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happy monday.

March 2, 2015

so far it’s been a good one.
i got myself into workout gear and did my Pump workout.
i really wanted to skip. but i had skipped the day before so i couldn’t do that again.
i knocked that out of the way and now i’m working at the Craft House.

last week we had the best date night!
and it was for craig’s work… so technically not even a date.

Avett Brothers came to wichita again!
they are in our top five favorite bands. (probably in the top two…)
this was our third time to see them in concert.
i was smiling all night.
i love those avett boys.
i just watched a ton of youtube videos trying to find the perfect one but i always end up back to the 15 minute session on NPR.
it’s just my favorite.
the BEST part is Seth at 4:30 (ha ha ha)
they don’t sing it like that on the album but ever since i saw this video a few years ago i insist to craig that it be sung that way in the car and with great volume.
🙂
and at the concert… THEY DID!!!

and i bought my first concert t-shirt!

wait….that’s not true.
i bought one at a sandi patty concert in 6th grade… i borrowed money from a friend to buy it…and still owe her that money.
and oh how i wish i had a photo!!!
it was a GIANT oversized shirt with i think a rainbow colored scribbly kind of drawing of SP singing.
it went fabulous with my perm and stir-up pants.
i feel like i’ve shared too much….

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anyway…
craig left the next morning for a ski trip with his friends.
i asked for group selfies and he sent me several. 🙂
i have decided the my love languages are (i have several)
1. going to the movies
2. going to concerts
3. group selfies
4. bringing me hot coffee in the morning

HA.
i am so darn happy that he is out having a good time!
he works hard at everything all. the. time.
this guy deserves a break and time to just have fun!

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with him gone i was in charge of getting annie to her first basketball tournament.
oh boy.
the weather was AWFUL and i was a mess but we made it.
i may have even started crying in the car when we finally arrived safely.
i was mad for several hours at the weather but that does no good does it?
annie did great!
i can’t believe the love that has built in my heart for kids basketball in the past 10 years.
i am so grateful for that.
because if i didn’t have it… these tournaments could be great dividers instead of uniters.

they are 10 years old so everything is still about learning how to play.
everything she said about losing or frustration or missed shots i would answer with some form of:
“you’re learning a lot in every game”
“i liked how you stayed feisty”
“just keep trying”
because you know there are so many parents out there that break your heart at those games.
it’s rough you guys.
they get craaaaazy.
it’s the most bizarre thing to watch go down.

bottom line: she loves basketball.

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this is what happens when you forget to collect the eggs in freezing weather…. bummer.

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lastly…. i HAVE to tell you about a big giveaway with Marta over at FourFitSisters.com!
They are giving away a Les Mills Pump program!!!
that’s worth A LOT of money and also… it’s no longer available!
what a super prize!

Go over to FourFitSisters and enter to win the whole PUMP program!
it’s my favorite workout i have done.
i am getting stronger every workout!
i love knowing i will be strong enough to add all the weight on eventually.
i KNOW IT.

hope your monday is going well.
craft house laundry is half done… planning my meals & workouts for the week… waffle has a haircut today… and a huge list of emails need to be written.

blerg.

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Mindy - Oh for the love of stir-up pants. I had a red pair that I wore with an over-sized white shirt that had red, blue and green full sized handprints all over it. I seriously hope there are not pictures…I can still hear Sandi Patty talking about wanting to be Barbara Streisand – so funny. My first (and only) concert T-shirt is a Steven Curtis Chapman. I wore it out. Lucky you with your recent concert! Since it is far from Monday I will wish you a happy weekend : )

Melissa - Hey Meg,

I wanted to get your real opinion on this workout. I have been over to their site and I was looking at the Pyro workout. My friend which is an exercise instructor said it was really hard.

Do you really like this one you are doing now?

I am not a fan of exercise, but I feel better when I do it. I need to find an exercise program that I can do five days a week just to stay in shape and be able to eat sweets!

So I would appreciate your thoughts.

Warmly,
Melissa

Michelle Deckert Richmond - Kids sports….where we spend a good chunk of our time. I read somewhere the best 6 words to say to your child….”I love to watch you play.” They smile everytime I say this to them. I have 3 girls in hockey and one girl in horseback riding. Michelle from Canada.

jen - Stir up pants! I totally forgot about those….I wore them A LOT and loved them! And I totally agree with you, some of these parents are CRAZY! My son is 9 and into basketball and some of the parents are jumping up and down screaming at the poor kids. It’s insane.

Barbara (WA) - I always cried at Sandi Patti concerts – and I was already an adult 🙂

jill - I think “stay feisty” is going to be my new life’s mantra =)

Lynn - Use those eggs to make hard boiled eggs. They will peel SUPER easy!

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the good & the not-so-good-but-still-good

February 10, 2015

how do you like that post title?!
eloquent is the word i think you are looking for…. ha ha ha

so much has been happening around here.
i bet the same is true for you.

thursday was lauren’s birthday.
she turned 20??? i can’t even wrap my brain around that quite yet.

i went and spent the afternoon with her eating lunch and a little shopping before she had to get to practice.
i brought her a basket FULL of everything she would need to make our favorite chocolate chip cookies.
cookie sheets, hand mixer, oven mitt, measuring cups, teaspoons, rubber scraper, spatula, ALL the ingredients and the recipe.
it was such a fun gift to put together!

we haven’t gotten to celebrate her as a family yet but that is what happens when you’re daughter is 20 and doesn’t live with you. 🙂 we are looking forward to birthday cake and time together soon.

friday was a home basketball game for scott… my favorite.

saturday… talby took the ACT to find out what that is like and she survived.
she’s only a 7th grader but she did it!
i was really proud of her and her smarty pants.
we ran errands all afternoon with the three youngest… including trying on sweatbands.
ha ha ha

then i got to run off with friends for a night of talking and mexican food!
is there anything better?
i NEEEEEEDED that.
i always realize so many things that haven’t been processed when i am with girlfriends.
things that i thought i had worked out but then when they are said OUT LOUD instead of in my brain… there is still a lot there that needs to be dealt with.
friends are so good at that stuff!

sunday… craig and i got to enjoy an overnight alone with no kids!
we had to go to oklahoma city for an iPhone issue that i had… needed a real Apple store.
(can i just say that Apple stores are the coolest places on earth!?!)
after that we went to dinner at Cheever’s.
we had been there before but this time i ordered this… (these pictures are from yelp)
cheever-s-cafe
Quinoa Avocado Salad.
mine had chicken on it…. and OH MY WORD… it was so good.
i want to eat it every day.
forever.

spending time with just mr. duerksen… is pretty much the best thing ever.
we worked on Craft House projects on monday.
and more importantly… we watched Comedians in Cars getting Coffee.
that show!
it’s so dry and so odd but i laughed a lot! i just love Seinfeld.
oh and we watched jimmy fallon clips on youtube forever. 🙂

and now we are back to our regularly scheduled programs of school & ball games & letting the dogs out & picking up kids from the gym & rescuing chickens who escape their coop.
all good things.
it’s just that overnight getaways are way more fun.

this past week i have wrestled a lot with fear and anxiety about speaking at Hope Spoken. (in march)
it’s probably more about comparison or doubt that fear and anxiety.
i am not afraid to stand up in front of people… i don’t LOVE it but i don’t hate it either.

but i have been feeling overwhelmed to speak in front of a bunch of women.
wishing i could hide. wishing i was invisible or never had a blog or no one ever knew who i was.
because you know how women do…. we compare.
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i see all these ladies who are speaking and think “what the heck am i in this group of women for?”
those ladies are spiritual and bible-y. i am a mess.
those ladies look nice and neat and put together. i am a mess.
these ladies have tv shows and big stories and great hair. i am a mess.
i’ve cried.
it’s embarrassing….but it’s the truth.
and it’s probably very unprofessional that i share any of this since i am a speaker.
i know 100% i am not competing with anyone in the group so comparing myself is so stupid.
logically i KNOW the truth of Jesus that he uses the unqualified (well i am definitely that!) and the willing (i am even though i don’t sound like i am)

i did laugh at myself to think that He would ever let me stand in front of women and have no words.
Jesus would never let me waste an opportunity to share about him… not like that.

BUT… there is that other side… the enemy talking to me…nagging and nagging.
he fills my head with doubt and fear.
he says “who are you to share… you know what your kid said to you last week. what kind of a mom are you? why should anyone listen to you?”
or “you read what that commenter said… or that website that hates you… or those people who talk about you… you heard it. it must be true. people wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true”
OR “you don’t even home school. you don’t have bible time with your kids. good moms do that. and really… you barely make dinner.”

these, among many others, are thoughts that went through my mind this week.
for real.

i can talk right back and say “that’s dumb. go away. you suck.”
and i do.
but it’s been constant and that is exhausting.
the enemy will wear you down.
and he has been working on me for months with this.

sunday at church, right in the middle of the sermon our pastor said something like… “often we say ‘God i can’t do this. This is too big’. And we are right. We CAN’T do it. We have to let GOD do the big stuff through us.”
(i don’t know if that’s really what he said but that is what i heard.)
i kept my tears in but i knew that 10 seconds was for me.
i had to say again “God i can’t do this. Please do it for me. Through me. I am willing.”

i still have no idea what He will have me say??
but he reminded me that He never leaves.
he reminded me that there are ALL KINDS of moms… and that i am unique and He made me this way.
he reminded me that parenting teens & big kids is H A R D. they have their own ideas, make big decisions, and don’t HAVE to choose what you think they should. it feels messy and unknown because it is. but it’s not bad… just messy.
He reminded me that HE loves me. No matter if everyone else would hate me… HE loves me. and that is all that matters.
and that all of this is about HIM not me!

So i guess it’s exciting.
it’s not fun… but it’s exciting to continue to watch this unfold in me.
i know that whatever i share at Hope Spoken is going to be exactly what God wants.
because my own ideas and in my own strength it would be “ummm… i don’t know … i have nothing to say”
and that would be a really long 45 minutes.
ha!

i can’t do this. but He can. through me.
and you can say the same thing today about whatever you are facing.
big or little.
“i can’t do this but Jesus YOU CAN through me.”

ok… i have to get some stuff done today.
and it may or may not include a trip to target!
by myself.
🙂

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Jennie - Meg – I can imagine with a blog like this and so many women who feel like they “know” you, that you would certainly at some point wish for some anonymity, or the ability to hide. But I just want to say a big “THANK YOU” for sharing part of your life with all of us! It’s so so refreshing to see a woman celebrating where God has gifted her and being so honest with places she struggles – all with great wit and sincerity. 🙂 A dear friend called me the other day crying as she was reading a mom blog. She felt so “less than” and like a mess. I told her to stop reading!! And then I told her to read your blog…I told her she would be so encouraged and would laugh along the way! So thank you for being real, funny, encouraging, and for sharing your creativity with all of us. Your blog has spurred on the creative side of me that’s so easy to ignore with the day to day tasks of being a mom. The women at that conference will be blessed by God through you!!

Mindy - Wish I were closer so I could attend and hear what God speaks through you. I know it will be great because you have met His requirement – willingness. I love the way you have shared what we all feel at times, even those other ladies on the speaking poster I am sure of. When we are weak He is strong in us, He is our confidence. You (and God in you) will be wonderful!

Deb Meyers - Good Loving on that firstborn 🙂

Valerie @Chateau A La Mode - Love you Meg and your heart! Praying for you! You will be amazing through Him!
xo

Flower Patch Farmgirl - You know how I feel about all of this. 🙂 Love that you shared it all here.

Lora - You’ll be great! I used to read A LOT of blogs but yours is the only one I still read. I’m a mess too so I guess that’s why I love your blog!

Kerry - I think you should say that!! Everything you just said here, say at the conference!

Heidi - “Be not afraid, only believe.” -Mark 5:36. It came from this talk: https://www.lds.org/church/news/antidote-for-fear-know-gospel-will-triumph-elder-holland-says?lang=eng.

“When you have a bad thought about yourself tell it to go to Hell, because that is exactly where it came from. – Brigham Young.”

Thank you for your honestly and being real. So many women look up to you and admire you. How lucky those people will be to hear you speak at the conference! You are going to rock it lady!! You are AMAZING!

Kim - Your message to the people at Hope Spoken should be exactly what you just blogged about! How to be an everyday, ordinary mom and not let the enemy wear you down!

Tanya H - I’m like “there are websites that HATE you??? Who hates you?!” and then I was laughing and crying because I am doing the same battle in my head, tho on a much less public scale…women… sigh.
But you know what? You have so many readers and followers because you’re NOT a mess. You get it. You’re real and you’ve been my favorite stranger-blogger for a number of years now. Thank you for being you and for having this blog and for helping me parent big kids becoming teenagers and freaking me out. 🙂 I’m a better mom because of your ideas. In the summers we make stuff I’ve seen on your blog because you had craft Thursdays! You will be amazing. You ARE amazing.

Tanya - Audience of ONE sweet Meg.
Faith is stepping out first – we know that – He never lets us fall. And over and over again the truth is…we are drawn to what is real and we are drawn to the story…not what is perfect. Big love 🙂 🙂 🙂

Jill - You know, what you said above, that is God speaking through you! Those words touch so many lives. You are serving God and you are still “real.” That’s all of us! If God didn’t work through broken people, then he wouldn’t work through any of us. It has taken me so long to know that God wants to use me too. I just have to surrender. I’m praying for you for this.
And, I can’t believe Lauren is 20!

Amy Woods - and, man, I sure wish it wasn’t sold out already! I would love to go!

karen - You are so sweet and honest, I love reading your blog! Blessings….. 🙂

Lauren - “you barely make dinner…” You made me laugh. You’re a gift, a messy, beautiful, blessed gift.

Amy Woods - All the women who will speak at Hope Spoken are awesome! But guess what? You’re my fave! It is your blog I check daily in hopes of updates. It is your instagram feed that I stalk because I enjoy your sense of humor and love of God, kids, hubbies, chickens and color! I like that you hate exercise but do it anyways. I hear the message the Lord puts through you, because it is YOU I relate to! So hold your head high chicky. And thank you for letting the Lord work through you!

Jenna - Meg, the reason I continue coming back to you and enjoying you so much is exactly because you are real life! My kids are little but you speak to the busy-ness and the just trying to do our best each day. I can relate to you and I truly appreciate that! I don’t thank you enough for that!!

Cindy Singer - I just wanted to know that you encourage me so much! My girls are 13 and 11 and it is hard and messy like you said…but oh so worth it. Thanks for your honesty and kindness through this blog. You’re helping me to get through!

lisa@hooplapalooza - whew what a week. so many difficult challenges…
you say “i can’t do this. but He can. through me.”
and guess what? you just did. for me.
thank you <3 XOXOXO

Tami - Hi Meg, I had to recently speak in my hometown and although I am on tv here in Atlanta and I speak all the time, it was something about speaking where I am originally from that had me go bananas! I guess because I knew it would be high school and college buddies there and family, I was a nervous wreck. I wrote a speech but it didnt seem authentic at all, so I tore that up and spoke from the heart and Lord and behold I got a standing ovation! I couldnt believe it and it was not a dry eye in the room! So that was all to say, let go and let God! You will be fine! Ive been a long time reader of your blog and I know you will do well! xoxo

Kelly - I hear you about fear and anxiety. I was in that place so much for a couple months and wishing I could somehow pray my way out of it with a snap of the fingers but He has been at work in His timing and I feel so much peace now. I know that is not necessarily specific and helpful but HE IS GOOD. Kelly

Michelle from Australia - Meg, you might be a self proclaimed ‘mess’. BUT, I’ve never heard of any of the other folk and I’m a Meg fan. So ‘mess’ and all, if I wasn’t living half a planet away, I’d be hanging off your every word 🙂 You can do this. And you will rock it!

katie - i think you’re great! ….always have.

this messy mom is lifting you up in prayer.

Melanie - Your comment section is so encouraging… just print it out and bring it in your pocket! You’ll do great. I wish we could all hear what you share at that conference. But what I’d really like you to share is the source of the You Are So Loved tea towel!! It’s awesome. And I would love for my kids to have that message hanging in their dorm room some day. 🙂 The power of words. Love it!!

Andrea - Meg, I’m such a fan! I’ve been to the craft house twice with private groups and love to follow your words and thoughts. Why is the negative always louder than the positive? I hope you know that you inspire so many spiritually and creatively! Keep up the good fight and let God strengthen you and your resolve!

Meredith - The very last person I need to hear from at a women’s retreat is a woman who has it all together. I would leave in tears of discouragement and isolation. If I wanted that, I’d look to my instagram feed. We need other women to meet us in our messy trenches and offer to walk beside us and share war stories. I would rather stick pins in my eyes than listen to another mother telling me stories of her children enjoying bible devotions every night over home-cooked organic meals. Share with me your mess and how you’re struggling through regardless and looking to Jesus to bring beauty from the broken places. That’s inspiring. It’s also what you do so beautifully here:) xo

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - Hi sweet Megan. Once upon a time, I found a blog. In that blog I found a girl who loved Jesus, liked pretty things, and didn’t have it all together.

You know what? I really like that girl. She speaks to me more often than not. Well, He speaks to me through her.

I’ll be praying for you. I so wish I was going to be there so that I could smile at you from the front row.

Sara W - A speaker at the IF Gathering this weekend said, Faith doesn’t erase our fears – it overcomes them! Hoping that you can believe that your faith will overcome your fear!

Cheryl Jaeger - I love what your minister said…and/or what you heard…“often we say ‘God I can’t do this. This is too big’. And we are right. We CAN’T do it. We have to let GOD do the big stuff through us.” Make all that negative noise be quiet and just listen to your heart. You will do great!

Jenni - No ONE wants to hear a speaker that seems to ‘have it all together’, we all know its not true. Just reading this post feels like a good place to start on what you’ll share….how to believe truth when you feel attacked. Sharing a few stories about how that has looked in different seasons of your life. EVERYONE can relate to that. Share your heart, let Jesus do the work in the lives of your listeners. That. IS. Hope. Spoken. Blessings Meg!

Jenna - You rock! I wish I could go to Hope Spoken to hear you talk – I am sure it will be great! I truly look up to you and hope one day I can parent half as good as you do. Sure, I don’t see all the behind-the-scenes, day-to-day life, but I love how honest and real you are. Thank you for also sharing that with God in us, we can do anything!

Alison - thank you for putting into words exactly how I have been feeling but didn’t realize I was actually feeling. Does that make sense? You are amazing! You got this!

Lisa - Meg I’m going to hope spoken just because your there. If you were on stage and just sewed I’d be thrilled. Seriously! Plus I promise I’m not a stalker. I just love your creativity. You are unique and I just love your uniqueness.

Nikki - Um, the reason I love your blog is because you are not all spiritual and bible-y. You LIVE your faith, down here in the messiness of real life. That is SO inspiring and, to me, way more interesting. You will be great.

Jenny B. - Meg, I am sure you are right and God will give you just the right words to share at Hope Spoken. And even after you say them all, you might feel like they were not all that great, but someone (or likely lots of someones) will feel like it was exactly what she needed to hear. Also, when I think about you, I think YOU are spiritual and bible-y. YOU look nice and neat and put together (because I love your glasses and your colorful eclectic-yet-attainable-at-Target fashion sense). And you may not have a TV show, but I think YOU have great hair! 🙂

Hannah - i would pick you FIRST out of any of those women…because you are so REAL and i don’t feel alone when you are honest!! your blog is awesome and i love your life/family stories! YOU WILL BE AMAZING! i only wish i could be there to hear! YAY FOR YOU!!!!!

Kobi - Thank you so much for those words of courage in the face of fear. You spoke right to my heart today.

Corinne - I think you’re great!

Stephanie - Meg, you are so honest and real. Many others would shy away from telling the world how they are really feeling and the fears that they have about doing big tasks for the Lord. The enemy is going to attack you because he is afraid and he knows that you are going to do amazing things for Christ & are going to glorify His name. Those are flat out lies, keep reminding yourself that. And you are right, God does use the unqualified or the seemingly ordinary but that is because He will be glorified. This so reminded me of Esther 4:14 “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” God used Esther who was unqualified and ordinary to do this huge amazing thing and He will do the same for you. Thank you for sharing your heart and I will be praying for you as you prepare for Hope Spoken

Laura h - Just remember this little expression
“Comparison is the thief of joy”

patty - You can do it. YOU ARE AWESOME!

Analene - Awe… sweet friend.
I won’t be there but if I were, I would so appreciate the Holy Spirit’s whispers to my heart through you. A real person. A real woman. A real wife and mama. Just a girl who loves Jesus.

His truths are always best displayed from the unlikely places – that’s what makes HIM so wonderful! I’m excited for you, and for those privileged to participate with you in this adventure.
Wish I could be there too.

Hugs from me~
just another girl.

chrissi - you make me laugh. you a mess? i think i am a mess when i read your blog. i guess it is all relative. you inspire me so much. i love your energy. your love of the Lord. the fierce love you have for your family. i would be over the moon to listen to you talk at hope spoken. you so have this one♥

Abby H - Thank you Meg! I needed to hear this today so much! You are a blessing to many 🙂

Amy - You know what? I am messy too, and I need to hear you to realize it’s ok and we’re doing our best. Keep your head up! You can do this! 🙂

Tere - 1. Happy Birthday Lauren. Crazy. 20! My bigs are only 16, and I don’t look 1/2 as hot as you 😉
2. Oh, Meg. Hope-Spoken. You will be amazing! You hear me, AMAZING! You have everything you need. Just show-up as you. That is who we love. That is who He loves. You can do this. Be brave.
xoxo, tere

Sharon - great read. thanks! we women just can’t ‘turn it off’ in our heads. always thinking, we are! an all-time favorite quote on comparing, to ponder — “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt theprincipledtypeblogspot.com

hope - not good, but SOOOO good. you’re right

oh man, our sunday sermon was about ‘addressing the issue of accusing thoughts’ (from satan essentially). it was super duper good. I’ll pass along once edited and uploaded. STAY TUNED

[ps GREAT post, thanks for sharing, hit home for me today]

Ellen R - Oh, and have you been to the Paseo in OKC? It’s just north of Cheever’s. Paseo is OKC’s art district. Based solely on the internets, I feel like you would LOVE it 🙂 And the Mesta Park and Heritage Hills neighborhoods right there are BEAUTIFUL!! Old houses with lots of character!

Gina - Meg, I am glad you shared how the enemy has been hammering you with doubt. Every Christian, male and female can relate to this. We need to share it with each other so we can lift each other up in prayer and so we don’t think we are the only ones!! When Jesus was in the wilderness and satan was speaking lies to Him, Jesus didn’t argue with the devil He presented the Truth – God’s Word!! Maybe you can find a few verses that speak Truth to the lies and memorize them. Like, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” and “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” 🙂 Another one that just popped into my mind is, “He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.” You (through Christ) can do it!! 🙂 Now, go forth and conquer!!

Ellen R - We LOVE Cheever’s!! It’s our “big” date place! My husband gets the chicken fried steak and I get the lobster mac and cheese!! Neither healthy, but YUM!! If you’re in that area again you should try Big Truck Tacos…it’s just down the street from Cheever’s and it is the BEST!! My fave local OKC spot!! Very fresh and unique…good healthy (and not healthy) options!!

Ann - I love your blog, decorating style, and your thoughts you share. Isn’t it interesting that we all feel that way at times? You are right on about the source of where those thoughts come from. I think of all the people that rely on us & how much we try to serve those around us & yet we are so aware of our shortcomings. It’s something I struggle with all the time. I always appreciate the way you remind us of God’s love.

s - I have never been to a conference, but if I did go, you are the exact person I would want to hear because you seem soo real. Aren’t most of us a hot mess? I like to think I am not alone in this, but just one of many making many mistakes but trying our best!

Be confident- you will be amazing, you really will. You can always go listen to Shake It Off until you really do shake it off…

Jenn - Oh my gosh! I’m so with you. The doubt and the frustration. Thinking you aren’t good enough and don’t do enough and that you yell at your kids. I know God picked me to be a mom to my girls because he knew I could do it and would be the best mom for the job. That I would show them how to be the best they can be and to have faith and to turn to God when they need help. But the doubt and the frustration sets in and you start to think why, how am I suppose to do this? You hit the nail on the head….because He wants us to ask Him for help and to let Him take over. I love that He lets me start over and He shows me that keeping the faith will prevail and He will prevail in me and lead me to the life he wants for me. He’s good, very good. Thank you for sharing…you are so awesome and brave. They will love you just like we do!

Christin - Thank you for your honesty and encouragement. I needed to hear this today!

jaime - you got this mama. cause He’s got you!
the enemy only attacks hard & relentlessly because you are an obedient daughter who is advancing the Kingdom of Chirst … if you weren’t loving & serving Jesus why would he mess with you? #fistbump love ya.

Rachel - Meg, you are wonderful. And real. And people WILL relate to that. You are no messier than the next gal. And out of all the ladies on the list, YOU would be the one I would most want to hear from. I know other women feel this way too! That dirty rotten devil is a horrible jerk. Your story matters:) God will definitely bring you thru this! You got this girl! 🙂

kassondra - Reminds me of that Toby mac song steal my show.

SoCalLynn - I would love to attend a women’s conference where you are speaking! I have had to do some hard things over the last couple of years, things I never thought I would be able to do, but God was with me and gave me the right words and His strength every time, and I know He will do the same for you. You will be speaking to women who already know and love you and are for you!

beth - I love you Meg, I love you for being honest and real and Amazing!

Kristin S - You’re a mess? I’m a mess. You are who I want to hear from at a women’s getaway. Someone real who admits she doesn’t have it all together (because nobody does) and is at the mercy and grace of God for every minute of every day.

Knowing you are not alone and we are all on a journey is so freeing.

Wish I could go to the conference.

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monday (and our laundry)

February 2, 2015

all day i was going to blog.
and all day i just never could get to it.
so here i am at 10:00 writing the bloggy blog.

first off… the laundry room has been cleaned (by me) and must be documented.
i am dying to paint every inch of this room white.
and by “i am” i mean i am dying for craig to paint it white.
every single inch.

have i mentioned before that everyone in our family does their own laundry?
we started this 5 years ago.
everyone does their own clothes. they wash. and dry. and fold their own clothes!
they even wash their sheets and towels.
and i wash mine.
(i also wash the slip covers, the kitchen towels, the rugs, the dogs and everything in-between that moms do)

it is THE BEST system and i think everyone should be doing it this way.
(im not trying to be bossy or anything… i just love it that much)
doing your kids laundry for them… as a teen? as a 10 year old? it is not necessary i tell you!
we started this system when annie was in kindergarten.
for reals.
laundry is NOT a hard job.
they very quickly learn how to do it.
and they should!
it is their own clothes. 🙂
the hardest part for annie when she was in kindergarten was that the basket was too heavy to carry.
so i carried it for her!
but now she can do it all on her own.
and so can my teenage sons.
and my husband does his own too!
i help them out occasionally by throwing their load in but i truly love that 99% of it they do themselves.
if they need their uniforms before a game? it is not MY problem. I’m not the one playing basketball? i shouldn’t be in charge of washing their uniform on time.
i give reminders. but that is a LIFE SKILL that kids need! they need to remember things and get stuff done. it’s not mean. it’s GOOD for them!

i don’t have to get mad telling them to help me with mountains of laundry.
it eliminated an argument that we were constantly having.
once we gave them the responsibility of doing their own job… ahhhhh.
freedom.
for all of us.
no yelling (not that anyone ever yells in our house of course… HA HA HA)
and no blame.
“kids – if you want clean clothes… wash them”
the end.

but the point of the photo was that every piece of laundry is done and that room is spotless.

and i like that.

UPDATE: people had questions about HOW the system works.
In an ideal world everyone would each have a day and everyone would do their laundry on the right day.
seven people in a family – seven days in a week? obviously that is a good idea.

but these are kids.
mostly teens!
so all that flew out the window immediately.
how we worked it out was… IF there is laundry done & sitting in the washer and someone else wants to use the washer next… they must ask the person whose laundry it is to come and move it to the dryer OR for permission to move it for them.
BECAUSE in the beginning of all this… i would put my laundry in and my kids would move it all to the dryer and shrink ALL my clothes.
there is no fury like a mom who only has one good pair of jeans that were just ruined forever because a kid decide to do their laundry at midnight thinking no one would find out!

they have to get permission to move them or wait the few minutes for that person to come get it.

If there are clothes in the dryer and they want the dryer and the clothes have been sitting for awhile (a day?)… we let them dump it in basket.
but if the person NEEDING the dryer is basically “jumping the line” by making everyone move their laundry at light speed for them…. because they didn’t remember to do their laundry until 1 hour before they need the jersey… then they are REQUIRED to fold that person’s laundry in the dryer for them.
because AGAIN! when a mom works all day and then finds her clothes wadded up and still damp in a basket in the laundry room… LOOK OUT.
it’s not pretty.

after several trys of working it out… three of our kids are awesome at this.
not everyone.
but majority.
and even the one who drive the rest crazy by cheating… is still learning the skills.

they keep a laundry basket in their closet for dirty clothes & when that basket is full they are supposed to wash it.
one basket at a time is not too much work for your kids.
they take turns.
they learn the best time to do laundry. 🙂
i have heard many times “OH!!! THE WASHER IS EMPTY!” and someone racing down the stairs to get their clothes quick before it gets filled.
that is them learning to strike while the iron is hot!
don’t miss an opportunity!
clean underwear awaits!

it’s not mean.
you are not a bad mom if your kids do their own laundry.
i know this to be a fact.

i made it even EASIER and switched to the laundry pods because then they can’t even make a mess with soap!

my little green pick up that i found last week at the antique shop looks so cute loaded up.
it’s on its way to the fabric store obviously.

a few days ago it was sitting on the table as i was cutting scraps for bunting & it made the perfect scrap holder!
this truck can do no wrong.

annie and talby make such good cookies.
it’s the same recipe (recipe HERE) i have made since the day i got married but they have made them even better!
i don’t know what it is?
but they make them and make them and make them.
and i have THE HARDEST time resisting them.

*cake plate is from world market several years ago.
*wire basket holding paper plates and napkins is from hobby lobby in december.

i got these beautiful stars from Kurt Knudsen.
i’m going to hang them in my window but it’s so hard to get a photo of them that way.
so i am showing you what they look like before i hang them up!
Kurt Knudsen is having a sale right now using the code: HEARTSTAR for 20% off!!
have you seen his shop?
oh my word.
so many amaaaaaazingly cool options!
polka dot stars? yes please!
every color of the rainbow? i want them all.

so…. the other day i was having an extra big feeling-all-the-feelings kind of day.
lots of different stuff with lots of different people was happening all on the same day.
and it was cold and gray.
so i went online shopping… because – feelings.

i ordered all of these:

Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way

The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands

Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose.

Thirty One Days of Prayer for the Dreamer and Doer

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Speak: How Your Story Can Change the World

i guess one of my feelings was “Uninspired” on that day.

i think in the past 10 years i have read…. maybe two fiction books?
i just can’t.
i get my fiction on tv.
reading is my time to work on my heart and mind i guess.
i WISH i could focus long enough to read more!
i am so glad no one can see into my mind when i am trying to read a page (not a chapter just a PAGE!) of a book.
it would be ridiculous to most of you i am sure.
no less than 10 different thoughts… ideas… chores to do… things i notice… sounds i hear… per page.
it’s not ideal.

i started this one today.
and one page in i was feeling thankful and SO GLAD i had this book in my hands.
i am a dreamer.
i am a doer.
God made me that way.
sometimes it seems that is not the easiest kind of heart to have.
i don’t know what is the easiest but it sure feels like other people have it better sometimes (even though i know everyone struggles and the grass is always greener and yada yada yada)

and i have been feeling worn lately.
worn out by doubt. worn out by feelings. worn out with tasks.
and wondering about so many things…. can i DO it? should i do that? what is the answer?
feeling tired.

but one page in i knew it was going to speak to me.
Thirty One Days of Prayer for the Dreamer and Doer is going to be a good one.
i can feel it.

i sent this text to a friend immediately (because i have to stop 10 different times per page remember?)

I started reading “31 days of prayer for the dreamer and the doer” just now and I’m going to read a quote to you: “Whether you are called to design create, write, speak, support, grow, share, serve or build… there will be a journey. There will be days of joy, days of weariness, days of fear, days of success, days of loss, days of restoration, days of creativity, days of brokenness, days of rest, and days of nothing. Whatever the day stay tethered to the Dream Giver with prayer and His Word. Prayers to bring hope, conviction, encouragement, and guidance as you answer the call and hold your dreams with an open hand”

SO GOOD right?

AND i started this book too!
Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar–Your Brain’s Silent Killers

because i love learning about silent killers.
not.
but really… with all the “feelings” i’ve had…. and the low energy… and wanting to get strong and healthy…
remember my word?
ACTION.
so learning about stuff i eat or shouldn’t eat is action to me.

and to show how totally crazy i am right now…
i am also reading both of these at the same time as those other two?!
who am i?

i really like Dirty Faith so far…. it makes me think about the hard stuff with church and missions.

Dirty Faith: Bringing the Love of Christ to the Least of These
Talby wishes i would finish it because she doesn’t want to look at that guy’s hairy hand anymore…

and if you wondered about Glennon’s book…Carry On, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy, Beautiful Life

you could watch her TED talk first and then decide.

she’s very interesting to me… she is shocking at times.
i haven’t really heard anyone like her before.
she’s…. refreshing? i think that is the word?
she’s brave and vulnerable and scared right out there for everyone to see.
telling her truthiest truths so that others can see that it’s OK to show up as you are.
it’s hard to hear… because it hurts to hear about hurts!
but we need to HEAR and feel and notice all of it.

🙂

what are YOU reading?

what do i need to put in my cart for the next shopping spree?

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Top 10 Blogs | a glass of milk - […] Whatever – I also want to be Meg when I grow up. She blogs about things like staying in her PJs all day and watching TV, and the realities of teaching 5 kids to do their own laundry. […]

Lori Noe - Opps I have never commented before so bare with me. We have 6 kiddos age 14-5 and you a part of the reason for that. You may not believe this, but your loonnnggg ago post of your kids jumping on the huge pile of laundry was one of the reasons we pulled the trigger on expanding our family. We adopted our littles (a sibling group of 4 ages 1-6) all in one fell swoop and our two bigs are also a gift of adoption. My heart tugged when I saw yours jumping on the heap of laundry…fast forward 4 years (our gotcha day is March 25, 2011) and it’s not so endearing anymore:):):):):):):) So long question short I’m gonna impose this laundry deal on the 4 bigs and soon to come the 2 littles too. How do you deal with separating clothes? You really don’t want a nice white shirt in with heavy dark jeans??? You are an inspiration in the most common sense and I mean that with the most admiration.

Lori Noe - I love your blog, I’ve been reading it for many years and you are funny, real and a true advocate for the disadvantaged.

Cindy B - When I began working full time my husband decided that everyone would become responsible for doing their own laundry. It really was a smart thing to do and worked well with our three sons. Occasionally someone would be surprised to find that their laundry had been kindly folded by “the magic washer”. Other times someone might return to their forgotten load of wash to find that the “laundry troll” had tied it in knots!

Iris Brown - THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! When I read your post 2 days ago I had my 3 kids do their own laundry that same day! Still working on my 6 daughter but she’s on the path! What a revelation!!!!! This monkey is OFF my back!

Jody - Meg – I love this post about laundry. It is so right on.

But I do grimace when I see/read all that you buy & that you post it on your blog – the stars, the books — & in the next post are asking us to donate money to a charity. I cannot imagine buying 6 books for myself online. I cannot. Yes, you obviously have the finances – & kudos to you – but I just wish you were a little more aware that not all of us moms can afford to purchase & purchase whenever we are having a bad day, stressed out, etc.

Your blog is joyous & fun & enlightening most days – I wonder though sometimes if you could be a bit more sensitive to the idea we do not all share the same ability/desire to splurge on material things so freely.

Grace @ sense and simplicity - I totally agree about the laundry. In our house, the laundry fairy stopped doing the clothes when each child reached high school. It worked really well and they all left home knowing how to do their laundry. We also didn’t have set days to do their laundry, just when the machine was available – but it worked.

Audrey - Loved your post!! Was thinking 5 might be to young to start laundry. But if Annie can do it my daughter will be just fine. I started my 7 year old a few months back. Time to tackle my 5 year old and hubby. Then I can have some freedom and hopefully a cleaner laundry room. I can’t wait to break up with the loads of laundry. Thanks!

Tanya - I REALLY want to read Speak, so thanks for that reminder. I loved Bittersweet. Good choice.
I just finished ‘I know why the caged bird sings’ – Maya Angelou, and I am now reading ‘If you want to walk on water you’ve got to get out of the boat’ – can’t remember the author right now.
I just received Every Bitter Thing is Sweet, and Tables in the Wilderness in the mail today. Really looking forward to reading both.

Kirsten - 1) LOVE those rugs. they are MARVELOUS!
2) Just the other day my son had a clothing emergency. You make teaching him to do it on his own veeeeeeery tempting. Hmmmm.
3) Books: I am currently re-reading Jen Hatmaker’s Interrupted (so good!), and I just finished A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet and Every Bitter Thing is Sweet (that one was fabulous). I have a list of non-fiction books miles long, but I am opposite – at the end of the day, they make me think too hard and I would rather escape into fiction, haha.
4) p.s. i love how you teach me to find beauty in things i normally wouldn’t find beauty in – like beat-up green trucks with chippy paint. i would have totally overlooked it on my own, but you make it look so fabulous and awesome. 🙂

Beth Ann - I am laughing how Stanley is sitting so pretty in the first picture, like you were taking a picture of him, not the laundry room! Silly dogs!

My kids are 8,7 & 4 and they all sort their own laundry and put it away. We have been doing this since the oldest was 4 and it has worked well. I fold/hang it. We have an Ikea ANTONIUS stand and containers in the laundry room – we sort by lights, darks, towels and undergarments (eww they get washed on HOT). I recently taught the kids how to turn the dryer on so they can dryer all of their snow gear – snowpants, gloves etc.

Have a great Wednesday!

Michelle - Thanks for sharing Meg – I love your laundry rules! I may have to implement that at our house 🙂 I would love to hear what your family storage routine is for shoes…. in our house, the shoe craziness is right up there with the laundry!

Jen - Love all of the things! Saving the ‘kids do their own laundry’ thing for future reference.
Massively loving all the photos of crafty bits and your house. Your photos always make me so happy because all your things are so bright and fun! 😀
Thanks for the book recommendations too. My list of books to read on Goodreads is already over 500 books long, (true story) but who cares, why not add some more! It just means I have to read more – yay!
Happy Wednesday!
Jen

Andrea - Meg….you are brilliant. my pre-teen and teen know how to do laundry, but I don’t let them practice…. What in the world am I thinking. all that is going to change. I do want them prepared to take care of themselves…..thanks…..

Meredith - Hey Meg, I love everything about this post. Thank you for the encouragement regarding laundry. It’s a BIG issue. I’ve got a large family also and you’ve just given me that extra push I needed to set the bar a little higher. It might be messy for a while, but everything is hard and messy before it’s easy, right? As for the books….I have a few of these which I am LOVING. Our bible study are doing The Best Yes and it’s amazeballs. It’s real and raw. So is Speak. Great picks! Have you read Freefall to Fly? I think you’d love it. Great cover too:) xo

Kristin S - I started doing my own laundry when I was 8 years old. We lived in a condo complex where there were two laundry rooms. I had to walk outside, down stairs, up a hill, and down stairs to a basement laundry room. I can still smell it. It wasn’t scary but it was a basement. I was so happy when we moved and had laundry IN our condo at age 12. And I kept doing my own laundry. I’m sure my mom started this because she was a full-time working single mom and it was survival. BUT I’m really glad she did because I got to college and so many friends had no clue how to do laundry. Bizarre.

I used to babysit for a family (the youngest just graduated from HS and oldest just got married) who changed in to PJ’s IN the laundry room. The mom had three bins in there and the kids sorted their laundry as toddlers. I thought that was really smart.

cynthia - Yes, just yes. When both of my kids were in elementary school, I found clean, folded shirts in their dirty clothes baskets and called a family meeting. I printed out laundry instructions and said “when in doubt, pick cold” and marked that chore off my list. It was one of my best parenting decisions. The real treat is, on the rare occasion I would fold what I found in the dryer or wash a load of their’s just because – they were soooo appreciative! My son is better at laundry now than I am.

Jennifer - Desperate- Hope for the Mom Who Needs to Breathe. So fabulous for moms in any season of motherhood. By Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson

Lindsay - I was wondering if your kids separate their whites and darks and still run full loads every week?

Alisa - My question for all of you about laundry & kids is how they have full loads if you separate colors from whites? I have a big machine, but my kids would not have a white load per kid each per week – maybe colored, but not white. There are only a few t-shirts…mostly colored. I would hate for them to start an almost empty machine alone..wasteful financially and environmentally. They do laundry, but it is usually mixed family member’s stuff…like a load of jeans…a load of whites, sometimes even a load with only blues and greens…etc. We wash our blacks together with black detergent. Plus we don’t wash everything after one day of wearing, only the stuff on our skin or dirty things. A sweater or sweatshirt gets worn more than once. How do your kids have full loads of lights and darks?

MollyL - My mom always said that she never had time to read and couldn’t sit down to read at all. She finally started to read when she retired and then she couldn’t stop. My mom always felt that she shouldn’t read because her sister was a voracious reader and read all the time and my mom always heard my grandmother tell her to get her head out of the books. I was always a reader, but now that I have kids I just can’t seem to sit there and read. I tend to read when the kids are in bed but I just don’t read as many books and have stacks of them that I have yet to read. I just can’t seem to get into reading anymore. I feel sad about that too. I hope it will change at some point.

I like your laundry system. One kid could do it and one couldn’t (special needs). But I think I will teach the 13 yr old who could how to do this system. She does help me with the laundry now (folding and putting away, transferring loads, etc.).

Steph Richardson - I’m reading “The Bait of Satan: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offence” right now by John Bevere. I’m getting so much out of it. I’d highly recommend!

Stacy Mc - A lot of these are on my wishlist. I just placed a order and got Bossy Pants, Bloom, The Rosie Project, Cold Tangerines, Let’s all be Brave Together, A Million Little Ways, and Interrupted.

Amy Woods - I’m posting again because I just bought three of the Kurt Knudsen stars! SQUEEEE! I’m so excited! 🙂

Wendy B.,NJ - I’m sorry that this is an odd question, but I was wondering if you could share where you got the long tall laundry baskets that are shown in your picture. I can’t seem to locate any that either aren’t huge or art small and they seem to be a medium size.

Tracy - I have Carry On Warrior but have not read it yet cuz I’m the opposite of you. I LOVE fiction! Please tell us how you liked Carry On Warrior so that I will finally read it. Please?

I’m reading The Girl on the Train….very suspenseful and thrilling and entertaining!!

Melissa - Wow I loved that video, I’ve recently been very worried about my super sensitive son & how I can ‘fix’ him so he doesn’t become like me because I used to be that super sensitive superhero, its been only a few months where I am just super sensitive crazy mom. I love the quote from your book which is just what I needed these laayst couple weeks, I’ve been so overwhelmed with tasks I shut down & maybe it is ok to rest and for nothingness why does everyday need to be accomplished, we are not superheros.
Being someone who I feel is made to serve I do it all in the house and I tell people “well that’s my job” …….well no, I stayed home to raise my children, enjoy them. In raising full functioning adults I need to stop doing things for them, today is laundry and I will not be doing theirs I am going to try out your laundry method its time, my oldest will be 10, middle child 8 & smallest is 6 . I’m tired of seeing them on Minecraft while I run around like a chicken without a head they think stuff magically gets done.
I’m so glad you wrote and posted that video, thinking about showing it to my son so he knows its ok to be sensitive he just has to show up 🙂 there aren’t any superheroes here just oily loving caring people.

Jodi - I love random posts like today! My kids have been doing their own laundry for years…when I went back to teaching full-time. My youngest daughter was 3rd grade and the boys were 4th, 6th, and 8th grades. Best thing I ever did! They are in college and high school now! There’s no schedule to it…just use it when it’s open or wait in line for your turn if everyone wants it at the same moment. Meg, your book choices are all amazing! I’m going to order the ” dreamer and doer” book…just one at a time…so I don’t get too overwhelmed. I find I do more ‘dreaming’ than I actually ‘do’ things…which I need to change. Now I’m off to watch Glennon’s TEDtalk!

Jenni - There are 5 of us in our house and we all do our own laundry. We’ve been doing it that way since the twins (the youngest) were in PreK. I tell everyone I know, YOUR KIDS CAN DO THIS! They NEED to do this. We started out the same way, everyone had a reserved day.

Now the only day that is reserved is Sunday for my husband. The kids have adopted the “when I run out of clothes I’ll do laundry” approach. That usually means they have to do 2 loads, or 1 plus a shared load. They work it out.

What has started happening is one of them will come downstairs in the morning wearing a shirt I haven’t seen in a year and say, “Mom, I need to do laundry today.” That’s their way of calling dibs on the washer after school.

NO ONE is allowed to touch or move someone else’s laundry unless it’s someone over 30 yrs old. 🙂

I fit my laundry in during the day as I need it. I also wash all towels, sheets, coats, blankets, kitchen towels, cleaning rags, etc. I usually recruit help to fold and put these things away.

It works for us.

Once my teen son was trying to push my buttons, and he and his teammates decided that their “thing” was to change socks every quarter during their basketball games. I said, “That’s fine with me because you do your own laundry.” That thing didn’t last long.

Tiffany - My 8 and 6 year old do their own laundry. The 8 year old puts it in the washer and the 6 year old in the dryer. They then work together to fold it and put it away. When they complain about not having socks or jeans with no holes I just point to the basic and say, not my problem. What should YOU do about it? My girls, 5 and 3 empty the dryer and switch the laundry from washer to dryer on their own and then drag the basket to the living room. They are learning to fold towels and shirts and I match up socks and they fold them together. Laundry is my least favorite chore, but with 5 kiddos and another on the way mama has to train them to help or I will be buried alive!!!!

kelly - so glad to know i’m not the only one who reads several books at one time and they each take me a sweet FOREVER to finish, but that’s just how my brain works! and really it just depends on what mood i’m in at night as to which book i will decide to read. ha! okay, these are my suggestions:

Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford (SO good and hits home with this easily distracted mama!)

Living Well, Spending Less by Ruth Soukup (step away from the Target dollar aisle! 🙂

The Power of a Woman’s Words by Sharon Jaynes (Who knew WORDS could be so powerful??)

Ones on my future reading list:
Rhinestone Jesus by Kristen Welch
A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson (i also plan to read Home is Where my People Are by Sophie. She’s a hoot!)

Love your blog….i’ve been reading forever. love your honest writing! ONE DAY i WILL make it to craft weekend!!!!

Jenny B. - I just finished re-reading all seven of the Harry Potter books. I love them so much. I don’t read fiction anymore either, but these are the exception. I re-read them every few years. The last time was when I was pregnant with my almost 6-year-old, and now that I’m pregnant again, it felt like the thing to do! 🙂 I’m also getting ready to start a 40-day devotional by Candace Crabtree called Wait Only Upon God. She’s beginning it on February 18th (my almost 6-year-old’s birthday!), and it will finish on Easter. Here’s a link to that: Wait Only Upon God.

Amy Woods - I think it is awesome that each of your family members do their own laundry. There are only three of us, but we all do our own too. My son was about 7 years old when I incorporated it, and now that he’s 17 it runs smoothly. (Ahem, my husband is the worst about leaving his laundry in the washer! 😉 Good thing he is so awesome at so many other things!!)

I think I want every one of the books you are showing! The dreamer doer book looks really interesting. I’m a definite dreamer…but I want to become a DOER! Perhaps a different perspective that the writer intends, but I think I’ll check it out.

Be blessed! Amy

Stephanie - I knew I couldn’t be the only mega dreamer. Like seriously I need this book. I am the exact same way! 🙂

Debbie Brooks - Oh Meg, so much good stuff here! Thank you! I am also a tortured reader… The only one in my house of very focused and speedy readers. I always thought there was something wrong with me. Until I HAD to read about creative minds in a educational psych class… We are wired this way, on purpose. We are so aware of inspirational nano seconds and we cannot pass one of them up!! And it is a scary world when we do not feel this inspiration. I feel your feels sister!!

Claire - This is a list of all of the books I read last year. (Similar tastes and sensibilities to yours!) A few fiction books, but mostly non-fiction.

http://elizabethclairewood.com/reading-recommendations/

Beth - Right now I’m reading The Astronaut Wives Club, and it’s awesome! It’s a true story about what life was like for the first seven astronauts’ s wives. It’s so interesting and reminds me of Mad Men.

sharon morrissette - when, for heaven’s sake, are you doing all this book reading?? even if the kid laundry does get done by the kids?

-sharon
theprincipledtype.blogspot.com

(thank you for Whatever. am longtime reader :))

Rachel Berry - How have I never in my 20 years of marriage never thought of this? My oldest 3 teens can do their own laundry, I just need to stop being such a control freak and let them do it. I love the idea of everyone doing their own clothes! With 8 people in this house I feel like laundry is ALL. I. EVER. Do!! So this week I’m doing it, I’m going to teach my littlest people (baby excluded) to do their own laundry. They already put away their clothes, so why the stink not?!

Also just wanted to add real quick how much I love your blog. You keep it real and I love that. I’ve decided and well, I know that my life is too dull (color wise) Color does make me happy, and I really need to infuse more of it into my life and home. I find it makes my kids happy too, I actually busted out of my comfort zone and made a Rainbow cake for my daughters 13th birthday last month. It was a HUGE hit!
I’ve also made several ruffled aprons as well (all inspired by you).
You’re blogging inspires me to get back to my blogging, I’ve ignored my blog for far too long. So, Thank you Meg!

:)Rachel Berry

P.s. where are those rocking laundry room rugs from? They are fabulous!

Julie - I was very interested to read that your family each does their own laundry. Anyhoo I hope you don’t mind a few questions about this. How often do they do their laundry? I do one wash a day for all my family’s clothes, towels and sheets are done throughout the week. Do you find that things are left for too long and then you have everyone wanting to theirs on the same day? Do you hang things on the clothes line outside to dry, or is everything dried in the clothes dryer.

I think it is a great idea to teach them responsibility and how to prepare them for when they eventually move out of home.

erin - a couple things:
your kids give me hope. we’ve homeschooled for 7 years and are strongly considering putting our children into school next year. and, in your words, i’m feeling alllllllll the feelings about it. i know your family isn’t perfect, but just seeing that they’re normal kids who still love their parents/family? that gives me so much hope. does this make sense? i don’t know.
also, bittersweet was my very favorite s.niequist book. followed up by bread&wine. fyi
lastly, tomorrow..TOMORROW {which technically is only 18mins away now} i will begin teaching my oldest two to do laundry. i will. you’ve officially inspired me.
this post was fab. thank YOU. xo

Janice - I remember my brother griping once about not having clean clothes. We were both teenagers and I did most of the family laundry. I told him he could help me or do his own and I got the “but I don’t know how” excuse. I wrote specific instructions and taped above the washer. 20 years later, he does all his own laundry!

Thanks for book recommendation – the dreamer and doer book sounds like something I need to read!

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Currently….

January 13, 2015

I found this list through pinterest of what i am currently doing… so fun!

READING…. Just started Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton and smiling a lot while reading.

PLAYING…. the Annie sound track. by myself at home. the new one. the Annie (Original 1982 Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the background music to my entire childhood! i have listened to those songs every year of my life since it came out in 1982. i think it’s fun to have a new twist on the old songs and i LOOOOOVE the new song Opportunity. it makes me feel hopeful and inspired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cviqWZAWEc

WATCHING…. i am behind on Parenthood!!! but i will catch up by next week. (WHY do they have to be done? i don’t understand tv network producers/actors. We ALL love this show and it’s going GREAT. Why do they have to quit?! You too Don Draper! What is your deal? Just give the people what they want – MORE shows!!! as soon as anything gets good they stop the series. it’s like losing a friend. yes, that’s dramatic but it’s kind of true. and it makes me want to stop watching all together because i get tired of feeling bummed about silly things like that. )

TRYING…. to stop being so dramatic.

COOKING…. spaghetti for dinner tonight…. garlic bread… broccoli

EATING… literally eating scrambled eggs right now.

DRINKING… i had a moscow mule on my date the other night after hearing rave reviews from my sister at christmas. YUM!

CALLING…. i only call doctors and the school – other wise i never use the phone for talking. 🙂

TEXTING… my husband all morning. 🙂 he leaves SO early in the morning and i like when he checks in with me mid morning. i tell him all the exciting things that are happening at home like “a huge coyote just ran through the yard!”

PINNING…. these are 10 recent pins…

one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten

first second

TWEETING… ummm…i don’t really tweet. but i just watched nicole kidman on jimmy fallon from JF’s twitter feed and i was DYING!! you have got to watch it. oh my gosh. i feel all sweaty and weird… geesh. Poor Jimmy.

CRAFTING….Name tags for Craft Weekend!

DOING…. laundry (of course… always)

GOING… grocery shopping in about 30 minutes

LOVING…. having long hair again! it’s been six years since i chopped my hair off. 🙂

HATING… not knowing what to do with my long hair – HA HA HA! and the fear of having “Mom Hair”

DISCOVERING… my first gray hair. for real. it was shocking. i thought i wouldn’t care. oh… i was wrong. I CARE.

ENJOYING… the silence of my house today. even the dogs are being quiet. ahhhhhh

HOPING (for)… a major BIG snow storm this winter (not around or near any Craft Weekends though 😉

CELEBRATING… this funny moment at Scott’s game when we noticed the giant head of his in the crowd. It was adorable. the other players faces were there too… and Theodore Roosevelt too because that completely makes sense. (jk… it doesn’t)

SMELLING…. skunk. on saturday night craig and i went out for dinner. it was a REALLY good night.. conversation was excellent… food was my favorite… it was a dreamy night. then talby called and said “MOM! the dogs found a skunk! and they came inside! and it smells SOOOO bad in here we can’t breathe! and it’s still on the porch!” Talk about a downer phone call?!! So we made our way back home and i can’t even describe the magnitude of smell. it was S I C K. i woke up in the night and was sure i would vomit just from breathing. it’s better now but not back to normal yet. Skunks. WHY Lord?! What in the heck is their purpose?! Why did you need to create those?!!!

THANKING… God that there are not MORE animals like skunks.

CONSIDERING… a third cup of coffee.

FINISHING… ummm… this blog post? i feel like i am never finishing anything.

STARTING… 1 & 2 Peter bible study from She Reads Truth.

what about you? what are you doing?!

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Currently… - […] those oldish-school Q&A survey thingies? I read one on Meg’s blog a while back and thought it would be fun to do one here. I never get tired of reading these things. […]

Martha - Dawn dish detergent and baking soda work awesome to rid pets of skulking! So awful! Has happened to our pets multiple times, ugh…

Amira Rahim Art - Thanks for sharing my art! It brought so much attention to my Etsy shop so I had to find out who was behind this. Haha, great blog.

Best,
Amira Rahim
http://www.amirarahim.com

Tracy H - We had a skunk on Friday…..in the middle of the day! It sprayed our dog and thankfully my son was far enough away! Everything smelled! We tried airing out our house, but was too cold so we used the stuff you sprinkle on your carpets and vacuum up…..worked great! Our porch still stinks though!

Amber - In case you haven’t seen this, I think it applies.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/575968239819167282/

Katie P NC - I Love this sort of post!!! I hope these continue!
Parenthood has made me cry more than any other show I have ever watched. I feel like I’m a Braverman. I will miss the show (them) so much!

Lori - That was fun!

Jenna - Totally feel the same way about Parenthood! Why, oh why does it have to end! My Thursday nights are never going to be the same!

Jenny B. - The giant heads are funny. They’ve been doing that at our school too. teenagers have weird senses of humor. I’m sure someone thought the Roosevelt head was HILARIOUS. 🙂

Crissy Armstrong - i am being sucked in by the annie soundtrack at target! i must have it. also, doing a she reads truth study. and, i’m seeing glennon speak on thursday AND friday getting to meet her. DYING. 🙂 i can’t wait to read her book. i have it and it’s next in line (after 10 curses that block blessing). love the “currently” post!

Beth Ann - Good morning! The Jimmy Fallon / Nicole Kidman interview cracks me up every time I watch it (this is like the 30th time) “Brie cheese, corn chips and like old chinese food.” We had a huge snow storm last week, but I still had to work, in the middle of cube-land with no window – boo. If you enjoyed your moscow mule (a favorite of mine) try it with flavored vodka – cherry vodka with a splash of grenadine in addition to the ginger beer and lime juice (i use fresh squeezed). Any flavored vodka will work, but a lady can only keep so many bottles of vodka at her home with out people wondering (ha!) and cherry vodka also goes good with 7 up and Coke :).

Linda Totman - You gave mentioned sermon podcasts that you listen to. I’m wanting to listen to some while doing some mundane projects. Would you be willing to let me know who you listen to?

right now | home is what you make it - […] over at WHATEVER, posted a list she found on pinterest with writing […]

Kristin S - Oh, I like this list. Totally gonna copy. Not your answers… 🙂

Andrea - Every show, every season of Parenthood I cry. And I want to be a Braverman so badly! When the siblings came and hung out with Julia right after Joel moved out and the kids were with him? At the hospital for Christina? When they get “the feeling” and dance dance dance? And soon it’s over? I can’t take it. It’s like they are OURS.

Toni :0) - Insert sad face, the rest of my comment disappeared but I wanted to say I was glad someone posted about the bacon-that’s genius! I’m SO sad about Parenthood ending-I’ve never missed an episode and very upset it’s going away.

Toni :0) - Oh Meg, I die, I have ALWAYS said the SAME thing about those awful creatures called skunks!! They are not cute nor adorable! They are smelly, horrible little creatures with NO predator-gah!

Lee Ann - P.S. I’ve been coloring my gray hair since I was 26. Embrace color. I know you of all people will be good at that! 🙂

Lee Ann - I put off ALL phone conversations until the last possible minute. Texting is an introverts dream!

Hanah - PARENTHOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! isn’t it the best??? i was on my treadmill this morning watching my last catch up episode and i was BAWLING! so much for a great workout. i couldn’t breathe. i am so ticked they are canceling it!! WHY WHY WHY?? i know if we ever meet…we will bond over parenthood!! go catch up. with a moscow mule..which is also my favorite! had my first one in august and it has been my “go to” drink every since!

amy jupin - ok. you are freaking me out a little bit.
i JUST put glennon’s book in my amazon cart this morning!
and i watched jimmy fallon with nicole kidman yesterday! (dying!)
and i’m dreaming of cutting my long hair all off–you should see how long it is now!
and speaking of gray hairs, for the first time in 7 or 8 years i’m wanting to color my hair. my grays are really standing out against my dark hair!
FREAKY.
i think we may be twinbos.

Kathy - I’m in Australia and it’s breakfast time, and if was literally eating scrambled eggs when I read you were literally eating scrambled eggs

Now I am literally eating vegemite on toast which I am fairly sure literally 99.9% of Americans don’t…

Alicia @ Investing Love - I love these posts…just wrote one to go on Friday. 🙂 I’m gonna miss Don. Maybe it’s healthier for my marriage if we say goodbye though. I just saw the video with Jimmy Fallon…OMG how uncomfortable!! Love that guy too.

Heather S. - Meg – you are like, 2 years older than me and you are just now finding your first gray hair? So jealous. I found my first gray the day after I got engaged – I was 20 years old!!!! I’ve been coloring my hair for about 6 years now. Ugh! Lucky you!

stephany - I love this. Hope you don’t mind if I borrow it for a blog post…i’ve been in a rut lately!
You can check my post out to see what I am up to!! 😉

Sara W - Ack, gray hair! This fall I discovered MORE than one and I came totally unglued.

Caitlin - I can’t believe you just found your first grey hair…?! I am 26, and after I had my first baby, my body was just like BAM you’re old. And now I have like 30 of them!! It’s kind of depressing. But my hair is naturally kind of a dark blonde, so I don’t have to do any major disguising…yet.

Tanya H - I love it! 🙂 And I completely agree on tv shows, tho I got mad at parenthood a year or so ago and quit watching…my husband still watches it tho so I saw the most recent episode…You have fun with that……..

Tammy - Probably obvious, but my comment is in reference to what you’ve been pinning #10 and I love Parenthood. With 3 episodes left, I am grieving.

Tammy - I have never commented but have been a long time reader, I am sitting here chucking. I have to give a bit of a backstory… we have I boy and 3 girls. Last spring while stressing about all the graduation party details, our son didn’t seem to care or have any opinion on what he wanted for food, decorations, etc… 4 days before the party, he comes up with all kinds of opinions. “Mom, it would be really AWESOME if we could have baked beans and lemon bars and make sure we have Arnold Palmers to drink!” Why he did’t have opinions before this, I don’t know. I started crying wondering how I was going to get beans and lemon bars made and blurted out, “I don’t have time for AWESOME!” Needless to say, we pulled it off and according to those that mattered, it was an awesome day! Something tells me, the 3 girls will definitely have opinions when it comes to their graduation party!

Rosa Zablocki - Loving…this post so much(what am I saying?, I adore your blog!)

Jessica - I love these types of blog posts! SO fun. I know what you mean about Parenthood ending. I talk about the characters like they are real friends to my real friends. I’m worried about how it will end.

Karina - Random….I saw that at someone’s word of the year was “FINISH”. It made me think good one, really good one. It would be a good one to try. NOPE. Just the thought of it made me nervous! haha! Clearly, I am not ready to finish anything I start.

Here is to the year of not finishing anything…again! 🙂

Nan - Re: “Watching” I find the same feeling after reading a good book. I miss the characters and want them to come back. Sometimes I can’t read anything for a few days until I’ve had time to “mourn.” So I can completely understand your feelings about tv series.

Elizabeth Clark - Hi Meg
We got horrible skunk smell in our house a couple years ago. It permeated the entire upstairs. I couldn’t figure our how to get rid of it, but my husband came up with the idea on his way home from work. We cooked bacon and set fans up to blow the smell down to the bedrooms. Worked like a charm!! (We used maple flavored bacon)
Love your blog!
Elizabeth

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q&a part 3

October 20, 2014

Q: WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

A: NEED TO BREATHE

if this song comes on in the car i can PROMISE you i am belting it out right along with these guys.
(the video is acoustic but on the radio it is more rockin’)

and the whole album is great!

also….Secret Life of Walter Mitty Soundtrack

and no one asked me about movies but if you have not seen The Secret Life of Walter Mitty… YOU HAVE TO DO IT!!!
it’s on dvd now so you don’t even have to wait to go out.
and your kids will like it.
not little kids… they might be bored but my kids… ages 16, 14, 12 & 9 loved it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HddkucqSzSM

also…the new U2 album (that everyone got ticked about getting for free on iTunes)
thanks bono!!!!

and of course… Avett Brothers 🙂

Q: ARE YOU TRYING TO EVENTUALLY MAKE YOUR BLOG ALL ABOUT CRAFT WEEKEND?

A: NO.

but compared to a few years ago when CW did not exist and i didn’t talk about it at all (because it didn’t exist) and i had little(r) kids and they weren’t all at school all day… i had more kid stuff to blog about. Now… i run a separate house for my business – Craft Weekend, renting out the craft house, Camp Create and my shop so that takes up a BIG portion of all of my days. so i tend to write more about that.
it is not my intention to talk less about my family.
but school age kids are doing a lot of the same things each day… and once you’ve seen one post about volleyball… do you want to see another the next week?
bigger kids are awesome.
but maybe less…. “adorable”
and they don’t want their picture taken by me (as often)
they also need more privacy.
so i can’t necessarily share all the funny things they say or experiences because they would be embarrassed and sometimes not everything needs to be said.
it’s interesting having a blog now compared to “then” and treading into uncharted territory.
i don’t know what it is like to blog with 4 teenagers. (next month)
i am figuring it out as i go.

none of these photos have anything to do with any of the questions….

Q: HOW DO YOU PAINT WOOD TRIM AND….
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR HUSBAND ON BOARD WITH PAINTING WOOD?

A: we use a primer first… Kilz 2. You just paint it right on.
we have never sanded.
but i guess if your wood trim was really shiny or oiled… you may want to run some sand paper over it and then clean it with a damp rag.
THEN use the Kilz 2.
then after it’s dry… we paint several coats of Behr Ultra Pure White Semi Gloss paint.
it takes awhile (a very long while!) but everything around you is brighter and whiter and feels light and airy!
and my husband agrees.

i NEED white.
living in a house with dark wood makes me feel sad after awhile.
i don’t know why other than to say it’s just NOT me.
when you are living somewhere that doesn’t feel like “you” then it can affect (effect?) your feelings.
at least that is how my brain & body respond.

i don’t dislike it in YOUR house.
but i strongly dislike it in mine.

Q: DO YOU MISS THE FARMHOUSE?

A: yes and no.
yes because the outside was so pretty and we LOVED that and that barn was amazing.
no because of
1. we love the new house!
2. the farm was farther out and the kids couldn’t go very many places without needing me to drive them.
3. the toilet was 5 feet from my bed and the walls were very thin.
4. the dark wood 🙂
5. i have a new kitchen in the new house 🙂 🙂 🙂
6. we didn’t own it…. it was a rental and that can get tricky after awhile.

these bath rugs were at…. Walmart?!!
whaaaaat?

Q: WHY DIDN’T YOU SHARE YOUR HOUSE HUNTING – THAT WOULD’VE BEEN FUN FOR US TO FOLLOW ALONG?

A: we live in a really small town.
there were technically no houses on the market for a family of 7.
the house we bought was not listed.
we literally looked at this ONE house. 🙂
a couple heard we may be looking to move into town and they asked if we would you want to buy their house later in the year.
so we walked through it and decided yes we would like that. 🙂
it didn’t end up being as long of a wait to move as originally planned which was good for everyone.
and with it being such a small town… there is no rush on everyone knowing your beeswax before necessary.

Q: WHY DID YOU (and how could you ever) MOVE OUT OF THE CRAFT HOUSE?

A: we had switched our kids to a different school district in the town we are now living in.
we were driving to this town everyday and that was getting old.
craig and i grew up in a really small town & we wanted that experience for our kids.
where we had been living was not what we had envisioned.
we wanted a small school and a small community.
we were ready to move… even if that meant moving out of the craft house.
we had been looking for housing, discussing building a house for many months and then we found out about the farm house that was available to rent and we decided very quickly to go for it.
and 3 weeks later we moved.
it was FUN!
we don’t regret it one bit.
and then…. after that… Craft Weekend was able to really become something cool.
it freed me up to dream and think big.

i don’t think we will ever move back to the Craft House but never say never.

and one more video… just for fun.

craig sent this to me and i LOOOOOVE it.

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Sharon Morrissette - I freakin’ LoVeD The Secret Life of Walter Mitty!!!! And I only barely, accidentally got to even see it? I mean like, why isn’t everyone crowing about it?!

luv ya –
S

Allyssa - NEEDTOBREATHE is my FAV band!!! I’ve seen them 4 times in concert and they never get old! I LOVE them!!!

Karly Shelton - I just want to tell you how much I have adored your blog for the past 4+ years! I originally cam across it when I was a first year art teacher and found a few of the colorful art projects you did with your kids. Thanks for being such a great inspiration.

One day I’ll make it to craft weekend! ONE DAY:-)

kel - I saw those rugs @ walmart. I thought- that rug is so going to end up on whatever blog. Laughing this morning 🙂

mandy - needtobreathe has been my favorite group for YEARS. If you don’t have the album the Outsiders {it was 3 albums ago} it’s my fav of theirs. love that they’re getting more recognition!

Lynn - Love the song and REALLY love your comments about stage in life of kids and giving them their privacy. Knee deep in that and totally identify with the need to respect it… even though I want to boast about the albeit occasional sweetness I thankfully still see with my tee and pre-teen boys. Your blog is my FAVE and you’re the bomb, Meg!

Kristin - I have loved U2 since before most people knew who they were, so I was thrilled to see this interview. Who knew that they were so funny! And I had no idea that Bono had glaucoma. Thanks so much for sharing this. Now I think I need to go see if I can find a longer version!

Carrie - Here is a link to the rugs ladies:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Chesapeake-Bay-Candle-Hand-Tufted-Bath-Rug-2-6-x-1-9/36203427

Beth - I love the NTB song. I just jammed at my desk. Yes, your blog’s content has changed slightly, but you haven’t. You’re still funny, bright and quirky-cool (yep, just made that word up.) I enjoy checking in and seeing what you’re up to. Keep up the good work!

Michelle - Just a second request for a link to the rugs! I love them!!!

Kerri - I very much agree with your comment about living in a place that is not “you.” My husband became a pastor a few years ago, and we now live in a parsonage (a house owned by the church). It is small, old, dark – oh, I could go on and on. I still miss the home we owned for 20 years in our previous life: it had lots of natural light, a fireplace mantle to decorate, an open staircase. And I ditto the comments about info on those fabulous bath rugs 🙂

Elosabeth B - The rugs! We need info on the rugs!!! WorldMarket???

Carol S. - Always interesting…and thank you big time for that most excellent Need to Breathe video. Lifted me up today!!

Angela A - You probably knew this was coming but what stores sells those bathrugs?!

Bethany - I love Needtbreathe! My best friend and I met in Charleston for a girls trip in Sept and they just happened to have a concert while we were there. It was a great show!

Shaun - Hi! Can you post a link for those rugs? They’re beautiful!

Vonda - I just love your blog & you & your family:)!!! You are so real & you make me laugh! The dogs especially tonight-we have a pug,(who is very much like the little french bulldog you posted on instagram) & he makes me smile everyday:) I hope someday to be able to come to one of your craft weekends or camp create. I had a flower shop with my mom & sister for almost 20 years and I was full of dreams-then my little sis & her baby died and it changes life. But, my daughter is full of dreams & my 3 wonderful boys, & I’m sure God has plans for me yet?! Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that your blog is my fave:) Oh-and I love those rugs!!! Where did you see them at?!!

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q&a part two

October 13, 2014

FIRST – the winners for the mpix.com canvas gallery wraps:

Whitney – Paint in a fun color. Thanks

Cara – Construction paper!

Andrea Johnson – Pretty scrapbook paper!!!

give my your email addresses ladies and i will hook you up with MPIX!
(my email is cdduerksen at yahoo . com)

back to the questions you asked me….

Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL TO MAKE YOUR FAMILY?

A: Ummm…. their favorite meal that i make is lasagna.
the boys also LOVE the bbq meatballs…. the girls favorite is Noodles with Ham.
it always looks gross for photos but they love love love it.
now that i am eating healthier i cringe at all of these recipes… so i am working on ways to make these kinds of recipes in a more healthy real food kind of way.
as with everything else food/health/change related – it is HARD!

my favorite meal to actually make? spaghetti. because i could do it in my sleep.
after 20 years of dinners… i think i am kind of burnt out.
it’s not my most favorite thing to do but i do it.
i don’t like to think about food really at all or planning & thinking through ingredients & what goes well together.
i am more spontaneous and like to eat what i am in the mood for right then.
which is hard to do when you don’t like planning cause we don’t have those ingredients!

Q: HOW DID YOU LEARN HOW TO SEW?

A: my mom came up to visit when my kids were little.
we went to a fabric store and to sears and bought a sewing machine.
she showed me how to make curtains AND buttonholes and we made dining room curtains and a shower curtain out of an old chenille bedspread.
and after that i just kept trying.
just making things up and figuring it as i went along. 🙂

BUT… i just got to see my friend Shea’s new book School of Sewing: Learn it, Teach it, Sew Together this past weekend and if you have sewing questions or want to learn YOU NEED THIS BOOK!

photo-80
this is the machine i use at home for me & my girls SINGER Heavy Duty Sewing Machine
annie just started a sewing class for girls her age.
she feels pretty grown up.

if you are looking…a sewing machine could make a pretty sweet christmas gift!

Q: HOW DO YOU MAKE A QUILT WITH YOUR DAUGHTERS? CAN YOU GIVE A TUTORIAL?

A: well first of all… we are still in the beginning phases.
and second… i don’t technically know how to make a quilt.
we are winging it.
like i do with almost any crafting projects i am just figuring it out as i go.
i find examples i like and then try to copy it.
quilt
taking a class would be EASIER but i like the thrill of figuring it out.
so these are some of my inspiration pics for the quilt they are making.

then i will probably pay someone to have it actually QUILTED.

Q: ARE YOU AN INTROVERT? HOW CAN YOU DO CRAFT WEEKEND AND BE AN INTROVERT? YOU SEEM SO EXTROVERT ON THE BLOG?!

A: I am an introvert.
i even just took this personality test to make sure even though i KNOW that i am.
it’s fun… you should take it too!
i am an ISFP according to this and reading through the overview i thought it was super creepy because it was like they knew me.
weeeeird.

i don’t care too much for the weaknesses of this personality but i bet whatever your personality comes out as, even if it the complete opposite of me that you don’t like the weakness part either.

and really… a blog is the perfect place for introverts.
we can quietly say what we want in our own time and in our own way… thinking, re-thinking, editing, tweaking until it feels right all in the silence of our own space.
and we can show our true self that we may have a hard time showing in the presence of others?
i think i do ok at that in real life… being “outgoing” when expected but then later i am exhausted!
that means i am an introvert. i recharge by being alone. a crowd exhausts me. if a crowded party or event recharges you and you leave feeling great then you are an extrovert.

introverts
i am not shy but i am an introvert.
and for YEARS i thought that was a bad thing.
???
but if that is how i am wired… then it is how God made me… so it can’t be bad?
all types are needed to make the world an interesting place right?
im ok with it now.
🙂

also… texting?! oh my goodness.
it’s an introverts dream technology.

b28a440ae61a4ed71dbb6e9eea91cc54
it’s TRUUUUUUE!

Q: YOU SEEM LIKE YOU HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR KIDS AND YOU ARE A COOL MOM… HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

A: ha ha ha
this question is interesting to me.
i do not think i can answer how i am cool.
i think my kids are great and genuinely like to be around them and like them as people.
i don’t even want to say anything more than that because it’s hard enough to be a mom… or a kid.
we have all the same things happen at our house as at yours.
there is talking back & fighting, complaining and disobeying and all that kid stuff.
we are no different.
i am trying to be myself… and reinforce how they need to be themselves and that i like them.
but also… behave.
and tell the truth.
and be kind.
and stop making that face.
and make good choices!

do you ever stop and think about all the “mothers” we’ve had as examples:

Carol Brady
Claire Hustable
June Cleaver
Roseanne
Elyse Keaton
Mrs. Garrett
Claire Dunphy
Kate & Allie
Christina Braverman

I’m just trying to keep up with all that coolness….

Q: WHERE DO YOU SHOP FOR CLOTHES?

A: this is an easy one – 95% of the time i go here:
1. Target – shirts, cardis, dresses, shoes, workout clothes (using cartwheel app & my target card)
2. Old Navy – shirts, pjs, dresses sometimes (always with coupons – NEVER pay full price at ON!)
3. GAP – jeans & occasional sweater (with 40% off coupon using my gap card)
4. tjmaxx – workout clothes

and really…. that’s about it.
occasionally i find things at Dress Barn (moo) and Cato since they are in my town.
i try other places and very rarely find things that fit me right or that i want to spend the $ on.

here are a couple of things i am loving TODAY.
tres dosclothes unoclothes

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Megan - I was also going to recommend the Quiet Book. It’s good. I am an introvert and I’m constantly speaking in front of people for my job. It’s strange how I got here. But, I guess somehow right. I’d really love to be a writer, but then I worry I’d be holed up in my house all the time and never talk to anyone. And what would I write about? Thanks for sharing so much of yourself to us.

Tanya H - I am a complete introvert myself and I LOVE the shirts and Kermit pic you shared! 🙂 The other sign I love says:
“Introverts unite!
Separately.
In your own homes.”
😀 And I totally agree- blogs and text are the best inventions EVER. and facebook messenger. 🙂 Whatever it takes to NOT talk to the person.

Grace @ sense and simplicity - I love what you wrote about introverts (and the tshirts). I’m also an introvert who gets along fairly well in this extroverted world. I laughed outloud at the texting comment. I have a theory that the phone is preferred by extroverts and email (or texting) by introverts. Sounds like you agree.

Lisa - This has nothing to do with this post but I thought you’d love how this painting is made. I’m not very artistic but thought it was so cool! You may have already seen it on FB.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10202894960360543&id=1398536390

Julie - From one “I think I can make a quilt” quilter to another, I adore your fabric scraps. If you have any extra, maybe you could sell them in your shop. And let me know first pretty please 😉 Seriously loving the yellow bikes and tea cups.

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - I love the kermit picture. I so relate. The first thing that I tell people when I become friends is that I am a terrible phone friend. I blame it on my first job in customer service – terrible. horrible. mean people on the other end. I still HATE when I have to answer the phone.

Kristin - I suspected that we were kindred spirits. I like you even more now than I did before, if that is possible. Or at least I feel very close to you…but I won’t call! 🙂

Patti K - Yay introverts! You should watch Susan Cain on YouTube on the Power of Introverts…it’s so interesting. And I should make myself a tshirt with that pic of Kermit the Frog…I thought I was the only one! Love it.

Mindy - Enjoying the Q&A and a fellow understanding introvert…

Amy Woods - OH goodness! Those shirts! I want one. But then it might draw attention to me so, nah!! Lol I’m such an introvert. And a tad shy too. Texting, Facebook, Instagram….best inventions ever! Please don’t call me! Text me!!!;)

Heather - I had a friend who went to one of the craft events at the craft house. The first thing she said was “She isn’t a really loud outgoing person, she is more shy”!! when I asked about you! I died!! I would have never guessed! We need all types in the world!! I am out going and so shy mixes w/ me most!! Thank goodness for shy!!

Joy - I have a quick question…what is your favorite Sonic drink…always curious what all the crafters order when you go on a Sonic Run…sorry if this is a repeat or I missed previous blogs addressing this..btw…I like Sprite Zero with Cranberry…

Carol S. - Thx for seeing machine link, just bought it on sale. Nice! My expensive huskavarna Viking has a jazzed up bobbin that has been fixed before. Big project? Turn all my king size pillowcases into standard, which is the only size pillows we have in our home (but king size come in all the bed sets.). I will pay for the machine in pillowcase savings! Fun post. Agree on meal prep…so done on that front!

Jenny B. - Fun post! I’m an outgoing introvert too. ISFJ. I always enjoy going out with friends or to small parties, and I usually feel better when I’ve spent time with other people, but I also know what you mean about the exhaustion. I have told my husband after coming home from a baby shower that it was fun, but all that smiling and talking wore me out. 🙂 I had to chuckle when I looked up your personality type. The little graphic of the lady with the paintbrush is just so appropriate! 🙂

Kristi Rediske - Love reading all your answers-It seemed by reading your blog that you were an extrovert so this was interesting. I have a question-do old people ever come to the craft weekend-like 50’s or early 60’s, be honest, won’t hurt my feelings-just turned 60!

Tracy - I am a classic introvert too. Have you read this book?
http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-power-introverts-world-talking-ebook/dp/B004J4WNL2/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413307177&sr=1-3&keywords=introvert+advantage+how+to+thrive+in+an+extrovert+world

You should!! It makes you feel okay (even good) for being introverted. I want my husband to read it because most of the time he wants to be more extroverted…like being introverted is a bad thing. So wrong!!!! I know what you mean about the exhaustion.

Many of my friends can’t believe that I’m introverted. That’s because they’re my close friends and I’m usually with them one on one or in a small group.. that’s when I talk and talk and talk!! haha

Elizabeth - I just bought that Limited sweater last night in both colors because they had a 50% sale 🙂

Lisa - Your introvert answer is very helpful to me (that was my question

s - Have you read the book Quiet? I heard her speak at a webinar and it was fantastic. I am shy and introverted…and hate talking on the phone so loved Kermits face! And did you know target has a card option to link to your debit account vs credit card? With free shipping anywhere and anything and you still get 5 percent off? Awesome!

Are you still taking questions? If so that is NOT my question..haha. how do you make time for friendships with busy family life?? I work, have an active family, and am an introvert/home body. Other than book club and infrequent dinners out (twice year max) with close friends I don’t socialize beyond chatting at sports activities etc yet many moms around me do. The thought exhausts me but I worry about not cultivating friendships.

Kristen K. - I teared up while reading that if ‘God made me an introvert, then it’s ok!’ I am supposed to be getting ready to attend a women’s weekly Bible study at our church today (instead of checking email!), but the thought of the crowds and the remembering-all-the-names-and-prayer-requests exhausts me…and I feel like such a bad Christian sometimes. I’m not shy, either, just introverted…and most people would be freaked out to know I need to hide in quiet to ‘recover’ from the narthex crowd after church! 🙂 I host an annual craft/fair trade open house in our home each November, and it’s such a spiritual battle during the planning to trust that God will work out the deets and keep me focused on why I’m doing it…I love to plan it and craft for it, but then I just want to hide in the pantry! Thank you for sharing your heart – always! – and thank you for encouraging this sister today! 😉

kimberly oyler - i have taken tests like that over and over again. i almost always get the opposite results as the last time. this time i got ISFP. i know i am an outgoing introvert. people do not understand that.

Kimberly - I like the q & a! Keep ’em coming! 🙂

melissa - i hardly ever comment but am making two comments on one post? weird. 😉 anyhow, it’s so interesting to take the test frequently throughout your life, because sometimes I’m an ISFP and sometimes I’m a INFP. love those tests.

Stephanie - Thank you for answering my height question last week. You have a tall family!
I am an ISFJ–had to take that test for my psychology class. Interesting and fun!

melissa - IFSP/ISFP unite! Same here. Those shirts cracked me up. I think I need the first one.

Stacey - Hey Meg! I recently started quilting, taking a few local classes in my town. I am no expert, but I would love to help if you have questions. Love the quilt top you are working on. My favorite part is actually quilting….you may find it easier/more relaxing than you think! I was terrified of it, but after I spent hours perfecting the tops, I just wanted to keep going. Good luck!

Kimberlee Jost - I just took that personality test.
This will not shock you—I was in the middle for nearly everything.
Blah.

Kristin S - Kate and Allie! I loved that show.

Traci - I learned that we are VERY similar reading this! Except I don’t know how to sew (yet!), and I’ve never made a quilt. But I’m with you on the introverted but not shy thing, trying to make favorite recipes healthier, and general good style. ;]

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a linky filled post

May 18, 2014

thinking about all kinds of things today….

gointotheworld_watermark
Julie is in Kenya for the first time and has posted a few pics on IG.
she posted a link to donate money towards school uniforms.
i love when there are EASY ways to give.

photo-59 green is my new favorite.
and that mint green??? i was swooning at Lowes.
i want to paint everything green.
i would love to actually DO some painting this week instead of just talk about it.

my mom and dad were antique-ing today and sent me pictures.
do you like this? what about this? do you need this?
antiques
i think i have found my new partners-in-crime.

wishing Talby’s new shoes were my new shoes.
such a GREAT color?!!

amazing
yes.
i LOVE the fancy peonies that came up at the new house.
it was like getting a gift from the family before us!
blue skies.
warm weather coming this week.
school is out this week.
we started the summer list last sunday.
i adore how my kids still want to make this and are choosing it on their own.
we have made them for years! (they are all linked HERE)

my friend shannan entered to be picked to go to Rwanda with her favorite company, Noonday.
and she needs votes.
so if you have it in your heart… click over and vote.
i am trying hard to remember to to vote everyday until May 28th.
🙂
537427e4-8a78-4e6d-94e2-128f0ab9bcba

i start the Sugar Detox group in the morning with Marta.
i am trying to be all cool… you know… no-big-deal… it’s just sugar.
but on the inside i am FREAKING OUT.

it’s going to be o-k.

i am going to be so happy i am sugar-free in a few weeks…. right????

d490749f6f631840c71ce8699f54c772
she opened up another group!
if you weren’t sure before… now you can join the next group!
let’s be crazy-town together!

and that reminds me… i was going to work out like four hours ago.
i better get to it.

i have something REALLY BIG in the works.
like… God Sized Dream kind of big.
there are lots and lots of little details to work out.
but i will share with you S O O N.

it has to do with creativity… and me… and you… and jesus… and stuff like that.

i am not pregnant.

that would be awesome but that is not at all what i am working on here.

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tracy fisher - i’m soooo excited to hear. i’m trying to refocus. I pray about it a lot. I wish the best for you. you deserve it girl!

Amber - I joined the Sugar Detox starting on June 1st. I too am freaking out. I don’t feel as though I consume too much sugar on a daily basis because it makes me feel bad, however I am afraid of how much hidden stuff I will be made aware of. Whatever though, we are going to kick sugar’s butt all over town!!!

tara - God has been working a big dream in my heart, too.
can’t wait to hear all about it when you’re ready to share.

ps. i feel sure if my parents bought me anything, it might be something like a family of mauve and country blue geese. your parents did GOOD.

Kristin S - Last comment, hilarious. Always love your genuineness, Meg.

CathyC - Can’t wait for you to share what your new dream is!

Gina - You make me laugh.

Melanie Griesedieck - Hi Meg,thanks to your shout out to Marta last week with her links because I also started the Sugar Detox yesterday. I’ve been wanting to do something like this for the last few months but didn’t know how to go about it alone. Love your blog!

Mollie @Sprinkles of Life - I need to hit up Lowe’s to find that mint green. Love it!

I’m doing sugar-free too! Have been since last Monday! We’re not eating sugar of any kind. Even honey. Even all the hidden forms of sugar on ingredient lists. I’ve found bread to be the hardest thing to find. And English muffins. I realllly want a dessert but I’m holding out. 2 1/2 more weeks! 🙂

Jill @ Cora Anne Designs - Can’t wait to find out what you’re up to, I bet it’s awesome!!

Paula - I love green too. Check out Mary Carol’s blog this week at http://www.nellhillsblog.com
It’s all about using green. Saw it and thought of you.

jenn - so…. I know you are kinda busy…. momming, moving, etc. but I have a question – that is asked wrapped in love and patience, and wonder and hope…

Are you going to post pictures of your new house? Lots of them? I LOVE and am inspired by your color, your extraordinary of the ordinary, and would really REALLY love to see the new house.

Now, I also realize you may have decided to keep it private, and I can respect that too. Family. I get it. but, on the chance that you are willing to share….. well?

If you need a reason – it is my birthday on Friday?! 🙂 Just curious. Thanks! Hope you get to visit your friends in Michigan! 🙂

jennie - can’t wait to see what’s in store!

Gevay - Can’t wait to hear the big news!

jamie - i need a spray paint tutorial. do you have one of those? i tried it once and wasn’t very good at it. i know. how can spray painting be hard? that’s what everyone is thinking. i’m always so excited when you show spray paint cams.

Becky - SUPER excited to hear about your new God-sized dream!! I’m working on one myself, partly through your inspiration. Best wishes from Concordia! 🙂

chrissi - i went sugar free 4 weeks ago. i am really surprised how easy it has been you will do great! little things like dashes of cinnamon make my day. i still bake for my family (like i am sure you will too) and it is okay. you can so do this.
….on a side note…julie’s instagrams from africa. melt my heart. pure joy♥

Alicia @ La Famille - You are so fun. We need to hang out and spray paint things.

Tiffany Gardner - Still… after all this time of reading your blog.. your still my favorite. You inspire me through your love of color and Jesus. Thanks for sharing your life with us and encouraging me to live a better one.

Gemma - Please share your summer list! I know as soon as you share it summer is on it’s way : D

Looking forward to hearing your big news!

Gemma x

Necole@seriouslysassymama - I thought about the sugar detox thing. The thing is,I enjoy having sugar every now and again, and i really do not do it in excess. i figured this out when I went on my little food journey last year. Good luck, I am going to eat a doughnut. Just kidding.

Kari - Oooooooohhhh!!! I can’t wait to hear what your big news is!!!

Tiffany - Your parents shopping for you is cute! I’m so curious about these big God plans! So many big adventures have already taken place in your life over the last few years…. I can’t wait to hear what else God has in store for you!

Flower Patch Farmgirl - Your last line CaRacked me up.
You’re so funny.
I miss ye.

Also, thank you.
I mean.
You’re so good to me and all your people.
I was especially surprised to see my giant mug. Ha.

Last thing: Your parents are GOOD!
I am laughing so hard at what my parents would find for me…

Lori H - Meg, when you said that you are working on a God Sized Dream, I wondered if you have read The Circle Maker (by Mark Batterson)? If not, you would love it!!
Good luck with the Sugar Detox! 🙂

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