Insanity Keeps Me Sane...

source

Tonight, was a great night! Our Alumni Association people hosted a "Zero Year Reunion" for all of the seniors. The party was very exclusive since you had to flash your alumni card to the "bouncer."

Ok ok, she was some guy's secretary...but anyways we get up to the roof of the parking garage and there are balloons everywhere! Our new mascot is walking around taking pictures, people are handing out popcorn and sodas and ice-cream...it was fantastic. We all pick out a spot to sit and watch UP on this giant  inflatable screen...then...

it started the rain.

What a bummer! We all ran down to the fourth floor of the parking garage and waited. Most of us snacked on our food and others just sat right down on the garage floor with their pillows and blankets. Our mascot almost walked into the rain but stopped when my group yelled "Don't go in the rain!!!!!!" 

We didn't want the new costume to get ruined or worse...smell!

Eventually we were told that the movie night was going to be moved indoors. We walked on over to the building looking like a bunch of kids at a sleepover. We all had pillows and blankets and snacks, and got lots of stares. I guess the other students didn't know about our movie night.

My girls and I got the best seats in the house! Right up in front and center. The screen was huge and the souround sound was great. I pulled out my pad of paper and crayons and waited for inspiration. Let me tell you, coloring in the dark is crazy hard! I had to hold up the crayons inches from my face and I still didn't know what color I was using!

My picture didn't just turn out well, it turned into a keepsake.

We all signed it and left little messages to each other. I have been ordered to copy and print one of these for each of us. I plan on framing my picture and keeping it in my home office. 

Drawing the house from UP wasn't the most original idea in the box, but the fact that I did it in the dark makes it priceless (to me anyways). I noticed how little you actually see of the house in the movie. They kept showing clips of the house that lasted only seconds. I had time to draw one line before the camera moved to another angle.

To wrap things up, we had a great night. We really needed a few hours to goof off and forget about homework. SENIOR YEAR IS HARD!!!

But I'm so glad that I have friends like these to keep me sane...by being insane with me.

Krispy Treats

source

These "popsicle" are  more of a recipe than a craft, but would be wonderful to make with little ones.

County Living has a whole slideshow of Easter Crafts (check it out here), but these krispies caught my eye.

I would love to have these made up ahead of time and have the children decorate them on their own. After they've dried, I would go outside and enjoy the krispies and the gorgeous sunny weather. 

I might suggest using a variet of ceareals when making krispies. Lucky charms can be fun but you have to take out all of the marshmallows and save them for the "decorating stage."

Help! I need your opinion!

Remember this post when all of the wedding plan were falling into place? Yeah well now it's been struck my lighting and burnt to a crisp...

I'll save you all the long story, but we had to return the bridesmaid dresses and I'm just praying that the flower girl dresses turn out fine. I feel like I'm back to square one since this is the third time I find myself shopping for my bridesmaid dresses. I need something that has thick straps, low backs are not allowed, and the dress must hit the knee. Why all the restrictions? Well most are personal standards and others are church requirements. 

source

source

As you can imagine, finding a yellow dress that hits all of those points and is under 100 dollars is wicked hard. Some have suggested to me just getting the girls grey dresses (like the ones above) and adding yellow bouquets and shoes. I have entertained this idea, but grey is such a sad color. The fact is, I love yellow. I've always pictured my wedding with Dad up there marrying my true love and I, with a row of girls behind me in happy yellow dresses. Things have started turning upside down and I've had to let go of some of my dreams. 

I just can't bring myself to let go of the yellow dress. 

source

So I ask you now...what do you think of this? Is this dress too granny and yucky? Or is it cute vintage? I have to see the print in person before I made a final decision. But please, please, please help me out here and leave a comment below with your opinion on this dress. 

Easter Craft Countdown

source

I love Pintrest. 

Not only can I get inspired just by looking at awesome photography, but I can  trace tutorials to their original source. I've found a bunch of sweet blogs that I now follow regularly.

 One of the blogs is Craftiness is Not Optional run by Jessica.

source

To begin our Easter Craft Countdown, please allow me to introduce you to Jessica's hair accessories page. She uses one of my favorite mediums, felt, to make gorgeous hair flowers for herself and her girls. I just hope I have time to throw one of these together before Easter morning!

In celebration...

If you've followed my blog for long, you'll know that Easter is my favorite holiday. Yes, it even beats Christmas. I've always loved hearing Christ's resurrections story and the special church breakfast fellowships. 

To celebrate my favorite holiday of the year, I'll be doing some pretty special things around the blog so stay tuned. You don't want to miss anything. 

This Weekend Let's Make: Cute Birdseed Feeder

Spring is here! The cold, bitter winds and temperatures from winter are over and it's time to break out the t-shirts! This weekend...let's make something springy together.

For our little bird friends, Toni posted this simple tutorial that young and old will greatly enjoy.

source

So this weekend I have TWO crafts for you to try out. 

I've recently gone crazy for mason jars. 

(maybe we can do a mason jar week?)

So I found this adorable tutorial by Little Lucy and it was too cute to hang on to until next weekend. 

source 

We all need some giggles today

We all need a laugh once in a while. 

Here are some gigglers I have on one of my Pintrest boards.

These last three totally relate to me.

Bridesmaids and Flower Girls

Good morning Miss Yellow Shoes readers,

I was a very lucky little college student this morning because I got to sleep in! 

"Sleep? What's that?" 

Yeah, that's pretty much been my life since "Senior Year" (big booming voice) hit.

Anyways....I am still an awfully busy girl but I just wanted to share with you some more wedding details.

(source)

These are the bridesmaid dresses we chose from Bonny Bridal. Luckily, I was able to find them on sale with free shipping. We would not have been able to afford them otherwise. 

(source)

There is a bow in the back, to which I've been given some grief, but in the end...I think everyone realized it's really not THAT huge of a bow. Bows are my style and I wear them in my hair, on my scarves...everywhere! So why not include them in my wedding?

My maid of honor did point out that the bow is removable so the girls can joyfully remove it after the wedding is over if their hearts so desire. (Just give me the scrap fabric!)

source unknown

These are the bouquets I have in mine right now. I love the mixture of flowers and the size is just right. Mine will be all yellow flowers, but these will all look great together!

(source)

Some of you may be saying 

"Waaaait a minute! I remember this post and you said you didn't want flower girls." 

Well, I had the sweetest little boy I wanted to be a ring bearer. I had the hardest time thinking out a little girl I felt like I could trust not to throw a fit and roll herself down the aisle (personal experience). 

Then one day my mom called me and asked about two sister who are about 6 and 7 years old.

They are perfect, GORGEOUS little girls and very very well mannered. So I chose these dresses for them. The bow will be in yellow and the baskets were already bought on sale at Hobby Lobby. 

There is still some discussion going on as to whether or not they will actually be dropping petals or holding my train. If Dad has to walk be down the aisle in a wheel-chair then I'll need someone to hold my cathedral train. We don't want it to get caught in the wheels! 

I would love tho share more with you, but the bell JUST rang and I have to run.

I hope you have a great day!

My world stopped turning...my lungs stopped breathing

(Mom and Dad's engagement photo)

Dear Readers,

I will warn you before I begin. This post is not about school, it's not about a cool new craft that I just discovered, and it's not about my wedding. It's sad and it's from my heart. Blogs are funny things you know...we can use them to share our opinions and start fights over the internet. We can use them to keep our family updated with photos,or like me....we can use them to share cool ideas. But when something this huge bombs my world, I feel as though it's appropriate to express my thoughts here. Here on my slice of the internet for all to see.

Last Friday, after classes, my Dad skyped me. We don't skype a lot so it was a little odd that he wanted to. Then he said he had news and he told me to sit down. That's when the world stopped turning and the word "cancer" left his lips. I didn't make a sound even though the word hit me like a brick wall. I felt as though my heart had stopped beating and my lungs forgot their purpose. You would expect for some sound to come out... but it was all I could do not to fall over.

(Dad and I when my little brother was born in 1992)

Cancer is one of the hardest and most horrific words in the English language. 

He gave me the details and I eventually found myself walking back to my room. Mom and Nathan were with me when Dad skyped and I told them I just needed to be alone for a minute. I walked up three flights of stairs and remember a girl asking me if I was ok. I tried to talk but no sound came out. I was surprised that my voice was gone so I just shook my head and kept walking. 

Instead of going to my room where my roommates may be, I went into our dorm Prayer room. I closed the door...shut the window and feel to my knees. I don't know how loud I screamed, but I know a girl at the end of the hall heard me. 

(Mom and Dad at the sugar shack)

In that moment, my body, mind and sole felt pure pain. But there was something else there....and this is why I write.

I had peace. I threw myself into my God's arms and I just cried out my heart on his shoulder. You see...I'm a Christian. I am ashamed that I have never shared this before. But I trusted Christ with my eternity and he's my savior. I know that when it's my turn to leave this world, I'll find myself in heaven with him and I'm not afraid to die.

(Dad kissing Mom in the rain)

I know that my God made this world and all of the beautiful things in it. He gave me my Dad. And I know that no matter what comes my way, it's ok because I'm a daughter of the King. God is right here, he's holding me in his arms and he's holding my Daddy in his arms too. He's is in control when things are going great, and he's in control when everything crumbles around me.

In that first moment of pure pain...my face flat on the floor... peace came. And peace overcame the pain. I still cry. I love my Dad. He was my hero when I was a little girl and he still is now that I'm 22. I'm sad to see him going through cancer again....But I have God. Everything is going to be ok, no matter the outcome. I have my God with me. He's holding me right now and he won't ever let me go.

(Dad and I a few years ago)

I wanted to share this with you because maybe you've have a bomb just dropped in your life. Turing to friends, drugs, drinking, food, or even family won't give you the peace that I have. All of those things, yes...even family, will fail you. I know that family has failed me before. But God won't do that. I don't understand and I don't have to. I just need to trust and wrapped myself in his all powerful arms.

I have perfect peace. And Dad, I know you're reading this...I love you.

(Dad and I in New York last summer)

I'm Sorry

source

So I have to make an apology to some of you. I've been getting messages lately requesting diy crochet videos. I have been making them and I do have a bunch of ideas for these, but I just have not been able to upload them.

You see, the school I attend blocks youtube and other video sharing websites. I've tried hitting Startbucks, McDonalds, and Panera wifi spots, but the internet just isn't strong enough to upload videos with.

So here's the deal. I'm making videos for you, but I'll have to wait until I get home this summer to upload them. Don't despair! There are lots of good books out there and lots of good videos online too. If you still want to wait for my videos (coming this summer) then congratulation for being the best readers ever!

Quick Post/Craft Post

Hellow world! 

No, I haven't forgotten about you. And I know that you'll get tired of hearing the homework excuse so I'm not even going to go there today. 

I found this sweet awesome craft roundup for recycling spoons! It's so cool I just had to post it for you all to see.  (click here for my source)

My life through a lense

Since school has been taking up much of my blogging time, I'm giving a "crash" update with everything that's happened in the past few days. Hang on to your hat's peeps!

(p.s. I have no idea were numbers 9 and 10 went?!)

1-2: We had an artist series here on campus, info here, and I got to go with some of my girlfriends. We became friends freshman year, but now that we'll all student teaching we don't see each other much.

3-4: After a crazy week of exams, my roommates and I hit Amanzie Tea for some much needed relaxation. I've never been to Amanzie and I was like a little kid in a toy store. I had to touch everything! I got a small hot cup of Cranberry Acai tea...it was delicious!

5-6: Just showing off the flowers that Mike bought me for Valentine's Day. Yes, they are still alive and still beautiful. Do I have a green thumb or what?

7-8: Showing off my pretty navy blue nails. I borrowed some super sparkly glitter nail polish from a friend to layer on top of the navy. It made my fingers look like a stary night sky. 

9-10: Again, I don't know why those numbers didn't appear on my image...but this was from Saturday afternoon. Mike comes to visit me every weekend and this was taken at my last soccer game. He's so supportive and I really appreciate that. I can be exhausted in the middle of a game and get all the energy I'll ever need from one of his "thumbs up!"

11-12: This is also from Saturday afternoon. Mike and I have picked up the habit of reading together. We've been reading what you would consider classic children's books because it's something I really missed out on as a kid. That night we read the entire book of "Ben and Me." Oh yes, and I was crocheting again as you can see!

Here's one more picture from that last soccer game...the one in the red socks is me. 

:-P