My, My, Where Has The Time Gone???

When I first started this blog I had such high hopes of blogging every week, or at least every other week, but lately I'm pleased with myself if I blog once a month! Sure I haven't had this blog for very long and it's easy to get carried away with other things in life, but I do hope I can get back to blogging at least every other week.

Although I'm currently working part time I feel like I'm rarely home. At least home long enough to throw in a load of laundry and then rotate it an hour later. I guess it doesn't help the situation I have enough clothes to last a month before I desperately need to do laundry so when I need to do laundry it's a HUGE undertaking of multiple loads for just one person's laundry (apparently this is not normal - most of my friends can go a few weeks, but not a month, before they desperately need to do laundry). I try not to be a bad roommate and leave clothes in the washer/dryer for longer than a few hours after they are ready to come out (more so the dryer than the washer... yuck I'm just imagining the yucky sat-in-the-washer-too-long smell!). When I get home I'm usually super tired and watch a TV program as I go to bed. In the mornings (I usually have more time in the mornings because I start late... love it!), I try not to get started on things I won't have time to finish... which means I waste a lot of time doing nothing rather than doing a little to get things done. The other thing that doesn't help my situation of feeling I have no time is Pintrest. Do you know about this website? Frankly, it's awesome! A time waster, but awesome nonetheless.

Pinterest is a website where you can "pin" things that interest you. You can create "boards" of different categories. You get these things to "pin" from websites, so while on the Pinterest website you can click on an image and it will take you to the original website so you can get full details of the image you're interested in. Genius concept if you ask me!

I don't have a Pinterest account because I know I'd spend even more time I don't have pinning things and get carried away with things I'd love to do or ideas for whatever could possibly happen in life, but I do love to check out what other people have pinned. Here's one I recently enjoyed on things this person would like to do in their spare time. I think if I had a Pinterest account I'd pin a lot of projects I'd like to get around to do some day.

Actually I saw a few things I'd like to do for Christmas presents (yes, I know it is February and I'm thinking of Christmas, but if I'm going to make something I have to give myself time to actually make these items). For this project I'm thinking of for Christmas if you have any magazines or junk mail that is colorful I'd love to have it. I'm not sure how much I need, but I'll be collecting these things (if you live in another country other than the US, please send me magazines or anything that has another language other than English - this would make my project all the more awesome!). I'll post pictures of the finished project so you know I'm not a crazy woman collecting trash. I so badly want to post a picture of what I'm thinking I want to do... but I can't because I know family members read my blog! I will show you a few pictures of other things I found interesting and want to try.

Here are a few art projects I'm thinking would be really fun to try:

Canvas Artwork

To achieve this use regular craft glue to create a design. 

Let it dry and then paint over the entire project. 

Super cute and easy. I will try this!

This could be done with children - I'm ALWAYS looking for projects to do with kids!

Cool Tile Artwork

To achieve this use ceramic tiles and dot melted crayons.

(melt the end of a crayon using a candle and then dab the melted crayon on the tile)

I'm not a big fan of word/phrases as decor, 

but I'm thinking an image like a bird or swirly design would be amazing!

Sounds easy... and who doesn't like playing with fire and melted crayons? 

Then we get to the things I honestly could be starting a load of laundry or starting one of these projects instead of looking at these things, but are just so stinkin' funny I must check them out:

Toilet Paper Origami 

I tell ya, I can't make this stuff up!

I do have to say though, I will be practicing my toilet paper origami when visiting your house!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

The Jacket that is also your TENT!

Okay, this one doesn't seem so odd if you're a camper - it could be handy. 

Be honest, to think your jacket is also your tent does seem a little silly at first.

The Yarn Tree

Okay, don't get me wrong - I'd actually consider making a yarn tree to decorate my house.

However, I'm not so sure I'd frame pictures of birds to put "in" my yarn tree.

Wouldn't it be just as cool to just paint the birds, 

or use yarn to create birds to put in your yarn tree?

Okay... maybe this idea should be in my "I'd like to try this some day" section.

Well, there you have it. A small glimpse of why I have three loads of laundry to wash and another three that have yet to be folded and put away. Maybe on my "things to do" list I should include "go through clothes because you might not really need all of these that make up 6 loads of laundry!" - of course that will be right under "make really awesome Christmas presents from trash!"

NOTE: If you have any magazines or junk mail (any paper with printing -languages other than English would be AWESOME!!!- or photos on it, but no newspaper) you would like to donate to my project for Christmas presents I would LOVE for you to contact me and I'll let you know where you can send it. Thank you for your help. My family will thank you once they see how I'm collecting trash to turn it into something really amazing!

Potluck Blog Post

I've been thinking about what I wanted to share in my blog and came up with three things I'd like to talk about - working, VBS and God's plan. Rather than making three entries I'm going to combine them all into one. Think of this as a potluck of blog posts.


It has been a while since I've updated my blog. Life has been a bit busy since I've started working in the office. It is so nice to have a set time of when I'm working and can "turn off" my mind when I'm not at work. This was one reason it was so difficult for me to work and go to school at the same time and why I eventually stopped working while in school (besides a few hours in the church nursery once a week). It is also nice not to have the ever looming homework assignments awaiting my attention. I do think about the office when I'm not working and have small projects I'm working on that are in the back of my mind, but overall it is nice to know if I'd like to "turn those off" I can if I want. My current projects include cleaning out every cabinet and drawer. It's more so organizing than cleaning out, but some things that are obviously trash (like wrappers... who sticks wrappers back in a drawer??? and crinkled copy paper that if used will jam the copier) do get thrown out. Although I love organizing and making sure everything has a place and like items are together it is also nice for me to go through and learn what is already here so I don't go out and buy more. Overall, I love my job. I love I'm serving my church in a way that helps it run smoothly. I love I have time to visit with people when they call or come in. I love I get to send letters to people and hope it brightens their day. On a personal level I love I get to think of outfits to wear to work (something I didn't do when going to school, because it's school and who really needs to get dressed up for school?). On this perticular day I thought Retro Wednesday seemed fitting and tried a new hair style I'm digging!

Retro Wednesday

Side story: I had a little four year old visitor in the office that pointed out she has a red polka dot dress and we should match on Sunday. Who can resist that cuteness??? I'll be matching with a four year old, but it will be so darn cute!

Here's my hair from the back.

When my hair is longer and can all go into the "nest" it will be a cuter hair style, but I think I pulled it off. 

The other thing that is nice about working in the office is as the VBS director for this year's Vacation Bible School I'm in the office four days a week, so I can get a lot of things done while in the office. This year's theme is Incrediworld Amazement Park: A Thrill Ride Through God's Creation. I'm really excited about this year's VBS. I have to be honest though, at first I was really hesitant about being the director. I didn't want to take on this responsibility alone. Vacation Bible School needs a lot of volunteers to run smoothly and I was afraid I'd be heading it up alone. After praying about it I realized if this is what God wants me to do he'll provide the help I need. I still didn't say anything to the pastor because I was hoping somone else would step up and say they'd be the director.

As I was cleaning out the paper closet (which it makes me so happy to look at the organized closet every time I need paper) I kept noticing a pack of neon colored cardstock paper. I wondered when we'd ever use this cardstock, but thought of VBS. Last year I had used cardstock to make the nametags by glueing the name tags on the cardstock and attaching yarn for the kids to wear them around their necks. Although it wasn't the best name tag and some needed repair throughout VBS, it worked for the most part. Well, I figured we could use the neon colors for VBS if the colors matched up. A while later my pastor asked if I'd like the VBS catalog and put it in my mailbox. A few days after he did this I finally took the catalog out of my box and looked through it. What I didn't expect was the colors of a VBS theme to be the EXACT color of the neon cardstock in the closet I had already thought of using for VBS. At this point I knew I needed to be the director and went to my pastor's house where I talked about needing volunteers. Within 10 minutes there was a name for every area of VBS for someone to lead. I knew I was directing VBS and got planning. It has been so nice to know there is time to plan and get everyone on board. The first VBS meeting is in a few weeks and although February may seem early to start meeting for VBS in the summer, it is nice to know everyone will be on the same page.

I'm almost half way finished making the name tags for VBS.

(The green and some of the orange still need to be glued. All I have left is to attach the yarn.)

I like the bright colors of this year's colors.

The last thing I wanted to blog about is how God's plan is so good! I was really sad about not getting the job with MeySen and going to Japan to teach English. The more I think about it the more I realize how much I'm needed right here. Not only in the office and VBS, but to be here with my family and friends. I know someone else could have taken this office job and done just as awesome as I'm doing. I know somone else would have stepped up for VBS and make it just as rockin' as I'm planning. I know someone else would have been here for family and friends. But as I look around at my life right now I know I'm right where God wants me. I may never understand why God wanted me to apply for MeySen knowing I wasn't going to get the job, but I do understand I'm right where He wants me and I can't tell you how sweet this is to be here doing God's will in the plan he's planned all along. I could have moped around, cried, threw my arms up, and threw a tantrum after finding out I didn't get the job, but instead I mourned a little and then asked Him what I was supposed to do. If you feel like you're fighting in life I encourage you to stop fighting and listen to the direction God want's you to go. It's not only much easier this way, life is so much sweeter than ever imagined.