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precious

March 13, 2008 Filed in Uncategorized

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my little spot this morning before any kids were awake.
i read this…and decided to share.

From Ugly to Precious:
from Ephesians 2 8:-10

we’re irresistibly drawn to pretty things.
nice restaurants, elegant shopping malls, roomy homes
and sweet smelling happy, easy-to-know people.
we instinctively shun the unlovelies of life.
consequently, we have a terrible time understanding the grace of God.

God’s grace loves when there is nothing good even beneath an awful wrapper.
when layer upon layer is removed and all that appears is more ugliness,
God loves.
it’s not that we’re such precious darlings that he can’t resist loving us.
no, God loves us because he’s decided that we will be precious to him.
He sent his Son to die on the cross for our ugliness.
period.

it’s hard to imagine, isn’t it?
it’s even harder to accept.
we push and tug at ourselves, trying to earn his love and attention,
whe the fact is, whatever package we come in,
God loves us.
dressing ourselves up with good deeds, advanced degrees
and charitable attitudes doesn’t increase God’s love for us.
he simply reaches down into our torn, misshapen world
and makes people who are ugly,
precious.

*devotional from the Mom’s Devotional Bible.
*photo inspiration from crystal

add a comment

eryn - ooooh. I like it! Thanks f or sharing!

Lee Ann - That’s really good. Thanks for sharing. If only we all loved the “ugly” the way God does…

cynthia - ooooh! I loved that!
so many times we forget this…about ourselves and about others.
thanks for the reminder!
and don’t you love those times alone before everyone wakes up? (i needed a reminder of that too!)

Lanny Stanard - Thanks Meg for sharing the word.
Thanks Lanny S

Crystal - that totally brought tears to my eyes. so beautifully put. 🙂

Crystal - that totally brought tears to my eyes. so beautifully put. 🙂

jodi - Wow, Megan. I so needed that today. I was so mad at my sister in law and that post really speaks to my heart. If God can look past my layers and love me anyway, I know he expects me to do that also.
Thanks for sharing that!
Jodi

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out and about

March 11, 2008 Filed in Uncategorized

annie likes target almost as much as i do.

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and why wouldn’t she?
we picked out some candy…
grabbed a coffee…
and then looked through nearly every row.

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it’s good my husband said “don’t spend any money” before i went.
other wise i would’ve bought all of these.
surely my kids would eat much healthier if we had these, right?

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she was in a skittles mood this day…
usually she chooses mini m&m’s (in the pink case).
we also wanted this umbrella.
how happy would the next rain storm be carrying this?
especially if you’d had breakfast on a monkey plate!

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after target and a stop by daddy’s office
we swung by restoration hardware.
annie didn’t mind because she knew it meant the fountain.

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super shopper as always.
i really love our thursdays together.
ready for the warmer weather so we can do things besides shop.
i can’t imagine what the zoo is like with only one child.

add a comment

Dawn - Thanks, Meg, for directing me to your Nov. 9 post. My husband has bought a lens from b&h as he is somewhat into photography. I’m just now getting the photography bug. 🙂

Linda - Oh Target!! I, too, don’t have one near me, but am going to Bangor, Me. this spring. You can be sure Target will be my first stop!!
Linda
xoxo

kristin - i have that umbrella. : )
but not those cute monkey plates.

meg duerksen - tiffany – i would love pink boots too! i want to get some cowboy boots…i don’t know why i didn’t this year.
chris – YOU DON”T HAVE TARGET?!! you poor poor girl.
were you saying you want some of MY pictures to frame for you? or you think i should frame some of my own pictures? i’d share my pictures with you if you wanted.
cynthia – i really didn’t buy any plates. i bought the coffee, cat food, jelly bellies and a box. that’s it. but i still want them.
gini and dawn- i told about my camera on november 9, 2007. it’s in the archives. i don’t have photo shop but our Mac. came with iPhoto and it has some editing tools. so i do edit almost every photo at least with the Sharpening tool and then i may add some color or brighten it up. i don’t use a flash and mess with the settings to get different light. i usually look at http://www.karenrussell.typepad.com for inspiration and questions.
jennifer p. – don’t move to kansas just yet…our restoration hardware is closing! 🙁 boo hooo. i was there to see if there were any deals. there were not. they are just sending it all to another store.
i am glad i make you all smile. that makes ME smile. thanks alot.
-meg

Liz - Your photos are gorgeous as always! Love the last one of Annie jumping. I’m glad you see you raise your daughters right… every woman should love Target. 🙂

Mrs. Fox - Annie reminds me so much of my younger sister when she was little. Makes me smile every time.

Dawn - What kind of camera do you have? Great pics, as always!

emily loria - I love Jelly Belly’s at Target. They are the secret reason I go there instead of Wal Mart. 😉

carissa - i can’t stand it… look at those monkey plates! they ARE fun! can i some how make a monkey fit into Easter? 🙂
so fun for their baskets!
yall had a really fun… bright day! woohoo
your posts ALWAYS make me smile!

Lanny Stanard - I LOVE TARGET TOO! Who doesn’t very cute pictures!
Lanny S.

Jennifer P. - we don’t have a fill your own bag candy aisle in our target! Nor do we have a REstoration Hardware anywherre but via our catalog. I’m feeling a need to move to Kansas!
Such cute photos! I’m sure Annie will always treasure your days together!

Gini - I am inspired to head to Target today – thank you. Do you ever write about your camera/photos? Do you photoshop them before you post? etc etc. The colors are AWESOME in all of your pictures!

cynthia - i must take my camera out more often!!
so tell us…how many monkey plates did you buy ? HA

chris - I can’t believe how mild it is where you are, the snow banks here are up to my eye balls , seriously, I am so craving spring, and sweaters .
I think it is really quite tragic that we don’t get to have Target here, I need to make a trip across the border it is such a hot spot.
Beautiful pictures as always.
It wouls be great to take some of your photos and frame them.

sara mincy - I love Target too!! Now I am inspired to take my camera next time I go! Great photos!!!

Tiffany - Those pink boots are the greatest, I want some!

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baby-sitter

March 10, 2008 Filed in Uncategorized

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we got to baby-sit for london!
she had the chicken pox but we didn’t mind at all.
talby and annie were beyond excited all day.

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poor london was totally over-stimulated.
the girls were in her face every minute and she got pretty tired of it.
i don’t blame her.

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they kept saying “she’s crying mom!” if she whimpered a sound.
she did cry pretty hard as i got the other kids to bed.
she cried all through their prayers and teeth brushing.
i was saying “just pray louder.”
(i was holding her though…she wasn’t alone)
talby was so concerned.
“mom WHY is she crying?”
“she wants it quiet honey and this is not quiet.“
i said “goodnight kids” and took her downstairs.
i turned on oprah and that little sweetie was asleep in 2 minutes.
don’t all babies fall asleep to oprah?
mine always did.
“finally some peace and quiet!” she had to be thinking.

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i held her for 3 hours.
and loved every minute.
anytime london needs to be exhausted jen…send her over!

add a comment

Jenny Pocknall - She is gorgeous!

meg duerksen - melissa it’s funny you say that….
when craig was holding her it was very sweet but had a moment and looked him straight in the eye and said “i don’t want any more babies.” really the first time i knew FOR SURE that i am done. we can’t have anymore anyway but i don’t want anymore either. we were both happy with that comment.
peace.
of course it had nothing to do with london.
love her so much.
but i got to give her back at 11:30!

melissa @ the inspired room - Oh, a B A B Y! Don’t you just want another one???
Happy day!
Melissa

traci - both you and the baby look very content in the last shot. the girls must have loved every minute.

Jennifer P. - All the little chicken pox made me sad! Poor itchy baby :)! But so sweet and cute–and you got to hold her for THREE hours?!–Soooo jealous!

chris - I wish I had had someone just like you to trust my baby with , lucky family.

Mom - Did Lauren take these pictures? They are great. Glad you got your baby fix!

Jenn - It is so nice to leave your baby with a family and see how much she is loved while you are gone! Thank you sooo much for watching her and we really enjoyed our time alone at the concert. I am sure I will be asking again. Jenn

traci - What fantastic mommies they are going to be! How crazy for a little, tiny baby to have chicken pox! I have personally never seen that…the youngest I have seen is maybe a year.
Swaddle and hold a baby and walla…sleep, oh yes, and OPRAH..lol
LOVE YOUR BLOG

kristin - oh wow, this looks fun.
i bet annie was t.h.r.i.l.l.e.d.
did you know she keeps a baby and bottle and blanket with her all during circle time? she feeds and rocks that baby while participating in all we’re doing. sweet.

Linda - Holding a sleeping baby?
Heavenly…
Linda

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around the house

March 9, 2008 Filed in Uncategorized

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she is soooooo 13.
can’t even stand up to do the dishes anymore.
she uses tongs to get the silverware from the bottom of the sink
so she doesn’t have to touch them at all.

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breakfast for dinner.

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look at all the “help” i get every night.

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talby was sick most of the weekend.
she looked so pathetic…poor baby.
she is feeling better now.

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i am getting ready for a scrapbooking weekend!
getting my supplies together…
organizing my photos in the sunshine.

add a comment

April - That cracks me up about the tongs and the silverware….too funny !!

meg duerksen - crystal – i did make my blog header. it’s made of real paper and scrapbook products and then scanned it into my computer. i have no clue how to create anything digitally. i kind of want to learn but not really because i love to scrapbook with real products so much that i would miss it.
jodi – we are going to a place called “the hager house bed & breakfast.” it is a big old house that she has completely updated and set up only for scrapbookers, we went a year ago and loved it. her website is http://www.hagerhousebandb.com.
also i think the “scrap fun attic” in andover has retreats.
raci – for the record i don’t think i am doing that great of a job with my 13 year old….but thanks.
chris – thanks for checking out my scrapbooking. it definitely has to be something you love or it will become something that just makes you feel guilty that you aren’t doing it enough.
andrea – thanks. $7 at walmart!

Andrea - Cute shoes!

cynthia - love breakfast for dinner!
and i can relate to your daughter…i always hated when my mom would stack the plates after eating which meant that i would possibly have to touch leftover “food” on the bottoms….ick!
now after being a mom…you can pretty much touch just about anything!

Julie K - Annie’s pants on backwards cracks me up! Great shot.

jodi - Meg – can you pass along any info on the scrapbooking weekend? Is there a specific place that does this for ladies? I’d love to get a group together and do this!
Thanks!
Jodi

chris - Oh yes, I wish I had a sprayer, you can rent them , that would make things easier , I might rent one this summer and spray my cabinet doors in the kitchen , I hate painting furniture , well actually anything , but who else will do it.

chris - your scrap book layouts are lovely , I really need to try doing that , it looks fun.

traci - my daughter is only 11 and we already are going thru this!!! I will say you seem to handle it VERY WELL.
Your poor Talby….hope she is better!
Your pictures could seriously be in a magazne…they are just FABULOUS.

chris - That’s so good , I am looking so forward to my child reaching the teen years, yikes, and those pants on backwards crack me up. I hate it when my girls are sick , this was the first sick free weekend in a few weeks, poor babies.
I can’t get into scrapbooking, can you post some pictures of your finished work.
Chris

jerusalem - when I was 13 I had to load and my younger brother had to unload. I remember being soooo aggravated that he wanted me to put the steak knives in blade down so he wouldn’t cut himself when he went to grab a handful of clean silverware. I can remember huffing and rolling my eyes, thinking how ridiculous he was being, how demanding he was being. Ha!

Melanie - Meg,
I have a 13 yr. old son and he doesn’t want to load the dishwasher because he doesn’t want his hands dirty. (he will unload though) This from a boy who is outside in the dirt piles and playing football with his finds. I feel your pain:)

traci - i could tell by your daughters eyes that she wasn’t feeling well. glad she is better now. i have been trying to organize for scrap getaway too. this weekend. 11 great friends – i can’t wait!! have fun at yours.

Crystal - Meg- we would totally be friends in real life…I live for “breakfast for dinner” 🙂 I have been meaning to ask you….did you make your blog header? I love it and have kinda been looking for something fun like that for my blog…but I don’t want to pay someone a ton for blog decor…

Jennifer P. - Glad to know someone else makes a complete mess with their waffle iron too. I’m forever scraping runny batter off my counter top!—your waffles looked delish though!
Good luck with your scrap-fest :)!

meg duerksen - amy –
the jellybeans are already packed!
and of course i will room with you!
be sure to bring the bubble bath…it’s all about the bubbles.

amy - ooh… bring the jellybeans with you!

amy - and eating jellybeans and wearing cutie polka dot shoes? i’m anxious to get my 497 photos so I can start organizing! wanna be my roomie again?

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ROY G. BIV

March 7, 2008 Filed in Uncategorized

my good friend…

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i bought this licorice
just for the color.
it’s flavored licorice…i don’t even want to try it.
but it is fun to look at.
my sunday school class will like them.

add a comment

Jimaie - i LOVE this post!
i am allllll about color, color color! I am so happy i found your blog, i’m loving every minute of it 😀

Laura T. - Love all the colors —

cynthia - this makes me want to get my camera out!
i’ve been neglecting it lately…

traci - Yes, please tell where you bought the licorice at??? I would love to have some for my class. The kids would go wild

traci - i love it when you do color posts. so pretty.

Jennifer P. - No-no–eat the licorice! It’s actually good in that fake flavor, cough syrup kind of way :)! I craved it while I was pregnant, so I guess it will forever hold a special place in my heart. Your Sunday school class will appreciate it more though, I’m sure!
Thanks so much for the snippets of color again. These posts really do make me smile!

danelle - Where did you buy it?

kristin - i almost bought that licorice today…and like you i didn’t want to eat it.
gorgeous!

amy - I take it the pool table is set up?

jeanetta - when i taught art class the kids loved that memory tool for the color wheel.

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G is for goat

March 7, 2008 Filed in Uncategorized

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annie’s teacher ms. trey raises goats.
what a treat for her to bring one of the babies to preschool!
i certainly was looking forward to it…annie said she was too.
then when she saw it she was a bit nervous and left to play with the dolls.

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he was adorable.

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we learned that goats have no top teeth.
i never knew that.
the kids checked the mirror to see if they had top teeth.

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we learned if you turn a baby goat upside down they say “MAAAAA!!!”
really loud.
she wasn’t scared…just preparing for what she knew was coming.

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you can cuddle a goat like a baby.
quite easily.
their feet are hard but look kind of like dog paws.

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their ears are so soft.
he really was like long legged puppy (that said MAAAA!)
ms. kristin wanted to keep him…if her husband said yes.
hmmmm…i wonder how that went?

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goodbye baby goat.

********************************************
my camera was messed up for 3 days.
and these pictures fall into those 3 days.
but karen russell fixed my camera for me over email – woo-hoo!!
these aren’t the best photos but the memory is recorded
and that’s what matters.

add a comment

Jenny Pocknall - What a sweet goat. I want one!

Jennifer P. - I can’t tell you how bad I’d love to hold a baby goat right now! I’ve always been one of those that can’t just look at an animal, I have to TOUCH it. That goat looks so sweet and friendly and clean :)!
Glad Annie got that opportunity. Every kid should get up and personal with a farm animal at some point!

Mrs. Fox - Adorable pics! I have always been very grateful to goats. I am allergic to milk and as a baby, goat’s milk is the only thing I could drink without getting sick. They are a little smelly though.

Crystal - I LOVE goats…i keep telling my husband that ONE day we will have a mini goat…and a couple of chickens. 🙂 Very cute pics…so glad your camera is back in action!! 🙂 Have a happy day!

jessi nagy - i love baby goats!
how fun was that day?
my daughter and i both want a miniture goat! daddy keeps saying no!
but why???
they are so adorable!
what a great day for the both of you!
oxoxox,
jessi

Jen CD - Abby was telling me about this and she said, “Mommy, Annie’s Mom FREAKED OUT!”
how cute!
Jen CD

traci - how cute!!! my daughter always wanted a goat. we deprived her – what mean parents. my husband had a couple when he was growing up and they are mischevious little critters. we have slides of them on the back of his uncles car trying to get in to eat the seats. good luck to kristin.

kristin - yes.
: )

Lanny Stanard - Good Morning, I so enjoy looking at your blog,also thanks for visiting mine and leaving me a nice comment. I got a big kick out of your little girl in front of the computer taking pictures of her self.How cute is that. Thanks again Lanny at Simply Me.

amy d - he is soooo adorable, let’s see, if they would just stay that size……..hmmmm? i’ll just let lauren get one and goat sit for her when your on vacation. 🙂

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oh boy

March 5, 2008 Filed in Uncategorized

sing with me….
“which one of these is not like the other?”

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oh my sweet sean…
he does not enjoy being in front of crowd of any kind.
he told his teacher we had a party that we had to go to
so we wouldn’t be at his program.
she didn’t buy it (but a good try on sean’s part)

i knew he’d be nervous.
and he was.

as soon as he found me in the crowd, he calmed down and did fine.
i was mouthing “turn around!!” and giving him the evil eye…
until he did it and i gave him a BIG smile and a thumbs up sign.

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the highlight of the program was when his teacher came on stage
playing the part of “little bunny foo-foo”

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the kids were all giggly during the song.
then just as the good fairy said “now i will turn you into a goon”…

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the kid in the front row in the black with the red tie points and shouts
in pure donald trump fashion…
“YOU”RE FIRED!”
it was not part of the program
but it sure cracked me up and everyone else.
he was quite pleased with the crowd’s reaction.

and to think i almost accidentally-on-purpose skipped this program.
i would’ve missed out on so much.

add a comment

emily loria - I forgot about the little bunny foo foo song, that is one I need to teach to my boys for easter! 😉

traci - your poor son. at least he calmed down and had fun with it. how scary for him. there is always one comedian in the group huh? glad you had a good time.

cynthia - that would have been me too…with the evil eye thing!
there is usually SOMETHING funny that a student must do to get a laugh whether they realize it or not but of course the teachers just don’t see it that way !

amy - funny… we teachers didn’t find the “YOU’RE FIRED” part that amusing. 🙂 Glad you folks in the audience got a laugh out of it, though. I guess we were trying to entertain you, after all.

Juliann Brenner - Hi Megan – I just started reading blogs (Erica sent me her link and I found yours on hers…what a world of tech. – I am so not tech. savvy; Annie puts me to shame with her 62-self-portraits). I miss you and think of you often. I have enjoyed catching up with you on your blog and you look beautiful in green 🙂

chris - I feel for him,my youngest is getting better now with that, but boy she would hate to be focused on. Your kids are so cute.

traci - I feel so sorry for scott or any child who is that scared to be in front of a crowd HOWEVER it is really NEAT that once he saw you he got over his nerves!!!
I LOVE simple, fun, cute programs like this.

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