a big ol' thank you!

remember the bracelets and soccer balls that we were collecting for our trip?

they were a BIG OL' hit!

it was a bit mass hysteria the moment we brought out the bracelets. the kids we so incredibly excited. they lined up to have us help each tie their bracelet on. some wore them all day while others took them off before we played to keep them safe. in the midst of it all ... i tried to at least snap a few pictures!

and of course - we were schooled in soccer:

again a huge thank you to all the wonderful friends/family that helped ... including wade's brother david, sister-in-law waverly & their 6 awesome kids (the children loved the flower buttons!), mama bear, bloggers bonnie and charlotte, long lost bible study pal sabrina, bestie whitney (there will be so many more warm feet thanks to that massive box o' socks!), my high school bible study girls and the wonderful group of ladies that came over to help during girls' night!

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it's the weekend, hooray! which means more time to wander the world wide web, right? well wander on over and sign up for this fantastic giveaway (a $78 value). you can enter up to 4x - how 'bout them odds.

you can thank me later ... ;)

guest blog // 3 tips to look & feel better

Hi - I’m Jackie and I'm excited to be guest blogging today on A Case Of The Mundays.

I have always had a passion for fashion - from shoes to makeup, nail polish to handbags, and everything in between! Coupled with that I believe that all women deserve to feel beautiful, no matter what circumstances they may be facing. Women are powerful beings ... we just need to realize it!

 

In 2009, I began working as an advocate for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance, the web's most trusted resource for individuals who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and their families. I work with women daily who hear those devastating words 'you have cancer.' I've seen power in fashion and how it can enhance a woman's overall self-esteem. When we look good, we feel good. I've focused my work with the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance to develop medical content with specializations in alternative care, cancer support programs, and beauty!

Here are 3 tips to help anyone look & feel better!

1 // WEAR FAVORITES!

Taking advantage of the latest fashions can make a person feel rejuvenated and energized. Adding a few new pieces to the wardrobe each season can spice things up and prevent closet boredom. But the benefits of an oldie but a goodie shouldn't be overlooked! Comfort clothes are as good for the soul as comfort foods! Combine a new camisole and sweater with a favorite pair of jeans for an everyday look. A soft, cotton t-shirt that's been worn thin can be paired with skinny jeans and a fitted blazer for an edgy, night-on-the-town look.



 

{source: wendy's lookbook}

2 // MAKE A STATEMENT!

Choose one statement-making accessory each day! Whether it's a bright, floral scarf, a glimmering pair of earrings or a hot pair of leopard print ankle boots, this extra-special addition instantly provides a feeling of confidence. This spring's hot items include large floral patterns, neon colors and funky tribal prints --- talk about bold & energetic!

{check out this great neon necklace DIY via a pair & a spare}

3 // AROMA THERAPY!

Scent can also be used to increase energy! Aromatherapy has been used successfully to help people feel better physically and mentally. Increase your energy with grapefruit or peppermint. Calm your mind after a long stressful day with lavender or vanilla. Treat yourself to your favorite scented candle, body oil or perfume and see how it compliments your mood!

mon-DIY: woven frienship bracelet

last night we had our year end celebration w/ the high school girls' bible study. it's hard to believe that i've been with some of these girls for 3 years now! and it will be even crazier next year when they graduate!!!

when we were planning how we wanted to celebrate the end of another school year - i mentioned that i'd love to have them help me make bracelets for the kids in ethiopia. they were so excited to help out! i love these girls. so we made an evening of it - complete with dairy queen!

{warning: give 7 high school girls embroidery thread and it will end up looking like the bottom right! that makes my ocd self itch. ha.)

of all of the friendship bracelet patterns i've stumbled on while preparing for our trip - this one is by far the easiest to teach and bonus: the quickest to finish! 

here's what you'll need:

* embroidery thread

* a small piece of cardboard

* something circular for your pattern (roll of masking tape)

* scissors, a ruler and a pen

trace a circle onto the cardboard and then cut it out.

mark the center of your circle. then with your ruler, draw a line cutting the circle in half. draw another line through the center making 1/4s. and finally draw a line through the center cutting each 1/4 in 1/2 making 1/8s.

3 // cut about a half inch in from the edge on each line.

finish your loom, by making a hole in the center.

now here's the toughest part - pick out your colors!!! :) you'll need 7 24" long strings. and it's probably easiest to learn with 7 different colors. tie them together with a knot approximately 2" from 1 end.

pull your knot through the center hole.

on the side opposite your knot, arrange the 7 strings by tucking 1 into each of the slits in your cardboard loom. there will be 1 empty slit. turn your loom so that the open slit is toward yourself.

count 3 strings to the left of the open slit. for me, this is the bright green string (above). take that string out of it's slit and move it to the open slit. that's it! now you just repeat.

rotate your loom so that the open slit is toward you, count 3 strings to the left, take that string out of it's slit and move it to the open slit ... and repeat, and repeat, and repeat!

a little test ... which string would we move next if the open slit was facing us (above)? ... that's right - BLUE. got it?

when you've weaved and weaved and weaved until the bracelet is your desired length, carefully remove each string from it's slit and tie them together w/ another knot. easy peasy!

take them a meal!

the summer i turned 25, we had a wedding every other weekend throughout the summer. now that i'm edging 30 - it's ALL BABY! :) 4 of my girlfriends have had babies in the past month - and 1 more is due any day now! would you believe it --- all had boys!!!

one of my favorite ways to celebrate each new baby has been to bring the new parents a meal. relieving the stress of "what's for dinner?" is possibly the biggest gift you can give a couple as they transition into new parents!

 

make-ahead chix, ham & swiss roulades via real simple

photo courtesy:  ellie miller

if you're like me, cooking for your own family can feel a bit overwhelming after a long day. so here's a little list of tips i've gathered to help you plan your "special delivery":

1 // take them a meal! everyone loves free food! it doesn't matter if you're a month after delivery or if there wasn't an established "meal plan". just do it! pick a meal that you're comfortable with and that transports easily. make sure that you double check with the family for any food allergies or dislikes. bonus: save yourself some time by making a double portion for your family!

2 // bring plenty of food. one of my sweet mommies had her parents, his parents, a brother & sister-in-law and 2 year-old twins staying with them after the baby was born. plan accordingly! besides, did you know that a nursing mommy needs to eat 2500 calories a day!?! plan a meal w/ 6-8 servings perfect for dinner and leftovers! as an added bonus, bring fresh fruit & pastries or a casserole for breakfast in the am.

3 // take your items in disposable containers. ziplock bags, foil pans, gladware ... easy to label & recycle or toss. better yet - the new parents won't have to worry about returning your dishware. they'll have enough on their minds already!

4 // arrive on time! 8pm dinners are unfortunately quite common around our house. but apparently that's not the case with everyone!?! :) deliver your meal table ready at the requested time. if you're a working woman - try signing up for a weekend shift or choose a make ahead recipe & prep the night before. i've found this enchilada recipe via real simple super helpful to deliver earlier in the day w/ heating instructions. (speaking of time - don't stay too long! they're probably exhausted and definitely hungry!)

5 // add a personal touch. come up with a theme like "date night" or pick up a fresh bouquet of flowers or fancy disposable paper products. and add a little note of encouragement + the recipe! of course, they are going to loooove what you cooked and ask anyways. ;)

maybe you don't have a new mommy & daddy in your life but rather someone grieving or in transition. a sweet friend brought me a meal the week after i moved wade to boston! i guess i was "love sick" and it meant the world to me.

thanks to takethemameal.com, we're talking not your grandma's small town baptist church meals on wheels anymore! talk about super user friendly and organized! as the coordinator, you create a password protected online sign up sheet. the profile can be shared on facebook or friends can be invited through email. both participants and recipient can reference phone numbers, driving directions, delivery times, food allergies and more. meal providers can select a date and enter their information including planned meal (perfect for eliminating duplicates), and then the site automatically sends them a reminder email a day in advance. genius!

our big race weekend.

we did it! we ran the st. jude country music marathon over the weekend!

1 // that guy ran his first full marathon - a very hilly and very hot 26.2 miles! and he is already talking about what he'll do differently next time! that girl ran her second half marathon (13.1 miles) - and actually enjoyed it! though she isn't quite sure if there will be a "next time". ;)

2 // we clean up well! amazing how a great big smile can mask achy feet and a bit of heat exhaustion! an icebath for him and a loooong shower for her - plus a little r&r while watching "princess bride" ... and we were good as new!

3 // great food, great drinks and even greater company. we were super excited and thankful to have friends alex and naomi in from boston. we started early at mad donnas for appetizers, margaritas and martinis. then made a brief stop at 3 crow bar before heading over to holland house. it was nearly impossible to tear us away from holland house and our fantastic lead bartender jeremiah blake; however we had reservations for our 2nd annual post-race dinner at merchants downtown. as ah-mazing as last year! we finished the night off with a little honky-tonkin' at roberts western world and some 90s sing-along at the big bang piano bar. basically your "idiot's guide to nashville" ... all this before 10pm!

4 // then on sunday ... we did a whole lot of nothing!

best part ... as a couple, we raised over 1K for barefoot ministries. and as a team, we raised almost 35 THOUSAND DOLLARS! pretty sweet, huh!?! that's scholarship money for over 300 students to go to church camp this summer and extra $ for further development at barefoot republic.

thank you to those that supported barefoot ministries & our run! :)

3 random things ...

i've been MIA this week. a couple of excuses ... but of course:

1 // race day is this saturday! woot woot. we went and picked up our race numbers and goodie packs over lunch today. (um yes - that does say "tom rosenberry". i almost walked out of there as him instead of myself. boy would that have been confusing!) there's still time to donate if you'd like to help us out. remember this post? it tells all about barefoot ministries, the ministry we're raising money for. thanks to those that have given, we've already raised enough to send about 3-4 inner-city students to camp this summer. sweet! click here for all the details.

2 // i don't talk about my big girl job very often. for those of you that know me through the blogosphere alone, i work at a record label in nashville doing creative. my boss and i coordinate all things visual for our artists - photo shoots, video shoots, album packages, marketing materials and social media. basically there's ALWAYS too much on the plate - which means it NEVER gets boring. 

this week we released an album for lee brice that we've been very excited about. it just feels like it's finally his time. lee's paid his dues having written for super legit acts like garth brooks, tim mcgraw, kenny chesney and had the song of the year the past 2 years in country music ("love like crazy" and "crazy girl" performed by the eli young band). finally he topped the country charts w/ with his current single "a woman like you". i don't usually self promote but if you like good ol boy music & a drive in the truck ... or heck just talented writing ... check out his new album, hard 2 love. my mom loves him and based on how he looked at her at a recent cmt taping - he loves her back! ;)

(click above)

3 // now a little ethiopia update! we've been finalizing details for our trip and picking up last minute supplies. we were so excited to hear back from stella with the awassa children's project w/ more detail about our time w/ the project. we'll arrive on saturday and play with the kids over the weekend. then on monday when the kids go back to school, i'll work in the preschool and wade will help w/ the garden. after school, we'll tutor. we'll have 9 days with the kids!!! now i need to find easy craft ideas and coloring/activity pages to bring along with us! if you have any suggestions or resources - let me know!

speaking of crafting, i haven't been doing much lately. instead i've been making friendship bracelets galore. i'm like my 12 year old self on SPEED. maybe i'll share a tutorial or 2 on all the different types of bracelets i've conquered - i mean they're back, right? and i'm still planning to have a crafternoon of bracelet making now that we're not going to be running as often! we're so thankful for the friends that have sent us soccer balls + bracelets! we'd love to get even more - even if that means we have no room to pack our own clothes! :) email me for details.

hopefully i'll be back w/ something new soon! :)
until then - hope you are well!

bracelets & soccer balls - the update!

wade and i are 2 weeks out from the marathon (yikes!).
then we're 2 weeks out from my little brothers wedding.
and then we'll be 2 weeks out from ethiopia.

exciting!

and making it even more exciting ... we've started to get soccer balls + bracelets in the mail for our trip. we've had an awesome response. i love putting this blog into action.

soccer balls from mama bear. and a little arm party for a very good cause!

(don't worry - i just put them on for the picture!)

i love getting snail mail - especially when it includes an envelope full of gifts for the kids of the awassa children's project! these amazing bracelets are from one of my sponsors this month - bonny bee designs on etsy:

the summer after bonnie's junior year in college, she volunteered in tanzania for 5 weeks. while she was there, she taught women at the community center how to make bracelets so that they could sell them. one of her new friends made her a bracelet and she put it on that day (over 4 years ago). worn and a bit smelly, she reluctantly took it off for the first time earlier this month. and then she read our post about our trip. she emailed and volunteered to make bracelets for the kiddos ... some w/ the very same cord she had bought in tanzania.

we're so very grateful for her sweet bracelets and the time it took her to make them! please check out her etsy store and support her w/ us! and of course - message me if you'd like to get involved too!!! there's still time!

speaking of bracelets - have you heard of band for good?

my friend faith brought me one of these bracelets over the weekend. and i love it! i love the bright colors - but even more i love that it is fashion w/ purpose.

each year, off the mat - a program bridging yoga and activism - sponsors an international service project called the global seva challenge. these off the mat global wristbands support local artisans in thailand and otm’s 2012 seva challenge focusing on rehabilitating women and children involved in sex trafficking in India and worldwide. check out the offthematintotheworld.org and globalwristbandproject.com for more information and to purchase your own!

bracelets & soccer balls

so there you have it! we'll be spending 2 weeks in ethiopia! we'll fly from new york city to cairo on the 23rd & 24th. after an 11 hour layover (and dinner on the nile!), we'll finally arrive in addis ababa early on the 25th. but our final destination will be awassa - a lake city approx 270 miles and a 5-6 hr car ride south of addis. 

i know what you're thinking. ethiopia isn't exactly topping travelchannel.com's top 10 vacation spots. :) my first time in africa was for our honeymoon, and we spent 2 glorious weeks in morocco (read all about our trip here and here). while we do plan to spend a couple of days at the sabana beach resort of lake langano, and we'll hopefully find time to take an overnight trip to arba minch & the nechisar national park and possibly spend time w/ the people of the omo tribe, this trip won't be honeymoon part deux. the majority of our trip will be spent w/ the awassa children's project.

 {source: awassa children's project}

the awassa children's project was founded 10 years ago as a school and orphanage to help children and families orphaned or affected by HIV/AIDS. they provide housing, food, healthcare and education to around 100 orphans. they also provide vocation training to over 100 adult students in computers as well as wood, electrical and metal work. and cooler still, they have a program called one love theatre that educates thousands of people throughout ethiopia each year about HIV/AIDS.

we're not sure what exactly we'll be doing in awassa yet - but we're pretty thrilled. we'll have up to 9 days w/ the kiddos. :) 9 DAYS of soccer!  9 DAYS of singing songs! 9 DAYS of hugs and high fives! 9 DAYS!!!

{source: kyle lamere - ishootrockstars.com}

despite being so excited that i just couldn't hide it any longer - there's a reason behind announcing our trip 2 months early. are you ready for it? 

we're not fundraising for our trip. while airplane tickets and hotel stays and car rentals and - heck - vaccinations can get a bit expensive, we've luckily saved enough to cover everything. but we want your help! we want to collect a few things to share w/ the kiddos at the awassa children's project.

here's what we need:

1 // for you non-crafters ... SOCCER BALLS! wade mentioned in his post that they spent a good majority of his trip playing soccer w/ tightly rolled plastic bags. we'd love to take quite a few deflated soccer balls w/ us to leave with the children.

2 // for you crafters ... BRACELETS! i love craft hope - that combines the love for crafts w/ the desire to change the world. consider this my very own craft hope, i'm looking for blog readers and friends to help me make homemade bracelets to share w/ the kids and other kids we meet while in ethiopia. it's amazing that something so little can mean so much to a child. :) make a bracelet or make 20. have your little ones get involved. or have a girls night. to get those creative juices flowing ... i rounded up a few of my favorite bracelet DIYs:

{clockwise from upper left: honestlywtf, honestlywtf, v & co, flax & twine}

okay so there you have it! DEADLINE: MAY 11TH. we have a little under 2 months to collect everything. :) email me to sign up and to get all the details or with additional ideas!

hello munday

a few instagram shots from our weekend:

{clockwise from upper left}

1 // many of you messaged about "the super cell" that was heading directly for nashville on friday. thankfully the storm wasn't quite what they had expected. w + i took shelter w/ friends chris & faith and enjoyed a little candlelit game playing until the electricity came back on. check out that HAIL!?! (photo courtesy: chandra)

2 // you didn't realize that nashville is the athens of the south, did you? saturday am our running team met at the parthenon for our mid-training run! 6.5 miles. yeowch. did i mention we're running for a great cause? read about it here. :) i need to get on my fundraising. we're asking $1 a mile. that's $13.10 for me and $26.20 for wade (yes - he's running the FULL!).

3 // i bought supplies for a fun little sewing project. but unfortunately didn't even start it over the weekend! would you believe that we have 4 friends having baby boys this month!?! crazy! time to make some welcome home presents.

4 // wow - i've been baking a lot lately. thankfully w + i are running must of it off. :) these yummy lemon bars are based on this recipe from the baking beauties. and they are the perfect equation of light fluffy crust and lemon tart! i modified the "all-purpose flour mix" by using sweet rice flour instead of brown rice flour since it's what i had on hand. while brown rice flour would have been a bit healthier, at least the lemon will fight off scurvy. ;)

i hope you had a super fun weekend.

snow days!

not in nashville, of course. where we apparently no longer have seasons! um - please don't be teasing me, spring. 65º and sunny in february!

w + i spent the weekend w/ 20 rowdy kids from calvin house ministries. we enjoyed a day of skiing and 3 days retreating @ lake junaluska, nc. needless to say - today i'm pooped! i hit my snooze alarm a whopping 10x this morning. that has to be a record.

 

{my small group girls + raven}

hopefully i can muster up a little energy tonight to unpack. :)

until then - hope you had a great weekend.

want to help send my girls to camp? we're running a half marathon to raise money for camp scholarships. email me {click here} for details!

we're running a 1/2 marathon ... BAREFOOT!

okay not literally barefoot.

there's a guy in my yoga class that runs around town barefoot. i would maybe consider running barefoot if i lived near a beach in say hawaii or maybe even on the west coast where they're a little more enviro-friendly. but the streets of nashville!?! no way! okay okay tangent.

i ran a half marathon back in 2008. wade had just moved to boston. so w/ loads of new-found free time, i decided "why not" when my friend em asked me to run with her. we started training in august (really slowly --> 1 minute run + 1 minute walk) and by the first week in november were up to running 11 miles straight.

my parents and brother ross made the trip to cheer me on! ... and they of course jumped at the opportunity to capture a few pictures of me uncontrollably barfing after i crossed the finished line.

wade flew in and surprised emily + i @ mile 11 to run us in. i'm not sure if my barfing was bc of nerves or pure exhaustion. honestly: once i saw him, i had a feeling that he was going to ask me to marry him - so let's say nerves. he didn't. at least not that weekend. ha!

wow - looking back at pics and remembering every step (and blister) of my first 13.1 miles ... i'm definitely thinking "what have i gotten myself into AGAIN"!?! but the fees have been paid. the launch meeting attended. it's true folks ... we're running the country music 1/2 marathon!

so what's the deal w/ "running barefoot"? instead of running just to get in shape and prove something to ourselves like i did last time, wade and i are running w/ a team this year! we're running as members of "run barefoot" for barefoot republic.

barefoot republic is a summer camp that launched 10 years ago w/ a mission to develop Christ-centered relationships between students of diverse racial, cultural and socioeconomical backgrounds. through activities as diverse as extreme sports to fine arts and praise and worship sessions, the children form lasting friendships, discover that God has given each of them unique talents to use for His glory and tear down the barriers the world has created. learn more about barefoot republic.

because of barefoot’s intentional recruitment of culturally diverse youth, over 75% of the campers cannot afford to pay the full tuition and need some sort of financial assistance. run barefoot is an opportunity to check "running a 1/2 marathon" off the bucket list while raising scholarship money & money for future improvements of the camp property.

this year wade and i have committed to raise $1000 each. $2000 could send 6 of my inner-city bible study girls to camp for a life changing experience.

want to join us in our challenge?

1 // RUN WITH US! there's still time to sign up to run barefoot. click here for details.

2 // SPONSOR US! could you spare $1 per mile? that's $13.10. visit www.runbarefootnow.com and click on "Support a Runner". (Be sure to include either my name or Wade's name to contribute towards our individual pledges!)

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there's still time! be sure to sign up for the noonday giveaway. three fabulous noonday necklaces to choose from in you win & entering is super easy so go check it out. click the banner below for all the details: