Heart hurts....

My heart hurts and aches...does yours?

Are you overwhelmed by the hate and injustice and poison we continue to spew at each other?

I am.

I am broken over the continuous violence that we rage against each other.  How do you not recognize the terrible tragedy that we are living in when you read about the most recent shooting in Charleston?  Why do we think racism is over and mental health is not an issue to discuss among polite company?

How do we start the conversations to heal the wounds and change for the lives of our children?

When did we become so unsensitized to violence?  When the most recent school shooting occurred a couple of weeks ago I don't know that I even acknowledge it the shootings have become so common place.  

The President is calling for stricter gun control - I think the conversation needs to revolve more around mental health, equal rights, and right and wrong.

All issues that we say are "fine" but we are only kidding ourselves.  How do we fix something when we can't honestly admit or talk about what the problem is...

Why can't we just be kind?

Take it easy....

We have gone alllllllll week.  And while this is not too much different then what we do every week this year, this week with two hour rehearsals each night have definitely taken their toll on this family.

I swore I wouldn't overcommitt my kids and we turn down a lot of activities.  And what they are involved in is all stuff that is different and I think is building them in terms of character and faith and intellect. 

But it can be exhausting....

Today in addition to their play tonight they were each supposed to have a soccer game through the day and a cast party (I'm not even sure they know about the cast party).  I've prayed for rain for days....just to have that break.  Isn't it amazing how God answers prayers?  This morning a gentle rain settled in around our home and games where canceled for the day.

So instead of bustling here and there - which is wonderful that we are able to do those activities at all - the kids played.  After breakfast they took off to the basement and I didn't see them for almost four more hours!  Later, friends from the neighborhood came over and they played outside.  What did they play you ask?  I have no idea!  I did check to make sure the gun I saw in the little boys pants was plastic and pretend (I just had to make sure) but other than that they just played!

Yesterday they played family and Rose was the mom and the other three were the kids.  And I'm pretty sure she "had" one of them - I witnessed this all with a smirk from further in the yard.  Nothing R-rated I promise (we haven't had that convo yet) but since that's been a big event in their lives this past year I can't say I'm surprised that is where their imagination took them.   

So today they played..... And like the gentle rain this morning it was an answered prayer for rejuvenatation and relaxation!

Now off to their second nightly performance and back to reality!

Hello old friend...

Helllllooooo there old friend....oh how I've missed you!

Someone asked me the other day if I was still blogging and I said of course!  Because in my mind I've blogged a hundred times since my last post.

I have ideas constantly pouring out and I think about what I will share and the stories I will tell and of course I still blog.

Yet ..... there are no posts to show because they are bouncing around in my head while I am lucky enough to run my kids here or there.  Or on the tip of my tongue as I'm talking with a friend.  A favorite thinking spot is on the lawnmower at my grandma's house (this is also where God seems to have my explicit attention and we have many a conversations while I mow for a couple of hours!), however blogging and mowing don't mix.  

I won't apologize for cherishing this sweet time with my babies (who couldn't want to spend time with this cutie? At least when he's not crying!) and with my husband when we find the time....

But know I haven't forgotten you and I'm thinking of you all the time!

Cookie Booth Basics

It's not only Girl Scout Cookie Sale time it is also Cookie Booth time!  Every where you turn you should see a Girl Scout Cookie Booth for the next month or so!  Corner of the drug store, Wal-mart, local school, everywhere you go you should see an adorable girl asking for your support of her cookie business.  

Here are 10 Cookie Booth Basics that a little experience has given us:

1) Have stock!  

      It's hard to sell cookies if you don't have any!  So make sure that you have at least a case of each variety as you never know what customers will love and you can't sell what you don't have.  I would recommend having two cases of the most popular varieties in your area - for us that is the Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties, and Caramel Delights.

2) Have change...

      This should seem pretty obvious, however it is very important to have change.  

3) But not too much change!  

      Our cookies are $3.50 in our area so it's important to have quarters but I would recommend the following to start your cookie change: $10 in quarters, $10-15 in $1's and approximately $20-$30 in $5's.  One of our local booths was given a counterfeit $50 the first weekend of cookie sales (I know stealing from a Girl Scout!) so I would not give change for anything over a $20.  You can also get those counterfeit pens, however we've heard of mixed results from them.

4) Make sure you have 2 adults to work the booth!

     This is extremely important so that some one can help watch girls and cookies while unloading vehicles as well as bathroom breaks!

5) Set out a donation jar

     Make sure you have a place that customers can donate to the cookie share program - the first day one booth received $30 in donations.  We simply attached this sign to the front of a mason jar and set it at the front of the table.

6) Ask for donations!

     Towards the beginning of our booth we were not getting much jingle in our donation jar, however after about 30 minutes the girls started asking customers if they would like to round up their change before giving their change to them.  Once they started asking to round up, almost every customer would drop $0.50 to all of their change into the donation jars.  Tell customers what you are donating to as well!

7) Practice, Practice, Practice with your Troop

     Before the booth we practiced with the girls how much 2 boxes of cookies cost, 3 boxes, etc. so that they could quickly do the math in their heads.  The booths get frenzied and customers want to get their cookies quickly!  We also practiced how to stand at a booth and how to greet customers.  Not to yell at them but to smile and say hello, ask how they are doing, etc.  The girls got a kick at the meeting because I acted out some things not to do.....like we don't pick our noses at the booth, we don't shout at customers, we don't scratch our butts, etc.  They thought it was hilarious!

8) Have a cheat sheet just in case!

     We had a clipboard with this sign attached to it to remind the girls of salesgirl tips as well as cookie multiples.  My daughter takes this clipboard around when selling by herself too!

9) Hold the change but let the girls do the math!

     This is their business!  Help them and keep the money safe, but let them make change for the customers.  Teach them to count it back to customers and let them do them math!

10) Have fun!

     Bring a snack and something to drink, sing a song.  We tried to break our booths into no longer than 1.5 hours for each girl but sometimes it was a little longer.  They will keep trucking as long as they are having fun!

Grandma Jane's No-Bake Cookies

One of the greatest memories I remember from my youth with my Grandma is making cookies with her.  Two of our favorites were Oatmeal Raisin and No-Bake Cookies.  Now I'm a huge fan of Otis Spunkmeyer's Oatmeal Raisin and have since crafted a recipe that I like a little more....nothing, I mean nothing can touch my Grandma's No-Bakes!

During #Snowpocalypse2015 we broke down last night and prepared to make the cookies.  I began the search for the recipe and Bodie teased he thought that I knew it by heart.  Looking at the recipe I should!

Rose and I got out the ingredients and got to cooking!  These may have turned out a little firmer than normal due to the extra peanut butter scooped out of the bottom of the jar, but I promise they ate just fine!  

We even delivered a little container to our neighbor who gave us flour last night so we could make our homemade pizzas!  

Recipe is as follows, hope you enjoy as much as I do!

Grandma Jane's No-Bake Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 stick butter

1/2 cup milk

2 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Mix sugar, salt and cocoa in pan.  Add butter and milk.  Bring to a full boil.  Boil for 1 1/2 minutes (it's important that you don't start this time until you reach a full boil otherwise you will have  a goopy spoonworthy cookie!).  Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.  Stir until cooled and thickened.  Drop by spoonfuls on aluminum foil or waxed paper.  Store in airtight container.

My lessons learned - layout foil before you start you won't have time when it's cooling.  Make sure you reach a full boil before starting your timer - have it ready to just hit go!  Let the pan cool before scrapping it for the leftover goodies!

Enjoy!

Following the Voice

So I felt like I was starting to lose myself.... do you know what that feels like?  I felt like I was starting to become someone that I didn't want to be and I was no longer passionate about what I did. I wanted to be doing something I loved, something that helped others, to teach, to be where I was called, but how was I supposed to do that?

I mean, I was living the American Dream right? I had a good paying job and that's all anyone is supposed to want, right?  Never mind that I dreaded going to work every day, that negativity crept in to even my simplest actions, and that I dreamed of being in the classroom working with students daily instead of behind my desk wasting away.

I began to feel a prod in the direction of teaching again last May when I thought about restarting in my teaching program.  On a whim, I emailed the director to see about summer enrollment (what pregnant woman on restricted duty with two kids wouldn't want to add grad student to that fun mix?), doubting that I could get in before the summer classes started.  Mind you they did start the following week I think!

Magically, it worked! And I was able to enroll and start classes again.

Next came lots of opportunities this fall and less prodding and more pushing in this direction.

Over Christmas break, my hubby and I did lots of praying and talking and discussing and crying and came to the decision that it was time to leave my "perfect" job and pursue where the Lord was leading me into teaching.

So with the new year, came a new outlook and journey in life and I have left my full-time semi-stable job to work, for free for now, in the classroom and go to school to learn, practice, and perfect my craft.

The sermon that Sunday was on Following the Voice and 1 Samuel 3:9 and how sometimes we don't always understand right away what the Lord is calling on us to do, but if we listen and we lean on his support and guidance we will hear the directions to follow.

*I know, I know, crazy lady right? I have to say 5-10 years ago, I probably would have said the same thing, however I have seen over and over again how God's hand has been there and guided different events in my life and I cannot say with any more conviction that I believe his hand is guiding this as well (~crazy~)*

Sooooo I turned in my resignation, and stepped out on a leap of faith.  Each and every day I trust that he is leading me where he wants me to be and that when the time comes it will be plain to see!

Girl Scout Cookie Time 2

Ok - we are in full Girl Scout Cookie mode right now as lamented here......

And while I am feeling a little soothed by the Cookie Sales Tracker and all of its Excel glory, my marketing background is itching to come out!

Now before everyone jumps all over me - this is Rose's business.  She is extremely involved in every step.  For instance, while I may have created the Cookie Sales Tracker she and her brother have logged 90% of the orders.

This morning at church, she patiently waited for a conversation to end in order to ask for business. She wanted me to go with her but I reminded her that this is her business not mine.  She went and she asked and she received another order.....then came bounding back to me with the biggest smile on her face and a sense of pride for a job well done.

I remind her that people are going to say no (something I hate to hear myself and struggle with the fear failure in my own business), but am there to support her when they do and help her move on to the next customer graciously.

So cookies will make their way to our town tomorrow for the first round of disbursement and Rose is at about 350 of her 900 box goal.  Sorting and separating and preparing for delivery have my Six Sigma skills tingling!  (#nerdalert!)  So in order to do so, I have tried to think of what the flow will look like (big believer in setting something up right from the beginning if possible!).

Step 1 - Using the second column of the Cookie Sales Tracker we've got the sales broken down into different groups - church, friends, mom's work, etc. so that we can easily group the cookies.

Step 2 - We've gotten bags donated from a friend's husband who is a local State Farm Agent - you might remember Ann Kelly from Recipes We Love, she coordinates our monthly cooking nights that are being revitalized from the dead.  Anyways, this will make for easy grouping of cookies sold since they are generally 2-4 boxes.

Step 3 - I've made a Girl Scout Cookie Thank You card to help keep up with names, varieties purchased, amount owed (or can write "Previous" in the amount field if already paid), and number to purchase more cookies at if desired!  I searched Pintrest for one that I didn't have to buy and came up empty handed when looking for everything I wanted so I just made my own!  I hope that it may help you as well!  My thoughts were to write the name of the customer up top, then the Troop number in the blank.  You can indicate varieties ordered and amount total in the spaces provided.  Rose will sign everyone one of these below the "Thank You-" and then included my phone number for additional orders in the space provided.

Step 4 - The cookies will be sorted, grouped and a Thank You Card placed with it for delivery!

Step 5 - Rose will call all customers to let them know cookies have arrived and to step up a time for delivery!

Step 6 - Cookies will be delivered!

Good luck Girl Scouts!  And may the cookies be ever in your flavor! #cookieboss

Girl Scout Cookie Time!

In case you are living in a dark hole somewhere you have undoubtedly experienced Girl Scout cookies at some point in your life, and they are good.

Well it's that time of year that my girl and her troop are selling them again.

I will be honest last year, we sold a little here and there and participated in the booth sales as required but nothing major.

This year I have been volunteering as the co-leader and Rose really got involved and excited in the Fall Product Sales.  So when it came to Cookie Sales, she set her goal and we are helping her work towards it.

Now the thing I like, and am encouraging with her and all the girls, is that this is their business.  So her Dad and I will help her, as every business has employees, but it is her business and she has to do the brunt of the work.

Her goal this year is 900 boxes.  For some of you that might be chump change but for us, it's a lot! Plus it will allow her to earn a free week at camp - and when your momma just quit her job that's a big deal!

So I've got a Pintrest board going with Girl Scout Cookie ideas, and some she will probably elect to do - especially some form of the thank you cards for future business.

But my business background left me feeling a little lacking as we tried to track sales via the sales paper we were given.  So I created this Cookie Sales Tracker file (linked here to Google Docs - feel free to copy and use!) and Rose entered all of the sales so far!

		Total Boxes	0	Total Dollars	$0.00	Troop Dollars	$0.00			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2015 Girl Scout Cookie Sales									$3.50	Cookie Share	Thanks-A-Lot	Cranberry Citrus Crunch	Lemonades	Shortbread	Thin Mints	Peanut Butter Patties	Caramel Delights	Peanut Butter Sandwiches	Total Packages	Amont Due	Paid
Sort	Group	First Name	Last Name	Address	City	State	Zip	Phone	Email										0	$0.00
1
2
3
4

Already I love it because it quickly allows us to quickly add totals, check dollar amounts, see counts on cases, etc. and for an Excel nerd like me it makes my heart smile.  It also made me very proud to see both of my kids want to type and enter the information and happy to see them learning to type!

I hope that it helps someone else and as I figure out some more I will add them! #cookieboss

A year in review

It's been a while.......

And I have missed this terribly.  I have pictures and stacks and notes of ideas, that I just keep piling up for when I have time to write.  However, like everything finding the time and making it a priority is hard.

The past year, specifically the past 6 months have been a life-changing whirlwind.

We welcomed #3 to the family!  We didn't know what our bundle of joy would be until he made his arrival but he has brought so much to our lives already.  You would think he is the biggest and shiniest toy in the world the way that his sis and bub make over him - we are lucky that they care so much!

Shortly after Bray made his arrival, my husband, Bodie, decided we had not spent enough time in the hospital and headed there himself with a mild heart attack.  For those that know us personally, you know that my strapping, handsome, beast of a husband has a huge scar down his chest as a forever reminder of his previous heart complications.  This one, three weeks after our son was born, hit a little close to home.

So needless to say, we've been really looking at what matters in life, to God, and to us - and hopefully all of those things align.  

In our search to discern where we are called and where we are supposed to be we have been spending most of our time with our family, friends, and church.  Those are the things that matter to us most in life.

Recently, as in this past Friday, we have made other big changes in our lives as I have left my nice-paying, cushy, miserable, full-time job to pursue a lifetime of teaching others.  Crazy right?!  I have a whole nother post, Following the Voice, that is coming that will detail this a little more for you nosy folks but suffice it to say - a BIG change in our lives.  We will take prayers and good tidings and positive karma along the way!  Needless to say we are trying to follow the below philosophy... I think we are doing ok!

~Tangent~ (yes, I write like I think and speak - good luck keeping up!) So Rose has just wandered up wanting to work on our Ancestry (that's been a new venture that we've loved as well!) and asked what I was doing.  I explained I was writing to my blog that I hadn't written to in over a year.  She said - do you think anyone will read it?  I told her that there had been over 900 views last year without me even writing anything!  "Wow Mom!  You could write about your gardening, and cooking, and put recipes and everything!"  She is definitely my daughter.