summer essentials: goodtimes edition

ain't summertime just grand?
but, it's hot. everyone knows it.
here are a few things that make the dog days better.

1. The Tankini
here's how i feel about swimsuits.

i'm a woman, so naturally i dread this time of year only because my body will be on display for all fellow beachgoers to see. but, i'm not alone. everyone's doing it.

Growing up, i was not allowed to wear a "two-piece".

I was so happy when tankinis hit the market and i could get away with the occasional short tankini to show off a 1 inch sliver of my stomach. i remember years of being the only teen in a one piece or tankini. i hated it. oh well, now i love them.

i'm pretty uncomforatable in a bikini or two piece for many reasons, but mainly because i was never allowed to wear them.

But, since i was in jr.high, i said that i'd wear a bikini on my honeymoon. so, last year i shopped bikinis til i dropped(money). so, now i have like 6 two-pieces and wear them only for a tan when no one is looking.

I liked this tankini inparticular because it's cute and has paisley and it's comfy and cheap from Target.


2. a good book

Millie Kalish

The Little Heathens

this is my summertime read.
i have finished it, but gonna read it over and over again.

Millie wrote it about growing up in the Depression era and shares the resourcefulness of her family.

I can't wait to try all of her home remidies and home-made delicious recipes and gardening tips.
I will share just one quote, as there are many that I love.
 "There was always something to do on that farm: cakes, cookies, and pies to bake; potatoes, radishes, beets, carrots, peas, lettuce, tomatoes, and beans to pick, wash, clean and peel; chickens to kill, scald, pluck, singe, draw and disjoint; dishes to wash and dry; clothing to wash; laundry to be hung on the line, then taken down from the lin, folded, and ironed."
tired yet?
i love their busy hands.

ok, ok...one more.
(regarding her grandmother) "One of her more important observations was that it was impolite and unacceptable to visit your ill temper on those around you. If you wake up feeling at odds with the world, direct your attention outside of yourself, see what the world requires of you, and then get busy".
simple wisdom.
i recommend this for a good read.



3. good kicks

some people hate on crocs.

don't hate.

actually, you can if you want.

actually, i think they're pretty unattrative.

but, most of the time...i don't care.

i hate having dry feet. so, i wear crocs and my feet feel like they have on socks.
they also protect your feet. i like them. i wear them at home, on the beach, to the store and doing lots of things.

so hate away, you haters.


4. ponytail holder on my wrist, always

my hair is in a ponytail, bun or braid 24/7.

It's hot, y'all.

5. a ridiculous video

and some beach-y tunes.

 

There's a short list of my absolute essentials for summertime.

It's short because i'm at the beach with my fam.

and this dude

so, i kinda gots-to-go.

burnt to a crisp,

kate

Jantsen's Gift

If you haven't read this yet, do it.
It is a read-in-one-day kinda book.
Pam Cope's story is quite inspirational and will leave you quite misty eyed.


Her book was just mentioned in Parade Magazine here:

http://www.parade.com/parade-picks/2011/08/14-jantsens-gift.html

JANTSEN'S GIFT

by Pam Cope with Aimee Molloy, nonfiction

After her 15-year-old son, Jantsen, died unexpectedly of a heart ailment in 1999, Pam Cope channeled her grief toward a new purpose: improving the lives of children around the world who suffer from poverty and abuse. This inspiring memoir of loss and healing traces the emotional journey Cope took to rebuild her family and honor her son’s memory by making a difference
(from Parade Magazine online)

 

  She is the founder of Touch a Life.
You should be familiar with this organization, as I have mentioned it on numerous occasions.
I also just returned from my first trip with them to visit the kids in Ghana.

sweet Joel

This is my friend Rachel

I can't say enough about her and her heart. I'm sure that I've blogged about her before.

She works for TAL and organized the entire trip with 55 volunteers and 550+ kids. Crazy, huh?

She's my age. Hello. No excuses here people.

The kids were so excited to see her and her feelings were mutual, obviously.

Rach and I with TAL kids

Here is Pam with Garrett and Kelly Nichols, the in-country directors for TAL and George Achibra, a Ghanaian anti-trafficking crusader(when i saw him, i felt like i was meeting a celebrity with the kindest spirit ever).

Rach, David(my good friend from WM and a brilliant pharmacist) and I with some of the kiddos


our very intellectual medical team

with Brad Gautney(on my right), the founder of Global Health Innovations, that partnered with TAL for the health fair. He is awesome and blogged a little ditty about the trip here:http://globalhealthinnovations.org/update-on-ghana

there are millions more pics taken by myself and many others on the trip.
here are a friends on facebook
an incredible profesh photographer also tagged along. here is a bit on her blog as well: nancy borowick


As you can see, i love this organization, i love these kids and am honored to have been a part of their work.
Thanks to Pam Cope for starting TAL through her heartache.
Because of her passion through tragedy, childrens lives are forever changed. and ok, mine too.

(i think i've posted enough links in this post, ha)


p.s. good to see you again blogger.
i'm back in the game
Kate

update from the homefront

I'm home...for good.

 At least until next weekend. But, then my man gets to travel with me!

This last month has been so full of great experiences and traveling and moving and packing and unpacking and decisions and work and emotions and sweat(some serious sweat) and little sleep.

Needless to say, The last month has been FULL.

I'm thankful for all that i've been able to do and what has been done for me.

Last week recap.

we had a wonderful and rewarding trip to the Dominican Republic (more to come)

we moved into our new house

This is Dads land (that we're living on) getting completely cleared.

Seriously, you should see this machine in action. It terrifies me. It's so intense.

Woodrow loves our new house and the new land. Evidenced by a complete mud bath. How about being an outside dog there Woody? 

Our sad little house in N.LR. Will somone please buy it? It's a great home and has beautiful floors.

GT killed our first copper head on our 2nd night to stay at our new house.

Yikes.

I was pretending that there weren't any snakes on the land. Who was I kidding?

 It's full of 'em.

I guess if i'm gonna be a gardening, chicken-keeping, cow-raising and huntin' woman I gotta get use to the snakes.

Or carry a .22.

my fave pic from the DR.

little bro-in-law graduation from HU.

We got in to WM from DR at 5am Saturday morning. Garrett graduated at 10am in Searcy. And we were there.

BAM! take that, sleep! I beat you! and then i slept for a long time.

(this pic is of Gare Bear with his roomies. i'm in the background trying to keep GT from ruining their pics)

1.5 weeks til I get to see this guy.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

happy weekend eve folks,

kate

Follow along

http://missyrobdominican.blogspot.com

Missy's keeping up with our trip(if we have Internet in Neyba). So follow along! We're about to load the van and head out. Here we go with 20something teens from the youth group.


Adios,
Kate

Live from the Dominican

So, I'm in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic using wifi at a nice hotel on a mission trip. Don't worry(those of us who think one has to physically suffer to do good mission work), we will be leaving in the morning to travel to the small town of Neyba where we will conduct the VBS and medical clinic this week and spend time with the kids at the orphanage that WFR supports.
There is no wifi, electricity is inconsistent and a/c is a rare blessing. Feel better?

I feel very blessed to be presented with the opportunity to do medical missions. That is where my passion lies and really the reason that I am a nurse. But, sometimes when I plan 2 trips out of the country within 2 weeks... I miss my man.
He supports me and understands my heart. That is why I am here. But, it'd be better if he were here.

The only thing that I can find on tv that is in English/acceptable is this. Live from the Artist Den: David Gray. I'm more than ok with that.

Ive been reading this great book that mom bought for me.
Fun read. I enjoy reading about people that are self-sufficient and make it through hard times and utilize their resources. The Amish, Pioneers, etc. I don't know what kind of person that makes me, but I love learning about how to provide for yourself and how others have lived through pretty rough circumstances. So, this book is perfect for me! Thanks mammy!

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fVF0BQmE8o&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Night!
Kate