

I borrowed Faith's sparkly bear to use as a keychain so I wouldn't lose Darren's keys.  It worked!  But she will only let me use it when she is coming with me somewhere.

Noah and Daddy took a trip up north and when they got on the plane to return, Noah was invited into the cockpit and allowed to greet the passengers on the radio :)  He is the only kid I've ever seen that happen to - and it has happened TWICE.

I'm growing a watermelon!  A few actually!

The other morning Darren heard some noises and went out to find 5 turkeys hanging out on our roof!

I was working on something downstairs for a few minutes and heard the kids upstairs, went up to find both of them in my bedroom in their BIGWHEELS??!!  Never a dull moment.

Deborah is finished!

Boy that was a fast 4 weeks.  I am so thankful for Darren, my folks, my nieces, and my buddy Kristen for coming to my aid and doing a whole lotta babysitting so I could get all of my prep work done.  It was a great group of ladies and a very satisfying series to put together. God inspired, challenged, and changed me personally!

Here is the link where you can find all 4 messages.

http://cornerstone-womens-ministry.blogspot.com/p/deborah-study-live-teaching-by-kim.html

Week 2 of Deborah

I have been having such a great time teaching this series!!  Here is the link to week 2

http://soundcloud.com/csf-womens-ministry/deborah-week-2

Week 3 was yesterday so that should be up soon.

I'm teaching a series on Deborah!

I am honored to be presenting a series of messages to the women of Cornerstone Fellowship!

This is part one of Deborah: Woman of Destiny.  It's a study on Judges 4 and 5.

DEBORAH WEEK 1

Did you even know that there was a woman judge in the Old Testament in a position of authority?  

She was a female prophet and quite an amazing lady.  God uses Deborah, a brave Israeli military commander named Barak, and a nomadic tent-dweller named Jael to free the Israelites from oppression.  

Enjoy week one and you can check back to the link for the following weeks.  Week two was yesterday so it may take a day or two to show up.