This Week for the Family

Check out the events going on around Rock Hill and Fort Mill this week. 
Lots of fun for the family. Just click on the links for more details!


Oct 1

Once Upon a Lap

Anime Club

Oct 3

Art-Rageous Books

9th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival

Oct 4

Art of the Knight Gala

9th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival

Oct 5

Art on Main

Springmaid Dirt Race

9th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival

Fall Frolic Weekends on the Greenway

Community Performance

The Legendary Drifters

Oct 7

Stories & Songs with Andrew Osenga

The Super Hero is Down

The Kiefer house has been infected! Yes, our leader, Mr. Kiefer, has been sick.  Most of us will joke about how terrible it is when a man is sick because of how dramatic he becomes.  In our house however it is no joke. Not the dramatic part. The terrible part.  You see our house runs well because Mr. Kiefer and I work well together.  He balances my frantic and helps in the day to day chaos. I make a mess in the kitchen. He cleans it.  We dirty laundry. He starts the washer.  I do a project around the house. He is there to pull me out when I get in over my head. I need a friend to talk with. He listens. He sets the morning alarm, wakes the children, and starts breakfast.  So I bet you are wondering what I do? Yeah, me too.  Maybe when I figure it out, I'll blog about it :)

Anyway, here is the point. When I realized that he was really sick, I panicked. I had a dirty kitchen, piles of laundry, several house projects to be complete, and I wanted to talk.  How in the world would I get all this done? I depend on him so much to be there to calm my chaos. Seriously, it's like I was a damsel in distress and my super hero was taken prisoner. I realized I had to act so I did what any good wife would do.  I bought tons of orange juice, gave him medicine, and put the children to work on the chores.

We survived the day, and I realized even more how much I depend on (+Chris Kiefer) Mr. Kiefer. He treats me like a princess. He runs our home with grace and love, and his actions prove that he is truly a selfless leader.

The Princess,
Shante

PS - I am now on a mission to discover exactly what it is I do for our family.

A Strong Reflection

This is blog worthy.

Today we stopped by the greenway to get some updated snapshots of the kids for our entry way table. After taking a few quick photos, my husband and son walked to look at the horses. I stayed behind to make sure I had the shots I wanted.  When I walked to meet them, the image I saw completely took my breath away. Both guys were standing peacefully watching the horses.  Their backs were to me and all I could think is "wow, what a strong reflection". I saw my little boy standing in the image of my husband.  I saw him being mentored and loved.  He was beginning to reflect the traits of my husband: steady, strong, loving, and relaxed. It put my mind at ease and filled my heart with joy.

My husband loves our children not because his blood runs through them because it doesn't, but his love and character does. No one forces him to seek their best interest, to take time to spend with them every day, to show up for school functions, or even sacrifice his desires so they can have theirs. Yet, by God's grace, this man has chosen to be bound to these children and we are better for it.  From his example, my daughter gets to witness firsthand what it looks like to be treated like a princess, and my son gets to see how to treat a lady and be steady and strong.

Yes, life has been broken, but the pieces were put in the hand of God and He is creating a masterpiece!
Shante

The Discussion

I'm not sure how it works in your house, but in ours we have "discussions". Some call them arguments but not us! We are simply discussing our differing opinions and why "I" am right. 

There is always a pattern: the idea, the response, the pout, the silence ( AKA more pouting), the time out, and the resolution. 

So go ahead and watch as we present "The Discussion" 

Featuring - the Husband and the Wife

Free Things to Do in Charlotte This Week

Family Night. Date Night. Check out a few things things happening in Charlotte this week for Cheap.

Tuesday 9/10 
11:00am: Grey Seal Puppets at Carolina Place

11:30am: Music Box Lunch Concert Series at Romare Bearden Park: Gabriel Bello 

Wednesday 9/11
5:00pm:  Party in the Park concert series at Romare Bearden Park: The Extraordinaires (Beach Variety)


5:00pm:  Free admission at Mint Museums

Thursday 9/12
7:00pm:  Whitewater River Jam: Bob Margolin

Friday 9/13
7:00pm:  Pineville’s Summer Concert Series: Joystick (70′s and 80′s Pop/Rock)

7:00pm:  Stonecrest Summer Concert Series: Leslie & Friends and Kevin Russell

7:00pm:  Blakeney Summer Concert Series: Natty Boh

7:30pm:  Stargazing and treats around the campfire at Reedy Creek Nature Center

Saturday 9/14
Free admission to all Discovery Place museums for educators and a guest

10:00am:  Family Fun Day at Sports Junction in Harrisburg

11:00am:  Kids’ craft at Lakeshore Learning:  Make and Play Guitar 

12:00pm:  Musical petting zoo at ImaginOn

2:00pm:  Sunset Jazz Festival

4:00pm:  Art show at Urban Ministries Center

7:00pm:  Stonecrest Summer Concert Series: Leslie & Friends and Kevin Russell 

8:00pm:  Outdoor movie at Kilgo

8:00pm:  Summit’s Schoolhouse Rock & Run, 10K + fun run at Summit Coffee

Sunday 9/15
2:00pm:  Geocaching at Reedy Creek Nature Center

Had a Bad Day!

So in case you had the illusion that it is all rainbows and unicorns in our life, we had a bad day. It's probably safe to say a string of bad days, but then there was the breaking point. It is always triggered by the last little thing. You know life stuff: opportunities not panning out as quickly as hoped, feeling as the vehicle of life is in reverse instead of drive, plans failed, family sickness and then the breaking point ... a stolen bike!
My son's bike was taken right from our front yard, less than 15 feet from my front door. Yes that did it! I was over the top. My insides sick and my head filled with many unpleasantries. I walked the neighborhood and fumed. Why take a child's bike, I wondered. More than a bike gone, it also meant a little more loss of innocence for that sweet boy who no longer had bike.
I'll save you all the words and ideas that ran through my head but let's just say it was a mixture of "don't worry it will work out" and "I'd like to choke the little (insert unpleasant word) that would do this". This is on top of all the other less than fun things that had happened so of course those thoughts joined the party and the emotions were on. Surprisingly with the explosion happening on the inside, I didn't lose control ( thanks Clear Mood)! 
With all the unsettledness, I decided to stay down stairs alone so not to subject  any underserving soul with my attitude. A few minutes went by and down came my wonderful husband, Mr. Relaxed "What are you doing down here by yourself? You want to come to bed?"
My thoughts "No. I do not want to come to bed. I want to bust down every door in the neighborhood until I find my son's bike all the while screaming out my displeasure with this situation and all the other situations." Thankfully that didn't happen. Instead my hubby took me by the hand and sat with me until I was ready to ascend to the upper level of the house. Ahh...Hulk mode defused.
After I woke up the next day still no rainbows or unicorns or the return of my baby's bike, but there was a life that had to be lived to the fullest.
As promised frantic writing and relaxed editing :)
Shante

Change is Coming!

Here we go! Change is on the way.  

Chris and I have realized that our life is truly frantically relaxed. We have so many great projects in the work with a few that we want to go after at full speed, but guess what!  We have two different minds.  He is a humor guy and I am a analytical  gal so what shall we do then ... well he'll stay relaxed and work on his humor as I stay frantic and move all our "missions" around to organize our "social media" life. Here is the deal. I love to write and many times it is deep stuff ... you know the type of stuff that I look over and find my husband half asleep as I am passionately sharing my view on cafeteria food at school and why we must pack our children's lunch. True story by the way! So whether it is school lunch, running trails, emotional healing, or just being me, I like to share my heart and have been able to do so with our readers over the last eight months. Thank you!

Now is the time that I take my style and brand it with my mission which has birthed my new blog "Revelations of a Simple Girl" check it out at www.simplegirlrevelations.blogspot.com I have imported some of my favorite post from "Our Frantically Relaxed Life" and have so much more material on the way. I hope you join me on this amazing journey.  I know BIG things are to come!

For Chris, he is working on what he does best.  Yes that's right EVERYTHING! But since we have to narrow it down for the sake of ego, he will be sharing his wicked humor with the world. For now you can follow him on Twitter @FunIs4TheBirds but it will not stop there.  Soon there will be FunIs4TheBirds bobble heads, T-shirts, cereal brand, and license plates ok so maybe not, BUT he does have some cool stuff in store.

As for Our Frantically Relaxed Life, it will still be here ... just more frantic writing and more relaxed editing :) 

Shante