A thankful heart...and a huge THANK YOU!!!

I can't begin to express how overwhelmed i am at the outpouring of love for little children you don't even know.  this is the 2nd year i've organized this hat drive and i have no words (which is RARE, so enjoy it!) for how fulfilling this is for me.  i can't believe the generous giving and the generous making of hats, upon hats upon hats (and even wash cloths this year!).  this is VERY picture heavy...VERY! there was no way i could leave anyone out, so enjoy!

 OH MY GOSH!!!!! Can you believe it?

and this doesn't include all the cash donations!  to each and every one of you that was kind enough to donate money, thank you!!!  i've still got to get that all added up too!

to all the gals at ravelry, my mom, and friends:  

a HUGE HUGE HUGE 

"thank you!!"

photo of Darlings costume will have to wait... i don't even have time to type what all i MUST accomplish today, including a flight to Washington, DC!!!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Free Happy Feelings

trust me, when you participate in this hat drive in ANY way, you WILL receive a free happy feeling!!

i just want to give you an update on our 2nd annual hat drive for the kids in China.  i received 2 packages of hats recently, 1 from south carolina and the other all the way from ireland!! and then an adorable little hat from a friend here in town.

this year the hats will be going to the kids at the Chengdu City Children's Welfare Center.

all (new) hats will be accepted, handmade or store bought- the kids don't care a bit and are sooooooo happy to have a nice warm hat of their very own!

Remember last years kiddo's?

 if you'd rather just donate some $$ feel free to do that at the top with the paypal button. even $1 helps!!

thank you so much to those that have already donated and for the rest of you...there is still time!!!!! i'm taking hats and donations until 10/31.  feel free to contact me at: chinamommy_04@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

Still summer lovin'

Oh my gosh, every time I walk into my living room and see MAC glaring at me I feel bad about NOT blogging.  I guess I just don't feel like I have the time to post anything blog worthy.  I'm working today on Friday's Random post because I missed last Friday... I don't remember why.  Maybe I was busy pondering how the kids on "It's a Suite Life" somehow got onto a cruise ship...  

source

Ok,

I just wanted you to know we are still alive and enjoying the summer sun!

Check back Friday for my regular random Friday post or get busy making a hat for my hat drive!!  See all the details above in the hat drive tab.  $$ donations are also accepted, paypal button on the top left of the blog!

Lator-tators...

10 Random Things Friday...

Really??  It's Friday?  This week has just FLOWN by here... I'm not even sure I remember Monday!

1. I just heard that American has gone soccer crazy... We have?  Something about a World Cup fever?  I wondered what everyone on Facebook was talking about... Are you watching or are you like me and have NO clue what's going on in the world of Sports (besides me and my running, of course!)

2. Wait, I just remembered Monday! I had my boobs smashed in a machine and YOU SHOULD TOO!  Mammograms, not great fun, but a GREAT way to help keep you healthy!!! 

get your mug HERE

I know the mug really doesn't have to do with a mammogram, but googling anything to do with boobs (to get a picture of a mammogram machine) is NEVER a good idea...

3. Also our power went out from sometime after 10 AM until 10:01 PM.  Do you know what this means?? It means I missed this crazy gal!!  Are you watching too?

sweepstakes-enter HERE

I've been trying to watch my missed episode online but without wearing a helmet made of tin foil I can't get the whole show to play.... Let's hope all the neighbors sign the paper going around so we can get super-power internet!

4. I have a friend with some.... ahemm, "hair issues", apparently the circus is trying to woo her for a sideshow (her words, NOT mine), so she's trying to figure out a way to get one of these, the NoNo.

check it out HERE!

Has anyone tried this? Would you? It runs under $300 but gets RAVE reviews-you can even try it FREE!!!  I WANT it, I WANT it!!! Hey NoNo, I'd LOVE to review this for you and Yes, I want the PINK one!!  I had the epilady in the late 80's.  Remember that torture machine? I wanted one so bad and got one for Christmas back in '88.  I was so excited I let the hair on my legs grows for weeks!  I'll never forget the excitement I felt on Christmas morning when I opened, what I thought, was the solution to my shaving problems!!!  The excitement turned to horror when my brother held me down and my BF (at the time) started running that baby over my hair leg!!!  It was HORRIBLE!  I ran from the room, grabbed a razor and shaved my weeks of hard work off as fast as I could!

5. The Mister cleaned out his "man shed" last night

Remember the show

Sanford and Son?

6. What mornings look like at my house this summer

7.  Why Yes, we are President of each other's fan clubs

What Darling and I painted for each other at the Naked Plate place.

8. Some things I bought for my etsy shop but have decided to keep and hang on my wall...

9. A Granny Square blanket that I'm crocheting for Darling.

I'm pretty sure she'll change the colors in her room before I finish it...

10. Last but NOT least...

The 2nd annual Baby/Kid hat drive for the kids in China.

Please see all information under the tab at the top!  If you'd rather donate $, there is a paypal donate button at the top on the LEFT, you can donate ANY amount, even $1!!  Honestly, ANY amount is very much appreciated and ALL $$ goes to this drive!!!  Just to re-cap: I collect *NEW* winter hats in ALL sizes for kiddo's that are living in an orphanage in China.  I get the name of a needy orphanage from the agency I used to adopt my darling daughter from.  Handmade or store bought, pink, blue, or purple- these kids don't care!! Please feel free to tweet this, post it to facebook or blog about it!  If you have ANY questions at all, email me at:

chinamommy_04@yahoo.com

Thank you!!

Have a great weekend and get ready to crank up your A/C!!

10 Random Things Friday...

Eek, I'm not sure I'm into my summer schedule yet... This is only the 1st week so I'll cut myself some slack!

1. I am in love with this ring!!  You all know I love me some quirky, whimsical art... If only the Mister would have seen this when he was ring shoppin'

The artist is a fellow Michigander and this is only a TINY bit of her jewelry goodness, go check out her wonderful shop here: dolldisasterdesign

2. We are 5 days into Summer Vacation- on Monday I ran around the lake with Darling riding her bike beside me (that was a challenge), Tuesday we drove into town so I could run on the trail while Darling rode her bike beside me (that was still a challenge but without the cars driving by), Wednesday we went to a friends and yesterday we shopped all day.  

3. I just bought this on ebay, 'cause I am a dork

4.  A new goody that will SOON be in my etsy shop

HERE: chinamommy

 5. I have a problem, actually 2... first: I have a embroidery/sewing machine that cost as much as a small KIA car, second: I THINK I can sew, I can't and yet... I bought this book yesterday.

6. If I hear the theme song to Phineas and Ferb one more time, I might drink bleach!

source

7. Squinkies are taking over my home.  No, this isn't all of them...

 8. Apparently "Color Changing" fingernail polish is "very drippy", so drippy in fact, that as soon as your 7 year old opens it, she'll drip the turquoise goodness on  your (soon-to-be-replaced) carpet- She got lucky, this time!!

9. My BEST summer find (so far): $1 ELF lip gloss!!  Found these at Target and for $1 each, they're perfect to throw in your purse, glove box, bathroom, pockets, and junk drawers!! I lose lip gloss like crazy, I just don't feel as bad when they're only $1, plus I don't lose $1 lip gloss, I lose the $10 ones!

10. Even though it's heating up outside, don't forget about my 2nd Annual Hat drive for the kids in China!!  Please see the above tab for ALL the information.  But... I'm taking hats now and will until mid Sept.  The one change I'm making this year: I'm asking that you send .50-$1 per hat to help offset the shipping to China!  BUT: if you CAN'T send the $ still send the hat!!! or if you can't send a hat, feel free to send the $- we're easy around here!!

You didn't forget these sweet faces from last year did ya?

Hand-made, Store bought, these kids do NOT care!!

❉ ❉Sizes from baby to 15 year old kids accepted❉ ❉

You can always send them to:

D. Shellenbarger

c/o chinamommy

146 East Main Street

Caledonia, MI 49316

(this is my Mister's work address...)

Have a GREAT weekend!!

10 Random Things Friday...

Holy COW, did Friday get here as fast for you as it did for me?

1. Yesterday I went on a field trip with Darling and her class.  We went to Frederik Meijer Gardens which is one of the most gorgeous places you'll ever see in Michigan.  It's a large conservatory, outdoor gardens, sculpture park, and one of the largest children's gardens in the country. 

 Find more info HERE

2. Started my 1st hat for my 2nd Annual Baby/Kid Hat Drive- See more information in the tab above and feel free to spread the word!!

3. What my kiddo does INSTEAD of getting dressed for school in the morning: making a TP fort for her littlest pet shop animals.

4. Keeps me up till 12:30 every morning reading!!

5. I had to return a bracelet to J Crew at Christmas so I had a store credit... I got this bracelet instead.  Not only do I love it, when she rang it up it was marked down from $45 to $24.99!!  Win-Win!

6. Easy Peasy eye lift for $19.99, but wait, if you order now, they will DOUBLE your order!!

go here for DREAM LOOK

What do ya think?

7. I'd like this purse, it's on Amazon and it's just under $600... maybe I should get 2?

source

8. I LOVE this artist on etsy: Retro Whale.  I've been stalking the shop for a while trying to decide which piece I want in my home... actually I'm not sure I can narrow it down to just 1.

Love the colors and the style and the humor...

Find retrowhale HERE

9 Crackle finish nail polish...

good or bad?

10. Hope the weather holds up this weekend, because if it does, we're headed to the OCEAN... the Michigan Ocean, we call it Lake Michigan!  Ahhh, who doesn't look forward to a day filling every crack you have with sand?!

Have a GREAT weekend!!