the one makeup product I can't live without {my guest post}

I walk through the makeup department of Macy's.

Colors, textures, sparkle, and shine.

My fingers lightly caress the glass cases as they drag behind my slow, walking gait.

Intense desire.

Endless possibilites.

Longing...

Then...CRASH!

***

...to read the rest of this post

go to fingerpaintmakeup.wordpress.com.

The blog of one of my best friends.

The blog were I happen to be guest posting today.

The blog were you learn that

 "Sometimes just a touch of color is all it takes to make your face come to life."

faster than fast, quicker than quick...

...Annaleigh has turned 2 years old {as of yesterday}!

And we celebrated her birthday on Saturday.  The theme was, none other, than "Cars" {the movie}.  To say Annaleigh was obsessed with Lightning McQueen and Mater would be an understatement.

We had a great time surrounded with people who care about her.  However, it's times like these that make me sad I'm far from family.  No Grammas.  No Grampas.  No Aunties and Uncles.  And no cousins to share in her special day.  {I really shouldn't complain though, because she did receive a nice showering of gifts and [giant cup] cake with her MA family during our Thanksgiving trip!  AND her Florida Gramma and Grampa sent her some wonderful Elmo DVDs, complete with a phone call to wish her a happy day on her actual birthday!}

I was worried, at first, about the birthday party.  Not about the decorating {which is oodles of fun for me}, but about the guest list.  I kept getting phone call after phone call, facebook message after facebook message, that her little friends wouldn't be able to come.  {all legitimate reasons, but none-the-less disappointing.}  And it made me terribly sad for her.  {who would play pin-the-smile on McQueen with her??  Mommy and Daddy, of course...but aren't parties MORE fun with MORE people...don't you think?}

the invitation
{a small coloring page of McQueen is glued underneath;
the info was printed onto vellum
and attached to the card using the ribbon.}

Funny story, though.  I forgot I had put "regrets only" on her invitation!  Needless to say we had a little more than 10 people show up!  What a happy surprise!!  {more for me than for her...she'd be happy with just a cupcake!}

Here are a few pictures from Annaleigh's birthday party:

{details...ooooh...the details!  they simply make me giddy!}

the gift-table

the favors

the cupcakes

I made Annaleigh's cupcake special by sticking two candles into it.
I then used an upside down drinking glass to raise it higher than the rest.

the food table:
homemade mac n chz, pb&j's, popcorn, pretzels, grapes & hot dogs

the birthday girl

her lil' friend

my friends

watching "Cars" while eating MnMs

pin-the-smile on McQueen

Happy Birthday!

she had been anxiously waiting to eat one of these ALL day!

the presents!

thank you for my Elmo DVDs, Gramma Judy!

there's bubble-bath INSIDE the car..so COOL!

family
{p.s.  John David took a nap through most of her party!}

Me & my 2YO baby girl

Dear Annaleigh, I am SO proud of the little person you are becoming.  You already are incredibly unselfish, obedient {most days}, empathetic, loving, goofy, sweet, fun, smiley, energetic, caring, a quick learner, observant, smart, and an amazing helper!  You have such a BIG heart!  Your facial expressions make us smile and laugh everyday.  You are the reason we wanted more little ones...because the joy you've brought into our lives is incredible...and we wanted to multiply that feeling!   I pray, more than anything, for you to find your Savior at a young age so He can use all your WONDERFUL attributes for HIS GLORY!    Happy Birthday my sweet little girl!  I love you SO much.

dear Krystal...

I remember when we first met...

I was 11 and you were 10.

We were in your basement

drinking soda

jumping up and down

trying desperately to make ourselves belch.

I learned two things that day:

#1 You are the best belch-er in the world

{I've yet to meet someone who can match your skills}.

#2  You are a lifelong friend.  My bestie.

From that day forward, our lives would never be the same.

In ways we could never have dreamed.

And for both of us, that meant a whole lot of bad.

But as we have lived our lives, we look back and see that there were threads of good, weaved throughout, as well.

One of those good strands has been our friendship.

No matter the paths it has taken {rocky, smooth, separate, together....}

you have been a constant presence in my life.

What an adventure we've shared!

I now know I can count on you.

My life is what it is as a result of your influence.

My life continues to benefit, even today.

Your...

strength

bravery

diligence

fight

refusal to give up

faith in God

endurance
unending joy
perspective

heart

...inspire me.

I want to be a better person because of you.

You have overcome SO MUCH.

And with each new day, as the sun rises to meet your beautiful face,

your determination is fortified.

You will win.

And you'll do it with a smile on your face and a practical joke in your pocket.

I can't tell you enough how proud I am to know you.
And how lucky I am to be your friend.

I love you, Crazy.

I hope you have a wonderfully HAPPY 30th Birthday today!

I wish I could be there to help you paint the town

and get kicked out of a fine establishment with you!

Until we meet again, 

I will dream of us.

Belching.

Laughing.

Making fools of ourselves.

Matching outfits and all...

I'm Silly.
And you're just plain Crazy...

effortlessly brilliant

Speaking of birthdays, this is one of my most cherished gifts.  It's an eye-shadow from the Skin Market {do you remember that place? whatever happened to it??}.  The name of this particular color is "Dog".  {I don't know either...}  I've had it forever {and not because I don't use it, it just has lasted that long}!  Since my college days.

I have an amazing friend named Kristin.

The gift giver.

We met in college.

All you had to add was one trip to the campus cafeteria and you got an instant friendship.  Sorta like a water bottle and those crystal light to-go packets.

Not only is this girl gorgeous, but she's smart.  In like, a thousand different ways.

But especially when it comes to fashion and makeup.  This girl knows how to effortlessly put a look together.

Everything I know about being "girly" stems from her influence.  When I met her, I had no sense of style and no understanding of how to properly apply makeup.  Four years later, I had improved greatly as a result of her "teachings".  However, there's always room to improve!  I still find myself texting her, while in a store, trying to find a perfect color combo:

"Hey, K.  Found a great dress on sale.  But what color goes with goldenrod yellow?  I need accessories, and I'm afraid black will make me look like a bumblebee."

"Chocolate brown.  Definitely. Text me a pic of the results!"

I think to myself, wow, she figured that out all too quickly.  Seeing as I've stood here for almost 30 minutes agonizing over this decision... 

But she was right.  And it's stunning.

Needless to say, when she bought me that khaki-colored green eye-shadow {along with a loose golden eye powder that I aggressively used up because that was the beginning of my golden eye-shadow addiction} in the picture up there, it went perfectly with my hazel eyes.  I mean:  it's perfect.  My eye color pops from beneath my lids and can pierce even the most timid soul.  She knew about these types of things, long before Almay invented their Intense i-color eye-shadows.  Did I mention she's brilliant?

Well, she is.

And she is taking her passion to the next level.

She has started her own blog.  To get her feet wet, in hopes of the one day she will "paint faces" as her sole-means of income.  And she can do it.  I know she can.  She's that good.

So go check it out.  It's called fingerpaintmakeup.  She offers tips and tricks and fills you in on her favorite products.  And she won't steer you wrong.  Ever.  Because she's brilliant.  

A little about Kristin: “I truly live and breathe makeup. I think about it all the time everywhere I go, whomever I am with. It has been my form of art and expression since I was very young. I have been applying makeup to myself and to others for 15+ years and that passion has only grown stronger. I love sharing ideas and finding products that really work for women of all ages. I only hope to make your life a little easier and more enjoyable through the world of makeup. We all have incredibly beautiful features that make each and every one of us unique. Sometimes just a touch of color is all it takes to make your face come to life.”

leftovers and tea

(Most) of the Ladies of Group #3 at the Seminary Wives Fellowship Tea
May 3, 2011

Left over blueberries at the seminary.  

Seems simple and insignificant, right?  But in it I see a great unexpected blessing. 

At least, for Annaleigh, anyway.

Mike gets paid bi-monthly.  Which is not a complaint.  Just a fact.

This fact has it's limitations.  For example, our grocery shopping schedule.

Not only does it dictate when we go, but what we buy when we buy it.

Back to the blueberries, sort of.

They are one of Annaleigh's favorite foods.  So, naturally, at each grocery shopping trip, they are a priority purchase.  But also, naturally, are the blueberries' tendency to get eaten quickly once they belong to us.  They barely last three days (and we even get the big container).  My little girl could eat them until she's..umm..well..blue in the face.

So I was quite thrilled when a few of the seminary employees decided to share their leftover blueberries with anyone who would fancy a taste -- because they didn't want them to go bad.

You don't have to ask me twice...or Annaleigh.

It was our pleasure to "help" finish them off.

And since no one was around except our family, finish them off we did.

Blueberries:  simple, seemingly insignificant, and unexpected.

But a blessing just the same.

Oh, and those ladies you see up in that picture.

They are a far cry from simple & insignificant.

They are actually one of God's greatest blessings to me...

...even more so than those leftover blueberries.

seminary banquet 2011

Radisson Hotel

May 2, 2011

Praying over the 2011-2012 interns.

The seminary banquet is always bittersweet.
  

It's a time to get dressed up, go out somewhere fancy, and have free child-care.  It's a time for celebrating the end of another year of hard work.  It's time for a delicious meal and dessert that I didn't have to make (or dishes I will have to wash - hooray!).  It's a time of congratulating(!) the BBS graduates of 2011.  It's a time for seeing -- and hugging endlessly -- old friends after a long year of being apart. 

It's also a time to say goodbye, again, all too quickly, to those old friends, as they move on toward the work God has called them to after graduation.  It's time to say farewell to the friends that will soon embark upon their own internship journey.  It's a time to realize that this transient family is a family you love as much as your own.  

It's a time to remember it's all for the glory of God.

2 Timothy 2:1-2

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.