1000 Thanks, cont.

This is a continuation of an exercise I am doing to encourage me (and hopefully you) to remember my blessings...I know, I'm a little slow on the draw

21. God's Word
22. A previous manager, excellent teacher, now a wonderful friend
23. date night
24. bulk cheese
25. community
26. Michael Kelly Blanchard (singer/songwriter)
27. a specific answer to a specific prayer
28. adorable nieces and nephews
29. my Aunt Paula
30. Holidays with family
31. coupons
32. naps
33. easy communication
34. my iPhone - I know, a total luxury
35. reconnecting with an old friend
36. a new day every morning

37. confidence
38. my cats (choosing thankfulness here)
39. digital cameras
40. kids in bed

41. gracious in-laws

42. a white christmas

43. children's cold medicine

44. a holiday break from routines

45. warm beds

46. the Lord's protection on icy roads

47. opportunities to serve others

48. spiritual family

49. knee high socks

50. online tutorials

51. "Jesus loves me - this I know"

52. that my husband never watches boxing or goes hunting

53. garage sale jeans for the kids

54. the play-doh fun factory

55. my laptop

56. bedtime bible stories

57. a cold cola treat

58. cousins

59. digital cameras

60. generosity

P.S. hope your christmas was merry AND white too!

A little about Evelyn

I wanted to post some updated pictures and of course, the most recent ones I could find are from July! Still, something is better than nothing, so these are of Evelyn somewhere around her first birthday which was August 12th. I do have pictures of that (somewhere).
This one is of Evelyn (left) blowing a kiss. The cutie on the right is our neighbor's girl - whose name I will omit out of respect for their privacy. She is about 4 months older than Evelyn and much more mobile. This is a somewhat rare moment of joy between them, but I'm pretty sure they will one day be fast friends if I can keep her parents around. I sure hope so because it is really nice having another mom so close.

Here are some CURRENT things Evelyn is doing at 15 months:

• Finally crawling up the steps
• Pulling up on her own (these are both very new)
• Saying "hap-py" "shoe" "sock" "up" "down" "please" "cheese" "baby"
• Signing more; please; all done; eat; and drink
• eating her all her lunch and her sisters' too. the other day she ate an entire Arby's Jr. Roast Beef sandwich
• Roaring like a lion - for some reason she thinks that's the sound all animals make
• Singing a lot. She is very musical.
• Playing mommy with her babies
  
• Being generally delightful

I'm so blessed to have her. I have to remind myself to slow down and pay more attention to her sometimes because she is very rarely demanding of it. She and Elisa are starting to entertain each other fairly well which is so nice!

One Thousand Thanks

I've been enjoying Shawna's participation in the 1000 thanks and felt it would be good for me personally to document some of my own blessings. I don't know if there are any rules or guidelines for this, but the concept is pretty simple. I've been encouraged lately to "choose happy" and thankfulness is a key component in that. So, here goes the first installment in no particular order...

1. my "hap-py" baby girl
2. a husband with a servants heart
3. good neighbors
4. my sister, my friend
5. failed plumbing
   
6. the longevity of my grandparents
7. a long, hot shower
8. free bread, milk and eggs!
9. tangled curls
10. Bible Study Fellowship
11. a good relationship with my mother
12. "new" finds from the salvation army
13. a deep freeze (finally!)
14. a job I love
15. a few stolen minutes to myself on the computer
16. appleTV
17. willing babysitters
18. laundry (choosing happiness here!)
19. space heaters
    
20. fall days

Thanks for reading!

Congratulations Shane & Sarah

Congratulations to Shane and Sarah Powell for successfully producing a Powell heir (God bless them). He was born a healthy 6 lbs 10 oz and 19" long on October 26th. It's taken me a while to post this because it took them a while to settle on the name!

Welcome to the family
Tyson Riley Powell!!!

You are Invited

Wondering what we've been up to? For one thing, we are getting ready for the Fall Conference at ETBC on October 24th and 25th with Scott DeGroff of Topeka, KS. We are really excited about the response we seem to be getting, especially with the youth. I'm wondering why I haven't heard from YOU about coming? My house is still open so make plans to get here and you can stay with me! Who needs updated pictures when you can see my adorable offspring in person?

Earlier this summer I wrote about conference memories from my own childhood. I'll bet you have some too. Consider the value of bringing your family to other assembly conferences. Yes, I know traveling with little ones can be daunting. But, sometimes I thinking about it makes it harder than it really is. Family vacations and pleasure trips don't seem to let that get in the way, why should fellowship with the Lord's people?

The hospitality experience of both hosting and visiting conferences is so important for children to really understanding the concept of servitude. Additionally, I think there is no better testimony to the unity of the body than the ability to get together with virtual strangers (and sometimes good friends) and enjoy the Lord in a conference setting.

So come and be encouraged. Oh, and if you don't want to stay with me, I won't be offended. You can contact Marcie and Seth for housing arrangements. And if the fellowship isn't enough to entice you - Adriel and Efren will be cooking for us!

And if you can't come-I don't need excuses. But make a resolution to visit someone else's conference this year. It's encouraging to them too! You'll find me in Topeka, KS in November!

Head on over

to Christina's blog and see very updated pics of my kiddos!

Amazing Mascara

So you may or may not find this interesting, but I've been wanting to share this for a while. Every time I use my new mascara (actually I'm on the second tube) I think "I need to tell everyone how wonderful this stuff is!" So I'm telling you, you need to try this stuff...
Loreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes.

I really can't describe how different this is from conventional mascara until you try it. But, I can tell you these things I love about it: it will not smudge or flake; you cannot cry it off or tear it off on a windy day; it lengthens and thickens; it doesn't aggravate my contacts; and you still don't need eye makeup remover to take it off!

and you can get $1.00 off coupon on the loreal website as well!

Conference Challenge(s)

Remember when you were little and the family all packed into the back of the station wagon and drove for hours and hours to go to another town to go to church! Okay, perhaps that memory is a little specific to me, but I'll bet you have something similar.

Now I don't have a very good memory, honestly, but I have these impressions of conferences. Impressions of excitement to play with old friends; the interest of a road trip and a different schedule; good food (and some bad); and more. I think my favorite part was the neat people we usually got to stay with. The FELLOWSHIP.

When I was little, we went to a lot of conferences. In places like Wichita, Topeka, Dallas, Baldwin City, Oklahoma City, and Guthrie. I would estimate we travelled to at least 3 or 4 conferences per year. This was my dad's idea of a vacation I think. But you know what? Even though I was little, I still remember some of those messages really good points that stuck with me. And, I remember the relationships that our family formed through the travel.

So I have two questions for YOU. Comment, or better yet, blog about it and send us a link in your comment!

1. What is your favorite conference memory?

2. When was the last time you and your family went to another assembly's conference?

More to come on this topic!

I'm so happy

and here's the reason why...

This spring, I had tree guy quote the removal of three obnoxious and rather sad trees in my front yard to the reasonable tune of $650. However, it was pretty much a futile exercise because about the only way I could afford it would have been if it was $6.50. Have I mentioned that we have 30 trees in our yard and we cut down 6 last year?

Last week I got a notice that our local electric company would be in the neighborhood to evaluate trees and power lines. That's when the scheming began. None of these trees really come anywhere near the power lines, but they do run under them...

Today he (his name was Eric) was in my yard so I went outside to work on him. As Eric walked through, he mentioned that they would trim (scalp) a silver leaf maple that I love. He told me all the reasons why I shouldn't love it and said that he really wanted to cut it down, but needed my permission. I said I'd have to think about it because so far, it's been a beautiful tree.

When we got to the front, he said he would be trimming one of my offending trees. I batted my eyes and mentioned my woes with the three of them. He said "I tell you what, if you let me take that maple, I'll cut down these three for you too." GOTCHA! "Maybe I could do that" I said. "Will you haul off the wood?" "If you want us to." Eric replied. "Then it's a deal!"

Sweet!!!

(unrelated P.S. I posted pictures of the girls this month but apparently no one noticed them. If you didn't see, scroll on down and catch up)

posts that never were

Blogposts I've wanted to share with you but haven't had time to get out of my fingers. Comment and let me know which ones are worth pursuing in the future! Or, if everyone has given up on this blog I guess I'll get to them as I can because I haven't (given up, that is). I'm eternally optimistic although I'm pretty sure it's only in my dreams I'll get to them all.

• Amazing mascara you've got to try
• Why I'm always on the computer but never blogging!
• The worst cooking day EVER (i've got pictures)
• How do I love JBF, let me count the ways...
• Adventures in Pilates
• Lessons from the Life of Moses
• Conference Challenge(s)
• Square Foot Gardening
• Why I hate to love the iPhone

It's a Boy

I feel it's blogworthy to note that there will be a new baby Powell this year, and praise the Lord, it's a boy. Even more praiseworthy, thank God it's not mine! Congratulations to Shane and Sarah!

Pictures!

Sorry that these are all iPhone pics, but it's all I got. I still haven't unloaded pictures off the real camera this year. For some reason I am just itching to blog right now and I can't because of picture guilt. So I hope this appeases the *masses*

The Semi Annual Update

Well, It looks like I have officially become a non blogger. My birthday was this month and I sort of reviewed my new years resolutions. I have totally failed on my blogging resolutions, but on a more positive note I have started recycling. It takes considerably less time. At least I'm making progress somewhere.

I feel like I'm too busy to blog, but was horribly ashamed by Anna's recap of her last 4 years. I have no idea how she is coping with so much change in her life. Baby #2 and the 2 year old seem to have done me in. Nevertheless, I had an unusually productive day so I'm going to end it with a brief post to update you if you haven't yet given up on reading this poor blog.

In the last six months...

I quit my job to work my business "full time" which consists of one office day a week (Wednesday) when I can get it :)
We planted a garden: I have 2 tomato blossoms and haven't killed anything...yet.
I've made a new friend across the street.
Evelyn is weaned, sitting up and clapping. 10 months NO TEETH!
My fledgling business, Communicate Creatively participated in its first trade (wedding) show
Elisa is an adorable, determined chatterbox with very strong "opinions"
I'm taking pilates with Calista who is an excellent instructor
I missed Sarah's wedding (soooo sad, I'm sure this will be a lifelong regret)
We filled a 20 cu.ft. dumpster with crap and yard clippings on our "vacation"
I'm recycling and composting and using the attic fan

I'm sure there is more, but yesterday is as big a blur as six months ago! Here are some pictures too...nope sorry. Apparently we haven't unloaded any off our poor camera in the last six months. Maybe next time!

and finally...

I can't tell you how many blog posts are floating in my head and simply lacking the time and effort to come out. However, I am betting what you all really want to see are some pictures. We just unloaded them off the camera from as far back as late September, which is like 90% of little Evelyn's life!

Elisa has also celebrated her 2nd birthday in the months since my last picture post. Here is a picture of her with two of her favorite friends and her good little sister on that day. She is such a little fireball and constantly keeps us on our toes! Thankfully, for now anyways, Evelyn seems more mellow. I'm sure she'll be catching up to her big sister in no time!