T-shirt Refashion: Send me your input!

You guys, I have this blank canvas and I'm going crazy with ideas.  So I need your help.

Basically, I have this plain white t-shirt that I'm dying to turn into a graphic tee.  I got the shirt a couple years ago on clearance at Down East (one of those high neck long sleeved things) and have never worn it.

Last week, my mother-in-law helped me shorten the sleeves and give them cuffs.  I've already worn the shirt plain and love it for its versatility, but I'm still set on accessing my inner designer and giving it some pizzazz.  

Which is where you all come in!  I've come up with some designs, but the possibilities really seem endless, so I'd love for you to give me your vote on one of the designs I've sketched or copied, or direct me to something even greater that I haven't discovered.

I'm thinking I want to go solid black, or a solid light blue, for the design.

Here is what I have:

Birds.  Who doesn't love birds?  Especially as silhouettes.  The options go way beyond these few I've included.

French words.  In cursive.  Because those two things are pretty.

Filippino words, because Preston speaks Filippino.

Other little symbols (bike, hot air balloon, sail boat, anchor, etc.), some of which I've combined with French words in cursive.

Like I said, I've got too many ideas.

Here are just a few sketches of what the shirt could look like.  I can't decide whether to keep the attention down or up.  (You know how you have to be careful with a tee.  Don't want to draw the wrong attention.)

So?  What do you think?  Suggestions encouraged.

Cold Mountain

It's been forever since I've posted about a book.

And I'll admit this first thing:  I didn't even finish this one.  I kept feeling like I needed to take notes. Charles Frazier is brilliant and his writing dense (there is a reason he won the National Book Award) and I couldn't read his story without wanting to dissect and analyze it to pieces.  Since my purpose was to have a book to somewhat "fall" into between shifts at work and it is impossible to simply fall into Cold Mountain, I found myself avoiding reading altogether.  I refused to lower my self-expectations to discover every intricacy Frazier wove into the book, but I couldn't muster the time or energy to meet those expectations.  So, untrue to myself, I stopped reading and turned to Sparknotes.

Since the ending turns out to be dreadfully disappointing, I'm glad I did.

I may be way off on this, but some segments of Cold Mountain involving Inman's trek home reminded me of Faulkner's As I Lay Dying.  However, it's been a while since I read that little dreary piece, so forgive any ignorance.

Anyway, I'm still adding Cold Mountain to my list of books.

Happy

Some things that have made me happy this week

***

   Annie Lennox

Hot cups of Pero

                   $5 scalp treatments

Pinterest pins that get me excited to create

A good, hard work-out

{post-dinner cuddle sessions with the stud-hubs}

turkey, brie,

& cranberry chutney

                                   two seasons made friends

***

So very blessed.

~K

Thoughts on the Boston Marathon

Yesterday, I was too angry and sad to write anything about the tragedy in Boston.  I felt sick to my stomach that someone could and would commit such an act.  I imagined the nervous excitement of a first time participant that morning, recommitting to the race and his/her strategy, too anxious to eat breakfast, never even considering that a bomb could destroy the finish.  My heart hurt.

Though I was not the most fun wife, thankfully my husband was calm and hopeful.  He reminded me of 2 Kings 6:15-17.  Others have alluded to these verses as well, for which I'm grateful.

Also, I read this blog post from The Everywhereist, which closely reflected my feelings and reactions. Grateful for the quote at the end:

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, “The good outnumber you, and we always will.”

--Patton Oswalt

So here is to a new day where I remember to hope, where I remember a God more powerful than any tragedy.

"So come with me, where dreams are born..."

My parents came to visit last week.  We enjoyed time that was relaxed and easy, going out to eat, shopping, or simply chatting.  Thanks for taking two days of your rare spare time to play with us, Mom and Dad!

Speaking of play, I feel blessed that my family knows how to do just that.  It is those moments of sincere play that dominate my memories from the years.

Holidays are a big deal around our house.  We may not celebrate all of them traditionally, but we make sure we're doing something fun nonetheless.  We welcome a reason to celebrate.

We're definitely old school gamers.  Dominoes, Phase 10, Skip-bo, Monopoly.  In good weather we pull out badminton or volleyball or frisbee and run around the yard like the lost boys.  We get really loud, especially around the kitchen table with card games.  This used to embarrass me to no end in high school--my family giggling like monkeys and poking fun at each other--but looking back I realize that it was this element that equaled everyone in the home. If someone came over during a game, they'd end up joining the table.  We'd have parents and children, cool big kids and scrawny little kids, boys and girls all join our table, all welcome, and we'd play late into the night.  It seemed social bounds were broken around our kitchen table.  Anyone in sight was family.

When we weren't playing games, we were probably singing.  Us kids loved to watch Veggie Tales and laugh at the ridiculous songs while we did the dishes.  We'd turn on Newsies and jump around the family room like paper boys, singing at the top of our lungs.  If my parents knew the lyrics, they'd join in.  We'd end up gathered around the piano singing Disney or Broadway songs, avoiding practicing the classical stuff no doubt.

And then there was dress-up. We always dressed up.  Still do, in fact.  If a piece of clothing was lying around while we did chores, it would end up somewhere on our bodies.  Saturdays were ragamuffin days, us kids ultimately layered in the most random things, venturing down to the costume box to find bows and arrows and swords and wigs and having a grand time.

Some days, we'd be doing all these things at the same time.  It was really wild then.

No, it wasn't idyllic like this all the time.  One of us kids was probably mad at another for something a lot of the time, or my parents were frustrated when we put off work to play, or we were stressed with school and church and just being busy.  But those moments aren't the ones that stick out.

Mostly, I remember a lot of laughter.  I love that it's part of my family's culture.  We play.

"...and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in Never Never Land!"

We're gonna be Boilermakers!

There is a reason Preston and I spent one day in Chicago: we were on our way to West Lafayette, Indiana to visit Purdue University for an information weekend.  

Remember the difficult decision we faced here?  Well, it got more difficult with other options opening up.  Here is where we found ourselves as we headed to Purdue:

U of Rochester (MBA)

     40% tuition coverage (we turned down their offer)

Purdue  (MBA)

     Graduate Assistantship with stipend + 50% tuition coverage

U of Minnesota  (MS- HRIR)

     In-state tuition + $10,000

U of Tulsa  (MS I/O Psychology)

U of Akron  (PhD in I/O Psychology)

     We actually haven't had a rejection or acceptance from them yet, which could complicate things

After an exhausting but enlightening weekend, and much prayer and discussion, we have decided to accept Purdue's offer!  So, friends in Indiana and thereabouts, see you in the fall!!!

Give me a whoop whoop for the Boilermakers!   (I know, right?)

A Day in Chicago (with more pictures than necessary)

Chicago is such a cool city. When I was young, we drove through the outskirts once. I could only see it as different and scary (my young eyes remembered graffiti, garbage, and old buildings).

This time around, however, I fell in love with this place.









We had a red-eye flight, and so went a night with very little sleep--more due to a very drunk lady the seat ahead than the fact that it was 3:00 a.m.  That's a story for another time.  Anyway, we washed our faces, brushed our teeth, and changed our clothes in the airport bathroom, and then spent the early morning walking around the city before we checked into our hotel.

The hotel was really beautiful.






After checking in, we walked around the corner and (finally) got some amazing food at where else but The Original Pancake House.

Forgive my glazed look.  I'm very hungry.

That freshly squeezed orange juice did me good, and I could go for those chocolate chip pancakes right now, and probably always.



After brunch, we went to Cloud Gate for some awesome people watching.

^^Pretend we're standing next to each other in one picture.  Someone really needs to invent the hover phone for the sake of couple picture taking.

On a side note, we loved riding the train for no other reason than everything was in English.  Last time we used similar transportation, we couldn't understand a word.

After wandering the city a bit, we took the bus to Navy Pier and marveled at the freshwater smell.  It was strange to be around that much water without sensing salt.

Wind.

Naturally while one is in Chicage one eats deep dish pizza.  We selected Lou Malnati's and were very pleased.  Yeah that was some good stuff.  (BTW, thanks to those who gave us suggestions on places to eat and things to do!  My hunch is we'll be spending time in Chicago in the future and will be taking advantage of your advice.)

The Gorgonzola cream sauce for our wings was ah-may-zing.  Def going to make some of that in-house.

We topped off our night with some Ghirardelli ice cream and a stroll down Michigan Ave.  

Looking forward to being back, hitting Wrigley Field, the zoo, Ghirardelli again, the Art Institute, Ghirardelli, Portillo's Hot Dogs, and more.

Until next time, Queen of the West.