Thoughts on Life and Dirty Diapers

It's a Conspiracy!

2011-12-22T08:20:00.001-05:00

Wow, it's been so long since I've been over here. For record keeping sake, I wanted to get over here and make a short note of our three day Christmas tradition. Watch the video below to see how it all got started.

To read more about our rethinking of how we approach Christmas, see our first Christmas of Presence in 2008.

I will be back soon with pictures of our activities.

If you're a friend on facebook, you can view our digital Christmas Card there. There are pictures of other children on there that I don't have permission to share publicly.

Blessings,

Dana

PERSPECTIVE - My RESTLESS heart..

2011-11-22T09:54:00.003-05:00

“There is within us a fundamental dis-ease, an unquenchable fire that renders us incapable, in this life, of ever coming to full peace. This desire lies at the center of our lives, in the marrow of our bones, and in the deep recesses of the soul. At the heart of all great literature, poetry, art, philosophy, psychology, and religion lies the naming and analyzing of this desire. Spirituality is, ultimately, about what we do with that desire. What we do with our longings, both in terms of handling the pain and the hope they bring us, that is our spirituality . . . Augustine says: ‘You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.’ Spirituality is about what we do with our unrest.”

― Ronald Rolheiser

It's funny how God speaks... and does not.. It's been so long since I had heard His voice. Somewhere deep inside the bitterness I felt towards His silence I learned to love Jesus in His humanity, more.. As if they are separate--which they are not..But they were for a moment. And now, a small piece, I understand. And so I suppose, the purpose of the silence has been served and so He speaks again..

I haven't written in so long. I've had no words.

But yesterday, I found myself reading St. Augustine's Confessions. I'm not even sure how I ended up there. But these words pierced my heart..

‎"For you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you"- St. Augustine.

They brought with them perspective..PERSPECTIVE.. It is everything..

My heart has been RESTLESS. And after months of hearing silence, the floodgates open and He comes to me, washing over me. And rushing so overwhelming that words still can't convey..

But more PERSPECTIVE for myself-- Answers to questions from a former student during our time in youth ministry.. She doesn't need my answers except as required for a paper for a class.. I know only some of her experiences. Only a small piece of her PERSPECTIVE.. One I wish I had at her age yet am grateful that I did not.. Because experience forms PERSPECTIVE and usually experience that does, is far from painless.. But I needed the answers and so here they are.. A small piece of the journey of my restless heart..

1. How would you define "spirituality" or the "spiritual life"?
A journey with a human instinct to make detours and a powerful and unexplainable force that steers me back to the path (sometimes gently with a soft saddle and a slow trott and sometimes bareback while I hang on for dear life!). And I have no idea why I'm riding a metaphorical horse because I haven't been on a horse since I was bucked off of one when I was 12. But I'm sure there's some spiritual significance there somewhere.

2. What are some practices or things you do that play a formational role in your spiritual life? When I'm on the path, pray, music, read and cry.. I think that when you can't cry on the outside you bleed on the inside.. When I've taken a detour, often, I find myself covering my ears and saying, "la la la la la"...

3. What difference does it make for you to worship/fast/pray/praise communally/corporately vs. individually? Which do you prefer?
This depends... If it's with people that I know believe in the power of it, it is the most meaningful thing I can experience. If it's with people that are just checking it off a list it can be the most frustrating experience. In real life application, the most meaningful experiences I've had with this have been in communion with Adam. I do often long for a community to do these things with in faith.. So I guess I would say I prefer it. And I probably need to focus more on making it happen.

4. Of the quote-unquote "disciplines", which is the most difficult for you? Do you see this as reason to push into this practice more or less? Well currently, because of my stage in life where I have small children that I have to feed, I find fasting difficult.. However, this has come up in conversation for Adam and me a lot lately with a realization that we've never fasted for the life at the current church we're working with and I think that we will probably be doing that very soon. So, I guess I would say at this current time, I feel a push to do it more.

5. When/how do you feel most connected with God? Prayer, praise, silence, service, something else? When I see the church being what I see described in the Bible. That's when I feel like I see Heaven breaking through.

6. When speaking with someone about growing in their relationship with Christ, how would you advise them to move forward?
By committing to pray. Even if it's just to the discipline at first. I don't know if it's the age old question of whether prayer changes God or changes perspective. I think in my heart of hearts I believe it's both. But actually, a change in perspective for myself is usually the most important because God does just fine when I get myself out of the way.

7. What do you perceive as the goal of these "practices"?
As somewhat already addressed above.. Discipline and perspective change.

8. Anything else you'd like to say on the topic?

I will say that up until recently, I think I had taken a major detour and fallen in a hole. There's a longer story behind this but it mostly involves the loss of quite a few people that I hold dear to my heart and disillusionment with the church (not specifically the congregation that we're in but the church globally ) and it was a commitment to the discipline of praying with Adam no matter what that got me back to "the journey".

You should also keep in mind that my role in life is probably alike to maybe one percent of the population if that. I find the life of being a preacher's wife often lonely. I am a friend that people go to when they need something. (Edit: I should add that to some degree I defined this role. Or perhaps, I let the role define me). I long to giggle like a school girl with friends that see me as just me. I think everyone experiences loneliness to some degree because of a feeling that no one truly understands us. I believe that loneliness can be an opportunity for growth or a force of destruction. I am trying to understand my loneliness and use it as a force to help me understand the sufferings of Jesus and bring me closer to God, the only one that can completely know and understand me..

This may very well become a blog post.. Since it may put some meaning behind why I haven't written one in so long..

Blessings, I love you!

Dana

Little Pink Lady

2011-10-25T09:58:00.000-04:00

Emma in her get up for 50's Day for Red Ribbon Week at school. I think I have more fun putting these costumes together than she does wearing them. Cutos to the costume store downtown for the "Pink Ladies" jacket and scarves. Kids costumes on sale for $2.00 Score! The rest came from around the house and the pants, they're Chloe's..

Truett Cathy's 7 Reminders for Building Children--A Much Needed Reminder to Me. .

2011-10-17T03:17:00.003-04:00

I've reached the final week of my first class at Wilmington University. Yeah, 535 points available in the whole class and 225 of them are in the last week. I've gotten all but six points up until this point but I could still completely fail in the last week. No pressure there. So here I am at 3:00 a.m. working on my research paper that is due a week from now. Because unlike those fortunate people that work well under the pressure of procrastination, I am not one of them and will totally end up having a nervous breakdown if I don't have it done in time to let Adam proof read it. This is my only prerequisite class not yet met. (Principles of Management).. I will be glad to move into my Marketing classes and get into the stuff that I really love. But I have to admit that a class on Management couldn't have fallen at a better place and time in history. It's been fascinating to learn about companies that are successfully meandering through the weak economy and to pinpoint some of the traits that have made them successful. Without boring you with further details, I'll just say that in my opinion, the businesses that are thriving have earned it.

And speaking of thriving businesses and what brings me over here today. I'm doing my final research paper on Truett Cathy, founder of Chic-fil-A. I have been inspired by the man since I heard him speak when I was attending one of the many colleges I've attended as we've done our ministry tour across America. He's a fascinated man with high principles and as I was researching his management principles, I came across his 7 Reminders for Building Children. And I must admit here. It was a bit of a slap in the face. Overwhelmed by the tasks that lie ahead this week, I went to bed tonight praying the song, (because I couldn't even think straight enough to say my own prayer)

Create in me a clean heart oh God And renew a right spirit within me Create in me a clean heart oh God And renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away From thy presence oh Lord Take not thy Holy Spirit from me Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation And renew a right spirit within me

7 Reminders For Building Children*
by S. Truett Cathy,
Founder and Chairman of Chick-fil-A

Every child I know who overcame long odds and grew into a responsible adult can point to an adult who stepped into his or her life as a friend, mentor, and guide.
Don’t be too concerned that your children don’t listen to you. But be very concerned that they see everything you do.
Be so consistent in your discipline that you’re boring.
Stop arguing in front of your children.
You may think children have outgrown the desire to be rocked to sleep at night. They haven’t.
Children will never believe in the covenant of marriage unless they see you living it with their own eyes.
How do you know if a child needs encouragement? If he or she is breathing.

And since I couldn't sleep, I took these points as the answer to my prayer. I look at these points and think "ouch"? Let's see. Adam's adjunct teaching to help pay for my school, all three of us girls are going to school. I've got 10 hours a week that I'm childless which means the housework is lacking (despite Adam's avid attempts to pitch in). Soccer games, field trips, guitar practice, spelling words, multiplication facts, projects and the work of a little church where the duties out number the people. Class to teach on Wed night, small groups to prepare for at my house on Sunday night, calendars to plan and more than I can even remember right now. Based on number 4 alone, our children are doomed. We're severely slacking on number 3 and all of the rest of them could use some work too.. And I begin to wonder.. Can I do this without my children being the sacrifice?

For now, I thank God for squeezing a much needed view of Him into the research for my paper and though I don't make it over here much to post and will be forgotten as a blogger, please don't forget us in your prayers.. We need them.

Blessings,

Dana

Happy Birthday/First Day of School

2011-10-03T14:24:00.002-04:00

Surprise a blog post! One that is over a month late but do you know what that means? It means that shortly after these events took place, I started back to school myself.. My only goal with the blog these days is to record the major events that will go in "The Ellis Family Yearbook". And, if I come across a fun idea and find the time to get over here to share it, then yay! Truly though there are many blogging momma's out there that I'm counting on to keep me up on the kiddy things while I'm a student too and I assure you, they can handle it much better than I can until I figure out a way to install more hours in a day. But, more on that later.. This post is for my baby so I'll make this about her..

My Chloe Anne turned 4 on August the 30th. And since we decided to go ahead and keep her back in school because of her late birthday, that meant that she started 3 year old preschool on her 4th Birthday which for our little social butterfly meant that she got her cake and ate it too!

So we filled her room with balloons for her to wake to and stuck a candle in some heart shaped cinnamon rolls and then got ready for the first day of preschool...

The backpack that Chloe used last year was just the perfect size and Aunt Jan had personalized it so we weren't ready to retire it. I jazzed it up a bit by adding a pair of wings and my dollar store addition made the records in Chloe's book. It also turns out that taking cupcakes the first day of preschool isn't a bad way to introduce yourself and just as suspected Chloe loves preschool, her teachers and loves "keeping the boys in line" (as her teachers say) even more.

Chloe's birthday falling right at the beginning of the school year makes having a birthday party with school friends difficult. So while I had the help of Nonna and Aunt Denise for a weekend visit, we had a birthday party with just church friends and gave the water slide a run for it's money to finish the summer off. We have hopes for a tea party play date with the girls from her class once we get the chance to get to know everyone.

Thank you to everyone that helped make Chloe's birthday special. I don't think a smile has left her face since!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and a Cupcake Holder Lampshade

2011-08-26T08:26:00.003-04:00

Emma and I did several projects over the summer that ended up being a little bit too difficult for Chloe to fully participate like:

turning this

Into this

This is so simple to do. All you need is a good deal on a lamp, some cupcake holders, and some earring posts and backs (pack of 30 pieces at hobby lobby for $1.99), and spray paint. We spray painted our thrift store lamp ($1.49) and then turned the cupcake holders inside out and pinned them on the shade.. Easy Peesy... But, since it involved spray paint and sharp things, it was a little bit too old for Chloe.

So, I scouted out a few things that I could gear specifically for Chloe to do in the couple weeks we've had between Emma starting school and Chloe starting.

And, I came across this oh so cute "Very Hungry Caterpillar" on Pinterest and, after reading the story, I got to work on painting hands... When we finished the handprint caterpillar, Chloe commented that she wanted to make the butterfly too. And what do you know but the next time I went on Pinterest, a friend had posted a picture of a footprint butterfly... So low and behold

A complete metamorphosis!

Emma Donate's Locks Again

2011-08-24T05:50:00.003-04:00

Taken June 16, 2011

Posted August 24, 2011

We cut off Emma's hair once before to donate to "Locks of Love"in 2009. At that time, she immediately started letting it grow so that she could donate it again. It seems as if it takes just a little over two years to get another 10 inches to donate.. Since I didn't think that her hair would be in real great shape after a summer of swimming, we decided to go with the 8 inches that Pantene Beautiful Lengths requires. I guess this will an every two years or so ritual. I'm so proud of her.

Blessings,

The Second Day--Emma's First

2011-08-19T11:40:00.003-04:00

Well, we got off to a rocky start in more ways than one. Emma missed her first day because she was running a fever and in the chaos of taking care of her, I forgot to charge my camera battery. But, we got back on track and staged these pictures after school and that's why they're so bright.. I mainly wanted to capture the smart fashion sense that she's developed. The outfit that she settled on wearing her first day of school was actually a dress of Chloe's that she wore as a shirt with a pair of capri pants. I'm not sure if she realizes what this will obligate her to later down the road in the little sister department but it works to her advantage for now.

Anyway, Emma bounced back just fine and absolutely loves the 3rd grade. She will switch classes for Math and Science this year and loves both of her teachers. She will also be in the gifted and talented program and is so excited to see what that is all about. She ended up with several of her friends in her class and it appears to be a formula for a great year.

As far as extra curricular activities go, she talked about doing cheerleading but eventually landed on taking guitar lessons. I was excited about that decision because Chloe is playing soccer and I wasn't looking forward to spending every day at the Rec. Center. And, we all know that Taylor Swift was cooler than the cheer captain because of the fact that when she was on the bleachers, she was also holding a guitar.. Emma will also continue to do Jazzercise at school like she did last year.

Here is my age progression storyboard that I like to do every year... It can also serve as an advertisement for True Green Chem lawn and a sprinkler system. We ditched the lawn service to make room in the budget for Chloe's preschool and our sprinkler system broke. I'm pretty sure it's a simple fix that Adam's done before. But he's ended up having to mow the grass less and our water bill has been lower.. So, I think we inadvertently kept pushing it to the bottom of our To Do list... Even though our yard looks like a brown mess in the middle of all of our neighbors beautiful sea of green and we are "that neighbor", it does have it's positives...

I came across some fun treat ideas to put in her lunch box for the first week of school.. I think it got me major "fun mom" points. She even said that some kids were saying she was lucky. Go me :-). I still remember random little things that my mom did for me to let me know that she thought I was special like baking miniature cakes for tea parties with my dolls so I always look for ways to imprint those kind of memories in my girls.

Cupcake shaped sucker, "3rd Grade is a piece of cake".

Swedish Fish "You are O-fish-ally a 3rd Grader"

Starbursts "You're a 3rd Grade Super Star"

And my favorite: Rainbow Sour Tracks and Rolos

You're the gold at the end of my rainbow...

Looking forward to having her home for the weekend and sleeping in!

Initial Rag Wreath

2011-08-18T13:53:00.002-04:00

The girls and I had an absolutely marvelous summer. We crafted and created and swam and played and I just enjoyed them so much. It was a refreshingly recovery from last summer since much of the past year has been a blur of going through the motions as I tried to get a grasp on the grief that I was experiencing from all the tragedies that our family and friends experienced in the year or so before. I'm finally beginning to feel like myself again.

Anyway, I have a lot of catch up posts to do including Emma's "real first day of school". But, this is what I did on her first day back to school with a little "help" from my little hot mess that I call "My Chloe Girl".

I had been searching around Pinterest for a cute wreath idea for our front door. I'm just not your typical flowered wreath kind of girl and I was looking for something that just struck my fancy. Well, eventually, I decided to compile a couple of ideas together and this is what I came up with.

I posted a picture of this on my friend Jay's facebook wall and my friend Heather requested a tutorial. So, I'm going to do my best to give you one.. I always have intentions of taking pictures step by step when I do something like this and then I get in the zone and get in a groove and I forget... But, this was so unbelievably easy that I think it could be done with no picture instructions at all. But none the less, I do have a couple..

Chloe and I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and we started out with a ball of scrap fabrics in fall, green, browns, yellows and reds and an initial which was on sale for 50% off of 2.99! Score!

Side Note: though I've become a bit of an organizing junky (not by nature but as a coping mechanism to my husband's ADD), you could never tell it by walking in our front door because my dining room is always functioning as either an art or a photography studio and more often than not, looks like this.

I spray painted the "E" with Krylon spray paint that I used to create the Shrek head pieces for our Christmas play last year. The color is "Ivy Leaf" but we affectionately call it "Shrek green" and that's a more appropriate description. I tied a piece of yarn to the "E" before I spray painted it so that it would also get painted and would serve as a way to attach it to the wreath

I was delighted to find a wire hanger after digging through all of the closets. I'm not sure why I had it but you can usually get them free from the cleaners.

I sort of shaped the hanger into a circle using wire pliers. Then I just went to town tying on scraps of fabric. (This is where I got excited and forgot to take pictures).

Once I got it all together, I decided that the "E" looked too plain so I pulled out the white circle stickers that I used to make everything polka dotted for Chloe's "Pink Polka Dotted" Birthday Party last year.

And waa laa, a polka dotted E..

And there you have it, a wreath that is me and cost about $7.00 to make and is very much my style. Could be cheaper for you if you actually sew and already have scrap fabric!

It Was the First Day of the Third Grade-- And Emma was not there...

2011-08-15T12:37:00.002-04:00

Because my friend, Sam is finishing up her Early Childhood Education Degree and goes to school in GA and GA starts back to school a week earlier than we do and Sam was working with the teacher that she'll be interning with to set up her classroom, I had Ron and Sam's kids the last two weeks of summer. By the end of the second week, the kids were acting like brothers and sisters and were tired of being cooped up inside together because of my fear of taking all four kids out by myself. But, since we had two of the kids that were in our youth group years ago in Panama City, Andrew and Holly, who are now fabulous adults, arrive on Tuesday and I had Holly as an extra set of hands, I developed a brilliant plan.

Since GA was already back in school, I knew it would be an opportune time to catch Chuck E Cheese's on a low crowd day... PLAN NOT SO BRILLIANT.... Emma contracted some kind of stomach virus. And though she only threw up once, her fever keeps returning... So, she missed her first day of school..

I tried to pull a Billy Madison and go for her. I walked into the classroom and her teacher said, "Hi, I'm crazy" and I instantly knew it was going to be a wonderful year. I replied that I was Emma Ellis' mom and that I was crazy too and was prepared to stay and be a substitute 3rd grader but her teacher (whom I think we're going to love), graciously took her materials saying that she would use Emma's as the example set up..

I put these treats together to give to the class just to remind them that Emma was on her way.

Emma was devastated at first, putting this event into the same category of worst things that have ever happened to her as Rotavirus and broken leg. But, being the optimist that she is, quickly decided to make lemonade out of lemons and is using this last day off to finish up the second Harry Potter book.... She knows almost all of the kids that are in her class this year. And really, she has the confidence to walk into a room full of kids that she doesn't know anyway so I think we'll survive.

The No Title Post

2011-08-08T04:36:00.000-04:00

Will words ever come again? I don't know...

We're in the midst of living a life that we are constantly trying to figure out as we go.. A life where things happen that I'd like to ignore so that we can soak up every second we have with the love that we've made. The two beautiful little girls that are spunky, and a amazing, and completely exhausting.. The ones that turn another year older every time we turn around.. I can't ignore life, but I want to steal every second that I can. I can't sleep but I can't write either... So I'm going to go crawl back in bed next to that little person that crawled into my bed and woke me up to begin with and try to memorize how her little body feels lying next to mine. To imprint it in my memory. Because it won't be long before it's much bigger and I'll be longing for the memory that, no matter how hard I try, to put into words here, can only be captured through experience... Too much life to write down... Maybe, one day, when they're unavailable to me, when they're off doing bigger and better things, I'll write about the memories... But for now, they're mine to cherish.. So I will go and write these memories upon my heart :-)...

I Believe I Can Fly

2011-07-28T19:07:00.001-04:00

Feeding more Pinterest addiction...

Summer Fun

2011-07-25T19:06:00.001-04:00

Thank you Pinterest

Things That Make Life Worth Living

2011-07-18T03:38:00.019-04:00

It appears that from here on out, my life will be a never ending coming up short catching up on this blog...

But for now, here's an experience that should not go unrecorded. I recently had the honor of being there to photograph my friend Lu's fourth child and first girl's first moments. This was Lu's fourth C-section and because of the difficulty of the procedure and possible complications (which she had none of praise God), I wasn't able to be in there for the birth. But I was waiting right outside to follow her through those first moments. What an experience it was to be able to share this experience with my sweet friend. Thank you for letting me share such a sweet moment with you Lu!

Happy 8th Birthday Emma!

2011-06-30T16:56:00.001-04:00

Commentary coming once I find the time to think straight enough to put my tears into words ;-)

2011-06-26T08:23:00.000-04:00

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.

C.S. Lewis

Sum Sum Summertime

2011-06-23T11:34:00.001-04:00

Room Redos and what my blogging lost to...

2011-06-20T22:44:00.003-04:00

This is part of what has me so far behind on blog posts. I was trying hard to get organized before the kids got out of school for the summer. Though I didn't get all that I wanted done, I did make a significant dent in things.. We gave both of the girl's rooms a makeover and I'm in the process of putting labels on EVERYTHING... I am not naturally, a label kind of obsessive girl... But I have found that I live in a house full of nerds and though they won't listen to a word that I say, they love to read and for the little one that doesn't read yet, the pictures work wonders! In fact, the labels have worked so well, I am in the process for making some for every room in the house.

Chloe's Room

Chloe had previously been in a full sized bed that was just placed on a frame so that it was low to the floor. My mom had saved my bed from when I was little. Since it had been kept in an out door storage building, it needed a bit of work..

Before

After

labels for Chloe's room

Emma's Room

Emma was in a loft bed which is now working as a great space for rubbermaid storage boxes in our garage. (Pictures coming soon).. For Emma, we brought down the bedroom suite from the spare bedroom that Adam's mom had given us. Don't worry, you can still come visit us, there's still a bed up there... Not being in the mood to paint the very pink walls, I decided to combine a hot pink and orange to grow it up a little bit for her... I ran into a little snag when I went to remove the tacky border (I really should have gotten a picture of this one) that was put up by the previous owner... They had painted almost to the ceiling, leaving about a inch of bare wall.. Since I've been unsuccessful in getting a good match to the paint, I acquiesced. Though I detest wallpaper borders, I put up a thinner, polka dotted border.

Recently, we added the picture that I made Emma for her birthday. It contains a quote from one of my history favorites, Eleanor Roosevelt. Did you know that during the Civil Rights movement, in a public meeting in Birmingham AL, Eleanor Roosevelt once straddled the aisle between the segregated black and white sides, refusing to place value on a person based on their color? Wasn't she the coolest?

And I LOVE this quote...

labels for Emma's room

labels on everything...

Playroom

more labels

labels for playroom

Master Bedroom

And, I added some shelves to the office space in our bedroom to try to keep things from stacking up on the desk... Adam came in later and put some brackets up because the floating shelves didn't hold the weight I wanted them to hold. I eventually want to paint my $10 yard sale desk a de-stressed vintage aqua.. But for now, we're going for function.. Maybe one day, I'll bring it all together in beauty like those slick decorating blogger mommas... But that will surely be after I finish the degree I'm about to start working on.

I also have worked out a great laundry room system and a fun homework/project space for the girls that I need to take pictures of...

And since I'm, once again, officially a college student.. I hope to finish things up in between the time that the girls go back to school and I start classes in September...

Hopefully, I will be back with a follow up post... But considering the fact that there's still a Christmas post I haven't done, no promises that will surely be broken made here..

Blessings,

Dana

Wrapping Up Second Grade

2011-06-13T08:09:00.000-04:00

Please excuse the black boxes. I try hard to protect their location and not post pictures of kids without parents permission.

Summer has officially began.. I'm going to try to go back through the mounds and mounds of pictures that I haven't posted over the past few months and get them in place.

Emma, racked up on awards at second grade awards day. I think we all take it for granted that she's going to get the academic and behavior awards. I do realize that one day, this could change and I'm going to really realize how much for granted I took this. But, we knew up front that she had achieved those awards. The big surprise was the Art Award. I am so proud of the way she pours herself into everything she does. But I think because of the circumstances, we were all most excited about this award. She was so disappointed that she didn't get it in first grade and she left the awards day that day vowing to "get it next year". I love that she sat her mind to it and achieved it. She's smart, there is no doubt. But, it's her determination that testifies to her character. I love that about her. She so often amazes me.

Blessings,

2011-06-12T12:15:00.001-04:00

"An individual Christian may see fit to give up all sorts of things for special reasons - marriage, or meat, or beer, or cinema; but the moment he starts saying the things are bad in themselves, or looking down his nose at other people who do use them, he has taken the wrong turning."
--C.S. Lewis

Hey Batter Batter

2011-06-01T06:52:00.006-04:00

If you want to improve your prayer life, put your kid on a little league team.

Even though starting out at this age put Emma playing with much more experienced players, she played her first season of softball. The schedule kicked our tails but it was a great experience. Our city has a great rec department. The coaches were great and we made some life long friends.

Emma caught on quickly and made a great little rookie. I think we have a future ahead of many nights at the softball fields.

Emma Hits the Ball

2011-05-10T21:29:00.001-04:00

You might want to turn your volume down so that mine and Chloe's yelling doesn't hurt your ears. In defense, the first time that she hit the ball, she was so surprised that she forgot to run.

This is Not Good. This is Not Good.

2011-04-25T20:54:00.001-04:00

Setting: The Ellis House
(Mom is sweeping the floor after dinner)
Dad: I'm going to check on Chloe, she's been too quiet.
Dad: OH CHLOE NO!!!!
Emma: (starts crying) CHLOE, WHY, WHY WOULD YOU CUT YOUR OWN HAIR?
Mom: (laughs in disbelief that it has been almost 30 years since she heard her daddy yell, "OH DANA NO!!!!")

But, they didn't have i-phones or blogs back in 1982 so my mom wasn't able to torture me as well...

April Fools Day

2011-04-01T10:49:00.002-04:00

I'm so behind on posts it's not even funny. You can read the previous post for at least part of the reason of my blogging absences. Anyway, since there was so much expressed interest on facebook about my desire to torture my child this morning, I figured I'd announce my results. Hopefully I'll get around to an update of March soon. And for you generous souls that suggested that I'm the "most fun mother ever". It is a dream of mine. But I assure you, it has more to do with the fact that I'm the youngest of 16 cousins which left me with a pent up desire for revenge that had to wait until I had my own children to pick on.

I'm still trying to figure out this new computer and new version of PS which is my excuse for the lousy collage you'll find below.

And to my OLDER sister who was born a fool, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Dana

Fashion Show 2011

2011-03-20T07:28:00.001-04:00

Since Last Time on Thoughts on Life and Dirty Diapers

2011-03-17T10:17:00.006-04:00

The starting of Project: Get house organized before summer

Emma decides to play softball

The planning of a no-kids, relaxing overnight trip with my mom and sister to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday.

Restoration of a mobile home that should have been condemned for a single dad and child.

Emma dresses up like Lucy from Narnia for famous character day at school.

Adam down with terrible pain from his sciatic nerve.

softball practice

Fun no-kids overnight trip with mom and sister with the kids because Adam was down with his sciatic nerve.

Lots of Hugs and Kisses

Photo shoots

Massages and stretches for Adam three times a day for sciatic nerve.

Adam back on his feet, slowly but surely.

Dreams of organization fading

sunny spring weather good for playing outside

Contract renewal for cell phone with AT&T results in inexpensive Iphone

Pandora opens whole new plethora of Jazz music resulting in upping psyche for Dana.

Emma drops two day old phone on driveway and shatters screen

Adam and Apple become heros by getting phone fixed for FREE

Chloe down with a stomach virus.

Dana wears vomit and washes every piece of linen in her house.

softball practice for Emma

Dana's admission to the online marketing program at Wilmington University

Dreams of organization crushed.

Computer owned for only a year and a half down with no recovery.

Expletives directed at HP and disbelief at their horrible business practice of charging for customer service.

lots of snuggling with Chloe.

Chloe recovers from stomach virus and awakes at 2:00 a.m. with a sudden appetite after a liquid diet for several days.

Fun ladies night out to an Anita Renfroe and Mandisa concert.

Dana stresses over the fact that she still hasn't done her income taxes.

Admission that Adam was right that Dana should have purchased a macbook to begin with.

Purchase of Macbook that Adam and Dana don't have the money for.

Great love for the macbook that put Adam and Dana in debt.

Thankfulness from Dana about her husband's amazing nerdiness that makes him know all about Macbooks

Super fun day with Veronica and Katie.

Expletive thoughts directed at specific people, not for public view.

Thankfulness for true friends that stick around even when Dana feels like spewing expletives.

Prediction of nap in the near future..

Blessings sent to you from Dana

Little Darlin..

2011-02-22T08:25:00.007-05:00

"Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter

Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, ere comes the sun

and I say it's all right"...

I can definitely tell where the long cold winter has had it's effect! But God must have known that we couldn't take much more.... We've been spending wonderful days out in the sun.. It has been absolutely beautiful! And it is good for my soul!

An exciting note: Emma is going to play softball.. She's really not half bad considering the fact that she's never played before.. We've spent lots of time in the back yard with her and it's proven to have been perfect weather for that...

I'm sure another cold snap will come along before we hit spring. Perhaps I will be able to catch up more then.. But for now, computer and sun aren't a great mix. So I assume this won't get much traffic anyway..

Off to soak up the sun!

Visit with the Payne's

2011-02-22T04:59:00.001-05:00

Posted on June 8, 2011

Or part of them that is...

Back in January, Kenny Payne and two of his kids came to visit and tell the church about the work that he's doing with the Sparrow's Hope Orphanage in Ukraine. Kenny is the minister that Adam did his youth ministry internship under. We worked with them again when we were in Panama City Florida and Kenny was in and out of the country as our Missions Minister at Palo Alto.

Leanna, the oldest in the picture was around Chloe's age when I met her and Adam and I just fell in love with her. It's hard to believe that she's now and adult! Since then, Kenny and Lora have added Dima whom they adopted from Ukraine and it was a fun surprise when Lora and I ended up pregnant at the same time and they have another one Emma's age, Lexi. We hope to get to see Lora and Lexi some time in the near future. But it always blesses us to spend time with any of them.

While they were here, I started looking through some old photo albums for some pictures of Leanna. And though I didn't find what I was looking for there. I did find this cherished surprise:

This is my friend Susan and me at Camp Wiregrass in about 2000. The theme for the banquet that year was Rodeo Round Up or something like that. The night that Susan passed away so unexpectedly, I tore the house apart looking for this picture and didn't find it until months later... I have hundreds of pictures of our kids together and many of Adam and Tony. This is the only picture I have of the two of us... It's very poor quality but I'll take it! And I'll cherish it forever... I've had a rough time since losing my cousin Tony and then Susan and just recently, my grandfather... Healing is slow. But, taking it day by day, we're all starting to be able to celebrate their life and look forward to the day when we'll be with them again.

What She Said This Time

2011-02-15T07:24:00.000-05:00

Recently added to the "What she said this time" section located in the right hand side bar.

2/4/2011

Chloe: I want to watch the movie with the walled in it?

Me: The movie with the walled in it?

Chloe: No, the movie with the WALLED in it.

Me: The movie with the word in it?

Chloe: The movie with the WALLED in it.

Me: The movie with the walled in it?

Chloe: NO MOM! THE MOVIE WITH THE WALLED IN IT. WITH AN "R"!

Me: OH! The movie with the WORLD in it!

Chloe: Yeah.. (with a look of, oh my gosh my mom's an idiot)..

2/14/2011

Emma on Valentine's Day night: I know why ya'll want to put us to bed early. So ya'll can do things together.... Just don't watch the Cosby Show without me.

We Changed the Weather!

2011-02-12T09:19:00.002-05:00

My friend Kristi and I decided to go get pedicures on Grand Hog's Day. Emma had a half day at school that day and when I picked her up, I discovered that it was not going to fly for me to be the only one in the house with painted toe nails.. We decided to celebrate the lack of shadow with pretty toe nails to bid spring on it's way. Read Two Big Weather Changes Ahead to see that it worked!

"Here comes the sun do do do do"...

Thanks can be recorded in the comment section :)

PS: It's a shocker but, two posts in one day (got to get em' in when Adam is at home to chase the kids)! Don't miss my Happy Birthday wish to my mom below.

Happy Birthday Mom-- 60 years..

2011-02-12T05:53:00.011-05:00

Dear Mom,

I started this post about thirty minutes ago and have written and deleted and written and deleted...and after a half hour, the only words I have past "Dear Mom" are the ones contained in the sentence you are currently reading. I want to write something beautiful that honors you...something that will do justice to how much I value each of your sixty years. I want to say the kind of words that people say about someone once they're gone, except I want to say them to you NOW. I want to write words that will make turning sixty feel like a victory...I mean after all, you have survived a lot.

But...here's the thing: I haven't been able to write ANYTHING for months. I've been thinking and reflecting and then thinking and reflecting some more and I've decided that I'm in the throws of an early mid-life crisis. This crisis it seems, may be your fault. I know, I know, I promised a victory for you somewhere in all of this. Just hang in here with me. I realize that the blame I'm placing on you is not in the least bit fair. Even so, let's be honest and say it...mother to mother: we know that fairness makes no difference at all when it comes to children, mothers and blame. You see, I crossed the thresh hold into my thirties without giving it much thought. But, I have found that you turning sixty, has given me a new perspective. Let me see if I can explain....

Do you remember our trip to Panama City Beach when I was 6-years-old? I'm sure you do. That was the trip that YOU chipped my tooth. We had gone with some friends whose daughter was Denise's, age (6 years older than me). I was 3 years younger than I would have been if things had gone according to your original plan (You know, the plan in which I was also going to be named "Danny"). You were paying your usual penance for having a "tilted uterus", by filling the role of my playmate (since you were unable to get pregnant with me in time to make me a viable playmate for all the other children in our lives). I was wearing a little purple bikini covered in little white hearts with ruffles on the top and I was dreaming of the day that I would take your place as the most beautiful woman in the world (when I would look the way you did in your blue bikini). I had a deep sense of pity for all of the poor mothers who were laying on the beach because they didn't have a 6-year-old as cool as I was to share a day at the beach with. I mean, they were so bored that they looked as if they might have actually fallen asleep! You and I were riding the waves in the ocean...you on one side of the raft and me on the other. We were laughing and chatting. I remember feeling like I was on top of the world and you were obviously having the best day of your life because you were lucky enough to have someone as fun as me to play with. And then, reality slapped me right upside the head (a phenomenon that I have since discovered to be a constantly recurring theme in my life). This particular time, reality came in the form of a giant wave...just as you decided you could no longer stand my adorable 6-year-old cuteness and leaned in for a kiss. Now that I am a mother myself, I know the panic that you must have felt as you struggled to find your footing so you could keep me safely above the undertow. But at the time, in the safety provided by your presence, I instead found freedom to express my fury regarding your impeccable timing.

At this point in the story, things get a little foggy. I do recall my toes finding the ocean floor again as I stormed off saying, "I WANT MY DADDY!" I also recall the irritation I felt over your ability to laugh at my quirky little personality, while I felt you should have been begging my forgiveness for the injustice forced upon me due to your inability to control the ocean tide. That ability to laugh, by the way, is one that I have seemed to have inherited and it has proven invaluable in embracing the quirks of MY delectable second child.

I still have a habit of narrating my own version of life. Is my glass half empty or half full? My hopelessly romantic nature often leaves my glass filled past the rim and overflowing. This results in the most amazing life...until life hits a bump and I'm left looking like I wet my pants. Okay maybe that isn't the best analogy for a story about playing in the ocean since we are, after all, already wet. But, it's still fitting for my life since my bubble regularly gets burst in a wide variety of settings.

But you know what else is memorable to me about this story? (I mean other than the chipped tooth that I sported for years?) According to my calculations, you were MY age. That was 27 years ago and it seems like yesterday, even to me.

Mom, I promise that I listened when you told me how fast it was all going to go by! One month into Emma's life, (when despite my attempts to soak up every second, I couldn't see where the month had gone), I knew that you were right. I know that they are growing up WAY faster than I have wanted them to. But what I haven't considered until now, is how old I'm going to be when we get there.

So what is it that makes growing older so difficult? I mean, the alternative isn't exactly an option we'd want to choose. I'll admit that looking in the mirror and noticing that the lines on my forehead have gotten deeper isn't fun. But, as unsettling as that can be, I don't think it's the problem. I think that (not so deep inside me), there is a fear that I will breeze through these years so exhausted by today's trials that I won't make the days valuable for tomorrow. I'm afraid that I might somehow live these wonderful days so lost inside myself that I never get in the ocean to play.

So THIS is what I want you to know:

When I wake up in the mornings and look into the mirror and see that woman in the blue bikini staring back at me, (Okay so I seriously doubt I'll be sporting a bikini anytime soon), I ask her what I can do that day to make me be the the kind of mother that you are. I constantly ask myself how you would have handled all sorts of situations. Those questions usually leave me running for the camera when Chloe gets into my makeup...or leaving the house a mess to go outside to play...or taking a break from making a grocery list to play Candyland,...or even deepening the lines in my forehead by getting up at 4 a.m. to work in the silence that I need to write a blog post. Asking those questions also gives me the assurance that when I choose to make the grocery list instead of reading "The Cat in The Hat" (for the ONE HUNDREDTH TIME!), or when I DO get frustrated about the 26th masterpiece that has been created on the wall with crayons or fingerpaint, that my love for them will prevail against those frustrations. Because of you, I know, that there is a way that tomorrow I'll be able to live with today. When the next 27 years have passed even faster than the last, if I am somehow able to know that I have reached sixty years old, with my kids feeling about me the way I do about you, I will claim it for the victory it is...with no regrets.

To the mother I dream of being, Happy 60th birthday! I hope you celebrate it as the victory it is.

I love you,

Dana

PS: Despite the frugality that I also inherited from you, I intend on investing in a non-generic box of Kleenex with aloe comfort for my nose before I write another sappy blog post.

Freebie Friday- Photoshop Sticker Templates for Moo.com

2011-02-11T14:35:00.002-05:00

Since I have been using most of my creative juices on the Marketing Kit I'm designing for Click Photography, I haven't made much new that I can share this week. So, I searched through my files for something fun to share. That's when i came across these sticker templates that I designed for a sticker book from MOO DOT COM. If you haven't run across MOO yet, you should definitely check them out. I just LOVE them! I wanted to make some stickers for the girls to use as seals on their valentine cards. And since Moo will let you to use up to 90 different designs in one of their MOO StickerBooks for only $9.99, I decided go ahead and make some various stickers with various signatures that can be used in various places...

So I uploaded my sticker creations and this cute little sticker book appeared in my mailbox about a week later. And at least for now, my girls think I'm the coolest thing since sliced bread.

So download these Moo Sticker Templates for free. And get your own customized sticker book cheap!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday's Freebie- Free Photoshop Heart Dandelion Brush

2011-02-05T13:00:00.000-05:00

So Friday's Freebie is a day late but I think it's worth the wait because this is one of my favorites.

Today, I'm giving you a free download of the heart dandelion that I created for this: "Spread the Love Around" Valentine's Day Card.

Just Click: Spread the Love, Heart Dandelion Photoshop Brush

The free download will be available for 12 months from today.

Blessings,

Calling All Moms, I'm Airing Dirty Laundry!!

2011-02-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

I'm going to go ahead and say it because "Desperate Housewives" says it needs to be said. Not only do I sometimes feel like a bad mom, I also LOVE "Desperate Housewives".. And if you're judging me for that, all I can say is: You need to watch "Desperate Housewives". It is the ONLY TV show that has a standing date on my calendar...

And this is why:

Oh and I'm a liar too.. Because this totally is not for all moms! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE comments from people that agree.. And if you don't, I hope you wake tomorrow with gray hair and boobs that are even more saggy than they were today !

January Review

2011-01-31T16:14:00.004-05:00

Since I still haven't posted all of my Christmas pictures, I'm going to quickly sum January up in one post. Frankly, I'd prefer to sleep through January and wake up sometime in February when the skies turn blue and the sun peaks through. January is the month that usually makes me think that humans should be animals that hibernate..Having both mine and Adam's birthday's to celebrate wouldn't even be reason enough in my mind to pull me out of hibernation if I had my say.. When we lived in WV, the skies turned gray in October and stayed that way until May. Along with the blue skies seemed to go people's smiles and everyone seemed to fall into a long winter's funk. January here this year has been way too similar to those never ending winters we had in WV and I'm longing for spring.. I think God knew that I might give up hope that spring would ever come and he blessed us with a beautiful 74 degree day yesterday. We went down to a local park and we walked, and played and ate dinner outside and it was the most marvelous day... Today it's dank and dreary.. But hopefully yesterday's beautiful weather will hold me over for a few more weeks.. I have to admit that the cold has brought along some nice moments of snuggling.. But, I'm longing for days of playing barefoot in the backyard.

Adam and I share the same birthday and we soothed each other's old egos and I secretly felt better because he's two years older... Since we do share the day, it is nice now that Emma is old enough that she insists that we have a birthday cake.. That way, we don't feel so silly buying our own cake. My mom took the girls for a long weekend. The trip was a day shorter because of the crazy ice that covered the path from here to there. And the fact that mother nature stole a day of an opportunity to sleep in doesn't help her record in my book.. But we are thankful for the break and ever grateful to my mom for always being willing to adjust in whatever way she has to get them on weekends like that. I have been told that my sister has some pictures from that weekend. And we'll only hope that she does better at making those public than I have lately. On the photography front, I've been doing virtually nothing.. I seem to go through spurts where I can't even stand the thought of carrying a camera around and I seem to be there now. But, I've been doing a lot of graphic design and retouching work and I'm really excited about some marketing materials that I'm working on for my friend Jay at Click Photography and the new studio that she's opening. Stay tuned on that one..

Okay, before I bore you to death with my monotonous January life, I'll explain the pictures and be done with it..
Top Left yep, sigh 33 and 35.. Top Middle: Emma and her sweet little friend MaKayla at MaKayla's birthday party.. Top Right. Benjamin and Chloe. Benjamin is my friend Nellie's little guy that has been battling a disease called Langerhaun Cell Histiocytosis for the past year. We were ecstatic to get the news that Benjamin's scans were clear last week! Nellie went out of town for a couple of days early in January and Benjamin stayed with us. Chloe seems to think that he should live with us now. Left Middle Chloe and Maggie after they ate a piece of our birthday cake. Smurfette, watch out, these two will take you down! Maggie stayed with us a couple of days while her regular babysitter was out of town and they both had a ball. I laughed and laughed at them because they both play like boys. Bottom Left is a birthday prank because people will just never let us fully leave youth ministry.. I thought they were calling us old goats or something but apparently there wasn't that much thought and they just thought it would be fun to cut deer out of cardboard and stick them in the snow in our yard.. I was so unexcited about going out in the snow/ice and I thought it improved the look of my front yard by giving me something to chuckle about when I looked out into the frigid cold that I left them there until I went to pick Emma up from school the next day.. I do what I can for the neighborhood.. And, the last three are us attempting to play in the snow. That lasted all of five minutes before we decided that fun shouldn't be torturous and we all went inside and snuggled up in the bed because we are so OVER IT!! If that ground hog sees a shadow Wed., I'm going to hunt him down and pull him out of his hole and pick him up by his heels and slap his head against the wall....

Friday's Freebie- Free Photoshop Ipod Skin Template

2011-01-28T14:25:00.020-05:00

Yay, another freebie!

This is something that I think every photographer should make a part of their senior packages. You want more senior photo shoots? What do teenagers have in front of their face more than anything? Their I-phones of course. So what better than to have your favorite senior advertising you to her friends every time she sends out a text?

I couldn't believe how difficult it was to find a template for an ipod/iphone. So, I designed one of my own. This was made to fit an Ipod touch 3 .. But the same template works for an iphone and I'm pretty sure it's close enough to work for all of the touches. Once you go to a website to have it printed, they will give you the choice of using one of their templates or uploading your own. Once it's uploaded, you can adjust it just like you want it.. Read on to find out where to get the best print deals on these.

Click Link Below to Download

Free Photoshop Ipod touch template

Yes, that is my seven year old's I-pod and no I'm not an indulgent parent. She has been asking for a Nintendo DSI for two years and since she shows virtually no interest in any video game ever, I have refused to spend $150 for something she won't use.

But, when she started asking for an Ipod touch and I began to think of it's benefits to me (road trips with no whining) I warmed up to the idea. And since my husband is a Ninja when it comes to getting things free, and I'm ~~cheap~~ frugal, I went with the idea when he was able to score one FREE.. And no he's not in to anything illegal.. But, I'm already giving you an excellent marking idea as well as a freebie template. A girl's got to hold on to some secrets.

I searched the net for the cheapest prices and landed at Gelaskins where I printed this skin for $6.99. To quote Gelaskins: "They're skins! Translation: self adhesive vinyl decals. They're made with pure awesomeness" and I have to agree! Not only do that they print Ipod skins but they also print 100s of other skins for other electronics. And I was more than satisfied with the quality. I will definitely be using them again!

Happy Weekend!

Blessings,

Thoughts From The Slammer

2011-01-26T09:19:00.000-05:00

I've lost my mojo... I keep waiting for inspiration to strike so I can write. But, I've had nothing for months.. I can't even seem to formulate a comment to something someone else has written that I feel strongly about... I think I'm in "fix it" mode, trying to get back the organization that I lost during the holiday season. And, 2010 was an emotionally trying year and I think I need a break from reflecting... Things have been so heavy. And the thing I'm needing more than anything is a night like so many I had when I was a teenager. When my best friend, Kristen, and I would giggle all night long until the point my parents yelled at us because we were keeping them awake.. Oh for just one night to be the one giggling again...

Anyway, since I have absolutely nothing deep or moving to share because I can't stand another ounce of seriousness right now, I'll share what I wasted my time amusing myself with yesterday.

My sister sent me one of those survey e-mails.. You know, "2011 Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends and Family".. Well, since I filled out at least 2011 of those surveys during our time in youth ministry trying to make sure I didn't hurt a single teenager's feelings, I usually skip these things from adults thinking that they can take the rejection... But, my sister put a little personal pressure in there saying I was the "most likely to respond"and there was the part in the directions that said to be honest and not be lame and mess up the fun... Am I the only one that sees the irony in that statement? Anyway, I didn't want to crush my sister's high opinion of my dependability so, here is my response..

Welcome to the new 2011 edition of getting to know your family and friends.. Here is what you are supposed to do, and try not to be lame and spoil the fun--this means YOU!

Change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then send this to a bunch of people you know, INCLUDING the person who sent it to you.

Some of you may get this several times; that means you have lots of friends. The easiest way to do it is to hit 'forward' so you can delete and change the answers. Have fun and be truthful!


What color are your socks right now? orange, that's all they let us have here

What are you listening to right now?

The lady in the cell next to me singing "Stormy Weather"

What was the last thing you ate? Not sure... Mystery meat?

Can you drive a stick shift?
unfortunately yes. That's what got me in this place. Grand Theft Auto.. and all over a candy apple red Dodge Dart.

Last person you spoke to on the phone? "It's me again Margaret".

Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Everyone has some sick affection for their mentors don't they?

How old are you today? Old enough to know better but still to young to care

What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
Demolition Derby

What is your favorite drink?
RUM

Have you ever dyed your hair? only when I needed a disguise after the bank robbery

Favorite food? Anything that isn't roadkill

What is the last movie you watched?
"The Longest Yard"

Favorite day of the week? Sunday, that's when my baby daddy visits

How do you vent? scrub toilets--- with a toothbrush

What was your favorite toy as a child? a tatoo gun

What is your favorite season?
salt

Cherries or Blueberries? yep

Do you want your friends to e-mail you back?
Down to my last friend. I knocked the others off.

Who is the most likely to respond? my probation officer

Living situation just me, Thelma and Louise

When was the last time you cried?

when "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"

What is on the floor of your closet right now?
a chalk outline

Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to?
you, "friend"

What did you do last night? Lets just say I don't think I'll be allowed back in that Walmart

What are you most afraid of? small tight spaces and a woman named Butch

Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers?
yep

Favorite dog breed?
hot

Sweet or Salty? yep

How many states have you lived in? let's see-- state of paranoia, state of distress, state of annoyance, state of denial, state of confusion.... Hey, tonight is the state of the union!

Diamonds or pearls?
yep

What is your favorite flower? self-rising

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge--Innocent Wonder

2011-01-25T20:54:00.002-05:00

This post is for a Photo challenge over at I Heart Faces. The lighting was low and admittedly, this isn't my best photography. However, for the theme of "innocent wonder" I just couldn't pass it up. This is my three year old on her daddy's shoulders looking at the star on the Christmas tree as I plugged it in to light it.

But [she] treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:19

IF YOU QUOTE ME ON THIS I'LL CALL YOU A LIAR...

2011-01-21T19:02:00.000-05:00

That's what Adam said he'd do if I told anyone this... So what did I do? I came straight to my blog and facebook of course..

Anyway, this is the song that he came in insisting that I listen to because it made him all teary eyed.. Emma loves Taylor Swift. Or at least that's Adam's excuse for listening to her.

If you know me, it's a given that it did more than make me teary eyed.. It reminds me of my mom and how I want my girls to feel about me. And really, I love the fact that it made Adam teary eyed..

Freebie Friday-- Valentine's Day Photoshop Photo Card Template

2011-01-21T07:14:00.002-05:00

Another Valentine's Day Photo Card Template

Link Expires on 1/21/2012 Click Below to Download

Valentines Photoshop Photo Card Template

Family Friday - More Family Photos and the Hinkle Christmas Card

2011-01-14T08:44:00.006-05:00

I wanted to make sure that mom got out all of her Christmas cards before I posted this. But, I couldn't skip it because 1. I need to post the family pictures anyway. 2. I still laugh every time I see it. I ordered her cards from Vistaprint and saved out the ones that needed to be mailed so that I could mail them for her and then sent the rest to her so she could hand them out at work. Well, the Trussville Post Office lost them. Seriously, it's the worst post office ever. If you live in Trussville, get insurance! It's probably worth the drive to the next town.. Anyway, the cards finally showed up a couple of weeks later. Hopefully she's handed them all out by now.

Since our family had a tough year in 2010, my mom thought that something funny and lighthearted was the way to go.

This is what I came up with:

Front

Inside

I thought that this design would only look right on a folded card and it proved to be a bit of challenge to find a place that printed folded cards at a reasonable enough price for us to order 150. Vistaprint, hands down had the best price. And I was very happy with the quality of the card.

The photo-- Once again, utilize your tri-pod. I didn't even have to swap any heads on these. Make sure you double click on the bottom photo and check out Chloe's "silly pose".

Free Valentine Photo Card Photoshop Template

2011-01-14T07:03:00.008-05:00

Freebie Friday!!!

Click "Free Photoshop Valentine's Day Card Template" to download your free template

If you need help using a template, shoot me an e-mail at everythingpictured@gmail.com

80's Tacky Day

2011-01-07T07:44:00.002-05:00

Funny story with this one...

Emma came in the other day and said, "Mom, Friday is tacky day. I don't have any tacky clothes so can I wear one of your shirts"? OUCH... I got a good laugh and spent a few minutes trying to see me through her eyes.. I remember when my mom was in her 30s... She seemed so grown up to me.. Many days, I still feel like a kid trying to raise a kid. I wonder if my mom felt as un-equipped to be raising children as I do some days...

Anyway, after stroking my bruised ego and a little further investigation, I learned that it was "80's tacky" day and she had already done a little 80's research of her own. And she was planning on taking the leggings and over-sized T-shirt route with a large belt. Or at least that was her defense...

So, I started pulling up 80's pictures on the internet and Cindi Lauper videos.. And, we came up with an outfit that I think might have just won me some coolness points..

And if you too are feeling nostalgic, I've got a fun site for you to check out: Like Totally 80s. I laughed and laughed... I'm pretty sure we could have gone with any fad from the decade and totally covered the tacky part. Banana clips, acid washed jeans, scrunchies, tied rolled pants, jelly bracelets, jelly shoes, reebok high tops, Michael jackson jacket... I totally have the urge to put on some stirrup pants today! I'm thinking 80's party for the grown ups.. Any takers?

**Edit** I've had some questions about where I found all the things that she's wearing so I thought I'd include that...

I didn't buy a thing specifically for this. We did already have it all at the house.. I broke down and bought some stuff when we had 70's week but when this one came up, I decided that they were going to be having these things too often for me to buy an outfit every time it came up...

I get my resourcefulness from my mom who taught me how to pinch a penny until it screams..

*The black shirt and leggings are actually a unitard from dance. (We fully tested it to make sure it would come down over her shoulders so she could got to the bathroom at school ;)

*The skirt came from me making an exception and going to Walmart after Halloween because they had their costumes 90% off.. They didn't have anything good left.. But since I HATE Walmart, I didn't want the trip to be in vain so I grabbed a skirt for each of the girls and paid $1.30 for each. She is wearing both to make it more poofy.

*The shoes are Dorothy shoes from their dress up box that I spray painted with some metallic paint that I had left over from a harp we made in children's church.

*The leg warmers are actually legs cut off of tights that are too small for Chloe.

* The bow in her hair is from the princess tulle skirts  that we made for her birthday..

* The things on her arms are from Chloe's Wonder Woman costume.

* Beads and sunglasses from the dress up box.

* The gloves came from a pack of two that I bought because I wanted pink gloves for Chloe and they only
   came in a pack of two. I just cut the fingers off.

* And I'm a little embarrassed to admit it but the shirt and belt are from her regular wardrobe.. She likes the
   sparkly..

* And believe it or not, I still had a crimping iron from when the girls we worked with in youth ministry had me
   crimp their hair.

And, one day, they'll have a 90's day and I'll be totally prepared because I saved all of my teen magazines!

Blessings,

Blog Hop-- The Secret to My Success With the Family Photos..

2011-01-06T11:07:00.001-05:00

My father-in-law has been begging for a family picture of the WHOLE family since my niece was born in July of 2008. That proved to be a difficult task since one of the family members (me) is also the photographer.. So, I spent the past few months mastering using my tri-pod and then filling the photography gap with photoshop skills so that my children won't grow up and wonder what I looked like when they were kids..

My mother-in-law posted our family picture on her facebook page and everyone was amazed that we didn't have a bad expression in the whole bunch.. While I did enjoy tricking people into thinking I'm that great of a photographer, it kind of made me feel like a fake.. Plus, I thought it would be an awesome edit to enter in the editing Blog Hop over at Pixel Perfect so I decided to reveal The secret to my success.. Besides, I think that in the era of digital photography, The editing is at least half of the talent anyway...

So I give you the before pictures.. Yes, pictures as in plural... My secret to getting a great family picture with children in it? Take more than one..

So, I instructed the adults to not worry about what the kids were doing and to just worry about themselves in the picture and to not make a move once the picture was taken. I sat the camera up on the tripod and sat the time and was able to get a decent picture of the adults.

Once I knew that my part of me being in it had been taken care of, I was able to move away from the camera and get a good picture of the three kids.. Then I managed to get a decent picture of the three girls once I was able to move behind the camera and dance and sing like a fool..

Then, using Photoshop Elements 8.0, I cropped the three girls out of the second picture and pasted it into the other picture. Using various editing techniques: erasing, smudging, airbrushing, cloning etc, I blended the edges. It's really just a decide as you go, a little here, a little there kind of thing. It wasn't that difficult. Just tedious.. I was fortunate to get all three girls smiling or I would have cropped them all out of a different picture.

I cropped it in a little closer and straightened it from where the camera was leaning a bit on the tripod. The rest is just your basic lighting, color, smoothing, defining edits..

Dana Ellis
Thoughts on Life After Dirty Diapers

Hiatus-- The Hunger Games

2011-01-02T22:23:00.001-05:00

Some wonderful friends from church (I'm still not sure who was involved) gave us an I-pad for Christmas. Which, resulted in me getting Adam's Kindle and Adam using the I-pad which was just fine with me since the Kindle means me having to learn less new technology.. And upon my acceptance of the Kindle, Adam convinced me to read "The Hunger Games", a trilogy in which I'm now totally absorbed.. I read the first book in less than 24 hours. But after the first book, I decided I could neglect my children no longer (don't worry, they were in the excellent care of my mother while we were visiting during Christmas). But, since we're back at home and I have to once again, be a responsible parent, I can only read during children-sleeping-hours which explains my blogging absence.. Which Adam always warns me will lose my blogger audience.

Due to my reduction in blogger comments, I have resolved that I have already lost my audience, aside from my photography friends downloading my existing free templates. THANK YOU PHOTOGRAPHY FRIENDS FOR KEEPING MY TRAFFIC UP. It's a cheap tactic but it works. But, just in case, you actually care what I have to say... I have a plan! You too my friend, should join me in reading "The Hunger Games". I promise, you'll be absorbed, and it will keep you occupied until I am once again inspired to blog and we can meet again and share a new camaraderie having experienced the games together.. And Adam can get some amazon credit because you used his Amazon associate link below to order the books..

Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset

New Years Photo Card Photoshop Template

2010-12-31T06:22:00.002-05:00

Just in case you missed the Christmas cards...

Download this template by clicking below:

Photoshop New Years Photo Card

Check back next Friday for a Valentine's freebie..

Blessings,

Christmas Eve with Mr. Belton and Mrs. Ruby

2010-12-24T20:21:00.000-05:00

Friday's Freebie-- PS Nine Square Storyboard template

2010-12-24T06:00:00.003-05:00

Click to download: Nine Square Storyboard

Merry Christmas!

Day 2

2010-12-23T23:02:00.000-05:00

Christmas of Presence Day 1 Dec. 23rd

2010-12-22T22:36:00.001-05:00

Here's the plan for our first day of our Christmas of Presence. You can definitely see my years of youth ministry coming through on this.. But, there's nothing that Emma likes more than a written plan.. Plus, having it in the plan helps insure that the cleanup happens. It is either I or Emma who is the first to rise at our house so if I happen to out-sleep Emma in the morning, I will have it posted in a place that I can send her to see that the only fun that will be happening before 9:00 a.m. will be sleeping.. Everyone slept here until 8:30 a.m. this morning.. It was glorious!

If you're totally confused about what this is, check out my previous post where I wrote about our Christmas tradition and Advent Conspiracy.

I'll report back later about how horribly we got of schedule.. But until then, I'll be a little pre-ocuppied until after the story of Mary and the Angel (but no worries, I have a freebie for Friday scheduled ahead of time ;))

May you have a wonderful Christmas as you hold your love ones close..

A Celebration fit for a King-- An "Advent Conspiracy" Christmas

2010-12-21T05:55:00.011-05:00

I'll be working hard today to get all loose strings tied and put away so that we can experience the wonderful tradition that we started a couple of years ago, when we first heard about the "Advent Conspiracy".

We started noticing that as the Christmas season approached, it was accompanied by a feeling of dread and followed by a feeling of relief with it's passing. We realized that our loss of love for the season was due to the hectic pace, stress and over-commercialization that has come to characterized the season. This combined with the encouragement we felt from the "Advent Conspiracy"movement, led us to re-imagine the way we do Christmas. We have cut the number of gifts down for the kids to one present from each of us and one present to each other. I carve three days out of Christmas vacation where we do nothing but play. I cook food, I get all of the housework done and I get everything organized ahead of time. Then we have gifts that we open every so often over the course of three days...but, these gifts are things like cookie cutters with instructions that say: "make cookies for the couple down the street" ... a tub of icing that says: "Bake Jesus a birthday cake" ... or a book that says: "read this book together". We call it "A Christmas of Presence". We watch movies and tell stories and play hide-&-seek in the dark. We talk about what Christmas means. On Christmas morning, we do a scavenger hunt that leads the girls to their one "big gift" and then celebrate with birthday cake for breakfast (Don't judge. It's once a year! ;) ).

So far, the girls have been completely on-board. They ask a lot more questions about what games we're going to play than what gifts they're going to get. It's the one time of year that I feel like I get it right. I guess it's like a three day Sabbath.. I've tried hard to incorporate the Sabbath into our lives on a weekly basis. I think there is a great need for us to learn to "be still and know that He is God". But, I have to admit that I haven't had much success with that particular endeavor.

You can read about the events that led up to the start of this new tradition in 2008 and about our second "Christmas of Presence" in 2009. To summarize: We do minimal gift giving, and we use the money that we would have used for all those other gifts (that we didn't actually need) to help someone else. In 2008, we sent money to an organization that builds wells in areas without accessible clean water. In 2009 and 2010, we spread it around to several different needs that we had heard about. I had gotten to the point that I dreaded Christmas because of what it had become: a celebration of consumerism. Would you believe that I haven't stepped a foot into a Wal-mart or the mall this entire holiday season? Can I tell you how freeing that is? It's renewed our love for the season and Christmas has reclaimed it's place as the best thing we do all year!

This year, we have added a few exciting elements to our celebration. We have an older couple at church, who our girls lovingly refer to as "Mr. Belton" and "Mrs. Ruby". Mr. Belton and Mrs. Ruby just decided on a whim to visit to our church one Sunday morning. We have no, (and I mean literally NO) elderly people at our church besides them (though if you ever experience Mrs. Ruby's spunk, you'll have a hard time thinking of her as an 82-year-old). It shouldn't have surprised me that they chose to stay and call our church home. You can feel the love radiating from the building upon approach.. But, since we have no programs for seniors, or anything geared specifically towards that age group, I didn't figure we had much to offer them. I'm still not sure that we do, but they have offered us so much. It just so happens that they don't have any grandchildren living nearby to love on, and my children don't have any grandparents living nearby to love on them (though they get PLENTY of it long-distance and when we visit Alabama). Mr. Belton and Mrs. Ruby came and shared Thanksgiving with us . They will be sharing Christmas with us as well. They have added a whole new element of love to our lives, and it certainly doesn't hurt that Mrs. Ruby is the best dessert maker in the world. We have been so blessed by them.

Our church also serves a meal down at the Rescue Mission on the fourth Saturday of the month. It just happened to turn out that the fourth Saturday fell on Christmas day this year. It seemed obvious that we should celebrate Jesus' birth best in a place where He would most likely be, and my conscience just wouldn't allow me to cancel a thing like that in the name of celebrating the Savior of the world (who so often spoke of loving "the least of these"). With all the holiday traveling and gatherings, I was a little concerned that I might end up providing a meal to 50 hungry men by myself. As it turns out, I will have no such fate. We're going to have quite a crowd serving down at the mission and afterwards, we'll be meeting back for dessert back at our house. They've left very little of the cooking up to me, which will most definitely will work to the advantage of the men we will be feeding. Our church didn't have to be convinced that we should spend Christmas night this way. It was obvious to them as well. I can't think of a better way to celebrate Christmas, and, I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am to be a part of this family that loves Jesus and His world so much.

Sunday after church, we will be heading over to Alabama to spend Christmas with our families, and once again I have the same kind of anticipation I had when I was a child, and a I have a hope for a Christmas magic greater than any we've ever experienced before. It is my prayer that we will make memories for our children...of a celebration that is fit for a King.

May you experience true Christmas magic, a real Peace on Earth. May you be blessed so that you may be a blessing to others.

Blessings,

Tennesee-- November 20th 2010

2010-12-18T10:12:00.001-05:00

Today was the first day of Christmas vacation.. Last night, I cheered when I turned the alarm clock off of it's normal 6:00 a.m. dreaded beep.. And, after weeks and weeks of groaning at those numbers and desiring just a few more minutes of sweet slumber, I woke at exactly: 6:00 a.m... "It's like rai-ee-ain on your wedding day".. Don't you think?

Anyway, I did manage about 45 minutes to myself before anyone else woke. So, I decided to try to catch up on blogging a bit..

Speaking of weddings.. The week before Thanksgiving, we made a trip to Lawrenceville, TN for Adam's cousin's wedding.. I had a fun time shadowing their wedding photographer.. And, I learned why wedding photography can become so pricey. As I still haven't edited all of the hundreds of pictures that I took.. When I get those done, I'll do a separate post. But for now. Here's one of the beautiful bride..

Lawrenceville is an interesting little town in that it has pretty substantial Amish community.. You'll have to forgive the quality of the following picture. I snapped it pulling out of a parking lot and the cropped it a lot but it's just too funny to me to leave it out.

We stayed in these new "green cabins" at the David Crocket State Park.. And I have to say, they were quite nice..

The place was covered in deer.. We stopped one evening to get this picture. At one point there were nine deer on this hill. I was really wishing I had a zoom lens for this one..

Not only did the windows that surrounded the living room of the cabin make for great views, it also provided for a great opportunity for baby pictures...

Meet Baby Braxton-- Isn't he adorable.. I'm so in love

Look for a free download of this storyboard template next Friday.

And last, I leave you with sweet memories for my children, visits with
the grandparents and great grandma.

We had a wonderful time. But as always, there wasn't enough time to fit everything in before we had to head back for the next thing on the schedule.

Blessings,

Friday's Freebie-- Photoshop Four Picture Storyboard Template

2010-12-17T15:11:00.004-05:00

Because everyone likes a freebie!

Four Picture Storyboard Template Freebie

Another full photoshop template. No clipping masks!

Blessings,

Dana

Friday's Freebie-- Multi Picture Photoshop Christmas Card Template Download

2010-12-10T08:13:00.000-05:00

I'm so behind on personal posts. Photo creations are taking up my time right now. So, I figured I might as well share some of those since I'm finding the time to post other things. Maybe, it'll give me a few new people to swap ideas with! If you're interested in photography, graphic design etc., leave me a comment with your info. I'd love to follow!

Another free Photoshop christmas card template .. Click on link to download

Leave a comment if you're looking for a particular kind of template and I'll see what I can do.

Blessings,

Dana

Freebie Storyboard Template

2010-12-08T23:24:00.005-05:00

As promised, the storyboard template that I used for Katie's blog post. Full Photoshop template, no clipping masks. Just insert your pictures. Click HERE to download.

Are you looking for a specific template? Leave me a comment with the details and I'll see what I can do :).

Shrek the Halls

2010-12-04T06:03:00.000-05:00

(posted 1/24/2011)

Our children did Shrek the Halls for our Christmas play this year. It seems an unlikely choice for a church Christmas play on first sight... But, really, it's quite applicable and so our church.. And I love that about us. We have one couple that devote a ton of time to doing a Christmas play with our children every year. Aaron and Kristi do such a fabulous job. And obviously have the patience of Job..

Emma was Shrek and Chloe was a baby Ogre.. They make fabulous little green people.

Family Friday- Steed's Dairy Farm

2010-12-04T05:55:00.000-05:00

The Camera Loves You Darlin'..

2010-11-29T10:09:00.002-05:00

My parents and nephew came for Thanksgiving. We had an absolutely wonderful and relaxing holiday with several days of sleeping in. I was so sad when I heard the 6:00 a.m. alarm clock this morning.

I also had the opportunity to try my new camera out doing some Senior pictures. Katie is the daughter of Emma's first grade teacher. We have been talking about doing Katie's pictures since last year. She attends South Carolina Governor's school of Math and Science. So, we grabbed the chance when she was home to do a shoot. We had to reschedule from Friday to Saturday due to rain. And I'm so glad we did because the weather was perfect!

This may have possibly been the easiest photo shoot I've ever done. Though I love chasing my girl's giggles for a picture, I have to admit that I enjoyed the opportunity to do a shoot with someone I didn't have to bribe to smile. And as you can see, it was a wonderful treat to me to have such a beautiful model for to test out my skills on.

click twice to see in largest format

And, for you other photographers out there, I'll be posting a freebie of this storyboard template shortly..

Thank you Katie and Mel for a wonderful Photo Shoot! It was such a pleasure!

Special thanks to my friend Julie at Julie Tyree Photography for being my "set of fresh eyes" and giving feedback on this shoot!

Blessings,

Dana

Christmas Card Freebie

2010-11-27T13:59:00.003-05:00

I've been making Christmas cards for months. So I decided I'd make a little something to share. This template is in Photoshop format. I left it in simple layers so that there's no messing with clipping masks and it can easily be customized to fit your personal taste.

You can Download Christmas Card template by clicking:

Free Photoshop Christmas Card Template Download

Also, if you are using another program, that won't support PS, you can simply enlarge the card, and do a right click, "save as" and paste your picture into the white box. Merry Christmas!

Decorating the Tree

2010-11-27T06:30:00.001-05:00

Holiday Catch Up

Posted 1/14/2011

Lights of the South

2010-11-25T04:59:00.002-05:00

Posted 1/14/2011

Trying to catch up on my holiday posts. For the sake of order, I am posting behind posts in the dates that they occurred..

Mom, Dad and Justin came for Thanksgiving.. We had a great time and having Justin with us was a treat. My girls just adore him. On Thanksgiving evening we went to Lights of the South. This was a much improved visit to last year when just the four of us went on a night that was much closer to Christmas and much colder! A trip to Lights of the South on Thanksgiving evening to kick start the Christmas season might just be a new tradition.

Nature Hunt

2010-11-23T22:28:00.006-05:00

November 2, 2010

My kids get election day off of school.. Our city voted to increase our sales tax by 1% to pay for city improvements. The extra tax money will go toward park improvements and some other things. While I do agree that we have amazing parks and I'm very proud to be part of a community that is willing to invest in itself to become better, I would have much preferred a tax increase that supported improvements in education. Especially at a time when our teachers are being fur lowed.. Anyway, no one asked me so, I decided that I was going to use those taxes for education one way or another. And since another glorious break is upon us (hooray for no six a.m. alarm clocks!), I thought I would share our little activity in case there is someone else as cheap as I that is looking for a cheap way to entertain their kids during Thanksgiving break.

taken on the bridge that runs through our neighborhood park

I do believe Chloe was spitting a piece of pine straw out of her mouth..

So, we did our civic duty and voted and then armed with a camera and a plastic bag, we took the girls on a nature hunt at the park..

Our "Autumn Nature Hunt List"

yellow leaf

green leaf

red leaf

3 acorns

piece of moss

animal Hole

animal tracks

bird

blade of grass

berries

feather

hole in a tree

fungus

pine cone

smooth and shiny rock

pebble

squirrel

something that doesn't belong in nature

y shaped stick

spider web

unusual shaped leaf

brightly colored flowers

I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to find most things on our list.

A FEW PICTURES FROM OUR HUNT
click twice to see it at it's largest

On the itinerary for Thanksgiving break: A visit from the grandparents, Ribbon Christmas Trees, a trip to Lights of the South and did I mention, NO ALARM CLOCKS?

Blessings,

Dana

What to Wear Wednesday

2010-11-17T22:10:00.029-05:00

The most common question asked about family pictures.. What should we wear?
One classic option is to dress everyone in matching white, all in black, etc. This option freezes your family in time. It also shows unity. And, sometimes it's the best choice for a portrait taken when a certain room in the house is in mind with which to hang to portrait in. If this is what you are going for, look no further, this option is still acceptable! But, chances are, if you've ever taken a family picture, you already have that "everyone's doing it" white and khaki's on the beach and you're looking for something new and fresh.

The idea is to coordinate without matching. And in turn, each family member is given individuality and expression of their own personality without interrupting the flow of the picture. Lucy can wear her favorite shades of pink while dad can still wear his manly brown. To help spur you along, I scoured the internet for my favorite combinations. Most of these ensembles were pulled from Gap and Old Navy's website. I certainly don’t expect you to run to the store to purchase the items in these pictures. Chances are, there is something in your closets that will work great.

The easiest way to accomplish the task of color coordination without matching, is to find a print for one family member with a color pallet that you love and then coordinate the other members.. However, this can also be done by layering.. Once, I did a session of a mom and dad and two daughters. The mom wore a orange shirt with a brown cardigan, the dad wore a brown shirt and the girls wore orange dresses. They coordinated beautifully.

Many thanks to the talented photographers that put these ensembles together. I looked for owners to give credit where credit is due but found them in several different locations with no owners attributed. If you are the brains behind these wonderful ensembles, please let us know so we can become your newest followers!

A Few Tips:

* Most important, choose comfortable styles. Nothing makes a cute kid grumpy faster than stiff clothes that constantly need to be adjusted. And for mom and dad, wear whatever it is that makes you feel like you can take on the world! If you don't feel comfortable in what you're wearing it will surely be reflected in your photos.

*Basic color rules apply. Wear colors that bring out your eyes and look best with your complexion. Dark colors make things look smaller, light colors make things look larger..

*Simple colors and designs work best on adults but sometimes a bold print on a child can bring out a fun or silly personality.

*Choose styles that portray your family's personality.

*Long sleeves work great pulling the attention to the face.

Blessings,

Dana

Haunted By Questions

2010-11-16T09:42:00.000-05:00

I was excited to get a guest post slot over at the blog of Jason Boyett, author of O Me of Little Faith: True Confessions of a Spiritual Weakling In his book, Jason gives a candid and honest account of the doubts that he encounters in his journey to faith as he seeks answers to the questions that many of us have asked ourselves but haven't had the guts to say them out loud. I love Jason's openness about a matter that so desperately needs discussed in circles of faith. Not to mention the fact that his quick wit and dry humor keeps me laughing the whole way through.

So here's my post as first seen at "O Me of Little Faith". Thank you to those of you that left me comments over there. I apologize if you've already read it. I wanted to make sure I got it in my "faith" archives over here. Don't forget to check out all the other great posts on faith and doubt over at Jason's blog.

Haunted By Questions

The timing of this post is somewhat ironic. When I agreed to write it, I assumed I'd be past the crisis of faith I intended to write about. As it turns out, I'm still shoulder-deep in it, and trying to find a way forward.

It's really easy to have faith as I sit in my own little world, with my loving husband and my healthy children, when my life isn't being challenged and I feel like I've got God all figured out. If I could only find a way to keep my family and my friends from being touched by pain, I think I could keep up that charade. It's easy to do when everything is bright and sunny and we appear to be God's favorites...His "chosen ones."

But today, I'm thinking about a friend with a sick child and a mountain of medical bills that just keeps getting bigger. I'm haunted by a friend who got laid off from his job, a friend who wants a baby but seems to be unable to have one, a friend who is in constant pain with no identifiable reason, the friend who is staying in an relationship with an adulterous spouse for the sake of her children...and the friend who just couldn't do that. Today, I'm thinking about (dare I say it?), the friend who is gay and didn't ask to be.

Usually, I'm the person I've described in the beginning of that last paragraph, living a bright and sunny life on cloud nine, with a living and vibrant faith in a loving God. However, when that life is disturbed... when I'm in my darkest, most private hours, there is no mistaking how small my faith really is. A few months ago, my family lost a member to a life-long fight with Cystic Fibrosis. It was a long fight, fought by one of the most faithful of God's followers that I've ever known. A fight that looked like was going to be won. Then, in a sudden turn of events, my 39-year-old cousin was taken from us. I sincerely prayed prayers of confident faith that should have moved mountains. But for reasons that I don't understand (and that, in all honesty, probably wouldn't give me any comfort anyway), it appears to me that, at least for now, those prayers were not answered.

My questions about God and faith may not be those pondered by the average skeptic, but they're struggles nonetheless. I'm not sure that I have ever, in my life, doubted God's existence. Did you know that when an infant is born prematurely, its mother produces a different milk than what is produced for a full-term baby? Did you know that the milk produced in that situation is especially suited for that baby at that age? For me, even the small glimpses that I catch of the complexities of our world point to a Creator much greater than myself, and to an intentionality that isn't explained by chance or chaos.

Even though I have confidence in God's existence, I'm often plagued by two questions: "Does God know what He's doing?" and, if so, "Is He actually good?" I realize that those questions may appear disrespectful to God, and perhaps they are. But, I have this hunch that He can take it. Besides, the fact that I just admitted that I have those questions and asked them "out loud" doesn't make them any worse. God is already very aware of them.

In truth, these questions have taught me something. I am learning that my following Jesus is about a lot more than finding an escape route from Hell..or death...or pain. I want to be on the side of what's true and pure and good. When I look at the wonders of this world, I feel as if my choice to follow this God was right. But on other days, when the pain of the world is what I see, I'm haunted by questions. In my heart of hearts, I believe that whatever this is that we're all a part of -- this thing that we're all trying to make sense of -- is going to be overwhelmingly obvious once we are truly able to see the full goodness of God. I think we may even be somewhat amused that we never even entertained an idea that was even close to the reality of how it all works together and how good this God is. But for now, God's goodness is so out of reach from my limited perspective, that I don't think I could comprehend it, even if it could somehow be fully explained to me.

So for now, I step out and follow Him, admitting that some days, I'm uneasy about it all. In the end, I'm thankful that following Him requires faith and not sight; trust and not certainty; hope and not total comprehension. I'm pretty sure that faith cannot exist without questions, and I've got enough of those to go around.

Blessings,

Dana

Lift Up Your Hearts With a Smile-- It's Family Time

2010-11-07T09:16:00.002-05:00

I think I've been putting this off for fear that someone is going to get mad at me. . Emma had a four day weekend not too long ago so we planned a trip home so that we could catch up with everyone. Well, that four day trip ended up turning into a two day trip since we had a long photo shoot on Thursday night and we didn't end up getting everything ready to leave until after lunch on Friday and we had to get up at the crack of dawn on Monday to get back for a parent teacher conference. So, as usual, we did not have time to see everyone we wanted to see. There are some dear friends from high school that I haven't seen in years and I didn't see any of my dad's side of the family this round.

It was the first time I had been home since Tony's funeral in May and I was just sort of longing to be with other people that understood the enormity of how the world has changed since losing him. The girls had been asking me about Tyler (Tony's son) non-stop and I felt like we needed to be near them. All of us getting together was a painful reminder that Tony wasn't with us.. But, it was almost like I could hear his laughter mixed in the conversation in the next room. So bittersweet.. We have so many precious memories. But they are still so painful to think of.. I love them all so much.

My hope is that we'll have a little bit more time when we go home during Christmas break. Here are a few highlights from our trip.. We made a point to get family pictures as I'm determined to get more acquainted with my tri-pod so that I'm in more pictures. The one in the middle is my favorite and totally captures who my family is and who we want to be. I decided to hold on to the rest until we decided what everyone wants to put on their Christmas cards.

Blessings,

Dana

... AND LOVE REMAINS

2010-11-05T10:04:00.003-04:00

The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. NLT James 1:11

Over the course of my life, I've spent a lot of time studying James 1: 1-8. It's the go-to scripture when trials come into your life. I actually have most of that scripture memorized. Here's the "Dana Ellis Modern-Day-Paraphrased-Version":

When life does what life does, and gets tough; be happy about it. When we face trials, our faith is tested. And when our faith is tested, we develop perseverance and perseverance is the thing that develops character. So hang in there, and let perseverance develop. One day, you will look back on those trials and know that you are fully developed and not lacking in anything because you survived them.

If you lack wisdom, if you don't know what to do about these trials...Ask God. But, ask without doubting. Keep hold of your emotions and keep your head on straight and know that God is going to handle this. When you're unsure, you are like a wave tossed about the sea and blown around like the wind. Reacting to trials in that way causes a person to be wishy-washy and terribly unstable...and that never helps anything.

It might not be eloquent, but that's how it translates in my mind. And though I can't say that I've grown to the point that I am happy about facing trials, I have begun to endure them with the knowledge that there is a purpose for them. But, when I was reading Karen Kingsbury's "Above the Line" series (which I highly recommend) and James 1:11 was mentioned, I realized that I had been stopping short at verse 8. As it turns out, verse 11 actually validates why we should consider it pure joy.

Since losing my cousin Tony in May and my friend Susan in September, the past few months have really been for me a time of evaluating the things that I make priorities in my life. James 1:11 solidified those thoughts for me:

The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. NLT James 1:11

So often, life gets in the way and I find myself wasting a lot of my time, resources, energy, etc. on things that aren't permanent. I have really started trying to ask myself: "Am I investing in something eternal here? When it's all wrapped up and said and done is what I'm worrying about here going to matter?" And I'm learning that a lot of time, the answer is "no", I am learning that often, I, my family, my friends and the world will be better off if I turn my attention,f my time and my heart in another direction.

God, please help me to make your concerns my concerns. And please give me peace about those things on which I unnecessarily waste my time, effort and heart.

Blessings,

Dana

Rainy Day Activity-- Bathtub Fun

2010-11-04T08:49:00.002-04:00

I'm gonna make this quick as my bottom is not enjoying the hard bathroom floor that it is sitting on. It's a rainy day here in South Carolina. And though we desperately need the rain, rainy days leave me looking for activities that won't have us sitting in front of the TV all day.

Solution: Bathtub paints.. So easy to make and chances are, you already have everything you need at home.

What you need:

Baby shampoo

food coloring

paint brush

small containers for holding paint

camera to capture your materpiece

Simply put five drops of shampoo and five drops of food coloring in separate containers for each color you want. When the masterpiece is done, take a picture, then hand your child an old wash cloth (this might stain). Have you child go to town washing the walls. Finally, rinse child and bathtub and you have a clean artist and a clean bathtub.

Caution: While this washes off quite easily from fiberglass or marble tubs, it does not wash easily from grout. I learned this lesson the hard way when our non-toxic fun resulted in me resorting to bleach for clean up in my bathtub which is surrounded in tile and grout.

Blessings,

Dana

Meet Lizzy

2010-11-03T10:15:00.000-04:00

As in Lizard. As in the one that Emma caught as her pet and is now loose in my dining room.

Who said I needed boys?

And the other side of Sisters..

2010-10-31T23:24:00.002-04:00

You might recall the super sweet picture that I posted of the girls a week or so ago. Well, I have several posts that I need to do but I just couldn't wait to get this one up. Here are a few of the pictures I snapped before we went trick-or-treating..

This is Emma refusing to smile at Chloe

And this is Emma after Chloe hit her on the head with her pumpkin because she wouldn't smile.

And what was I doing? Creating a future in which I will regret the past because I was laughing instead of parenting.. I'm still laughing.. The other picture was posed.. This is truly them.. Just keeping it real..

Blessings,

Dana

Halloween

2010-10-31T23:06:00.003-04:00

Posted on November 23, 2010

Her First Love

2010-10-31T08:08:00.003-04:00

Scene: A mother and two daughters in the car driving through town, passing a church.

Three year old, Chloe: That's where mom and dad got married.

Very old feeling mom: No, dad and I got married in Alabama. But that kind of looks like where we got married.

Chloe: I'm getting married

Seven year old, Emma: giggles

Mom: You are, who are you going to marry?

Chloe: I'm going to marry my daddy
.
Mom: (quickly wipes away tears and reaches for the phone to tell daddy the good news.. )

But [she] treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. Luke 2:19

Blessings,

Dana

Sisters

2010-10-22T05:18:00.004-04:00

Thoughts on Life AFTER Diapers...

2010-10-19T07:28:00.002-04:00

Can you believe it? The Ellis house is diaper free!

Clearly, I didn't have much foresight when I came up with the name for my blog.. But, in my defense, I started this blog when my oldest was still in diapers. And, with at least one other child in the plans, it seemed as if diapers would be a permanent part of motherhood... I never imagined that I would stick with blogging... But here we are, over five years later...

Oh wait... let me answer the questions I just raised when I said "at least".. As far as planning goes.. We're done.. Though we have not taken official steps to take care of this.. I'm not sure I want to take votes on what should be done about this issue. However, if your opinion is that my husband should take care of this matter since I birthed the babies, I know he'd be thoroughly stoked to hear your thoughts. Anyway, Emma and Chloe have made it clear that they don't want a baby brother. If we could have stuck another one in the middle of Emma and Chloe, we might have gone for three.. But, they are getting to ages where we're really being able to do some fun things with them.. And I think we're happy where we are... Plus, I'm really nervous about the thought of being outnumbered anyway.

Anyway, despite my refusal to admit that Chloe was old enough to be potty trained, the kid succeeded in potty training herself.. So I waited until we were officially totally out of diapers, even at night, because I didn't want to have to change my blog name.. I know, lame.. But, my clever friend Jay came up with a solution that wouldn't rock my little mommy world too much. And who knows, maybe I'll keep this long enough to take that "after" back off when I have grand babies.. It'll be here before we know it!

So to those mommies out there who are up to their elbows in baby poop... It really does "pass". Pun intended.. And despite what people who have clearly forgotten what it was like to be covered poop say... You might miss the sweet, sweet diaper days when you hung the moon and they didn't have the ability to talk back.. But, YOU WILL NOT MISS THE POOP...

Blessings,

Dana

2010-10-16T21:36:00.001-04:00

Fun and S'more Fun

2010-10-13T22:56:00.003-04:00

Sorry about the cheesy title. But, Adam said it made him throw up in his mouth a little when I told him I was going to name this post that. So of course, I had to go with it..

We bought a fire pit since we saw some signs of fall weather (which are completely gone now btw).. We've had so much fun roasting weenies and marshmallows for Smore's.. So much fun that we did it two weekends in a row so that my mom and dad could join us when they stopped on the way back from their trip to Myrtle Beach.. And the best part.. I tricked everyone into cooking their own dinner! And for those of you that are thinking, "I thought Dana didn't eat hotdogs".. Those are organic turkey franks... I managed to get one down.. But I didn't like it!

Family Friday-- Chloe's First Day of Preschool

2010-10-08T22:30:00.002-04:00

Click twice for optimum view :)

Music Therapy.-- The Silence of God

2010-10-03T23:50:00.001-04:00

Can I just be honest? I'm so tired of platitudes.. I love this song and it's really applicable to my life right now...

Celebrating Tony

2010-10-02T16:00:00.003-04:00

Tony's Birthday is next week. He would have been 40. My family got together over in Alabama to send off purple balloons (Cystic Fibrosis awareness) in his honor. We couldn't make the trip. But we celebrated Tony's life with a send off of our own.. We love you Tony. Longing for the day we can all be together in one place!

I was lucky enough... Remembering Susan..

2010-09-30T23:41:00.001-04:00

Susan and Tony with their twins, Jonah and Claire

I feel like I'm disturbing something sacred to try to put words around something that cannot be explained.. If you've spent any time around here at all, you know that lately, I have been trying to work through the grief that came from losing my cousin, at the end of May. You can catch a glimpse of those struggles in a guest post I wrote called, "Haunted By Questions".. For a little over a week now, we have been grieving the loss of a very dear friend.. And the questions continue to accumulate..

I will never forget that night that Susan died, yet, I cannot fully remember it. The words written in a message on facebook in a private message from a friend, will be forever etched in my mind. I can recall Emma coming into the room and asking what was wrong... But the gap in between, I hope I never remember... I never understood the physical manifestations that people say can come along with grief...but, when I finally gathered the strength to walk to the bathroom, and look in the mirror, I could see red streaks through one of my eyes where a blood vessel had burst. At first, I was embarrassed by my lack of control of emotion over the situation... And then, I was angry because I felt embarrassed. I tried once again to seek answers. In my Bible, I read about people who mourned a loss by tearing their clothes, pulling their hair and clawing at the air..and, I became frustrated with the rituals that have been put in place this day and age that suggest that mourning a person that we love deeply should abide by specific rules and have a specific presentation..

I almost wanted not to mention it here because I know that any effort to describe unchartered territory with my exhausted words will result in inadequacy. However, while I cannot begin to portray how much I love Susan and her family, I also can't move along with a journal about my family and faith without mentioning something that has changed my life so much...

There is so much that I've learned from the way that Susan lived life with full devotion, sacrifice and care for those she loved... I have never known a more faithful wife, mother or friend.. Nor have I known anyone who handed out grace so easily; a person who took life's trials and used them as formative experiences and opportunities to make herself better.. If you didn't know Susan, I'm so sorry that you missed out on the experience of her friendship, which turned out to be one of the best things this world has ever had to offer... And if you did...well, I love the words that Susan's aunt said at her funeral. If you were lucky enough to know Susan, you were lucky enough.

Susan's and my life had so many similarities that it was inevitable that are hearts would be linked in some way.. We didn't talk every day.. We saw each other every time traveling brought us near each other or we could find a youth ministry conference we could fit into our schedules. But mainly, we talked when life became overwhelming.. It would make sense that I would miss her most at a time like this...

So to Susan, I'll end this the way we ended every conversation we had: I wish we could live in the same place. I miss you and I love you!

You can see more of Susan's life over at her blog, Griffies Growth

Emma Sheds the Training Wheels

2010-09-24T07:47:00.056-04:00

Since Adam looks to be the hero in these pictures and I'm never in any pictures because he is scared of my camera, I have to tell the real story about Emma learning to ride a bike. We were feeling the pangs of guilt as we finished up the summer knowing that we hadn't met the goal of Emma learning to ride a bike without training wheels. It hadn't been for a lack of trying. I had chuckled under my breath many times as I watched Adam run behind her in the hot South Carolina sun. I lightly made suggestions. But secretly, I was wanting to just once, be the cool fun parent.. So, on a Sept. afternoon when the weather broke a tad, I took a break from spelling word and math fact drilling and force feeding vitamins and took it upon myself to settle this matter once and for all. And, drum roll please: The kid was riding on her own in thirty minutes.. In case you're curious about the secret of my success, I'll post my recipe for successful bike riding teaching below the picture documentation of Emma's big achievement!

Recipe for teaching a kid to ride a bike without having a heat stroke:

1. Find a grassy hill with a slight slope.

2. Lower the bike seat so that the child's feet touch the ground.

3. Have the child simply coast down the hill while holding their feet up. This will teach them to balance and give them the security of knowing they can catch themselves if they lose balance.

4. Once they get a good grasp on balancing while coasting, move them to a flat grassy area.

5. Hold the bike steady as they get set and then give them a push. Do not chase behind the bike, the crazy daddy way..

Where your Treasure is, so is your Heart

2010-09-23T21:46:00.001-04:00

Emma gave Chloe her treasure box. I'm not sure if this is Chloe cherishing her gift or protecting it from being taken back. At least for now, it was a sweet sisterly gesture.

Family Friday-- Chloe's Third Birthday

2010-09-17T14:40:00.012-04:00

I am so relieved I am that I'm able to do this post. I've gotten in the habit of putting things high out of reach of my little miss grabby hands and I misplaced the memory card that had not only Chloe's birthday party pictures but also, her first day of preschool pictures for a little over a week. Whew.. You have no idea what kind of trauma this put my heart through to think that another piece of her childhood was lost (her 1st birthday pictures fell victim to a corrupted memory card. Though, my sister did inform me after a year of grieving, that she had taken pictures as well. Aunt Denise didn't just save the day but the whole year)! But, all is well as I found the memory card on top of the television.

Her only request was that she have a "pink polka dot birthday party". So, we had a small party with Nonna and Pawpaw and Chloe's bestest bud Brenna and the rest of the Cooper family. It was a small enough crowd that kept Chloe out of her shell. Aunt Jan made her the perfect polka dot outfit for the occasion and we dotted the place up. And, not to leave anyone out, she also enjoyed her showering of birthday packages from Nana and Papa and has some cute boots waiting on her from Aunt Denise. As well as a showering of cards from great grandparents.

Still to come, accounts of Chloe's first day of preschool and Emma's shedding of the training wheels!

Blessings,

Dana

Giveaway! $75 Gift Certificate From NOVICA

2010-09-08T21:09:00.004-04:00

AND THE WINNER IS:

CANDICE!

CONGRATULATIONS CANDICE!

Not too long ago, I received an e-mail offering me a $75 gift certificate to try out the new corporate section at Novica Gifts. The e-mail stated that I could use the gift certificate for myself or divide it up as giveaways. $75? Awesome!

What's Novica gifts you say? Well, what do you know? Great minds do think alike! So when I asked myself that question, I headed on over to their site to check them out. Novica is a fair trade organization that has teamed up with National Geographic to connect buyers to artisans all over the world. Novica gives artisans in hard to reach countries a platform to sell their arts and thus, better their lives.

I read the following testimonials from Novica's artists:

Made Wirata

wood sculptor, Bali

"It is like a dream come true to be part of Novica, a place where I am appreciated and positioned at the same level as other international artists. Previously, with my father, brother, wife, and a son, we were living very simply, sharing two rooms in such a small house. Financially we had nothing, but we never gave up hope. Now, I employ five artisans to help me carve for Novica. One of my helpers had been working at a gas station before. He is so happy to put his skills as a carver to use. Slowly but surely our economic situations are getting better. I am now building a larger house, more appropriate for my family. Novica is such a blessing from God, for me and my family."

View items by Made Wirata

Nengah Sudarsana

wood sculptor, Bali

"Novica has created a much better life for me. Before, I could hardly afford to live in a single room home. Now I live in a house with three rooms, and have my own car. Most importantly, I now support many other artisans who work with me. My family and I live a much better life, and five other families now benefit directly from my Novica sales. I am also able to help my relatives, especially the younger children, who now have shoes, clothes, and an education that they couldn't have before. Since joining Novica, I have also grown in my realization of how we as Balinese fit into the whole world picture. Before, I was like a lot of fellow Balinese in that my thinking was centered on Bali only, as if Bali was the world! Now I realize more how we are just a piece of the puzzle. When I read customers' comments about my products, I'm filled with a great sense of well being and pride, to be able to create something that others value. After all, in Bali we are a mere spot in a vast ocean, and I realize this now when I see customer responses from all over the world! Often I look on a map or a globe to see where my customers live. It's amazing that my carvings are now in so many various places, and I am here. It is almost as if part of me has traveled to those other places and is now residing there."

View items by Nengah Sudarsana

Nyoman Naranata

mask carver, Bali

"People may say money is not everything, but in reality, where eating three times a day is a privilege, it is necessary to earn a living. It was heartbreaking to see my family worried to welcome tomorrow. Relying on twice-yearly orders for my living was terrible. At my shop, I would often have no sales for a month at a time. Unexpectedly, Novica came into my life like a bright light, shining over my dark life. Now I earn a steady income, and I'm able to provide a better life for my family. Novica is such a perfect place for a small artist like myself to be appreciated by people around the world. Before, people bought my masks, paid for them, and that was it. It never came into my mind that customers would thank me, and write wonderful testimonials for me, but now they do that too."

And seeing that Novica has served as a way to pull families out of a life of poverty, I fell in love with the company. And since I wanted to do everything I could to spread the word about this company, I went over to the website and purchased these earrings. Which I, not being a jewerly person at all, completely love and wear all the time and get tons of compliments on. Go me, looking snazzy and with a purpose!

Click HERE to read about the artist that made them.

And in hopes of drawing as much attention as possible to Novica, I am giving the $75 dollars a way in one lump gift certificate! So first let me say, please spread the word about this company because it's a good thing to do. And when you're doing your Christmas shopping this year and your torn with whether or not you should get Aunt Sally another sweater that she won't wear, consider purchasing gifts like this from companies like Novica. You might not only buy Aunt Sally her favorite pair of earrings, you can feel good about bettering someone's life and make Aunt Sally feel good about it too!.

But, just to spice it up a little and give some incentive to spreading the word, here's how you can enter.

1. Visit the Novica's Corporate Gift Section and leave me a comment telling me what your favorite item is.

2. For every avenue that you spread the word about this giveaway: IE: twitter, facebook, your own blog, leave me a comment and get an additional entry for every avenue you use to spread the word.

We'll meet back here next Wed. Sept. 15th and I'll announce the winner and if you're the lucky duck, I'll e-mail you a code that will give you a $75 credit with Novica gifts!

Thanks for participating and happy shopping!

Blessings,

Dana

Thoughts on Life and Dirty Diapers

It's a Conspiracy!

PERSPECTIVE - My RESTLESS heart..

Little Pink Lady

Truett Cathy's 7 Reminders for Building Children--A Much Needed Reminder to Me. .

Happy Birthday/First Day of School

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and a Cupcake Holder Lampshade

Emma Donate's Locks Again

The Second Day--Emma's First

Initial Rag Wreath

It Was the First Day of the Third Grade-- And Emma was not there...

The No Title Post

More Pinterest Summer Fun-- Reading Fort

I Believe I Can Fly

Summer Fun

Things That Make Life Worth Living

Happy 8th Birthday Emma!

Sum Sum Summertime

Room Redos and what my blogging lost to...

Wrapping Up Second Grade

Hey Batter Batter

Emma Hits the Ball

This is Not Good. This is Not Good.

April Fools Day

Fashion Show 2011

Since Last Time on Thoughts on Life and Dirty Diapers

Little Darlin..

Visit with the Payne's

What She Said This Time

We Changed the Weather!

Happy Birthday Mom-- 60 years..

Freebie Friday- Photoshop Sticker Templates for Moo.com

Friday's Freebie- Free Photoshop Heart Dandelion Brush

Calling All Moms, I'm Airing Dirty Laundry!!

January Review

Friday's Freebie- Free Photoshop Ipod Skin Template

Thoughts From The Slammer

I Heart Faces Photo Challenge--Innocent Wonder

IF YOU QUOTE ME ON THIS I'LL CALL YOU A LIAR...

Freebie Friday-- Valentine's Day Photoshop Photo Card Template

Family Friday - More Family Photos and the Hinkle Christmas Card

Free Valentine Photo Card Photoshop Template

80's Tacky Day

Blog Hop-- The Secret to My Success With the Family Photos..

Hiatus-- The Hunger Games

New Years Photo Card Photoshop Template

Christmas Eve with Mr. Belton and Mrs. Ruby

Friday's Freebie-- PS Nine Square Storyboard template

Day 2

Christmas of Presence Day 1 Dec. 23rd

A Celebration fit for a King-- An "Advent Conspiracy" Christmas

Tennesee-- November 20th 2010

Friday's Freebie-- Photoshop Four Picture Storyboard Template

Friday's Freebie-- Multi Picture Photoshop Christmas Card Template Download

Freebie Storyboard Template

Shrek the Halls

Family Friday- Steed's Dairy Farm

The Camera Loves You Darlin'..

Christmas Card Freebie

Decorating the Tree

Lights of the South

Nature Hunt

What to Wear Wednesday

Haunted By Questions

Lift Up Your Hearts With a Smile-- It's Family Time

... AND LOVE REMAINS

Rainy Day Activity-- Bathtub Fun

Meet Lizzy

And the other side of Sisters..

Halloween

Her First Love

Sisters

Thoughts on Life AFTER Diapers...

Fun and S'more Fun

Family Friday-- Chloe's First Day of Preschool

Music Therapy.-- The Silence of God

Celebrating Tony

I was lucky enough... Remembering Susan..

Emma Sheds the Training Wheels

Where your Treasure is, so is your Heart