A Few of My Favorite Things :: Summer Edition

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things..."

Don't you just love that song from The Sound of Music? I do, and it's inspired a new blogging topic called, "A Few of My Favorite Things"! My plan is to do a post for my "favorite things" each season - Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring. Over time, I might expand and post other "favorite things" here and there. I'd love it if you'd do your own blog of summertime "favorite things" and leave the link in a comment so I can read yours too!

#1 - Fresh cut flowers 

Okay.... to be honest, I love fresh flowers in my house year-round, but there's something about summer colored floral arrangements actually in the summer! My favorites are these orange/coral roses or bright pink roses (with just about anything!), blue and white arrangements (roses, hydrangeas, delphinium, etc), and any combination of yellow and purple (daffodils, statice, sunflowers, irises, roses, lavender, etc). And to save money, I'll even cut wildflowers from the back yard. There are few things happier than a daisy!

I am in love with this new rose bowl (also called a flower frog) that my husband and I found antiquing a few weeks ago. (Okay...okay... I was antiquing. Meanwhile, my husband was playing with the fake sword in the antique shop and giving me a heart attack by how close he was getting to all the breakables!) I'd been looking for one ever since my friend from college, James, wrote about them on his blog. A rose bowl is the PERFECT way to ensure a full floral arrangement, and it looks great on my end table! I wasn't wild about the base at first, as I was looking for something more formal (see - heavy silver bowl) but it's growing on me. I'm hoping I'll find a couple more that I like better on future antiquing trips :)

#2 - Hammocks

Who doesn't love a hammock? There are few things more peaceful than swinging lazily in a hammock in the summer sun, staring up at a bright blue sky. Honestly, I feel more peaceful just seeing my hammock outside on the back porch! When it's there, that means it's officially summer!

#3 - Petites Tahitian Green nail polish

I got this little bottle of polish for 98 cents at WalMart, and I am in LOVE with it! I'm pretty much obsessed with green right now - specifically emerald green or that lovely turquoise color that's everywhere these days. When I saw this color I just had to have it! It reminds me of the color of the ocean in Thailand, and it's just so much fun for summer. I've only tried it on my toes though - not sure if I'd like green fingernails!

  

                                           #4 - A Thai Two-Piece

I hate swimsuit shopping. Who doesn't?! It is torture of the cruelest kind! Even in college - when I had a personal trainer, killer abs, and was winning swimsuit awards in Miss Alabama preliminaries (those were the days! *sigh) I still hated swimsuit shopping! I could try on 50 suits and maybe, just maybe, find one I liked. There's just way too much that can go wrong when that much of your body is exposed! So when I saw this gorgeous green and black print (did I mention I am loving green right now?) in the night market in Thailand, I was almost too afraid to buy it! It was so pretty, but the odds of buying a swimsuit from a street vendor (without trying it on) and having it fit (much less look good) were pretty slim. Still - at $10 - I just couldn't resist. Imagine my surprise when I got home and it not only fit - it was the most flattering, comfortable swimsuit I'd ever owned! I especially love the fact that
it's strapless - so no more terrible tan lines to deal with!

                                     #5 - Arbonne's "Awaken" lotion

There is one thing I HATE about summer - those blasted mosquitoes! But I also hate putting bugspray full of harmful pesticides on my skin (did you know everything you put on your skin absorbs into your bloodstream in 26 seconds?! Eek!) and the smell of citronella (which is in almost every natural bug repellent). So it seems I had 3 options - get eaten by mosquitoes, put harmful pesticides on my skin, or smell like disgusting citronella.... until now!

Several years ago, some other Arbonne consultants told me that the Awaken lotion (formulated as an aromatherapy line) kept away mosquitoes. Naturally, I was skeptical. If it didn't have pesticides or citronella, how would it work?! So - a friend of mine and I tested it for ourselves in India - against mosquitoes that didn't just BITE - they also carried malaria. Turns out - those women were RIGHT! Apparently, mosquitoes don't like the scent of lavender or lemon peel oil. This amazing lotion that smells fresh and summery (and isn't strong at all!) actually did keep the mosquitoes away - as long as it was applied to ALL my exposed skin. I was THRILLED! Now I recommend it to everyone, especially my friends with kids! It's my go-to summer lotion. And the good news for guys is - it doesn't smell "girly" at all, so you can use it too!

            #6 - Summer Reading

Go ahead.... call me a dork, or a bookworm, but I miss my childhood "Summer Reading Programs"! Not the terrible literature forced on me by my high school teachers or college professors (okay, it wasn't all bad... but I hate being forced to read something I didn't choose!) but the programs put on by local libraries to encourage kids to read during their summers off. My mother used to enroll us kids in BOTH programs - at the Anniston and Oxford Public Libraries. There were summers I'd read 80 books (40 for each library) and I couldn't have been happier!

Sadly, over time reading for fun has been put on the backburner. I blame my Southern English professor for forcing me to read an entire semester of books I HATED my senior year of college. I never fully recovered! So - this summer - I'm doing something about it. I'm making time to read for fun  - even if it's just a few chapters before bed every night. Last week I started "I Still Dream About You" by Fannie Flag. It's a fictional story (that I'm loving!) about a former Miss Alabama and it's set in Birmingham. It only took about 4 chapters before I was homesick for Alabama and missing my Miss Alabama Pageant friends!

#7 - These pictures....

I'll finish this off with one of my favorite summer pictures of me and my husband. Okay... maybe two of my favorites (I couldn't choose between them!) These were taken by Rosie Gearhart, who hired us to model for her iStock portfolio. I'm pretty sure we have a picture for every season thanks to her - and I'll do my best to pick my favorite and share it with you on a similar blog in Fall, Winter, and Spring too!

I just love these shots. We were so genuinely happy here... we laughed a lot that day!

Okay - your turn! What are your favorite things for summer?

Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela!

Today is Nelson Mandela's 93rd birthday! Because he is such a remarkable man, I felt it was important to write a blog today dedicated to him.

 

You may have learned a little bit about Nelson Mandela's life if you watched the beautiful movie "INVICTUS" released in 2009.  Mandela became South Africa's first black president in 1994 after spending 27 years in prison for his fight against racist apartheid rule, and was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. When he took over leadership of South Africa, it was his humility, love, and constant striving for peace and equality that helped unify and heal his country.

He is full of wisdom and has shared so much inspiring advice over the years. I am anxious to buy a copy of the new book "Nelson Mandela by Himself" - which was released by his foundation today.

Lately, I've been reflecting on this quote from Mandela:

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart."

I can think of nothing more true. This is why we work so hard when we are overseas to learn the local language. Whether it is Afrikaans, Xosa, or Telugu - I do my best to at least learn how to greet someone and to say Thank You. I will never forget the day I met an Indian man in Thailand, and mis-spoke to him in Thai. When he told me he was from India (not Thailand) I asked him what area. When he said Andhra Pradesh and I responded with "Thank You" in his native tongue, I thought he would pass out from shock! His eyes lit up, and he grabbed his chest as the biggest smile spread across his face. A few moments later we were sharing stories and laughing like old friends, and he was offering to buy myself and my husband drinks!

Of course, in the countries we work in regularly, we are trying to learn as much of the language as possible. We've learned enough Thai to get around town, and enough siSwati to have simple conversations, and I'm hoping I can learn more Hindi when we return to India this fall. It's a lot of work, but it is so worth it when we see the joy (and surprise!) in the faces of the locals we meet. There are so few westerners who have cared enough to even try to learn their language... so when we do, it is a sign of love and respect.

I heard an interview with a white typist who worked in the President's office when Mandela won the position in 1994. She talked about the day she met Mandela in the hall, and he began to speak to her in Afrikaans, which is considered the "white people's language" (and was the language of Mandela's prison guards). She shared that when he spoke her language to her, she was so surprised and overwhelmed that she began to cry. What a beautiful story of what humility, love, and hard work can do!

I hope today, you will celebrate the birthday of this incredible man by choosing to love and serve those around you, as he has for so many years. I'll leave you with a few more of his beautiful quotes. Happy Birthday Mr. Mandela!

"It is in your hands to make our world a better one for all, especially the poor, vulnerable and marginalized" - Nelson Mandela

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” - Nelson Mandela

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” - Nelson Mandela

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” - Nelson Mandela

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” - Nelson Mandela

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” - Nelson Mandela

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.” - Nelson Mandela

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” - Nelson Mandela


"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." - Nelson Mandela

"As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself... Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility."  - Nelson Mandela

Billboard Sighting!

About a week ago, a friend of Rusty's from 8th grade sent him this picture....

Apparently, we are on a billboard in Wheeling, West Virginia! This is our 2nd billboard sighting, but we didn't get to see the first one (it was a Christmas billboard a few hours away in Michigan, but our friend Jordan wasn't able to get a picture before it was taken down).

I was very glad to see us connected to such a positive message, since we don't have any say in how our iStock* photos are used! I'm still so afraid we'll end up like Joey in that episode of friends....(you know the one... what a nightmare!) Our photos have already ended up as spam once, and on FoxNews.com for "How to have a better Sex Life in 2011"  so... you just never know!

Most of the time though, they end up in really fun places. As my friend Katie says - it's like a big game of "Where's Waldo" ;) So, thanks to all of you who've sent us pictures, screenshots, newspaper clippings, or magazines you've found our photos in.  Without you, we'd never know where these shots end up!

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*For those of you who don't know, Rusty and I were hired last year by our friends Shawn & Rosie who are iStock photographers. We were starting our own non-profit and were looking for ways to make extra money, when this (very unique) opportunity arose. It's been a lot of work some days, but so much fun! I've been a rockstar, a renaissance queen, a nerd, a nurse, a cowgirl, a cook, a businesswoman, and a bride... among others! You can see our lightbox of photos here.

U2 + The US Campaign for Burma

On July 2nd, Rusty & I, our Thailand partners, Ray & Candace Ward, two of our new board members for The Sound of Hope (and dear friends) Annah Grace & Shelley,  and several other friends (Jefforey, Jake, & Sean) got the incredible opportunity to volunteer with the US Campaign for Burma at the U2 concert in Nashville, TN.

We spent the day raising awareness for the human rights abuses happening in Burma, and urging people to take action on behalf of those suffering.

There's a reason we all came together to volunteer for this cause. What's happening in Burma is more than just a random injustice to us. This cause is close to our hearts because of the Karen refugee children we care for in Thailand who have fled Burma. So we were thrilled to find out that Bono, the lead singer of U2 and an outspoken human rights activist, is a staunch supporter of of Aung San Suu Kyi and the US Campaign for Burma!

Check out the video below to see highlights from our day. You'll also see some great shots of the U2 Concert, including Bono's response to Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest! (Click here to see a larger version of the video in HD.)

The Casey Anthony verdict...

I didn't follow the Casey Anthony trial. I knew the basic premise - a 2 year old little girl died, and her mother was involved in some sort of "foul play" after the fact. Was her mother guilty or not guilty of actually killing the child? I don't know (again, the sentence above is all I know about the whole situation) - but I DO know the verdict.

NOT GUILTY.

I know this verdict because about 98% of my facebook friends posted a status about it - ENRAGED at the injustice of it all. It completely took over my mini-feed - every other post was about this issue.  Men and women - from all different walks of life - quickly let the world know how UNFAIR it was. They spoke up on behalf of this precious little girl - Caylee - whose life was taken from her too soon. They screamed for JUSTICE.

And all I could think was.... why don't I hear these people speak up for the millions of little girls like Caylee around the world who suffer injustice EVERY DAY?!

Don't misunderstand me - all of you who got upset about the outcome of this trial aren't wrong. Your hearts are in the right place. You are experiencing righteous anger on behalf of an innocent child. You are fighting for something wonderful! My question is - if you're passionate about all those things, why not do something now for children in need of PROTECTION and JUSTICE in Africa? India? Thailand? Burma? Children that you can actually HELP?

The world loses a child EVERY 4 SECONDS. That's 22,000 children dying every day, mostly from preventable causes. That means that because of a lack of simple things like clean drinking water or cheap vaccines, in third world countries there are children dying left and right. EVERY DAY. Is that JUSTICE?

In Thailand, prostitution is a multi-billion dollar industry. Thailand's Health Systems Research Institute estimates that over 40% of the prostitutes in Thailand are CHILDREN. That means EVERY DAY thousands of children are sold into sex-slavery and raped for profit. Is that JUSTICE?

In Africa, little girls can be raped and abused by men who have AIDS, and infected by this horrible disease against their will... and NO ONE FIGHTS FOR THEM. Is that JUSTICE?

In India, many little girls are devalued, and left on the street to fend for themselves. They are unwanted and uncared for - forced to live as beggars or prostitutes. Very few of them have an opportunity for an education, and some are married off as child brides to men 6 times their age. Is that JUSTICE?

In Burma, little girls are forced to fight as child soldiers, or they are sold to drug-traffickers or sex-traffickers. Often they are victims of systematic rape by the military, and can be forced to work as minesweepers or human shields in warfare. Is that JUSTICE?

I am dreaming of a day, someday, when my facebook mini-feed will be taken over by men and women, from all different walks of life - crying out on behalf of the orphan. I am dreaming of a day when people are ENRAGED by the plight of children in need - children who are vulnerable to rape, slavery, disease, and war. I am dreaming of a day when all around me all I see is people demanding JUSTICE for these precious kids. Because, just like little Caylee, they deserve better.

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If this makes you want to DO SOMETHING, then consider giving here to protect children in Thailand, India, Africa and Burma.

And the giveaway winners are....

Today is the day I announce the winners of my first ever blog giveaway! Ready? Ok. Drumroll please.............

The winner of the striped therapy bag is... 

ASHLEE HILLIS!

The winner of the toile therapy bag is.... 

AMANDA PORTER!

You 2 ladies can thank the sweet counselor from Camp Grace (where Rusty and I have been shooting a video this week) for pulling your names out of a cup. I'll be contacting you as soon as we get back to Michigan (early July) to get your mailing addresses so I can mail your prizes!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the giveaway! I wish so much that I could give every single one of you who commented your own therapy bag! Just an FYI though - you can make your own using these instructions. (And if you can't sew, you can always make one using a cute sock & tie a knot in the end!)

This giveaway was so much fun! I'd love to do more in the future, so "stay tuned" if you like free stuff! :)

A FREE GIVEAWAY to say... Thank You!

If you read my last blog post, then you know life has been pretty rough for us lately. Believe it or not, we've actually dealt with even more bad news and drama since I wrote that. It would be easy to sit around and dwell on all the negativity.... but I just don't want to do that anymore!

The truth is, if we've seen anything worth dwelling on this week it's the love and support we've felt from so many of you. I've gotten phone calls, text messages, emails, and lots of facebook messages and comments from quite a few of you telling us how much you care about us. I've even had several people say that they pray for us everyday... what a humbling thought!

So - today I want to do something for all of YOU! Many of you have read my blog for years, and you've "been there" for so much. You've followed us across the country and around the world - in sickness and in health, happiness and tears, good times and bad. And it's way overdue that I show you how much I appreciate you!