Pajama Parades and Tea Parties

May 7, 2013 1 Comment

Saturday was an interesting day…

First, it was the hubs’ birthday.  He celebrated the 20th anniversary of his 18th birthday.

(I know.  That’s math.  I had to think about it, too, when I overheard him talking to my mother on the phone.  He’s 38.)

He had a project to do and left before I arose from my deep slumber.  (Because for whatever reason, no matter how tired I am by the time Friday rolls around, I feel the need to stay up late and act like a teenager.  I pay for it every Saturday morning, when I’m forced to be a grownup and cart these things to all the activities they are involved in.)

But Saturday morning bought several events to our little area here in Southwest Virginia including the Strawberry Festival, the Chili Cookoff and the Cinco de Mayo celebration…. all taking place Downtown.

So, in a stroke of pure genius, the Rescue Mission (something so near and dear to my heart) decided that since there were going to be SO many people downtown, they should do something to draw attention to the 477 children served by the Mission last year.

Genius.  Pure genius! I only wish I were that smart…

So they organized a Pajama Parade.  And we went and participated with a few others from our church.

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Why yes, that would be Thing 1 in the giraffe pajamas that he loves so much.  I won’t even tell you how much they cost.  My pajamas are just the pants the hubs got me for Christmas and my Jesus girl shirt that I got at the Beautiful Life Conference last year.  (I’m going this year as well, are you?)

I hate to admit it, but the giraffe stole the show.

We ran into some beauty queens.  (Is that what you call them?  I don’t know.  They had crowns and sashes.)

and then someone they were with suggested, perhaps, they all kiss the giraffe.

Poor Thing 1.

He’s not that kind of boy.

The face turned beat red.

He stated he had a girlfriend.

But here were these girls… giving the giraffe kisses.

But my favorite picture from the Pajama Parade?

I know.  Heart. Melt.

After the parade (in which we really just walked 5 blocks up and back on the streets of downtown allowing people to ask us (a) why we’re in our pajamas and (b) what the 477 stood for, we partook in a little strawberry shortcake.  Unless you’re a giraffe.  And then you opt for Kettle Corn.. fresh from the kettle.

I took one home to the hubs.  It was his birthday after all.

And from there, I needed to change out of my pjs and into something suitable for my very first tea party.

Seriously.

The ladies from my church had a tea party to honor our pastor who is retiring and another woman, who was the president of the ladies group for 10 years… she just stepped down.

It was fun…

And the food was… of course… amazing.  (The biggest benefit of an older congregation in the south.. nothing was picked up at Kroger on the way to the tea… it was ALL home made.)

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Yeah.

Probably not the best thing to go to when you’re supposed to go out to dinner with your hubs and friends.

I was rather full when I left there…

But head home I did, a quick change into something more comfortable (read: jeans) and then out to dinner and back to play games…

and of course, by 9:30 I was ready to don those pajamas again.

So… what did your Saturday look like?

Until next time…

 

Filed Under: Care to Share?, Manly Man Matthew, Pics, the boy, Time wasting..., youth ministry

The Latest Commercial That Irks Me

April 16, 2013 2 Comments

I worked in television sales on the local level for most of my career.  So I pay attention to commercials.

So have you seen this one?

If you don’t wish to watch, that’s okay (I don’t blame you).  But it’s for the Vaseline Spray and Go.  The woman literally goes from under clothes to completely dressed (complete with hat and shoes AND lotioned up – arms and legs) and ready to walk out the door in less than 30 seconds.

Have we, as a society, become so busy that this appeals to us?  That we don’t have the 5 minutes to apply lotion?

I would venture to say that if I purchase this and I was running late to begin with, I still wouldn’t take the time to use it.  I skip a morning of lotion.

So weigh in… do you use this?  Does this product appeal to you?  I’d love to know if I’m alone in this!

Until next time…

Filed Under: Care to Share?, Thoughts..., Time wasting...

Whirlwind Life… and I Ain’t Foolin’

April 1, 2013 4 Comments

I started a post two weeks ago called “Life Happening Before My Very Eyes” and it was a general catch up about life happening around the House of Chaos.  I got so busy, I never finished it.

And here I am, two weeks later, sitting at the library writing a post.  It needs to be done, but I find that if I’m in the office or at the house, it just doesn’t.   There’s always something else to do.

I kept thinking once March rolled out of here things would get a little more back to normal, whatever that is.  When you work in a church, it’s somewhat busy around the time that Jesus is born and about the time He dies and then rises again.

It’s exciting.  I’m not going to lie.

Throw a middle school retreat weekend in there as well as youth activities for Easter, including a flashlight Easter egg hunt and you get crazy.  And that doesn’t even include the activities that I participated in as a mom and not the Children/Youth Pastor.  You know, like the 5th grade field trip to the zoo and the Egg Hunt at another local church.

But here it is… April 1st.

Life is still crazy.

It’s Spring Break.  I have two choices with these kids.  Let them sit at home and rot their brains with TV and video games or get them out and active.  So I’m getting them out and active.  (Never mind that we are at the library, all of us on the computer.)  But this morning, we spent at the top of Mill Mountain… on a short hike and playing…. nineteen kids and six adults.  All part of a Spring Break program I put together.

Honestly, it was selfish.  I needed something to do with my kids.  So I planned some activities and invited the community.  I figured worse case scenario, no one would come and I would get paid to spend time with my kids.

But it was pretty cool to see the boys (and girls) playing football and making obstacle courses… and the kids ranged from four to sixteen… and all in between.

And when the time came for parents to pick them up, they weren’t done playing.

Me?  I was beyond done.  Hanging with a bunch of kids reminds me that my bones are so much older than theirs.

But the boys have been begging me for over a week to bring them to the library and the evenings have been so crazy… so I promised them today…

Of course, Thing 4 politely reminded me that she was the only one in the family that didn’t have a library card.  That’s not entirely true as the Hubs doesn’t have one — but I don’t see that happening.

So here we are.

I need to go to the grocery store.

I need to clean up the dishes from yesterday’s Easter meal.

I need to get caught up on the laundry.

But for now?  It’s so nice to sit in silence…

I’m even sipping on an iced coffee from the coffee shop within the library (free refills at that!) and process this life that I lead.

One that is always going to be a whirlwind because that’s what life is with two children, two step-children, and a gazillion other kids in my extended community.

And most days?

I wouldn’t trade it for the world…

Until next time…

 

 

 

Filed Under: Mom Stuff, Quality Time, Thoughts..., Time wasting..., youth ministry

A Day Off…

March 21, 2013 5 Comments

I work part time at a local church.  With that, I chose to take Thursdays off every week.  The other days I work while the kids are at school and I’m home before the little things get off the bus.

Sidenote:  When I chose to take Thursdays off, I had every intention of doing my grocery shopping on Thursday so that I didn’t have to do it on Sundays… I have YET to go to the grocery store on a Thursday and I’ve had Thursdays off since October.

Except, those days off?  While I might not be AT the office, I’m running all over God’s creation.

I work at the local food pantry once a month.  I fill the day with doctor appointments.  I go on school field trips.  I help out at the school.

The bottom line is even though I’m not working?

I’m working.

So today I found myself at home.  With nothing on my calendar.

And I couldn’t believe it.

I didn’t even realize how much I needed it until it was here.

I’ve been with kids either my own, or through church, or through Girl Scouts every day in some form or fashion since last Wednesday.  And tomorrow the hubs and I leave for a weekend retreat with four of our favorite middle schoolers…. before returning to the start of Holy Week.

And when you work in a church?  The week that Jesus dies and rises again is about as busy as the time He’s born.

And don’t get me wrong… I LOVE kids.  I LOVE working in ministry!  I love everything about it.  Except it’s taxing at times.

So yeah.  Here I sit in my jammies on the couch… catching up on “How I Met Your Mother” (as in where have I been the last eight years?  This show is HYSTERICAL!) and working on a few web projects just enjoying not being needed by anyone.

So how about you?  How do you spend a day off?

Until next time…

Filed Under: Heather's Quirks, Mom Stuff, Thoughts..., Time wasting...

Thursday Thirteen – Things I’d Rather Spend the Money On

February 21, 2013 2 Comments

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Thing 2 is getting braces today… in addition to sitting in the waiting room of the orthodontist’s office today for 2.5 hours, I’ll get to write a check for $1,066 and then get to make monthly payments for the next 24 months…

So I found it fitting today to list the top 10 things I’d rather spend my money on if I didn’t have a daughter who needed braces…

1.  a new iMac – top of the line, biggest and best you can buy

2.  a cruise for the whole family (with airfare included because none of the kids have ever flown and they all want to!)

3.  a truck for the hubs

4.  a Samsung Galaxy Note II… because I’m coveting one and the only reason I won’t go for it is because I finally have all my mac items syncing and we’ve become a completely apple family

5.  a diamond ring for me… since we chose not to go into debt for one when we got engaged

6.  tuition for me to go back to school

7.  a new stereo system and speakers in my car… so I can really jam out

8.  a new DVD player and surround sound in the living room

9.  underwriting a women’s retreat like the gIRL gathering

10.  paving the driveway

11.  trip to Disney for the family

12.  a bigger chicken coop

13.  a bedroom makeover – complete with furniture and decorations (although this one would be hard since I would have to give up my antique furniture…)

… how about you?  Have a list of 13?  Link up here. and leave a comment for me!…  I’ll return the comment!

Until next time…

Filed Under: According to Samara, Thoughts..., Thursday Thirteen, Time wasting...
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