Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Bee-Yo-Ti-Ful...Wild Wyoming

A real life wild sighting of moose, meese, sheesh.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Bee-Yo-Ti-Ful...More

More Pictures... These are photos he took for me... of flowers! What a sweet guy!!!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Bee-Yo-Ti-Ful...

Pictures of Wyoming...Green River in the Wind River Valley. Courtesy of my man.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Erasers...

I feel guilty when I don't blog. Sigh. My computer stares at me every time I walk past like I'm forgetting to water or feed it.

So. I hope you don't mind the Plinky Prompts. Because my brain is scattered over vast terrain and I'm unable to gather enough pieces of it to be fully coherent.

Here is my plinky prompt and answer.

If you could take back something you did to someone, what would it be?

I would take back every harsh word I've ever spoken.

And there are quite a few of them.

I joke about the computer's forlorn stare. But. People are a different matter. I have seen evidence of my words bulls-eye into another person's heart. And I don't want to ever see that look again.

Once a word is spoken it can't be taken back. And sorry doesn't erase. Like a pencil pressed hard into a big chief tablet, there is evidence of what has been done.

Humor doesn't erase it either and at times only makes it worse. My kids, my husband, my parents, siblings, friends... the list is a long one. Thank, the Lord, I've gotten to where I speak less and pause before saying things I might regret. But not often enough.

My most vivid encounter, from years ago, still haunts me a little. A newish friend joined a group of women to go to a conference. As groups of women go, we were rowdy, unruly and having fun. This new girl had a little quirk. She fell asleep around 9:00 p.m., without warning, and she was out. We had fun with that. She didn't move and we played in spite of her sleeping. She then woke up at 5:00 a.m. and she woke up cheerful. She got ready and dressed and started making lots of noise. At 6:00 a.m., way too early, I woke up. And so did my bed mate. We started mumbling and grumbling about early mornings and early birds. And then I suggested to our new friend that she get a life. And it was half joking. But the look that crossed her face, the river of quiet that rose between us...and the stream of caution that remained...

I'm so glad God forgives and uses painful things to teach us wisdom.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ You Can Put Up Malls, But Rural is in the Blood...

Only in Iowa.

Long stories short.

Crying Fowl --

Mom and Dad ordered chickens. Free range, locally grown chickens. Two of them. The assumption was that they would be dressed -- for the freezer. Mom and Dad were scheduled to go out of town. Three days before they left they got a cryptic message to show up on Monday at 3:00 p.m. at a local middle school and that the birds have gone up in price by 2.25 each.

So now, Mom and Dad have left town. I have these "instructions" a check for $20.50 and a house key. There is more but I'm keeping this simple! I show up at the middle school. The entire campus is painted in school bus yellow because 3:00 is the time for buses!!!! And cars. Lots and lots of cars. So. In the 90 degree heat I wait. I scan the sea of vehicles looking, looking for the man in the overcoat or a refrigerated truck. Nothing. The buses leave, the cars leave, and still nothing that looks like it might belong to the chicken man. I begin to drive around the building. Nothing. No cars, no consumers wearing red carnations. Nada.

So finally, I decide I'm done with this little adventure. One last pass. And there he is. A large green trash can, a man in a straw hat and a woman accepting a dripping bag. The chicken man!!!!!! I've found him.

Now. Two chickens stuffed in Mom's freezer, the transaction complete, I head home.

The Buzz --

On my doorstep is a gallon jug. Full of yellowish brown contents.

Is it lawn mower oil? Gas? Someone's, who needs to see a kidney specialist, urine sample? I scratch my head. It's a milk carton like sold at Wal-Mart. I wrack my brain. Did someone borrow our lawn mower? Is this some weird sort of prank? And then I remember!!! The HONEY MAN. Yep. The gallon of honey has arrived.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ First Things First

Cut the Crapola.. update.

So far the most exciting thing I've seen happen on our excess fast is the answer to prayer we are seeing and receiving.

Each of us has picked six people to pray for, and have committed to really praying for them each day. And for 23 days we've done just that. We've prayed together for our people. And we've prayed separately and have shared notes. We've shared the tiny answers (and some bigger ones) we've seen as a result of giving these relationships to God and desiring to be obedient in what He's calling us to do. A couple of the people we are praying for don't even know Jesus and since we've begun praying there have been several times that spiritual conversations have coincidentally (ha, godincidentally) happened.

Some difficult relationships are on our prayer list as well. And we've all seen our own attitudes change and some subtle changes in our people, too. Fascinating.

This six-month adventure is about ridding ourselves of stuff that isn't good for us... I don't think we understood how toxic some of our thinking had become. I hope that when this is all said and done we will take away the truth that God truly does want our cares and concerns cast on Him. Because stewing, retaliating, blaming, and even wishing don't do any good. But He can.

I'm proud of us for not spending money hand over fist (23 days in we've all spent less than $10.00 on the wants in our lives). We've all accomplished some of the mini goals we've set. We are continuing to strive to make the best choices possible healthwise and are seeing results there as well. On all fronts. But the most amazing thing is seeing God work. I wonder how much I've missed by not paying attention to His workings in the past or by neglecting to go to Him in the first place.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Good Picture Dealios...

Via Walgreens. Today you can make a book on-line for just the cost of shipping.... don't know what's up tomorrow but Rob just took hundreds of pictures that belong somewhere besides the camera!!!!

Scribble and Scrambles ~ Here Kitchsy, Kitchsy...

What I've been up to the past two days!!!!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Good Intentions

Monday.

Gone.

Good.

All good intentions lay on the roadside
Tire marks through their middles
Like morbidly reckless raccoons.

Good attitude flitted away
On the stanky roadkill breeze.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Friday Potpourri House Blend

A few things. Call it potpourri.


1). I have a stove, but no running water in my kitchen. Rob had to crawl around in a nasty hot crawl space to work on gas line and plumbing. He mentioned a moment of panic at 2:30 a.m. the night before last when he got himself a little too wedged in the tight spot. Fortunately, he was able to extricate himself. YIKES!!!! I, of course, was sound asleep dreaming of my new kitchen.


2). My brother made a new video Man Vs. Tool and I'm posting it here. Funny.



3). Fresh Air summer camps are coming to an end and we all need a reminder to pray for people who have tough lives. And to do what we can to help. Video #2.



4). Dogs. Lily plays dress-up and 23 is house sitting with Murphy. Don't know that I've ever seen a more comically put together dog!!!!



Happy Weekend.

Scribbles and Scambles ~ Can't Help Myself!!!!

Okay. So I said, just yesterday, that I wasn't going to blog every step of my kitchen. But Rob's been doing this Herculean effort and rocking my whole world. So. Forgive me.


And excuse the black furry entourage. They seem to follow me everywhere!!!


I don't have a stove. And hopefully, my shower that is coming right up will not be icy, and if it is, oh well, I have a floor and a new view. WOW!!!!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes. Thanks for the comments, Ladies. And no, Xta, as discussed via e-mail, I won't be sending him over for awhile. : ). EER, I'm scared.

I promise not to give an update EVERY day, but things are changing rapidly and I just can't not share.

These are cabinet "beds." Far left is the new sink location and it's lovely resting place. Then we have a cabinet, a spot for the stove, and another cabinet...one that will be a pantry cupboard that will reach floor to ceiling and hold all my cookware.

Scribbles and Scrambles ! Kitcho-Chango.

My husband may be part vampire since he likes to rip and tear and build in the middle of the night. While I was out cold, dreaming of colors and cupboards, he was making room for those items.

He unearthed a little bit of kitchen nostalgia, too. The wallpaper, shudder, was hiding behind a cabinet. Good thing!

I almost can't wait to go to sleep tonight!!!!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Petrified

burgundy, it glistens
trapped behind crystal
encased in layers of glass callous
each hurt, each wrong, each pain,
each disappointment
another layer
of protection from more of the same

with each breath, each whisper
of sulfurous humid stench
the beating slows further
the chambers grow stiff
the life giving blood trickles
a river bed sucked empty by an August drought
slime slicked stones, vacant eyed, fish roasted by the relentless sun

clotting, plotting
suffocation, transformation
grabbing of balms bandages and
empty
promises
bitter pills
flasks of poison
until the crimson fades to gray
the gray to solid ice
and the ice to crystal
petrified to stone

and death

if only
a hand
could reach
remove the cold, stone heart
replace, transplant, encase a slippery, beating, hungry heart
a thirsty, ready and soft heart.
if the pierced hand could crack the glass cage,
crunch crystal regrets and sorrows beneath the pierced feet
and speak life into the eager heart
if only

and life

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Killer Marriage Tips FOR SURE

: ) Great ideas. Try them this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ You Probably Want to Read This If You'd Like to Win.....

Yesterday I announced that I'm on the Cut the Crud six month fast.

Before going there and making that decision my partners in crime and I made the decision that necessities are allowed. Because of the big kitchen project we've got going on we've decided that lights are a necessity.

And a few weeks ago, during the planning of this big six month event I was given an opportunity to do a review of a website, a giveaway or a combo of both. It took me weeks to decide. Especially when I started poking around. I was given a link to the CSN group of on-line stores.

Though I wasn't exactly looking for a Bedroom Vanity I went there and started going real deep. I got excited about some of the light fixtures that are available through the multi-site CSN Stores. Finally, I made my decision. I want to share the fun. So. Over the next couple of weeks you'll find me pondering how I'll use my gift certificate, and then you'll find my review of the website and the process of being a customer.

One thing that really excites me is that many items have free shipping. And after checking out several items through a Google search I discovered that the prices are great, too. I will be spending $30.00 courtesy of Just Vanities...and one of you will be too. And that $30.00 will be product with plenty of stuff to choose from.

Start leaving comments now. Every comment will be a chance at winning the certificate and all posts with CSN in the body of the post will count starting today, and ending exactly 30 days after my review posts.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Cut/Slash/Pound/Pray

By now you all know that I'm slightly crazy. And that for some insane reason I love the challenge of new and the excitement of change.

Maybe its the ongoing remodeling projects. Decades of marriage and living in fixer-uppers will do that to a person....if said person survives. And they say what doesn't kill you can make you stronger.

So here's the latest kick I'm on: 23, who may or may not have received the recessive gene from my crazy side, birthed this idea. And our nutty super-trainer friend "Buffy" jumped on board with us. Yes, two twenty-somethings and me. Crazy does have a name. It is Kelly : ).

We are on a "Cut the Crapola" from our lives kick.

It began on Sunday. And it's going to last until February 1st. So here are the rules...

1) Spiritually: we want to get past the things that bog us down and keep us struggling with flesh and blood and keep us from being all that God created us to be. Our rule. Pray daily for 6 people. Three of them are people who God has laid on our hearts as needing prayer so this list of three may change daily. Three are people with whom we struggle a little bit or a lot. And what are we praying? God's absolute love, mercy and blessing, that these people would find hope and healing and abundant life in Jesus. And that we would love them through Him. We are also asking God to bring healing, hope and abundant life into our lives. We are not content to be the same people we are now in six months. We expect God to use His Word and our willingness to undergo the sword of the Spirit to change us into people more aware of Jesus and more aware of our constant need for Him in our lives.

2) Physically: Test our bodies. Work our bodies. Push our bodies into being healthy temples. Eating (mostly) the things that give life, energy and health and avoiding (mostly) the things that don't. Exercising every day, brutality as needed to meet our goals.

3) Financially: We are allowing ourselves to buy only the items that we NEED. We have discussed the parameters and decided that we will allow some leeway because life does revolve around social opportunities and requires an occasional cup of coffee in a coffee house. So all "fun" or "frivolity" needs to fall into "cheap" or "creative and cheap" because we have allowed ourselves only $50 each a month ($300 total)to cover lunches and dinners out, movies, clothes, and barista therapy. When we looked at our lives we decided that we could each easily drop $100 a weekend on non-essentials. A trip to the mall could find us holding an iced coffee, a meal or two and three bags with amazing bargains. That adds up. And we've decided to put what we don't spend toward savings or debt reduction.

4) Mentally/Emotionally: We have all set goals for something we've put on hold or something we've always wanted to do but don't for some mental, emotional, physical or spiritual reason. I will share some of these as they unfurl. But we are committed to challenging each other and to grabbing hold of some pretty intimidating things.

Stay tuned for the Cut the Crapola updates. I'm sure there will be some stories to report.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ A Productively Colorful Weekend

A few things have happened to the kitchen area!!!! Coats of color! And a pantry now stocked with almost every item I own. It's deep and narrow and FABULOUS. The red and orange are opposite walls and will be joined with a perfectly wonderful yellow. Stay tuned for more.