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*