Those Book Nerds =/

       Why are books so wonderful? Books have had an almost magical draw for people since they were invented. They are fascinating, they are adventurous, they can make the unknown know through the voice of an author that has been long dead. Most of us recall the lore of the library of Alexandria from our early educations. Most of us have fanned through the spines lined up in a beautiful array at our library, searching for a particular book, or searching for a new favorite, yet to be discovered.
     
       Books are an incredible transfer of another humans thoughts, emotions, opinions, intellect, and interests, captured on a page. When we submit ourselves to the reality of a book, non-fiction or fiction, we can empathize with the characters, the actions, reactions, situations, and struggles they may have.
     
       I once read a theory about books, one that I find so interesting. It said that the process we have of getting rid of our books allows the book to transfer hands until it finds it's perfect reader, and thus can allow sympathetic readers connect trough the experience of the book. I know that sounds so existential, and I don't think I go for the personification of the book as much as this theory does, but in one sense it's true. By the buying, selling, trading, and purging of our books we do give others the opportunity to experience the same materials we have, creating a relatable interest.
     
      One of the most well known books in the world is the Bible. Why is that? There are so many reasons, some historical (like the propagation of missionaries in the 1600s during and following the Age of Exploration) some literary (the Bible is relatable to an extremely wide audience due to the variation of authors and conveyance of timeless struggles that all of mankind can relate to).
    
     The Bible is also the inspired Word of God. I mean, we can talk about inspired books all day long-most books are inspired by SOMETHING. But how many books can claim that they were inspired by God? Just one. It has so many incredible messages, all culminating and surrounding the redemption of unworthy people like me. A message of grace, one that connects it's readers through the ages, transcending time, distance, and language barriers. Amazing, right?!!!
    
      So when you meet a book nerd, don't dismiss their love and fascination of books as an antiquated amusement, because books are for so much more than entertainment :)
Happy New Year!!!
Katie 

Christmas Dress

So I decided Kid#5 needed a cute Christmas dress!

And then I found this plaid flannel!

And I just happened to have some red fleece in my stash

for a cardigan!

This was my first-ever long sleeve dress

(and first jacket thing) ever and I am really happy with how they turned out!

She totally ran this photo shoot, and I love how

much fun she was having!

She kept saying, "let me do another project!"

And she insisted that the dog be included-girl after my own heart :)

Love this one sooo much!

I know it's blurry, but the dog's face is so hilarious!

Sassy sis =)

She was all like, "CHAIK! Look at Katie!!"

I would totally share my pattern with you, but I didn't use one! I drafted a 

bodice from a t-shirt, added the sleeves, and used a circle skirt for the skirt 

with a ruffle hem. For the cardigan.....I have no idea what I did, sorry!

Happy Christmas! :)

Comparison is Killing my Contentment

     So. This is not really a "normal'' post for this blog, or for me to even write. I usually leave the deeper expressions of contemplation to the blogs that were actually created to intellectually challenge the reader. For example, the Gospel Driven Family blog will leave you feeling smarter and yet, surprisingly uninformed about the topic by the time you finish a post in most cases (in my cases anyway). The blogs for clever people abound, and therefore I, not counting myself among the clever, have a tendency to steer toward conversational writing. Because I want to talk to my readers, not just inform them.
     Today I still want to talk to you. So don't let the different format throw you off. I want to talk to you about something that plagues my walk with Christ, something that isn't a first-time struggle for me, one that crops up every now and then and threatens to steal my joy and occasionally succeeds.

My struggle is called Contentment. 

   
     Yep. It may not seem like much, but discontentment can cause so many hectic problems. Being discontent with where God has me translates into so many different other problems. It can mean that I begin comparing my life with one that I would rather have. It can mean that I try to take control of situations that I should allow to work out on God's timeline, not mine. It can steal my joy. It can cause so much heartache because I start to feel like God has forgotten about me, and even if I am surrounded by people who love me, I can feel so alone in this struggle. It ultimately is me, saying,

"God, I don't trust You to work this one out." 

     As a follower of Christ, I know that that is a foolish thing to do. But knowing it doesn't mean I haven't tried to make it work anyway. But it doesn't. I have recently been in the throes of this struggle. I have experienced a few changes in my life, the most impactful was my graduation. On the road to graduating, I was so focused on what was coming next, what test, what studies, what assignment were next. Unfortunately, it led to a sort of "forward thinking" problem for me. Suddenly, I have no "next". I was actually really looking forward to being done with school, thinking it would be the gateway to all kinds of wonderful adventures, but it came and went like a birthday, you wake up feeling the same way as you did the day before, and there aren't that many changes. Except now, I have no next assignment to focus on. 

     It's a challenge not to feel like graduating has caused me to lose all my sense of focus, all my purpose. I've never heard anyone say, "darn that graduation, I have no purpose now, I feel lost." But I have seen the education addicts, the ones that stay in school and continue for years working on academic goals and I can kind of understand why they do it now. I had found my purpose in fulfilling one educational goal after the next, always focused on the end goal of graduating. And now that goal has been completed.

                                    "How dull," I replied to this new chapter in life.

     Discontentment cropped up in all kinds of shapes and sizes when I opened that door, usually initiated by comparing hat I have to what I don't. I don't want to be at home. I don't want to be "single". I don't want to be nearly 20. I don't want to live here anymore. See the pattern? I.Don't. 

     So I opened up my Bible this morning and I read Psalm 37. David says to, trust in the Lord, commit your way unto the Lord, rest in the Lord, and wait on the Lord, because He is our strength in the time of trouble and He will help us. He will help us! Good news, right?

     It's really wonderful how God allowed real people and their problems to be included in His Word, it helps put so many things into perspective. And that's what I got this morning, perspective, reassurance, and prayerfully the ability to release this discontentment, knowing that it may seem harder to just trust the Lord with any plans He has for me than to try to do everything myself, but it really isn't, it's just my desire to control things that is so hard to relinquish. 

And that's all that I have as far as serious things go, just wanted to share with that with you, hope you have a wonderful day,

Kate

Into My Own

One of my wishes is those dark trees,

So old and so firm the scarcely show the breeze,

Were not, as 'twere, the merest mask of gloom,

But stretched away into the edge of doom.

I should not be withheld but that some day,

Into their vastness I should steal away,

Fearless of ever finding open land,

Or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand.

I do not see why I should e'er turn back,

Or those should not set forth upon my track

To overtake me, who miss me here

And long to know if still I held them dear.

They would not find me changed from him they knew-

Only more sure of all I thought was true.

-Robert Frost

It's Been a Bit.....

It's been a bit since I've been on my blog....

Not like I've been feeling guilty about it or anything.

Okay, so I lied, I've missed it.

And I felt guilty, not sure why though.

Blogging has never been like a chore or anything, and it's

not really like I've done it consistently in the history of ever.

But I'm back! Sort of I guess.

Who knows if this will be the first of many posts to come

or the last of any for ages. 

News news news!

For example, I am a transcript away from graduation!

Let's celebrate! 

And after that.....after that, let's take a nap.

A nap that will be like a memorial to all those nights

I spent awake worried about my tests,

worried about the drive, panicked at the prospect of getting lost.

All those breathless moments when I was sure I was going to fail

and, only by God's grace, didn't (expect that one time, but we won't dwell on that).

And shoutout to all the awesome people who have prayed for me.

And the people that told me I couldn't quit (thanks mom and dad).

And the people that told me I wouldn't fail.

All your support has been awesome,

and when I cried and shouted and slapped my forehead

you kept me going :)

Thanks!

This is starting to sound like a bad graduation speech.

I don't do speeches.

And the moon has been gorgeous lately.

So yeah :)

I'm trying to get the hang of this again,

forgive me for rambling like a weirdo.

Wait, no, nevermind don't.

Cause I am, and I did, and I'm not sorry :)

April shower, even though it's March

It's March!! (did you know that?)

And I feel like it's been ages since I blogged.

And if 2 weeks+ is ages,

then it has been.

We have had some really marvelous weather lately.

Rain, in point of fact.

And 50 degrees. 

Wonderful-ness.

And all this loverly weather has inspired me to

grab my pencils. All two of them.

And some blank paper that stares back at me,

asking for kindness, and requesting not to be wrinkled up

and thrown away.

Four pages made it! 

Those less fortunate were....less fortunate.

My mom is a genius and recommended

this pseudo-clothesline for my wall,

I love it, and it was so easy.

To be 100% truthful, the one on the right was done

several months ago, and was stuck in a stack

of old sketches. It fit my theme perfectly though :)

I definitely think the little girl in the rain is my favorite :)

And now I need your help! 

I have room for one more sketch on my line,

and I need an idea! 

Comment below with ideas-remember it

has to be umbrella related :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Let's Paint our Shoes!!!

We are going to paint shoes today!

So run over t o Walmart, and grab a pair

of those 7.00 white tennis shoes that look

super boring, and we are going to make them more fun!

Boring, right?

Pull out those laces, and tuck the tongue into the

toe of the shoe! Now, we are ready to paint!

I used my Tulip fabric paint, the

same ones I've used to my t-shirt projects.

 I really wanted a nice teal color, but I didn't have

any, so I had to mix it.

This is what it looked like before I stirred it up. 

Probably 60% blue, 20% white, 15% green, 5% yellow.

I didn't get a pic of just the teal *bummer*, but I painted the middle

part of both shoes teal. Next, I did black stripes.

I was using scotch tape (cut in half down the center) for a guideline, like painters tape.

I also did the stripes on the toes of both shoes.

It was a little time consuming, but I really like how they turned out!

Can't wait to wear them!

Planes, Posters, and other things :)

First off-my camera cord came off of strike-so now I have photos!

Have you seen the movie Planes yet? 

It is pretty decent, all things considered. 

The plot has some pretty close ties to the original Cars film,

but overall it is a good, family movie night film. 

Needless to say, it has become rather popular here

at our house! And even though birthdays a re a bit off, 

one of the kids has decided on a Planes party.

Yes! I get to make stuff now!

So, the above photo is my attempt at 

"Pin the Prop on the Plane"

In case you haven't seen the movie, the plane

on the poster is the main character-special request 

from the Birthday Kid :)

Everything on the poster is paper, except for like, 

four lines I did with a marker. I am so excited

about this birthday-can you tell?!

Planes and I were already friends (remember my mural?)

so I was more than happy to get to play along! 

And the other thing I wanted to share with you 

is that Kid #6 has arrived! And they came home from the

hospital with a free diaper bag

I think we can all agree that this is a bit boring,

at least everyone at our house did....

So my mom gave it to me to make cool and kid-friendly!

Here's what I did:

Excuse my mad photo-taking skills, lol!

And that's all I have for you today,

than ks for stopping by!

Remember this?

So, I had a post all planned out.

And then my camera USB cord decided to run away.

Remember looking for stuff as a kid,

and you would tell your mom you didn't have it last 

(no one had it last!)

and she always said "well, I guess it just grew legs and walked off then!"

I always thought that would be cool.

Pretty sure Toy Story just fueled that idea.

Oh-remember VHS tapes?! 

They are the real reason we "rewind" DVDs now.

My mom got rid of all of our VHS tapes in the past year.

We had those two-tapes sets, for Fiddler on the Roof,

and Sound of Music. I was so sad, I loved those films.

On the bright side though, we can no longer

just pop in those insanely embarrassing home videos

of my sister and I singing music from the "Aristocats" in shower caps

and pajamas. We were so young. Don't judge.

I remember my mom always telling us to stop the tape 

before we rewound or fast forwarded parts we didn't like.

I never did know for sure why we had to do that....

Remember Barney tapes were white, with purple letters

and Blues Clues were (usually) orange (then they came out with that 

blue one and it threw everyone off) and green Veggie Tales....

Oh, how poorly animated the originals were. 

Remember ours were like this:

And then we were so thoroughly impressed with "Jonah", and the 

Pirates?!

Pretty sure Larry had a lisp back then too....

Puffy paint

Some people  never learn.

That would be me.

I have not learned that it is a bad idea to make 

giant messes and try new projects while

mom is out. 

Just for clarification-this one was not my idea.

My mom emailed me this happy little link

for puff paints, that said

"You could make this while I'm gone!"

I never learn.

But! We had fun.

We're thinking of taking our gallery on tour now that we are experts

at puff paint. 

I let each kid pick their best picture for the blog :)

Kid #5-it's a heart. definitely a heart.

Kid#4

Kid#3-couldn't decide which one was his best work,

so he chose two.

What? I tried okay, I tried so hard.

Snow? Nope, just ice.

We had a little ice-over last night!

Complete with slightly droopy trees,

dropping temps, and a quick power flash!

Of course, our family was planning for sub-zero temperatures, with

the kids all hoping the power would go out. 

Remember wishing that as a kid? We were all like,

Oh! If the power goes out, then I won't have to do school tomorrow!

Now I was more like-if the power goes out,

then my laptop will die. Also, my sewing machine won't work.

It was still ice-y this morning, so I took some quick pics :)

I love how you can see the twists in the wire through the ice :)

My cow was all like-feed me. right.now.

Drooping hay-grass in the pasture

Okay, no idea what these are. But they look cool.

Have a wonderful day!

In case you didn't know....

Nutella is awesome.

If you like nutella, then you are awesome.

If you give me nutella, then you are the best.

My logic is flawless, promise.

whenever i see this guy's face, i think of Brad Stein

pretty sure Frank Sinatra likes (liked?) nutella. if not, then he should.

yes, this post just became educational

In case you didn't know-you're awesome.

Thanks for stopping by!