Chalk Drawing

Just a quick little post before we head off to NYC again. Who would have thought.....TWICE in one year?! This time, Clay is going back to the same pest control seminar/classes that Frito Lay sent him to last year in May. This time though, he's taking Ashley & I with him. She is SO excited!! 

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This is Alli's chalk drawing that she did out on our front porch. I mean really....just look at the shading & depth. She says she'd really love to try & draw one of those chalk drawings that looks like a big hole in the ground or something like that. I'm sure with a little practice, she could do it!

Bunny in the Hutch

Well, Jonsie is now an 'Outside' bunny.

He seemed pretty happy in his new home......

Alli NOT wanting me to take her picture. LOL! She was sitting on the step ladder keeping Jonsie company while he adjusted.

June is a month of celebrating over at Cookin' Up Creations. They are THREE years old this month & we are having a party!! Lots of games, prizes & of course, all the challenges this month are Birthday/Three related. The layout above was done for a challenge to use 3 photos of the same event & use 3 hand-cut/hand-made elements on your page. I used these pictures of Alli with her brand new Martin guitar. She was playing a Taylor Swift song....thus the title of 'Today Was A Fairy Tale'. The hand-cut elements are the little pennants, the photo mat, scalloped border & the pleated paper ribbon. I left the journaling tag blank for right now because I was toying with the idea of getting HER to do the journaling.......but we shall see.

This picture of Chris was done for sketch challenge plus we had to use a photo of someone eating cake. Chris was eating Daddy's BD cake in this picture.....back in 1992

Catch Up

Goodness gracious, it's been forever since I really wrote anything here. Figured I'd post a few pictures from my days & catch up a bit.

On Monday, two weeks ago we all loaded up & headed out to Motley's Strawberry Farm in Gretna.

It was such a pretty day...not too hot. We picked 50+ lbs of strawberries......30# for our neighbor, Gail & 20# for us. Clay & Michael made some strawberry preserves.....8 pints.....& we froze the rest to have for later on.

Mr. Rocky celebrated his second birthday. Of course, he got some new toys to open on his special day.

The boys' latest hobby this spring is golf. Clay has always loved golf & after watching it on TV, he got really interested in it again. He figured it was something he & the boys could do together. They started off using the old clubs that Clay & Chris had & since, they've bought some off of ebay & also a few things from 'Play it Again Sports'. They have a spot out in the front yard where they can practice their chipping......

....and now that they've cut the hay.....they can do some SERIOUS practicing out in the field. They can walk it off & judge about how far they are hitting the ball. This is going down on the school transcripts under PE. ;-)

I had to snap a picture of the home-building progress. This is Brett & Leslie Carter's house being built down the hill from us.

Bad picture, I know.....but I wanted to share this cute little treat/gift/goodie box I made for a challenge over at Cookin' Up Creations. SO simple & such a cute idea. Will definitely be making more of these for our parties!!

The past couple of days, Jon has been busy working on revamping this old chicken roosting/nesting pen......he's fixing it up & building new legs for it so it can be our new Bunny Hutch for Jonsie. He NEEDS a bigger cage & he will enjoy being outside!

It's amazing what a difference a few days can make. Just look at Brett & Leslie's house now!

And lastly, I took this today after church. This is where 'David's Place' USED to be. The place where all the Worship majors studied. They tore that building down to make room for the new baseball field they will be building.

Modesty: A Summer Challenge

I read this on a friend's blog & thought it was worth reposting here.

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Modesty, a Summer Challenge

Dear Friends,

I have a challenge for all of you.

With the warmer weather comes short shorts, bathing suits, tank tops and mini skirts. Clothes are see through, low cut, and tight... all in the name of "fun" and "flirty" self-expression. The fashion industry has successfully convinced young women that the sexier we look, the more beautiful we are.

In the wake of this immodesty tidal wave, the true dignity and Beauty of the female body is reduced to a visual sex object. And men, who were made by God to be more visually oriented, are drowning in a sea of tempting images which cause lustful thoughts.

As we walked across campus, I remember overhearing two of my guy friends in college talking about how much they hated the onset of spring and summer. It was because of the way that girls dressed during these seasons. These guys were faithful followers of Jesus and wanted to be pure in their thoughts. They humbly admitted how totally difficult it was to keep their thoughts pure with hundreds of scantily clad girls around them.

A lot of times girls just don't get it. It's not just "the guy's problem!" I remember falling prey to the fashion of the times when I was in school. One of my best Christian guy friends approached me one day about something I was wearing. He said to me, "Michele, I am your friend and I totally respect you, but when you are wearing that it's difficult for me to look at you with respect. I know plenty of other guys out there that aren't TRYING to respect women and I don't want them looking at you like that. Can you please not wear that anymore?" I was enraged at first that he dared to tell me what I should and should not wear, but after prayer and the grace of humility, that incident became a building block for my efforts to dress modestly--out of respect for myself, and for the men I encountered each day.

Here's my summer challenge for you:

Girls, be sensitive to your brothers in Christ. Modesty can definitely be fashionable, though it may take some work on your part. Pray before you go shopping and don't compromise if you don't find the right thing right away. Look at yourself in the mirror before you go out and ask honestly: "When guys see me dressed like this, will they be more likely to see me as an object or to respect me as a whole person?" Take the Blessed Mother shopping with you and ask her to help you pick out your outfits. Seriously! I have some really cool stories about that one :).

Guys, unless we have a major mass-societal modesty conversion, you're not going to be able to totally avoid immodestly dressed women. You've got to train yourself to "guard your eyes." Don't oogle and drool over a revealingly dressed woman and don't let your thoughts wander to lust. Turn your eyes away RIGHT AWAY and give your thoughts to Jesus right away. Pray for strength. Also, don't be afraid to lovingly tell the girls you hang out with that the way they dress is not respectful to themselves or the guys they are with. I'm sure glad my guy friend cared enough about me to say something. Finally, it's imperative that you admit any fault you might have in your struggle to look at woman respectfully. If you're watching movies or looking at magazines, or visiting websites that show women immodestly dressed or not dressed at all, stop. Be a REAL man! Don't be wimpy dork-butt loser-boy. Fess up, confess, and cut it out! (and gain victory over it)!

All it takes is a few courageous people to set a new trend - a trend of modesty, respect, and self-control. Be a witness of what it means to truly respect yourself and others. Girls, show other girls that true beauty is about dignity and respect. While you may get attention from guys by dressing immodestly, it's not respectful attention. Guys, be examples of strong, self-disciplined, manhood. I guarantee it will pay off in the long run. With prayer, we can do this! 

 

~ Michele TePas~

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Cookin' Up Scrapbooking Creations Birthday Bash 3.0
Cookin' Up Scrapbooking Creations is celebrating its THIRD BIRTHDAY in June! We're having a month-long birthday bash, and YOU'RE INVITED!!!!!

We know you love a good party, and this one will be no exception. The fun starts Thursday, May 31 on the Cookin' Up Creations forum and continues through the entire month of June. There will be a NEW and DIFFERENT challenge each day, as well as Bingo and other games. And …. did we mention PRIZES????? We already have several wonderful sponsors on board, with more to follow.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your party hat and head on over to http://www.cookinupcreationsforum.com/phpbb3. Come on over and look around, get to know us and catch the pre-party fun. We can't wait to see you!

Courageous

Oh my goodness......if you haven't seen this movie yet, you really should!!

I finally watched it the other night & it was SO good. But be warned...have the tissues handy.

'Give Me Your Eyes'

Just a quick little post that I HAD to share with y'all. Ashley came inside about 25 minutes ago.....she had been laying on a blanket under the Dogwood tree reading after supper. She was going upstairs to take a shower when she hollered back down to me that she had lost the little silver cross off her necklace. She figured it must have happened outside & was kind of patooed saying 'Well, I guess it's just lost.' I was washing the supper dishes & decided I was going out right then....before it got too dark & just see if I could find it. First off, I shook out the blanket she had been laying.....but there was nothing there. As I headed outside, I just prayed that God would help me find it.....that He would show me right where it was......because I knew this was special to Ashley.....her room-mate, Emily had given it to her. As I was walking around where she had been laying, it was funny but the words to Brand Heath's song 'Give Me Your Eyes' just randomly popped into my head. And of course you know the end of the story already, don't you? I found the little silver cross laying right out there in the grass where she had been reading. I love it when God answers our little, specific, everyday prayers for us!!

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'Give me your eyes for just one second

Give me you eyes so I can see

Everything that I've been missing'

Scrappy, Artsy, Hooky-ness

I have some scrappy stuff & some hooky stuff & some artsy stuff that I've been working on & thought I'd share with y'all today.

First off, the scrappy stuff. Just a couple of cards I made....one Mother's Day & one Birthday card.

This was done for a challenge at CUC  ......We're doing challenges this month that have to do with TV.....thus the title of  it's a 'Fact of Life' that we always have fun whenever we're together!!

These snow pictures were done for my challenge this week: As many of you know, NCIS is one of my all-time favorite TV shows & will be the focus of our challenge today. Well, actually more specifically, Miss Abigail (Abby) Sciuto. Abby Sciuto is a forensic specialist at the Naval Criminal Investigative Service headquarters at the Washington Naval Yard, with expertise in ballistics, digital forensics, and DNA analysis. In the first episode for season 7, "Truth or Consequences", Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, while under the influence of a truth serum, describes her as "a paradox wrapped in an oxymoron smothered in contradictions in terms. Sleeps in a coffin. Really, the happiest goth you'll ever meet." Her gothic style of dress and her interest in death and the supernatural enigmatically contrast with her generally hyperactive demeanor and enthusiasm about her work.

So....along the lines of forensics, we often think of fingerprints. Thus, my technique I'm challenging you all to use today is FINGER painting. Yep, you heard me. I want you to get messy. No brushes allowed. I want you to dive right in & use your fingers to paint on your layout. On my snowy layout, I fingerpainted with gesso. It gave a really cool textured look. I smudged alot on the background & on the torn edges, I really gooped it on extra thick. And I didn't do it on purpose.....honest, I didn't.......but when I went to scan my layout, I realized that my title/song lyrics included the word 'Fingerprints'....."His fingerprints are everywhere.....I saw God today." --George Strait. So, I decided that IF you so choose to accept my additional challenge of working the word 'Fingerprints' into your title/journaling.....then I will put your name in the hat for an extra-special little 'Happy' from me.How's that for a challenge?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This layout of Mema & Chris was done for a challenge to use fussy-cutting on your page. I fussy-cut all those little flowers.....bunches of them.

Now for the art journaling stuff. Sandee got me going again with the zentangles....been looking at lots of cool & interesting stuff on youtube & pinterest.

Just a few samples of my art journal.....alot of these are works in progress. I seem to do a little here & then later I'll come back & add a little more......

And now for the Hooky stuff. I picked up this cool knitting book at the library last week. I really think I might like to try & find this on half.com or something. It's a really good reference book to have.

I thought this 'Four Stitch Check' pattern looked really cool......and simple for a novice like myself. I'm trying to push myself to learn more about knitting.

Basically it's 4 knits, then 4 purls......thought it would make a cool dishcloth.

And lastly, just one of my good ole stand-by, knit-on-the-diagonal dishcloths.

Rock-A-Bye-Rocky

Rocky LOVES to be spoiled by the girls! And they love to spoiling him.

Just look at that baby!

Alli is singing to him.....Jon's version of 'Rock-A-Bye-Baby'......while Ashley scratches his belly

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope all you moms out there had an awesome day today.....I know I did! I feel so blessed!! I started the morning off with breakfast made by Ashley & Jon.

Jon made the scrambled eggs & coffee

And Ashley made home-made cinnamon buns. YUM!

After that, I got to open presents. Ashley made this cool piece of art to go on the wall here in my craft room.

This awesome painted canvas was done by Miss Alli. It's the words to Lauren Alaina's song 'Like My Mother Does'........."When I love I give it all I've got
Like my mother does
When I'm scared, I bow my head and pray
Like my mother does

When I feel weak and unpretty
I know I'm beautiful and strong
Because I see myself like my mother does"

 

 

Chris gave me this whole set of all 4 Karate Kid movies. I sense a movie marathon in the near future!

And last, but not least......Jon MADE me this amazing crochet hook!! He whittled it out of a limb from the 'Bug Tree' out front. How cool, is that?! My bestest one-of-a-kind crochet hook.

 

 At church today, they had all the children (5-10 years old) sing in the main service for all the moms. It was so cool! We got to hear Anna, Daniel, Jesse & Taylor this morning. They did such an awesome job & we are so proud of all of them! After church, we headed over to Maw's & had lunch with her & visited for a while.

Then on to Starbucks this afternoon about 3:30.....for one last 'Happy Hour' visit....in honor of Mother's Day, ya know. ;-)

And to finish off this awesome Mother's Day, Clay took me out to eat tonight at Texas Roadhouse. He said he figured I'd appreciate a 'Date Night' with just some 'me & him' time more than flowers or a gift. And he's so right. Does he know me well, or what?! 

I think I am going to tuck myself into bed & read for awhile now. I really have had a BLESSED day today!!

Stuff

Just thought I'd share a few cards that I made recently. The bottom two are Mother's Day cards.....for Maw & Sarah.

And my Good Will finds from this past Friday. Ashley found two books & shown here is a sun dress for Alli along with a pair of Old Navy 'skinny' jeans, a pair of Levi's carpenter shorts for Chris & the turquois top is mine. ;-)

Recent Layout

This is one I did for a sketch challenge last month. Alli took these pictures when she spent the night at Cori's house. This is Cori's cat, Maddie & she is one FAT CAT! So, fat that when they took her to get her de-clawed, the vet actually said they needed to put her on a diet because she weighed 20lbs!

These pictures are a 'few' years old......about 23 to be exact. Clay holding Chris when he was about 4 months old.