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10 points on a tuesday

February 11, 2014

1. i am drinking black coffee because i have no choice… i am out of half & half.

2. i am watching It’s Complicated.

3. i am SO cold… i am wearing a coat inside.
and a scarf.

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4. how fun is this photo? i was making waffles in the kitchen and saw that she was reading on the other side of the kitchen window/wall cut-out. i just reached out and took a shot holding the phone facing down. She’s reading The Hunger Games in her jammies….stanley is all wrapped up in her knees…. the house is trashed. SO normal. so…so normal.

5. i went to see Monuments Men on saturday night by myself while two of my kids went to a different movie.
(that is one of the awesome things about kids growing up – you don’t always have to spend two hours watching a movie you don’t want to see and you can go to your own theater down the hall) (not every time… but sometimes)
i liked the movie!
i mean… Clooney is in it so… duh.
It was a very “feel good” movie if a movie about war and nazis can be in that category.
other than the lady giving the world’s most obvious play-by-play behind me…. it was a movie i would see again.

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6. i am loving this devotional book….Opening the Door to Your God-Sized Dream
it’s gets my heart pumping, mind racing, creativity swirling and reminds me to give all the glory to God.
she also has this same idea but in a book too…You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream
i think for me… this little tiny bit at a time is all i can handle.
i have so many ideas… so many dreams… that when i get going on my dreams it can be too much all at once.
does that make sense?
it sounds backwards when i say it because you are supposed to DREAM BIG right?
but i want the dreams i pursue to be the ones that God wants for me. Not my own ideas that please me.
So i am loving the way Holley has broken it down into 40 days… a little bit of dreaming at a time… for the BIG dreams God has in my heart.
Taking it slowly helps me discern a bit more.

7. Annie really wanted me to make Chicken Pot Pie the other night after we ate the CPP soup on our snow day.
The family was talking about how they love pot pie and annie said “I have NEVER had it!”
So… i made it. Pie crust from scratch… made the whole thing…. TWO pot pies.
And it wasn’t good.
it wasn’t soupy so it was really heavy.
i was SO disappointed.
like… i wanted to cry. doesn’t it stink to work SO hard on something and have it flop?
cooking is often like this for me. So much work to most often a less than expected ending.
cereal is so much easier.
oh well… maybe someday Alice will move in with us and take over cooking our meals, pouring the kids kool-aid after school and helping them solve their problems.
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8. we got to take lauren out for her 19th birthday last week.
it’s been a long hard road to get here but we did it. she made us a family way back when i was only 19 myself.
she made me a mommy.
she has taught our family so much. we have so many amazing memories together.
here’s to MANY more miss laurney. keep up the great work at school! You are a smarty pants.

9. i am getting very excited to start the 21 Day Fix program that i blogged about last week.
but it hasn’t come in the mail??!!!
silly thing.
i saw that a bunch of you joined too! Woo-hoo!
i know there are a bunch of groups with Marta so we may not be in the same group.
but i am going to talk a lot about it here… i hope… so we can share what we think together in the comments and stuff.

10. THiS.

i have watched it a bunch of times now.
it is so crazy hilarious. WHO comes up with stuff like this?!!

and are you excited for Jimmy Fallon moving to the Tonight Show?!
i am beyond happy.
my bedtime routine just got so much better.
that guy is just the best.

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brooke - ao, i’ll admit it, I’m a bad blog reader. I wrangle these two year old all day and I just haven’t been good about it, so I ‘binge’ several weeks at once. So here I am, bringing. At least it’s not ice cream! How funny, that you are doing 21 day fix with marta, b/c I have been following haus of girls for a whle now on instagram. Crazy how the worlds collide:) Hope you are having a fun craft weekend!! Or I guess it’s over now…so maybe you’re sleeping…but hope it was awesome!! I bet eating well during CW was a little tough. Hope you weren’t crabby 🙂 I would have been. Hope all is well, sorry for this marathon post 😉

Ruth Elder - I have a pretty easy recipe for CCP that I have perfected over the years. Happy to share it, if you are interested.

Lu - Hej,
I love your blog!
And I really liked the Birthday picture: It could have taken place in 1996 and would still look the same 😉
Wishing you a lot of blessings from Germany
Lu

Mindy - A dog, a book and some comfy jammies – sigh…what a way to spend a day. I have been wondering about the Monuments Men so glad to hear your take on it. Our daughter loved Full House growing up and I am a Tom Hanks fan so I am off to check out your video : )

regina - Pillsbury roll out crust< can of veg-all, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, salt, pepper and either canned chicken or "real" chicken. easiest recipe ever and its awesome!!!

Valerie @ Chateau a la mide - Haha, i’m still waiting for my Alice. I love hiow Carol just helps out with dinner, too funny!

Love that Lauren had a special birthday. Glad she is doing well at school.

Loved the Tom Hanks thingy and by the way, I saw the Beach Boys in concert and they stank! I’ve never been to a concert that bad since. It was so obvious they didn’t care to be there. Just a little side note 😉

Happy Wednesday!

Lemonade Makin' Mama - Girl I joined but mine hasn’t come either and I think I’m in a group with Haley not Marta. Still very excited and can’t thank you enough for the prompt!! Man do I need it. 40 is fast approaching and it’s scary. LOL

Kristen K - Meg…if I could do my house/crafts over again, I’d fill this primitive/traditionally-decorated home with vintage treasures & rainbows & polka dots & chickens & pets. Four kids, 2 kittens, and the love of my life is what fills it now (which is awesome!)…and a lot of dreams! But I’ve spent most of my life living to make someone else’s dreams come true, and I’m just plain chicken to ask God what my own dreams might look like. So many have come true in my family alone…but I long to turn my creative gifts and passions into something more, something for Him. When I start to get excited and dream…my brain fills up with doubt, someone gets sick, I forget to defrost the chicken for dinner (I hate cooking…least rewarding mom-job ever in my book!)…and I put off dreaming for another day/month/year. SO…thank you for sharing what’s making your heart sing, with all the speed bumps and blessings along the way. I am encouraged by you and the life you live for God – and I love your blog! Thank you! 🙂

Gail - Meg,
My 21 came yesterday. Ready to get it going. All this KS snow has cramped my running. I hate running on the treadmill. My ADD brain is also going crazy but I think that devotional is what I need. Thanks for sharing.

Kirsten J - What a fun list! I’ve cried over pie crusts before. Don’t cry, though! This is the best : http://zitzmanfam.blogspot.com/2013/01/chicken-pot-pie-crumble.html
Only I cook the crumbles separately or they get soggy. And I add extra broth.

Ashley - I like you. And your blog. And your family. And your dreams.

Barbara (WA) - I feel the exact same way about cooking. And I am going to find that book, it’s just what I am thinking about presently. Thank you!

Rebecca - Our favorite chicken pot pie recipe is Paula Deen’s Hurry Up Chicken Pot pie. You can find it on the foodnerwork. Sooooo good!

Tanya - I’m reading the Holley Gerth book version right now and your description doesn’t seem weird. It *is* a lot to take in. I probably would’ve done better with the devotional.
I am just so happy with the living room pic and your opinion that your house is trashed, cause it just makes me feel not alone in the chaos that can be a house full of kids. Thanks for taking that pic and then posting it – for reals.

dona weigand - My 11 year old daughter Loves Full House! Thank you for sharing that clip, we enjoyed it very much. The beach boys episode is one of our favorites, hahaha

Jennifer - Is the book by Holley Gerth suitable for a man to read too? My husband and I feel that this is his year to determine his dream from God and next steps for the future. I am looking for resources to help us walk through this together but I know Holley usually writes for women.

Edee - Here is our favorite chicken pot pie recipe. It tastes exactly how you think pot pie should taste and it is pretty easy. My family says this is one of the best things I make. We’re having it tomorrow!

http://www.marthastewart.com/933543/chicken-pot-pies?czone=food%2Fchicken-recipes%2Ffavorite-chicken-recipes&gallery=894540&slide=933543&center=897845

Laura - When you feel up for trying again, my sister’s recipe for pot pie is fool proof and delicious. and PLEASE buy the crust! Pillsbury (the roll out one) I don’t make it often because: gluten because: carbs because: cellulite, but the kids love it. Recipe in link below.

http://reigningitin.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-first-ever-cooking-post.html

Kerri - My husband and I are planning to see “The Monuments Men” on Thursday and I’m really looking forward to it. George Clooney – yeah! And I can’t wait to see “Winter’s Tale” that comes out this weekend. Colin Farrell is in it and the actress who played the youngest daughter on “Downton Abbey.” I have a hard time staying up past about 10:45 p.m. but am ready for Jimmy Fallon; he is hilarious.

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pinning…

January 28, 2014

so… i will just say right away… i have a fake identity on pinterest so that you can’t find me.
it is the only place on the internet that i don’t share openly.
i just like having a little place that isn’t WIDE OPEN.
i like planning & dreaming without someone saying “i saw you pinning bathrooms… are you remodeling?”
does that make sense?
keeping it anonymous allows me to dream more freely.
but i do love to share some of my favorite pins i find with you too.

click on the picture to go to the original source so you can pin them too.
and if there is no link it is because the link led to nothing.

hello. this is brilliant. B R I L L I A N T!!!

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word.

i would LOVE to have this cool walk way in my yard!

stairway to happiness? i think yes.

so simple and so lovely at the same time.

Via-L-Extravagance1
i would like to eat at that table… yes please.

i like pretty much anything Kal Barteski creates.
she is rad.

i am considering getting on the striped curtain bandwagon.
possibly.
so striking…. a bold move in any room.

i am not one who loves hearts… but this is super cute. even if it was just circles it would cute!
and then add in some colors.
yeah… i like this!

that wall is so cool!

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white floors make everything better. true story.

i believe this is a christmas craft but it doesn’t have to be. this looks like lots of fun!
adding in the straws makes it extra neat.

pink floors?!!! this room is precious.

photo-mikkel-vang
i could handle a cup of coffee out here with some lady friends… don’t ya think?

i want to paint ALL the THINGS when i see this. and then when i went through so many of her paintings i was just bursting with ideas! she’s awesome!

again… hearts.
but they are RAINBOW hearts.
and i like that.

loving loving loving this print.
love the verse and fonts but also love the painted background.

the gray grout.
and the baskets.
and old wood floors.
this picture gets better as you explore the layers! 🙂

it looks like a movie set.
maybe it is?

i would like this to be my birthday cake.
but no purple flowers please.
ewwww.
more pink and orange would be fine.
and maybe… sparklers.

details like this blow my mind.
this is probably 3 inches wide… seriously.
some people are so uberly creative.
this is gorgeous… and it’s a heart. HA!

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someday… i will put on a sparkly sparkled gown and dance around in the sunset on the beach.
it will happen.

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these colors together are lovely.
don’t you love these little scenes people make pulling out all the colors from a picture?
i think it’s awesome.

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i don’t want to ever forget.

birthday cake batter cinnamon rolls? whoa.

i think i am ALL COLOR ALL THE TIME and then i see this door and think “ohhhhhh……”

i have some pretty good friends.
(sadly the link to this is broken so if you know the artist who made this please let me know in the comments)

so cute.

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i LOVE this! it would be a blast to make.

white words on a white wall…. genius.

scrap pieces of wood to form a garden path.
it is super… it is easy… use what you have… loads of color.
i like it.
isn’t it interesting how just looking at cheerful, light and happy photos can brighten our mood?
if i am feeling a little down and then i jump over to Pinterest or a blog that is positive it really does lift my spirits.
i feel inspired just by looking.
i don’t feel pressure to change my house or MAKE something right then but i can appreciate a project or photo and say “i like that” or “this makes me feel happy” or “this is peaceful” and move on with my day.
i like shopping with people that get that too. I don’t have to buy it to enjoy it. i mean… i want to buy things i love but i can live without them. sometimes i will take a picture of something at a store if i am alone and text it to a friend saying “isn’t this beautiful?! i am not buying it… just sharing my love of it and moving on”

and then a really good friend talks you into buying it over text.
ha ha ha

i hope you have a super day today.

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All That Glitters... | Wedding Croissant - […] top left: Sequin Runner / We Heart It, Sparkly Kate Spade Shoes / Couture Events CA, Sequin Dress / Megduerkenson, Sequin Table Number / Dasha Caffrey Wedding Photography, Glass Baubles / Save on Crafts, Glitter […]

Nanette - I always feel that way after reading your blog! Today, in fact, you inspired me to watercolor with my kids! And I am really going to try to do that wood block path with them this summer. Thanks for always inspiring…in lots of ways!

Imogen Eve - Hi Meg, what a lovely blog you have. I love pinterest and I’m loving the straw garland and the cinnamon scroll and the rob ryan papercut.

I wanted to say that I’m touched you like my little heart embroidery up there and I think it is wonderful that you’ve linked straight to my blog, links seem to get lost somehow in pinterest land.

megB - Meg – I’m an avid follower of your blog, but a seldom commenter. I’m coming to your Craft Weekend at the end of February, and I’m so excited about meeting you! I just wanted to tell you – your blog is this for me. I always leave here feeling happy and encouraged – just wanted you to know! See you in a month!

Mindy - I will be pinning some of your great finds – thanks for sharing with us : ) I love that you are secret and kind of wish I had done the same…then I wouldn’t feel so ridiculous pinning things that seems so not me but could be one day, who knows? ALso grinning at your door comment because that is more my color (or lack thereof) palate but when I visit your vibrant colors I am in love with them.

Jessica Johnson - I’m feeling like you secretly heart hearts. And now I want everything striped. And cake batter cinnamon rollllllls. Darn you.

the whyte house - There are so few things left in this world that are private. I wish pinterest would let you decline followers. 🙂 I don’t know how you even come to the big city without running into a reader. I was talking to someone last week about the lack of contentment on instagram and how you(and other well known grammers) can’t even post a photo of a sick day without having someone say, “oh, where did you get…I have to have it!!” I just want to scream “leave the poor girl alone!” Lol. I wonder if anyone else feels that way or if it’s just me? 😉

Trisha - LOVE IT ALL! you have great taste.

Tiffany - isn’t it interesting how just looking at cheerful, light and happy photos can brighten our mood?
if i am feeling a little down and then i jump over to Pinterest or a blog that is positive it really does lift my spirits. – Absolutely!! And your blog is one of those fun places for inspiration.

Linda - I come to your blog to feel happy. Just a moment of sunshine when I need it. You have such a happy vibrant style that I am trying to incorporate more into my own life. “How would Meg do it?” which is a crazy thing to think of a perfect stranger. But you have inspired me so many times in so many ways. Thank you for having this little blog! and I had to go pin that hello shirt!!

Barbara (WA) - Thank you, these pins did brighten up my morning! I sorta want to re-pin most of them 🙂

lauren - that ‘friends’ papercut is by rob ryan – i’m almost sure of it!

Jen - Love the pom pom garland and sparkly dress. I have tried to find you on Pinterest. Now I know why I was unsuccessful. Good call, though. Don’t blame you one bit. Have a wonderful day!

Bethany - It’s fun to see some of what you’re pinning since we can’t follow you on Pinterest. I’m not one who gets depressed by Pinterest either. It’s fun to see other’s ideas and things that just look dreamy and pretty. I consider it like looking at a magazine-I know it’s not all real/realistic and that I don’t need my life/house/wardrobe to look exactly the same.

Hannah King - Hi Meg, thanks for sharing so many inspiring pins! I especially love the Scripture print / photo with the verse from Jeremiah. In answer to your question about the artist who made the papercut art quote about friends overlooking your broken fences, I am almost certain it’s by the British artist Rob Ryan, who makes beautiful papercut artwork:
http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/misterrob

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - My name is Valerie and i am a Pinterest addict…just kidding, well sort of 😉 loved your fun stuff and those cinnamon cake things look yummy even if it’s 11:00 pm here 😉

Julie - I love seeing some of the things you pin – I have discovered so many new blogs, artists, ideas from these. Good on you for having some anonymity – you share so much of your life (in the nicest way)with us through your blog. Thanks for brightening up my day:)

Laura O - Striped curtains are like MY FAVE! Striped anything really…..
Love those pink floors!! So sweet. Speaking of purple, I saw Jules (joyshope) instagram recently and I had no idea so many people hated purple! I only hate it when it is associated with a wildcat (go jayhawks!).

Kristin S - You’ve shared it before and I absolutely LOVE that you have a secret identity on Pinterest. I mean, you are a famous blogger (you are) so what a gift to have a spot online where you can be anonymous.

These are all so beautiful.

Mitzi - I can’t believe you don’t like hearts!! I love hearts!! Clearly by all your pins, your conscious likes hearts too!!!! lol….

Christi {Jealous Hands} - That last pin is from of my fave blogs – Farmhouse38. So fun!

amy h - fixing broken links in pinterest is maybe a sliiiiiight obsession for me. I feel sad when people don’t get their credit for all their creativity! anyway, it looks like Suzy Taylor is the creative genius behind the paper cutting art. (-:

http://suzy-taylor.blogspot.com/2011/01/friendship-papercut.html

Kirsten J - Such fun stuff!!! Yep. I slowly let people know I was blogging….and then I got cold feet, worrying about what I was saying….and I fizzled out on blogging. And so I’m on Pinterest, but I don’t know how to use it…#firstworldproblems….

Sarah @ House Made of Marital Glue - Wow – it is so smart to have a private Pinterest account! I am wishing I had done that now, but I do have a few secret boards! I love the left brain/right brain one especially. I am definitely very creative but also very organized, so I appreciate both sides, but I love the right side of that picture! Have a wonderful day!

Gina - I’m not a popular blogger like you and I totally get what you are talking about. I really don’t even want my friends to see what I’m “pinning” sometimes. 😛 I do have three secret boards too. 🙂

Angie Pendley - That whole right brain left brain business…here’s a random fact about me – I have a near complete absence of the septo pellucidum – no division to my brain. I’m whole brained. 😉

Sara - Thanks for sharing these cheerful finds Meg! I love that you are “secret” on Pinterest. I have one secret board I pin to and it is my happiest place to look :). It is fun to have people send me pins though when something reminds them of me! Out of all your ideas I’m loving that scrap wood walk the best. I think I’ll add it to my spring dream list.

Tessa - This is exactly why I love your blog! I love the colorful and inspirational pictures you share … it always lifts my spirits. You see the beauty in so much and then share it with us. How cool is that?

Jena - “if i am feeling a little down and then i jump over to Pinterest or a blog that is positive it really does lift my spirits.
i feel inspired just by looking.”

Your post totally did this for me today! Each of your Bible quotes were exactly what I needed. I am gearing up for a conversation I don’t want to have – but with His words, it will be easier. Thanks Meg!

Sabrina - My cousin has a fake name on Pinterest too. Although, I of course know it because she tells me everything anyway. 🙂 She just likes to have a little bit of anonymity out there in cyber space… I get that!
Great pins BTW! They are lovely!

Kimberlee Jost - That front door is speaking to me.
But you knew it would.

Sharon - That’s why I can’t find you on Pinterest!! I have been looking and looking for you. Your blog makes me happy! I love the colors, the crafts and most of all, I love the chickens! Keep up the good work.

Meg - That hello shirt needs a home in my closet. Definitely.

Jenn - I love Pinterest. I feel exactly the same way. Its just fun and happy. I was totally drawn to the hello shirt. I would so eat at that cafe, the right brain is so me. I’m guessing its so all of us! And I loved the pom pom straw garland. That would be a great craft anytime.

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WINNER! (& i’m back from my random week of silence)

December 2, 2013

the winner for the sponsor giveaway of awesomeness…..

TONYA S – I am in love with Jenna Lou’s clutches. I’m hoping I’ll get one of those eventually!!

tonya…. send me your address and i will ship you a BIG box of happiness!

email me. 🙂

SO…. how did your holiday weekend go?!
did you black friday shop? did you eat too much? did you bake and cook all day?

do you feel crazy like me? do you feel like you couldn’t be more behind?

i am pretty sure that is not what jesus wanted christmas to be.
actually i am 100% positive it is not.
i am trying to get myself focused on the important parts of christmas and letting the other stuff go.
it is almost all “other stuff” but so much it has to get done anyway.
but i want to be in God’s word, listening and taking action this december.
instead of feeling like an out of control mess. family our thanksgivings were each good… and very yummy.
don’t you love a big meal that you didn’t have to make ALL yourself?
i love sharing that with family and coming together.. sharing the load.
LOVE it.
i think it tastes so much better too!

we got our tree up… the kids put all the ornaments on…while KU played in the background on mute… we watched Elf and i made a fun dessert for them too.
i am hoping it helps my christmas “cheer” kick in.
i got up early for my run yesterday morning…. so lovely.
those sunrises even when it’s super cold are so worth it.
i listened to another andy stanley sermon. he just makes sense. you should check him out.
i just download podcasts of north point ministries onto my phone and that’s it.
i feel like he’s talking to ME.
and that he is very caring. 🙂

run2 if you have wondered about kansas really being flat…. now you know.
ha.

i was a mile and half into my route and this was my view.
crazy isn’t it?

and then about 30 minutes later going back the other way…
a dude just comes up from behind me OUT OF NOWHERE and passes me.
i about had a heart attack.
WHERE DID HE COME FROM?
sheesh.
he was fast…. and wearing tights & cold weather gear…clearly a real runner… not a weirdo chasing me.
whatever… i was running too.
just way slower and at the end.

#32in44 is rockin!!!

happy monday to you!!

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Gina in Louisville - What do you wear to stay warm when you go running and it is so cold?

Flower Patch Farmgirl - Andy Stanley.
Let’s put him on the “good” side of our list.
Not the peaches and pets side.

rachel b. - Seriously. Those glasses are adorable. Where did you find them?

Lisa M - Silly request, but can you share how you download those podcasts to your phone please?

Terri - I laughed out loud at work when I read about the other runner coming up behind you out of nowhere.

elizabeths - After reading about a dude coming up behind you out of no where do you ever worry about being abducted? Seriously, there is nothing out there and where would you go for help. Just sayin..but it is a beautiful site.

kris saia - Yes, it IS flat… but it’s also beautiful! We live in a hilly area around Topeka, but I’m coming to love the scenery of western Kansas. Very calming — It makes my blood pressure drop. 🙂

April R - thanks for taking time and sharing your tree, your family, and silly waffle dog in the face pictures.
thanks for sharing the sunrises and the beauty of Kansas (I can’t see the sunrise in my neighborhood for the trees and houses).
And thanks for sharing ’bout the serious-fast-runner-out-of-nowhere dude
made me smile and lightened my heart (is that weird?) have a great week 🙂

tonya - i love how different the different parts of ks look! i’m about 100 miles ne of you in the flint hills…there’s nothin’ flat up here! 😉

Melissa - Andy Stanley is a favorite of mine. I listen to him during my walks. I listen to some sermons over and over. I listened today to Follow:fearless and Follow:followwear AGAIN. I go back to those over and over.
Crazy pic I cant imagine how flat it is out there. I live in the “endless mountains of PA”

Tracey Garcia - Love the pics of the kids all together—so weird to be reading your blog since Annie was in kindergarten and then to see them looking so grown up. Crazy how fast that happens!

Rachel S - Well, I’m a little bummed that my name isn’t Tanya S, but after hearing in a sermon that it’s much harder to “Rejoice with those who rejoice” than it is to “mourn with those who mourn”. So I’ll choose to be very happy for Tanya! 🙂
I hosted thanksgiving for the first time this year, so it was fun but exhausting. My husband and I also did our first Thanksgiving day 5K run/walk. He ran and I walked but ran at times. Even though I wanted to stay in bed that morning, it felt good!
Way to go on your #32!

Stacy P. - Love that you love Andy Stanley. Our family goes to a “strategic partner” church of North Point Ministries–meaning we have Andy on the big screen for our sermons each Sunday. He really is a great speaker….and very welcoming. The church is also that way. I download the sermons I’ve already heard to listen again. I can always learn something new.
And as for the flat Kansas picture—that is crazy. Bundle up and enjoy your runs! Love the blog. 🙂

Necole@seriouslysassymama - I got back to the gym today after a two week absence. I run at home when it is warm. I do not do cold weather. I love Christmas, but for the first time in my life, I hope it goes by quickly. I need to try one of those sermons while I am at the gym.

beth larson - just sayin hi and wanting you to know how much I love your photos and words and getting a peek at your sweet family life. xo
p.s. Kansas really IS flat isn’t it? haha

Heather S. - Those glasses look great on you. They are like, perfect for your face shape or something.
Looks like a great, relaxing Thanksgiving weekend!

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this week.

October 5, 2013

my birthday week was wonderful.
my girls made me sweet cards and picked some cute kitchen utensils for me and a candle and lotion. 🙂
my cake caught on fire from all the candles that were lit… oh my.

one

sean found a snake while taking out the trash.
everyone came running to see it.
i am so glad none of my kids are scared of things like bugs or snakes.

spiders don’t count.
everyone should be afraid of spiders.
everyone.

two three

we found some pumpkins at our garden center.
i think picking them out is so fun… i like to see ALL the choices.
six ten
check out the big brown and orange pumpkin!
she is pretty.
and the weirdo green/black gourd? odd.

THANK YOU for so many orders in THE SHOP this week!!
i have so much fun playing with all that fabric and so glad you like it too!
there are still pillows to choose from and the canvases are on sale until October 15.
Use the code FPFG15 for 15% off canvases.
photo-2 (fyi… that peony fabric is G O R G E O U S )

a few weeks ago i hurt a muscle in my back.
i haven’t done any kind of exercise since.
so i was going to head back out for a run on wednesday… i thought i would take a selfie to document this big occasion.
i have a self timer app and it takes four in a row with three seconds in between.
the left picture is pic number one… the right is pic number two, etc.
our kitty leapt up onto my shoulder and scared me so bad!
four five

mr. duerksen and i are away for a long weekend celebrating our 19th anniversary a month late.
our mothers are watching our kids so we could do this… thanks Moms!

we started off with the Lumineers concert.
we met friends for dinner before too… so much fun.

trying to get a group photo in the dark with a flash and the phone turned around was almost as bad as a cat jumping on your head.
so funny… great memories.

Lumineers are still new… still fresh.
they came out IN TO the crowd and played IN the crowd.
that was pretty sweet.

mr and i are having the best time.
we may or may not have already watched 6 episodes of Homeland… we are WILD like that.
and we are eating good food.
and smiling a lot.
AND finishing conversations!!!
that is a big deal… talking it out till we want to move onto a different topic. with all those kids at home this never happens.

ok… i want to hear who your favorite concert has been.
cause i decided yesterday i want lots more concerts in my future.

WHO do i need to go to?!

happy weekend.

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Heather - The. Polyphonic. Spree. Enough said.

The lovely one - Rascal Flatts. Best concert EVER.

Kim - Could you send me the self-timer app that you use? I would love to have something like that, as I use my phone for almost all my pictures now….thanks!

jennifer - First of all I love that final photo of you and Mr. Duerksen. You both look so happy and relaxed!

Second… concerts. I saw Charity and Josiah from the Head and the Heart in a tiny venue in Seattle last year (The Tractor Tavern). AMAZING. I would love to see the whole band play sometime if just those two were that good! I have heard their shows are super awesome.

Lori - Sounds like you had a great birthday celebration.
One problem…..you HAVE to put a warning at the beginning of any blog post that contains snakes. EEEEKKK!!!

Melissa - You NEEd to see U2. Hands down the best concerts ever. Bruce Springsteen was pure fun too

j - Last summer my husband and I went to Austin for his work. We went to a place called Stubbs BBQ. There were a couple of bands playing that night. We stood in the crowd of mostly college students, listened to music and had maybe, one beer. It was one of the best nights I have ever had.

FLWendy - Happy Birthday Meg!! I think you’re next concert should be Michael Buble! Such a wonderful show! I love the pic of you and the Mr.

Darcie Perrin - Hi Meg! I would LOVE someone to give me anything from Red letter words! I thinks Dees shop is so beautiful and having the words from scripture on my wall keeps me aware of where my priorities are!
I actually think I may be giving some of her work for gifts this year! ( and yours too. The farm girl in me is loving the cow canvas)

Kate - I love Kid Rock in concert – he is my very favorite bad boy!

Rochelle - Taylor Swift is the best entertainer! Lots of costume changes and different types of dancing and acrobats. And she does a third of her concert from a revolving stage at the back of the theater for the cheap seats. I’ve been to two of her tours and they both beat every other concert I’ve ever been to for best ever! Almost worth the money!!

Jennifer - Avett Brothers!! Best concert ever! Of course, if you ever come to Nashville in December, Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb concert at the Ryman is pretty amazing too. 🙂

Heidi DeGroot - You all absolutely need to go see P!nk !!!! I went to see her last Feb in St Paul MN at the Excel Center and she was amazing! I loved it so much I would love to go see her again and again. She definitely puts on a good show. Oh, and the gal who commented about no tickets under 100 bucks—it is worth all the money in the world. I think that’s about what I paid and I was toward a back corner of the arena about 26 rows up and the view was just fine. Plus, she does some awesome things that may let you see her a bit closer;) But, I won’t give it away you will have to go see for yourself.

Rachel S - Hands down, the best concert I’ve been to was Chris Tomlin. Saw him in Minneapolis in April. Amazing!

Rachel - definitely NeedtoBreathe.

Lisa - Please tell Talby that I really like her hand-drawn font on your birthday card, and I may be copying it for a poster I need to make for Sunday School this week. The brown and orange pumpkin – so cool! As are the pictures of kitty jumping onto your shoulder 🙂

Mary - Needtobreathe and Coldplay were my absolute faves – MUST see live shows 🙂 happy birthday and happy anniversary!

beth larson - well…concerts I’ve LOVED in the last few years have included, Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town. OH and my girl —MIRANDA!

Karen S. - What a generous giveaway ~ I’d love to win! Thanks……

Alice H - I cannot believe I forgot to mention Dierks Bentley and Gary Allan. I have seen them 4 times each and they always put on the best show.

Alice H - Dave Matthews Band has been my favorite so far!! He played at the ballpark in downtown OKC. I enjoy any outdoor concert that doesn’t assign seats. I like to be able to get up and move!!

Cindy McAllister - TRAIN….Loved their concert !!!!!

Heather S. - This summer my girlfriends and I went to Starlight Theater in KC to see Train with Michael Franti and Spearhead as their opening act. We LOVE Train, but honestly, the show Michael Franti put on was the best I’ve ever had with a concert. He was all over that auditorium and dancing with people. It was a blast!!! Very interactive and his songs are so fun and upbeat – some of my fave running music!

Necole@seriouslysassymama - Back in 2009 I went to a ACL music fest in Austin. It was awesome! My favorite concert to date was back in 1995 when I saw the Ramones and Pearl Jam. The Ramones are my favorite band, and I had no idea they were playing. It was one of my best days ever up by the stage with 30000 other people singing Ramones music. I would love to see Ray Lamontagne in concert.

NS - Michael Buble! I saw him on your playlist last week. Good choice. He is wonderful in concert! He was just in St. Louis 3 weeks ago (my birthday present 🙂 ).

jen - Philip Phillips. He was SO good!
And I really want to see Pink, she’ll be in my area in a week. Can’t find tickets under $100, so… not happening. But I think that would be a crazy fun concert!

Caroline R. - I’ve only been to a few concerts my self, but the ones I went to were super great- Michael Buble and Coldplay! Coldplay is on a break, but Buble is on tour now… Happy Belated bday!

Tiffany - I thought I didn’t have a comment but as I scrolled down I realized Adele was in the list. I think I would consider camping out for her tickets, she got me through a rough time in my life, and she doesn’t even know, music is good like that. C’mon Adele, bring baby (I’ll watch baby!) double my pleasure, get that message to her would ya? Oh, Happy Anniversary!!! Best Wishes for Many More!

Kate B. - We saw The Lumineers in Lincoln, NE this past May-great concert! When they came out into the crowd, my husband and I were seriously about 4 feet away from them. Yay for 10 minutes of being close to celebrities! The best concert I have EVER been to was Mumford and Sons! They came to the Pinewood Bowl in Lincoln, which is an outdoor theater. The setting was beautiful and the concert was a solid 2 hours of great music. Another great concert is the Avett Brothers! Really cool brothers and I love the messages the share in their songs.

Jennifer - Your hair looks FABULOUS in that last picture!

Flower Patch Farmgirl - 1. I am TERRIFIED of snakes. But not spiders. Still love me, please.
2. Pretty hair!
3. SO excited for this new season of Homeland.
4. Now I just want to know about the good food..you know me, I like hearing about it. Sue me.
5. PCD! Duh.

katygirl - celine dion’s heart of the ocean tour in 1997.
there was even a titanic boat replica.

Dusti - The hubs and I have seen sugarland twice in okc at the zoo and LOVE Jennifer nettles! I’m surprising him in December with zac brown tickets for December 28th!

Jen - You and Craig look so very happy and in love. Love that you make time for each other and nourish our marriage. That is food for the marriage soul.

Concerts??? I was never a Lyle Lovett fan AT ALL until I met my hubby. He hooked me. Saw Lyle in concert a few years ago and he and his big band played for almost three hours straight and sounded great. Lyle has a great sense of humor, too. Have a great week, Meg!

Mindy - That last picture of you and your hubby is SO cute! And your pumpkins on the porch with the chicken – where is BH&G’s photographer?! The last concert I went to was a Steven Curtis Chapman/Michael W. Smith combination at our State Fair and I loved it. Getting lost in a huge crowd of worshippers is good for my soul…

Valerie @ chateau a la mode - Happy anniversary and birthday! All time favorites Paul Mc Cartney, Elton John and Mercy Me. Get to see Bon Jovi next Friday….so excited! I love concerts. So much fun.

Dawn - Love that last shot. You are SO adorable. I can call you adorable since I am old enough to be your mother.
Just sayin.

Breeanna - Happy Happy birthday! This next week is my birthday week! The best concert I ever went to was Mumford and Sons. It was last minute too. My friend texted me on a Monday night and said she got two tickets from one of her student’s parents. 2 hours later we were at the concert! They were the best live performance I’ve ever seen.

Michelle M - I don’t know what you think of country music, but Kenny Chesney puts on a great show! My DH who is not a big country fan loved it.
Glad you are having a great b-day weekend-you are looking hot girl!

Kimberlee - If Adele would go on tour I might die.

Alicia @ La Famille - Girl, I love concerts so much. We’ve been to a lot but hands down favorite? Mumford. And. Sons.

Amazing! Other good ones: John Mayer, Edward sharpe, Brandi carlile (have seen her 3 times), David grey, and joe purdy. We’re going to see The Head and the Heart in a couple weeks. They’re pretty new, not very popular yet but you should check them out. They’re good stuff. New album coming out in a week or so.

On my list: the Lumineers, Adele, Florence and the machine, Mumford forty more times, and the avett bros

Is this the longest comment ever? I love concerts. You hit a big conversation starter here for me 🙂

Wendy - My hubby and I just celebrated our birthdays in August with Depeche Mode concert during a long weekend in Chicago. The concert was fantastic but I loved the down time with my favorite guy even more. I love reconnecting with him away from the daily chaos. So much so that we are scheduled to see Jimmy Fallon in St Louis this month for our anniversary. Can’t wait!

Katie M - Glad you are having fun! We only have one little one and I can totally relate to not getting to finish convos. We recently saw Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and they were AMAZING!!!

Sarah K - Seriously so fun!!! Happy birthday sweet Meg! If you can ever catch an Avett Bros concert, you won’t regret it!

Amanda - Small Home Big Start - Happy Birthday!!!! Sounds like you had an absolutely lovely birthday week.

What app do you use with the timer?

Margaret - Sounds fun!! Have been to 7 Avett Brothers concerts with my hubs..they have this energy…fantastic every time.
Love your blog and reading your chicken posts!

Debbie S - My husband and I flew to Chicago FOUR days after we met to see Dave Matthews Band play at Soldiers Field. Four kids later and we still love to see them play 🙂 And….every woman really needs to go to a Bon Jovi concert at least once. Meow.

Janel - I have seen Fitz and the Tantrums and Neko Case recently. I loved both very very much. I am seeing Gary Clark Jr next week….this year I decided to see all new artists. So far it’s been working out great!

Happy belated Anniversary and Happy Birthday!

lisa - We saw the Avett Brothers this summer and they were amazing! Loved them. Happy Anniversary!

Tara - Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary! My husband and I saw The Avett Brothers last fall….we LOVED it. I hope we get a chance to see The Lumineers!

Dana Marshall - NEEDTOBREATHE!!! oh my goodness, BEST concert of my life.

Angela A - Oh, you were in OKC! I was wondering how you guys were posting pics of the concert on the same day as a friend here!

Kathy - Ok so the pic of you and the Mr … you are simply GORGEOUS! Do you think you might share what you do/use for skincare and makeup in a future post? Pretty please? =)
Kathy

Angie P - We saw the Lumineers open for Old Crow Medicine Show at the Fox Theatre in ATL last August – such an AMAZING show!!! Old Crow is a fun one to see if they’re ever in your neck of the woods. 🙂 (and it was our anniversary date too!)

Jenn - Needtobreathe for sure. You’ll thank me later 🙂

Meghan - Happy belated birthday

lacy - if you’re from Houston,bring afraid of snakes is ok. bring afraid of snakes can save your life here! Dave Matthews puts on an amazing show, everytime! he’s so great!

Anne G. - I haven’t been to any concerts since high school, almost 20 years ago, but want to see Maroon 5 or Dave Matthews. Congrats on 19 years and Happy Birthday to you. How did your run go after a few weeks off. I have a hard time after not running for three days straight. By the way, your top in the last pic, where did you get it?

Margaret - I had never seen Homeland.. Until 2 days ago. I watched seasons 1 and 2 at once. (Got nothing else done) That show rocks!
Miranda Lambert is a great show!,

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wowza!

January 21, 2013

well…. how awesome are you?

i was not sure i could meet my goal of 50 stoves…$1000.

and as of NOW we have raised $4230 and sponsored 211 stoves.

THAT IS SO AWESOME!!!

let's keep this momentum going!

🙂

we have five more days…. let's hit $5000!!!!! i bet we can!!

thank you to everyone who gave so far!
the adventure project thinks you are so cool.

—————————————————————————————————————-

this fake commercial was on Saturday Night Live last week.
i thought it was very funny….

also The Lumineers were on!!!!
they were so so SO goooooooood!
did you see it?
you should go over here and watch and then watch this one too!
they are pretty dreamy to listen to.

i meant to have my craft weekend post up and ready today.
but it's not gonna happen.
i have been so busy….very happily busy… all good stuff.

how about some instagrams from the past week-ish?

annie loves to go to the thrift store with me.
i told her she could pick one thing only….. i wish she would have chosen that couch!
instead we came home with that valentines bear from 2006.
i know it's 2006 because that is what is on the bear's foot.

my favorite mug.

kimberlee's coffee cake….it was totally delicious.

many monrings look like this over here.

i went back to the mall last week and the gold shoes
that were completely covered in gold glitter were 70% off!
score.

annie shouted "MOM pleeeeeease can i get one of these?! They are only $39.99!!"

only???

ran five miles by myself…. well, me and the avett brothers and mumford & sons.

tulips.
they are so nice on the eyes.

talby found these in the bathroom and wanted to know WHY?
Why do we have them? Whose are they? What are they for? Where did they come from?

(they are a mold of craig's teeth…fascinating right?)

a vase of dr.seussy flowers were sunny and nice during this FREEZING week we have had.

so cold.
going running in this cold weather is quite something.
frozen thighs no matter how far we go.
but the reward will be endurance when the weather improves…. right?
i hope so.

i love this breakfast.
cutie…greek yogurt… granola… coffee with LOTS of half & half.

cleaning at the craft house is always pretty decent because it's all so pretty to see.

i steal my husband's socks for cold running…. they are just better.

on friday we did our run and then gathered at my friend's house and helped her prepare 25 meals for her freezer as a birthday gift to her. :)
the gift was helping it get accomplished.
she is super organized so we did what we were told and it all worked out great!
that is my favorite way to cook… "just tell me what to do"

i chopped and chopped and chopped.

then i put together calzones.
it was a lot of work but so worth it! it's a GENIUS way to cook meals.

saturday morning i snuck in some time under a blanket with coffee and my book.
the sun came up and became too much for me sit there anymore.
but i will take that sunshine anytime!

i took sean to his basketball tournament for the day… just the two of us.
he had three games and i really enjoyed it all.
it has been SO MUCH fun to watch my kids improve in their sports this year.

after sean's three games we went to scott's game at our old high school gym!
it was very surreal to be there as a grown up… as a parent… of a HIGH SCHOOLER?!
so weird.
and lots of the same people sitting or standing in the same place they did when i was in high school?!!

i am reading The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out.

it's wordy but so far it's reeeeeally good.

"for grace proclaims the awesome truth that all is gift"

sunday night swimming…. yes please.
craig and sean spent almost the whole time wrestling.
why do boys do that so much?

talby organized all annie's babies for her so annie had to feed them all before going to bed herself.

and this morning…. we ran 6.17 miles in 17 degrees.
it was HARD.
but it's done. THANK GOODNESS!

then we met AGAIN but this time at the craft house and we made freezer to crock pot meals!
we made 6 recipes all together and bagged them in freezer ziploc bags!
awesome.

touching all that raw meat all day was kinda gross but i think we will all happily eat it.

i will definitely blog the recipes we tried and show more pics of that soon!
i honestly can't wait to do it again!

and now i am stinkin' tired.

i am going to bed.

thanks again for the stove sponsors!!!

you are RAD!

if you haven't given yet and you want to… CLICK HERE and it will tell you how.
it couldn't be easier.

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Jaime Melcher - Will you share the 25 meals for the freezer with us? I would love to do something like this… just tell me what to do! 🙂 Smiles!

tinaehb3 - the commercial is hysterical!!!!!!

jennibell - Your Annie and my Margaret would get along so well!!! She always picks out stuffed animals or some other gross thing like that at thrift stores but I say “no”. . .it has to be something that can be washed without falling apart — ha! And she would completely want to help Annie feed all those babies too 🙂 Yea on the stoves and double-yea on the running in 17 degrees. . .I.could.never.
And we’ll have our first high-schooler next year. . .wow.

Angie - How in the world do you manage to accomplish so much? There are so many awesome things in this post I don’t even know what to comment on. What I do know is that Freezer Cooking is awesome. I wish I could find the time & dedication to do it!!!

Lennie Jackson - Love the couch also! I bought a stove :). Hope you surpass your goal!!! Way to carry out God’s work a little at a time.

katie - When I saw this I thought of you.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/united-colors-of-benetton-kids-stripe-sweater-dress-little-girls-big-girls/3323704?origin=category&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=6655

denise@victory rd. - snl clip is hilarious.
want your polka dotted.
it’s too cold to run (and i live in cali. wimp).
ragmauffin words, so so good. i don’t deserve Him and His love either.

Tracy - Congrats on the stove donations!!
Can’t wait to hear about the crockpot meals!!!

amanda - Woot! It’s amazing what people with a purpose can accomplish!

Lisa - Freezer to crockpot meals sound awesome – totally what this working-outside-the-home mama needs. Can’t wait to hear more about it! 🙂

Erika - I LOVE your blog and look forward to reading it every day!!!! This is my first time posting. I am amazed and so proud of you for running in the cold…brrr!!! I also would love to know the freezer to crockpot meals and what the other meals your friend organized for you guys to make for her birthday. What a fantastic idea!!!!
Erika
essvedy@aol.com

susan - Love all the pictures, Meg! I have to tell you that I went to Ikea this weekend and saw that tray and thought of you! I almost bought it, but got the long rectangle with rainbow dots instead.

Lisa M. - That’s awesome about the stoves! Great job!
And you ran in 17 degree weather?? I’ve stopped running outside at the moment cuz it’s reeeeaaallly cold (1 degree today) and I don’t know if I’d make it. My problem is clothing. I always start out really cold then half way through I’m taking off gloves, my hat and wishing I could shed some clothes! I think I might have just been inspired to go out (no, not in 1 degree). Maybe when it gets above 20 🙂

Lisa - Wowza is right!!! So awesome how many stoves were bought!

Jenny B. - So fun! One random question… Do you like your new rainbow knives? 🙂

Janna - CONGRATS!! AWESOME!!! On the stoves AND the running;) Had to comment and say hey! that’s my fav mug too;) Is it a RE mug from Target? I just got one at Goodwill a few weeks ago, same color, and it’s my new fav! Your flowers look so yum. Makes me wanna go buy some. And I just printed off 19 recipes to double and a groc list from pinterest to do freezer to crockpot meals. Can’t wait. I LOVE your idea of doing it with friends for their bday.Genius! Also I am so in love with the Craft House and CW I can hardly stand it. I am 34 now and told my best friend that is what we are gonna be doin in ten years. Sounds like the BEYOND DREAM JOB!! I hope her and I can come to a CW before ten years tho. YOU ROCK!!

Flower Patch Farmgirl - I am blown straight away that you ran 6.something miles in 17 degrees. I mean…Superwoman. I ran 1.1 mile in the warmth of my basement and thought I might die. And I walked half of it.
Also: The stoves!!!!!!!!!!!!! woop woop!

Tiffany - I’m so happy for you with the success of the stoves! See the difference you make?! Amazing! YOU rock!

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tuesday.

December 11, 2012

*********************************************

i took annie in for her re-check this morning on her cast.

she is not an easy patient.

we both thought this was going to be just an xray and i wasn't thinking they would need to take off the cast for that but they did.
there was LOTS of screaming and crying…. LOTS!!!
not because of too much actual pain but mostly from sheer panic and terror of the unknown.
i almost started crying too.

but it is healing really well thankfully.
and she got a new christmas colored cast and can't wait for Santa to sign it!

*********************************************

how are you doing on your christmas shopping?

i have…. hardly anything done.
i think i have 4 gifts done.
ugh.
and none of those four are my own children.
i can feel the christmas melt down coming on already….

i am struggling with finding my christmas spirit this year.
boo.
i need to find it.

tell me what to get my kids and that would help. :)

*********************************************

this past week or i have been using my awesome recipes section of the bloggy big time!

i have made cream puff dessert…

crescent chicken…. cheesy potato soup…. spicy tortilla soup…. noodles with ham…

spinach artichoke dip… pancakes... glazed apple bars…

and i am making my mom's mint brownies soon!

******************************************************

last night i played Mexican Train with my kids.
does your family play board games together? do your kids sit quietly while they play?
because mine do NOT.
they squirm and sing and stand up and sit down and stand up and spin and squeal and every other little annoying thing you can thing of while we sit and try to play a game.
oh yeah…and they fight too.

but it's stil better than being a zombie in front of the tv so i'll take it.

here is a visual list of some of our favorite family games here at the Duerksen House….

Mexican Train
it's a game of dominos but a bunch of people can play it at once.
my kids LOVE this one.

Blokuseven i like to play this game… but i NEVER win!

Farkle
craig loves to play this with the kids…

Zingo
oh my goodness my younger kids LOVE this game so much!

Guess Who Extra
fun fact: we have this game and have never put the batteries in and they don't care!
they still play it all the time even without sounds and lights!

Uno
everyone likes UNO… how could you not?

Memory

even though my kids are older i can still challenge them to Memory.
it was the best game we played when they were preschoolers.
i think this game is amazing for their minds!

Sequence

my older kids like this one
and craig & i play it with chicago dave & jenny EVERYTIME.

Scene It (Disney edition)
we always agree to this game when we don't have the energy
for the bouncing squirming craziness at the table.

Sorry
it's a classic game!
i played and my kids love it too!

Apples to Apples Jr.

this is probably their FAVORITE game of all of them…
and for the grown ups too.

HedBanz

we don't have this one but they asked for it for this christmas.

Memory Challenge Holiday
and this one looks like fun…
it's for ages 6+ so it must be harder than the original Memory.
i think it will go in my amazon cart.

Holiday Scrabble

and this one will too!
it looks fun and different and i want to challenge their minds with spelling and math whle we have "fun"

so… maybe that gives you some ideas for gifts at your house?

do you have a favorite family game that isn't listed here?

please share!

*********************************************

i guess i should go out for my run.
sometimes it's such a chore to get out there!
and cold!
i wish i had downloaded new music yesterday with fast internet… it takes 8 minutes to download one song off iTunes out here with our farmy internet!

ok… i will go.
i will.

ready….. set…. GO.

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Andrea - LOVE mint brownies! I have been searching for the recipe forever! Thanks for sharing!

Merlin - If there’s any way for you to reply and let me know that the Phelps family are ok in CT….I enjoyed reading her blog and hearing about her delightful family. I am praying that they are ok today, I think of them often and miss her posts. I know you are friends and hope you can get a message of support to her from a former blog reader.
Thank you.

BullyMama - Too bad for Annie – I went through that last year when my son fractured his thumb skiing – cast on and off 3(+) times. Thankfully he wasn’t upset but it just seemed like such a long drawn out process. He fractured it while going off a jump so everytime we went to the Dr. together I told him that I loved all of this one on one time I was having with him…a sure way to get him to be a little more cautious 🙂 He’s having a tooth pulled tomorrow so it’s another “hot date” for us!!
Thanks for the game ideas – looking for a present for twins that are turning 5 and Zoingo looks perfect for them.
Favorites at our house are Scattergories, Phase10 and Monopoly which I have no patience for. Thinking about Sorry and Clue for Christmas.
A little Christmas shopping done which is good for me, I’m a procrastinator but it is tough to be last minute when you have to mail things across country…that stresses me out!!
Enjoy this holiday time, it will never be as magical as it was when we were kids and as much as we know that we can’t help trying to recreate it – we shall do our best to make it magical for our kids (which I’m pretty sure you do!!)

Rachel - Bananagrams! Monopoly deal…both of them! Yahtzee…scrabble slam!

Amy - Loaded Questions is SO much fun! My family is huge into board games, and that is our favorite! Everyone can play, young and old. The adults love Beyond Balderdash, but you have to have your thinking cap on for that. 🙂

Barbara (WA) - You already know this but you are So Blessed to have kids who “squirm and sing and stand up and sit down and stand up and spin and squeal.” Such fun and love and great memories for them all! Awesome! I’ll be no help on the gift ideas since my sons are now in their 30’s – they have Amazon wish lists that I buy from, online, done (hubby, too!).

Jayne Barbour - I just got these for my three daughters and I think they will love them. I want to play with them myself:)
http://www.hearthsong.com/woodland-fairy-home-and-fairy-dolls_p3452.html#ReviewHeader
So sorry to hear Annie (and you!) had a rough appt. So scary:(
Good luck with the Christmas spirit. Maybe some music? the movie Christmas Vacation? How about watching It’s a Wonderful Life. Ahhh.
Good luck:)

Lee Ann - I think I saved myself 20# by not making those brownies until yesterday. How do you resist? I cut them into really tiny, little squares and put them in the freezer. Every time I walk by it’s, “just one bite”. 🙂 So yummy!

Lisa Lichterman - We like Rummikub and Scattergories 🙂

Melanie - You might already have this, but we’re getting our kids a ping pong table! and a chalkboard to keep score.
When my youngest was four, he fell down a spiral staircase outside and landed on his head. Seven staples while he was papoosed in the er. You probably heard him screaming in Kansas!
Merry Christmas!! Breathe Jesus in, garbage out. :0) This time of year can be crazy.

Samantha Adams - Annie and Talby NEED socks from Little Miss Matched if they don’t have them already. I swear, they were MADE for you and your girls! 🙂

Tracy Fisher - you make me feel better. i have one present wrapped. no tree up yet. maybe i’ll hang the stockings tonight. but i do have my one frames piece of art i made in 2004… it says… “The best gift around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.”… That makes me feel good. -tracy

Michelle Whitlow - Poor Annie 🙁 We’ve gone through that. My son had that same cast! Broke his leg the first night of hockey practice when he was 4 1/2…had a full leg cast for 7 1/2 weeks. Santa did sign it with a ‘SC’ 🙂 Thankfully this ‘phase’ will not last forever.

Maegan - We love Settlers of Catan! It has expansion packs and all. However my oldest is six, so it’s still a little much for my kids. But I found out there’s a Catan Junior, so it’s coming to our house for Christmas! Since we’ve never played the junior one I can’t attest to its awesomeness, but if it’s anything like the big version, I know we will like it.

Melissa - Meg: Go check out the Clover Lane Blog – she has loads of great xmas ideas. Also, I LOVE amazon prime – everything ships for free (that is prime) and in record time. WOOHOO>

Laura - GET THAT CHRISTMAS SPIRIT ON SISTER!!!!!
dont worry about the shopping
I have done NONE
nada
NOTHING
it will happen..
we love the game of Life and someone ALWAYS CRIES
lots of fights
name calling
blaming
good family fun

Molly - My daughters love Headbanz. They also asked for Twister Dance and Fibber. My older daughter asked for the barbie with a camera and for Blingles. For the first time I have almost all of my shopping done! Yay!
I am sorry for Annie’s broken arm. Having broken both my arms and collarbone I know how scary it can be. Hope she heals soon. Cool that her cast is red and green and that Santa will sign it.
OH and I love World Market, too. I love their jewelry too.

jen smith - do you have your kids make lists? i never made a list growing up but my husband’s family changed all that. we all make lists so that whoever buys for us knows just what we want. makes the season so much easier.

April R - Heal fast Annie, so sorry you were frightened…
We agree – Cutting a cast off is scary. My son has broken his arm 3 times (all before the age of 7!) so after all that “Danger boy” is no longer scared of having a cast cut off. I still cringe a bit but hopefully we won’t go there again!
Wits and Wagers (we love this one, it ends up being funny) and Rukus (fast, easy card game) and we have a wooden set of tangrams that is pretty cool. Wish we played more 🙂
Merry Christmas and I pray you found your “cheer!”

Mia - Our new favorite is Herd Your Horses board game. There are a few variations to the game so you can make it a bit easier or harder depending on the kids playing.
Let the boardgame chaos begin!

Stacy M. - Well I am going shopping today hoping to get some gifts bought. I am doing the gift of four this year with our kids. One thing you want, one this you need, one thing to wear, and one thing to read. That sound make it easier! I hope. And I will still do stocking stuff.
We like to play pickle. It is fun and the older kids like it. Also did you watch Parenthood last night?! Oh my gosh my eyes are swollen this morning from crying so much. Best show on tv!
Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Waffle-Wednesday - We are so old-fashioned. We like Chess and Backgammon and Yahtzee!
Those brownies look amazing! Yum!

Kim M - Our family’s favorite game is Ruckus! So fun! crazy, fast ,loud. Our WHOLE family can enjoy it!! And often our 4 year old (our youngest) is the winner! Love your blog!

Angie - Guess Who, Uno and Sorry were regulars here when my now teenager was younger. Of course at 14 she isn’t much into playing games with us anymore. If it doesn’t include texting or an Ipad, she’s not interested. My two youngest are still too little to play so I don’t have any game buddies these days.
Sorry she had such a scary time with the X-ray and cast. Bless her heart. I love the Christmas Colored Cast though. That is pretty cool

Lindsay - Qwirkle – so much fun for the whole family!!!

Mary Vaca - It won’t help you this year, but a few months ago I started taking pictures of things my kids said they wanted with my iPhone, that way when Christmas came around I didn’t have to remember or think. It’s also come in handy as relatives and godparents have asked me what to get… I just text them the picture and tell them the store… voila!

Beth - I don’t have the Christmas spirit yet either. Maybe we can find it together?
Having a cast cut off is SCARY! I don’t blame Annie for being upset (and you, either). Even though you know it’s not going to hurt you, it’s loud and hot and dusty. Just scary.
Have you heard of the game “Things”? It is our family fave right now. It gives you a prompt “things you don’t want to take on vacation” (for example) and everyone gives an answer — could be genuine, funny, totally out of the box. Then the “reader” reads them all and everyone else takes turns trying to guess who said what. VERY fun. We love playing games together!

donna - my kids all 6 of them love catch phrase. we have a lot of fun playing that one.

tinaehb3 - I wish I could have been her x-ray tech. That’s what I’ve done for the last 17 years 🙂 Hope her little arm gets better soon!!

Molly B - Headbandz is awesome. . .you guys will love it! Praying for your Christmas mojo to come back : ) just keep swimming!

Lori Austin - Dang it. That poor sweet girl of yours. This whole cast thing STINKS.
Glad to hear it is healing well though.
I too am really struggling with my spirit this year. We have had TONS of
germs at our house in the past few weeks, hardly any shopping done, finances
are tight, etc, etc. Trying so hard to focus on the REAL reason for the
season and get into the spirit.

tanktop - Buy the family Left Right Center. It comes in a little tube by the board games.
So much fun. My kids like to play with pennies instead of the chips that come in it.

Amschmitz - I have 5 kids also and this year we’re following something I saw on Pinterest. Each kid gets 4 presents…..something you want, something you need, something you wear and something you read. They are actually excited about it and I feel much less stressed! Focusing more this year on doing christmas projects and baking together and focusing less on gifts:)

Lee Ann - Your poor girl! Praying all of the pain (and drama:) are over soon.
So, I’ve read every blog post you’ve written 🙂 And every year I think I should try your mint brownies – except I can’t have gluten. So this afternoon we made them gluten free. Pass the word that subbing gluten free flour worked! And the brownies are to die for! I can’t wait to try them frozen.
oh! And my girls do cart wheels between their turns when we’re playing games. Drives me nuts but I put up with it for a while 🙂

Jamie M. - We LOVE Ticket to Ride, Five Crowns, and Left, Right, Center.

Carrie - zingo, the classic go fish, and I am joping the game HIss will be a hit. I will to also get the game rat a tat cat. I am thinking about apples to apples but I am fearful it is too hard for my 5 year old.

Tanya - The picture of Annie makes me want to cry. Poor sweet girl 🙁
I love the game Sequence! Love it!
I really want my kids to be game players for the exact reason you mentioned ~ attack of the TV zombies. They’re 3 and 5 so we’re getting started now.
This Christmas is Mickey Mouse Yahtzee Jr 😉

dcgraber@cox.net - Adam and Jill do not fight; at least not in front of us. Unless they play Farkle. That game is off limits! Seriously! We love to play Sorry with the grandchildren!! Our favorite game is Telestrations. Sooooo fun!

alicia @ la famille - here’s my opinion on getting your christmas shopping done way early: you’re gonna buy way more than you should. there’s just all the time between the early crazy shoppers and christmas…you wanna BUY! it’s just fun. so, you not being done might actually be saving you loads of cash.
how’d you like that for a reverse psychology, huh??
and apples to apples jr?? i looked at that and didn’t know…but i love to buy a game at christmas. this might be the ONE! thanks 🙂

Terrie - I feel for Annie…I kind of freaked out when they cut my cast off 9 years ago.
Seems like they should give a body some warning about what they are going to do don’t ‘cha know!
Love almost all your games! We love family game time!
Have you ever played Phase 10? It’s a fun one.
And my son and his friends got me hooked on Settlers of Catan.
I hate Monopoly ( I know, it’s un-American ) but I love Settlers!
And I must make your mom’s mint brownies! I looked at the recipe the other night
when I was looking for the margarita recipe again!
Yup, got my friend hooked on them now too! 🙂
Happy Shopping…I’m not done either. Maybe I’ll see ya at the stores!

tiffany gardner - Your sweet girl! I’ve been thinking about her as I gear up to do some crafts with my kids over the break… I’ve been wondering how she is able to do all your fun crafts! I’ll keep her in my prayers!! I’ve felt the same way about this season. I’ve always LOVED this time of year but this year.. I’m just exhausted! I’ve had major dental work for the last few months and it’s really getting me down. Trying to chase a baby and keep up with my two older ones… I need to change my attitude and start getting grateful!!! Going to just decide to do that now ! Get grateful! And I have to say… I really am grateful for your blog. You are my friend… even though you don’t know me. I am grateful for the encouragement you give and the real part of life you share too. Thanks.

Morgan - Headbanz in an awesome game. We play it as a family all the time. Be sure to get the kid version. The adult version is really hard! We will play the kid version with all adults even.

Darcie - Have you heard of the Andrew Peterson Behold the Lamb of God album/tour? Buy the album! Best album ever for getting me into the REAL spirit of Christmas. Hands down! I’ll never view Christmas the same – such a good reminder. And who cares about gifts? (I mean, besides the kids…) Hope it smooths out for you and you’re able to enjoy it all, even the shopping!

Kristen - We love Spot It! It travels well too. So sorry about the unexpectedly hard doctors appointment.

s - Love apples to apples!! We like monopoly although I shorten it a lot…like the game ends when I cant take it anymore!! We also like to play black jack – how bad is that for a family game??

Kelley Jones - Another vote for Spot it. We first played at a family reunion with varied age groups. Everyone seemed to like it. My oldest daughter broke her arm 3 times over the years–all in different ways and places. Cast removal was always scary. Hugs to you and Annie.

the.mrs - Kanoodle! We stopped by the toy store and the girls played with the sample game and I could hardly get them out of the store!!!!
http://www.creativekidstuff.com/kanoodle.html

Gretchen - I love Farkle, but unfortunately, I’m the only one who does in this family. Not really a one person game. 🙂
As far as the gifts go, I NEED to get some little boy toys. He has ONE gift under the tree and his sisters have at least three each; and trust me, he has noticed! 😉

Becky - you really inspire me to run. when i get too busy that’s the first to go…and you do it OUTSIDE in the COLD!! rock star. all done with our Christmas. we open gifts this sat because the next week we’ll be driving back home. hate the stress…cannot wait until it’s over. shame.

angie - Thanks for letting me know I’m not the only one behind on shopping. We find these games cause the least amount of fighting in our house with 4 kids (13,11, 8,8): Ticket to Ride, Quirkle, and Ruckus (card game).

BeckyB - I feel so badly for Annie – it would be scary for me too!
Our fav games are Balderdash, Bezzerwizzer and Five Crowns (card game). A really crazy card game is Fluxx but could be frustrating for little kids because the rules change with every play. Pictionary is always fun for all ages. I’ve ordered ‘Word on the Street’ and ‘Wizard’ card game for this year. Thanks for sharing lots of good ideas…

Heidi of Operation Organization - ‘Clover Lane’ Sarah recently had her daughter guest post ideas for what to give teen girls – maybe that will give you some shopping inspiration? 🙂
http://www.memoriesoncloverlane.com/2012/11/guest-post-from-abbey-affordable-gifts.html
this year my 7 yr old is all about remote controlled gadgets and our 4 yr old is getting all sorts of star wars action figures.
thanks for all the game suggestions – we love to add new ones to our collection each year )the grandparents will be giving our boys the delux ‘guess who’ game you recommended!
Cheers!
~H

Georgia - Me and my husband play board games.. Battleships, monopoly, scrabble (although were both rubbish at spelling so it ends up with made up words and swear words.. ooops)
I miss you christmas DIY gift idea’s, thats how i found your blog a couple years ago! x

Tawny - I bought Quelf for my boss and her family. It looks silly and fun!

shar y - Apparently, Headbanz is great, according to my g-kids, and adults like it too. Especially, along with adult bevarages!
I had to have a cast cut off of my wrist earlier this year. It is very scary worring if they will cut too deep! Go Annie!

Diane Hutchings - All those games look so fun! We’re having our first baby in June, and we can’t wait until he/she is oldenough to play games as a family!

Kate - OK, here goes:
Lauren – iTunes gift card and the book Hinds Feet on High Places
Scott – KU gear
Sean – shirt that says ‘my last name is awesome’
Talby – her own baking supplies – her own bowls and measuring spoons
Annie – her own gardening supplies 🙂
Love you. Hang in there

Leadia Jarvis - Oh, poor Annie – and you!
I am right there with you on the Christmas meltdown. I feel super Grinchy this year – like my heart might be about 600 sizes too small, haha!
We are the same with games as well. Lots of distractions and interruptions and insults and fighting, but like you, at least it’s a break from watching their eyes glaze over on the video screens. We like almost all of the games you have listed. The older kids have really started getting into “Scattergories”, although Eliza (who is 10) sometimes needs a little help. If you hit a Goodwill you can usually find Outburst Jr. for $1.99. I don’t know if they still make it (?) but this game is a HUGE hit with all of us. There’s also one called “Beat the Parents” that’s a lot of fun. One of my girlfriends with a lot of kids also recommended a game called “Scavenger Hunt” – it looks super fun so I think I’m going to order it as a family present!

Julianne Brimner - I have 4 gifts bought total. Our big gift is flying our son who is in the Navy home for Christmas. That is all he wants and me too. Fave new game for our family is Spot It. Fun, fast and even our eight year old loves it. I know Target has it.

Alice H - Our favorite card game is PHASE 10. And Headbandz is so fun! Hope you get that for them for Christmas. We also like Catch Phrase!

Alice H - Do the WANT, NEED, WEAR, READ for your kids and throw in a SURPRISE from Santa. That way they only get 5 gifts each. I am doing that this year and I budgeted myself for $150 per kid, I have 3. And I only went over budget just a little bit.

Lori H - We love Bananagrams! Similar to Scrabble but it moves much faster. Now Scrabble bores me to tears. Apples to Apples and Would You Rather are both good. If you can find it, Rat a Tat Cat is an awesome card game and was awarded some Parents Award. One of our favorites!

Tanya H - Our kids’ very favorite game is Loaded Questions Jr. Their second fav is Apples to Apples, if that gives you an idea. We don’t even have most gifts planned, much less purchased. And it doesn’t help that our kids are asking for things there is NO WAY they’re going to get. My daughter did finally ask for a hula hoop and a new jump rope, assuming walmart still has them in the middle of winter. 🙂 Our kids are getting MP3 players tho, and a $15 gift card to Amazon for more of their own music. Was that at all helpful? 🙂
I agree with the trauma Annie was dealing with- I broke my arm when I was a kid and was WAY more scared for them to cut the cast off than anything else in the world! 😛

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normal.

December 8, 2012

i will update on pam's sweet Beth as soon as i know anything different.
thank you and keep praying …………………………………………………………………………………

just regular everyday goodness.

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jodi - Dear Meg, Oh how I LOVE your blog- Thanks for being you! 🙂

Michelle Merimee - Kyle Idleman is our pastor here in Louisville. LOVE LOVE LOVE that book. Life changing. 🙂 Great to see it on here.

Barbara - Love that you have scissors at the ready! Cuties are made for kids!

Megan - Love this so much.

Dana - Do you like Not A Fan so far? It’s on my reading list, but I have not purchased it yet.

Melissa - ove your every day goodness! I also have those same festive Christmas PJ pants and love them! Tempted to wear them in public as you obviously did. LOL

janet - i read “not a fan” this spring. a life changing message. lovely pictures too:)

Jacci in Ohio - Loved this post!
Thanks for the rainbow polka dots. They made me SMILE 😀

dee - i love this post ..just pure joy looking at the pictures ..thanks for the smile -love dee x

Krista - Sweet little Annie trying to peel that orange with one hand…. How we take such things for granted!

Jen - I sometimes think your regular everyday posts are my fav. Hope you’re having a wonderful regular everyday day today.

colleen - This is beautiful… thanks!

Gina in Louisville - Dude. I just heard Kyle Idleman preach last week. Let us know what you think about the book. I’m curious.

Waffle-Wednesday - How mesmerizing are your pictures of loveliness! Thank you. I feel like I just read a great story that wouldn’t let me leave it.

Tanya - Just prayed for Beth.
The everyday is the best in my opinion 😀

Christina - I just prayed for Beth and the family, and the doctors.
These pictures are lovely. They inspire me to be on the lookout for beauty. Most of the time I want to run away from my home. It’s not beautiful in many ways (a lot of disaster). But…I bet I could find it in some places, and work on making it in other places (it=beauty). Thank you. 🙂
Love your pj bottoms, and Precalculus with Limits? Let’s just say…Limits. haha!

tiffany gardner - beautiful.

dcgraber@cox.net - Love those random pictures of normal! Praying for Pam’s family!

Chrissie Grace - Love this. My favorite posts of yours are ones like these…beautiful shots of the little moments that’s me life so grand! 🙂

Lisa - Love the everyday pictures! And still praying for Beth!!

ali moll - Always love “normal”! Especially, after life has thrown some curve balls!

Linda at Lime in the Coconut - The BEST kind. You do everyday SO well!!

Allison - Beautiful pictures. Went to school at OCC with Kyle and his wife and sister. Amazing and beautiful people, inside and out

Erin - Our Sunday School class is going through Not A Fan right now. Convicting. Ouch. But a good ouch.

Susan - Hope this kind of sweetness follows you all the way into the new year!

Thewaregirls.blogspot.com - Thanks for the pick of the Rose Hill Rockets! I went to high school there way back when. I love reading your blog. It reminds me of the great things about Kansas life. Thanks for what you do! Happy Holidays!

Kristin S - I love every single one.
Except the precal. Blech.
And…. one of my favorite things about my polka dot Old Navy PJ bottoms is the big, wide satin ribbon! I see yours too. Maybe I need more of those PJ pants….

Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - Love this post Meg. And I laughed right out loud at the “Precalc” book. Mine would sure have to have LOTS of limits:)
Looks like Annie is figuring out a new normal(poor kid)…is she handling it all well?
Love your cone trees too!Happy Saturday.

Wendy - Your “everyday” is colorful and stunning. ♥

Flower Patch Farmgirl - I’ve been kicking around a “Stuck” study. I should go for it, right? I really liked her “Anything”.
“Not A Fan”…I wasn’t a fan. :/

Suzanne - everyday normal rocks!

Tiffany - I love your normal. Looks like a fabulous way to live! 🙂

Courtney - That Not a Fan book is really good! Love seeing all the beauty in your every day!

Lori Austin - A Saturday post. Happy!
Love that you have your jammies on in the car. 🙂
Hope Miss Annie is getting along okay. Look at her peel that orange
one handed. Good for her. It’s amazing what you can learn to do one
handed.
Will continue to pray.

Alisa - Gratitude:
Waking early in a quiet sleeping house to the light of the twinkling Christmas tree.
On the couch under my favorite quilt….watching the day get light out the window.
One Thousand Gifts devotional… “recognizing” Grace.
Slow, lazy morning with the family…still in our pj’s at 10:30am.
Nowhere to go, no place to be, not in a hurry.
Drinking coffee to the last drop while it’s still hot.
Sisters making eggs.
Happy husband
Fun plans for the day.
(Sharing my little list with you. You are also a happy part of my days and your pics make me happy today. Love the pj’s in the car. Fun.)

Jennifer - Is Talby playing orchestral bells? I played that instrument and other mallet percussion ones for seven years of band growing up!

alicia @ la famille - cosy. lovely. normal 🙂
have a great day!

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