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Riverdancing

itsamadmission — Mon, 02 May 2011 14:04:28 +0000

A video, because it seems I no longer have time to write

http://www.facebook.com/v/10150559073065285

Download “Songs of the Adopted”

itsamadmission — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:31:04 +0000

I’m so excited to make the following announcement: Williamsburg Church Worship is releasing a 3-song EP for you to download, donate toward if you can, and (hopefully) enjoy. All proceeds go toward our adoption of sibling brothers in Russia.

This little project is the culmination of lots of hard work on the part of the worship team I sing with at church. Our guitarist Sara Merten wrote the songs, and, along with Dailey Crafton, helped me record them at our church space over the period of a few months (no budget means no “professional” studio production, but I’m amazed at what these guys could do with a few microphones and Garageband). I’m ever so grateful for their sacrifice of time to bring this project to fruition.

Just download the songs via these links. On PC, just click the title and Save. On Mac, right click the title and Save Link As.

The Good Forever

Jubilee

Who Shall Separate Us

If you have a moment, show your music appreciation and please donate toward our adoption at this Paypal link:

It’s totally secure and easy and takes credit cards too.

Every time you hear these songs, we hope they will remind you about the two precious boys you helped bring home. Thank you!

knit-wit

itsamadmission — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 01:23:29 +0000

Last night, some of the girls invaded Kelly’s house for crafts and convo. I brought along a knitting project I’d started, and was amazed that nearly everyone there had knit at some point. I finished my project tonight, and thought posting about it would be a great kick-starter for all the other people out there who, like me, knit in a previous life.

Seriously, I have not picked up a pair of knitting needles since middleschool, when my best buds Erica and Eve and I got into it. I made a pair of slippers. That sounds really complex, and I think it was. I have no idea how I did it, and could barely remember how to purl until Bill’s sister was so kind as to teach me last weekend.

I’d purchased these bad boys (I also keep Bill in check with them while knitting):

"Are those training needles?" Bill asks when I get home from the craft store.

Along with 2 skeins of chunky Lion brand yarn (by the way, this brand is so soft and the color palette is fab-dab-ulous). I’ll buy nicer, more expensive Yarn Tree yarn when I’m better at this.

So after 7 (yes, s-e-v-e-n) false starts, I figured out what I was doing, and cast on 40 stitches. And just kept going until I ran out of yarn.

Notice those stripes. They are mistakes. I purled instead of knit, or knit instead of purled. I decided to embrace the flaws, and I'm glad I did.

Toward the end, when Heather was no longer around to answer my novice questions, I realized I needed buttonholes. Youtube to the rescue! Then, I didn’t remember how to get the finished project off the needled. Youtube again. I lurve Youtube.

See those buttons? They are literal slices of wood! My heart skipped a beat when I saw them at M & J Trimmings today.

Final result:

2 buttons buttoned, 2 unbuttoned for a shawl style. But wait, there's more...

Button them all up for an oversized cowl that deep down inside you know you'll mock yourself for in 5 years, but for now you LOVE it.

My favorite part--it's a hat. I'm ready to adopt my boys in Russia in the middle of winter!

So break out the rubbermaid storage box in your basement, unpack those old needles and moldy yarn, and get stitching, friends! Send me pictures if you do.

And completely unrelated to this post, I saw my nieces and nephew this weekend. Cutest. Kids. Ever. No contest.

They refused to take a normal shot.

Savings tip of the day

itsamadmission — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:26:21 +0000

So we’re on adoption budget here in the Franks’ house. But I’d worn through my boots (3 years of walking everywhere has worn clean through a 1-inch heel) and started looking for another pair to last me a while. I wanted high quality boots, because I like to counteract our disposable cheap-goods culture when I can. Clarks had a pair for $120 I loved. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Then I found a pair of granny booties at Aldo for $70.

Pretty on the outside, nothing on the inside.

Getting closer. But when I tried them on, Ugh! They were so uncomfortable.

Then I thought, what about thrift stores? But honestly, with the bed bugs plaguing our city right now, I couldn’t bear the thought, or the risk.

Hello, Etsy? That girl comes to the rescue again! Nabbed these for $20, got them in the mail yesterday, and they are lovely. Vintage leather with plenty of wear left to get me to Russia and back and then running after two energetic boys.

Quasi-hipster mom. It’s the new hipster.

Come to momma.

So check out Etsy’s vintage section for your winter footwear or whatever else you are looking for. You might find a steal.

I’d choose you.

itsamadmission — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:02:56 +0000

This post says beautifully in words and pictures what Bill and I are feeling in our hearts right now. (Thanks to our friends Candace and Josh for posting the link on their blog. They are adopting from Ethiopia at the same time we are from Russia. So cool how God reconnected us through shared experiences.)

Friday funnies

itsamadmission — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 13:31:45 +0000

Oh my soul, I just laughed out loud in my cubicle.

http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/inspiration/try-this-recreate-old-family-photos-123764

veggie tales

itsamadmission — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:08:12 +0000

We’re in a CSA–community supported agriculture–this year, so I’m forced to get creative with all these vegetables (let me tell you, I’ve never eaten so many varieties of lettuce in my life). But thankfully, greens season is ending and we’re moving on to the good stuff, like zucchini.

I just made these easy zucchini boats tonight, and they were delish. I get vegetables into my husband by covering them in beef and cheese. The best part–no oven! There’s a little stovetop work, but the rest is microwave, baby. Keeping the house cool at 85 degrees instead of 95.

I healthed it up a bit more by adding chopped red pepper (just cook it with the beef and onion) and making quinoa (a rice-like seed that doesn’t have much flavor but is rich in nutrients) the middle layer of the boats. Rice could be used instead of quinoa. Just lay down a few spoonfuls of either before adding the meat mixture on top. Oh, and lastly, I used mozzarella instead of monterey jack.

Enjoy!

the internet is so cool sometimes

itsamadmission — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:20:12 +0000

I submitted a question to Apartment Therapy’s parents’ blog, and am getting lots of great input.

Happy Father’s Day, Bill!

itsamadmission — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:27:34 +0000

Since we are in “paper pregnancy” right now, we consider ourselves to be parents–we just haven’t met our boys yet. But that doesn’t mean I can’t give my hubs a proper Father’s day card. I decided to make one about the things he might look forward to doing with our guys (we’re praying for you daily, kiddos!).

coaster wreath

itsamadmission — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 15:28:56 +0000

Last weekend was the Renegade craft fair, and I was looking for affordable things. Thankfully, there were lots of giveaways, and lots of cheap coasters.

These letterpress coasters were $1 each, so I decided it was time to finally jazz up our metal front door with a “wreath.” Just hot glue a magnet on the back, and hang.