This Chinobilly is on a mission!

There is an organizing tool I've wanted to put to good use for a long, long, l-o-n-g time along with an innate desire to put things in my life in some sort of orderly fashion. Don’t cringe…A household notebook.

And this is why in a nutshell: I’m the type of gal who has to get my thoughts out on paper. For some strange reason Procrastination and perfectionism set in every time I start one I have yet to finish what I started.

There are three reasons that I need to do this. 1) As much as I love to use my computer/pda to keep things organized, sometimes I just need to write stuff down. And keeping it all in one organized place would be best. 2) I'm pretty good at remembering things. But one of my best tools for "remembering" is writing stuff down. And one of my worst enemies is the 425,904,825 things that I get interrupted with while trying to remember what it is I’m supposed to remember! Did I just hear an “Amen Sista”? 3) I’m having surgery in 6 weeks so my sweety, peachy will be running the show for a few days.

So, those are my reasons and here's what has been keeping me awake at night as plans for my notebook swirl around in my head and I begin craving peach pie and suddenly I have to pee but Matt’s arm is wrapped around my stomach and I’m trapped. You think I’m kidding? This was my mind at 2:48 this morning. Luckily I had paper in the bathroom once I wriggled free from the bed without disturbing the hubby.

The notebook will need to be pretty big but not too big. Let’s start with a 2 inch clear-cover binder for now.
I imagine stylish dividers inside. The dividers could have handy pockets for keeping things that I don't have time to punch with holes right off the bat. I think my notebook will generally stay on my desk or on the kitchen counter. This way it is accessible to me at all times but because it is a neat little binder and not a mess of papers, I don't mind it being out all the time. I won’t carry it with me on errands, I will continue to use a pared down version of my current day planner. It will be a tool I use at home.
And the cover...I will of course have to get crafty with the cover for my notebook. I want to make it pretty because things are so much more fun to use when they are pretty.

Sections/dividers (All to be discussed in greater detail later)
Daily routines
Weekly plan
Cleaning Schedule/Zones
Menu ideas/master grocery list
Emergency Info
Chinobilly Yellow pages and contact list
Children’s Stuff
Blog Ideas
Gift Ideas
Education
Personal/Family Goals
Budget
Devotions
Communication with Matt

You'll notice that I don't have a calendar in there anywhere. That's because I have a PDA that works very well as it synchronizes with outlook. But that would be a handy tab if I didn't have that sorted out.

So, that's my dream notebook. I think it will really help keep me sane by making sure that my poor little brain doesn't have to be responsible for too much information at once.

In the spirit of chronicling the chinobilly gardening wannabe adventures this spring while examining our progress in raising two wild and crazy chinobillies and our adventures in life, I will be starting a Chinobilly Household Journal over the next 6 weeks. I would be totally held accountable encouraged if you would like to begin this project with me. I will be formulating a plan over the weekend (hopefully) so I will have an idea of where I’m going with this crazy task. I have dreams of having this journal completed before I go under the knife so this fiasco may be a blessing to me AND my family as I begin to manage our home a little better each day. Not everyone needs everything I’ve mentioned. Feel free to let your specific need/desires “dictate” what you will incorporate. I want to start small and add as time allows. Let’s encourage each other and get started shall we?

Easy Butter Cream Icing

Some of you gals asked for the icing recipe I used on these cupcakes.

I've always admired the swirly tops of the cupcakes you can buy at the bakery. They always look so pretty. And even though I am a chinobilly through and through pretty cupcakes speak to me. They do! And once I get something fixed in my mind I can't seem to let it go. (It's just a confirmation of the borderline OCD result I got on a Facebook Personality Quiz I took the other day.) Well that firstborn trait reared its ugly head and I was on a mission to learn how to make the swirly tops. A phone call to my mom led me back to my recipe box (which I've had since I was 14) to find the Easy Butter Cream Recipe. It also led to my very sweet husband making a dreaded trip into a Michaels craft store to get a 1M start tip during his trip to town. On the eve of the Princess Party I got the kids off to sleep and began Mission Swirly Top in my kitchen. Ladies I'm telling you it was so easy I don't know why I haven't tried it sooner. I'll tell you how to do it and advise you NOT to wait until 9:00 at night on a very HOT July evening to do this because you will have so much fun you will want to make more cupcakes and more icing just to practice your swirly top technique and then you will stay up 'til 11:00 at night on the EVE of THE Princess Party. And I do not want to be held responsible for your puffy eyes on the day of your little princesses birthday party.

Consider yourself warned.

1) Bake and cool your princesses favorite cupcake.

2) Prepare the easy butter cream icing recipe below and tint with your princesses favorite color.

3) Using the 1M star tip you should have purchased yourself pipe delicious buttercream swirls on top of cupcakes. Hold the bag and tip at a 90° angle to surface of your cupcake. Pipe a spiral of icing, beginning at the outer edge and working inward. And for extra "purtyness" and extra sugar pipe a second spiral on top.

4) Sprinkle with your princesses favorite sprinkles and there you have it:

A swirly top cupcake fit for a princess!

Materials for Recipe Card: Adobe PSE7; Little Princess Kit by SMJDesigns; coffe stains brushes free by Guerilla Graphics; Pea Alesa font free by Amanda

Princess Party For The Birthday Girls

We hosted a princess party for the twins over the weekend. What fun we had! The girls invited six of their friends over for games and crafts and food and cake and fun! Abby was tickled pink that her daddy got to be there (Abby thinks daddy's don't get to go to parties) and Bree was tickled pink because...well...she got to wear pink.
I am truly blessed not only with amazing daughters but I have amazing friends too. Thank you all so much for spending time with us!
Enjoy...

Materials: Adobe PSE7, The Story of the Day Layered Template Set, Celebrations Journal Blocks, Everyday Brushes, Remember Brushes by Ali Edwards, Little Princess Kit by SMJDesigns and Ali Edwards Font.

Now I'm off to work on Ladies Bible Study, thank you notes, upload my photography assignment and catch up on lessons, make a recipe card for a blog post and I'm behind in changing my blog background. Thank goodness for naptime and the chorse being caught up for today. I get to play.

An Admonishment And A Prayer

Our sweet girls playing at the park.

I’m a little behind in reading my emails. The following letter was in my inbox from my sister in law sent on July 27th. (I'm sure many of you have seen it before.) Do you think it is a coincidence? That I read this the day after I “twist off” in my blog post? I think it’s the Holy Spirit reminding me of what is important and disciplining me because of His great love.

“To My Daughter

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.
Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.
Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck and I will buy you one if he comes by.
Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.
Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.
Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.
Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.
Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.
Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.
Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.
Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.
I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.
And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day..............”

Wow!
Dear Lord, I praise you for loving me despite my sin, and for forgiving me time and time again. Thank You for dying on the cross so that I could have eternal life, even when I don't deserve it. Please fill me with hope and strength to overcome, and continue to bless me with Your grace and mercy. Help me to have a heart that longs to think and behave in ways that please You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Encouragement from Proverbs 31 July 29

The Chinobilly Housewife Twists Off

Many of you have noticed that I have been uncharacteristically quiet on my blog porch this summer. Blogging has become really hard for me - I think it’s just the raging flow of life, and the fact that things don’t really feel like they settle down here until after the kids are fast asleep. This season of life makes it tough to even form a coherent thought, let alone think deeply. But I feel like I SHOULD be here writing down a few thoughts.
So let's see...oh...Ethel (my camera) and I have been hard at work with The Photographers Workshop. I’m learning so much and I have a renewed love for my camera. It's all I can do to keep up with the assignments but I think I'm improving little by little. I love capturing the everyday moments with my girls and this workshop has certainly kept Ethel clicking away!
I’m also attending women’s bible study, A Wife After God’s Own Heart, at my church. I know I have a lot to work on in this area yet it is so comforting to know that my Savior is patient with me and so is my precious husband. I am truly blessed.
I confess my spiritual muscles have grown week over the past three years. As I’m learning the art of motherhood I have foolishly allowed my prayer and quiet time to be placed on the back burner. Oh how I miss my quiet time with my precious Lord. I crave it and I feel so empty. I struggle with the simplest of tasks and thoughts…to utter a prayer amidst the chaos. My heart is burdened. Maybe I just need a break. Time to think, to be still and quiet.
I see this shift in priorities taking over other areas of my life as well. My house is no longer a comfortable haven. I struggle with indecisiveness in what needs to get done first since ALL of it needs to get done. Then I get overwhelmed feeling that EVERYTHING needs to be done and not knowing where to begin so in frustration I procrastinate and end up doing silly jobs that are not very significant. Lord give me direction…my dirty house is threatening to take over along with my dirty children. *wink
My morning got off to a strange start. I’m convinced the Tylenol PM I took last night is still lingering into the AM. I didn’t get a shower in before Matt shuffled off to work which makes mommy c-r-a-n-k-y and I’m mad at myself for not getting up earlier to spend some time with the Lord (something I’ve been trying to do since beginning this bible study). After getting the kids settled with breakfast I go to get a load of laundry to start and see a haze of dust has settled on our bedroom mirror so I go to get a cloth to clean that off. On my way to get the cloth Abby hollers she needs my help to go “peep” (use the potty). While I’m in the bathroom with her I see the bathroom sink is even worse shape than the mirror in my bedroom so I decided that is where I must start. Then the phone rang. On my way to answer it I trip over a box of foam beads the girls had gotten out and sent them flying in every direction. The Caller ID indicates that it is the doctor’s office FINALLY calling me back so I immediately scramble for a piece of paper and something to write with. I see a weeks worth of mail, most to be tossed, so I write a note on a mail scarp. Then Bree spilled juice on the floor so I begin to clean it up only to realize the whole floor needs a good mopping. So I head to the pantry to get the Floormate but the pantry reminds me that I keep forgetting to add some items to my grocery list. Where is that list anyway? I head off to write it somewhere. Then the girls need attention so my “work" period has thus ended for an indefinite amount of time. When all the “fires are put out” I can’t quite remember where I left off. All I know is there is stuff everywhere now and the house looks worse than when I began. So I find myself wasting time on Facebook instead of dealing with the issues at hand. What a discouragement!
How much longer can I do this? My brain seems to have left the building or is shrouded in a fog. I have had the constant feeling of just 'hanging in space' somewhere. Everyday seems like such a battle. My poor husband has hard days as well and I'm sure will be worn out when he gets home too. So, I must vent here. I know it's only a brief season. My little girls are going to be three on Monday. They are growing up so fast and I can’t turn back the clock or shout re-do! Anyways, I'm just in a place of great pressure, and I know it won't be like this forever. As long as I stand strong in faith and persevere, God will come through and we will grow even stronger. Then we'll look back and see how He worked.
Thank you all for “listening” I feel better just getting this out.
Oh yeah, interesting title huh? My gramma used to say the phrase 'twist off' for losing it, or freaking out. So that's why I used it. It just makes more sense now than when I was younger.

Camping Day 3

Well here are the final photos from our final day of our camping trip.

I hope you all have a great week!

Camping Day 2

click on image for larger view

Our second day of camping consisted much of the same activities as day one...playing in the creek. Matt's parents did meet us at Clint's Well in the morning. We ate breakfast at a little cafe then headed back to our campsite. Bruce & Carole spent almost all day with us and we enjoyed every minute of their time. We grilled steaks for lunch and got to visit while the kids napped. That evening after mom and dad left we took a drive to see if there were any better camping spots for next time. We explored some beautiful country and even saw a few elk. After we got back from our drive we enjoyed a nice warm campfire and smores. The kids were in heaven!

Camping Day 1

We went camping up at Clear Creek last week. We had a great time and enjoyed getting away from it all for a while. Because we camped in the middle of the week it felt like we had the whole forest and creek to ourselves. It was glorious!

The kids finally wet their lines for the first time. We got a lot of bites but mostly caught crawdads. The kids loved it though. When we weren't fishing we were back at camp. Abby was determined to dig to Beijing and I'm thankful she wasn't using my kitchen utensils to do it this time. Bree was content picking every single flower she could find. And Oli? Well Oli scored big time. He found an old bone to gnaw on.

Warning: Spending excessive amounts of time in the woods may cause an increase in unusual and sometimes hilarious behavior.

You might be a chinobilly...

If yur buckit

kin hold more of yur yungins

thyn yur pool

ya might be a chinobilly.

Thanks for the laughs, Korell family! We're taking up a collection down at the Alco to get you all a bigger pool or smaller kids, whichever's cheaper!

Dr Hinton would be proud

The girls are really getting the hang of imagination. I guess spending a few days in the woods with no TV will do that for a kid.
Today Bree was enjoying the fact that it was too hot for daddy to be outside for any length of time. Matt was trying to cool off and take a little rest on the couch when Bree brought out what we fondly call the Dr. Hinton kit (they L-O-V-E their pediatrician).

First she checks to "see if ya' have a hawt" (heart).

Uh-oh, daddy has a cough...tsk tsk

Now, let's see if he has a fever...

Oh dear this can't be good, he needs some "stwawbewy medicine".

Open wide...

Ok daddy this will only hurt a "wittle bit".

Daddy, your just not "gettin' any better, I'm gonna have to cut ya open to take the sick out"

"Twust me...I've done this before...I'm Dr. Hinton"

That's my girl...future MD!