DIY Tye Dye

We started with rubber bands around our t-shirts for a bulls eye look. This can be done by grabbing the middle of your t-shirt of choice and pulling it straight up. Start from that point working yourself toward the bottom places rubber bands approximately every inch. It's okay if one ends up a little further apart than the others. 

We then drenched each rubber band off section with a color dye of choice. If there's an open place in the section your working on spray dye in there too. Even squeeze the t-shirt from time to time letting the dye soak in. If you don't get enough on there you are going to end up with more white spots than colored. Which is okay but if you want a shirt full of color then work to make sure you drench each section in the color of choice. 

The girls and I made a shirt each which means three shirts in all were made.

We used a SEI Tumble Dye Neon kit from Hobby Lobby to make these tye dye t-shirts on one of our Fun Fridays this summer. 

From there we followed the instructions provided in the the dye kit. Which went a little something like the shirts hung to dry and then I washed as normal.

Rock Painting

Fridays at The Murphy Lodge this summer consist of "fun friday". On these days we tried to come up with something fun of course. In honor of that I thought it would be fun to share on the blog today since it's Friday, "fun friday".

To twist things up a little, the rock painting, was actually done a Monday. Monday's were our Make Something Monday. One particular Monday early in the summer my youngest and I got on her John Deer riding looking for rocks. This nearly turned into a day long project for us. As you can tell below some took breaks in betweens painting. 

I fumbled through the cup of rocks we collect till I found what felt like perfect ones to me. I used the picture in the magazine shown for my color inspiration. 

She was more focused on painting the big rock she found in our back yard. 

And the number reason why of all times I don't get me nails done often. The Saturday before I went with a friend to get our nails done. It was a fun treat for just us mommas. Quickly turning into a painty mess. 

Our day ended with a rainy thunderstorm. 

Can you tell what her rock is?

Can you see my color pattern on my rocks goes with the magazine page? 

What I am watching...

My kids tend to watch tv series on Netflix these days where it used to be dvd'. Not being a big tv person I've really never fell on that bandwagon. Until this summer, I was actually catching up on a few missed episodes of the Bachelorette this season with Andi Dorfman (I think tonight is the final rose we will see). The Bachelor and the Bachelorette are like the only shows I've watched in ten years. Okay, and American Idol. Kids will do that to you and you just get used to it. It becomes your new way of life realizing what you can really do without, tv. By watching the episodes on the abc app, I was able to get up to speed. 

Along with Mistresses, which airs right after the Bachelorette on Monday nights, I know both of these shows have way to many making out scenes. But the story lines are great and sure beats the Orange is the new Black series on Netflix. Blah! No human should be watching that show…

 Once I was fully caught up on those two shows, I was looking for something else because I kinda enjoyed that entertainment of wearing my cute little pink sony earplugs watching a show blocking the outside world out, me time. I like to be fully engaged watching and hearing every little bit. The ear plugs did the trick. I glanced at a few other tv series like Heart of Dixie and The Glades both a no go. It takes a lot to pull me in whether it's reading a book or watching a show. I've always been like that…

Moving on from Netflix I jumped on to Amazon Prime app, that's where I found the tv series Suits. For this little southern girl it did the trick. It kinda keeps you on your toes up close and personal on serious matters among a law firm along with the relationships between co workers. It kinda helped the fact it's filmed in New York City. We traveled to New York City this summer, actually a week ago, for my oldest daughters graduation gift. We had a blast, a lot of people but a lot of fun. 

Suits airs on USA Network and is currently in the fourth season. 

I am only on season three. Actually I could finish it up in no time and be caught up but I really don't want to because then I wouldn't have much to look forward to through out the week. And dragging out what's going to happen next is so amazing. The suspension keeps it real!   

Guess you can say I am getting my tv life back… #thereshope

Read more on the tv series Suits… 

Have you watched Suits before?

What tv series are you watching?

Have you been to New York?

Summer of Service

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything,
but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do
interfere with what I can do.
~Edward Everett Hale

Summer of Service

What does that look like!?

Summer with kids serving others,

no ones sure to get bored! 

Help your kids identify what serving others is.

Serving others doesn't mean you have to go out 

of the country. You might already being 

serving and just haven't stopped 

to think of it like that! 

Serving brings joy,
love and inspiration to life.
Serve humbly, selflessly, put others
before yourself whole heartedly
without expecting anything in return. 

Serving takes time, energy and effort,

it's simple things that really help people

or things others can't do for themselves.

Doing jobs that might not be your favorite.

Doing jobs that aren't assigned to you.

Noticing things that can be done for someone else

and doing them with out being asked.

pick up trash when you see it on a walk

put shopping carts in bin

open the door for the elders

donate old magazines to local library 

donate old books to local library 

gain a pen pal

write a letter to a solider 

cook a meal for an elder

instead of birthday gift ask for items to donate

give coupons to someone who will use them

give boxtops to someone who's child's school collects them

start a recycling project

make cards for those in a nursing home

encourage others to take a bike ride

share your interest, hobbies, talents with others

set up a book exchange

collect dog supplies and take to shelter

send thank you notes

practice random acts of kindness

run or walk at a charity race

speak to the cashier

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life
by what we give.
~Winston Churchill

Click Here to see a longer list of community service ideas

Click Here to see Bible verse about serving others. 

Use your handy dandy Pinterest to get additional 

ideas. Search community service ideas

Most of all,
don't be discouraged
if your time, your schedule and
your resources don't allow you to serve
like your friend, your family member is or did! 

Facebook can be your mission field also!

If you would like to know ways you
and your family could serve ask me and I'd be
glad to point you in a direction you might
not thought of.

"No exercise is better for the human heart than reaching
down and lifting another up."

Serve out of LOVE!

In an effort to serve in the community
my crew and I are gearing up for a
"summer of service."

Everything

In my morning quit time before the children awake

on this glorious summer day,

I reflect back at some old notes

written in my journal at the beginning of the summer!

Here's another turtle findings by our dog,

I wondered what she was tossing around

and chewing like a bone.

When I suddenly realize it was a turtle!

Bless his little heart, see the little

scratches on his outer shell!?

and the doggie lay rest in disappointment

I took the turtle away,

while the turtle lay

in his new home!

This little piggy went to the

MARKET! My youngest daughter

loves to treat us by making us

chocolate chip muffins...

I heart summer mornings!

I heart my quit time!

A reminder to myself,

what I struggle with

is not who I am!