can...not...wait

Forget all these lame summer movies. Yawwwwnnnnn.... I simply can't wait for this one. Sophia Coppola is one of my all time faves. I've watched this preview a few dozen times since it debuted a week or so ago.

Come quickly December and bring Christmas and Somewhere with you!


ps...Toy Story 3 is adorable. I cried. You should see it.


psss...I just literally ran around the beach like a crazy person trying to put everything away as a HUGE thunderstorm rolled in. Out. of. breath.....Trying to get a 19ft. inflatable banana (that weighs about 50lbs more than me) into a tiny shed all myself....let's just say that it wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done.

hop on over

Want to help the orphans in China, but not sure how?

Well, this is as simple as it gets...

Just go to Ni Hao Y'all (one of my favorite blogs) and comment on this post. Stefanie is donating one dollar to An Orphan's Wish for every comment. It's that easy!

I'm already a sponsor for Shannan and LOVE getting updates about her each month. Plus, I'm honored to be able to volunteer for AOW. It's a wonderful organization that is doing amazing things for orphans.

So hop on over, and spread some love!

a shade from the heat

Remember that time I used to post on my blog?

Me, neither.

I could drone on and on about how busy it has been here, but I guess you already knew that from my absence. Didn't you?

It's island week here, which means I've spent about 5,000 hours in the sun, on the boats, in the sand, lathered in 5 layers of sunscreen, sweat and dirt.

Oh, and let's not forget that it was about 103 degrees with the heat index yesterday. No, I'm not joking. It literally feels like my skin is baking in the oven.

God has been teaching me much. It's been yet another week of tough times. Things breaking. Being exhausted. But you know what? I'm learning so much in it all. How selfish I can be. How great and amazing God really is. How He picks me up when I'm completely done, completely empty, completely finished and reminds me that He loves me and is everything I need.

I've been reading and re-reading the book of Isaiah quite a bit lately. We were studying it in my small group this past spring, and it has been water to my soul during the past 2 months. I loved this verse I read last night. It was perfect for the end of a particularly long, HOT day...

"For you have been a stronghold to the poor, as stronghold to the needy in his distress, as shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat..."
-Isaiah 25:4

Gotta run. Back to the river. Kids awaiting their time in the water. The fun never ends here!

love you, Daddy-O

I'm sure you all have wonderful dads. I'm sure they are loving and kind and giving. I'm also sure they can't even compare with mine. He's one in a million.

My nephew LOVES him. He is the bees knees to Luke. No one else comes close (except Mom, of course). The rest of us feel the same way. We know how blessed we are to have him. We know how much we LOVE him too.

Have a wonderful Father Day, Daddy. Sorry your kids are scattered across the globe today and not able to be with you. I'm so glad I got to spend some time with you last weekend playing games and eating yummy meat. You are the best. The best dad in the world and I love you pieces!

please enjoy this list

• I have missed being here this week. It can't be helped because of how busy/crazy/horrible it has been, but none the less, I've missed it. While I won't go into detail about why this week was so tough, I will say this. Sometimes God shines brightest when things go absolutely horribly wrong. Like "the banana boat pops twice and both boat lifts break" wrong. And that's just the tiny tip of the iceberg.

• My time in the Word was amazing this week.
  

• I was able to re-connect with a dear friend, whom I haven't seen in a few years. Just her being here helped me get through all of this mess. I actually met her here at camp my very first summer 12 years ago.

• ....I can't believe I've been here for 12 years. That's just crazy. I was only 22, fresh out of college and desperately missing my college friends. This place changed my life......

• I'm now wearing swimsuits just about every day. Part of the beauty (and the curse) of working on the waterfront.

• These shorts are the most comfy thing in the world. Seriously.

• I broke my TV/internet diet today and watched 3 shows I love: 9 by Design, Friday Night Lights and Chuck. Oh, and caught up on blogs for a good long while. It was a wonderful escape.

• 2 hour naps, complete with crazy dreams are the best.

• I have the best brother in the world. And I miss him terribly.

• Text messages are perfect for camp life. Especially when conversing with my Sundance brother.

• My sister is going to Paris on Monday. Argggg..... Super jealous.

• I'm thankful to be loved by a God, who doesn't leave me where I am, but challenges me to run after Him.

xoxo,

Cottage Girl

My God is bigger

(source)

It's been a tough, tough week here at camp, friends. I can almost physically feel the evil one trying his best to destroy us. It has been one thing after another each and every day....

If you feel so led, please pray for me and our little camp. One thing I do know, anytime a group of people are poised to do great things for God, the evil one is.not.happy. I also know, that my God is bigger that him. My God moves mountains and turns shepherd boys into kings and puts orphans in homes and raises the dead. He doesn't leave His children when life gets hard.

I'm counting on that. I'm betting on Him winning. And I'm convinced that no matter how ridiculously ugly it gets, He will still come out on top. I'm trusting that His Word is truth and His love is everlasting.

I'm loving the words in this song right now.

gem of a find

Too hilarious not to share....one of the guys was telling us all about this gem of a video yesterday. Enjoy!

ps...things are going well, except that our banana boat popped Day 1. But I did get to talk to a little girl for about 20 minutes about everything under the sun. She told me that her mom is in heaven and she lives with her grandma. And she had never walked in the sand before. This was her first time at a beach. My heart melted and I prayed at that moment that Jesus would love on her this week through all of us. What a beautiful reminder of how important camp can be in a child's life.
Gotta run! Dinner and then back to the beach!

(the office)

The campers arrived tonight. Week one has begun. That means that I switch over to my "summer office." It looks quite different than my spring/winter/fall office. I must say that the summer office is my favorite. It's pretty. It's fast. It has laughter and fun written all over it.

I'm sorry I've been so MIA lately. I fear it will only get worse as the weeks go on, but I'll do my best. I'm trying to spend less time watching TV/being online this summer. It's tough. Sometimes I fail miserably. Tough habit to break. But I know it's good for me. I'm reading more. I'm spending more time in the Word. I'm gardening, art journaling, cleaning and playing Banangrams with my parents. You know, the usual...

If I'm away too long, you can always coax me back with lots of comments! Remind me that there is still someone out there who reads all this silliness. Oh, and pray for us too. We're doing our best here this summer to be empty of ourselves and filled up with Jesus so these kids can see Him and know Him. It's hard work!

xoxo,

Cottage Girl

smoothie update

Today is the 3 week mark of my smoothie experiment. The experiment that kinda just happened. I just decided on a whim to give it a try one morning when I was craving a smoothie. And I didn't stop. I've had one every morning for the last 3 weeks.

The small things that I noticed that first week have only continued.

• I have more energy (relatively speaking...it's camp insanity now, so of course I'm tired). Thank you, Chia seeds.

• My stomach issues that have plagued me since I was about 15 have become almost non-existent. For just that reason alone, I'll drink one every day for the rest of my life.

• I'm getting a great big serving of fruits and veggies when it's hard to eat as much as usual because of my camp food diet at the moment.

• They just taste delish. I do miss eating cereal though. I LOVE cereal. Gotta put that back in my diet in the evenings or for snacks.

There are more, I'm sure, but those are the biggest.


This particular one pictured is my second favorite recipe lately.


The ingredients:

raspberries
strawberries
blueberries
spinach
chia seeds
water
a tiny bit of agave

Blend it all together and enjoy! I get the fruit at Sam's Club or the grocery story already frozen. I don't add ice because the fruit is frozen and perfect without it. I also use water instead of juice, which I always thought would water it down, but actually is perfect. There isn't all the processed sugar that's in juice.

The only big thing I noticed is that I have Elevensies almost every day. I get so hungry between breakfast and lunch! It's helped to eat a small amount of protein or starch at breakfast time with every one else at camp. If I don't, I try to have a piece of fruit or some granola on hand to get rid of those stomach rumbles.

Such a wonderful discovery. I'm loving every minute of it.

I would like to....

(I went to Paris once.)

Go to Japan (and buy lots of washi tape)
Stay at the Princeville for a LONG vacation
Learn to surf
Adopt an orphan from China
Marry my love
Sew an entire outfit for myself
Get a photo published
Write a novel
Watch a scripted TV show being filmed
Have my (plus family and friends) photo taken by Tara Whitney and The Image is Found
Find the perfect vintage dress to wear somewhere fancy
Live next door to my brother again
Write more letters and mail them
Go to Sundance again (and again and again)
See Italy on a long, extended tour
Meet the Chapman's
Not be such a hypochondriac
Travel the country in a RV
Take a hot air balloon ride
Finish my art journal
Find vintage furniture for super cheap at yard sales and flea markets
Complete a reading of a C.S. Lewis book (other than Narnia)
Not be a person consumed with money and things
Give more than I want/get
Do a girls getaway trip with my camp girls.
Do a girls getaway trip with my college friends.
Have an avocado tree, peach tree and tomato plants in my backyard
Write in a journal every day for a year
Always and forever make lists of random things

3 chapters

3 chapters in and I'm hooked.

If you need a book to read this summer, start with Ender's Game and then jump over to Ender's Shadow. I don't see how you would ever be disappointed, especially if you like space ships and children and a well told story.


On a completely different note....
I really liked the movie Revolutionary Road. It's not happy. It's not a comedy. It's dark and twisted and sad. But told so very well. A movie doesn't have to be fun and happy to be enjoyable, in my opinion.
Tonight, I was once again berated and belittled because I liked this movie (my friends all HATED it). Sorry, friends, I like my stories with a twinge of sadness. I like to cry and feel something. A great big NO THANKS to sappy, silliness for me. I'd rather claw my eyes out than watch The Notebook. The horror!

But we can still be friends, right?!

emotional overflow

"Joy is the emotional overflow of experiencing God's grace in our lives evidenced by gentleness and peace." -Pastor Greg

Church was good this morning. Good as in...exactly what I needed to hear. Philippians 4:2-7

I'm sorry I've been so absent. I used my precious off time today to take a nice long nap, plant some bushes and do some crafts. Ahhhhh...... I feel so much better now. Well, at the moment at least. I'm going to bed way too late, but I think I need this creative time to make myself a little less mentally crazy this week.

We are doing another week of staff training. Lots of working on the beachfront and answering phones and a bazillion other small things. Have to have it all ready for when the kids come a week from today (yikes!). I still can't believe that it's here already.

I promise to pop in this week when I can. I still have that long list post half written and just about ready to post.

Night, everyone! Stop by and say hello, if you get a chance. I'd love to hear what you are doing with your summer.

xoxo,

Cottage Girl

severely lacking

(source)

I'm working on a nice long list post for you. It still needs a little more time. Unfortunately, time is something I'm severely lacking at the moment. Or should I say blogging time is actually something I'm severely lacking.
For instance, I have to say goodnight now (at this ridiculously early hour) because I have to teach a boating class at 6am tomorrow. I'm thinking it's not such a good idea for the teacher to fall asleep while teaching important things like water safety. So off to bed I go.

i miss you.....

all over again

(source)

It went well today. And, by golly, I'm tired. Met some cool new people. Did some boat drivin'. Did lots of talking to God. Ate a super delish dinner. Off to bed to do it all over again tomorrow. God is doing some great things here...


***this photo reminds me of the beginning of Charade, a classic Audrey favorite of mine. You should watch it this summer.

hold your right hand

(source)

(check out this fun tutorial on messy buns from Elsie's blog a few weeks ago.
Tried it and love it!)

Feeling a bit (read: VERY) overwhelmed tonight.
We start staff training/camp 2010 tomorrow.
My free time goes to pretty much "non-existent" in less than 24 hours.
This is especially tough for me this year for some reason.
Selfish...that's me.

I've been spending lots of time in the Word this month.
Isaiah, especially.
I think that is the only reason I'm not in the fetal position crying right now.

Doing ministry requires such a great amount of selflessness.
Some days I'm good with this. (Read: some days God is gracious with me)
Some days I stomp my feet like a child and complain.

But truth be told,
I wouldn't choose to do anything else for the next 10 weeks.
I'm still in love with what I do.
Once again, I was humbled tonight at the reminder that God chose me to be used here.


So, will you please pray for me/us? We are 70 people trying to be selfless, serving children and teenagers, and emptying ourselves each moment so that we can be filled with Jesus. It's HARD and the enemy does NOT want us to do this. But we KNOW that He will provide us with everything we need. He promises...

"For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the one who helps you.'" -Isaiah 41:13

xoxo,

Cottage Girl

mind cheater. saw you

(source)

I have watched this clip about 10 times in the last 24 hours. Please, watch and laugh and wish you had licorice (liquice? that's for you, J) hair, too.


Chuck has been my "TV to craft to" as of late. I adore it. It's just so sweet and funny and the story line is cool (and gets better every season). Not to mention the adorable main character, whom I have already gushed about time and time again. I've gotten so many of my friends and family hooked on it as well. (Thanks, brother for introducing me on our vaca years ago). After the super good season finale this year, I had to go back and re-live the season 1 fun again.


What do you have playing in the background lately? I'm always on the hunt for new TV and music to fall in love with.

art journal

This art journal class that I'm taking has been so good for me. It's helping me explore my style, try new things, write down who I am at this moment in time, play with the piles of paper I have saved up and explore new ways of expressing myself.

It's kinda embarrassing to share your journal. All those thoughts you usually keep inside. But in some ways it's so free-ing to get it OUT.

Here are a few pages I've finished over the last few weeks....






And now, on to the craziest 10 weeks in my life each year. We start staff training on Wednesday after we host a picnic for 500 people tomorrow. Holiday, you say? Really? Not here. We don't believe in holidays during the months of warm weather.

highly inspiring at the moment

This piece by Paper Twins. The color combo and the geometric shapes. Yes, more please.

Found on Danielle's blog, one of my faves for years.

Took the plastic wrap off the new Band of Horses album this morning and have listened to it about 5 times since then. It's fantastic, wonderful, so good. Which reminds me, I need to buy their other ones and stop listening to all their songs online. I think this will be my "summer CD" like Beck's Modern Guilt was last summer.



What's inspiring you at the moment?

Evie

I know I'm completely biased, but she's pretty darn cute. Isn't she? I mean look at those cheeks and blue eyes.


And don't forget the spunk. Sassy is her middle name.

She's just like her mommy.

Look out big brother....

summer reading list

(my favorite book. it still has a magical pull on me. once i start it, i can't put it down. i've read it more times than i can count. and yes, sometimes i read on the floor. usually because i'm too dirty to sit on any furniture like this particular day.)

I've always been a big reader. I love coming home from the library with piles of books of all different types. There is just something about a good book that thrills me to my very core.

As the summer approaches, it just feels like it's time for a good old fashioned reading list, right?! I've found a few recently that I want to get through or at least give them a good honest try. But let's be honest. There is no way I will have time to get through everyone of these this summer. Camp is too all-consuming. But at least I have a list to go off of.

1. The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan (this is the one series I still really want to try.)
2. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold (been looking for this one at thrift stores since I saw the movie. It's no where to be found.)
3. Deadline - Chris Crutcher (found on this list on Pop Candy. such a great list)
4. The Book Thief - Markus Kukas (This has almost gone home with me from the library about 10 times. It's time has come)
5. The Associate - John Grisham (I have a weakness for his stories. Been reading them since I was in high school. Guilty pleasure.)
6. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen (presently on its way from Amazon. I like Jane Austen in pocket size for easy traveling.)
7. The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart (it's been sitting on my nightstand, half-read for months. must finish.)
8. Shadow of the Hegemon - Orson Scott Card (been saving this one for a while.)
9. And finally......Be still my heart. Look what comes out August 24th.
   

I....can...not...wait. It's going to be so sad when this trilogy is over. It's quite fantastic.


What's on your reading list? I hope it's full of lots of fun, silly, easy to read books. You know, the kind that are perfect for sitting by the pool or laying on a picnic blanket in the park. Please share!

untitled random things

What the heck is my face doing? It looks like I want to eat him.

My fam has all gone back to their homes (except the parentals who only live a hop, skip and a jump away from me). Sad. Boo-hoo. Good-byes are no fun. But I'm thankful to have the fun memories and tons of photos too.

In other news....

Camp starts in about 2 days. Staff starts arriving tomorrow night and training begins. I just want to publicly say that I am over the moon excited that I don't have to take lifeguard training this year. Over. the. moon.

Quick run down of TV finales. Best to worst.

1. Grey's Anatomy (a season finale so intense I'm already planning to watch it again. SO good.)
2. Chuck (oh.my.goodness. Fantastic on so many levels. I'm in love with this adorable show. So many great Chuck and Ellie moments. Oh, and please read this. Adorable.)

3. Lost (I was on the "loved it" side of the fence. Sweet wrap up and glad it's over)
4. Modern Family (funny, adorable. Can't wait for next season.)
5. 24 (so disappointed by this series finale. boring...)
6. Gossip Girl (seriously? even for this silly show it was unbelievably stupid.)
Still to be determined: Glee, Parenthood (on the DVR), Friday Night Lights

coming tomorrow...my summer reading list.

mine

We aren't perfect.
We are crazy, silly.
We annoy each other.
We fight.
We hug.
We laugh.
We travel together.
We quote movie lines.
We laugh.
We have memories.
We love.

This little family.
I'm so blessed to call them mine.


****ok, who watched Lost last night? Let's hear it. For the record, I loved it. But maybe it needs a post all it's own. Oh, and there's a great discussion I read a lot of today on Pop Candy. Gotta do something while doing all that filing and copying and binding or I'll go crazy.

yummy smoothie

The past few mornings (almost a week now) I dove into the world of green smoothies. Gotta admit that I'm really mad I didn't do this earlier. I've wanted to. Oh, how I've wanted to. I LOVE a good smoothie. I mean I throw a smoothie PARTY every year for goodness sake.

I read about the green smoothie challenge on Happy Foody a while ago. It looked so inviting, but it just didn't seem like the right time then. I threw caution to the wind the other day, not really thinking about it other than "hey, I want a smoothie for breakfast this morning." That turned into morning after morning of "I want another one."

Favorite ingredients at the moment...

Frozen peaches
Frozen pineapple
Fresh spinach (a cup or so)
Chia seeds (about 2 tablespoons)
a teeny-tiny bit of Agave nectar
water

It's been having some amazing benefits. I'll share more when the experiment has had more time to work. But as of today, I'm a total believer of the importance of fruits and veggies in the morning. And Chia seeds are my new best friend.

Have you done the smoothie breakfast thing? What are your favorite recipes or websites to find recipes? Did you notice a difference in your health or energy? I'd love to hear about it!


complete side track.....did anyone else see the Grey's Anatomy season finale? (It's still on Hulu, at the moment) Oh. my. gosh. I haven't seen a TV episode of anything that intense in a long, long time. I was literally shaking/screaming into my pillow so I wouldn't wake up my roommate/crying/yelling/freaking out. It was delightful!

where I've been

I've been out of blogging world for a day or two. Important things to take care of. You know, like swinging.


And making munchkins smile and laugh and run.


And taking photos of The Bro whilst on said swings.


And following around little feet wherever they may take me.

(please note my mom in the background of this photo. To say that she loves being a grandmother is a slight understatement)

a day of happy colorful balloons

(source)

One of the wonderful ladies that I volunteer with at AOW sent me a quick email this morning telling me to hop on over to Love Without Boundaries' blog. And low and behold, there was sweet Janie. WALKING!!! I can't even tell you....the joy that filled my heart....the tears that pooled up in my eyes. That sweet smile of hers has been cemented in my heart forever in a way that I can't explain.

If you are interested in helping other orphans like Janie walk and run too, check out An Orphan's Wish. They do amazing things for the little ones in China. And maybe when your sponsored child is done with their treatment, you can follow then to another organization (like Love Without Boundaries) and support them there too. It has been one of the coolest things to watch Janie grow and WALK and have HOPE.


Today is a day full of happy colorful balloons for sure. Congratulations, sweet Janie!


***feel free to email me if you have any questions about sponsoring an orphan. I'm always happy to help!

tears rolling down my cheeks

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Just had to share this clip today. I had tears rolling down my cheeks as I watched this piece this morning. God was working on Matt L's heart. How amazing to see these wonderful people share Christ's love in such a gentle and beautiful way! We just never know how our lives will be used to show others who Jesus is. wow....

i love it when...

(source)

I love it when God surprises me with good things. When He answers the little requests of my heart. He's doing that right now through An Orphan's Wish. Those little cuties have captured my heart. I'm honored to be able to help them in the smallest of ways. And I just LOVE sponsoring one, too!

I love it when I open the Word, just hoping and praying that God will speak to ME and He DOES. Almost word for word what I've been pondering over. I get chills and sing a little hallelujah chorus in my mind. And then I journal feverishly, hoping to get down all the words that He is trying to speak to me.

I love it when God is vague. He makes me actively seek His heart. He makes me test the spirits. He wants me to look for HIM and not to just take what my heart, or what other say as the definition of truth.

I love it when prayer is a two way conversation and not just me asking for things.

I love it when my journal has daily entries of my cries out to Him. His words back to me are soothing to my very soul.

I love it when I am faced with the situations that are SO HARD that I can do nothing but fall down and let Him pick me back up and live life.

I love it when I realize that amidst the tough times, I am seeing His heart and growing closer to Him. I make not "like" it very much in an earthly sense, but I do love it.

another week before me

Can't even believe that another week is upon me. It's back to the office (thankfully. i've been MIA from the actual office for days because of climbing walls, kitchens, Home Depot runs and low elements courses). Oh, the amount of phone calls that await me...


Thankfully my work isn't done on a machine such as this one though. However I did learn to type on a machine that pretty much looked exactly like this.


Hopefully by the end of the week I won't look like this (poor Betty...). Actually I'm pretty sure I won't cause the end of my week will be the icing on this long long month. A visit with the ENTIRE family!



So work your hardest, Cottage Girl. Hugs for your niece and nephew await you on Friday.


ps...I'm SO ready for Mad Men to start. Season 4, please come quickly.

personal sob story

(source and this photo reminds me of Grey Gardens)

Okay, so last night, we were having a terrible thunderstorm, so I unplugged my computer and posted via my phone. Well, also, I went to bed before 9pm last night. Early? Um, I haven't been to bed that early since 3rd grade.

Here's the situation with my life lately. May is insanity. Literally. My brain has been shutting down. I'm staring into space all the time. I've had 2 days off since May 1st. I've been working 12 hour days since Thursday. And I've been running around like a crazy person trying to get everything done.

And here's the fun part....I haven't hit the "busy" season yet. Now, I will admit that May looks like this pretty much every year around here. We are in a full out sprint to get things ready for camp/staff training. Not only that but we are hosting school groups during the week. Weekend groups on the weekends. Volunteer groups doing work projects (and working with them) all over the property. Plus, trying to get our buildings, grounds, waterfront, low elements, etc ready for camp to start. It's a sprint to the finish I tell you.

Basically all this means that we are working ALL the time. However, it only gets worse once camp starts. Then we work 7 days a week and 10-12 hours a day. It's even crazier.

Now don't get me wrong. I love it here. I love the craziness. I love all the prep work. I love it! But it is SO HARD to deny myself "time." I like my free time. I like to art journal and sit down at my computer every once in a while. Yesterday, I had time to take a shower and eat dinner. That was my "free" time.

I was "tired" on Monday and it's really only gone downhill since then. Tired....ha! Tired was so 3 days ago. But you know what? Each day, I found a few moments (sometimes only 10 minutes) to open the Word and find exactly what I needed for the day. I honestly 100% believe that the only reason I haven't dropped from exhaustion or yelled at 15 people is that Jesus has become my strength, my energy, my everything to survive. I rely on Him to walk around when my feet are just HURTING from standing all day. I rely on Him to help me balay a kid on the wall when I can barely keep my eyes open. I rely on Him to help me have a pleasant voice/attitude when I answer the phone for the 85th time in the last 15 minutes.

He hasn't failed me yet, which is awesome because that's exactly who I will be depending on in the next few weeks when things really get crazy!

"...He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry.
As soon as he hears it, he answers you...." -Isaiah 30:19b

Off to give 25 kids some s'more ingredients and then GO TO SLEEP!!

Storming and sleepy

It's 8:53 andstorming like crazy here at the moment. And I'm going to bed. Actually, I'm already in bed. Phone posting.
I can't begin to explain why I'm tired enough to go to bed at such a ridiculously early hour, so enjoy this picture of Winnie instead. She decided she was too good for her basket.