Rainbows in the Rain. Oklahoma.

 

Hello lovelies. 

Today was Field Day at Niamh and Philly's school.  I hate field day. Well, I mean I love it~ but I hate it, too.  It is so stressful.  My hope is that both of them end up with a ribbon...even if it is a third place. It is not because I need to raise champions. I mean, if it happens by accident, that is fine.  But, it's not why I stress/pull out my hair/freak-out on Field Day.  I just know how much it means to each of them to receive a ribbon for doing great in one of the games.  

Philly won first place in the tennis ball throw.  

Go future Yankee dude.

Niamh did great, too.

She is awesome at the potato sack-jumping race.

She has won a ribbon every year for it. 

Except today.

In the final heat, and definitely clinching at least second, 

she fell down and twisted her ankle.

Tears.

Tears. 

And more tears.

My heart was broken for her. 

Later in the morning, she quietly told me

I think Jesus knew someone else needed that ribbon today.

I am crying now just typing that.

Her heart is golden.

I made her a funny, little first place ribbon tonight. 

For "Finding the Rainbow in the Rain."

She does that well.

And even though my homegirl can get some serious air time,

I am way more proud of her heart than her jumping skills.

So. 

I am not doing a Father's Day stamp this weekend.

Sorry if you were hoping for it.

I just did not have one planned.

But, I have this cutie.

Let's celebrate another school year ending...

And summer! 

And finding rainbows in the rain!

Here is how to receive Sweet Oklahoma for a special price until Friday 1159pm *EST*.

Read carefully, peeps.

1. Be a follower of this blog.

Follow via Google (see sidebar), Bloglovin, Facebook, and/or Instagram (@kristacanary).

I do special giveaways *exclusive to each of these ways to follow*...

So doubling up never hurts:).

2. Use coupon code OKLAHOMA in my shop when buying her.

You will receive her for $1.

**Please read the bottom of this post to see where the money will be donated.**

3.  Make something lovely for someone who finds rainbows in the rain:).

Please note, the 'specials' and discounts I offer have a timeline. If you need to check what 1159EST is on your own time, here is a converter (I am in the same time zone as Philadelphia and New York City:).  She will NOT be available this weekend for $1, but will return to regular price.  Please take advantage of this offer while it is available.  I will not send her via email to late customers.  Sorry!

All proceeds from the special price sale will go to this lovely lady's daughter. 

It will be a small gift~ just to let her know there are crafty people all over the world

thinking and praying for her family and community.  

Thank you for helping me give to someone who needs extra love at this time!

Oceans. Mamalogues. And a Song.

 

I have a few friendships from blogging that I feel are real.  Real and true, like I could pop over this persons house and totally feel at home...just pick up a conversation, have a glass of tea, and plop down on the couch for an afternoon of yapping.

She is one.

So, I am linking up to Mel's blog today.

Ahhhhh....the beauty and breakdowns of motherhood...

The breakdown this week.

Um. kay. Where do I start?

Niamh.

She has a phobia of all natural disasters.  

I'd like to say we don't really get too many here in South Jersey. 

But so far, the kid has experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake.  Multiple hurricanes.  A "super derecho" that left us minus 5 trees in our yard.  And yeah~ we live in Jersey.

We were out doing errands on Friday evening.  All day was solid rain.  Because we got the remnants of a tropical storm passing over.  So, it was wet and nasty outside.  

I am a prepared mama.  So, I get the National Weather Service weather alerts sent to my phone via texts.  Basically, I like to get a jump on anything coming our way.  So I can prepare my little spaz for what is coming...get her calmed before the storm.

She heard my phone go off...the >>>>BEEEEP.BEEEEP.BEEEEP. <<<< that means "this is an emergency."  She started the freak-out "OH.MY. GOSH. mom.  what is that?!!!!!!!" I laughed. Because she is all drama-mama at this point.  It was a flash-flood warning for our area.  I brushed it off.  Told Niamh we don't get like flash floods, hello. The warning is for people who live near ponds, lakes, streams. Because the water levels are high when it rains all day.  

No sweat. 

Chill out.  

I got this. 

I actually know way more than the National Weather Service, dude-et.

Five minutes later. 

We were driving through a foot of water rushing off a farm field. 

Got ourselves jammed between flooded roads. 

I mean, water in waves coming off the fields, people.

My car was down-shifting, struggling to push forward.

huh. 

Flash floods are real.

Noted.

Niamh had her hands over her eyes in the backseat.  

Praying [loudly] to Jesus. 

And intermittently, telling me I have no idea what I'm talking about in life. 

Also, "thanks a lot, mom."

I was yelling.  And maybe cursing, too. 

Telling Niamh this is really just a huge puddle.

And I got this.

Also, everyone just shut.up.please.

We are going to drown if you don't let me figure this out. 

Phil called somewhere in the panic.  

My brother saw me headed down that road.

He called Phil to tell me to get the h-e-double-hockey-sticks out of there.

I hung up on my husband.

Philly. 

He was telling us a story about something totally off-topic. 

I'm not sure how he plays the oblivious card so well...but it works for him.

Oh, to be Philly...just rollin' with the punches.

Anyways, we ended up okay.

I turned around. 

And turned around again. 

Drove through three more oceans.

And made it to dry ground. 

I repented. 

Said I was sorry to my kids.

For my mouth.

Because I said sh*# twice.

(I curse when I get scared.)

Also, for telling Niamh there is no such thing as flash floods in South Jersey.

Who knew.

The breakdown.

That is me, sometimes. 

I am the breakdown. 

I am in a situation; I know what to do.

And I do it...But there is a panic to me.

I become a foul-mouthed sailor.

Or a panic-stricken kid again.

I get a little "cray-cray" as Niamh would put it.

And I never meant to give that to my kids...but I see it in Niamh.

She is a mess.

A little broken mess in her fearfulness. 

I am working on that~ I fight against my spirit of fear every.single.day.

It overwhelms me sometimes. 

But I choose Jesus.

I have to.

I am getting better at it. 

I have to get better, because I want Niamh to be strong and courageous.

Fear is okay...but letting it become bigger than my faith in Christ is not.

And the beauty in these moments?

Niamh.

In her time of need, in her fear~

Her place of refuge is Christ. 

She knows He controls her day. The outcome of a situation.

The waters.

Jesus calms the storm with a word.

She calls out to her Father.

That is beautiful to me.

She is beautiful to me.

I'm in love with the song at the bottom of this post. 

Please play it.

Close your eyes.

And listen.

Jesus took me deeper than I wanted to go Friday.

Literally:).

And Niamh showed me who I want to be all the time.

Finding security.hope.calm in Jesus...

Giveaway, Teacher Gift.

 

 

 

I am in full-on teacher gift-making mode.  I enjoy creating the boxes and cards that their end of the year presents go into:).  I think that is fun.  I turned this gift box into a necklace holder.  I love the way it came out.  Just something small to say we love you~ thank you for being a special part of the kids' lives this year.  

And since we are talking gifts and necklaces, I thought I'd give one away on here, too.

Double the joy:)!!  Woop. Woop.

One Origami Owl necklace of the winner's choice, up to $100 dollars in value.  I think these necklaces are so cool because they tell a story...and everybody has a story. 

The giveaway is open to everyone (international gals, feel free to join in).  

Enter by leaving a comment~ favorite teacher and why.

(For me~ my high school gym teacher. I learned from her the value of being coachable.)

Also, please be a follower of this blog before entering. 

Giveaway closes on Tuesday, June 11th. 

Winner announced later next week.

Thanks for stopping by today and good luck, friends!

Summer is for...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer time is for...

shades.  

the beach.

afternoon cups of coffee.

and little people sleeping late.

which means mama gets to sleep in too.

it's for sunshine.

and coconut-flavored everything.

pina coladas.

sundresses.

sweaty foreheads.

and lots of golf.

even if I really, really suck.

it is for dreaming.

long days.

evenings spent on a patio.

and kiddie pools.

it is for romance.

feeling renewed.

fresh veggies. 

and delicious ice cream.

summer is for living.

feeling free.

being less scheduled. 

(not that I ever was.)

for sand and waves.

tomatoes and miracle whip.

corn on the cob.

and burgers. 

lots of burgers, people.

Summer is for family.

running.

kickball.

Yankees.

fans blowing your hair. 

and 12am bedtimes.

i cannot wait till the kids are off school next Friday!

summer was made for the Smiths:).  

it is just our thing.

what will your summer look like this year?

follow our summer on Instagram @kristacanary.

FREE with Purchase...And a coupon.

 

 

 

Happy Saturday!

This is my already made (whoop.woop.iamaheadofthegameforonce) card to give Phil for Father's Day. He is an awesome papa.  And my favorite dude in the world.  I am still deciding on a gift, but I have a few ideas I think he will love:).

I have a "flash" sale in my shop today.  It runs from now until 3pm tomorrow (Sunday). You can use code OWL20 to receive 20% off every order.  Also, every order over $4 will get the cutie above for free.  She will not be mailed out until Monday~ please be aware of that.  Also, she will only be given to those who place their orders by 3pm EST tomorrow...Then she goes for sale in my shop at regular price. 

Phil and I are off to the beach for a fun getaway tomorrow.  Just the two of us for three days.  I am super excited.  We are gonna golf.  And sleep in.  And walk on the boardwalk.  And eat lots of ridiculously greasy pizza.  And we even have a room that overlooks the ocean.  Totally looking forward to a relaxing mini-vaca with this guy!

Hope your weekend is lovely, too!

Butterflies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Christianity looks really weird to the outside world sometimes.  

Most of the time, it is probably a perception that is dead-on.  

That is because many people/churches either come across as over-the-top circus shows...

Or, even worse, super-duper-uber religious.  

Jesus isn't there.

He isn't a weird guy.

He is loving and compassionate-- but if "loving and compassionate" is where your understanding of Jesus starts and ends, then oh, are you missing out.  That is a very watered-down version of the most amazing person that ever walked the earth.

My King is beautiful and good and extravagantly generous.

He is playful and funny.

He is purposeful and true. 

I have been a christian since I was like 6. 

I spent most of that "christian life" either trying to behave perfectly~ earn my place under Christ... Or, I just pushed him away in my failure.  Because a person will quickly understand that they cannot earn their place in God's kingdom.  That, my friend, is a holy and gracious gift.  It was a back and forth struggle.  Earn. Fail. Push him away.  My understanding of Christ was highly religious.  I thought he loved me because he had to.  He stuck his foot in his mouth 2000 years ago and said he loved all his children~ so BABAM. I'm included. By default.  But, if he had a choice, he would ditch this screw-up.  

But this year, I met my Lord. 

The problem for me was that I had spent my *whole life* in church and a christian school~ so I already knew all the stories.  I knew theology and doctrine.  I thought I had Christ pegged.  But I was so far off, it was like meeting Jesus for the first time when I realized who he really is.  

He comes into my day.

Loves me graciously. 

Those "weird" stories of Jesus in the Bible took on a new life when I understood them in the context of a funny, playful, generous, true friend who came to restore humanity.  He saved my heart all over again.  Except this time, I feel excited to walk with him instead of hesitant to believe in his love. 

And because I'm a parent, not only am I learning in my own walk with Christ, but I am simultaneously teaching my kids the same things... You do not get down time there:).  We try and show Jesus to our kids every day.  Make him real to them, because he is.  He is in our living room at night watching the Yankees with us.  He is in our car in the mornings when we say a prayer of protection for the school day.  He is outside with us, running in the sunshine or reading a book on a blanket.  In my own small steps this year, I am trying my best to give that new knowledge to Niamh and Philly... but, my natural tendency is to worry that I am coming up short.  Focus a little more than I should on my sinful failures. Allow the enemy to condemn me over and over in my heart...so I am feeling unworthy of Jesus' friendship all over again.  I worry that my kids will grow up keeping Christ at arms length.  

Jesus knows when I need a little encouragement.

He is a sweet friend.

And knows well how to get my attention. 

Niamh's class had a bunch of caterpillars-turned-butterflies this spring.  They all had one and named it (Niamh named hers 'Bobby Salami':).  But, when they all hatched out of their cocoons, there was no way to tell whose butterfly was whose.  They did a class activity outside recently, where they each let one butterfly go... Niamh came home that day and was so excited to tell us about letting 20+ butterflies go on the playground.  

And she added at the end, "Jesus told me that we each got to let our own butterfly go."  

I was like whhhhhhaaaaaattttt?  

She said, "Not like he talked into a mic or something~ like 'testing, testing, 1,2,3...' but he let me know." 

Jesus is alive in our house.

And in our hearts. 

He is invited into our every moment.

Even on the playground.

Which is pretty darn awesome to say the least.

Niamh's dress and Philly's pants (my favorite pair of pants on him right now) are from Joules.  It is a Great Britain-based clothing company that celebrates the colorful life of the countryside.--->Hello.  I want to work for them. What a wonderful source of inspiration!!<---They do ship to the US. I am grabbing another piece or two (decisions, decisions;).  Kids clothes don't come any cuter. Like their Facebook here. OR follow their gorgeous photos on Instagram @joulesclothing.  

Also, do a little shopping:).   

Beachy Girls.

 

 

 

digis here and here

I think this weekend is the official start to beach season.

My favorite time of year.

I could spend every moment on the sand and be content.

All I need is a pair of flip-flops, some coconut-flavored lotion, and a shovel. 

I'm one of those weird people who spend hours digging amazing holes for my kids. 

The kind that fill with water from the bottom because they are so deep.

And my back hurts for three days after.

But they are ridiculously fun:).

This is my crafty evidence for the weekend. 

A beachy card.

Just in the mood for everything ocean right now:).

I love to pair stamps.

Do you?...

What are the last two Saturated Canary stamps you paired together?  

Feel free to show me by tagging your Instagram photos with #saturatedcanary!!

You can also follow me @kristacanary. 

Sometimes I post crafty things.

Most of the time I post life stuff:)...

And I like to take photos of my morning coffee.

That's weird. 

But coffee pics make me happy when I look through my camera roll:).

So, come along, follow, and post your projects!

Lets get a ton of SC Instagrams up for some coloring and crafty inspiration!

(And join in the occasional Instagram giveaway;)

Have a lovely end to your Sunday, friends!