good morning....

i really should be getting ready for work right now, but i'm not feeling motivated. i know i don't have any appointments til like one, so here i am blogging. besides it's only 9:20 and now with short hair it takes me like 15mins to get ready so i have time. i'm not sure what to blog about...how about the text i just got from my sister, abbie. it said "why do sharks swim in salt water? because pepper water would make them sneeze." yep, that just happened. she's such a goof. for awhile she was sending these cheesey jokes all the time. she must have gotten ahold of a laffy taffy this morning! i think she is coming home saturday. i'm excited. she lives in st. louis-2hrs-and goes to chiropractic school. this is her last year! the first 2 years she managed to come home quite frequently, but this year is tough. she has tests all the time and is constantly studying, not to mention 2 jobs! she's a crazy woman. but she said she is going to come home just for saturday and sunday b/c she misses us. we miss her too. i'll be happy when she is back up here, but i'll be sad too, b/c when we go to st. louis we'll have no place to stay. :( she's a lovely sister.

new topic. last night was trick-o-treat downtown. and most of the businesses got involved. it was supposed to last from 6-7 with around 100 kids. so i went and bought 60 suckers and attached our business cards and a couple bags of candy. i was not expecting 100 kids to show. man was i wrong. 250 kids showed up! we ran out of suckers in like 5 mins and the rest of the candy in 10! casey was trying to punk kids and just give them business cards but they weren't buying it. it was pretty funny. when we ran out we hurried and shut the door and turned out the lights, but people still came. we had to dissappoint them with no candy. i guess i learned for next year.

well i better start getting ready for work.

here's my new hair do. it's so easy!

p.s. kraft klub was awesome.

creative juices?

i've been crafting! kraft klub is starting this thursday, yippee! we got our supplies on saturday, but i just couldn't wait. plus, my mom asked me over to make a fairy jar, so i went. here are some photos of my dog fairy jar...

and this is my peacock feather headband. i made one for myself, then my sisters got jealous. so i made them each one.


i love crafting and i'm so happy to be doing it again. hope you enjoy my crafts and it inspires you to pick up a gluestick and some glitter and go to town!

it's raining cats and dogs

not literally, but it's been raining all afternoon. it's been pretty slow at work. it bugs me a little, but i know it will pick up. plus, i like having time to chat online or sitting and chatting with the girls at work. tonight i made a big dinner and had kolby and tiff over along with aaron. it was nice. i like doing stuff like that. i like to cook a lot and to have people over to enjoy besides just kylie and i. it's nice. they enjoyed it too, i hope! we have bible study tonight. i'm very excited for it! it's so good to have a set time in my schedule where i meet up with the girls and talk about God. i've never had that before, and i really enjoy it. sometimes i wish we had it every week. but now we're going to have craft night on the weeks we don't have study. so we'll get our girl time in and make some sweet things.

i have a prayer request. my couisn, zac, an his wife, monica had their 2nd son today. he is only 29 weeks old. she had a lot of complications throughout the pregnancy and God has worked miracles. until 4 weeks ago he had a cyst on the back of his neck and they thought he was going to have lymphatic problems and possibly downs syndrome. 4 weeks ago, it was all gone. the cyst disappeared. his body was proportioned. he was bigger then average. God is amazing. two days ago monica's water broke. they gave her shots for his lungs to develop and were hoping to keep the baby in the womb for a longer period. unfortunately, he was breech. so they had to do a emergency c-section. today, baby zavier norvel hankins was born. he weighs 3.17 oz. he's a tall skinny little man but he is doing well along with his mother. please pray for him to continue to grow and be strong. he has an older brother, zayne who loves him so much.

new subject! i'm really good at this random thoughts thing. my dad is almost done harvesting! yay! he's a great dad. i really miss riding in the combine with him when i was little. now he doesn't even drive the combine. he's the semi guy now. he'll still be busy when harvest is over, but not as crazy. he has cattle too. he has to get them all ready for winter. this is usually the time when they are starting to have babies. aww, baby cows. they are so cute. here's a picture of my dad. his name is stuart, but everyone calls him stu. aubrie and everett are with him. they call him PA! he was fixing the combine. okay. time for the bible study. goodnight!

long time no blog...

hello blog world. what to write? i don't have any epiphanies or anything inspirational, just stuff.

so the weekend was pretty good. i worked on saturday then when i came home my husband had 6 buckets of tar mixed. he was ready to get up on roofs and smear it around. i'm thankful he was prepared. i really wasn't in the mood and i had a headache but i did it anyway. and since he mixed the buckets already he could help me do almost every roof. it was awesome. my dad was very thankful we got it done! hopefully, he'll pull through on the shed for me. but after he gets done harvesting. sunday was good. we slept in and missed sunday school, but we made it to church. luckily we have the book for sunday school, so we just missed out on the conversations. church was good. we're doing a series on LO$T, its about finances and how God has plans for them. so it's good. me and kylie are trying to save $$$$$ to build a house and start a family, so we NEED this! after church we went to the daniel house. it was good. i was a little tired and stressed with millie and the two puppies. hazel tends to be grouchy, so i was worried about that. she also barks when she wants to play and it was freaking olive out. so, again, nervous. overall, good weekend.

today, i went and switched our verizon account to my name. it's been in my mom's name for 2 years! the bill always came to kylie and me, but if verizon wanted to change something or add something, they had to talk to my mom. bummer. then i went to the dentist. it went good! NO cavities! then my mom and i went to effingham and went shopping! talk about deals! i got some cute boots for $30(orig. $60), jeans for $13!, and a super cute vest for $11! it was SWEET! i means with prices that low, i couldn't afford NOT to buy them! haha, that's my motto! it's not a very good one when you're trying to save. well this "short" blog is getting long and kylie is home from work. gotta start dinner! have a great week!

quick blog

so i started a blog, and my computer started updating and shut down. i'm happy though. the blog i started was depressing, and some what of a pity party. and i don't want that. there are way worse things that could happen to me, then what i was complaining about. so on a lighter note.

it's FALL! it is so chilly today. kylie and i forgot that trailers don't keep a neutral temp. if the weather changes outside, our trailer does too. today it was only 53 inside! i tried to turn the heat on just to like 60-65 but the pilot light was out. i wouldn't of tried, but we have a little pup and she shivers a lot. i was worried about her when i left. but she was okay. she's inside my sweatshirt right now. sleeping away. i have to go back to work soon, i don't want to leave her. she hates the cage. i let baby olive out today. she's so tiny compared to hazel! she did really good. no accidents in her cage that i could see. she went outside and peed on the concrete. she doesn't like the grass. then she ate a little bit and wanted held. i took her out again, but nothing. so i put the cryin pup back in the cage. then went to tend to my pup. who was good, also. well this has been random. but now back to work. have a great weekend!

i'm blessed

this is my friend hillary. i saw her today. we've been best friends for roughly 15 years. since kindergarten. i talk about her a little bit, but here's a face to go with a name.




today was a good day. not like every other day isn't good, but today was good. i worked, blah blah blah....today is good because i have great people in my life. i work with two great people. they care about me and i care about them. we goof around together and tease each other, and eat LOTS of candy. and we do each others' hair for FREE, whenever! so that's good. i also have a great family. i'm very fortunate because some people don't. i talk to my mom and at least one of my sisters everyday. i see my in-laws or talk to them everyday. i'm blessed. i love when one of them pops in at work to say hi, or when they call just to say they love me. my dad does that a lot. he's a busy man so we don't get to see him very much. i like harvest and planting season because he drives a tractor or a semi all day, so he calls to chat or just to say "i love you" it's nice. i also have great friends. they are all very supportive people. when i'm concerned about something, they're concerned too. i love that. today was just good. work was good, saw my sister, annie, talked to sister, abbie, saw my mom(twice), went to see my best friend, hillary, with her mom and my mom. we ate dinner, it was good. *she's an awesome friend. we've been through a lot together. she can always crack me up. it stinks b/c she lives 45 mins away, but we talk a lot on the phone and she comes over for lunch once a week. (she works in town)* after dinner we went back to her and her husbands house and chatted. then i came home to a good husband. and awesome friendship bread that my amazing sister, tiffany, made for me. because i forgot to bake it today, plus i hate baking. i'm blessed.

you're blessed too, just think of the reasons why, and you'll be flooded with answers! God loves you!

i love mondays!

yeah, it's true. i love mondays. unlike most people, i have mondays off. i guess because mondays are the days i could take classes or rest if i worked on saturday. but guess what, i didn't work saturday and i'm not taking a class today. instead...i'm going to finish a load of laundry, vaccuum the house, and go watch 27 dresses with my mom. i'm thinking of a crockpot meal i can make, but i'm not sure yet. maybe chilli or maybe porkchops with cream of mushroom. hmmm.. whatever is easiest i guess.

in other news. i was looking at an old friend's blog. she was kind of frustrated about not finding a job yet, and having to wait, and looking for a modeling agency, and trying to learn about fashion photography, etc. i went to leave her a comment to remind her that God loves her. we're doing a bible study on waiting and we've encouraged eachother to tell ourselves that GOD LOVES US! so when i went to leave a comment, one of her friends posted this. i really liked it so i wanted to share.

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Word of the Day
Beloved, confess My Word at all times. Let it renew your mind (Romans 12:2). Remember I am YOUR Shepherd. I belong to you and you shall not lack. I did not qualify My word and say you might not lack this or that. I simply said, “You shall not LACK.” This is all encompassing, including every possible need imaginable from protection to the very air you breathe. I could say, “You shall not fail or be caused to fail. You shall not diminish, grow weaker, shrink back, abate, or bereave.”

As your Shepherd, I provide all things: food, shelter, spiritual nourishment, life sustaining breath, and a secure place to abide within the cleft of the Rock. My eyes are ever on you and the horizon of your life at all times. I see all things to come and I have prepared the necessary things you need to overcome and live the abundant life no matter the circumstance. This does not mean the abolishment of all suffering and trials for many have suffered throughout the generations in My name.

O’, that you might know the abundance of this great shepherding heart of Mine. Hear My voice and do not follow another (John 10:27). Should you follow another, I will come after you and carry you back to the pastures of My incredible love and protection. Have I not said, “No one can pluck you out of My hand!” This is so, for I have given you eternal life in Me (Job 10:28-29, Romans 6:23).

Beloved, I do not live in the past. I am an ever present, in the moment God. I simply AM–right now. I am your Shepherd of the present and the future. Shall is now and forever to come. Your provision, your protection is assured by the definite declaration, Shall! Not only will you have all you need, all I have and all I am, you shall NOT lack. No never, not ever. This is promise worth of taking hold of.

You must receive My promise as to who and what I am. When you do this, NOT WANTING will be an everyday factor of your life from moment to moment. Your level of contentment reveals the true state of your heart, whether it desires what I desire or desires what you think you need. Things will never satisfy.

Your greatest need is to be content in Me, your Good Shepherd who loves you so very much. I have provided a place to abide and receive all I am and when you do this you will only need what I have for you, what I provide. Take a hold of this promise deep in your heart and you will have someone to guide you in all your ways, during troubled times and good times. I am your shelter, your rest. Follow Me and I will guide you (Proverbs 6:9) Remember, I know the way for I have already been there. You do not. Be completely satisfied in Me and My care for and over your life. Nothing is too difficult for Me. I care for you..."

“THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack” (Psalms 23:1 Amplified)

on that note, have a beautiful day!

saturday! saturday!

this is my oldest sister, Annie, and her two kids, Aubrie-2years 10 months, and Everett-14 months. they are both named after their great grandpas. i'm talking about them in my blog so i want you to know what they look like.



ok. i'm pretty sure everyone is under the impression that saturdays are for sleeping in late, having a lazy afternoon with maybe a nap, then a fun filled night of excitement. right?! as i've grown up i've discovered differently. saturdays=work and if its not your job then your house. saturdays are the days you do all your chores to catch up from the slacking you've done through out the week.

today i got up at 8am(which, is sleeping in to most, but to me it's like any other day-i got to work at 10 people! why get up at 6?!) anyway, i went to my sisters' house. loaded up her 2 kids, drove to mattoon. went to the eye doctor to fix miss aubrie's glasses. then we went to aldi and got groceries. both of us with heaping carts with rat kids who just wanted to eat the food, not shop for it. after that we both loaded all the stuff in the jeep, then we both, somehow ran over our feet with the carts! OUCH! anyway, ran through a drive-thru then headed home. while in the middle of the country(no bathrooms anywhere for miles) my almost 3yr old niece decides she needs to take a shadoobie. so guess who gets to hold her while she tries to go?! oh ME! well she was unsuccessful. ANYWAY...after i helped annie unload her groceries, i head to my house to do the same.

to sum up my story, i put up groceries, dusted the whole trailer, cleaned the bathroom sink, toilet, shower, and kitchen sink. then i did a load of laundry and put it away. then i went to my mom's friend's house to help my mom load up the stuff she didn't sell at her flea market.(FYI-my mom broke her shoulder 8weeks ago. she's doing fine now, i'll elaborate on it in another blog) now, at 5pm i'm writing a blog. saturdays aren't for relaxing and fun. they're for the stink jobs you don't want to do after you get home from work. i might not have to be lazy through the week so i can relax on sat.

p.s. kylie got up at 4am friday to go to work-worked till 2, came home did dishes and laundry took the dog for a walk, hung out w/ family and didn't go to bed till 11pm. woke up at 8 and went to help my dad's uncle bob(who looks identical to a california rasin! its amazing, i HAVE to post photos b/c you won't believe it) he is still helping him and won't be home till after dark. kylie is an amazing man. he's grown so much since we've been married. i never thought there would be a day when he would be doing farm stuff and enjoying it. but that day came a LONG time ago. i love him.

I'm a theif

The Rule of Five
Answer these 5 sets of 5 Questions...


5 People Who Made You do something you didn't want to, but ended up being grateful they did.

1. Mom, she always had us girls cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, etc. at the time my sisters and i hated it. but it made us into good housekeepers and made us accept the stereotypical wife duties.

2. Annie, i was really scared to take over the shop and make it my own. i almost bailed a month before. but she comforted me and made me realize i could do it.

3. Kylie, if there is anything i ever DON'T want to do, he usually talks me into it and then i'm grateful that he changed my mind. (tarring trailer roofs! we have 3 left, he better start convincing me! :) )

4. Dad, he is the hardest working person i know. he made us have the responsibilities of probably 22-28 baby calves. my sisters and i were in charge of feeding, bedding, and keeping our dad up-to-date on their health. at the time=AWFUL now, i'm grateful. it taught me the responsibilities of raising animals. and that even if it's a dirty smelly job, someone's got to do it. and it WILL pay off in the end. really, he would give us each one or two a year and then sell them. they took years to get old enough to sell but when they did, they were worth 700-1000. thanks dad!

5. God, growing up if someone hurt my feelings, offended me, or were just jerks, i let it go. i would cry, stress, and focus on it all the time. God has taught me that if it's appropriate, i need to confront the person. let them know i've been hurt. this isn't the easiest thing for me. but i'm still learning. and i've learned that i feel much better just letting it off my chest then holding it in.


5 Things people don't know about you.

1. That I want to be a stay at home mom.

2. I had conjoined twin brothers. They're in heaven now.

3. I'm not a tomboy, but I really like helping the guys with building things or dirty projects. although i've only done it a few times, i like driving tractors. (i grew up on a farm)

4. People say i'm creative, but i don't believe it.

5. I want to go to people's houses and redecorate them. Turn them from bland to BAM!


5 Things that make you smile.

1. Jesus

2. Kylie

3. Family(especially my niece and nephew)

4. Hazel

5. Babies

5 Songs that represent your life. I have to agree with tiff, this is really hard. I don't know titles.

1.Chris Tomlin-b/c of my faith

2. The Format-b/c i'm fun

3. Junior Senior-b/c i'm crazy

4. The Rocket Summer-b/c i like to dance

5. Death Cab for Cutie-b/c i'm serious, but like to have a good time



5 Places you want to visit.

1. New York

2. L.A.

3. Europe

4. Switzerland(My cousin lives there right now!)

5. I don't know if this counts, but I'd like to see Shelbyville in the 1950s earlier then and i think i'd get depressed.

Here we go....

so i'm a first time blogger. i'll start off saying that i hate using "shift" key, so nothing will be capitalized. i'll also note that "random thoughts of a redhead" is very fitting for me. i tend to jump from one subject to the next without thinking twice, so stick with me!

today was a pretty eventful day. i worked then totally rearranged the shop for a PURSE PARTY! then put it back together, went to bible study(FABULOUS), then watched the OFFICE(also fab!) the party was a success, one free purse for each of the girls at work and myself. that's three "to-die-for" purses, FREE! plus, two people booked parties, so that's $50 credit! i'm so pumped about.

bible study: wow. i'm so thankful tiffany and nicole decided to do this. although i was a little nervous about it, it is amazing. i love Jesus and i have faith in Him however, i'm not very knowledgable, so that's what made me nervous. but it's truely amazing. and i kept from crying tonight! (FYI-i'm very emotional) tiff and i have been having some good talks on stuff and it's really great. God is working on each of us so much, and i can see it already. if you haven't checked out tiff's blog justmetiff.blogspot.com she's had some really great blogs on lessons. tonight we talked about a lot of things. but what really stood out to me was when we told how God has worked in our lives when we've totally trusted in Him. it's crazy to see how good we felt when we just gave it all to Him, instead of worrying or stressing about it ourselves. God LOVES us and wants us to come to Him FIRST. but we don't, then we end up wasting so much time for nothing. take it to Him and He will work it out.

well i believe this is it for today. hope you liked the first entry!