Flower Progression

I don't know how much this idea has been put across, but I really REALLY appreciate plants and see a lot of beauty in them. Like, a lot. They make my heart sing. I wanted to share with you the progression of the flowers we planted last spring - from the beginning until now! 

Here we go.

Now, just a note, also. This is the pot that I planted with all the extra seeds. Life note? Don't put all the extra seeds in one pot. It gets to be a bit crazy.

Baby sprout! Do you see it? It's in the top left
of the plant (this was day two).

More sprouts! They're going towards the sun (day three).

They just kept coming up! This was day five. I love how
they go towards the sunlight. 

I took a break from picture taking for
about four days (weekend and then Mondays...).
Can you believe it? I cannot believe how quickly flowers grow!

Last week of school - Mr. Plant and I came home. I
know he looks peaceful, but he definitely spilled all over
 when I turned the corner. That wasn't the best time ever.

Mid-summer. There's a lot of plants here. I actually had to separate
Mr. Plant into two pots, mainly because there was FAR TOO MANY
 flowers in one pot. I wanted to give room for the roots to
take in all the nutrients they needed.

Today. The joyful day! The flowers have bloomed!
I have accomplished the Lord's work of cultivating
 land and bringing beauty. Thank you, Jesus, for making
flowers.

Zinnia Victory

This past spring at school, we planted flowers to talk about general plant jazz, how plants grow, and photosynthesis. We started from seed. Seed. I didn't put together how long that could take to grow a flower.

VICTORY. 

Be still, my heart.

I have officially had two zinnias bloom. Well, I had a different flower bloom, but it slowly died after that., so it doesn't count. I officially have two flowers. They're a beautiful deep pink and weirdly-more-orange-than-salmon colored. And they're lovely.

I feel a small sense of victory in my heart because I grew something.

I helped keep life going.

I planted and cultivated something that brings oxygen into the air and takes in carbon dioxide.

I planted something that brings beauty.

My heart is full.

I can't wait for more flowers to bloom.

Peace.

How Thrifty

Today, Yingjie and I went to the thrift stores around town. We found lots of dresses and earrings! It was a blast. 

At the current moment in time, I wish we had taken a picture together to commemorate the time together. I guess it's all memories now. Haha. LOL. All the funnies. 

Here's my new dress I got today. Isn't it lovely?
Featured in the back: my messy apartment.

But, we went to Salvation Army and Rockstar and Rogers. It was a beautiful time. I'm a big fan of thrifting because it uses things that have already been in use and also can help out local businesses. Local businesses are cool because they help out the town. Town is cool because it gives people places to live and work. People are cool because they're made in God's image. God is cool because all the reasons.

Also. Another great part of thrifting? Most everything has already been washed, so you don't have to worry about clothing shrinking after you get them! You can simply put them on and know how they're going to fit right away. 

Anyways, things are usually less expensive when you get them second-hand, but they work just as well. PLUS. Another benefit of shopping second-hand is this: usually, there's only one of the clothing article that you want in the store. Therefore, you're much more unique because of your one-of-a-kind clothing. 

Go thrifting. Save some money. Support local business. Make memories.

Peace.

Oh, also, I went hammocking today. That's not a real word, but it was real fun.

A French Press Box

Today, I decided to organize all my bathroom jazz. Well, not all. Just the hair jazz (which is half of it) and then the random things that accumulate in the bathroom. Like three pens. Or two rubber bands. Or two rings (I'm wearing those now).

Side note. My rings are quite lovely. One is a feather. When I got it, though, I thought it was a leaf. It took me about a week of wearing it to discover it was a feather. My other ring is a silver duplicate of the one ring of power. The one ring to rule them all. No idea what I'm talking about? Here. Watch this.

The Fellowship of the Ring is by far my favorite movie. That's another story. A beautiful, long, lovely story.

But, ANYWAYS.

Isn't it lovely? And useful!

When I was organizing, I realized my contacts were all over the place. Like, all over. No wonder I can't find them in the morning quickly - they're spread out all over! So, what did I do?

Well, I thought about buying something. But, then, I thought that I didn't want to spend money. Contemplation started and I wondered how I could organize...

I THOUGHT OF IT. Today, in the mail, I got a replacer beaker for my French press. Last week, I was cleaning the kitchen, knocked my French press on the ground, and broke the beaker. I awkwardly stared at the broken glass on the ground for a good minute and then decided I should probably pick it up. So, then I did. Of course, with sadness in my heart because then there was going to be a lack of coffee...

That's another story. I got the replacement today. I had a box. For my classroom, I made lots of organizational things out of cardboard and duct tape because I didn't want to buy anything. So, what did I do? 

Cut the box in half. Covered it in duct tape (and washi tape). Then, I put all my contacts in it! Wow. I am so excited. It fits perfectly in my restroom and makes it so I can find the contacts in the morning to see! 

Look at my using the Three R's - reduce (I'm reducing waste), reuse (I reused the box), and recycle (I recycled the rest of the box I didn't use). How environmental! How sustainable to the earth.

Peace.

PS - thanks for tracking with all the trains of thought.
PPS - go save the earth and some money. Make your own things.
PPPS - now I'm listening to the entire extended LOTR on YouTube. This is bomb.

Mint Happiness

Today, something happened that meant a lot to me.

That was cheesy. 

Anyways.

I went to the store today to mail a couple packages because I believe in mail and selling things on Amazon. When I send a package of something sold, I like to put a bag of tea and a note telling them how dearly loved they are. It always makes me happy. I hope it makes them happy. If not, oh well.

BUT. When mailing the packages, I asked the guy who was the mail guy (that's funny...) what the best part of his day was. I figured it's always good to make conversation with people and make them contemplate life. He told me probably counting out $65.00 dollars with a person to pay a bill. I grimaced, but he said it was actually fun. Then he told me about the Pokestop that was at Hy-Vee and someone put a lure there so people were coming in. I asked if he was playing and he said he was and played it when people weren't in need of help. That made me giggle and very proud of him.

Then, he discovered/remembered the best part of his day. He said he found some mints. Like a whole bag of mints - the family size. The look of glee on his face was fantastic. I then asked what kind of mints he had found. His response? The good kind - Lifesavers. I asked green or blue, he didn't know, so he went over, looked at the bag, reached in, grabbed me six, then brought them back over, telling me it was the green kind.

He gave me SIX mints. I offered him one, he declined, reexplaining that he had a WHOLE bag behind the counter. I laughed, thanked him for the mints, paid to mail the packages, and walked off to buy some tofu.

Anyways, this brought me so much joy. Give some mints to someone - it'll bring joy to their hearts. 

Tea

Happy honey ginger tea from my dear
friend, Cami. How good for your
tummy!

Tea. 
Tea is good for you and me.
Tea can make you feel free.
Won't you share some tea with me?

Tea is the bomb. Occasionally, during the summer, I stop drinking tea because it's super hot outside. I've started drinking it again (even though it's like 105 degrees outside [hello, Kansas]) and it makes my heart sing. There's all sorts of NATURAL benefits to tea. Here's some -->

1. Peppermint and matcha tea can help with waking up in the morning.
2. Fennel, peppermint, chamomile, and ginger tea are great for treating nausea.
3. Ginger and lemon tea are delightful helpers when you may need digestion help.
4. Green, peppermint, and nettle tea are great for helping with allergies. 

LIFE NOTE - eating locally made honey can also help with allergies (because the bee pollen is right from the environment and so it treats you naturally!). Oh! And you can add the honey to your tea.

A lovely cup of tea in a beautiful mug.
Thank you, Jacey, for the mug!

5. Green tea can help boost your metabolism.
6. Any sort of mint tea can help you get over all your random cravings (mint calms down your tummy).
7. Echinacea, elder flower, and white tea are great for helping with treating cold symptoms.
8. Mint and green tea help energize you (so you can take over the world!). 
9. Turmeric tea can help boost your immune system (and can help heal your gut!). 

Those are all the tea facts I have for this day. I'm gonna sit and drink my thai tea now. Here, learn about that tea here.

The Library

When I was little, I watched a lot of Arthur. Like, a lot. Like all the Arthur episodes. That being said, Arthur enforced an attitude of going to the library in my brain. Don't believe me? Watch this.

So, if having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card, what can you do? Go to the library! You know, in my town, you just need a form of ID and a formal letter (with your address on it) to get a library card. 

THEN. You know what happens then?!

Here we are at the latte art contest. 

You get ALL the books. 

ALL the movies.

ALL the audiobooks.

ALL the happiness.

At the library, there's not a limit to the amount of books you can get. I asked once. I think that was the time I got 70 picture books...

...I read them all, too.

And then! After you get all the books, you get to read them. Or, at least, try to read them. I'm not the best reader in the world, but I try and that's what counts. 

Anyways, the other day, my dear friend, Josie, got a movie (Fried Green Tomatoes [this movie is the bomb]) from the library to watch. My dear friends, Prathibha, Junye, and Yingjie, got together, we pulled snacky snacks out of the fridge and cabinets, and had a movie night. Well, first, we went to a latte art contest and that was really neat. Local events are the best (and they're free, so that's super fly). Anyways. IT. WAS. WONDERFUL. All of it. What simple fun to sustain relationships, the library, and the world! 

Look! A movie night - brought to you from Sidney from Josie
from the library from the joy of the heart.

Anyways, go to the library. Get a card. Read a book. Watch a film.

OH. My favorite book? 

Picture - You Are Special by Max Lucado
Children Chapter - Once Upon A Marigold by Jean Ferris
Young Adult - Sold by Patrica McCormick
Series - Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers

What's your favorite book? What about movie? 

Peace.

Oh, and shout out to Arrow Coffee for the Arte Del Latte Throwdown.