by Amy | Aug 21, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Adventure
This past weekend Derek and I started our first major house project. Well…if you don’t count the roof thing. Okay, this was my first major house project. {On this house.} And the first that made the house look prettier.
And I would love to show you photos…but my little point and click camera is dead…and I cannot seem to locate the charger. So you’ll have to wait another day or so.
Instead, I’ll show you photos that I’ve been putting off for a while. Photos from my family’s weekend excursion to the Elroy-Sparta bike trail in Wisconsin.
I realize school is starting back up {or already has}, but it’s not too late to have one more adventure before the Midwest turns to a winter wonderland. So start planning now for a long weekend over fall break or Labor Day Weekend.
The Elroy Sparta State Trail runs from {you guessed it} Elroy, WI to Sparta, WI. It’s 32 miles long and runs along the abandoned Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. The fact that it runs where rail tracks used to be means a nice smooth ride…free of steep hills. So, even if you aren’t a pro biker you can easily tackle this ride. And the kiddos will do great too.
But maybe the absolute coolest, greatest thing about Elroy-Sparta is passing through the tunnels. The trail runs through three rock tunnels that go right though the hills. When you first enter the light at the end is tiny and you can barely see in front of your face. {So be sure to bring a flashlight.}
Now…I won’t be too lengthy here. But I will recommend camping at the Tunnel Trail Campground. It’s smack in the middle of the trail, so you can ride either direction. It’s clean and the showers won’t make you lose your lunch. Take a flashlight. If you go before Labor Day, ride into Wilton, WI on Sunday morning for an all you can eat pancake breakfast. It’s $5. It’s good.
What are you waiting for. Get planning.
Amy
PS–It’s Garage Sale Week! That means I’ll be purging loads of goodies. And we have an amazing guest post coming up from Kuzack’s Closet!!
by Amy | Aug 16, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Faith
While driving the other day I was struck by one of Minot’s most spectacular crops: Sunflowers. Where I’m from sunflowers aren’t a crop. They are a flower. A decoration. Corn is a crop. We plant fields of corn…not fields of flowers.
But this isn’t Indiana…and I’m glad they grow sunflowers here.
There are fields of them. As far as the eye can see. From a distance it just looks like someone has painted the ground yellow. Then, as you approach you see them…giant, perfect, mega-flowers.
And as I drove past {then stopped and stood on top of my car like a fool to take a few photos} I was reminded of something a dear friend once said at Bible study.
She said while she was praying she got an image of sunflowers in her head, and she thought it was a perfect metaphor for us as followers of Christ. Sunflowers spend their entire existence following the sun. In the morning they face east and as the day passes, their heads tilt toward the sky and follow the sun as it crosses to the west. I’m not making this up. That’s really what they do.
I think she was right. As believers we should spend our existence following the Son. Turning to face Him in every hour of our life.
Looking at the fields I felt it appropriate to take it a step deeper. I began to think of the field as a metaphor for the church as a whole.
Another thing you’ll notice when looking at a group of sunflowers is that they all face the same direction. They know the true light source. A single flower will not be distracted and look away at a lamp or a flashlight. As the sun moves across the sky, the flowers all move together. As one.
What would happen if we as the church could band together like a field of sunflowers. If the church wasn’t distracted by politics, attendance numbers, fancy buildings, or secular life? If we poured all of our attention toward the true life-source? I think it would be amazing. I think darkness would tremble.
To be clear…I’m not claiming to be a perfectly focused. I’ll be the first to admit it. But it is something to aspire to, something to strive for. It’s something to think about and pray about. Something I pray about. How can I be more focused on Christ? Where should I be looking? How can I move as part of the body of Christ? How can I be a better follower? It is so important to follow our individual callings, but we must all remember that we are called to act as one body, pursuing one mission: To glorify the Son and spread the Gospel to all nations.
All that from a country drive. Darn those cash crops and their infinite wisdom.
Amy
by Amy | Aug 15, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Design, The Art of Projects
Hey all. So I know, I’m a little late to the finish here…but I’ve got a great back to school project for you. This is simple and cheap and fast…and sure to get any little one {or bigger ones} off to a great year.
I created s simple card-stock envelopes then filled them with some pretty pencils. I finished things off by adding some cool scrapbook paper and catchy graphics.
To make this craft you’ll need:
Card-stock | Double Stick Tape | Scrapbook Paper | One of the graphics below | Pencils
Here are the three graphics I worked with. Pirates for the boys. Back to school rhyme for the girls. And a “Billy Madison” quote for my older recipients.
I thought that pirate play on words was pretty clever.
Here’s how I did the envelope.
1. I looked for fun pencils. Target’s selection was a bit disappointing. I ended up buying Smencils from Barnes & Noble and getting the others from a party supply store. I was just at Walmart and they seemed to have some cool ones though.
2. Start with a sheet of 8 1/2 x 11 white card-stock. Make a tri-fold length wise. So your folded paper is 11″ across.
3. Cut a scrap of card-stock to fit along the back side of your tri-fold. Fold the scrap in half and double-stick-tape it in place. Repeat on the other end.
4. Now put a piece of double stick tape on the bottom flap of your tri-fold. Fold it up to complete your envelope. Write a note to your student and tuck the pencils, stickers, etc inside. Then fold the top down and secure with tape.
1. To save paper I cut strips of scrapbook paper and wrapped them around, then secured with tape.
2. Then I wrapped a thicker piece around the center to overlap the strips a bit. Finally I added my back to school graphic.
3. This is what the back of the envelope will look like.
And that’s all there is to it. I got all my paper from Hobby Lobby. For 6 packets I used less than 4 sheets of 12″x12″ paper. Happy back to school!
Here are the links for the graphics:
Pirate | Rhyme | Billy Madison
I recommend inserting the images into a word document so you can fit multiple graphics on one page! Share this with your friends…just remember to tell them where you got it!
Amy
PS–This post is entered in the CSI {Create Something Inspiring} Weekly Challenge. Go here to see where else I link up.
by Amy | Aug 14, 2012 | Blog, The Art of the Moment
I had the best time ever shooting my debut Trash the Dress Session at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. It was even more fun because this blushing bride {she was actually married about a year ago} is my sister!
It truly was a day spent trashing the dress, as we trudged through muddy paths and avoided “surprises” near the horse barn. Erin was a real sport as she braved the heat in a hot gown and ducked under tent eaves when the rain picked up.
My favorite ride at the midway is the Crazy Mouse. Maybe that’s why I love this series of photos. Or maybe I love it because of the candy colored beams and adorable cars.
Okay. Two sisters…two different tastes. My favorite is the Mouse. Erin’s favorite is the Carpet Slide. Now…if you ask me…the Slide doesn’t really count as ride. But I don’t argue with the bride. The sweet fella working the Slide even let her ride down {for free!} Be sure to flip through the gallery at the bottom of the post to see her ride!
I’m so grateful that Erin asked me to Trash Her Dress. And that she didn’t back down when we woke up to drizzle and heat. And I’m especially thankful that she paid me in Dairy Bar Ice Cream and Kiwanis Club BBQ Beef Sandwiches. {She’s my sister…she can compensate any way she likes.} If you’ve never had Dairy Bar…let me tell you, it could be a currency all its own.
Now, take a minute to see the rest of the shoot. You wont regret it!
[nggallery id=4]
Amy
This pretty post is partying here:
Sugar Bee Crafts, Debbie Does Creations, Kurtz Corner, Sweet Anne, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Adventures of a DIY Mom, Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Homework
by Amy | Aug 13, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Faith
I’ve had a good deal of sad news come my way lately. But I’m not quite ready to dive into all of that. So tonight I’m going to tell you a good “Sunday-night” story. It’s one of those heart-warmers.
A little backstory is required to fully appreciate this tale. Just a bit.
First, my sister-in-law, her husband and two kids are amazing. I’m blessed to have a sister and brother-in-law that set such an amazing Christian example for me. When I think about how I want to raise my future-hypothetical-children I pretty much want to follow right in their footsteps.
Next they live on a farm and have only in the past couple years have they started to be okay with the idea of barn cats {at their daughter’s continued pleading.}
Finally…there has only been one cat that wandered into their lives that they really liked. His name is Patches and he adores them. He would lay in the snow and ice on their front steps…just anxiously waiting someone to come out and pet him.
So, the story begins. Patches went missing. Three weeks missing. And in farm life terms that pretty much translates to “Patches is gone for good.” Coyotes, cars or a person who stumbled upon the world’s most loving cat could all be possible culprits for the loss.
But the fact remained that Patchy was gone.
And for some reason their daughter finally came to this realization one night. I guess maybe it had something to do with the fact that I had asked her that day where she thought he’ gone or if he was coming back. At any rate, she broke down hard. She was torn up, as any child would be…when the only cat your family has ever liked has just disappeared and is not coming back.
Upset by his daughter’s deep sadness, Mark went outside after putting her to bed and began to pray. The prayer was simple and bold.
God, I don’t know why Grace is so upset tonight. But she loves that cat and her heart is broken. My kids really did love that pet and I know you love them. So…I don’t know where that cat has gone off to…but I do know that you can bring it back, even if it’s dead somewhere.
Direct, sincere, heartfelt, bold. The way we should all pray. I love that I have a bro that can lead by example. Instead of telling his girl to get over it “It’s just a cat,” or just getting a new one…he prayed. He had compassion for his daughter’s feelings and asked God to amend a situation that was out of his control.
Here’s the ending to the story. The next day, the first time the kids went outside…there was Patches. Home.
God hears our prayers and he knows our hearts. He knows when we need a win, when we need a little hope. And He always delivers. He cares for you, me….even barn cats.
Amy
PS –The photo above was taken the day after Patches amazing return. Now they are a little more lenient on letting him inside!
by Amy | Aug 10, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Faith
I cannot even believe that the Olympics are nearing the end and I have yet to write a lick about them. Someone should give me a solid kick in the booty.
So tonight is the night. I’ll share something that I’ve been thinking about since the ‘Lympics began this year. I simply haven’t taken the time to put it down into words.
I simply adore Olympians that take their time in the world spotlight to be a good influence. A role model. It would be easy to take the limelight and self-gratify. To build yourself up. To take the credit for their greatness. And I’m sure that some do. I haven’t by any means seen all of the post event interviews. So I’ll just say this…I’ve been dearly impressed by what I’ve seen.
By our athletes taking this opportunity to glorify God before the whole world.
I’ll go into depth on one in particular. Gabby Douglas.
Going in to the games Miss Douglas was labeled as a rookie. She is young, and critics predicted that nerves may be a negative factor on her performance. When asked how she deals with the pressure of the world stage she replied:
I meditate on [Bible] scripture. The Bible says ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. The Lord will be with you wherever you go.
She has tweeted Scripture and glorified God on Facebook. Gymnast Gabby Douglas is 16 years old. Amazing, right? I love a positive female role model. And she totally fits the bill.
And all this got me thinking. How can I do a better job of glorifying God on my stage? No, the world isn’t looking my way…and reporters aren’t breathing down my back. My Facebook isn’t being watched like a hawk. But I have a stage nonetheless. And so do you.
So….I guess I have a lot of pondering to do {Zoolander reference}. What are small ways that I can testify to God’s fantastic goodness on a daily basis? Gabby did it when the pressure was riding high. Gabby did it in a 30 second interview. It doesn’t take long to leave an impact on those watching.
Let’s do it together. Just imagine what the church would look like if we each used whatever stage we are given to glorify Him.
It’d be awesome. It totally can be awesome. And it starts with you and me and Gabby Douglas.
Amy
PS–How can you testify in your daily life?
by Amy | Aug 9, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Adventure, The Art of the Moment
Sometimes I get nervous about things. I know…for those of you who know me this may come as a shock. Just kidding. Those of you how know me best know that I’m a bit of an anxious bird.
So, even though I’ve been in my new house and new town for more than a month, I’m still feeling a bit ill at ease. In Shreveport, I felt like I was finally understanding who I was supposed to be and the work that I was supposed to do. Then along comes change and shakes it all up.
Friends lived with us here for a while. Which gave me a decent excuse for not jumping in and establishing life here. I just figured I’d wait until things settled down a little more. And when the house was empty, I was anxious and at a loss about what I’m supposed to be doing with myself. I’m 25 and not getting any younger. Shouldn’t I have it all together by now?
In the face of all the uncertainty, I pulled a “classic Amy.”
I went home.
When everything is spinning out of control, it’s nice to put yourself back in a situation where everything makes sense. Where things smell familiar and the rhythm feels natural. When I go home {especially if I go home without Derek} I feel like I’m back in college…or high school. I drive the old Jeep that I drove when I was 17. I sleep in my bed. {Without a boy crowding me out.} And summer means time around the pool and a trip to the beach.
That’s how summer has always been. Even the photos don’t change that much. {The top photo is from last week…the photo below that is from 2007!} And as glorious as “new” and “adventurous” can be…there is something to be said about “familiar” and “known.” Just because you yearn for familiar sometimes, doesn’t mean you can’t be bold and daring. Trust me.
Now that I’m back home to Minot…I cannot say things have magically fallen into place. But I do feel back on track. Refreshed and ready to move forward.
Thank you Elkhart and everyone at home. For simply being home. For simply being my safe, sound, ultimate happy place…without even trying. I cannot wait to be back.
Amy
PS…Where is your regrouping place? How do you find focus again when things start to get intimidating?
by Amy | Aug 8, 2012 | Blog, The Art of Living
Every December I find myself in the same predicament. Maybe you do too. Christmas is only a few weeks away, I’ve purchased no gifts. I know at one point I had a great idea of what to get everyone…but suddenly I can’t remember a thing. I’m stressed out and my wallet is feeling pretty beaten down from travel expenses, food expenses, and gift costs.
Not this year, my friend. I’m in a new place. I’ve got a new direction. I’ve decided that I can make a change for the better in any area of my life, at any time I like. Now, in an attempt to eliminate a good portion of stress and financial pain, I’ve come up with an idea.
A Christmas Gift Spreadsheet. Yes, it is geekery. Yes, I believe this system will save my mind.
Here’s the system I’ve developed. I made a handy Excel spreadsheet with everyone I buy for listed in alphabetical order {Excel will sort them automatically for you.} I listed in the gift ideas I have on hand. {They are blurred so the fam can’t see what I’m planning.}
Then, here’s the kicker. As I get ideas–like if I’m talking to a friend on the phone or Derek mentions something he’d like in passing–I take out my phone and send the idea to myself in a text. How often are you away from your phone? Never. How often would folks be suspicious of you sending a text? Never. How often do you text yourself? Not very often.
The beauty here is that you’ll have a good record of ideas within your phone. The ideas will all be there waiting to be organized in your spread.
I like the idea. It’s already helping me. And this way I can stockpile ideas for birthdays and other things too. Just don’t forget to make a column for yourself. I tend to choke when asked what I want. So now, when I think of something…I text it to myself, the add it in to the spread.
Amy
