My skills...

...in procrastination have reached epic proportions.

This week...thanks to Elissa (and she did issue a warning)...I discovered the means by which I will never write another paper again.


Pinterest.

Heard of it?

Before you click the link, answer the following questions for me:

1. Do you have a family? Children? Husband? People you should be caring for on a regular basis?

If yes, please consider looking at this site after the hour of at least 8pm. Because likely you will continue looking until 1am...and any cries of "help" or "I'm hungry" or "my brother is punching me" will be drowned out by the beauty you can't pull your eyes away from.

2. Do you work? Go to work? Work from home?

If yes, please consider looking at this site only when your work is done for the day. Because, again, you will likely get dragged under by this site, only to resurface when your boss is standing in your doorway, asking for that report you were supposed to give them two hours earlier.

3. Do you have school work? Papers to write? Exams to study for?

If yes, please don't click on this link until you walk across that graduation stage. Heed my warning. 

But...in all seriousness, there is some amazing stuff out there.

Like this:


and this:

So, with great warning, I encourage you to check it out!

I, on the other hand, will try and forget this website exists...

...at least until my MA is done.

my heart.

This is something I'm incredibly passionate about, and this is well written.

Please take a read!

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/deeper-walk/features/25448-what-does-our-wealth-require

did you know baker starts with a "m"?

This morning I baked some cookies from dough I had made and put in the fridge last night (sidenote: these are the "bestest" peanut butter chocolate chip cookies you have ever had...and have NO flour in them...ask Carleigh where she found the recipe). 

As I'm baking them, the small children are hovering...and consistently asking me if the cookies are ready to be eaten. Later on, after some rigorous playmobil clean up with their mom, they run upstairs for a treat of cookie and milk. Mouths covered in cookie crumbs, the kids start scampering off to their next activity (who knows what...) and before she runs off, Charlee exclaims:

You're a real good maker Kaleen!

Thank you Charlee.

Mommy's a good maker, too.

Yes, you're right, she is.

But...not daddy. Daddy's not a good maker. 

(My inner monologue: Oh dear. And...how do I respond to this? Oh wait...I don't have to say anything, because she's moved right along.)

But, Daddy's a good builder!

Yes, Charlee, your Daddy's a good builder. (phew.)

Oh, the inner workings of a four year old's mind. Rather remarkable, lovely, and mysterious all at once. And slightly risky at times too. You never know what will be said next.

Here's to the next three months, in which I will be unemployed, working on school work, travelling a little, and hanging out with the three munchkins in my house. It will be good.

4 weeks shy of becoming a 2nd year MA student...

My current class is all about studying research.

Hypotheses...
Methods...
Sample...
Findings...
Discussion...

I spent a good portion of this evening reading about how to select sample groups for quantitative research surveys. This is something I will likely never do. or use. or fully understand. My brain just isn't hardwired that way.

I don't mind reading research articles.
In fact...sometimes I find it interesting...that's true.

But let me be honest:
Right now? 
I am so done.

And yet, I'm just beginning.

I'm taking one of the biggest, deepest breaths ever for the upcoming 14 months of my life, trying to calm myself and prepare myself and remind myself of why I'm doing all of this.

Can someone make sure I remember to exhale?

Thanks. in advance.