the snow has melted

...which means summer is really on its way. I know it's still a few months off, but when you work in camp ministry, there is a whole lot that needs to get done before summer can start and truth-be-told, I think I was finding a bit of comfort in the blanket of white that told me it's still the dead of winter.

But after a few sunny days and now a lot of rain, the stuff is almost gone and summer is definitely on its way. Deep breath.

Our summer staff applications are due next Friday, but we already have 75 applications in. This is really exciting and I am confident we will have a solid staff. I spent last week and much of this week interviewing each applicant over the phone and I am encouraged.

I ask each applicant to tell me about their family and faith-life growing up. And I ask them whose faith they look up to and how have they challenged how you live out your own faith.

I love these questions, because more often than not, I hear of faithful, loving families that have chosen to raise their child in the church. I hear about Grandma's who are always praying for their grandkids and how much of an impact their faithfulness has had on the faith development of the college student I am talking to. I hear about a parent who brought the kids to church every Sunday and Wednesday for 18 years while the other parent stayed at home.

I hear about faithful Sunday school teachers, pastors and youth directors. But more often than not, the person's faith they look up to is right within their own family.

In Deuteronomy chapter 6 we are commanded, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commands that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

I have left these conversations thankful that God sets us up in families and that these families are our primary mission field. I am left filled with hope after hearing these applicants tell their faith stories and so grateful for the generations before them who have remained faithful to the call of Christ in going therefore and passing on the faith to their kids and grandkids.

a few things...

(picture from Ali Edwards)
I had high hopes of posting a tutorial today on how to make the fabric flower pots. But this weekend I got sucked into the type case project. And what a project it is. I found my type case at a garage sale last summer for fifteen bucks. Not too bad. But the squares I have to work with are very tiny, and all of the boxes are different sizes. So I spent a portion of yesterday sawing out the wooden dividers between certain squares to make bigger picture holders.

And then I spent the evening resizing favorite pictures in photoshop to fit all of the new sized squares and rectangles I need to fill.

Clearly, this would be better with pictures. I'll post those later.

At any rate, if you're chomping on the bit to make your fabric flowers (and based on emails I got this weekend, I believe many of you are), the picture tutorial I found on Donna's site is here. And then I just used the thickest wire in Michael's jewelery section and used a pliers to cut the wire and bend it around the fabric. Again, pictures would help. I'll work on that...

Until then, enjoy all of the crafty flower goodness out there!
-I saw this on Blue Cricket Design and have a dream of making a big one to pin on my frenchy bag using all of the leftover fabrics.
-And I think a few of these would be adorable standing in a bucket together.
-And I still want to make the tissue paper pom poms. I really need an event to make all of these festive things for!

Clearly, it must be spring time. I'm dying for flowers to pop up...

hot tub time machine.

My sister and her family went to a hotel swimming pool for a few hours to try to beat the Montana winter they are living through. She and her husband and their 4 1/2 year old and 2 1/2 year old were all in the hot tub and were talking about the movie with the hot tub that travels through time with people.

So the question was asked, "If you could be anywhere with anyone, where would you go and with who?"

Annika called me to report that Mara didn't even inhale before she blurted out, "Aunt Becca. McDonald's."

Have I mentioned I love that 4 1/2 year old with my whole heart? And I love that she chose McDonald's as our final destination, because a) we're simple people like that b) I still order happy meals and often save my girl toys for her and c) I would meet this girl at McDonald's any day. You can take all the tropical destination in the world, I'm going to McDonald's with my niece.

Then it was Sonna's turn, who replied, "Grandma Margaret. Old McDonald's Farm."

(I don't know when I will stop laughing out loud at this story.)

fabric flower pots

Mom and I got crafty on Wednesday at put together these little bouquets. I had a vision in my head ever since I made the fabric flower wall art. I had no idea what sort of container I would put them in until I found the red pepper shakers (like the ones they have on pizzeria tables...) at Michaels in the dollar aisle. It's perfect...the holes in the shaker keep the flowers in place!

I found some wire in the jewelry section and the buttons were from my grandma harrington. I love everything about this project. I could see making a bouquet to go by each place setting for easter or a special brunch...super fun stuff.

And the possibilities of colors and candy are endless! I am eager to try Pinks and Red fabric with heart candy at Valentines or fall fabric with colored corn for harvest....

And! I forgot to mention that my sister, Annika, posted pictures of the headbands I made for her girls using the same fabric flowers... Check it out here.

the frenchy bag

My mom came to visit! We were talking on Sunday afternoon, asking each other what our plans were for the week ahead. I told her Rory was going skiing this week in Colorado for a much needed break from his business. And we both realized we each had a pretty open week ahead of us...and so she hopped in the car on Monday and was in Omaha by the time I got off of work!

We actually met at the fabric store right when she got into town and I picked out my fabric for this bag she wanted to sew for her three Harrington girls. Annika had found the pattern and picked out fabric for herself and Stephanie. I picked fabric by moda and I adore the bag. It is an Amy Butler design called The Frenchy Bag.

When I left for work on Tuesday morning the fabric was laying by her sewing machine, and when I came home nine hours later the fabric had magically turned into this bag. It was amazing!

We went to the Olive Garden Tuesday night for salad and breadsticks, went for a walk yesterday afternoon to the post office to send packages to all of the grandkids and last night worked on fabric flower bouquets while watching Pride and Prejudice. Followed by a late Thai dinner.

A girl like me could never have enough mama time. Today she's driving home and I miss her already.