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new puppy.

December 12, 2012

so…i kind of have forgotten about the big camera.

not really… but i really haven't had much to take pictures of this past few weeks.
with annie's broken arm we have been laying very low.
and it got cold outside so we've been inside a lot.

this our aunt & uncle's new puppy.
she was the sweetest little thing… so tolerant of annie and the little cousins.

close up.

coming in for her own close-up…

there were five dogs at the house that day.
it was dreamy for annie and talby.
they are big dog lovers.

but after spending a few hours with that sweet puppy…
i am reminded how i am not quite ready for one at our house just yet.

but i would love for waffle to have a friend.
someday.

does anyone need a puppy sitter?
i know two girls (and their mom) who would be up for the job.

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Dana Banana - We are getting a new corgi puppy in January. I would totally your girls to be our puppy sitter!

Carol S. - Meg, do you stay in touch with Laura Phelps? I believe she is from the town with the school shooting in Conn? Can’t stop thinking of her, have missed her blog very much. Lost my computer email addresses awhile back and hers was among it. Any chance you could let me know if you know anything? I understand if you’re a tad busy and not able to respond. Prayers lifted.

Laura - I NEED A DOG SITTER!! TOMORROW!!!!!!! CAN THE GIRLS GET HERE BY THEN???
yeah.
being new to dog ownership, I forgot that when I make plans to be gone ALL DAY LONG…the dog still needs to go out.
get a cat.
I never have to worry about the cat.
I dont even know where the cat is….

BriBedell - It’s only tough in the beginning for a little bit. You know like a newborn 🙂

Carrie Lea - You can always adopt an older dog. Lots of dogs out there that need good homes. Forever homes. Because the humans who got them didn’t realize they were a lifetime commitment.
I need a dog sitter this summer. Want to drive a few hours and stay in SW MO for a week? 🙂

sosimplysusan - Awww, what a sweet diversion! Puppies for a day– the best kind! 🙂
Thought I’d mention they have some cute handmade arm slings on etsy. That might brighten her day to have something a little more stylish and fun. I had shoulder surgery in Sept. and am still doing physical therapy, so I really feel for her!!

alicia @ la famille - uuuuuuhhh, nope. we tried a puppy…two months after we had a baby. can you say DUMB! ya, it didn’t work out so well. this mama almost lost her marbles. then her brother, uncle jesse, inherited a new dog! yay for uncle jesse!!
maybe we’ll try again. but i’m pregnant again. (the norm) so in about 7-9 years, we’ll consider it.

Alyssa - That last pic is the best! I love puppies but I do not like cleaning up after them!

Leah - I want that puppy! I love puppies, although they are so much work. But so darn cute!! My dog is from Kansas, by the way. 🙂

Samantha - We could use a dog sitter in July but we are in Missouri not Kansas 🙂

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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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hello…i am still here.

December 2, 2012

well i kind of just disappeared.

my week just sucked the life out of me.
annie was sick & throwing up with the flu…with her broken arm….so sad to watch.

then she went in for her real cast after she had been so sick.
she was still weak and queasy.
it was a craaaazy appointment.
long story short…. she passed out for a moment….and there was a lot of screaming.
talk about stress!!!
that 30 minute appointment took me days to recover from.

she chose KU colors for her cast and it looks so fun.
but honestly she is SICK of the cast already and i am for her.
it is so exhausting doing anything because she is right handed.
i just hurt for her not being able to be her spunky self.

but it will pass… it's temporary.

i focused on my husband for the evening and surprised him with pumpkin pie with homemade pie crust.
sometimes you just need to snuggle in with your man and eat something yummy like that to make the day feel okay.
am i right?

teenagers can be hard and emotional and confusing…but still wonderful.
jr highers can be too.
i just want to raise them with out them making any mistakes that they will regret forever.
i realize that is not possible.
everyone makes mistakes.
and sometimes they are big…. and sometimes they aren't and we have to deal with figuring out which is which.

and that is HARD to deal with day in and day out.
especially when there is puking and broken bones and LIFE going on at the same time.

all week what kept me going…kept me from crawling under my covers, drawing the blinds and crying was

"saturday is coming".

my girlfriends and i ran the Jingle Bell Run again this year.
we dressed up a little more than last year.
and it wasn't AS killer as last year (but it was still hard for me)
it's a four mile run.

and when we run a race we have a tradition of starbucks and massage afterward.
so we did.

oh mama.

going for massage is one of the best ways to spend some time.
ever.
it's just so good.

time away with friends is refreshing.
good to get a new perspective on things….getting to talk out loud with grown ups about anything… sharing dreams… encouraging others dreams… shop… laugh… eat…. it's all so good.

it makes weeks like this feel okay.
like i'm gonna be alright.

🙂

ok……

winner for the MPIX.com canvas:

Nanette said…

Right now it is a picture of my 3 boys on the 4th of July…from 2 years ago when my youngest still had rolls of baby fat under his navy blue shortalls…all waving flags, smiling and hugging. It has been front and center on my entry way table for the last few years and always makes me smile and remember how fast they grow!

Reply December 01, 2012 at 09:13 AM

and the TWO winners for the Lisa Leonard gift certificates:

Melissa Hermon said…

My mom's wedding ring. She passed away 11 yrs ago and it is such a great reminder of her.

Reply November 30, 2012 at 10:53 AM

AND

Naomi said…

My most meaningful piece of jewellery is a necklace my parents gave me, with my grandfather's nickname for me stamped on to it.

Reply November 29, 2012 at 12:11 PM

————————————————————————-

email me your info and i will hook you up with your prizes!!

show hide 26 comments

add a comment

Gina - Happy Monday…sending you sunshine!! Have a fun week!!!

Lori Austin - There is NOTHING like seeing your kids suffer. My kiddos have been
through so many tests, appointments, hospital stays and surgeries.
I am WAY over it. Sorry it was such a rough week. Praying the weeks
pass quickly for poor Annie. Hang in there Momma!

Gail - I missed running this year’s run, good times for a good cause. Did you have a burger? Sending prayers Annie’s way.

sara @ it's good to be queen - oh my lands. bless your heart. you’ve had a week. thanks for sharing…good to know i’m not alone. being a mom is way harder than i ever dreamt…so good and so hard. so glad you got your fun saturday. 🙂

Laura - we are all living such similar lives!!!!!
broken bones…
teenage parenting…
pumpkin pie 🙂
thankfully…God knows how much to give and when to give it…though I do question His judgement A LOT..in the end..it always makes sense. We always get by. And emerge ten times stronger.
And I should come over so we can drink margaritas.
I am going to pray for THAT.

Tiffany - So sorry for your tough days lately. You’re a great mom, wife, and friend! 🙂

Tracy Fisher - I hear you sister. Thanks for being real! I wish you a fabulous and easy week this week. Hugs! -tracy

Heaven B. - I’m right there with ya, Momma. My husband (my biggest child) had knee surgery last Wednesday, so he was home the rest of that week. Exhausting. I had to watch my wedding video once more to verify that I DID say “in sickness and in health”, because by Friday…I was at the end of my rope, let’s say.
How do you keep your sneakers so clean? My running shoes look like they’ve been dragged through the mud. Oh, wait…they have.

Kirsten J - Hey, I often feel like crawling under the covers and crying, without broken bones or flu in the house. And sometimes I do. Poor Annie….poor Mama. And I can walk an easy 6 miles on a good day but run 4 miles!?!? not happening. Good for you! Look forward to getting out of the cast -and hey! Christmas is just around he corner.

tiffini - bless your heart…us mommas.
we are so tough
you are tough
and your little annie…
you will be ok:) and thank you for being real
xotiff

Janelle - Oh it’s so good to hear you say that about teenagers and junior high kids. I’m telling you it is HARD. Makes me miss those babies!
So sorry about Annie…that doctor appt. would definitely take a week or so to recover from.

Amy@littleforalittlewhile - Oh Meg, so sorry to hear of your hard week. If I know one thing though, it’s that you are an AMAZING mom (and woman in general). When I was younger, I had to witness my older brother and sister both make some terrible life choices and costly mistakes, and we didn’t have parents that were involved or really step up to guide us. And you know what? It all worked out. They turned into AWESOME adults. So knowing the kind of mother you are, your kids are going to grow into amazing adults too. I just know it. How can they not? It’ll all come full circle and they’ll come around, eventually. Chin up, girlfriend. Hugs!

mary - i have been thinking of you …. and your family… and the struggles that we all face as mom, wife, friend, daughter, and sister…hoping that your routine returns and life settles down….prayers and good thoughts your way…xo

Valerie @ Chateau a la mode - Oh Meg so sorry for the crazies of this last week. I totally get it. One thing I have learned as a mom of a few more years under my belt 😉 than you is that there’s one word that helps me. It’s Surrender, which means God has my children in His perfect place and His perfect timing. It’s really not up to me to make their life happen. I can’t follow them everywhere all the time (which I know is the way we want so badly to be) or help them always make decisions, especially those really hard ones like who their friends are, where they will go to school, what stupid things they will do and all I have to remember is pray, pray, pray for them. Don’t ever forget there’s real power in your prayers and after the praying, it’s surrending to our Almighty God. Not easy to do, but it’s what we are supposed to do. Hope this helps a little bit. xoxo

Heidi Jo the Artist - So sorry you had a rough week. Nice that you were able to have an enjoyable times with your friends. 🙂 Hope you have a better week this week!

Angie - The Jingle Bell Run looks awesome. Your outfits were too cute. Glad your weekend was a good one. Sounds like you had a tough week before.

Brenda - Poor Annie, I broke my left arm twice (once roller skating, once ice skating)when I was little. When I was taken into surgery to have my arm pinned they realized that both bones had broken through the skin, so they could not pin it. I also passed out when they took the cast off, which totally freaked out my poor mom as well! Hang in there it will get better and will be off before you know it!

April R - fitting that tonight’s advent is “hope” and we know who are hope is in 🙂
prayers that His peace, joy, wisdom, love, and more will continue to be yours

Judy@Considering the Options - teenagers can be hard and emotional and confusing…but still wonderful.
So very true!! I thought I had things figured out after my first -you took his senior pics two summers ago:). But each one is so different. It’s like we have to be a different parent to each kid. They all need something unique from us. It’s hard. And then there are those moments when your heart is so full from them. It’s probably much like they think of parents – hard, emotional and confusing:)! Prayers for you – Hang in there!

Sarah Wolfe - I’m so sorry about Annie. Medical stuff is so stressful, especially with our babies.

mum of all trades - Poor Annie, that is just not fair. My son broke his last Summer and missed out on so many fun things, my heart just broke for him. I hope she can keep her spirits up until the cast come off. In awe of the race by the way, any sort of running in general would make me keel over!

alicia @ la famille - yucky week 🙁 but what FUN race pics!! i had a goal to train for a 1/2 marathon after each of my kids…that’s my motivation to lose the weight. your pics make me excited to race again after i have this baby in april. so much to race with friends!! hope this week is waaaay better 🙂

Weza - Megan, my 20 month old broke his leg this year and was in a full leg cast for 6 weeks, then he got a vomiting and diarrhoea bug. Talk about HARD! So I know exactly what your week has been like. No wonder you made Pumpkin pie… I love the idea of a Christmas fun run, if only I could get motivated to run. We are currently in a heat wave here in Aussie so I think ill be sticking inside under the air conditioner. Take care. xxx

Kristin S - Snuggling with honey and loving on your kids. Far more important time than blog time.
Heck, yeah, we miss you, but you know what’s best.
Yep.

Lori H - Meg, I wish I had all the answers so I could share with you (and write and book and make a fortune!). haha With the faith in God that you share here, I know you are doing the very best you can for your kids, and they will come out just fine. At least, that is what I count on with my kids 🙂

jerusalem - Oh I feel you. I have a broken right foot (which means no driving) and my Sweet Man had the flu and now both my boys do too. And I had a craft fair in the middle. What a week. Praying Annie feels better soon and that you get some peace and rest. You are not going to screw up your kiddos. Just keep on keepin on 🙂 I work in a Middle School so I feel your pain a little.

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it is friday after all…

November 23, 2012

well..annie's broken arm changed a lot of my plans this holiday.
i am supposed to be black friday shopping with my mom & sister and going out to breakfast.
it's such a fun day together.

i hope you girls went anyway!!
missed you this thanksgiving.

we ate a lot… twice.
annie was so worn out and said "can we please go hooooome?"
and requested the yucky tasting stronger medicine.
poor baby.

i thought i would share my instagram pictures from the past few weeks.
and NEXT week i will have those giveaways i told you about. :)
broken bones and surgery trump blog posts.

1. rainbow? i think i am needing a new bible… 2. breakfast & blocks with annie (pre-broken arm)

3. waffle is a pretty sweet dog. i like him. 4. i was having an arm party with some of my faves.

5. kansas sunsets are rad. #nofilter 6. 31" Batman dolls are super creepy and BIG.

7. lunch with annie at school last week 8. got lost in a new (to me) antique shop 🙂

9. made glazed apple bars…. holy heck YUMMM! 10. creating while we listened to christmas music

11. new pants in my closet…annie & i will be twinsies. 12. playing with my globe collection at the Craft House

13. my new stern notes i wrote on the washer and dryer. my kids do their own laundry and i am so tired of the laziness that has taken over in the laundry room.
i also taped the the laundry chute closed… out of order children!

15. ten baskets AND a mountain of bedding… REDONK. 16. got my hair did…love sitting under the dryer.

17. pumpkin waffles for thanksgiving breakfast! 18. strengthening her bones… GO ANNIE!

19. craig's uncle & aunt got a new puppy… we were smitten. 20. my sean is… awesome. :)

are you on instagram?

i am Meg Duerksen on IG… come follow along.

are you going out black friday shopping?
i am in the morning…starbies first….then all my favorite shops but it won't be the same without you mom & lorel!

i actually LOVE black friday.
it's not as crowded as you think.

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add a comment

lorraine tuohy - my most precious piece is my late mom’s engagement ring, what makes it even more special, is that she gave it to me before she passed. She said I want to see you enjoy it while im still here!

Christina - Poor Annie!
Your pictures are awesome, as always. I need to get to creating with these children of mine!! Your house always looks so fun.
Well, not the laundry part. 🙂 It looks just like mine in that regard!! haha! I like doing laundry, the smell of the detergent as it’s going…it’s the putting away part that kills me! I want a dresser for each person right in my laundry room! So…I need a pretty big room. ha!
Thanks for sharing your life. It always makes me smile. You have a way of making life look so beautiful. (I need that inspiration!) (I hope that doesn’t sound as lame as I think it does…I’m trying to compliment you, not sound pathetic! 😛 )

Nicole G - Meg, I just want to say Happy Holidays to you and your family and thank you. Your blog is a place I can go to when I am feeling not so happy about the current state of things in life. Your positive attitude and gratefulness for the wonderful things God has given us each day really opens my eyes and reminds me that I am blessed in so many ways. I am so thankful that you share your world with us for it really means a lot to many, myself included.
God Bless you and your family,
Nicole

Jenny B. - OH NO! I’m so sorry about Annie’s broken arm! I just now checked your blog and went back and read the past couple of posts. That SO stinks. 🙁 Praying for quick healing.

Andrea @ This Pug Life - The only place I went for Black Friday was Michael’s. I popped in before work. My store was dead! I bought an embarrassing amount of ribbon, but at 70% off, I couldn’t help myself.

Alisha - Poor Annie. I hate it when you can’t take the hurt away. Just makes your heart sink. Where did you get the ADORABLE round link fabric covered bracelet? I must have one of those!!! 🙂

Lori Austin - Keep thinking about poor Annie. I remember my broken arm so well. Not being
comfortable is NO fun. 🙁
Love the bracelet party on your arm. Pretty!
A little Black Friday shopping for me. Nothing worth going out super
early this year so I took my time getting up, showering, making hot tea and
then heading out. I did see Christmas cards with *your* Whatever verse and
thought of you. 🙂

michelle - meg,
i am cooleyfamily on IG. sorry your plans were foiled but glad you made lemonade outta those lemons. god is great all the time.
peace,
michelle

Andrea - “Redonk” and “Starbies” funny words! Laundry is my arch-enemy! WHERE does it come from ALL the time? Why? How? I don’t understand it!! I am impressed you have your kids do laundry–I should start, or maybe not! Ugh!

Kirsten J - Poor Annie – well, you’ll have to make next year a great Thanksgiving. Believe it or not, I went at midnight with my kids. My 22yo was going to take my daughter and her friend, but my husband thought better of that idea, and somehow that translated into hubby staying on the couch and me driving the kids. At least I took a little nap before. Target was not bad at all since we didn’t want electronics, then American Eagle and Aero were all ours as well. We drove through McDs at 2:30 and the girls proclaimed it “the best shopping trip ever”. And my brother-in-law took over pies this year so there was normal pumpkin, and a “Hoosier” pie – not bad, and thankfully no Splenda.

s - Hope the arm heals – poor thing!!

Ashley - Sean is also your TWIN!!!!! OMG I never noticed before how MUCH he looks like you! Like……EXACTLY LIKE YOU! 🙂 cute!

Jacci in Ohio - I’m “mrsmogun” on Instagram, btw. Confusing to have multiple usernames, huh?
Have a great weekend!

Jacci in Ohio - It makes me happy to see you drinking out of my mug 🙂 I think I mentioned this on IG, but my kids call that my Covenant Mug. I’ve told them before that it always reminds me of the promises of our God… our God Who never changes and is always faithful, even when we are faithless. So, it’s happy to me to see you with it. I drink my morning coffee from it almost every day.
Also, poor Annie 🙁 She’s the same age as my middlest… breaks my heart to “see” her hurting for so long. Praying for her.
And thanks for the Waffle peek! I miss that dog! 🙂

lorel - next year, baby! next year. we missed you too. 🙂

Kerstie Pederson - No Black Friday shopping for me. My son BROKE HIS ARM yesterday! NOT EVEN KIDDING!!!
ER last night, Doc today, now sleepy time. 😉

christy - So sorry that lil’Annie is in so much pain. Poor lil’ munchkin.
Went out last night & the lines were cra-azy, I decided to go back home. Then b/c I oculdn’t sleep went out about an hour later & was home by 11 with a few small items, but not the big item on my list. Scored that today, thank you Amazon! Hope you had a nice time, even though you were missing your momma & sis.

Kerry Wiebe - Went out and conquered! Love LOVE LOOVVVVEEE the black friday! I hope you found your kitchen aids 🙂

Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - Hubby and I went BF shopping last night(after dropping the girls off at Nanny’s for a sleepover:)) and then again this morning. Last night was INSANE! We usually don’t go out until Friday afternoon but last night one of the stores was so crowded and so HOT that I nearly passed out.
Everyone was generally in good spirits though(which was a nice surprise after being a little taken aback by the ambulances at every store entrance). Except for one woman who loudly proclaimed behind us at one point “If I don’t get a F%$&^#@ TV I’m gonna rip someone’s head off. WOW.Some people scare me:)

Leadia Jarvis - Hope Annie’s feeling better. Hopefully we can continue our “no broken bones” streak at our house because that doesn’t sound fun. Did it happen on the trampoline? Say “no” because we have TWO! I went Black Friday (or technically Black Thursday/Friday) shopping for the first time yesterday. I was scared, but if you go in with a plan and don’t browse, it’s not that bad at all. I only slept 4 hours so far today. LOTS of coffee is in my future!

Ann Williams - LOVE that Annie is smiling even though she has had a tough week. 🙂

Amy - Hey I have that same rainbow mug!! My favorite!
So sorry about poor Annie. Sometimes holidays just work out a little differently than planned, so I hear ya. Our Thanksgiving ended with a trip last night to the E.R. with my 7 year old son, who was having breathing difficulties from a piece of candy he ate (he is our peanut allergy kid). So I can commiserate. 🙁
Hope Annie heals up quickly!!

Amy@littleforalittlewhile - Have fun, hope you get some good deals!

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broken bones and KAKE news.

November 21, 2012

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

on monday evening craig & i were looking forward to our free night with no plans or practices.
and then i heard a SCREAM outside that was so loud and annie yelling "I BROKE MY ARM!!! ITS BROKEN!!!"

i doubted for about five minutes but then i felt her arm.
yeah….
i called craig & he was on his way home from work "i think annie broke her arm. i am taking her to the ER".
he said he would meet us there.

two hours later they determined it was definitely broken.
we expected it to just be a cast and we'd go home.

then a dr came in and said "it's a really bad break. REALLY BAD. we need to do surgery"
what?!
so at 9 PM they took her in and put her under.

that was very hard to let her go.

a piece of her bone broke off and was floating in her arm.
they put two pins in her elbow to hold it in place until it heals.

she's smiling but it was just for the camera.
she and i slept in the hospital (if you can call it sleep) monday night to keep an eye on everything.

we headed home late morning….dead tired.
we both rested all day yesterday.
the doctor says a cast comes next week.
she is hoping for lime green but thought red and blue for KU would be cool too.

we've got some serious bedhead going on that we will have to deal with today….

she slept all night last night.
i just feel so bad for her.
she is miserable.
i think we will paint nails and toenails today.
and finish her chapter book.
and we watched Crocodile hunter this morning…. how much tv can one person watch?!

so send up some prayers for annie when you think of her.

and on a completely different subject………..

Craft Weekend was on the local news!
they interviewed us before the last CW and then came back AT craft weekend during our apron making.
some of our guests were interviewed about why they came.
i was really nervous about the whole thing but i think it turned out well.

it's pretty cool.

ok….another cup of coffee is needed.
and i am going to do 7 loads of laundry today.
i am.
keep me accountable.
make sure i do it.
cause my laundry situation is downright embarassing right now.
i have let it go for far too long.
sitting at the hospital knowing i needed clothes and dreading the thought of having a friend go into my house to look for my clothes was mortifying.
1. i doubt i had any clean underwear for me.
2. to get to my clean clothes….you had to climb the mountain of dirty clothes first…seriously a safety risk.

so today i am playing nurse, manicurist and laundry aid.

what are you doing today?
getting ready to cook? are you hosting thanksgiving? what kind of pie are you making?

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add a comment

cathy - Poor baby….. so sorry to hear she was hurt:(

Tracy Fisher - so sorry to hear about annie. but it sounds like she got an awesome nurse (you). i cannot quit laughing about your laundry pile. mine is the same way!! now, don’t you feel better??? i once asked my kids if we should just live from the pile. obviously everything they liked was in it because they keep wearing and washing the same things. closets are wasted space. i should turn mine into an art studio. haha.

Tiffany - Awww, poor thing 🙁 Feel better Annie!

jeannett - ACK!!!
i just saw this!
how awful!
what was she doing? none of my kids have broken bones yet, but i keep waiting for it to happen…but surgery for it? that’s terrible. poor girl! poor you!!!!
hugs friend.

Christina - I read the other post first…goodness! What a night. I hope as the days go by, the pain is not so bad. I’m praying for you guys!

Wendy - Feel better soon Annie!!!

Sandy - Praying for Annie. I love the news clip! You deserve the recognition!! So proud of you!

Sarah E. - So sorry! 2 1/2 years ago my son broke his arm at the McDonald indoor playland on vacation. We assumed the same thing, get a cast on and be gone. Nope surgery the next morning and 2 pins. Such a crazy time but so thankful for the wisdom God gave this doctor. My son has no problems at all now!

Katherine @ Grass Stains - Ohhh, Annie. So sorry for Annie! I hope it heals quickly and I suppose if it had to happen, maybe it’s better to have happened in the winter than in the summer, when they are outside so much more? It’s possibly I’m reaching too far for a glass-half-full outlook here. 😉 Hope you guys had a blessed Thanksgiving.

Ashley - The news clip came out so great! I am so happy for you and Kimberlee 🙂

jennyonthespot - OH ANNIE! Bless her heart, and yours, Meg. That was quite the break 🙁 Glad she’s healing up… hope you got those 7 loads done… what an AWESOME piece on Craft Weekend (I am SO proud of you!) and… hope your thanksgiving was surprisingly lovely 🙂 xoxox

Lisa - I saw the KAKE news story – Congratulations! I bet you get a lot more local ladies signing up this week! Happy Thanksgiving!

Tiffany - i will be praying for Annie. (no pain and quick recovery)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to YOU and YOURS!
i cooked half of my stuff yesterday and finished the rest this morning.
we are my MIL and i’m enjoying being out of the house.
i opted for cobblers this year.
a blueberry and peach…
yumm-o

Kori - Oh, poor Annie!! I broke my arm twice as a little girl…get something long and thin for her to scratch up under her cast. She’ll need it! Luckily it happened at home and you could take her asap.
As far as I can tell there’s nothing a good mani/pedi can’t take one’s mind off of. 🙂
Hope you all get some good rest…

Kirsten J - Oh sweet Annie – I’m so sorry – my daughter and I saw this had happened on Twitter, and tried to comment. Ouch!! Praying for a quick healing. We are headed to my sister-in-law’s today, and while I am grateful for many things, including the fact that I dont have to clean house or cook a turkey…..she is always so proud of her “healthy” pies….made with Splenda. Seriously. Yuck. She insists “you can’t even taste it!” and I’m sorry, but you can. I only eat pie maybe two or three special days a year, and sadly, today I think I’ll pass….
Hope you get lime green, Annie!!!

Amy@littleforalittlewhile - Happy Thanksgiving! Hope Annie is on the mend, and that you are rocking that laundry situation!

colleen sullivan - feeling for you and Annie and sending good thoughts your way….at least everytone is around to help you out and relieve the boredom at thanksgiving!

karen - poor annie!! kids are resilient..i hope she feels better soon. How did she break it?

Michelle from Australia - Dear Annie, I hope your arm is much better soon.
Meg, prayers of strength for you, Annie and the family whilst her arm heals.
Kimberlee, thank you for remembering there is an Australian (or two or more??) who would LOVE to come to Craft Weekend 🙂
We are currently in San Francisco and we are looking forward to celebrating our first ever Thanksgiving tomorrow.
God Bless you all.

Karen Gerstenberger - God bless you and your sweet Annie! Spending the night in the hospital is hard. I bet that Annie will look back on this time and be very proud of herself, as she deserves to be. She is brave and strong.
We are hosting Thanksgiving. There will be 15 of us (I thought there would be 18!). Today, I prepared yams, green bean casserole, homemade cranberry sauce and set the table. Tomorrow, it will be time for Mr. Turkey, the stuffing and gravy, appetizers and beverages. Our guests are bringing all of the rest of the feast. We’re so happy that our precious friends are visiting from KANSAS & will be celebrating with us.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Meg!

Verna Lantz - Poor, sweet Annie. Prayers for her to be better soon. And for her to get that green cast.
Did you get that laundry done? I certainly hope so, young lady! 🙂
Busy all day with Thanksgiving prep and pie cooking
Pumpkin, pecan, lemon, and one devil’s chocolate cake (for my little one)
Next up: side dishes and the main man, or turkey, as the case may be.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Lori Austin - Oh sweet girl! Broken bones are NO fun (speaking from experience).
Sending your kiddo to surgery also no fun (speaking from MUCH experience).
Prayers for her healing and quickly passing days.
Great news coverage btw!

roganne - poor annie!! i broke a rib once and i felt terrible too 🙁 what an awful experience, but i hope lots of people sign her cool new cast! the news piece was so beautiful…you are truly an inspiration to all 🙂

Rita - I will pray for Annie’s healing and for the rest of the family. It’s very hard to have your child taken away for surgery – I’ve cried many tears along with my son when he was hurting. Let others help you and your family – it also is a hard thing to do, but a blessing to others to help you and in return, you are blessed, too. I’ve made my pumpkin pie bars and chocolate pecan pie for tomorrow – will get up early and get the ham and turkey on to cook. It’s a blessing to cook for my 87-year old mom and my siblings and families. May you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Robin C - too bad I don’t live near you because I would do your laundry in a heartbeat. Seriously, it’s my favorite household chore. yes, seriously!
So loved the news report on Craft Weekend. Uh-oh- your waiting list is bound to get even longer now.

Lindsey - Poor Annie! I hope it all goes okay and she heals quickly!!!!!

Amy - Oh sweet Annie! So sorry you broke your arm. I’ll bet you heal really fast. I broke my arm when I was your age by falling out of my tree house. I had a really yucky tummy ache until the Dr. fixed my arm. Hope your cast is super cool!

Kristin - Poor Annie…I hope she’s feeling better! And that you’ve done your laundry.

Karen - Oh poor Annie girl!!! Little bunny I am so sorry you broke your arm!!! Feel better soon! And poor mama – you are only as happy as your least happy child, right!?! Hugs and prayers for you all and Happy Thanksgiving!

Jacci in Ohio - Miss Annie, I’m praying for you, honey!
The Lord cares all about your arm, and He is with you all those long hours of uncomfortableness. He cares about YOU! And loves YOU, even when bad things happen. He is good.
Praying for you all, Megan. 7 loads of laundry? On little sleep? Maybe I should pray even MORE 😉
By the way… 900? Ugh. Maybe I didn’t want to know that number. I chop onions and make cheesecake! 😉 Bonus points?? ha ha. So excited for you that you have so much interest in CW. It’s a blessing to many, I’m certain!

ChristineW - Poor baby girl! I’m wearing lime green socks right now so that’s my vote for cast color! 🙂 I hope she is feeling better soon and rockin’ those nails! And I’m hearing ya’ on the laundry! HS soccer season just ended and thank goodness the older son came home from college with his clothes already washed!! YEA! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Michelle Bostinelos - Poor Annie!! That is really no fun 🙁 But great story on the news! I would love a chance to come to craft weekend…and I am on the waiting list 🙂

Andrea - Sending prayers for Annnie……getting ready to begin cooking….tonight…pecan pie, peanut butter pie( Iknow….not really thanksgiving material but requested, cranberry sauce, ham/cream cheese/ pickle rolls and stuffing…..tomorrow the rest! Happy Thanksgiving…good luck with that laundry. I hate laundry….

Gina - Prayers for fast healing for Annie! With six kids I know all about those piles of laundry…. You should be about half way done by now. Happy Thanksgiving…hope you and your family have fun!!!

Tanya - oh poor punkin’. hope she’s on the mend soon <3
And..yay!!!! for the news story 😀
My aunt was just here to do a craft show with my mom last weekend and they lived in Newton all of my growing up years. We drove from Canada many summers to visit. I told her about your blog and craft weekend 😀

tinaehb3 - looks like the poor thing has a radial head fracture…17 years of being a xray tech I’ve seen a ton of these 🙂 hope she feels better soon, you’ll be surprised when they xray her in a couple of weeks she’ll be good as new, kids bones are amazing!!! fun clip to watch!!

Courtney - Sweet angel! Poor girl and Mama! Glad she is doing OK! I am starting Thankgiving prep. Two pecan pies done (my girlfriend and I each bake two of the same and then swap), Cranverry sauce is done and PW’s skillet cornbread is in the oven for her cornbread sausage apple stuffing. Roasting sweet potatoes next and making the green bean casserole.
Happy Thankgiving to you. Hope you get some help with all that laundry!!!

Sara Torbett - Poor Annie! Praying her arm feels better and she is able to find something fun to keep her mind off being in bed!
My laundry was in piles a few days ago too…and it’s only my husband and I and one baby! It can pile up so fast. Here’s to hoping you had some good coffee, bright sunshine, and good music to jam to while accomplishing the 7 loads. 🙂
Today I am hanging out at home, after a trip to Target and Joann’s….dreaming up more things to do, waiting on arrival of Baby #2 any minute. 🙂 And decorating our outdoor area fancy for a date night with my husband after Little One #1 goes to bed. 🙂

Allison - Aww poor Annie. I hope she feels better. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

amber - Poor Annie:(. I broke my arm once, in a car accident. I had a lime green cast for 6 weeks. So, I say, go for it Annie;)!!! I remember my arm hurting the first few days, then I just had the nuisance of a cast for a while. Hopefully Annie will be the same. Praying for you guys! Happy Thanksgiving!!

Kristi Rediske - that is so sad about Annie-I pray that she gets to feeling better as soon as possible and the healing is perfect. I guess I am snoopy but how did she break it? I don’t think you said, if its none of my business thats ok-:) Just always curious about these things. Well have a Great Thanksgiving.

danielle - Oh no!!! Hope she feels better soon and finds many things to ammuse her!

Kerrin - Way to go! that video was awesome. Congrats!

Lisa M. - Goodness, I hope Annie is feeling better. I’m sure that broke your heart!
And congrats on the news coverage!! It was so nice to see a “live” shot of Craft Weekend! Cool!

Tiffany - So sorry about poor Annie… I hope the recovery is going well. How scary for the both of you! The news story was fun to watch, but it kind of creeps me out that my face is RIGHT THERE, before you click play. Jeepers. Wish I would have had more than 2 hours of sleep the night before and it wouldn’t have been at the end of a long day in the car. It would have been so much better to have your sweet face right there. Oh well. I’m making “Pam’s Cheesecake” for Thanksgiving!! Wish me luck! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

kristiina - Poor Baby!! Hugs and kisses to you and your family from Virginia! Get well soon, Annie 🙂

CathyC - Don’t worry!! Annie will be OK!! My daughter Olivia broke her arm a few years ago, had surgery, 2 pins, the whole nine yards, and she’s perfectly fine. Annie will be too.
BTW, every time I see pics of the Craft House I feel like that is “my house.” Totally cool!
PS–Go do some laundry & make sure you have enough detergent to get you through.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!!

ali moll - Poor Annie! 🙁 Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovering for her! Loved the news coverage….hearing you and Kimberlee, and how nice and calm you both sound! And then there is that crazy person talking a mile a minute! Oh, wait…that’s me! Yikes! That was pretty scary to watch! But seriously…..Craft Weekend changed my life. I am sooo full of creativity…in all aspects of my life. I feel renewed and I owe it all to you! Thanks Meg! Love, love, loved my weekend at the Craft House with you and the girls! Hoping my name gets picked again someday! Hugs! Happy Thanksgiving! Still working on my recap post!

tiffany gardner - I just have tears for that sweet annie girl and thinking of you letting her go as she went into surgery!! I’m so sorry! Please tell her that my kids and I will pray for her today and keep praying!! xo.

Angie G. - Ohhh, poor Annie!!! Must´ve been scary for her and for you. Thank God everything turned out well. On the other hand, how exciting is it that your not-so-known country gets mentioned on the local news because of you?? Oh my God!!! I´m sooo excited….. all the way from the Dominican Republic to Kansas next January… wooohoooo!!!

April - Oh poor Annie. My daughter broke her arm earlier this year at school and eventually they had to put her under and rebend it. That was super hard for me even though they didn’t have to cut her open to do it. Prayers being sent to her. My baby (8yrs. Old) was miserable too.

Lisa - Poor Annie!! It will be better once she gets the real cast on. Glad she slept well. Hope you got sleep as well. And get that laundry done girl!! You’ll feel so much better when it is. You will have to post a link for the craft weekend interview! So awesome!

Megan - You guys are so stikin cool… the NEWS?! ive been following you for a year or so and love hearing about the craft weekend. What a wonderful thing. Will be praying for Annie..

Juliann - HI Megan – Praying for Annie! I hope she gets lots of waiting-on at Thanksgiving this year 😉
I used to just buy new underwear when I ran out to avoid laundry – and that was when I was single – ha.

stacey - Meg, You don’t know me, and I don’t know you…but I FEEL like I do from reading your blog.
I have 4 kiddos, so I feel your laundry pain.
I would come help if I could. and laundry is my LEAST adored chore. But for you, I’d suck it up and do it to help you out. 🙂
A Costco pumpkin pie for us…I am a baker, but a huge pie for $5.99. It was stupid not to! 🙂
I hope sweet Annie heals quickly!

Jeanie - I will pray that Annie heals fully and quickly. When our niece fractured her arm (age 2) the doctor said “Kids are healing MACHINES.” Apparently at that age their bodies are just so quick to heal. I will pray that Annie’s healing machine will kick right in. Also we know that the Great Physician is healing her as we speak. Thank You, God!
How scary for you and your husband, though. We had our little guy (he’s 4) at the E.R. for croup a few weeks ago. Thank the good Lord for access to emergency rooms and the people that stay there all night and staff them, that’s what I say!
Glad for the great press on CW. I’m not on the list but I have a 4-year-old. Not a lot of time away for myself but they are fun updates to read about here (and on the blogs you link to). Good for you and Kimberlee.
Heal up, Miss Annie!

Lennie Jackson - So sad for you guys about the broken bone 🙁 Poor baby girl! The news story was AMAZING!!! So happy for you and I am so glad that you get to do what you love!!! You’re one lucky lady!!!

Susan - So sorry to hear that Annie got hurt! Bless her heart! She will do much better than Mom. Hope you and yours have a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Kate - First off – I hope Annie feels better!
Secondly – EEEK!!!! Pretty. Cool. 🙂

kerry - oh man!!!!!!! this post is bitter sweet 🙂 poor annie, those pins look scary.. poor darling, lots of love to you. HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT VIDEO!!!!!!!!!!! ??? So happy for you and Kimberlee. Best I get my name on that 900 long waiting list!

alicia @ la famille - how cooool about the news story!! that’s awesome!!
and how sucky for annie 🙁 poor little thing. hope it heals fast!!

Donna - so sad for Annie girl! Mom’s are the best nurses..she will be better before you know it.
Craft Weekend on the news!!!! Awesome! You all looked great:)

Ellen J - Sweet Annie! Praying her arm heals quickly, and that they have the color cast she’d like. 🙂
Hopefully the hospital bed head wasn’t too terrible to comb out! I was in and out of the hospital as a child, and my mom said she finally learned to put my hair in a french braid really quick before leaving for the ER each time. Saved my poor head of a rat’s nest and my mom the stress of combing it out!

lauren - praying you all can rest up and that annie will be up and at ’em in no time! my heidi had nearly the exact same break with her left elbow when she was four! i’ve got a few tips for you on dealing with the L-shaped cast she’ll be getting….it’s NOT EASY to wrestle with in the cold months! i’ll email you! take care!
p.s. what fun to see us all on the news!
p.p.s. craft weekend has inspired me to start blogging again. i will make my new blog ‘live’ soon…thank you – for everything!

Krista - Awww man, just watched your KAKE video, now I have tears in my eyes for another reason, so happy to see your success! Congratulations!

Colleen - Your poor little girl! I’m sure with a lot of TLC, she’ll be feeling better soon.
Love the news clip, I think it is such a fun thing you and Kimberly do. You’ve definitely made me want to craft more.

Krista - Poor sweet girl, glad she’s home and in your good care. My daughter broke her arm when she was 7 at a roller skating party. At the e/r they had to make some adjustments to the bone in her arm— “manipulation under anesthesia”– which was incredibly scary, and no parents allowed in the room, so I can totally understand how much worse it must have been for you to have her wheeled away for the surgery. Yes, the girlies like neon-colored casts, what is up with that? Have a wonderful T-giving in spite of all of your nursing, laundry, cooking challenges ahead of you!! Have an extra piece of pie just because!

Christine - hope she feels better by now 🙂 get well soon annie!

denise@victory rd. - what a bummer for annie. she deserves an extra serving of thanksgiving pie.
the video looks great. God is cool and what he has done through you and kim is cool. i pray he continues to be glorified through you.

Pink and Green Mama MaryLea - Hugs to sweet Annie and mama too! I am doing 4-5 loads of laundry today, cleaning the house for tomorrow. Making cranberry sauce jello, baking two pies- pumpkin and “yum yum” (it’s like a chocolate pecan pie) So fun that they covered craft weekend- I saw the camera crews in your photos and wondered what that was all about. Hang in there. It’s hard when our babies are hurt- even when they’re in pain I think it breaks our hearts even more! xoxoxo
So much to be thankful for, glad they were able to repair it quickly.

Tiffany - Aww, sending Annie the sweetest thoughts (pie, pie, pie, did i mention pie) and best wishes for a speedy recovery. Congrats on the news coverage, that’s pretty kool.

Amy K. - Having taken a kid to the er recently, I feel for both of you!!! Hopefully you will get your equilibrium back today… and get some laundry done too. Watching that clip makes me want to go to Craft Weekend EVEN MORE, which I did not think was possible!

KirstenP - It’s awesome that your craft weekend was on TV! I wonder how long your waiting list will be since the broadcast?!?
I’m making pumpkin pie(I use the recipe on the Libby pumpkin can and Pillsbury refrigerated crust.) I’m also going to try pecan pie again. My previous attempts taste great but some of the yummy filling always ends up underneath the pie crust – and it’s hard to get the slices out of the pie plate.
It’s always hard to see a child wheeled off to surgery whether they’re 3 months, or a year, or 10 or 19. I hope Annie heals quickly and gets her lime green cast.
It’s time to attack my mountain of laundry and bake some pies. Happy Thanksgiving.

angie - Poor bunny! My Annie broke her foot last year so we certainly feel your pain! A very traumatic experience fir an 8 year old. Hope she heals quickly!!

Sarah - Sending prayers for Annie for less pain and a speedy, successful recovery. She’s lucky to have you watching over her. Your laundry story is darn funny, rest assured you’re not alone. We moved into a new home a few months ago so we’re set to have the crew at our place this year. I’m really looking forward to it! We also invited two other families to join us for dessert, should be a fun time. Enjoy your holiday too!

Elliottsurf - Meg, I am so sorry about poor Annie. I have two boys and between the two of them, they have broken 6 bones, some of them bad breaks that required surgery. It is so hard for a Mama to go through that! On a good note, congratulations to you on the craft weekend news story! You are awesome! Keep up the good work. You really are inspiring. I look at your blog daily for a little pick-me-up! xoxo

Susan - Oh no Annie ( I have a daughter named Annie too). I saw the picture on FB last night and I wondered who was in the hospital and I thought it was her. Praying for pain relief and a perfect healing for her. Sorry about your laundry situation…it mirrors my own and I am doing maybe 4 or 5 loads but I only have a family of 3! I am making pumpkin and sweet potato pie today. I have never made sweet potato pie but my brother in law loves them so I thought I would try…found a Paula Deen recipe so it should rock!

shannon - poor Annie, I hope you she feels better fast! Kids are def. not meant to be in bed all day 🙁 I’m attempting to take some Christmas card pics of my girls today and bake some choc. chip pumpkin bread for tomorrow. First I have to head to the grocery store, wish me luck with the crowds!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

maggie - Poor annie, and poor you. It is hard letting your child go into surgery. Prayers for you all. Today i get to shoot some pictures with my friend and later i will be making some fabulous mac n cheese, not from the box. oh an probably some laundry too 🙂

Southern Gal - Praying she’s feeling better and that arm heals completely! I’ll trade and do your laundry if you’ll come dust and vacuum my house.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Tonya - Today I am reading your blog and laughing. I am so sorry about Annie but to hear what you said about having to climb over the laundry…so nice to hear that I’m not alone in that department! Hope that the rest of the week goes smoothly.

elma - I hope poor Annie feels better soon!! At least she has a long weekend to rest up!!
Congrats on the tv video it was awesome. I love hearing your voice!! I hope someday I can go!! Have a Blessed Thnaksgiving!!!

Heather - I hope Annie feels better soon!

tara - Hang in there, both of you. Good luck with the laundry. Watch a movie together and fold like crazy.
Your blog always makes me happy – thank you for that.

Renae - That video was fantastic! I keep imagining how excited I would be to be headed south to Newton to do Craft Weekend!! My husband would think I was nuts but as your readers understand, for me this would be heaven!! Have a blessed Thanksgiving Meg. Hope Annie is feeling a little better today and that her hair is back to normal! 🙂

Jules - Oh dear! Poor Annie! Hope she feels better soon. It is horrible being in plaster, although I remember when I had my leg in a cast when I was little it was so fun getting people to sign my cast and draw pictures – nothing as cool as a lime green cast then! x

Kelly - Oh I’ve been praying for Annie! And you! I’ve had a little one with a broken arm (although not nearly as bad as poor Annie’s!) and it’s rough! Hope you get a nap in between the nail painting and laundry.
So cool about the news story! 900+ on the waiting list! WOW! Thanks for sharing that clip with us!

Rebecca - Poor sweet Annie!! Praying for healing and wisdowm for the doctors and rest and comfort for you!! Ha

jerusalem - poor Annie! I feel her pain with my broken foot. So not fun at all : ( And I am with you on the laundry. TOO much. I will be sending prayers your way my friend.

Tracey - Poor Annie! My oldest broke his arm at basketball practice a couple of years ago. He sat thru the whole practice with ice on his arm and when I picked him up an hour later (because no one called me to let me know he was hurt) he burst into tears as soon as he got in the car. He lucked out though and was able to get a brace to wear for 6 weeks instead of a hard cast. So he was still able to shower and everything during the recovery time.
Today, I am baking pies for tomorrow, making jello salad (which I really don’t understand why it is called a salad), and snapping green beans. LOL! Oh, and putting up our Christmas tree! My husband is off this week so he wants to get it all done by Friday so he can go to a football game this weekend. 🙂

ira lee - bless her heart!!! i work at an orthopaedic clinic- we see this all the time!
i loved your video on the local news! how exciting! and i had NO CLUE so many people were on the waiting list- good for you!!!

Amy G - Meg, I can completely understand where your heart is and Annie’s with all of this. My daughter just had surgery on her hand last Wednesday and the hardest part was watching them take her behind the swinging door . . . with out me. So just know that this understanding momma is praying for you guys! We have watched A LOT of Little House On The Prairie this week. 🙂 The first thing to bring a smile to my daughters face wa when we told her she was free from dishes for a few weeks! 🙂

Stephanie - Poor little one! Why do things like that always happen on such a benign night? My son broke his arm when he was 2.5 and had to have surgery. Poor kid had a hard time sleeping because of the pain. 🙁 ill pray for your little Annie and you!

Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - I just watched the segment….AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alice H - oh poor Annie! How did she break it? I sprained my arm when I was in the 5th grade when my dad swiped me with a pillow during a pillow fight and I thought I would catch myself using my arm. No cast. But I had to wear a sling for 2 weeks. Hope she heals quickly!!
Sending good wishes that you get all of your laundry done!

Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - Oh gosh, poor Annie:( (Knock on wood) we’ve never been through broken bones. Mystery medical issues? Yes. Broken bones…never.
As for the news thing, I knew I noticed an IG pic with a news crew:) How exciting!(But really, they’re late to the game, right?:))Helloooooooooo people…this has been big news for over a year!:)

Dara - oh no, poor annie! get well soon!

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last Craft Weekend of 2012

November 19, 2012

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as suspected….this group of girls was wonderful.
🙂

it’s so much fun getting to make new friends!
they came from all over again this month…with only one major flight delay…so glad you made it sunny!

we had lots of instagrammers this month.
it is fun to help newbies get started on a new addiction.

i used their pictures from the #whatevercraftweekend group to make some collages.

Cwcollage2

looks like fun doesn’t it?!

we made our aprons on friday night.
this group was quick…several of them were finished before 11:30! that’s unheard of at craft weekend!
🙂

we tried something a little crazy with this group… a late night donut run!

our little local donut shop opens at 11:30 PM on friday nights with hot fresh donuts.
it felt pretty crazy getting the van to go somewhere that late.
like we were wild kids….just like all the kids that were AT the donut shop.
it was yummy and fun!

our saturday at the antique store and barn was SO WINDY!
ridiculous kansas wind.
but these girls did just fine finding all kinds of lovely treasures to take home.

kimberlee scored vintage ornaments for $1.00 at the thrift store down the street.
they were the prettiest colors…pink, yellow and orange!!!

we are quite a sight when we pull into town every month.

chippy paint makes me so happy.

lauren found this quilt and said she is going to recover the seat in her old truck with it!
that is a dreamy idea.
so creative.

becky had a hard time deciding on this owl… i am glad she got it.
it’s unique and sweet.

paige snagged the quilt i pick up every time i am there.
i have almost gotten it so many times.
but it was meant for her… i am so happy she is loving on it at her house.

then it’s back to crafting!
they spent all saturday evening making beautiful projects and laughing and talking.
saturday night is my favorite part of Craft Weekend… no one is nervous and they get really creative.

Megan lead a hoop art project that was so cute!
everyone’s was different… i love seeing that.

i need way more glitter next time. 🙂

megan also taught us how to cover big bracelets with recylced sweaters.
i loved all of them!

the t-shirt flowers are so fun to make!

i love these covered button necklaces… soooo much!

adorable right?
i love every single set of the J-O-Y words.
a few chose to cover them with non-christmas fabrics to keep them up all year.

the ruffle aprons are the most cheerful pictures every month!

roomies….. seven of them meeting each other for the first time on friday night!

becky & megan were our helpers for the weekend….and our roomies.
becky helped kimberlee in the kitchen and megan helped me in the craft room.
they were lots of fun to meet in real life!
joanna from tennesse angela from north carolina

ali from utah jill from kansas

lauren from indiana sunny from idaho

bethany from minnesota tiffany from minnesota

amy from minnesota shannon from oklahoma

paige from oklahoma april from oklahoma

becky from virginia megan from michigan

******************** s q u e e z e! *********************

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

there was amazing delicious food from kimberlee.
she cooks for 15 women like it’s no big deal at all….she is an inspiration.
i love to eat anything she cooks.
and my extra weight i have gained this year is proof of 11 WONDERFUL craft weekends.
but apparently i was so busy EATING her meals that i took no pictures.
lame.
trust me…D E L I C I O U S!!!

i am so grateful for kimberlee and all her HARD work.
she does so much for each weekend to flow smoothly.
i just adore her.

and somehow we ended up with NO pictures of the two of us together.
except this one….

the wind on saturday was unbelievable…i think we captured it perfectly!

well….a year has come and gone since we began this crazy Craft Weekend adventure.
it’s wild!!!
it’s so much more amazing than i dreamed it would be.
i love that God has brought so many absolutely beautiful women into my life.
i feel so blessed.
we have so much fun!!

but this is just the beginning!
we have so much more in the works for 2013 and beyond.
i can’t wait to share with you what we re dreaming up.

————————————————————————————————————————–

would you like to come to Craft Weekend next year?

first READ THIS and then sign up for the wait list!
it’s chosen by random number generator so you could get picked next….you just never know!
it’s worth it.
get on the list!

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Family Brings Joy - Christmas Home Tour Part One - […] JOY sweater wrapped – I made at Whatever Craft Weekend […]

Katey Deasy - I love it! I had more fun looking at the Instagram Photos that everyone took. I had my mom over that weekend and we did a little crafting ourselves. We are on the list!! Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos. So sorry for sweet Annie. Have been praying for her.

Debra - I must know how to make the aprons. Pleeeeeeeease?!?!?

Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - Great ladies, great crafts! Another successful Craft Weekend!(Now enjoy your downtime from it for the year’s end:))
Happy Thanksgiving!

Wordpress Development - Man I like your article and it is so informational and I am gonna bookmark it. I Have to say the Superb analysis you have done is greatly remarkable.

Jennifer - I’ve followed your blog for quite some time now. I too live in Kansas. Saw your piece on KAKE. Sounds like continued success is in your future. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Kate - Beautiful, beautiful girls!

dcgraber@cox.net - Megan, I had to watch channel 10 tonight! That was pretty awesome! Congratulations! So neat to see how God has led you! Oh, and hoping that Annie’s arm heals and won’t be too uncomfortable for her (and you!)

Bethany - Thanks again for the fabulous weekend! You and Kimberlee do such an amazing job. It was so great to meet the both of you!

Julie - Just saw that you are going to be on KAKE news at 10 tonight. Way Awesome!

Shanna - Where did you find the camera fabric???!!!!

Jen - Meg, I am so happy that your 2012 Craft Weekends went so well. Looks like y’all had a blast at every one! The crafts at this last one especially look wonderful. Love all the “JOY”!
Have I ever told you that my Grandma is from Chapman, KS? She’s 94 now and doing well! Happy Thanksgiving to you!!!

Ashley - Using the IG pics for a collage is genius! So fun.

jeannett - ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
i. need. to. come.
those crafts looks uh-mazing!
and i miss you.
i want to stay up late and drink coffee and yap.
and then pass out and take a nap.
except this time i probably won’t snore.

Kelly O. - I think those crafts were the best ones yet!

mary beth - you. are.killing.me.! thanks so much for posting so many pictures…I feel like I was there! Those guys at the barn have got to be loving you by now…ive been there once and those pictures make me so anxious to go back..maybe next year! Cant wait to hear what you’ve got up your sleeve for the future!

dissertation proofreading - All pics are really very clear and also eye catching.

Pat - Happier than a bird with a french fry? Hilarious!!!!
J O Y letters – how to?

Heidi Jo the Artist - Love all the photos. 🙂 Where did you get that rainbow rug!? In love, might have to make one myself. Thinking I might try and make one out of t-shirts?? I especially love all the crafts you guys are doing too; need to try several of those soooooon! Never enough hours in my days…

ali moll - I cannot put in to words what a FABULOUS weekend it was! Sooooo much fun! So many new friends and sooooo much inspiration! I came away from Craft Weekend with a renewed sense of creativity in all aspects of my life! Thank you Meg and Kimberlee for an amazing time. I can’t thank you enough! Love and hugs!

Kimberly - I agree! Please share!

Kimberly - I know I’ve commented once already today, but seriously… TUTORIALS PLEASE!

Alisa - Where did you get those (wooden?) letters? Please share!

Christy K - Ahhh… Each CW post makes me more happy than the next! (Ok, the one I am in is still my very favourite but…) You know what I mean. ; ) Now I know that you don’t blog about the tutorials for the crafts at CW BUT, I just have one teeny little question that I am hoping you will answer… the button necklaces? Is it a kit or did you girls piece everything together yourselves? If so, do you mind if I ask where it is from? Just curious because I would LOVE to make one (or several) myself! If you are at liberty to share, I will be forever in your debt. Well, more so than I already am. ; ) Hope you’re having a fantastic day… happy Monday! : )

Lorraine R. - I love it!!! It always looks like such a wonderful time!! How did this whole thing come about? I’d love to know what you led you to doing this!!

happygirl - I’ve got double the fun by following both you and Farmgirl Paints. Craft weekends ROCK!!

Sunny Haynes - So wonderful! I had such a great time and even though my travel was crazy, I would do it all over again! What a great expereince that has enriched my life! Thank you so much Meg and Kimberlee for doing such a great job and providing us with this opportunity! You two are unique and equally wonderful people and I am still in awe of your graciousness and hospitality! Also, thank you to all the wonderful women that enjoyed this weekend with me! It was great getting to know you!

Trish - you are rad… i want to be a helper 🙂 pick me to be a helper!!! oh and apparently megan m told me i have the same pants as you 🙂 great minds think alike! happy thanksgiving!

Becky - Girl you summed it up so good. Loved all your pics of the crafts! And that last IG pic is hysterical. Kansas and it’s wind did not disappoint. Still kind of on cloud 9 about the whole thing. Seems to good to be true that I actually met you and did that!!

justme - LOVE the Charlie’s Angels glue gun shot!!
Glad you took the group to Druber’s.

April R - my kids have the week off from school – the WHOLE week! and after reading this it would be so fun to cook and craft with them. It’s certainly not the same as being ‘pampered’ by you and Kimberlee but we are inspired none the less! 🙂 Thanks!
And happy Thanksgiving!

northern cottage - these craft weekend pictures always make me so….HAPPY…thank you for sharing the gorgeous bright lovely images! feel good!

alicia @ la famille - so so fun ms. meg! you are an inspiration!

Jen - I am in AWE, absolute AWE of that barn. Where do they get all that stuff? It’s unreal to see so much of all that vintage fun! Totally jealous!

Tiffany Clark - Ditto! I couldn’t have said it more perfectly myself!

Kimberly - TUTORIALS PLEASE!
Pretty please…?

ira lee - i am in love with this concept. really!! im would love to host something like this! and you are so successful with it! id actually love to attend one!

Jill Franklin - Ohmygosh! Not only did we have some amazing crafters, but exquisite photographers as well…just look at these pics! I just relived the entire weekend. Now I need a nap, and then a good diet. Thanks again Meg for an Amaaazing weekend! & Kimberlee Jost, YOU my dear are one Fan-Tastic kitchen chick! Let me know when you write that cookbook, I’ll be the first in line to buy it!

Tiffany - Wahahaaa, the windy hair pic is the BEST!! Craft weekend photos are always full of so much color and smiling ladies, it just makes me smirk and grin and cheeeeese. Always a treat.

Amy@litteforalittlewhile - Your pictures are amazing! I’ve been anxiously awaiting this post, and it didn’t dissapoint. Thanks again for the amazingly wonderful weekend. Words truly cannot capture how grateful we all are to have been welcomed into your home and had the opportunity to share in such a fun weekend with you. You and Kimberlee have such a unique gift together, and it is wonderful that you are willing to share it with others. I hope you both enjoy the break before you rock 2013. Have a blessed holiday season, and rest up! xo, Amy

Mary Jo - I love the fabric letters!!!

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