grad blocks

Hey sweet friends, I got inspired after Sunday Senior day after church & blocked it up. Just put these on FB, only one available of each. First come, first get. Email if you want to claim one.

 sarah@largendesign.com or go to FB world.

  ^ 6x6x1.5 canvas: Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken ^ $17

  ^ 6x6x1.5 canvas: Life is Beauty Full ^ $17

 SOLD...^ 6x6x1.5 canvas: Life is Beauty Full ^ $17

^ 4x3.5x1.5 wooden block: Life is Beauty Full ^$15

^ 4x3.5x1.5 wooden block: Happy Girls are the Prettiest ^ $15

^ 7x5x1.5 wooden block: Happy Girls are the Prettiest ^ $17

^ 6x6x1.5 canvas: Happy Girls are the Prettiest ^ $17

hot, hot, hot

So Henry boy, read his first book the other night. It clicked, the lightbulb went off in his head-just like his sweet teacher promised. Ruthie could BARELY stand it. She was whispering in his ear hints of what she thought the line on the page was. She sooo wants to read. We were proud, he was proud. Such a fun day for us!!! The little things, right?

home sweet home

My college friend, Chesley, asked me to paint this of the house they used to live in. Thanks, sister, for asking me to do this! Chesley & I (and 2 others) used to live in the large and spacious 4-man in the sorority house. Goodness. Bunk beds, zip privacy, messy me & I think it was still fun.

LARGEN LIFE

THINGS BUMPING AROUND IN MY HEAD:

It is finally here. Tomorrow night. I depend on ON DEMAND so much, so I always forget to watch shows when they come on, but I won't forget this one.

Oh my. What is the deal with these oreos. Oreos are NOT my thing, but these kind are. I've found them here and there. They are so very good. When I get a pack, I dunk them in my coffee.

My sweet and intentional friend, Kristen, asked me to do this quote for her laundry room. Soooo true. I know it in my mind, it just hard to convince my tired body that I am going to miss being needed by needy children & miss taking care of them in this way.

Funny unrelated/related story. I was in the post office with Ruthie & Max and sweet lady said-Please enjoy this time when they are young, you will miss them when they move out. I know you can't imagine that, but you will. And while she is telling me this. I can see Ruthie out of the corner of my eye doing what looks like a 4 year old version of a pole dance on the "line divider" pole in the post office. She was working it and there was a long line of people, some of who prob had to be thinking the same wrong thought. I say back, I know you must be right, everyone says this & hurry over to snatch Ruthie girl off that pole. And one day, I will prob say the same thing to some young "about to lose her sh** in the post office" mama & mean it.

If you are looking for a good kids' Bible for your kids/grands, this is one is great. We have others we like as well (below), but this one is really keeping my kids attention (and mine!) these days. We are reading about Samson now. Faves: Samson, Jonah, Moses in the basket, loaves & fishes, David/Goliath.

 

(We like this one too)

Well, if you are in the Jxn Metro area, you heard the Color Me Rad run was indeed Rad. I know FB friends were over it. But it really was such a fun event. I wish everyone I knew/loved was there just to be a part of it. Just one of those silly, big fun things. Well, it made me "train" for it. Although I was telling a serious runner person that I was running this upcoming race & she said oh it's not a race you know. Me thinking...what does that mean? They don't keep time or anything. Geez, louise. Don't tell me that, I've just started exercising again, I do not need an excuse to slack. I do love to run, but I can't be that serious about it.

Saw this type sticker on a car the other day. Made me laugh. It may sway you if you were on the fence about getting one of those mileage stickers for your automobile.

Sorry this post is so all over the place. Mad Men/children's Bible/color me rad. Hopefully, you can hang.

house of prayer

House painting! My first & of course, I started with my sweet mama. She loves everything. Crummy picture...

resurrection rolls

This is not my picture, swiped it from this very pretty blog. (eat at allie's). You have prob heard of this one, but it is a very simple illustration of Jesus & the tomb. If you get past the fact that the marshmallow is supposed to represent Jesus, go for it. My friend Jennifer & I did it with our kids & I love how they did not miss a beat when we explained this part. Okay, Jesus is the marshmallow-got it.

NEEDED:

Resurrection Rolls

One can of crescent roll dough

8 large marshmallows (or one for each roll you’ll be making)

Melted butter

Cinnamon sugar

 

-Roll the marshmallows in the melted butter. This symbolizes the embalming oils.

-Roll the marshmallows in the cinnamon sugar. This is like the spices used to prepare his body for burial.

-Wrap the marshmallow in the crescent roll cloth, pinching the dough together securely.  This represents how they wrapped Jesus’ body. Put the rolls in the oven (symbolizing the tomb) and bake for 12 minutes. 

-Open the tomb and remove the rolls. When they’re cool enough to handle, break one open and discover what happened to the marshmallow. JESUS IS RISEN!

 

Easter snack

The big kids are at a good age to do things like this. It was fun. And I really do love twinkies, so it was a good excuse to buy a box (for the kids-right?).
Stuff you need:
-Marshmallows (cut in half)
-jelly bellies (cut in half)
-white frosting (as the glue)
-swirly pretzels
-peeps
So you cut a triangle shape piece midway out of the twinkie. Put your peep & steering wheel in. Glue marshmallows & jellybeans on the wheels using white icing.

Other variations here.

Easter thoughts

HOPE IS SPRINGING UP FROM THIS OLD GROUND

Sweet friends, I pray that this Easter season is giving you hope. Hope that we are works in progress and God is not done with us yet. Easter swirls so much up inside of me. I can't grasp what Jesus did for us and not feeling adequate for this sacrifice...Easter special stuff for me this year.

 

This song gets me every time & that if God can make beauty out of the dust, he can surely work with me! It has been going through my head at this Easter season. That He can make us new again. What a strong promise to us & reminder of the plans He intends for you and me. 

This block is in my house and sometimes I want to chunk it out the window because my life at that moment might not very pretty & definitely not beautiful. But all the moments (good and bad) mooshed together makes beauty. And after my bad mama days, it makes me what to cling to God even more-because I am reminded I cannot do this without Him. I don't want Tim & me just to "survive" the young kiddo stage, but I want God to make us more of what He wants in the midst of it. 

  

I am thankful for my Chinese friends here at Easter. They are here for a year studying and about to go back. We've gotten to know them this past year. Above was a Chinese New Year celebration, they typically don't dress like this.

 Outfits that our sweet Chinese friends got us for Chinese New Year. They got all of our sizes right!

I know these gals miss their families & all that is familiar to them & can't wait to be back. They do not know Jesus yet, and I wish I had more time to spend with them and answer God questions (or attempt to). These chicks are so brave, coming over here at 21, trying to get a grasp on our culture, language, slang, & etc. One asked me why the Bible was so important to Christianity and why is so difficult to read & understand. Goodness, how to answer this one? I tried the best I could. I suggested she go with "the Message" translation. I take for granted all the Christian "resources" we have here in America. Pastors/scholars who can give the back story on those complicated parts of the Bible. I doubt there is much of this in China for our Chinese Christian friends or seekers. Pray that God will stir their souls.

Ruthie's partay

 

OH, goodness. How much fun. Ruthie girl turned 4. A work in progress for awhile. It is not rational for me put this much time into a 4 year old's party, but I CANNOT HELP MYSELF. I may need proof of a happy childhood for baby girl. See look Ruthie, you did have fun growing up-let's sit down and look at these pictures from your 4th birthday party.

 So this whole theme was set in stone when my sister found these LALAloopsy toys on sale post-Christmas at Kroger for $1.50 each. And of course, it was Ruthie's favorite toy. But you u know mama has to be on board too & this sold me =)

 

Ruthie loves these girls.

  

The place where we had Ruthie's party had all sorts of fun dress-up clothes. Hearts of Madison. Great little place.

 Porter & her tough tattoos.

 Rainbow fruit tray. Found on pinterest-of course.

 

 Kristen Mullen at Crumb made our cake. You know I like doing the cakes some years, but I LOVE what she does. AlthoughI make myself sick and gained 3 pounds finishing off this cake post-party. They taste sooooo good.

Please do this dollar store candle re-do. I had this 4 in my pantry already and bedazzled it. Here's a tutorial. I stink at tutorials.

Myers is a friend that Henry & Ruthie share. He is Ruthie's age, but Henry thinks he's cool.

 Dewey & Big Daddy blocking out the lala crazies and talking about taxes and politics.

 Honey with Max. It was odd, I barely touched Max the whole party. He's on my hip always. I kept thinking I had lost him.

 Ruthie and her preschool buddy-Caleb. I wish I could freeze them.

 

What a cute shirt, my heart started beating real fast when I found it. R wants to wear it everyday. Found it on etsy.

We recruited some lala "helpers"-we had to snag them before they get too cool for this stuff.