InstaFriday: Babysitter on Duty Edition

This had a lot of fun activities...

I kicked off my weekend at my favorite coffee shop...I made sure to walk there - not only to save quarters on parking, but also because I'd be having an almond croissant. They cancel each other out you see.

I worked on bloggy stuff a bit (including mug swap assignments, woot!), brought some three journals, and ended up being there long enough to have lunch as well.

Not really a problem.

Later that day I had Thai food with my BFF Julie who was in town from LA. We hit up Thaiger Thai - and got take out. They don't have the most comfy dine in place, but they sure love their bright colors.

Jules and I don't get to see each other except a couple of times a year, but there is something about sitting on the couch talking about grown up stuff with the friend that you have had since you were 8 years old and dreaming of being a grown up.

Sunday Morning we had Church, followed by a graduation/going away celebration for Claire - who is headed off to The Master's College. Her mom makes some mean crock pot dishes. I think they rock.
Which basically means it's technically a Rockpot.

And how fun is it? I love when that thing pops up on the hospitality table. You know it's gonna be a good day.

Also, I got to hold Hayden for the first time since she was brought home.
Girl is way too popular.

Sunday Afternoon there was no Chipotle Sunday, and the Johnson's needed a sitter...

Kayla convinced me to bake cookies with her...which didn't really take much convincing.
But once we started to roll out the dough and realized there was a lot more crumbling and not much rolling going on - she ditched me for My Little Pony. Pinky Pie and Verity are way cooler than a frustrated babysitter pastry chef.

I was able to salvage about 12 cookies...and Rainbow Dash was toast. I got my audience back.
We also had popsicles. And somebody ended up with blue lips and a red popsicle nose.

Monday morning....Starbucks was necessary. Venti. With my super adorable coffee sleeve made by Marie. She has a super cute shop. Chickety check it out.

At Lunch, I ran errands, and checked out Hope Church's PO Box.
We got a postcard from Gospel for Asia.
(One Sunday a month, Hope Church forgoes coffee and treats, and instead uses that money - as well as anything else collected, to go towards building a Jesus well. It is awesome.)
They said they are praying for ME.
How crazy convicting is that?
Also, they use rugged vehicles on the mission field.
Which totally validates Betsy Jim Elliot's philosophy that it is important to be rugged for the mission field.

Um on Wednesday, I tweeted about how I get kinda mad when The Pioneer Woman doesn't pick my favorite photo as the winner in her contests.

She tweeted me back.

No. Big. Deal.

And then, there was the overnight babysitting gig slumber party.
Before Kayla could give me her full agenda of items,
I told them I was going to take them to visit Mylie and Chloe.
Ashlyn doesn't seem to love dogs like Kayla and I do.
But girl probably said Mylie's name 237 times in the short 6 minute drive to my parents.

These girls accomplished a lot in the hour and a half we were there.
Ashlyn thoroughly enjoyed telling Mylie what to do.
And discovered my old Pound Puppies - which I think is helping her inner dog lover come out.
Kayla conducted a cute-ciñera - which I highly suspect is something she learned on My Little Pony.
Apparently Chloe has lost for 5 years straight - because she is too shy.
Mylie has won 12 years in a row (even though she is only 6).
The squirrel line up was part of Mylie's obedience contest.

It's amazing what a little make believe can do.

The girls were sufficiently worn out.
And we all were in bed at a reasonable time.
KK insisted that I join her in her room, and even made the bed while I was getting ready, including her build-a-bear teddy for me to snuggle with.

I may have melted.

We may have also slept with GiGi, Thunder, and 27 Berenstein Bears books...

And then at a not so reasonable time - I woke up to a VERY cute, but VERY awake 4 year old in my face.
I took care of what she wanted, and then tried to go back to sleep.

Until said cute 4 year old (who may also be deaf and not so bothered by loud obnoxious toys) was playing with her noise-making toys at 5 am.

Noisemaking toys were put away and replaced with the oh-so-silent book.
Berenstein Bears of course.

And as I was about to go to back to bed (except a different bed, because the 8 year old's limbs were now flailed all over where I was sleeping), I was informed of all of the activities that would take place upon my departure.

Including Grandma CC coming over in the morning and giving her candy.

(I believe she was trying to get rid of me ASAP,
 after all I only gave her a cute dog to play with. 
This girl wants CANDY)

So, in summary,
a fun week.
Lot's of babysitting.
For kids who love my puppy.
And make waking up at 4:45am kinda fun.
And coffee.
A lot of coffee.


And remember when the Pioneer Woman tweeted me?
We are BF4L - After all, we go way back...
to February...
Still waiting for that Ranch invite, Ree.

Linking up with Jeannett. As always :)

Psalm 46: A Day Late

Bear with me while I get serious for a moment...

 It is no secret, that the lovely Hannah shared her Psalms reading plan with me.
Five per day.
1, 31, 61, 91, 121 on the 1st.
2, 32, 62, 92, 122 on the 2nd.

16, 46, 76, 106, and 136 on the 16th.
Which was yesterday.

This is my third full month through the Psalms.
And they have blessed my heart in incredible ways.
(No, not the southern "bless your heart" is the worst curse ever, kind of ways.)

Real, true blessings from our God above.
The kind of blessing where you see that God IS the blessing.

Being that this is the third month going through the entire book, the pages are starting to wrinkle, highlighter is bleeding though more pages, and notes are popping up in more margins.

I love seeing where I was a month ago, and what struck a chord in my heart.

Yesterday morning I read the day's Psalms, each of them spoke to me.

But specfiically, in Psalm 46, I had a note written to myself, reminding me that in the midst of the craziness of life, God just wants us to be still before Him, to KNOW that He is God.
I don't think he is talking about the brain knowing. He is talking about the heart knowing.

How many times have we heard this verse? Seen it on a card. On a wall. Underlined it in our own Bible.
Probably hundreds of times.

But this morning, I was reminded to read around the verse, to see what the message truly was. The earth is giving way. The waters are roaring and foaming. The mountains are trembling. Nations are raging, kingdoms are tottering.

Do you see the craziness?

The picture painted here is one of tumultuous times.
But God assures us, to be still. To KNOW.
To know that the God of Hosts, the God who is exalted among the earth.
And THAT God is that God that is with us.
Amen.

[God Is Our Fortress]
[TO THE CHOIRMASTER. OF THE SONS OF KORAH. ACCORDING TO ALAMOTH. A SONG.]
    God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
    Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
    though its waters roar and foam,
        though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
    There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
    God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
    God will help her when morning dawns.
    The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
    The LORD of hosts is with us;
        the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
    Come, behold the works of the LORD,
    how he has brought desolations on the earth.
    He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the chariots with fire.
    “Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
    The LORD of hosts is with us;
        the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
(Psalm 46:0-11 ESV)


Linking up a day late with Jami:

Inquiring Minds Want to Know: Your Best Travel Tips & Tricks!

Hello Loves!

My big girl vacation is just around the corner.
Two weeks tra-la-la-ing through Europe.

It's bratty. I know.

The good news is you will be getting your daily dose of the cuppa while I'm gone! I have an entire series of posts written and scheduled - and I think they are really fun! Hopefully you will too! You won't even get a chance to miss me!

So - here is what I need from you....

Give me your best travel tips and tricks. I am taking a LONG trip on a plane. Across the pond. And I need to sleep.
I will be turning 30 in the sky! How crazy is that?
When I land in Barcelona, I am going to be THIRTY.

It will be my birthday. So I need to be spunky and fresh - not tired, groggy, and jet lagged.
Not cranky from the misery of traveling.

Help a sister out.

Ready for a few of mine: Benadryl, Packing Cubes, Kindle, Water Bottle, and Carry-on Essentials.

1. Benadryl knocks me OUT. Perfect non prescription sleeping pill.

2. Have you ever seen packing cubes? They are AWESOME.

I bought some two years ago when I went to Ireland and they were SUCH a life saver.
I have these and these. In RED.

They all fit in my suitcase. I put tops in one, pants in another, socks and undies in another, cami's get one too. Etc. Until all of my clothes are packed. Not only do they help keep my stuff organized, they kind of compress everything into smaller compartments, and makes more space so I can fit a TON more in my luggage.
Since they all kind of take on a square shape, it all stacks up neatly.

Also, since I'm going to be on a cruise ship, and you have to unpack your suitcase when you are on the ship (did you know this?) - it helps keep things organized within the stateroom.

Seriously. EBags is not paying me to tell you this. I am just telling you because I love them. You are welcome.

3. My travel life changed when I got a Kindle. Again, Amazon is not paying me to say that. I just LOVE it. Vacation to me is time to READ.

One year I went to Hawaii, and brought a giant stack of books. I was MISERABLE lugging those suckers through the airport. I always travel with my Bible, devotional, and then whatever books I plan to read on vacation. Which is typically at least two or three.

Now, I carry my super light Kindle - which means more room for clothes, shoes, and bringing home souvenirs.

4. Now that TSA has regulations on the whole traveling with liquids thing - which by the way, I was in Mississippi when that federal throw down occurred, and on our return flight home, we were all bewildered that we had to throw away ANYTHING liquid - sunscreen, bug spray, lotion, EVERYTHING. Lesson learned. Quickly.

Anyway, now that that regulation is not going anywhere, I always carry an empty water bottle with me. Once you are through security, you can fill it up with ice and a little bit of water - and you are good to go. Then you have your own water bottle with you wherever you are. Definitely beats paying $5 for bottled water. And I need to have water. All the time.

Do not wait to hydrate.

5. What would you do if you traveled all the way across the Atlantic ocean, and when you landed your suitcase had a panic attack and decided to stay behind and all you had was what was in your carry on? Would you be able to travel comfortably for the next several days until you were reunited with your two wheeled buddy? Or if it was gone forever?

I may have lost sleep over this idea last year.

So, I take one of my packing cubes, and include a few extra undies, my favorite outfit (after all, when I land its my birthday, I want to look and feel good!). I also throw in my bag an extra pair of shoes and socks, maybe some PJ's, non-liquid make up, hairbrush, etc. Anything I would be super bummed to not have, at least for a few days. Obviously, you want to include any medications and irreplaceable personal items as well. Just please be sure to not lose your bag in the terminal. Things would get ugly.


Okay - SO - tell me, what are you must haves/must dos for traveling? On the plane? On a boat?
Carry-on, luggage, packing, unpacking, etc.

I want to know it all.

I want your best kept travel secret!