twas a great weekend

Yes I realize today is Tuesday, which falls two days after Sunday, which is a little late to be mentioning the weekend, but hey, let's go with it, ok?

Remember that commercial we all grew up with of the frying pan and the egg...this is your brain, and this is your brain on drugs?

Well picture a ball pit at Chucky Cheese's as I make this statement:

This is my brain (the ball pit at Chucky Cheese) and this is my brain when I'm trying to make preparations to leave two small children for another country for a week. Enter the image of about ten wild toddlers jumping and throwing balls all throughout the ball pit.

So all I can say is I apologize in advance in none of my thoughts make sense today. I'm hoping if I dump some of them here then I'll be able to free up a little space. ha!

So back to the weekend. What a wonderful weekend of doing nothing in particular. It started Friday afternoon when I did a little blog browsing while the girls napped. Oh my word yes! They actually both napped at. the. same. time. and it was glorious!

But I read this post and almost wet my pants. Do you know Jami Nato? If you don't, you must start reading her blog immediately. She is hilariously transparent and real and this story was one of my favorites. It is called One Glorious Night and is about the time her dad found a boy in her sister's bedroom at 2 am. It reads like it was taken from a scene out of Parenthood. You must read it. You must! Just don't be drinking anything carbonated when you do because it will sting as it comes back out of your nose from laughing so hard.

Later that afternoon we baked some of these deliciously wonderful treats. Ashley brought us some last week and she kindly shared the recipe and they are so good. For a brief minute your mouth will be in a state of confusion. Is this a brownie? Is it a cookie? Could it be both??

Why yes, yes it is.

It is a Fudgy Brownie Cookie and you should do yourself a favor and make a batch tonight.

We took them to a little shin-dig we had going on Friday night. I was responsible for bringing the chocolate. ;)

Do you know how many e-mails it takes to organize a girls night with four moms and eight kiddos?

I'll tell you.

*32*

32 e-mails over the course of 48 hours to be exact.

And most of them went a little something like this:

Is somebody bringing chocolate? And I think we need wine too.

How many bottles do you think? I have two I can bring.

Ok, I need tonight to get here soon...

How early is too early to come over?

Yay!!!! I'm sooooo excited!!!! :)

We were in desperate need of a little girls-night in... can you tell? Although I don't know who was more excited, the mommies or the kiddos. (Or the daddies! They got together for their own guys-night out.) Although it was decided that next time the kiddos are staying home with the dads while we ladies get to go out for the evening.

The pizza pajama party got a little wild. ;)

There may or may not have been some dancing on tables...

I think the littlest partier was swiping AC's drink in this picture. I can see the top of his little head and the expression on her face tells it all.

Once we got the masses fed, we tucked them all in for a movie hoping for a quieter evening so we could catch up, but it only lasted about 10 minutes before they were up again to play dress up.

So the rest of the evening looked like this:

stuffing dolls while trying to keep little feet from knocking over wine glasses and trying to catch a few minutes here and there to actually carry on an adult conversation.

But it was a fun night regardless and I love these precious friends and their sweet kiddos. And seriously, next time it is the guys turn to host the kiddo pizza party... just saying.

Saturday morning Will took the girls to Monkey Joes so I could clean the house in peace and quiet. It was amazing how much I can get done with two entire hours all to myself.

And there is really no way to transition into this so let me just awkwardly move forward introduce you to our new favorite snack. Frozen Mango. It's addicting so don't say I didn't warn you. I don't even particualry like mango, but this stuff it so good. It is sweet and cold and taste like little pieces of sorbet. I think I polished off an entire bag by myself on Saturday while reading this:

I can't put it down, which is actually a problem since I need to be packing, stocking the freezer with meals, finishing up dolls, etc. I gave this book to my sister for Christmas and she gave it back to me 2 days later. Finished. And she warned me then not to pick it up until I had the time to be able to read it because I wouldn't be able to put it down. So when do I decide to start it? Only the most busy week we've had since Christmas. ;) I must resist the temptation to read some more tonight so I can start packing.

And speaking of packing...I can't believe my luck! I'm home all the time and the one week I'll be gone and my white hydrangeas will be in full bloom. I look forward to this annual event each year.

I love me some white hydrangeas. I'm obsessed. They are, by far, my most favorite of all flowers. When Will and I got married, all I wanted was white hydrangeas, in the church, for my bouquet, on the reception tables, you name it. And when we bought this house we discovered not one, but two bushes in our yard! They bloom only once in the spring and low and behold it will be the week I'm gone that they will be at their peak. It seems early this year, but maybe it is the unseasonably warm weather we've been having. It isn't even April yet and already feels like June, which is a little disconcerting to me.

You see I've already been thinking about what kind of party to have for the girls in May (we are only down to 6 weeks people and if you want to do a party on a budget you have to start planning early to take full advantage of those 40% off coupons from Hobby Lobby!) It is going to be a baking theme (thus the colorful cups pictured above) and I was planning on having it outside again this year (possibly on our front porch?) but with weather this hot, I think everyone would melt into a big puddle within the first 15 minutes. So it is back to the drawing board for ideas...

And last, but not least, this little escapade was how we ended our weekend at 11:34 pm on Sunday night.

Is this little angel sleeping?

Why no, she is not.

Let's take a closer look at this shot, shall we? With the background in focus this time:

Yes, that is what I found when I went to check on our little Picasso before heading to bed myself on Sunday night. Seems she had smuggled a blue crayon to bed and did a little doodling because she couldn't sleep.

She seemed remorseful once I discovered her little project. Just look at that tear running down her nose. How pitiful...

ha!

Oh my goodness, she keeps me on my toes.

Does anybody know how to get the crayon to come off the wall?

I've tried everything and this must have been one super special crayon that does not wash off easily.

Looks like I may be re-painting her bedroom when I get back next week.

Hello Dolly!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Oh my what a blessing you all have been!! Thank you so much to each and every one of you who has sponsored a doll!!!

I did not anticipate such a wonderful response! In fact, you all tripled the number I had orginally estimated so it was back to Hobby Lobby this afternoon to purchase more fabric and stuffing!

Now I'm just trying to figure out how to fit them all in my suitcase. :) I will most definitely be packing all of my personal things in my carry-on so my suitcase will be completely filled with DOLLS!

This is just some of what I've been working on the past few days.

Now the pressure is on to get some great pics of some very excited little girls. I have still been a little nervous about the trip, but thanks to all of your sweet comments and emails, and the fact that I will have my own personal toy store to take with me, I'm really really excited to be going.

:)

Tiny little doll arms and legs are scattered all over the house. I have recruited Will and Anna Cate to help me too. Will turns the legs right side out while Anna Cate stuffs them. And for those of you who know me and my neurotic t.v. will turn your brain to mush so we will not watch it in this house rule (and by we I mean the girls), well it has totally flown out of the window this week. The girls and I have watched more episodes of Madeline while stuffing doll arms and legs that I care to admit. In fact, I can hear Caroline back in her bed right now playing (as she is suppose to be going to sleep) saying "Pepito, Pepito! It is me, Madeline!" in her best french accent. ;)

We are all very excited and thankful for all of your encouragement, prayers, and the opportunity to take all of these dollies down to Nicaragua in a few weeks. Now I need to get off the computer and back to the sewing machine if I'm going to have them all done in time.

I think this is where I will be all weekend!

;)

21 days and counting...

So I went and said yes to something really big. And at first I said no, and then I said no again. But Will reminded me about that verse about fear. You know, the one I so reluctantly claimed at the beginning of the year? The one I didn't want to take on for fear of what the Lord might do to teach my heart exactly what these words mean:

But now, this is what the Lord says

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Isreal: "fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

Isaiah 43:1

Yes, that one.

A little over a month ago, my sister and I sat alone in the late service because Will and the girlies were home sick. It was the end of the service and we were singing (and I can't even remember now what song exactly), but an incredible peace came over me and I felt like the Lord was confirming that I would be going to Nicaragua in March.

Um..I'm sorry, what?? Where in all the world did THAT come from?

I had no desire or plans to be going to Nicaragua in March.

At all.

In fact I think I remember stifling some sort of a nervous giggle because it was so far fetched of an idea.

I knew our church was taking a team down there to do medical missions and to dig a well, but that was the exent of my knowledge about the trip.

It really was quite surreal and honestly, a little spooky. I didn't even bother telling Will about it when I got home because #1) if the Lord really had that in store for me then I knew He would make that clear and take care of all of the details without any assistance on my part and #2) because I was fearful that if I told Will about it, he would actually push me to go and I was about 90% sure that I did not want to go!

So imagine my delight when I was approached a few days later by a precious friend in my small group who wanted to know if I would be interested in helping her make skirts for the team to hand out to the girls in Nicaragua.

Ah ha Lord! I thought. That's what you meant! I'm suppose to be helping with the skirts, not actually going on the trip!

Whew! What a RELIEF!

About an hour later, we returned home and Will stopped by to grab something he needed for a meeting. As he is walking back out the door he casually mentions how he had lunch with a friend from church who was part of the team who went to Nicaragua last year and how much it would help if they had more people going who could speak Spanish. And then he says, I think you should consider going, or at least try to help out with the Spanish classes they are offering to prep the team going down there.

And there it was.

No, no, nooooooooooooooo!

Lord, do you realize what you are asking? What if I leave the country and they don't let me back in? I have a 4 and 2 year old!

Fear not...

I'm no where near anything close to being fluent. What if I get down there and can't do it?

Fear not...

What if my roommate snores and I get an intestinal parasite and am miserable the entire time I'm there?

Fear not...

Ugh really? How can I argue with something that He gave the answer to before He even asked the question?

See, I knew this year was going to be interesting to say the least!

So now, a month later, my plane ticket has been purchased and I find myself making preparations to leave the girls and Will to travel to another country at the end of March.

eek!

Now you may be wondering what all of these little dollies have to do with this impending excursion?

:)

Instead of sending out the traditional fundraising letter to family and friends to raise money for the trip, I'm going to let those who are interested in supporting me, sponsor a doll for me to take to Nicaragua to give the little girls down there!!

I know, how much fun, right?? I'm excited now. Really, really excited.

:) :) :)

Anna Cate and Caroline are excited too. They having been helping me with the dolls and will ask me for each one, "Mama, can I keep this one or is this for a little girl in Nicargawgaca?"

Here are the details:

:: $20 sponsors one doll.

::There are five different styles of dolls to choose from and YOU get to pick your favorite for me to make to take with me!

::These little girls in Nicaragua do not have much so it will be a very very big deal to get such an unexpected gift.

:: I'm using a little darker fabric for their skin and dark brown hair so they are custom made especially to look like the girls who will be getting them.

:: I will take lots and lots and lots of pictures so you'll get to *hopefully* see some sweet smiling faces that you helped to create!

So who's in?

:)

If you are interested, please visit www.rosieposiedolls.bigcartel.com to sponsor a doll.

You can purchase directly from the shop with a credit card or Paypal account OR you can just let me know in person which one you want to sponsor.

A great big THANK YOU to all of you who help bring these sweet friends to some precious little girls in Nicaragua! I can't wait to show you pictures...and soon, did I mention we only have 21 days until I leave???