I look around my house and see piles of to-do…..

Not just to-do whenever, more specifically it’s to-be-done by March 20.

That is because at 6am on March 21 I fly to Indianapolis and back to take E to my Mom’s for a week while we are in the Philippines.

After arriving back in San Antonio at 6:15pm, I turn around and leave for the Philippines 6am the following morning on March 22.

I am super excited but it is coming SO FAST!

The biggest task at hand is planning and organizing THE BIG HUNT, our church’s largest outreach happening on Saturday April 7.

We arrive home from the Philippines late Friday night March 30.

That means I have 7 days once I get back!!

I can totally do it, I know. I do my best work under pressure.

Maybe that’s why I always have a million things on my plate…..

I am super SUPER excited about this year’s BIG HUNT. With 2 successful years under my belt, I feel like I can focus on really taking it to the next level instead of just barely getting it all done.

As hard as I try to fight it, I am“the next level” kind of girl.

That’s the amazing thing about Ryan and I. We are equally passionate about “the next level”. I think that makes us fairly annoying to some people….. like, “why can’t you just be satisfied with the way things are?“ 

To which I answer, “God gave me passion and the ability to multitask. Then he gave me Ryan. Enough said.”

While I am super excited about everything to do with the BIG HUNT (& the Philippines Mission trip) – have I said that yet? -  I must say the worst part about being so heavily involved with ministry & outreach is the little time we get to spend with the kids during it all.

I was so delighted when our nanny, Alicia, agreed to watch the kids extra that first week back from the Philippines leading up to BIG HUNT. Not to mention the BIG HUNT day itself.

But, I just found out this week that she is moving to Houston and Thursday will be her last day.

Total. Bummer.

So now I’m back looking for another nanny.

During the busiest month of my entire year.

Not too concerned though. God is working out the details. I’m not going to bother trying to add seconds to my life fretting over it.

I am fully aware that Satan is on full attack mode right now in my life.

Does any other Harry Potter fans picture Satan as a dementor? I just can’t seem to get that visual out of my head….him trying to suck all the happiness out of my life.

Good thing I know the Patronus Charm.

Okay, I’m sorry for all the Harry Potter references lately. I’m done, I promise.

We’re less than 4 weeks away from our mission trip to the Philippines.

Excitement is building.

As is the money needed to get all 3 of us there. From immunizations to plane fare to hotel & food – it all adds up when you’re doing it for three of us.

And so….I’ve had this idea/desire to make Scripture/Quotation Canvases to raise money for trip for a while now. Life just got busy and I never got a chance to move forward. A few people I talked to about it early on, however, keep asking me if they are available yet. So I decided, it’s better late than never.

I LOVE these canvases. I’ve made lots of them and all in very different ways.

They’re fun and versatile. You can pretty much hang them anywhere.

Honestly, they aren’t hard to make but if you feel creativity challenged – I’d be happy to make one for you.

Here’s few things I’ll need to know:

• Size: 8×10 or 12×12 or 9×12
• Scripture reference/Quotation/Words
• white or black canvas
• general colors desired

The suggested starting donation for 1 canvas is $25. All money will go directly to our church, Journey Church San Antonio, then directly to X’s mission fund.  The “DONATE NOW” button on the right sidebar will take you directly to PayPal which will go to me and I’ll turn it into the church (promise) or you can go directly to the church website.

X and I will be working on these together, however, I’ll ensure that your canvas doesn’t look like a 10 year old did it.

If you live local I will arrange a time to get yours to you otherwise I can mail them.

Thanks for your support as we go across the world spreading the Word of God.

Questions? You can email me kelly@kellynewcom.com

P.S. I’m also willing to do photo shoots for the Philippines if you’re interested. I’ll just have to schedule them after Easter.

After our Harry Potter Saturday morning, I went to work. Yeah for working weekends!

When I came home I saw this on the counter:

It turns out we have our very own Ollivander living here.

It seems that the broken dow rods that were being used simply weren’t sufficient enough for our young wizards. Ryan stepped in got his creativeness  on and made one of these for all the kids.

He said, “They may as well have nice wands!”

Ha! Don’t you love it? Someone who “doesn’t get in to Harry Potter” making homemade wands….

And with such care. He used paint from the kids bedrooms, left over wire (I’m guessing from the house), and electrical tape.

I told him he’d have to make another so I can document it and post it on my CREATIVE link. He rolled his eyes.

But really, here’s the coolest thing ever……

X has already busted into Deathly Hallows on her own.

Seriously!

I was planning on buying the digital version & audio version for her iPad for her to read/listen to on the way to the Philippines. I honestly thought that would be the first time she’d go to it. What a treat (for this Mama) to see her dive into Book 7 on her own free will!

Today she’ll take her Accelerated Reader test for The Half Blood Prince (a huge 30 points). I quizzed her on it while I straightened her hair. She knows her stuff.

This past week X & I finally hit the good part of Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince.

Not that I don’t think the whole book is good, in fact it’s one of my favorites.  I love the movement of the plot towards finality as well as the love drama that goes on between Ron & Hermoine and Harry & Ginny.

Back in 2009 I read this book in 1 DAY out on the front porch of the big house. I simply could not put it down. I had been waiting and hoping X would get to that point and this week it did. She actually read several chapter beginnings on her own because she didn’t want to wait for me.

Last night I read the second to last chapter (till 10pm) and told everyone (because everyone was listening to me read) that we’d read the last chapter in the morning then watch the movie.

I woke up too early to the sound of E announcing to the sleeping souls in the house that it was Harry Potter time.

And then I heard a few jinxes thrown around.

A few unforgivable curses.

You know, your typical Saturday morning wizarding battle.

By 8am I was up and reading.

With Hedwig in X’s hand and coffee in mine.

Some chapters read so fast and effortlessly, others drag on horribly when you’re reading them out loud. This last chapter flew by and before we knew it – it was movie time!

This movie is good, because the book is good, but it is certainly not my favorite movie. The fact that they tragically change up Harry & Ginny’s kiss and relationship as a whole is devastating to me.

X, however, thinks all the love and snogging in this book is gross and awkward. She could barely listen to me read some of the parts  without pretending to puke or hid her face.

I’m thankful for that.

By the time the movie was over we had gained several neighborhood kids and all of them were ready to be witches and wizards. I looked out my (super clean) kitchen window to see this:

Entirely way too many “Avada Kadavras” being thrown back there.

These 2 (self proclaimed) Death Eaters did seem pretty rotten though…

X is conjuring “The Dark Mark” here.

E was, of course, playing the role of Harry. Nobody could touch him.

What I love most about this is seeing their imaginations at work…. I have fully explained that magic isn’t real , that Harry Potter’s world is all make believe, and that there are no such things as wizards and witches. With that said, if they want to pretend they are in that fantasy land, I am  fully prepared to let them.

I see it as taking the book and living it out.

Not in a bad or unhealthy sense, but in a way I can reference this to teach them about the Bible. We don’t just read the Bible and say “okay, done!” – we live it out. Hopefully I can make this example of “living it out” really sink into their hearts with understanding.

I really want them to desire to live out God’s word as much as they desire to live out Harry Potter.

And if they don’t, I’ll just put them under the Imperious curse  so they’ll have to obey me.

This was the back of our house before:

We fixed the dirty windows, next was the 3 foot drop that was outside our back door.

These men are so handy and super.

I had to include this picture of the concrete setting since my Dad made fun of me (and called me “sick”) for taking it.

The girls had to be some of the first to test it out on their way to the trampoline.

How beautiful it is. Something so simple feels like such a blessing.

Now, I don’t feel bad letting the kids go out this door. As a matter of fact, I think I’ve gone outside more this past week now that these stairs are here.

Once the stairs were done, my Dad took a break from work to jump on the trampoline…..with 5 girls.

I think he was nearly touching the ground in this last one.

We all said a prayer of thanks that no one got rocketed out of the trampoline and that it didn’t break.

And then everyone came inside using our fabulous new back steps.