Frenzied Fun

Today felt like a whirlwind. Between my kids at work, trying to read Crazy Love for a study with fabulous staff ladies, helping with dinner, sending some birthday wishes and tidying up my room, I am pooped. But I did have a lot of fun and felt I received many blessings, such as: my own personal workout program designed by none other than the eco-friendly and health savvy Brandi Lundy, getting to spend some extra time with some of my favorite people, having multiple children's books read to me, and getting a much tidier room thanks to my dear love and two sweet ladies. Also, drum roll please, my curtains are finished and hung up in my room! How great are the people around me?! I couldn't have asked for a much better day.

Throwing something new into the mix

Friday: Girls' craft night at the church. (I made my last curtain panel for my bedroom, yeah)
Saturday: Hamburgers at J's(if you haven't been there you need to go), Paper beads, metal rock fashion show, metal music concert and wii tennis.
Sunday: Catan card game, more paper beads and tax info.

So, my weekend started out and ended like what I think most people would expect a weekend to look like for me: some do-it-yourself projects, eating at a quaint hamburger joint with my roommate and fiance, hangout time with some friends and a little business thrown into the mix. Oh, but wait! What is that there in the middle?! Yes, I went to a metal fashion show and concert that a friend of Evan and mine's was having with his wife. Definitely not my normal scene, so I was a little nervous at first, but then I was so excited. I was ready for an adventure and a chance to see people outside of my comfort zone. The fashion show was a little (or a lot) too immodest for my taste, but I was really impressed because most of the outfits were beautiful and wonderfully crafted and I would have worn a couple of them, but maybe with a pair of jeans or tights underneath. There was also this amazing and gorgeous apron that I fell in love with and if I had been sitting in the first row I just might have plucked it right off of that model. Then there was the music. Oh the music. I am not really, or at all a fan of what is referred to as screaming ( The closest I can come to describing the sound for those of you, mom, who may not have heard it before, is similar to that of an old man coughing a single-sounded long, raspy-from-the-depths-of-your-throat cough). While not so caring for the screaming, I did in fact enjoy the instrumental parts of the songs, much to Evan's delight. Even though it was not my style, I felt an appreciation for this event and what these people were doing, because here were my sweet brothers and sisters in Christ who were sharing His good news in a way that God made special for them-through their music. They had beautiful craftsmanship and beautiful heart. How wonderful is it that our good father can reach out to everyone in the ways that speak to their interests and personalities. How wonderful is it that instead of feeling the need to assimilate we get to be liberated and glorify him in differences.

Then sings my soul

How beautiful and stunning is the God who gives me sweet prayer time with two of my disciple-ees.

Pulling it together

Wake up late because I stayed up too late (silly me).
Plan outfit while lying in bed trying/praying to be joyful and excited about going to work.
Can't find pants that were planned for outfit.
Find pants folded in bottom of laundry basket with clean clothes.
Find small white spot on the upper butt region of pants; figuring they must be clean, it might be flour, and that shirt will cover spot, put on pants.
Get everything ready go and look in mirror to put hair up.
See big spot of glitter glue on pant leg.
No time to change, grab wet wash cloth and scrub off as much glitter as possible.
Walk out the door and realize glitter is from Bear Trap and pants aren't clean.
Gross. If only my boss knew just how deep my excellent "professional" look really goes. At least they don't smell like tuna.
Wait; are the other clothes clean in the basket?
Get asked by one of my least enjoyable (to put it nicely) students if I'm pregnant. (Don't get excited mom; I'm not pregnant.)
Feel like throwing up. (Really, I'm not pregnant)
Realize since park is unavailable on the 24th that the wedding might need to be moved to the 31st and that I would have move at the same time as my wedding.
Now I really want to throw up.
Becca brings me orange juice.
I feel loved and thankful.
Evan makes me dinner and watches a silly cartoon with me. (Thanks Daniel :)
My heart is happy and surrounded by comfort from the beautiful people Jesus put in my life.

Pudding anyone???

It truly is amazing how one can create so much drama over one's own cooking when "disaster" happens. Right, Lisa? :) I am making my aunt's cream puff dessert for a luncheon at work tomorrow for a lady who is retiring. Not only is it a cream puff, but it is a diabetic friendly cream puff. Everything is perfect and I have even made parts of it before Challenge so I won't be up late tonight. Lo and behold, disaster strikes! As I am putting the creamy pudding mixture on I think it looks awfully runny, but think maybe it needs time to set up and then I realize I think I was supposed to use a big box of pudding. (Enter over-dramatic scene, or maybe just one over-dramatic person): Brandi: Oh it is ruined! Evan: Honey, it will be fine. Brandi: No it won't and now all the ladies will judge me and are going to think I don't know how to cook and they think it is because I am not married. Evan: Brandi, they are not going to judge you. Yadda yadda and an unsuccessful trip to dillon's just before midnight because they are closed and no more pudding for me. I trudge home, sure my dessert is ruined and then it happened. I realize, they had to have made pudding at home before it was boxed so there must be a recipe, and if there is a recipe I'm sure it is online. And there it was. Five minutes later, thanks to the microwave and internet, out pops my homemade vanilla pudding (it is actually quite easy) and my cream puff is saved. (Exit drama) Praise God for he is patient, wise and loving when I am ridiculous. And Evan too. Evan is patient, not ridiculous.

Fifth grade fun

So I work with 5th graders; yes they are challenging (by they I mean a select few), but I do enjoy watching their personalities come out and seeing all the things they do in their own way. Today the teacher had them make assigned 3-dimensional shapes out of play dough. Right up their alley.....I thought. It was cute and hilarious because they were trying so hard, but most often the end result of a rectangular pyramid appeared to be that of a square that someone attached a tall spike to and then dripped melting cheese all over it. I never would have thought being able to make play dough 3-D shapes would have RAISED my cool points. Isn't fifth grade math great?!

Blogger Beginner

So, I have to admit that I am probably as shocked as anyone that I am embarking upon the adventure of blogging. My best friend is overseas and I am horrible at keeping in touch with people, so naturally the solution to that is to keep a blog. :) I don't really like New Year's resolutions, so I consider this a goal and lifestyle transformation. I am still designing my page, but will try to keep it updated with posts in the process. Welcome to my blog and happy reading!