Mo Mhíle Grá

Ten On Tuesday: People Turn Offs

2009-07-07T13:17:00.000-04:00

I need to get back into this whole blogging thing so here goes!

10 Things That Turn You Off About People

Bad breath.....can't stand it. Don't come at me with breath that smells like you just ate the slop out of a pig trough.
Rude people....have a little decency. Say things in a nice way, even if you have the right to be ticked off and rude. That's how we southerners do it!
Posers.....I've known one very good one. Be real...don't try to be someone you're not. Trust me, I've tried it :-) It isn't a happy place to be!
Disregard for elderly people....I see so much of this by young people and it really lights my fire. These elderly people raised us and gave things up so that we might have a better life. If that isn't enough to change your behavior, remember that you'll be elderly one day. How do you want to be treated?
Control freaks.....I'm more of a team player. I like to see a bunch of hands working together to accomplish something. I can't stand the loud mouth who acts like they are the end all be all. Get over yourself!
Non-readers.....there is more to life than what is contained between the pages of People magazine. Pick up Jane Austen and give her a whirl....I guarantee you'll laugh yourself silly and learn a lot of great vocabulary!
English teachers who use bad grammar....that's all I'm going to say about this one. If you can't speak or use good English in writing, how can you possibly teach anyone else to use or speak it?
Medical professionals who smoke.....I'm not against smoking. It just bothers me for a doctor or nurse to preach to someone about kicking the habit when secretly they spend their breaks and the majority of their lunch time behind the building puffing on one :-)
Half-hearted efforts.....Give everything you've got or don't even attempt it. If you're not willing to pour all of yourself into something, you probably shouldn't do it.
Chewing with an mouth open.....if I'm not eating it, I certainly don't want to see it :-) Just sayin'!

For more Ten On Tuesday posts, visit yanowhatimean.com.

Playing Catch Up....Again!

2009-06-07T00:15:00.001-04:00

Since it's been awhile, I thought I would take a minute to catch up where blogging is concerned. Things seem crazy busy right now although I realize it's really not as bad as I think it is. That's called stress :-) For me, school is going well. I finished my first math course in May with an A. Then I decided to fill my summer up with classes. I just finished up a three week psychology course and walked away with an A in it. That was a trip. Because it was an intersession class, it flew by. We had sixteen class days and covered fifteen chapters worth of material. Talk about my head spinning! It was fun but I was happy to get it out of the way.

Monday I started my online anatomy class. So far, it's going well. It's just really hard. There is a ton of material to learn and many, many details. I haven't let myself get stressed out about it yet and I hope I don't. I also started a statistics class this week. It is an on campus class and I have it four days a week for five weeks. My first class went pretty well. It's a large class and there is plenty of material to cover so I'm trying to stay focused and keep my head above water. I'm enjoying the challenge of school and I feel like my time management skills are getting better. Now if I can just figure out how to manage the stress, I'll be ok.

The girls are doing well. They are enjoying a more relaxed homeschooling schedule this summer. Caroline has found a new neighborhood friend and spends most of the day playing. It's been good for her. She's my social butterfly and has really needed someone her age to spend time with. This is really a win-win situation since it frees Logan up to do things she enjoys. They have both been wonderful to help around the house since I've been in school. I don't know what I'd do without them.

Jeff's doing good too. He's still working from home although he doesn't have a full-time position yet. That really stinks because it leaves us without health insurance and we hate to do without it. The economy is just so horrible right now that there isn't much we can do about it. We're trying to wait it out until this company can afford to bring him aboard full-time. Initially they promised him full-time status after three months of work but that three months has come and gone. I won't complain too much because the situation could definitely be worse. He could be out of a job all together.

No big plans for the summer here. We decided not to vacation this year since we are hoping to save some money and work toward paying our house off. We have a long way to go but we're always trying to find ways to put our family in a better situation financially in the event that Jeff is out of a job. Who wants to pay all of that interest in a home loan anyway? Not us, that's for sure!!

That's about all that's going on around here. Boring, I know. I'm hoping to get outside and take some pictures soon. That always makes me forget about all the other things I need to be doing! Our neighbor is going out of town next week and always allows us to use her pool while she's gone so we are looking forward to that. Hopefully I can snap a few photos of the girls then....when they aren't looking :-)

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Missing Mike

2009-05-11T12:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Mother's Day and we enjoyed the company of my in-laws for several hours after church. Since it was so beautiful, we decided to cook out. It has been a long time since we've done this.....maybe since before my BIL passed away last year. I'm not really sure why we stopped. Personally, things are not as much fun without him. He was always the life of the party. He had such a great attitude and was such a likeable man. Anyway, while we were eating yesterday, we all talked a lot about him. We were sitting out on the deck....the deck that he built for us almost two summers ago.....the deck he never got to enjoy much....and his last building project before he died. In a way, it made me sad to be out there enjoying ourselves without him. It seems that every time we go out there for any length of time, our conversation always ends up being about him. The last year of his life, he was here so much helping us with so many household projects. It's nice to be able to look around and remember that "hey, Mike helped us do that."

Yesterday was hard for me though. We used to all get together for Mother's Day and cook out and I really missed him not being here. I started thinking about all of the things I missed about him......they are too many to number but here are a few things I loved most about him:

He was the easiest person in the world to get along with. He loved people.
He would volunteer to do anything...no matter how dirty the job, you could always count on him.
He was very funny. He was so much fun.
He loved classic rock and we used to spend Friday nights at our house playing board games and listening to WQUT.
He loved his kids....to a fault sometimes. He hardly ever told them no and was always, always with them.
He was an excellent carpenter. He worked with his hands and was very good at it.
He didn't have an enemy. Seriously, we've tried to sit down and think of one person he didn't like or vice versa and have never been able to come up with one.
He loved the Lord.
He loved children. He worked with many different local groups to help troubled teens. He was always great with our girls and they adored him.

There are so many other great things about him and if I tried to name them all, I would be sitting here the rest of my life. Oh, I have to add that he was THE BIGGEST UT fan ever! I am fully convinced of that! He was a very strong man and we miss him very much.

As I was looking through old photos this week, I found one that I fell in love with. Mike loved all things Harley Davidson. It was his dream to own one. About a year before he died, he bought one. He loved it and was so proud of it. Shortly after getting it, he went on dialysis and became very weak. He still rode the bike but it was hard for him to hold it up. Then he had his kidney/pancreas transplant and died five weeks later. We are so thankful for his life and for the time we had with him. He was only 47 when he passed away and I'm happy that for 11 of those years, I was able to call him my brother-in-law. In many ways, I was closer to him than I am to my own brother. I miss him. I can't wait to see him again one day.

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Note to Self

2009-05-11T11:58:00.001-04:00

So, things have been going well for me the past few months. I've been busy, but things have been good. So good in fact, that I've managed to gain back ten pounds of the weight I had lost. Did you hear me? TEN pounds! When I think of how hard I worked to get that off of me and how easy it was to put back on, it makes me ill. Now it's time to start all over. Every time I think of starting over, I immediately think I'll take the easy way out and buy some diet pills and I'm good to go. That thought lasts all of about five minutes before I realize that it's not that easy. It was a lot of work to drop the twenty total pounds I dropped. It took several months and lots of hard work. Grrrrrr......

I find myself two days away from summer intersession at school. I've chose to pack four classes into the summer (and my advisor is horrified by my decision to do so) and they are all fast track classes except one. That one is my most important class (Anatomy & Physiology I) and it's an online class. The other three classes will zip by. I'll start with Psych on Wednesday and that class runs every day for three weeks and then it's over. I hope I've not duped myself into thinking it'll be too easy. I think it'll be easy enough but I realize that three weeks is FAST and there'll be a lot of reading and memorizing. I think I'm up for it. Once this class is over, my online Anatomy class begins, along with my Prob&Stats class. The math class is a five week class and it's over. The Anatomy will be ongoing from June 3 to August 12. Anyway, when math class ends, my computer class begins. It's also a five week class and I think it'll be fairly easy. I mean, I spend my life on a computer so if I can't do well with it, then I have real issues. All of this is just to say that I'll be really busy.

Add to this, the fact that we homeschool year round. The girls will be working through the summer while I am in class. When I get home, we'll work on the studies that require my help. If that isn't enough, pile on this whole ten extra pounds thing. How does one diet when on a fast paced time scale? Thank goodness WW recipes are fairly simple to prepare! And since Logan (at least right now) wants to go to culinary school when she graduates, she will be getting most of the supper duties. It's a new season in our lives.....one that I pray I can handle.

So, this portion of the post is mainly for msyelf.....

Goals 4 Summer: Do not neglect family, do well in all four classes (strive to make A's), see to it that supper is always on the table by 7:30, eat healthy (even in the midst of stress), work hard with the girls and their summer studies, and remember that you can't do it all (know when to say no!). After all, look how long it took Solomon to build the Temple!

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Books and Calculators and Finals, Oh My!

2009-05-07T10:09:00.001-04:00

It's finals week and my final is first thing tomorrow morning. I've studied until my brain can't take in any more information. So in preparation for tomorrow, I'm going to........

I hope I have time for much more blogging in the very near future. I miss you guys!

Get A Life....Seriously!

2009-04-28T18:02:00.001-04:00

Seriously, what is the deal with truckers? Don't get me wrong....I know some of them are nice normal people. But what's with the male truckers who feel the need to express themselves to other women drivers?

I'm sure as a child, you remember being in the car with your parents on your way to some sweet vacation spot (for me it was usually always Myrtle Beach). You're driving along and you come upon an 18-wheeler. So, you do what any normal American child has been taught to do. You start making a pumping action with your arm so that the trucker will blow his horn. Just go ahead and admit it....we've all done it. We can wallow in our humiliation together.

This past week, my mom was visiting from West Virginia. We headed into town to do some shopping. As we were driving, I heard mom start giggling. I asked her what was up and she told me to look out her window. I glanced out to see this 18-wheeler driving beside us. The driver of the truck had held up a cardboard sign to his window and was smiling real big at my mom. His handwritten sign said "Hi Pritty." Ok, first of all, that's so lame. The man had a pre-written cardboard sign in his truck, which means that he does this often! That's just wrong people! If that's not enough, the ding dong misspelled pretty! BAH! My mom was totally embarrassed and we couldn't stop laughing!

Here's my advice to all these hard working truckers......#1 stop being so lame. It's not very attractive. # 2, and most importantly, learn to spell! As my good friend Jenny would say, sheeshamoley! Pretty really isn't a hard word to spell and if you're going to use it, you really should know how to spell it!

That's my two cents for the day........

X-14

2009-04-20T08:47:00.000-04:00

The good people over at Mom Central were kind enough to include me in the testing of another product recently. I received a bottle of X-14 Mold & Mildew Stain Remover and quickly got to work. Now, I love to clean my bathrooms. Nothing thrills me more than to walk into the bathroom and see everything all shiny and clean. Having said that, I do not like to deal with mildew and it plagues my shower curtain all the time.

This week, I happened to have overnight company coming. When they called to say they were coming early, I panicked since I didn't have time to wash the shower curtain. I grabbed the X-14 and gave it a quick squirt. When I came back a few minutes later, the work was all done. The mildew stains were gone and everything smelled fresh and clean. Problem solved just in time! There was no scrubbing involved. You just squirt and go! It worked wonderfully for me and this is a product I will use in the future.

If you have problems with mold and mildew, give X-14 a try. I think you will be just as satisfied as I was!

Christos Anesti!!!

2009-04-19T03:58:00.002-04:00

To all of my Orthodox brothers and sisters around the world, Happy Pascha! Christos Anesti!

Love Me Some Ice Cream

2009-04-17T18:29:00.001-04:00

I love me some ice cream. I love it for dessert. I love it for a snack. I love it for breakfast. I love it before bed. I never turn it down! With so many companies making it and so many varieties, I never get bored where flavors are concerned.

When the good people over at Mom Central asked if I'd like to sample some new flavors, I jumped on the chance. They were kind enough to send me some samples of the new Haagen-Dazs five. It is made with only five ingredients and has less fat than other types of ice cream (ah, let's face it....all ice cream is fattening and that's why we love it!). When the UPS guy knocked on my door to deliver the samples, I almost trampled him! Nothing comes between mamma and her ice cream!

I received samples of the ginger, mint, brown sugar, and passion fruit. I gathered the family around as I opened each container. Of course, I got the first taste and then I passed each container on to the family. Passion fruit is quickly becoming my favorite! It is very rich and creamy. I think the only thing more exciting than finishing this batch is going out and getting more! As a matter of fact, I think I'll go out and get the new chocolate flavor this weekend. If you haven't tried the new Five, I urge you to do so. It's worth every last spoonful :-)

Ten On Tuesday: 10 Signs You're Getting Older

2009-04-14T13:44:00.001-04:00

I could probably list a bunch but I'll stick with ten :-)

I get excited about reading the news online every morning.
By the end of the day, my knees are killing me from going up and down the stairs all day....and there are only about ten stairs.
I actually like to scrub the bathroom.
Cleaning out the refrigerator is my idea of a party!
I have no idea what a Pokemon is :-)
Gaining weight is EASY to do! When I was young, I could eat all day and not gain an ounce.
My idea of "going out" is a sit down meal and a trip to Walmart on Friday night.
I get heartburn. I swore that it didn't exist as a teenager because I never experienced it!
My kids have no idea what I'm talking about when I mention the Roger Rabbit or the Electric Slide.
The word stress has a permanent place in my life :-)

For more, visit yaknowwhatimean.com.

I Say Eco You Say Friendly

2009-04-13T14:46:00.000-04:00

If there is one thing I spend a lot of time doing, it's laundry. I do at least one load a day for our family of four. That may not seem like a lot but when you consider the water and energy it takes to do this everyday, it adds up. I am constantly trying to find ways to conserve. Many companies are making this easier all the time with the production of new eco-friendly products. One such company is Electrolux. They have joined forces with Kelly Ripa and created a new limited edition, Kelly Green, eco-friendly, front load washer and dryer.

In order to raise awareness and funds for Global Green USA, Electrolux has also kicked off their virtual flower garden campaign. For every virtual flower you plant while visiting their site, Electrolux will donate $1 to Global Green. Global Green will in turn use the money to support their healthy green schools initiative all across America. Also when you plant a virtual flower, you will automatically be entered for a chance to win your very own Kelly Green front load washer and dryer. I don't know about you but I would be more than happy to make room for these!

Want to hear more great news? Mom Central is also giving away one of these sets! In case you missed it, you get TWO chances to win this product, plus you get to plant a virtual flower and help Global Green USA in the process, plus you will be a proud contributor to "green living." How great is that!! Visit Mom Central to sign up for your chance to win!

Love Your Veggies

2009-04-01T12:30:00.000-04:00

When it comes to my ten year old and food, we have issues. She loves her dairy but is very picky about anything else she eats. Veggies are no exception. If they are green, you can pretty much give up on getting her to try them. I continue to encourage her and many times that helps. However, she is still apprehensive about trying new things. I find that if I can get her excited about veggies, she is more apt to try them. I usually do this by allowing her to help me prepare the food or by reading something neat about it. Last year she helped plant and maintain our garden and that was a great way to expose her to several different kinds of vegetables.

These days, kids are all about computers. They love to scour the internet for information and games. The brilliant makers of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings had an excellent idea. They recently introduced a new website geared toward children, to help expose them even more to the wonderful world of vegetable eating! Love Your Veggies is filled with information and games that your child is sure to love. From the website:

As part of their continued effort to help parents and educators overcome the challenges of getting children to eat their vegetables, the makers of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings have created Veggie Adventures, a free online game that can be played now at LoveYourVeggies.com. Keeping in mind a recent study that indicated that 60 percent of parents play computer games with their kids, the makers of Hidden Valley Dressings hope Veggie Adventures will be yet another tool for moms to utilize to expand their young children's appreciation for vegetables.

Veggie Adventures engages families in a three-part vegetable adventure that begins with growing vegetables on the farm and ends with serving and sharing vegetables with friends. Along with fun and easy game-play, Veggie Adventures provides players with great tips and vegetable facts meant to be transplanted outside of the gaming experience. At the end of each stage, players receive a printable certificate to commemorate their success.

My daughter loves playing Veggie Adventures and I am thrilled that she is learning lots of neat things about vegetables. I can already see excitement in her eyes when we talk of planting our garden this year. I look forward to making many yummy vegetable dishes this summer!

As always, thanks to Mom Central for alerting families to such useful and helpful products and websites!

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Reflections 3/31/09

2009-04-01T03:11:00.001-04:00

Well, the days of needing a steam cleaner are almost over. After years of putting it off, we're finally pulling up our horrid carpet and putting down flooring. I am very excited since I have allergies and the carpet breaks me down :-) The only problem now is that we are still remodeling a bathroom and Jeff's new job takes up every spare minute right now. Perfect timing, huh? Just when our "to-do" list needed to shrink, we go and make it bigger. Ah well.

As for everything else, things are going great. School is good and I have maintained an A average so far. Only five more weeks to go and I'm hoping I keep that A. As I get older, I realize that it's really hard for me to accept anything less than the best from myself. In many ways that is a good thing. Having had self esteem issues all of my life, I'm finally proving to myself that I can accomplish my goals with a little bit of hard work. I think our transition to Orthodoxy has helped in that area too. That's a story for another time though.

The kids are doing great and Logan's co-op classes are winding down. I think we are both happy about that. She's been enjoying her biology class. They have been dissecting animals over the past several weeks and I think she's learned a lot. I don't think she's actually done any of the cutting but I'm proud of her for being able to sit through the dissection without loosing her lunch. She's really found something she loves in writing too. She is taking an IEW class and has loved every second of it. The only other class she is taking is Spanish I and we won't even talk about that! It's been a nightmare and we've determined that in the future, foreign language will be done at home. Caroline wasn't involved in co-op this semester because I didn't have time to commit to helping out. Plus, she has weekly piano lessons and Jeff and I really wanted her to focus on that. She has so much natural ability in that area and I really hope she develops a great love of music. Right now, much of her piano learning is effortless. I only wish I had half the talent my girls have. They are very inspirational.

This summer looks busy for me. The girls and I usually have a pretty laid back schedule in the summer. Since that's the case, I'm going to load up on pre-nursing classes. I'll be taking four classes from June to August. I have two classes from June to July and then the other two courses will run July to August. They are quick since I'm taking them in the summer but most of them will be fairly easy. The only one that even worries me a little is, of course, the math course. Lots of prayer and hard work have helped this semester so I pray I don't lose focus.

You know, just when I think life couldn't get any more full, it seems to. I'm not sure if that happens to you but more often than not, it happens that way to me. Spiritually, I'm in a place I've never been before. I am very happy and content. I have a clear purpose and I am striving to fulfill that. I'm surrounded by people who love me and whom I love dearly. I'm making friendships that are unlike any I have ever had. Life is good. I pray I will not squander a single second of it.

Blog Tour: Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

2009-03-20T08:20:00.002-04:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Michal
Revell (March 1, 2009)
by
Jill Eileen Smith

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jill Eileen Smith is the author of several articles, poems, and stories, and her unpublished novels have placed in five writing contests in the past five years. A children’s story, which she wrote for her church led her youngest son to faith in Christ several years ago; much like a gospel tract led her to the Lord at a similar age.

That story, “Seeking Treasureland,” is now available. Jill is a member of several online writing groups and helps promote fellow authors’ works through monthly interviews on the "Spotlight" page of her website. She, along with her husband and children, are active members in their local church. A stay-at-home mom, she homeschooled the couple’s three sons for twelve years through high school, seeing them go on to higher education.

In her spare time, Jill teaches piano, reads, does picture scrap-booking, and enjoys trying out new recipes, especially those that include dark chocolate. Jill and her family make their home in Southeastern Lower Michigan.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Can their epic search for true love survive a father's fury?
The daughter of King Saul, Michal lives a life of privilege--but one that is haunted by her father's unpredictable moods and competition from her beautiful older sister.

As a girl, Michal quickly falls for the handsome young harpist David. But soon after their romance begins, David must flee for his life, leaving Michal at her father's mercy in the prison that is King Saul's palace.

Will Michal ever be reunited with David? Or is she doomed to remain separated from him forever?

Against the backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and daring desert escapes, Jill Eileen Smith takes you on an emotional journey as Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as the first wife of King David. Jill Eileen Smith has more than twenty years of writing experience, and her writing has gathered acclaim in several contests. Her research into the lives of David's wives has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Michal, go HERE

Go Vote for J4!!!

2009-03-18T09:32:00.001-04:00

Silly me. I don't know how I could have forgotten to blog about something as exciting as some homeschool kids competing on national television for a CBS recording contract! What's even more exciting is that these homeschooled kids are local and we attend co-op with them! Bad me! Bad me!

J4 is a local group out of Bluff City, TN. They are made up of four brothers and sisters, ages 7 to 14, and they have lots of talent. They are great kids. They also have great parents. Their mother heads up the co-op where Logan takes classes each Monday. Their father is a pastor. Wonderful family.

They competed today on the Early Show, in the semi-final round of competition. There are three families left. Voting is open through 6pm (ET) tomorrow. The two families who have the highest number of votes will go on to compete in the final round next week. This has been a dream come true already for this family. They are so thankful to have the opportunity to represent the homeschool community and they have made us proud! Please go check them out and remember to vote!

CBS Early Show

Back to Work

2009-03-16T09:54:00.001-04:00

I was all geared up to buy some sports gifts for my FIL this week.....then MSU had to go and spoil it for me! They beat my Vols yesterday in the championship game. I'm sure I'll get over it in a week or two :-) In the meantime, everything else is going well. I was on spring break from school last week but I'm back in the swing of things this morning. I'm trying to catch up all the homework I didn't do last week. Seriously, who does homework on spring break?

March 12th marked the one year anniversary of my BIL's death. We spent the day recalling many memories of good times we'd had with him. It seems that everywhere we turn, there's a reminder of Mike's life. I am very thankful for that. For the last few years of his life, Mike worked as a carpenter. He had done this on and off all his life. He was very good at it and enjoyed doing this kind of work. The last project he completed before his death was building our deck and screened in porch. He, my hubby, and my FIL spent an entire summer getting it all done and we were all thrilled when they finished. Mike was very proud of the work and we were able to enjoy the deck for a few months before Mike got really sick. Every time I walk out there, I think of him. He was a very unique person and I wish everyone had gotten to know him.

While we miss him greatly, we know that he is with God and suffers no more. The last year of his life, Mike had grown very weak. To know that he is no longer in that state is very comforting. His children are still struggling but I guess that's normal when one looses a parent.

As for everything else, it's going well. Jeff's new job is working out great. He is keeping long hours but we hope that'll calm down once he's been there for a few months. Financially speaking, the job is going to be such a blessing to us. We are hoping to work toward paying our house off over the next few years. My goal is to have us debt free by the time hubby is 43. That's a little more than three years away. If we are able to accomplish that, it'll be a huge relief to us.

Everything else is excellent. We are settling into the new church. We feel very welcomed and loved already. I'm hoping to share more about that in the coming months. This was a change for us but we are learning so much. We have already developed a couple of really strong friendships and can't wait to see what the future holds.

It's finally nice to get back to blogging also. Facebook has been really distracting. There's something about being able to chat with friends that trumps having a blog :-) How about you guys? What's up with you?

Blog Tour: Journey To The Well by Diana Wallis Taylor

2009-03-11T15:01:00.000-04:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Journey To The Well
Revell (March 1, 2009)
by
Diana Wallis Taylor

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Diana Wallis Taylor, San Diego resident, is an award-winning Christian author and speaker who shares her personal testimony to women’s groups. The Lord gave Diana a desire to write a book about the woman of Samaria who encountered Jesus at Jacob’s Well. It was at the edge of the well where the woman of Samaria found the living water of Jesus.

A native Californian, Diana Wallis Taylor graduated from San Diego State University. She has had many occupations; elementary and junior high school teacher, bookshop owner, and conference director for a Christian college. A poet since the age of 12, she published a book of poems, Wings Of The Wind, in 1994, now republished with watercolor illustrations in 2006. She has received awards in songwriting and poetry and her writing contributions appear in various books and magazines. The author speaks on the woman at the well in conjunction with her own testimony. She also speaks on A Walk in the Darkness, on her family involvement in the occult and how it affected her life.

Diana lives with her husband Frank in San Diego, California and between them they have six grown children and ten grandchildren. In addition to her speaking and writing, she serves on the board of the San Diego Christian Writer’s Guild and is active in Christian Women’s Fellowship.

ABOUT THE BOOK

She went to the well for water. What she found there would change her life forever.

Marah is a young girl in love with her childhood friend, Jesse. When she is forced to marry an older man, she must abandon her dreams of happiness. At the mercy of men who are often only interested in using her, Marah must fight for survival. Will she ever meet a man who can save her?

The story of the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well is one of hope, redemption, and a life changed in an instant through a remarkable encounter. Jesus told her "everything she'd ever done," but we are left to wonder at the circumstances that led her life on such a tragic path to begin with. Now from the creative mind of Diana Wallis Taylor comes the full story of the woman at the well.

This well-researched portrayal of a woman's life in the time of Jesus opens a window into a fascinating world. Taylor's rich descriptions of the landscapes, lifestyles, and rituals mesh easily with the emotional and very personal story of one woman who desperately seeks to rise above the difficult circumstances of her life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Journey To The Well, click HERE

Man of Many Hats

2009-03-09T21:49:00.002-04:00

My hubby is a funny man. There isn't a day that passes without me doubled over, laughing at something he has said or done. He's also a good sport and goes along with most silly things I come up with. Oh the things he allows me to talk him in to doing!

We happened by a huge bin of foam hats for kids at Michael's. Of course, he let me talk him in to modeling several of them while I took pictures. Other customers got a kick out of it too because I heard many of them snickering as they passed.

The pink cowgirl hat was my favorite because, well, it's pink!

Jeff the Tiger

Elephant Man

Oh Bunny

By this time, I was laughing so hard that I couldn't get a clear picture. I'm blessed to live with a man who loves me more than I can imagine and that has a great sense of humor!

Playing Catch Up

2009-03-08T22:27:00.001-04:00

Since the discovery of Facebook several months ago, blogging has sort of taken a backseat. I found myself missing my bloggy friends this week though so I'm hoping to settle down and get back on track. It's funny how you go through "phases" even as an adult. We've also had lots of changes in the past few months so I have plenty to write about.

Two weeks ago, hubby started a new job. This job is 100% home-based. The transition has been an easy one since he already worked at home three days a week with his previous job. The hardest part for me has been to discipline myself to make lunch for him every day. His work hours are a little cooky right now but we are confident that it will straighten out once he gets the hang of things. He is already starting to get into a groove so normalcy is sure to find us soon!

School is going well for me. I'm only taking one class right now so it's very manageable and has not affected our homeschooling schedule at all really. It's very motivating to be working toward something that I will be able to use once the kids are older. Medicine has always fascinated me and I love people so I am looking forward to using these skills. As far as the class is concerned, so far, I have an A. It's a math class and math is my weakest area so I really have to stay focused in order to do well. The section we are in now is pretty tough for me but I'm hanging in there.

The girls are great. They are progressing nicely with their school work and I'm actually looking into volunteer opportunities for us. I hope to find something that the three of us can do on a weekly basis. I know there are plenty of great ministries out there so hopefully I'll find us something soon.

The biggest change for our family happened several months ago. We left the church we had been part of for six years. Through lots of study, hubby decided we were going in the wrong direction so we took a step back and changed direction. This was a very, very hard thing for me at first. There was plenty of heartache and fighting that happened here but God is good and healed us. I think the hardest thing for me at first was that our former church chose to "cut fellowship" with us. There were other families that left and they were also "cut off." There are a few families that made the decision to continue to fellowship with us and we are happy to count them as friends. We love all of our former church family and pray that God will bring reconciliation in the future. For now, we are focusing on the really important things...like controlling our passions and bringing God glory in any way we possibly can. We have grown even closer as a family and are in a very good place right now.

So, what have you been up to?

Ten Ways To Make Your Life Better

2009-03-03T11:01:00.001-05:00

My list is pretty simple. Since I have been working more on this lately, these are the things that come to mind right off:

Get rid of negative influences. Right now for me, this means getting rid of negative people in my life :-)
Pray more.
Read more.
Exercise regularly.
Eat properly.
Show more compassion.
Love more.
Die to self more.
Get priorities straight.
Enjoy life!

For more Ten On Tuesdays, visit the official site.

Thursday Thirteen for 2/19/09

2009-02-19T12:51:00.002-05:00

At this point in my life, the things I'm thankful for are many. Each day, I find so many more things to thank God for. Here are thirteen things that come to mind today, in no particular order.

Faith ~ This is the single most important thing in my life. Without it, it's hard to say where I would have ended up.
Family ~ Starting with my hubby and girls but spreading to all of our extended family. I cannot express how wonderful these people are. The majority of our family members are Christians and to have that common bond is amazing.
Church Family ~ Whether it be friends from our former church or friends from the church we are currently part of, there are so many amazing people I call friends. I love many of them so much that I wish they could just move in with us :-)
Our Home ~ This has always been a safe haven. Home is my favorite place to be.
Animals ~ Ok, some may think this is a little crazy. Let me just say that without our pets, life would been a little less fun. They comfort when I need comfort. They give love when I need it. They are great stress busters. They love you unconditionally and are the most loyal creatures. And let's face it, it's nice to have them all gathered around in bed with you when it's cold!
Music ~ I think this is one of the most beautiful ways to express yourself. It can bring cheerfulness, it can help you through grief, and I'm convinced there is a song for every situation in life!
The Ability to Read ~ I cannot imagine not being able to pick up a book and read it any time I want.
Being A Mom ~ What greater joy is there?
Homeschooling ~ Our family has grown in ways I never imagined possible and a lot of that is due to homeschooling. It keeps us together every minute of the day, it teaches respect, love, patience, and compassion. It's one of the most important decisions we made for our family. And my kids aren't even "weird homeschool kids." LOL!
The Lives of the Saints ~ Lately, we've been doing a lot of reading concerning the Saints. What amazing people! They have been a real inspiration to our family as of late. I pray we learn much from them.
Those In Authority Over Us ~ Whether it be our dear priest Father Kevin, an employer, or our President, we thank God for each of them daily.
Technology ~ What an amazing thing. We are able to stay in touch with people we may never have spoken to again because of technology. Not to mention all of the things we read and learn!
Creation ~ When I look around me every day, I am in awe of this. Every single detail is so specific and orderly. What a great God we serve!

Leg Warmers, Converse, and Life

2009-02-19T12:16:00.001-05:00

Well, it's official. Our teenage daughter has discovered fashion. I had hoped that the whole fashion scene would pass right by her. For awhile, it worked. Being homeschooled, she doesn't really have to get up each morning and wonder what she's wearing to school. She usually just wears her pajamas and that's perfectly normal around here :-) However, once a week she attends co-op classes and in doing so, has made other teenage friends who are fashion conscious. Great....woo hoo.

Actually, I have to admit, I'm glad she's found her sense of fashion (to some degree). The problem is, it's very scattered. I am drawn to a very classic style. Our teenager......not so much. We hardly ever agree on anything she wants to buy....unless it comes to 80s fashion. I was a teenager in the late 80s and remember leg warmers, big ear rings, big hair, things like these Nooka watches, and parachute paints. The latest thing with her is her desire for a pair of Converse high tops. You remember, the ones that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wore when he played basketball. I think they're cute. The man of the house hates them.

I am very thankful that so far, these are the hardest issues we've had to deal with as far as parenting goes. Our girls have always been pretty easy to discipline.We never had to deal with back talk or attitude issues. Now that I think about it, that is a HUGE blessing. If fashion is the biggest issue we have, then I can handle that! Now, if I can just convince the hubby that Converse, leg warmers, big hair, and hoop earrings really are cool....... :-)

Happy Birthday Big D

2009-02-11T22:40:00.002-05:00

Big D,

Just a line to say Happy Birthday. I hope you've had a good day. In honor of your special day, here are a couple of pictures of your favorite things.You're getting old so you might think of checking out life insurance quotes :-)

Seriously, I'm thankful for the twenty years I've known you and look forward to many more years of your friendship. Thank you for always being such a wonderful friend. I hope that I learn to be half the friend you've always been. You're one of a kind :-)

Love you,

Red

Women At Home

2009-02-07T13:35:00.001-05:00

Two Christmases ago, we bought the girls matching books, Verses of Virtue: The Poetry and Prose of Christian Womanhood. Periodically, Caroline will come to me and want to read a poem she has come across that she really likes. A few nights ago, while I was making supper, she came and wanted to read one to me and I absolutely fell in love with it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Women At Home by Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage, D.D.

Thank God, O women, for the quietude of your home, and that you are queen in it. Men come at eventide to the home; but all day long you are there, beautifying it, sanctifying it, adorning it, blessing it. Better be there than wear a queen's coronet. Better be there than carry the purse of a princess. It may be a very humble home. There may be no carpet on the floor. There may be no pictures on the wall. There may be no silks in the wardrobe; but, by your faith in God, and your cheerful demeanor, you may garniture that place with more splendor than the upholsterer's hand ever kindled.

Blog Tour: Green Works Cleaning Wipes

2009-02-06T12:51:00.000-05:00

Recently, thanks to Mom Central, I was able to try out a new product called Green Works Cleaning Wipes. I'm a sucker for a good, fresh, clean smell and these wipes had just that! In fact, they smell better than any other cleaning wipes I've ever used. I quickly put them to use in my laundry room and bathrooms.

Green Works cleaning wipes are made with natural ingredients, including essential oils and coconut-based cleaners. They are safe to use on multiple surfaces and I love the way my bathrooms smelled when I was finished. Another neat thing about the wipes is that they are biodegradable so they are environmentally friendly. Just throw the used wipes in your compost pile and you're done!

As one who is trying to purchase things that are more environmentally friendly, I definitely give these wipes a thumbs up and look forward to trying more Green Works products in the future!

Snow, Movies, and Upchuck

2009-02-04T04:04:00.001-05:00

We finally got a few inches of snow this evening. It's cold as whiz and when we noticed the snow was coming down pretty heavy, we decided to make a movie store run. After picking up a couple of good prospects, and Jeff doing some doughnuts in the grocery store parking lot, we made it home and settled in for the night. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with that man!

After reading a little bit, I decided to catch up on my DVR recordings of House and ER from the past couple of weeks. When they were finished, we decided to start one of the movies. By this time, it was already a little after 1AM. We should have said no but we love to punish ourselves by not getting nearly enough sleep! We were watching The Mirrors, which is a little creepy to begin with. With about fifteen minutes left to go in the movie, sweet little Caroline came strolling in with this horrific look on her face. She's scared of her own shadow so I figured the movie had awakened her and the creepy music had scared her socks off. She attempted to screech out a few words and the only ones I heard were "my stomach." I immediately jumped up because this kid never mentions her tummy unless something is REALLY wrong. Five minutes later, I'm peeling the sheets and comforter off her bed. As usual, her "my tummy" turned in to throw up everywhere at 3AM. Why oh why?

Thirty minutes later, all is right with the world again. Throw up is cleaned up. Nasty bedding is tucked into the hamper. Baby girl is asleep on the floor with her trash can by her side. I scurried back downstairs to watch the ending of the movie, which disappointed me. Now, here I sit....at 4AM....with visions of throw up in my head....it was a horrific sight....it was a chocolate cake/spaghetti noodle combo. How in the world am I supposed to sleep on that?

Gross....just gross!

Homeschool Masquerade Ball 1/2009

2009-02-02T12:56:00.000-05:00

Logan attended a homeschool masquerade ball this weekend. This was her first formal event, complete with her first formal dress, high heels, jazzed up hair, and make up. She was thrilled and looked beautfiul! I think we finally realize that our baby girl is growing up! My niece, Hannah, helped with hair and make up and did a great job. I know who to call if I ever find myself in need of a good stylist :-)

One last glance in the mirror......

Fully dressed and ready to go......

Close up.....

Hannah (my niece), Logan, hubby, and Caroline

A Perfect Day?

2009-01-27T09:09:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had a perfect day? I'm talking about a day when everything fell into place and just flowed smoothly without any other distractions?

I started thinking about this a few days ago. Lately, I've been catching up with many old friends via Facebook. At first, I thought FB would be a waste of time. What I found was that many people had been reconnected there and that the people you thought were lost were suddenly found.

Growing up, I was a very social person. In fact, that was the only reason I got up and went to high school every morning. I had lots of friends and was involved in a lot of sporting activities. I think it is fair to say that I was popular because of sports. I had friends who were just my friends because we were involved in things together but then I had friends who were REALLY friends. There's a huge difference :-) I guess I thought my high school years would last forever and that those friends would always be within walking distance of my house. Boy was I mistaken.

Life has taken me only an hour or so away from my hometown. It's still very reasonable to drive home and visit friends......but I rarely have done so in the past. I'm glad to be reconnecting with friends though because I plan to make many trips home to catch up with them in person. And all of this brings me back to my perfect day question and story.

I believe I did have a perfect day once. I was hanging out with a friend. It was cold out and we decided to take a drive over the mountain. As we drove, we talked about all sorts of things (our conversations always flow so easily). As we drove across the mountain, it started to lightly slow. By the time we had gone a few more miles, everything around us started to turn white. I remember thinking how perfect everything looked. It was a scene straight out of a magazine. It was beautiful. Breathtaking even. And here we were....best friends, sharing in this perfect scene. I remember rolling down the window and sticking my hand out. I wanted to feel the snow....to make sure that this day was real. I remember that I didn't want the day to end. I wanted to freeze it and replay it over and over. It was like everything in the world was absolutely perfect for those few hours.

I think about that day often. I think about that friend even more.

I pray for more days like that one.

Life....Interrupted

2009-01-26T00:34:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official. I am a college student...for the second time in my life. When hubby and I married eleven years ago, I was attending a local college. We decided that I should withdraw from school for the upcoming semester since we had no idea what the first few months of marriage would be like. I was disappointed at the time but quickly got over it as my role at home became more real to me. Hubby and I always knew that one of these days, when the girls were older and time allowed, I would go back to complete my degree.

So here I am a little more than eleven years later. My focus and desires have totally changed. In my previous college years, I bounced from a sociology major to elementary education. This time around, I thought I should try on a different hat. I want to do something that will allow lots of flexibility. I do not desire a full-time job and don't want anything to interfere with our homeschooling. I am fully committed to my role as wife and mother first. As I looked around for professions that catered to these things, nursing was the obvious choice. The local community college has a two year program that, if all goes well, will give me RN certification. However, I'll add an extra year so that I can take pre-nursing classes at a slower pace. I have it all worked out in my head and pray that God will bless my efforts. In the long term, I hope to use these nursing skills to minister to hospice patients and do missions work both in the US and abroad.

This semester, I'm simply taking a math class. This summer, I'll take two courses and see how that goes. One of the classes will be online....maybe both. I'm eager to get these pre-nursing classes out of the way so that I can concentrate on entering the nursing program next fall. I'll have to work hard to earn a spot in the program and that's exactly what I intend to do. I know at least three friends who are doing this same thing so I have plenty of help and support to lean on. I know I'll be learning a lot of things and I'm looking forward to the challenge. Technology is always advancing in the medical field so it will be interesting to learn about the latest gadgets, like the shoulder pain pump, that prove helpful to patients.

When my grandfather was dying from bladder/lung cancer, he was fortunate enough to have a wonderful family friend as his nurse. In his last days, she came all the way from her home in Charlottesville, VA and cared for him. I remember how gentle she was and how she really made my grandfather feel special. That touched me more than I ever told her. In this same way, I hope to be a blessing to patients who are living out their last days. I pray that God will bless these people through me. I pray that when these people look at me, they will see Christ. I pray that we will be Jesus to one another and will glorify Him in word and deed.

Chuckle for the Day

2009-01-22T12:18:00.001-05:00

A girlfriend emailed me some funnies today and I had to share this one. Too funny!

In order for this funny to apply to our family, my hubby would have to have "poofed" into sweatpants, an old tee-shirt, and has laptop in his hands.

Love you honey :-) You know it's true!

Mission Organization: Wish Me Luck!

2009-01-19T12:26:00.000-05:00

I'm really trying to resist the urge but I want new office furniture. I have a desk with a hutch on it and I've come to the conclusion that the hutch only makes me more messy. Well, at least my desk is more messy with the hutch. See, my ten year old uses my desk most of the time since my desktop computer is there. I haven't used that thing in ages because I have a laptop. It has just become a messy disaster that I can't deal with anymore. I need organization too though. I'm wondering if some sort of wall organizational shelving would help.

I'm on a mission to simplify. I've always tried to be as simple as possible but over the years I've realized I have "stored up" too much junk. When you homeschool, you have a tendency to compile lots of free curriculum helps...which means lots of extra papers to store! A few months ago, we were visiting friends and we happened into their garage for some reason. As I walked into the center of the garage, I heard angelic singing. Along the walls of the garage were countless clear storage tubs. They were neatly stacked and you could see the contents of each container. I wanted to hug the containers.....it was such a beautiful sight! That's what I want to look around my house and see. I want neat spaces and for everything to have a home.

I'm hoping to stick to my plan this time. I want to knock out one room at a time and get this stuff in order. There are a few changes taking place around our house and these changes are going to require me to be more organized than I've ever been in my life (details to come in a week or so). If you have helpful suggestions, I'd love to hear them. A lot of this is common sense and I know I will have to mess around to see what works best for us. My biggest challenge will be to keep my youngest daughter in line. She's the one who loves to collect empty boxes and cram them full of stuff under her bed :-)

I'll try to update as I accomplish specific tasks and share what has worked for us. If you don't hear from me for a few days, not to worry. I'm just buried under all the junk!

Simple Woman's Daybook: 12/19/08

2009-01-19T11:50:00.005-05:00

Outside my window...is a beautiful white blanket of snow and the biggest snowflakes are falling.
I am thinking....I do not want to drive to piano lessons today :-)
I am thankful for....George and Delores P. for their wonderful Christian example.
From the learning rooms....more Saxon Algebra with my oldest and Astronomy with my youngest.
From the kitchen....I smell leftovers from supper last night (ugh!).
I am wearing...work out clothes because I do plan to exercise shortly!
I am creating...daily check lists for the girls so that they can better keep up with their accomplishments each day.
I am going....to look for formal dresses with my oldest again this evening.
I am reading...Facing East by Frederica Mathewes-Green. I'm taking my time because it is excellent!
I am hoping....to get our lives more organized in the coming weeks.
I am hearing...the sound of the shower and of the heat blowing from the vents in our home.
Around the house....everything is unusually quiet...except the sneezes I hear coming from my oldest, allergy prone daughter :-)
One of my favorite things....this week was making a new friend named Karen. She is actually my hubby's high school friend but I stole her :-)
A few plans for the rest of the week: Fill out student loan applications and financial aid stuff, get our schedules more organized, and to paint the bathroom we are remodeling.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...this week I'm not posting a photo but this is the image in my head....tonight we will settle down to a hot bowl of soup, we'll watch Horton Hears a Who with our girls, we'll read more Facing East as a family, and we will thank God for every minute of our day as we say family prayers together tonight.

For more, visit: The Simple Woman's Daybook

Cozi: Keep Your Family Organized

2009-01-15T00:34:00.000-05:00

These days, we are all looking for organizational helps. For the longest time, our family has used a calendar that we keep on the side of our refrigerator. The problem is, I sometimes forget to use it. Recently, I found out about Cozi. This is a free service that helps keep families organized. Since we are a computer oriented family, this is a wonderful discovery. Cozi allows us to keep a calendar, use customizable lists, add photos, keep a journal, and send reminders and messages. For our family, this is a necessity. Between homeschool co-op classes, piano lessons, and church functions, we have plenty to be reminded of. Cozi is very user-friendly and fun to use. We've been using it for a few weeks now and it has proven very helpful. For those of you who have recently purchased an iPhone, you'll be happy to know this:

“In addition to the ways that moms can get their shopping lists and calendars already on any mobile phone via text message and using our toll free number, Cozi now has a mobile version especially for the iPhone and Windows Mobile phones. Families can now sign-in and access their Cozi account using their mobile web browsers. They can add and edit shopping lists and view and edit their family calendar using the mobile version of Cozi right from their iPhone. This is a new feature! You can learn more about it here: http://www.cozi.com/Promo-Cozi-Mobile.htm “

This is a wonderful service that is sure to serve any family. If you are a mom who needs help staying organized, I urge you to check out the benefits of Cozi. Remember, it's free so it's a win-win situation!

How Much for the Doggie in the Window?

2009-01-14T01:32:00.001-05:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays, visit 5 Minutes For Mom.

The Simple Woman's Daybook 1/12/08

2009-01-12T23:38:00.004-05:00

Outside my window...is darkness with the distant glow of street lights.
I am thinking...about good friends that I miss, one in particular.
I am thankful for...my family, especially my husband and daughters.
From the learning rooms...lots of school work to be graded.
From the kitchen...chips and homemade salsa.
I am wearing...gray work out pants, matching top, and my favorite sweater.
I am creating...a to do list in my head.
I am going...to take my oldest daughter dress shopping tomorrow. We're looking for a formal gown.
I am reading...New Moon by Stephanie Meyers and Facing Easy by Frederica Mathewes-Green.
I am hoping...that my good friends know how much I love and miss them.
I am hearing...Taylor Swift on my Ipod nano.
Around the house...everything is quiet. Kids are in bed, hubby at my side, animals sleeping.
One of my favorite things...is reading in bed with my 10 yo daughter.
A few plans for the rest of the week: Make progress with our homeschooling, prepare for co-op next week, go through bookcases and purge.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...of how much fun Logan and I had clowning around before we took off to see Twilight this week.

To read more, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

I Want Soup

2009-01-12T11:03:00.001-05:00

Tennessee weather is slaying me right now. It's madness...pure madness. One week, it's 70. The next week (like this week), it's cold, cold, cold. I have no idea how cold. I'm too cold to check :-) Hubby and I are constantly joking that we don't have winter in TN anymore. We rarely get snow and when we do, it only sticks around for a few hours. I think in the past five years, the girls have been sledding TWO times. Now, I'm not one for cold weather because I prefer to be warm. However, I hate, hate, hate having a week where I pull blankets up to my eyeballs at night and then the next week I have to turn on our ceiling fans. See, this is the madness I was referring to!

Since this week is a cold one, I'm dying to eat soup every night. If I can't stay warm on the outside, I ate least want to eat hot soup to keep me warm on the inside. I can't just get out a pot and throw a soup together. I need a recipe. Not just any recipe. I want tried and true recipes. I want soup recipes that will make me salivate just reading them. Hence the reason for this post. I can search online all day long and find a gazillion and six recipes. But I don't want to do that. I want to hear from you. I want the recipes you love and make often. I'm talking chili, corn chowder, minestrone....the whole nine yards. There aren't many soups we don't like. Thanks to fellow blogger Amanda, I'm dying to make soup bowls and fill them with some tasty concoctions. So, bring on the recipes ladies :-)

All About Etiquette

2009-01-09T12:04:00.001-05:00

From Emily Post's Book of Etiquette:

~ It is a flagrant violation of good manners for children to call their natural parents by their first names ~

Thank God For Friends

2009-01-07T20:55:00.001-05:00

I have a beautiful neighbor. No, I'm not referring to her physical beauty. The beauty I am speaking of goes much deeper than her skin.

I met Jessica about a year ago. I can't even really remember how we met. As it turns out, we are both stay at home, homeschooling moms. We found that we had many more things in common. We both have two daughters and all of the girls are close in age. We have similar homeschooling styles. We like many of the same things and there is only a few years difference in our ages. Best of all, we live about three houses from each other!

At some point, we realized that we both planned on teaching Latin to our children. We quickly devised a plan to have all our kids together for this and to alternate houses each week for the lesson. Since Logan has already been through most of the Latin curriculum, we determined that she could teach the class to the other three girls. This gives Logan some independence and responsibility while allowing Jessica and I to oversee the lessons and to fellowship. In the short time that we have been doing this, we have noticed how much our girls enjoy getting together, learning together, fellowshipping together, and watching their mommies build a friendship. To make a long story short, this family has been a real blessing to us. I never expected to form such a meaningful friendship.

More than the friendship, Jessica has been a wonderful example to me. I tend to get caught up in details. Jessica tends to look at the bigger picture. She sees things with such clarity. She has strong convictions. She isn't afraid to speak her mind (which I personally love). There are so many more things I could say about her but I'll simply say this.....I'm very thankful for her friendship. I thank God every day for making our paths cross.

This is a song Jessica introduced me to the other day as we were driving home from our Saturday shopping trip to the mall. I had never heard this before and fell in love with it. I hope it touches you as it did me. Thanks Jess!

My Birthday Fun

2009-01-03T23:06:00.001-05:00

Last week for my birthday, hubby gave me the night off. Since I didn't have to cook and the girls were planning on a night on the town with daddy, I took off and drove an hour to my hometown. It just so happened that my old high school was hosting a basketball tournament and our high school boys were playing in the championship game that night. I was excited about seeing the game and was hoping to catch up with an old friend beforehand.

The drive seemed really short and I arrived well before game time. I decided to drop in on my old friend while she was at work. She seemed pleasantly surprised to see me and we spent a few hours catching up. It had been at least fifteen years since I had seen her. She told me all about her life; her job, her children, and her recent engagement. Then I noticed that she had on one of the biggest honkin' engagement rings I'd ever seen! I was, and still am, very excited for her. I hung around until she got off and then we jumped in my car and drove to her sister's house to surprise her. Again, it was a nice reunion with another old friend. The time seemed to fly by and it was time for me to head to the ball game. We said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch. I hope we make good on our promise.

The game was great and we won! What a perfect birthday present! As an added bonus, I saw several more old friends at the game and was able to have more than a few conversations. I even had time to chat with my old basketball/cross-country/track coach. Since he was like a father to me growing up, it was nice to catch up with what was going on in his life. I can't wait to go back and do it all again.

One thing that did make me very sad was the decline of the town. It looks so run down and lifeless. I also found out that my high school will most likely be consolidated in a couple of years. I hate that I waited so long to go back and hope that I can go back and visit on many more occasions before the consolidation. It should be interesting to see the transition, since our school will be consolidated with our rival school.

It was a wonderful birthday and I'm thankful that I was able to spend half the day with my family and the other half with old friends. Maybe I'll make it a birthday tradition.

Out of the Country Trips

2008-12-31T18:39:00.002-05:00

For about a year now, we've been collecting miles in hopes of one day making a trip to Scotland. Since it takes A LOT of miles, which takes lots of time to accumulate, I've decided to start saving a small chunk of money toward this trip. It always seems impossible to take a trip out of the country but with a little bit of discipline, it's totally possible. I have no idea how to go about setting the trip up. I've been told that for our first trip, we'd be better off setting up a tour based trip. This way, we get to hit lots of the important points and we can always hit others on a return trip. Anyone have any advice in this area? Also, what about travel insurance ? Do we need it? Is it required?

Have any of you been to Scotland? If so, would you care to share your experiences? I'd love to hear the high points of your trip. It's going to be at least a year before we go....maybe two. I want to really be prepared so I figure I should start this new year by doing the research a little at a time. Your help is greatly appreciated, in case I forget to tell you later :-)

Birthday Fun

2008-12-29T23:15:00.001-05:00

What a fun day we had with Caroline on her birthday. Here are various photos of the day.

Caroline got this cute mouse Webkinz from her big sister

Next, we all got to put on these beautiful shoes. The girls got the prettiest ones.

Caroline was a little embarrassed at first. This was her first time bowling.

She got over it and quickly got to work.

Caroline & I took a break, since I was winning :-0

You know your baby is growing up when she starts complaining that you are taking too many pictures of her.

What a blessing this little girl is to her family. She and her big sister bring so much joy into my life. My life would not have been half as fulfilling without them in my life. I am truly blessed that they call me mom.

Happy 10th Birthday

2008-12-29T12:54:00.002-05:00

Ten years ago today, at 10:55a.m., the sweetest little red-head in the world was born. She wasn't red-headed at first. That beautiful surprise came later. She was cute and tiny. Her head was cone shaped for a little while. She looked like a baby doll. She decided that she wanted to make her entrance into the world the night before....while we had friends over and were playing Tri Bond. It was quite the exciting evening. You see, my water broke while we were playing the game and I wasn't sure what was happening. With my first pregnancy, I was induced so my water had never broken. Anyway, I got up without telling anyone what had happened and went to the bathroom. Of course, I was too embarrassed to come back out and called to hubby to call the doctor. Our friends had recently had a baby and were in no real hurry to leave. In fact, I think they hung around for at least 45 minutes while I stayed holed up in the bathroom :-) They all reassured me that this was normal but I was convinced that if I didn't get to the hospital, the baby was going to be born on the bathroom floor. It seems kind of funny to think about it now because I wasn't even having contractions. Hubby ended up talking to the doctor, who told us to go on to the hospital to get checked out. We arrived there shortly after and found that we were in for a long night. Looking back, I wish I could have just been patient and spent that last night in my own bed.

But this post is not about me. It's about my sweet baby. Caroline was a sweet baby and her big sister was lots of help during the early years. At first Caroline had her days and nights mixed up and it was hard for me to sleep. Couple that with the fact that hubby had the flu the whole week after she was born and couldn't be of much help at all. I was a basket case. Caroline didn't cry much....except when I put her down. I didn't spoil her by holding her. She just liked to scream her head off whenever I laid her down. That lasted for about three months and somehow I managed to survive. As each year passes now, I am reminded of just how precious time is. Babies don't stay little for very long. In fact, these ten years have flown by. I am thankful for my children. I am thankful for the wonderful craziness Caroline brings to my life. She is one of a kind.

In honor of her birthday today, here are ten things about her. There are so many things I could list but these are the ten things that come to mind right away.

What they say about red heads is soooo true! Caroline has a fiery personality and I have confidence that NO ONE will ever walk on her.
She is turning into a wonderful piano player.
She is obsessed with making videos on a digital camera. She does this every single day. She never seems to tire of it.
She loves to write letters to friends or to write journal entries.
Her favorite thing to eat is macaroni and cheese. Not just any mac 'n' cheese....my MIL's is her fav. She's always quick to tell me that my mac is good....but not as good as her granny's.
She is NOT a morning person. Let her sleep until at least 10 each morning and she's good. Otherwise, it takes her a long time to get going.
She has an infectious laugh.
She loves to eat sour cream by itself. She will dip a spoonful out and go to town. She also really likes cottage cheese (ACK!).
She always, always, always says goodnight before she goes to bed. She still gives us hugs and kisses and says the same thing every night before going to bed. It's become a routine of sorts and I love it!
She is one of the funniest people I know. She could keep a crowd entertained for hours.

Happy Birthday baby. Mommy loves you.

Christmas Eve 2008

2008-12-28T16:19:00.002-05:00

This was our first Christmas without my brother-in-law. I have to admit that I was a little worried about how everyone would handle it. Turns out, I had no need to worry. Everyone did great and while we did miss Mike, we were able to celebrate and miss him in a healthy way. Mike was a very unique person. He had a huge heart and loved people. He knew everybody and I never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He was very charismatic and took everything in stride. He could eat more than anyone I know and never gain an ounce. He loved to play cards or board games. Probably something that everyone knew about him was that he loved the Vols.

We thought about him a lot this Christmas Eve. We celebrated much the same way that we did when he was with us. Here are some of my favorite photos from Christmas Eve:

Caroline and my niece Hannah. They took this one themselves.

Caroline, just before she started to hand out gifts.

My nephew Caleb and his girlfriend Chrystal

Logan trying her best to avoid the camera

Bobo, Mike's dog (my in-laws inherited this dog after Mike's death)

Playing Partini

Eating, Eating, and More Eating

2008-12-28T00:54:00.002-05:00

Every year it happens. Come Thanksgiving, I'm telling myself that there is no way I'm going to over eat during the holidays. I tell myself I'll drink lots of water or that I'll eat a snack before the big meal. You can guess what happens, can't you? Every time, I get sucked in by the yummy food.....especially dessert. It was no surprise that when I walked into my cousin's house last night, the dessert table was the first one in my path. I think she did that to entice me :-) Laying in front of me were some of my favorite things....pumpkin rolls, peanut butter rolls, big honkin' sugar cookies with two inches of icing on top, etc. You get the picture. Now how in the world was I suppose to control myself? It was all over before I even sat down. Can you say Leptorexin to the rescue? Ok, it isn't that bad yet but I'm telling you, I find it nearly impossible to say no to the dessert table.

I guess I am glad that my family was kind enough to remember the 999 times I mentioned wanting Wii Fit. They got it for me for Christmas and it could not have come at a better time. I know I've put on at least five pounds since Thanksgiving. So, as soon as I get some batteries, I'm gonna fire that baby up and get to work. I'll have to let you know how it goes.

Thankful for the Little Things

2008-12-11T13:05:00.002-05:00

Back in 1999, when the idea of homeschooling first became a reality for our family, I really felt like there was no way it would last. I didn't feel competent to teach my then first grader. Plus, I had a baby under 1 and, for the first time in a long time, felt lost in my life. I had worked for so many years. Now, suddenly I had two children to care for and a husband who wanted me to be at home....not somewhere else working eight hours a day. It felt like a curse at the time. I had the same attitude that sadly, many mothers have toward their children. "How in the world can I deal with these kids all day long, much less be responsible for their education?" That was the daily burning question in my mind.

Nine years later, I cannot imagine life being any different than it is now. I can't imagine putting my children on a bus and sending them off to public school for most of the day. Sure, there are days when I want to pull my hair out. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that. There are days when we get nothing done besides cleaning up messes (and there are lots of those). There are days when the girls want to sleep late. We have days when they don't want to school at all. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "Mom, can't we take the day off from school?" There are many days when we run into problems with math concepts and I think that we will never get through them. There are days when I want to quit. There are days when I wonder why God entrusted me with these two souls to care for. There are days that I am ungrateful because He hasn't given me more.

It never fails though. Days like today come.... days when I look around and see the mess and think, "what's the big deal?" When a friend emails to say that she sure is glad I want to take the rest of the month off from our joint Latin class because we both have lots of holiday obligations to deal with. Days when another friend emails me to tell me that it is complete bedlam at her home and we have ourselves a good laugh. And days when black hand prints all over the wall brings a smile to my face. In comparison to what God sacrificed for me, my problems and complaints are nothing. Less than nothing even.

I am thankful for children. I am especially thankful for my own children. I cherish the privilege of spending every waking hour with them. I am thankful for the wonderful journey of educating them at home. I am thankful for one's ability to read a 900 page book in a day and for her continual complaints of how she will never use Algebra or Biology in her future. I am thankful for the other's musical and creative ability and for going at her own pace when it comes to math. Maybe most importantly, I am thankful that I have black hand prints to wash off of my walls.

Tree Time 2008

2008-12-09T08:49:00.001-05:00

Well, we finally got our tree up and decorated last night. We weren't able to get the tree right after Thanksgiving like we normally do because of the stomach bug I had. The girls were finally relieved when I was well enough to go out with them and pick it out. My niece, Hannah, and my in-laws came over to help the girls last night and they did a pretty good job. I didn't even reposition any of their work! In fact, I sat on the couch and drank hot chocolate while they did all the work. My MIL was doing a great job telling them what they needed to fix so I let her do the dirty work!

The tree never seems to look as pretty with the lights on but they did a great job. We tried to do mostly orange and white ornaments this year but Logan couldn't resist putting her favorite ornament in the front so everyone would be sure to see it. Can you guess which one it is? Look for the blue ornament in the front....it's a TN Titans ornament. Her favorite!

The girls had a great time together and enjoyed spending time with their favorite cousin.

After my niece and in-laws left and my girls were in bed, I couldn't help but take a picture of the tree all lit up. It looked so pretty.

In the coming days, I hope to try and share some of our special ornaments. Do you have special ornaments? I'd love to see them! From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Guess Where I'm Going?

2008-12-08T01:40:00.000-05:00

Lauren over at Baseballs and Bows is always talking about their wonderful family Disney vacations. Our family has never been but maybe one of these days we'll break down and go. We are planning a weekend getaway though. Jeff and I are taking off to Gatlinburg for the weekend next week. Guess what the best part is? It's a free 3 day 2 night vacation. We don't even have to go listen to anyone talk about timeshares for an hour!

Back in September, we decided to sell our Toyota 4-runner because it was a gas hog. We ended up buying a smaller truck and the dealership threw in this free weekend vacation. That's never happened to us before so it seemed too good to be true...until the gift certificate came in the mail. It didn't take us long to throw our plans together and make reservations. We haven't been in awhile so it'll be nice to go and see all the Christmas lights. I'm hoping to go to the Wild Plum Tea Room that a good friend told me about. I'd never even heard of it. That makes me wonder what else I've missed!

If anyone has suggestions, I'll gladly take them. Tell me about fun things you've done down that way or great places you've eaten. That's my favorite part!

Tummy Mix Up

2008-12-06T00:10:00.001-05:00

So for the past week, I've had the most HORRIBLE stomach bug known to man. Yep, me. The one, who only last week was bragging about never being sick. At one point, I was even complaining to someone that I never got sick enough to have anyone wait on me hand and foot. Boy did I stick my foot in my mouth!

Thanksgiving went wonderfully. We had a great visit with my mom and came home from West Virginia on Saturday. That night, I started to feel a bit under the weather but it wasn't until Sunday night that the full force of it got me. I was so sick that I could barely get out of bed for anything. Clive Owen could have been knocking at the door and I wouldn't have cared. All of my bills could have been unpaid and 100 debt collection agencies could have been calling and I wouldn't have budged. Someone could have put a platter of my favorite foods within reach and I would have balked at it. It was just that bad. In fact, it was worse than that. Seriously.

I'm finally getting back to normal, five days later. I tell ya though, it's still lingering. We got pizza tonight and I ate one slice....one slice! Pizza is my favorite and I always eat more than one slice! I'm working my way up to a peanut butter shake. I'm going about it very slowly though. I hear this thing has been going around. I am thankful that no one in our house got it besides me. Not sure how that happened. Anyway, if you get it, I'm sorry. It's bad. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. The only advice I can offer is get yourself a nice warm blanket, plenty of water, and go to bed. And seriously, if Clive knocks on your door, just send him to my house.

It Goes Without Saying

2008-12-05T11:22:00.000-05:00

Friends are a wonderful blessing. Over the years, I've had many of them. I moved to a neighboring state a few years after graduation and some of my friends got lost along the way. As sad as it seems, it was bound to happen. Circumstances change. People change. We grow up, move on, start careers, start families, and all sorts of neat things. We look back on our younger years and kick ourselves for things we said or did. Maybe we even regret things we didn't say. I think the latter is where I find myself.

Back up twenty years. Growing up in a small town, everybody knows everybody. You know what your neighbor is into at all sorts of odd hours in the night because you live so close, it's impossible not to know. That was me. My mom, brother, and I lived in a small town like this and we lived in close proximity of most of my good friends, save a few. It was wonderful. It was like a giant slumber party every weekend. We'd see each other or talk on the phone....hang out at each other's home. We'd sit on the porch and watch as other friends drove by. We always knew where they were going and who they were with. They always knew what we were doing and always, always, always knew they could drop in on us. We had an open sort of house. My mom was very tolerant of my brother and I (and our friends). We had lots of friends and our house always seemed to be the gathering place. I think mom loved it. I think she enjoyed having all those kids around her and around us. I think she liked caring for them and talking to them. I think she enjoyed seeing us develop deep, lasting friendships. At least until midnight rolled around and she had to kick someone out :-) (Really, I don't think she ever did that...she was pretty cool). Other parents did the same for us. They came to ball games and cheered us on or sat through chilly track meets to see me compete. They opened their homes and hearts to me. They fed me. I felt very fortunate growing up. Even though my parents were divorced, I felt like I had multiple moms and dads. I'm sure my brother would say the same.

Fast forward to now. Twenty years later you have me....the one who rarely ever goes home to visit. My mom isn't there anymore so I tell myself that there's no real reason to go back. Except that there is. Some of those friends and parents are still in that little town. While most people look at it and see nothing, I look at it and see half my life. And then there is that one friend. The one that's been there through everything. The one that knows everything; the losses and triumphs...the good, the bad, and certainly the ugly. My wonderful friend has been there in the same little town all this time. And do you know what happens if you run into them or see them in a store? It's like you never even left town and didn't call or write for twenty years. Our conversation picks right back up, as if we never stopped talking. Our thoughts are still so aligned that we practically finish each other's sentences. It's strange and comforting at the same time. Sometimes in life, it's hard to know who your true friends are. For me, I've always known I could count on this one. Always. No questions asked. Whatever I needed would be mine and vice versa.

So the next time you are thinking of that friend you haven't seen in a gazillion years, pick up the phone and call them. Send them an email. Drop them a letter. However, DO NOT, under any circumstance, put it off. Don't waste twenty years on silence when you have the ability to tell them you love them. Don't squander those moments when you could be crying over coffee or laughing over twinkies (or peanut butter rolls and peanut butter shakes in my case). Friends are a treasure. Best friends are life preservers, just waiting to hold you up when you are going under. The happiness and joy they bring will add years to your life. I'm sure of it. How would I know, you ask? I know because I have one of those friends....one of those life preservers that I know would hold me up when I'm sinking. One of those friends that would hug me and love me no matter how many years I let slip by without calling or writing. One of those friends who can finish my thoughts, likes the same things, and holds our friendship close to their heart.

To that friend I have this to say.....I love you. I treasure you. I hold a special place in my heart for you. You are never far from my thoughts.

Ten On Tuesday: Ways To Save Money

2008-12-02T14:28:00.000-05:00

These are things that I am trying to incorporate in our house. Some of them we already do, others we are trying to do more often. I think with the economy the way it currently stands, we are all looking for ways to save money. I wish we would do it no matter what state the economy is in. Saving money is always a good idea :-)

Do not let the water run while brushing your teeth. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Just stop it already...turn it off and only turn it on when you absolutely have to. I would hate to try and figure out how much water we waste because of this. I hate, hate, hate it!
Use energy efficient bulbs. I have to admit, I hate them in my fixtures. They are ugly and make me want to vomit. However, if it saves me money, I'm all over it.
Learn to bargain shop and join FreeCycle. I can't say enough about FreeCycle. I've given away things and obtained things this way. Instead of going out and purchasing a new sink, why not check FreeCycle to see if someone has one to give away? You can find really useful things this way. As for bargain shopping, if you really want to find a deal on something, you can. You just have to be patient and not give in to that "I want it now" mentality that we all have at one time or another.
Coupons ~ I can't say enough about this. A good friend at church turned me onto the Grocery Game and how to use coupons to my advantage. She also taught me how to shop at CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid and get free stuff. I have enough shampoo stockpiled to last me for at least a year. And I haven't purchased toilet paper or paper towels in at least six months. It takes a little bit of time and effort but is well worth it in the end. Plus, it's just fun!
Turn it off/Unplug it~ whether it's the tv, computer, or any other electronic device, shut it down when you'll be away.
Take advantage of the weather ~ Something I really hate to pay for is electricity to heat or cool our home. We use propane heat and it is expensive. It heats great but it's costly. So, I do not turn it on until someone in the house threatens my life. I tell them to put on extra layers. I go as long as I possibly can before turning the heat on. As for air conditioning, I only turn it on when I absolutely have to. I leave the windows and doors open in the spring as long as possible.
Use your hands ~ Learn to make your own bread...it's healthier, more gratifying, and costs less in the long run. Learn to craft gifts, cards, etc. Not only do people appreciate these more, it's cheaper than the alternative. There are endless things to make. Jams, jellies, salsa, cookie mixes, and drink mixes are wonderful ideas for this one.
Drink more water ~ Especially when you eat out. On average, purchasing soda in a restaurant runs $2 per person. We can save up to $8 a meal if we simply order water.....and we all need to drink more of it anyway!
Combine trips ~ Monday is our busiest day because I combine all my driving into that day. I get Logan to co-op classes, grocery shop, and get Caroline to piano lessons on this day because I can save gas. It makes Monday a long day but in the end it's worth it. I usually don't have to go out again until the end of the week, which is good for me because I love being at home.
Meal Planning ~ Planning a weekly menu has been a lifesaver for me. Not only does it make the week go smoother, it helps me save money. I do not find myself wandering through the aisles at the store. I make a list specifically around what my menu is that week and I stick to it. It really cuts down shopping time too!

To read more Ten On Tuesdays, visit yanowhatimean.com.

Early Christmas Present

2008-12-02T12:08:00.001-05:00

I got my Christmas present early this year. It wasn't planned. It just kind of happened. I totally blame my neighbor, Jessica. She's the one who faithfully came to my house, picked me up, and took me (as her guest) to the gym. She had hoped I would become a member and that we could go together a few times a week. It was the perfect plan. We were both very excited. That was until my frugal side came out and ruined it for us!

You see, the yearly fee for gym membership was pretty high once you figured it up. I figured I could take that same amount of money and invest in a piece of gym equipment for the house so that I didn't even have to go out to get my exercise. The only thing I ever seemed to use at the gym was the elliptical. I already have a manual treadmill at home so there was no reason for me to use that at the gym. So, instead of spending the money for the yearly gym membership, we decided to go invest it in an elliptical. I feel good about the decision, as I think it is the best use of the money. I know that I will get much use from the elliptical and that it will only benefit me as far as my health is concerned.

So, no more thinking about alli . From here on out, it's diet and exercise all the way. No more letting myself go. No more gaining 20lbs at a time. No more feeling terrible. Just good healthy thoughts in my future!

2008 Christmas Meme

2008-11-30T16:30:00.001-05:00

Saw this over at Annie's and thought it looked fun. Feel free to participate and please let me know if you do so that I can read your responses!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both....I do tend to use bags more

2. Real tree or artificial? Real, real, real....it just isn't a tree (to me) if it isn't real!

3. When do you put up the tree? The week after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? First week of January

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes I do

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Cabbage Patch doll....it had it's own little birth certificate and her name was Sonya. She even had red hair!

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No but I'd love to have the Willow Creek nativity set, just in case anyone wants to buy it for me :-)

8. Hardest person to buy for? My in-laws...both of them.

9. Easiest person to buy for? Caroline....she likes a variety of things so it's easy to pick something for her.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Now I can't share that! The person who gave it to me will be devastated! LOL!

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail....really, who emails Christmas cards???

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story, Elf, It's A Wonderful Life

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? It really varies...this year, I haven't even started. Usually though, I shop all year long. I like to have it done well before Christmas.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think so

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Ham, party mix, homemade candy (peanut butter fudge)

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? We try and alternate. It used to be only clear but since the kids really enjoy colored lights, we've done those for the past few years. This year however, it's clear.

17. Favorite Christmas song? "Mary Did You Know", sung by Michael English.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Spend Christmas Eve with in-laws who live just around the corner. We spend Christmas with my family in Virginia so we travel but only an hour and a half.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph (is that all of them?)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Presents with the in-laws on Christmas Eve....presents with our small family on Christmas morning...presents with my family in VA on Christmas evening.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? rude people, hearing the same old Christmas songs over and over and over, people spending more money than they need to in order to impress others. The joy of the season far outweighs the annoying things though!

23. What I love most about Christmas? Spending time with family, having a tree up, celebrating the birth of Christ, and lots of good food!

TAG. YOU’RE IT.

Where Do The Photos Keep Going?

2008-11-29T08:22:00.000-05:00

Caroline has become obsessed with our digital camera. At first, I thought it was kind of neat that she liked to take pictures and was always asking to do so. That was before she discovered that our camera could also act as a camcorder of sorts. You can record short videos with it and Caroline has come to love this feature. I have no idea how she even figured this out. She just sort of started doing it. At first, the videos were cute and silly. They would last for twenty seconds and be over. Lately however, the videos have grown in length and are starting to really break me down!

It started happening a few months ago. I would take nice pictures and sit the camera down with the intention of downloading them later on. Caroline would ask me if she could make a video of herself and her Webkinz. No harm in that, right? I would go back later to download the photos I had taken earlier and a funny thing would happen.....not all of my photos would be there. After I had forty breakdowns, I figured out that Caroline had deleted some of the photos so that her video would fit on the camera. WHAT? How did she figure that out?????

On Thursday, I made sure to take several pictures of our Thanksgiving spread. I wanted to compare the table pictures each year to see how they varied. I took a few pictures of the food, a few of the kids, and put the camera on the table with the intention of downloading the photos Thanksgiving night. So when I settled down on the couch later that night and started to download the pictures, a funny thing happened. I didn't figure it out immediately....it took me about a minute. Some of my photos were missing. That's when I noticed the video file. It didn't hit me right away because the kids had asked to record a Thanksgiving message to send to one of their friends online and I had allowed it. However, when I played the video, it was sixteen seconds of nonsense. That's when the top of my head started to get hot :-) I knew right away what had happened to my photos. They were gone....never to be recovered. Come to find out, the kids had in fact recorded a video message to their friends up north. But it wasn't on the camera. Caroline had deleted it and about ten of my pictures so that she could shoot sixteen seconds of nonsense.

Ahhhhhhhh, I took a deep breath and later got over it, but not before letting her have it. Needless to say, she is barred from ever using our digital camera again. The only way she'll ever take another picture is if she has her own camera, which I currently refuse to purchase. I'm simply dumbfounded that a 9 year old could possibly think to delete photos so that she could squeeze a video onto the camera. I assume she was just messing around and figured that one out. Looks like I'll have to tie her hands and feet up whenever I'm not around. Maybe that way she'll stay out of trouble.....but I doubt it :-)

Walmart Employee Trampled To Death

2008-11-28T13:56:00.002-05:00

So I was all geared up to get up at 4 a.m. this morning and go shopping. It would have been only my second time going shopping on Black Friday. The one time I did it before, I went alone and wasn't really even going for sale items. I wanted to people watch more than anything. That was several years back and that experience was enough to put the idea out of my head for a few years. It was probably the most horrific experience of my life to date. People were pushy and rude and could have cared less about the person next to them. It wasn't the people watching experience that I had hoped for.

Last night we were talking about getting up and going and had planned to do so. However, I think mom and I both decided that it just wasn't worth getting up so early for. It was either that or the fact that we ate way too much yesterday :-) We got up this morning and decided that we'd just wait until midday to go out. I'm glad we did, especially after reading about a Walmart employee in NY who was trampled to death by shoppers this morning.

I just can't figure out what people are thinking. I know the economy is bad and people want to get the best deals that they possibly can. But because of some of those shoppers, one family in NY will spend Christmas without their loved one. That makes me really sad. What is the world coming to? Is this really the image we want to portray to other nations? I can't speak for everyone but I will say that the only way I will ever get out on Black Friday is if I'm going for fun, simply to watch people. However, I'm not really sure I want to watch people who behave the way they do over something as frivolous as material things.

Happy Birthday to Our Baby, Our Furry Baby

2008-11-28T12:47:00.001-05:00

Our baby's birthday happened to fall on Thanksgiving this year. Sadie turned 11 and did what she normally does all day long:

She didn't get a birthday cupcake or a party hat but we did manage to save her some turkey. As you can see, she was perfectly happy with that!

Bathroom Project: Take 2

2008-11-28T12:03:00.001-05:00

Well, we are finally piecing our bathroom back together. You remember our bathroom. The one we called plumbers to come and fix this summer. The bathroom that they made a bigger mess of than even the original leak caused. The same bathroom that they worked on for three days and still didn't fix. The same plumbers who left to go get a part and never came back. Uh yeah. Those guys. That bathroom.

In the end, Jeff ended up fixing the leak himself. Then we started trying to put things back together but decided to go as slowly as we needed to. We put up new sheet rock and got it all ready to paint (which I still need to do). About a month ago, we put down ceramic tile, which we had never done before. So now it's ready to be painted and as usual, I'm having that "what color do I want to paint it dilemma." The new toilet is sitting patiently in the garage to be installed. I'm looking for a new sink, maybe even one of those cool vessel sinks to jazz it up a bit. But before any of those things can be installed, little old me has to decide on paint and get that done. I'm going shabby chic in there so of course I want to paint the walls pink. Trouble is, it has to be the perfect light shade of pink and I can't choose one from a swatch. However, I'm going to have to decide soon because we've made a rule that the girls can have no one over to stay all night until we get it done. They have waited patiently so my plan is to bust it out next week and get the painting all done. I seriously never thought it would take me so long to get this done.

I go through stages like this though. I'll paint everything I can get my hands on, and then I get sick of it and quit for months. No more excuses though. Not even the new book I bought a few days ago is going to deter me from the task at hand. It's time to resurrect the throne room that is our bathroom :-)

Franklin Springs Family Media

2008-11-19T11:08:00.000-05:00

Last Christmas, my family bought me several films from Franklin Springs Family Media. I'm just now taking time to watch them and I have to tell you, I love them! My favorite so far is the Eden String Quartet: A Bountiful Blessing. From the back of the box:

Their road to becoming accomplished musicians has been anything but ordinary. Join the Miller sisters - Megan, Krista, Leah, and Therese - on the fascinating journey from their family’s cattle ranch to their distinction as an outstanding stringed quartet. The beneficiaries of a multi-generational vision for God-honoring family, the Millers encourage, entertain, and inspire an appreciation of hymns and classical music - and for the building of families that honor the Lord.

The music is beautiful and seeing this family together is a true blessing. I wish I had home theater seating so that I might invite family and friends over to watch it with me. Since I don't, I hope that I will be able to share this wonderful DVD with each family or friend that comes into our home. If you haven't heard of Franklin Springs Family Media, look them up and check them out. There are many wonderful films waiting to bless you!

CFBA Blog Tour: White Christmas Pie by Wanda Brunstetter

2008-11-18T01:10:00.001-05:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
White Christmas Pie
Barbour Publishing, Inc (September 1, 2008)
by
Wanda E. Brunstetter

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Fascinated by the Amish people during the years of visiting her husband's family in Pennsylvania, WANDA E. BRUNSTETTER combined her interest with her writing and now has eleven novels about the Amish in print, along with numerous other stories and ministry booklets. She lives in Washington State, where her husband is a pastor, but takes every opportunity to visit Amish settlements throughout the states.

This year Wanda also publishedA Sister's Hope

ABOUT THE BOOK

Step into Amish country for this bittersweet holiday romance. Here you'll meet Will Henderson, a young man tortured by his past, and Karen Yoder, a young woman looking for answers. Add a desperate father searching for his son, and you have all the ingredients for a first-class romance that will inspire and enthrall.

Abandoned by his father, Will Henderson was raised by an Amish couple. Now he's about to marry Karen Yoder but is having second thoughts. Can Will overcome the bitterness of his past in order to secure his future? Karen cannot break through the barrier her fiance has suddenly constructed around his heart. When she seeks the advice of an old boyfriend, Will begins to see green. Has he already lost his chance for happiness?

When an accident threatens Will's life, the strength of blood ties is tested. Will a recipe for White Christmas pie contain the ingredients for a happily-ever-after?

If you would like to read the first chapter of White Christmas Pie, go HERE

Watch the book trailer:

CFBA Blog Tour: One Holy Night by J. M. Hochstetler

2008-11-14T12:12:00.000-05:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
One Holy Night
Sheaf House (April 1, 2008)
by
J. M. Hochstetler

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. M. Hochstetler writes stories that always involve some element of the past and of finding home. Born in central Indiana, the daughter of Mennonite farmers, she graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Germanic languages. She was an editor with Abingdon Press for twelve years and has published three novels.

One Holy Night, a contemporary miracle story for all seasons, released in April 2008. Daughter of Liberty (2004) and Native Son (2005), books 1 and 2 of the American Patriot Series are set during the American Revolution. Book 3, Wind of the Spirit, is scheduled for release in March 2009. Hochstetler is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Christian Authors Network, Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, and Historical Novels Society.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In 1967 the military build-up in Viet Nam is undergoing a dramatic surge. The resulting explosion of anti-war sentiment tears the country apart, slicing through generations and shattering families. In the quiet bedroom community of Shepherdsville, Minnesota, the war comes home to Frank and Maggie McRae, whose only son, Mike, is serving as a grunt in Viet Nam.

Frank despises all Asians because of what he witnessed as a young soldier fighting the Japanese in the south Pacific during WWII. The news that his son has fallen in love with and married Thi Nhuong, a young Vietnamese woman, shocks him. To Frank all Asians are enemies of his country, his family, and himself. A Buddhist, Thi Nhuong represents everything he despises. So he cuts Mike out of his life despite the pleas of his wife, Maggie; daughter, Julie; and Julie s husband, Dan, the pastor of a growing congregation.

Maggie is fighting her own battle--against cancer. Convinced that God is going to heal her, Frank plays the part of a model Christian. Her death on Thanksgiving Day devastates him. Worse, as they arrive home from the gravesite, the family receives news of Mike s death in battle. Embittered, Frank stops attending church and cuts off family and friends.

By the time a very pregnant Thi Nhuong arrives on his doorstep on a stormy Christmas Eve, Frank is so filled with hate that he slams the door in her face, shutting her out in the bitter cold. Finally, overcome by guilt, he tries to go after her, but driving wind and snow force him back inside. With the storm rising to blizzard strength, he confronts the wrenching truth that what hate has driven him to do is as evil as what the Japanese did all those years earlier, and that he needs forgiveness as desperately as they did ...

Frank doesn't know that what God has in mind this night is a miracle. As on that holy night so many years ago, a baby will be born and laid in a manger--a baby who will bring forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss.

If you would like to read the first chapter of One Holy Night, go HERE.

Clorox Anywhere

2008-11-08T11:32:00.000-05:00

As one with sensitive allergies, I am constantly looking for ways to reduce allergens in our home. We love pets and have plenty of those types of things to worry about. Recently I was given the opportunity to try Clorox Anywhere. I am always a little skeptical of these types of products. Will they really do what they claim to do? I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

Clorox Anywhere is an anti-allergen fabric spray that is dye and fragrance free. It neutralizes up to 90% of pet dander and dust mite matter. It is safe to use around children, pets, and is also environmentally friendly. It is also safe to use on most fabrics, but it it's always a good idea to test a small area first.

In my use of the product, I found it to be very effective. It did seem to reduce pet dander, which was one of my desires. I continue to use it as needed and look forward to seeing the long term benefits from using it. If you'd like more information about this product, check out the website at http://www.clorox.com/products/overview.php?prod_id=aaafs.

As always, thanks to Mom Central for the opportunity to try this amazing product!

Fun, Food, and More Fun

2008-11-03T08:13:00.002-05:00

This weekend we set aside an entire day to spend with our friends. The hubby's went caving for about 8 hours while the rest of us hung out at our house. We had lots of fun watching the kids play. We watched a chick flick. We cooked up a pretty mean pasta buffet. We enjoyed good wine. We enjoyed good conversation.

Kristopher was outnumbered by all of the girls in the house. At one point, he decided he'd lay down and take a rest.

His rest was interrupted by tickles from his mommy.

The girls decided it would be fun to sit on top of the dresser inside the closet and play. Go figure! Kayla and Caroline tried really hard to get Madalyn to smile for me :-) Round one: It didn't work! Madalyn was having no part of it.

"Can you please stop that Sonna" (that's how she says my name)

So I took another one. Her expression tells you just what she was thinking about me! Round two: She was still not having any part of it.

Don't even take my picture!

But I really wanted a good picture of the three of them so I tried again. I think Maddie tried to burn holes in me with her eyes in this one! Round three: Still she wasn't having it.

This is getting really annoying

She finally decided to give in but I'm sure it was just because she wanted to get rid of me!

"Here you go Sonna, now leave us alone!"

L to R: Kayla (age 11), Maddie (almost 3), Caroline (almost 10)

We had a really good time and by the time the guys got back and we ate all that pasta, we were all ready for a good night's sleep! It was a blessing that the time change occurred this same night because we all needed that extra hour!

Thanks to the P's for coming up and hanging out with us all day. We had a great time!

Lots Going On

2008-10-30T18:53:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy week around our place. Lots of little things have been going on and of course I'm going to use that as an excuse for my lack of posts :-) Seriously, after mom went home last week, it seems like tons of things started to happen. The weather turned pretty chilly here in TN and when that happens, there's always plenty to do outdoors in preparation for winter.

I had a huge task in pulling down all of the lovely morning glory that had taken over our deck railing. They just weren't dying quickly enough and our deck looked more like a botanical garden that an actual deck. It was pretty but very irritating to try and navigate. I didn't tell Jeff how many morning glory seeds fell to the ground as I pulled it all up. Should be fun to watch it next spring. He only thought it came in thick this year!

I'm also trying to organize my photos so that I can start scrapbooking them. I'm terrible at buying supplies but then never doing anything with them. I decided that was crazy and that I need to stop being so lazy. I had forgotten about all the digital photos I have to sift through so I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I even had some photos on my cell phone that I had forgotten about. I had Jeff remove the micro sd card from my phone and download them so now I'm all set. I've even got supplies pulled out and an album for each of the girls. Now I just need to make time to sit down and work on them.

We're finally almost finished with our tile flooring in the bathroom. I've finished sealing it and now I just need to get the room painted so that we can finally put the toilet and sink back in. It'll be so nice to have my bathroom back!

We have a Reformation Day celebration going on this weekend at church and the girls are really excited about that. I'm hoping it's not too cold on Saturday so that we can all enjoy ourselves. This is always a fun time of year for me. Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday and this weekend officially kicks off the countdown to then! I can't wait to roast a big ole turkey!

That's about it for now. What have you guys been into?

Granny and Me Craft Day

2008-10-27T10:40:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, my mom came down for a visit and brought lots of projects for the girls to do with her. The house was upside down for a few days but they had a blast. I've determined that we need to do lots more of this. I don't think I cleaned anything for at least three days, which was quite liberating for me!

Mom made sure to carefully instruct Caroline

The result were these cute little Christmas trees

They made the trees with felt and buttons. They attached a twig to the bottom to make the tree trunk.

Later on, they worked on making scarecrow pillows. Logan runs when I get the camera out so I only got a picture of her pillow.

Logan's handiwork

Mom also helped Logan and I make costumes for a party we attended this past weekend. I guess I should say that mom pretty much made the costumes herself. She worked really hard and they turned out well. Logan did sit still long enough for me to get a picture of her at the party.

The force was with her......

Thanks mom! We appreciate all of your hard work and we really enjoyed ourselves!

That's One Way To Diet

2008-10-19T22:02:00.000-04:00

Today we went to a local Mexican restaurant after church. As we were eating, I started to play with my straw. That's when I noticed it. Big pink lipstick stains were all along the rim of my water glass. I immediately started laughing because that's the only thing I could bring myself to do. You see, I don't wear pink lipstick and those weren't my lip prints!

Needless to say, I was totally grossed out and couldn't drink any more of my water. In fact, I couldn't even finish my lunch. I think I threw up in my mouth a little!

Ewwwww.....

Wanted: Yummy Recipes

2008-10-17T11:28:00.001-04:00

We've been on a real salad kick recently. One night a week, that's all we have for supper. I make this huge bowl of spring mix greens, fresh strawberries, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, grilled chicken, feta cheese, and the most important ingredient, candied pecans. We were buying pecans at the store but decided we'd try our hand at making them at home. The first batch I made were pretty good but not restaurant quality. I rolled the pecans in egg white and then a sugar/cinnamon mixture and baked them. Good, but not as good as O'Charleys (they have my favorite candied pecans). This week, we decided to try another recipe to see if we could capture the flavor we were looking for. Jeff made them this time by first baking the pecans, letting them cool, and then boiling the sugar/cinnamon mixture. After it was boiled, he coated the pecans with the mixture and laid them out to cool. Again, they were good but not what we were looking for.

Rather than looking through tons of recipes, I'm wondering if you've made them. If so, would you care to share your recipe? These things are so good that people eat them as snacks at Christmastime. I'm also looking for homemade egg nog recipes so if you've got one of those, pass it my way. I'm planning to have both of these and would love to perfect the recipes by the time December rolls around. I'm also wondering if you could make a pecan pie out of candied pecans. Have you tried it?

Wordless Wednesday: Love Those Freckles

2008-10-15T21:09:00.001-04:00

That's What Friends Are For

2008-10-14T15:21:00.001-04:00

A few months ago, my sweet friend K made me a beautiful necklace. She and I have been on a journey of sorts. We started trying to live healthier and using each other as motivation. In doing this, we became close friends. This has been a real blessing to me because I left my best friends behind when I left my hometown seventeen years ago. As the years passed, we just lost touch because we lived a few hours apart. I have really missed having those relationships but I also realize that people change and their lives go in different directions.

I am so thankful for K and look forward to many years of laughing really hard, crying equally as hard, and just general fellowship. I wanted to share a picture of the necklace and remind you to be thankful for those friends in your life.

The circles each have an inscription on them: Strength, Focus, Imagine, Passion, Integrity, and Discipline.

I love it K! Thank you so much for your friendship and encouragement. You are truly a blessing from the Lord.

Time Keeps Slipping.......

2008-10-14T15:18:00.000-04:00

My mom is visiting from West Virginia for a few days and has roped the kids into several different craft projects. I hope to share plenty of photos in the coming days. In the meantime, my kitchen looks like a war zone. The kitchen table is covered with buttons, sewing needles, glue, scissors, craft paint and paint brushes, two sewing machines, and plenty of fabric and felt. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to cook in there again (that's a good excuse, isn't it?).

Our garden is dying out but the tomatoes are still hanging on. Every morning when I peek out the window, I see another ripe one hanging there waiting for me to come get it. The leaves are falling off the trees and the yard is scattered with them. My deck is covered with morning glories that just refuse to die out. I really need patio furniture covers for all the stuff out there.

It seems like just yesterday that we were getting everything ready for summer and now it's time to winterize everything. Honestly, where does the time go? It seems like I blink and a year passes. For the next few days, we're gonna kick back and enjoy all the crafty goodness going on over here. All of that other stuff can and will have to wait. I'm trying to remind myself to take time to enjoy life because in an instant, it passes and you can never get that moment back.

Ten On Tuesday: Band Edition

2008-10-14T00:33:00.001-04:00

10 Bands/Artists that Remind You of High School

Guns N Roses ~ Patience was my favorite song.
Cinderella
Poison
Winger
Bon Jovi
Bryan Adams
Skid Row
Aerosmith
Def Leppard
Warrant

For more TOT's go to the official site.

Just for Jenny

2008-10-12T18:35:00.000-04:00

This one is for my best girl, Jenny. This is her favorite animal. She's always talking about spider monkeys. So, here you go Jen!

Week in Review

2008-10-12T02:28:00.001-04:00

I haven't done a weekend reflection in a long time so I thought I'd try and pick that back up again. It seems we all got busy at the same time and lots of people are not posting regularly. That's nice to know because I was feeling guilty. Quite honestly, starting a new homeschool year has really taken up a lot of time. With Logan going to co-op on Mondays and Caroline having piano, I'm swamped that day.

Tuesday is grocery shopping day so that's what I did. I'm trying to start my diet again so I've got to start doing some healthy cooking. It's amazing how terrible you feel once you go off the WW diet and back to your old eating habits. Sometimes I really over do it and it makes me sick. So, that's my goal this week. I'm hoping to find some new recipes and get back into the swing of things. I lost 17lbs but have gained about 5 of it back. What a difference 5lbs make!

We spent the next couple of nights visiting a local costume store. Our friends are having a murder mystery type party so we needed to look for our get ups. The party is two weeks away and I sill haven't decided on a costume. I really need to get with it!

As usual, every time a football game has been on, I've been watching it. I'm telling you, the only reason we have cable is so that we can watch football! Too bad our UT Vols are terrible this year!

Friday night we had family movie night. We watched The Matrix and really enjoyed it. Caroline didn't really get into it but she's a bit young to "get" it all. We're planning to watch The Matrix Reloaded tomorrow night and will soon rent the third one. Speaking of movies, we watched a couple of others this week. The Bucket List was one of the best. We really enjoyed it. We also watched Made of Honor but it wasn't as good as I expected. The Duchess and Nights in Rodanthe is next on my list. I just finished reading Nights in Rodanthe and the book was very predictable. I've heard the movie is the same way and that I should save my money. Have any of you seen it? What are your thoughts?

Saturday, I took off about 1:30 and met a friend at the mall. We shopped for about five hours (lots of window shopping) and ate some yummy shrimp at Red Lobster. I was good for a few hours but started to feel pretty sick. I ended up coming home early but still had a wonderful time! It's so nice to get out with a girlfriend from time to time. Thanks K! It was fun.

Tonight, my mom's coming in for a visit. We are very excited and she has big plans for us. She has several craft projects lined up for the girls. Mom is very crafty and I'm sure the girls will really enjoy helping her. She'll be here for a couple of days so hopefully I'll have some pictures to share next week!

What about you guys? What was your week like?

Holiday Beverages

2008-10-08T16:35:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, we went to Lancaster, PA on vacation. We had always wanted to travel to Amish country and I had read enough Beverly Lewis novels that I felt like I was already familiar with Lancaster and the surrounding area. We spent about four days up there and surprisingly enough, the Amish culture was not what we expected. We had allotted most of our time to learning more about the Amish and only saved one day for the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. After returning home, we talked about how we wished we had reversed our plans and spent more time at the Renaissance Faire than in the Amish towns.

The Renaissance Faire was a blast. More people than not were dressed in period clothing (performers and customers). There were things going on all over the fairgrounds and by the end of the day, we still hadn't seen everything. The girls were able to hold baby dragons. We watched a few jousting matches and several plays. The coolest thing, by far, was the human chess match. Queen Elizabeth and her court walked around the fairgrounds and were in character the entire time. There wasn't a moment that anyone was out of character. It was very neat.

At the end of the evening, we watched the closing ceremony and then were ushered to a winery on the grounds. There we were treated to a free wine tasting. This winery put out so many yummy wines that you really did need to take part in the tasting in order to figure out what you wanted to buy to take home. If they had a wine of the month club, we would have joined for certain! In the end, we ended up bringing home six yummy bottles of wine. I think my favorite was a blueberry wine but there was also one called Quilter's Delight that was quite nice. All of the bottles we brought home were holiday flavors. We enjoyed them at Thanksgiving and at Christmas with our family and friends.

So this year, as I prepare for Thanksgiving, I'm wishing I had some wonderful tasting wines. I'd like to have a special one for Thanksgiving and another special one for Christmas this year. As usual, I am seeking your suggestions. What do you serve, as a special drink, with your holiday meals?

Blog Tour: A Constant Heart by Suri Mitchell

2008-10-06T16:37:00.002-04:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Constant Heart
(Bethany House October 1, 2008)
by
Siri Mitchell

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.

But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.

Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.

A Constant Heart is her sixth novel. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. She has been called one of the clearest, most original voices in the CBA.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In a world of wealth, power, and privilege...love is the only forbidden luxury.

“Trust was a valuable commodity at court. Traded by everyone, but possessed by no one. Its rarity was surpassed only by love. Love implied commitment and how could any of us commit ourselves to any but the Queen? Love implied singularity and how could any of us benefit another if our affections were bound to one in exclusivity? Love was never looked for and rarely found. When it was, it always ended badly.”

In Queen Elizabeth’s court where men and women willingly trade virtue for power, is it possible for Marget to obtain her heart’s desire or is the promise of love only an illusion?

A riveting glimpse into Queen Elizabeth's Court...

Born with the face of an angel, Marget Barnardsen is blessed. Her father is a knight, and now she is to be married to the Earl of Lytham. Her destiny is guaranteed ... at least, it would seem so. But when her introduction to court goes awry and Queen Elizabeth despises her, Marget fears she's lost her husband forever. Desperate to win him back, she'll do whatever it takes to discover how she failed and capture again the love of a man bound to the queen.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Constant Heart, go HERE

This was a pretty good book. It was hard to get into at first and I grew very frustrated at the constant struggles Marget faced. It seemed like every time she made progress, there was one more set back right on her heels. It was a roller coaster of emotion and there were times that I had to put the book down and walk away. If I could have gotten my hands on the queen, she would have died early on in the story! Overall, a quick and easy read with a pretty good story line.

If you'd like my copy (which is an advanced reading copy), leave a comment and I'll draw a winner on Friday, October 10th.

Do Unto Others

2008-10-05T11:39:00.000-04:00

About a month ago, our neighbor came over to recruit Logan to stain the wood fencing around her pool. We assessed that this would be a pretty simple job and well worth what the neighbor was offering to pay her. I pitched in and helped her a little but for the most part, Logan did the job in just a few days. I was pretty amazed because there was quite a bit of fencing to do. She was tickled pink to make some money to take on vacation with her and as an added perk, the neighbor told her she could jump in the pool anytime she wanted. This particular neighbor is a very nice single lady in her early 40s. We're always dog sitting for her or cutting some of her grass. We even like to bring her garbage can up for her after the trash truck is through with it. We really enjoy being a blessing to her and are always looking for more ways to be a blessing to those around us.

The neighbor on the other side of us just completed a new fence installation. She came over and assured us that she was not putting it up because she wanted privacy from us but rather she wanted to keep her outdoor dogs from invading our yard. I thought that was very sweet of her. She's a young single gal and we are trying to find more ways to be a blessing to her.

All of this got me thinking.....what could we do to be more of a blessing in our neighborhood? What do you do? Do you have good relationships with your neighbors? Got any creative ideas for us?

Grown Up Night @ the Beach

2008-10-03T10:40:00.001-04:00

L to R: Our pastor and his wife, Eric & Lindsay, Georgia, myself, and Jeff

While we were in Corolla, the adults got together and went out for supper one night. We had a great time and I fell in love with my shrimp wellington. It was the most wonderful shrimp I've eaten to date. This restaurant was right on the ocean and the view was wonderful. It was a bit breezy and there seemed to be a family of flies that absolutely loved our table! We had a wonderful time and after supper, Jeff and I enjoyed several rounds of shuffleboard. I think he beat me every time!

Is it too soon to say that I'm ready to go back?

Got A Stain?

2008-10-03T07:36:00.007-04:00

I am always on the look out for great products and last week, I was able to try one that is sure to become a staple in our house, all thanks to MomCentral. We have children and as most of you who have children know, there is always a mess to clean up. That goes with the territory. Our youngest daughter can't sit at the dinner table without getting half her food on the table cloth, in her chair, or on the floor. And when it comes to spilling things on the carpet, well, that is a given around here.

My normal reaction to cleaning up a carpet spill is to drag out the big old carpet cleaner. It's so much work to get it all ready to go, just to clean up one little area. A few days ago there was a chocolate stain that needed to be cleaned up. Instead of the running for the carpet cleaner, I grabbed a bottle of Spot Shot. I had never used it before but was happy to learn that it is non-toxic, biodegradable, and safe to use around our kids and our pets (and we have a lot of those). I sprayed the Spot Shot on the stain and then started to blot it with a clean rag. Instantly, the chocolate started to come up. A few more sprays and five minutes later, you couldn't even tell the chocolate was there! It even removed the chocolate smell that was in the carpet. I was pretty impressed. It's funny but I can't wait for another spill because I know what little bit of work it takes to get it up now. The best part of all of this is that there is also a product called Spot Shot Pet that is said to eliminate all those pesky pet smells. I can't wait to try it!

You can buy Spot Shot in a spray, which is what I used, or an aerosol can. You can find it at most major stores, in the cleaning supply aisle. If you'd like more information before buying this product, check them out at the Spot Shot website. It's well worth trying!

Where Has My Mind Gone?

2008-10-02T21:06:00.001-04:00

You know you're loosing it when:

~ You go out to pick up pizza and when you get home you realize you have your pants on inside out.

That's exactly what I did tonight! Can you believe it? We ran out and got the pizza so that we could watch some football. As I sat on the couch, I happened to look down and realized something looked strange about my pants. Upon further investigation, I did have them turned inside out. And I wore them into the pizza joint that way! And there were people sitting inside eating!

I think I'm loosing it!

Ten On Tuesday: Things That Scare/Freak Me Out

2008-09-30T10:06:00.000-04:00

Most of these are things that freak me out rather than scare me.

In no particular order:

Serial killers/rapists/child molesters (scary)
Watching horror movies at night (freaks me out)
Our government (both)
Snakes and spiders ~ don't like them, don't want them around.....I don't care how small they are! (freaks me out)
The thought of drowning (scary)
Not being able to see what's in lake water or the ocean ~ it's probably good that I can't see what's down there but the thought of what's down there freaks me out!
Medical emergencies ~ I watched our youngest almost choke on hard candy when she was 3 or 4. I was also in my MIL's house while she was having a heart attack. I totally freeze and do not respond well. (scary)
Tight spaces (freaks me out)
Someone sneaking up behind me ~ especially if I'm listening to music or vacuuming. (freaks me out most of the time but sometimes the person scares the life out of me!)
People who do not close their mouths when they chew ~ totally gross and freaks me out!

Check out YANO for more TOT's.

Monday Medley

2008-09-29T09:48:00.003-04:00

Last week was a hodgepodge of activity. It seems that we have several things going on and several more things that need to happen. Hopefully I can keep a pretty detailed to do list this week and get a lot of little things done.

We are finally busy putting our master bathroom back together. After many months of fixing broken plumbing, the drywall has been patched and we've started on the floor. We decided to lay porcelain tile, which is great, but we've never done anything like this before. Jeff worked on it half the day on Saturday and when he came up for air, he had the adhesive down and most of the tile put down. Since the adhesive had to dry for 24 hours, we left it and will go back this week to lay the tile around the baseboards and cut what needs to be cut. I will be so excited to get it finished.

Our garden is still producing tomatoes and jalapenos. We've made salsa all summer and really enjoyed it. I'm glad we'll have a few more batches to make before our tomato plants expire. Next year we plan to revise our current square foot garden in order to make some improvements. I've had to deal with more weeds than I care to mention this year.

I'm happy to say that I haven't decided to turn to weight loss pills yet! Jeff and I have both been sticking loosely to our diet and have maintained very well. I need to giddy up and get this last five or six pounds off but Jeff is having no problem keeping his off. It's pretty amazing how much our eating habits have changed. We're on a salad kick right now. If you are fortunate enough to have an O'Charleys around, you must try their California Chicken Salad. It is probably one of the yummiest salads I've ever eaten. In fact, we love it so much that we've learned to duplicate it at home. We made it last night and I candied some pecans to go in it. If you've never had this salad at O'Charleys, I'll tell you that the candied pecans are the secret to making it so yummy. Very, very good.

We're enjoying lots of college and NFL football. Our UT Vols are having one of their worst seasons right now so we're a bit disappointed. However, there are plenty of other college teams we love and are pulling for. My Dallas Cowboys lost last night but I have high hopes for them still. My Colts are doing pretty well so I'm a happy gal! I'm looking forward to another upcoming weekend of games.

What have you been into?

Catching Up

2008-09-27T10:00:00.001-04:00

Jeff & I (Summer 2008)

After having my quiet morning alone on Monday, things are getting back to normal around here. Having half the day to myself was very nice and refreshing. I had hoped to sleep in but my biological clock just will not let me sleep much later than 7:30 on most mornings. I did get several things done around the house and I finally have a handle on our homeschool schedule. Logan is enjoying her co-op classes and is balancing those pretty well with her additional studies at home. One of her friends told me that all she did while at co-op was study. That's my girl! I've been able to help with Spanish a lot and that's been really fun for me. I love languages so being able to help her study is icing on the cake.

I've loaded Caroline down with language arts material this year. She loves to write and is constantly asking me if she can get a new notebook for her "stories." It's quiet amusing and I want to encourage her to develop her writing skills. Now, if I could just get her to work on her organizational skills! We are constantly having to search high and low for her pencil or her pencil sharpener. And shoes.....the child can rarely ever find her shoes! It's good to have a child who is nothing like me as far as organization goes. I'm not the neatest person in the world but I have ordered chaos. I put things in piles and usually know where everything is. I'll find Caroline's stuff under beds, couches, outside, or somewhere that you'd never think to look.

She's very eager for me to teach her to cook certain things. The problem is, she's so scared of the stove. She's afraid of being burned and because of that, it makes it hard to really teach her to make things. I'm going to try a few easy recipes next week and see how she does. I'm not sure why she's so scared of being burned. Maybe it's because we taught her that it was hot when she was small. I hope she'll overcome that quickly though because I would love to have more help preparing meals. Ok, I'll just fess up. I'd love to have someone else cooking the meals a few nights a week!

Not much else going on around here. Last weekend a girlfriend and I did get a night out. We went to Red Lobster and ate the most wonderful shrimp! We were kind of celebrating the weight we had lost since February. After supper we went to see The Women. The movie kept us laughing although it did have more language than I would have liked. The movie theater was packed and there were only seven men in the show. Yep, I counted. I wondered how many dedicated hubbies would accompany their wives to see this one. It's an all gal movie and it was fun.

I'm hoping that my blogging slump is over and that I'll start to write more each day. It seems like this happens to everyone at some point in their blogging life. I'm reading a good book right now and I've seen several pretty good movies lately so I'll be back with reviews real soon!

Until next time......

Who Needs Alone Time

2008-09-22T09:20:00.000-04:00

I have the morning to myself. Logan is off at co-op classes and Caroline stayed all night with my MIL last night. The house is extremely quiet and I'm not really sure what to do with myself. Isn't that funny? You'd think I would be off playing the Wii or researching the PS3 but I find that when the kids are gone, I'm at a loss. I'm sure glad they aren't gone very much! The silence would kill me!

No, I think this morning I'll relax a bit, finish up my laundry, and clip some coupons. I'll pass the time until this afternoon. Then the fun begins. I'll pick Logan up from co-op and take Caroline to piano lessons. We'll rush home and try to get supper on the table by the time the hubster gets home. We'll have a nice family meal, do some reading, and then pile up on the couch for Monday Night Football.

Ah, life is good!

Caroline: Outer Banks 2008

2008-09-19T09:08:00.004-04:00

I mentioned that Caroline got at least 100 new freckles while we were at the beach. The proof is in the pudding:

The Beginning of A New Year

2008-09-19T09:08:00.002-04:00

We finally started our new school year on Monday. It is my habit to start right after Labor Day but we were delayed an extra week this year due to being on vacation. The week has gone pretty well. We've been able to pick up our full schedule without many glitches. Caroline is a 4th grader this year and Logan is a 9th grader. The only change in our schedule has been the addition of a co-op day for Logan. She's taking IEW (Institutes for Excellence in Writing), Apologia Biology w/lab, and Juntos Uno Spanish . She seems to like all the classes and is doing well. She is at co-op from 8:45 until 3:30 each Monday. I worried that she'd be really tired and looking for the nearest exit sign out of there after such a long day. However, she surprised me and really is enjoying it.

In addition to these three classes, she will be using AO Lifepacs to round out her English credit, Saxon Algebra I, and TruthQuest history. She is also leading the Latina Prima class we started with our neighbors up the street. She'll be earning some extra credit for doing that. The only thing we have left to figure out is what to do for the PE credit she needs.

It's a little strange to have a high schooler. It seems like only yesterday we started homeschooling her but it has been eight wonderful years. Before we know it, she'll be finished with school, married, and out of the house! Until then I'm going to enjoy these last few years of teaching her and pray that she will be a blessing to everyone around her. She's a special young lady and I'm proud to call her my daughter.

10 on Tuesday: Simple Things

2008-09-16T16:16:00.001-04:00

10 Simple Things That Make You Happy

I think I'm a pretty simple person so this should be an easy one for me :-o)

Fresh flowers ~ for the past two years, I've grown my own very colorful zinnias. I love them. I cut them every couple of days and they are in my kitchen, bathroom, and living room.
Having pets ~ I could not imagine a home without pets...furry ones. We have a dog and four cats and it's hard to imagine not having them all. I'm also not sure how I'd sleep at night without one of our cats curled up in bed with us. How do people live without them?
Having supper guests~ Love it....love it....love it. The more the merrier!
Games ~ We really enjoy playing board games, as well as card games. In fact, we had a great Rook game going while we were at the beach. Some of our favorites are Rook, Phase 10, Pictionary, Scattergories, Scrabble (my fav), Tri-Bond, and Trivial Pursuit.
Gardening ~ Stress relief, exercise, and fresh veggies all in one!
A roaring fire ~ I absolutely love nothing more than building a fire in our fireplace in the cooler months. Sometimes I build one when it's not even that cold just because I love watching it.
Football ~ I am a total geek when it comes to sports. I love most sports and could watch them 24/7 if someone would bring me food and remind me to bathe. Seriously.....did any of you see the Cowboys/Eagles game last night? Was that exciting or what!!!
Crushed ice ~ One of these days I'll own a refrigerator that makes crushed ice. I love it. I'm convinced it makes soda taste better! Sonic has the perfect ice.
Batter dipped foods ~ onion rings, shrimp, chicken.......this list could go on forever. There's nothing better than batter dipped foods. Sure, it's not good for your health and cholesterol but seriously, have you ever eaten onion rings from The Varsity in Atlanta? If not, you have no idea what you're missing.
A good chick flick ~ Pride & Prejudice, Cranford, Emma.....you know, the good ole' sappy ones!

Home Again

2008-09-16T10:27:00.001-04:00

Our beach trip is over but that hasn't kept me from thinking back on all the fun we had. It was a wonderful week! The weather was perfect. The beaches were not crowded at all since all the local kids were back in school. We had our pick of just about any spot we wanted. The beach house we stayed in was awesome. It was three levels, had five bedrooms, and several bathrooms. The house next door had a cool hammock chair but I was in love with our two porch swings. There were also many things to do. There was shuffle board, basketball, volleyball, an outdoor pool, bike rentals, several neat little shops, and the Currituck Lighthouse was nearby. Down the road a few miles, we had access to an indoor pool, a gym, racquetball, and miniature golf. The indoor pool came in handy one day when it rained.

We all managed to avoid getting terrible sunburns but we used almost a whole bottle of SPF 50 sunscreen. Caroline got at least 100 more freckles. LOL! I'm working on getting our photos downloaded and will start sharing a few of those over the next few days. If you've never been to the Outer Banks, you owe it to yourself to go. Go right after Labor Day as rates are lower and it's not overcrowded. We stayed in Corolla and I can't say enough about it.

Vacation Update

2008-09-09T08:40:00.001-04:00

I had hoped to post pictures during our vacation so that I could share with you all the fun we're having. Alas, my camera cord is at home, along with my ipod ear buds! In the craziness of packing the girls and hubby, I forgot many of my personal items.

I'll back up and tell you that we arrived here on Saturday evening. We dropped into the local Harris Teeter and then came on to the house. We decided to eat light for supper and just hang out around the house with our pastor and his family, as well as another couple from church. The beach house they rented is enormous. It has five bedrooms and is spread out over three different levels. It has a pool table, many little areas for the kids, and about seven tvs. It has almost everything except theater seating, which is just fine by me! It's very nice. From the balcony, we have a beautiful ocean view.

Sunday we got up, had a nice breakfast, and our pastor did a small worship service for us at the house. Afterwards, several of us went to the beach to hang out for the day. Sunday night we all had supper together. Since our pastor is a wonderful cook, and enjoys it, he spoiled us with seared tuna and a delicious shrimp pasta. Mmmmm it was good!

Monday we did much of the same thing. Hubby and I opted to take several of the kids to the indoor pool that is just up the road. We stayed there for a few hours and I wore myself out in the olympic-size pool. We came back and grabbed lunch and then headed out to the beach for the afternoon. Last night we met back up for supper but this time hubby grilled up some mean burgers. After supper we enjoyed a long game of Cranium.

I'm looking forward to shuffleboard and the beach today. We walked up to the outdoor pool yesterday and it was very nice. We've got plenty to do. The hard part is figuring out what to do next :-o) I can't wait to post some pictures this weekend when we get back.

See ya soon!

Greetings From the Beach

2008-09-07T22:49:00.001-04:00

Last week we were asked to go to the beach with some church friends. What a nice blessing that was! We quickly accepted and now I'm writing from the Outer Banks in NC. We're here with two other families and having a wonderful time. I'm hoping to take lots of pictures so I can share them with you so stay tuned.......

My blogging has been very limited lately because we've been experiencing a busy time in our lives. I'm hoping things will settle down soon and that I can get back into a normal routine. I'm missing you guys and hoping to catch up my blog reading while I'm here this week!

See ya soon.....

Got Ideas?

2008-09-03T14:05:00.001-04:00

I'm a sucker for cute party invitations. I love finding them marked down after any given holiday. I usually stock up and the following year, I've got lots of cute little cards to send out. I've seen some really cute Halloween invitations out there but my favorites are birthday invitations. I've used up most of the ones I got last year so I'm on the lookout for more. Yesterday while in Target, I saw these adorable note cards with initials on the front. I resisted the urge to toss some in my basket but I kind of wish I had snagged a few. They were really cute with colors that I just love.

What I need to do is learn to make my own. I could get as creative as I wanted. I never attempt that though because I don't feel very creative. Some people can dream things up instantly in their head. It takes me much longer. If you know if any sites that might help get my creative juices flowing, send them my way!

Online Shopping With EbillMe

2008-08-27T01:48:00.001-04:00

Recently I had to do some online shopping because we needed parts for hubby's computer. Since we normally buy our stuff from Tiger Direct, I headed over there and found what we needed. When I checked out, I was able to use a new payment option that doesn't require the use of a credit card. Ebillme allows you to pay for items using online banking. It is simple and easy to set up an account and attach it to your bank account. The advantage of doing this is that you don't have to charge items. It is like paying cash for your purchase. If you bank online, you will find that this is a really convenient way to make purchases. The payment process was so easy that I'm sure to use it many times on future purchases. Overall, I'm happy that I had the opportunity to try ebillme and I am very satisfied with my experience.

Blog Tour: Twice Loved by Lori Copeland

2008-08-25T23:36:00.001-04:00

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing

Twice Loved
Avon Inspire (July 22, 2008)
by
Lori Copeland

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lori lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband Lance. Lance and Lori have three sons, two daughter-in-laws, and five wonderful grandchildren. They are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.

Lori began her writing career in 1982, writing for the secular book market. In 1995 after many years of writing, Lori sensed that God was calling her to use her gift of writing to honor Him. It was at that time that Lori began writing for the Christian book market. To date, she has more than 95 books published including Now And Always
and Bluebonnet Belle.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Texas, 1865 Willow Madison and her friends, Copper and Audrey taught school in neighboring Texas communities until the Yankees rode into the area and burned them out. In the midst of fear and chaos, survivors banded together to fight for what remained of their homes. Then word reached the people that the terrible war was over.

Now penniless but still hopeful, Willow vows she will take care of her friends, Copper and Audrey, and her ailing uncle, in Thunder Ridge, Texas, even if it means having to marry wealthy Silas Sterling, a man thirty years her senior. But standing in her way is handsome sawmill owner Tucker Gray, with his enticing eyes and infuriating headstrong manner—the man Willow cannot get out of her head . . . or her heart. Even though her friends beg her not to give up her dream of happiness, Willow is determined to do the right thing for those who are dearest to her. But which path does God want Willow to take: a life of duty and commitment . . . or a life of everlasting love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Twice Loved, go HERE

How Are You Dealing?

2008-08-22T15:33:00.000-04:00

A friend and I were talking about gas prices the other day and how nice it was that gas has come down 30 cents a gallon in the last month. As soon as we spoke the words, we started to laugh. How funny, we're excited that gas is only $3.48 a gallon now! The same evening, hubby and I were talking about changes we were going to have to make in our driving habits. We've already started to really consolidate our trips to town. A few hours after our conversation, we ran across an article about food costs and how they will continue to stay high like they are now. Now, staying home more is more than easy to do but you have to eat! Not long after that, we ran across another article informing us that our energy bills would be going up as much as $20 more each month. We started talking about ways to cut our energy costs and have already started by changing most of our light bulbs to florescent. We only have a few ceiling fans in the house that still have regular bulbs and we'll phase those out soon.

It's crazy.....every time you turn around, the cost of something sky rockets. I don't see how many families are doing it. I have a couple of friends who do futures trading and I'm not sure how they continue to do that. I can't figure out where we're heading but it can't be good. It seems we (our country) just continue to go in debt. How far can you go and still dig yourself out?

I'm curious how you guys are dealing with the rising cost of things. What are you doing to conserve gas? Energy? How are you dealing with the rise in food costs? I feel like our family is doing all of the obvious things to conserve and be frugal but I'm always curious about what others are doing. Maybe some of you have thought of something I haven't.

Can You Feel It Now?

2008-08-21T22:19:00.000-04:00

Hey Jenny, can you hear that? Sounds like football to me!

Only 10 more days until my beloved Vols take the field against UCLA!

There is nothing better than fall winds, football on tv, warm blankets, and plenty of Southern comfort food to make a girl feel in her element! I can't express how excited I am that football season is almost here. I've enjoyed the Olympics and I love basketball but I'll take football any day!

Bring it on!

Every Act to Judgment

2008-08-13T13:41:00.001-04:00

While visiting Stacey's blog today, I noticed a coupon giveaway she was having. As part of entering, she asked that commenters share their favorite verse of Scripture. As I was commenting on her post, I was again reminded of the great message in my favorite verse. Here it is:

Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14

13The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.

14For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

I think it speaks for itself. This verse serves as a constant reminder to me that no matter what I think, say, do, or feel, God brings it to judgment. I take much comfort in knowing this. I know how prone to sin I am and I find that this verse helps me consider my words and actions beforehand. I wish I could say that I always make the right choices and do not sin but that isn't the case. I am especially thankful for the verses that remind me God knows All things.

A Funeral and Old Shirts

2008-08-13T10:54:00.001-04:00

Holy smokes, have things been nuts around here lately! Since March, we've had 4 deaths on my hubby's side of the family; an aunt, his brother, a distant relative, and on Friday, his uncle. Our heads are still spinning from all of it. Just when things seem to settle down, something else pops up. This is one of the tougher seasons of our lives thus far. We are thankful that each of these relatives claimed Christ as King. To some degree, that eases our sorrow.

While attending funerals have been a big part of my absence, we've also had many things to catch up on around our house. Our garden is keeping me very busy. We're having a wonderful harvest and are very excited to improve our planting next year. Another thing I'm working on is cleaning out hubby's closet. He's lost about 35 pounds since February and has outgrown many of his old clothes. One thing I need to make use of are several of his company logo shirts. He doesn't need these anymore since the company changed names several months ago and the shirts are really too large for him now. They are good quality shirts and I'm wondering if I can somehow recycle them. They are short-sleeved, polo type shirts with the company emblem on one side. He also has a few good quality long sleeved shirts with the emblem on the side. He always pushes them to the back of his closet so I don't see him ever wearing them again. All of the shirts are made of good quality cotton that is kind of thick. It's not practical to keep them for "around the house" shirts because they are just too hot due to the thickness.

This is where each of you come in. I need some good ideas for recycling these shirts. I thought of cutting them up for cleaning rags but I'm just not sure I could do that. I know I could always donate them but I'd really like to recycle them for our use. I'm thinking that the material is strong enough to use for making a few small tote bags or something like that. If you have ideas or simple patterns to suggest, please do so. I'm trying hard to be more deliberate about the things I throw out. I need to think outside the box more often so that I don't get rid of things that could really be useful!

Favre....Soon To Be In A Jets Uniform

2008-08-07T02:24:00.000-04:00

Since everyone else is talking about it, I'm gonna mention it too. Brett Favre is going to the NY Jets!! Finally! The drama is over and he can get to work. I have really enjoyed watching Favre play over the years. I especially loved watching him last season. He seemed to be having so much fun. When he gave his retirement press conference, I wondered how he could walk away from football. As a former athlete, I know how hard it is to give it up after years of commitment. The drama was really getting on my nerves and I was longing for the day when I could turn ESPN on without hearing or seeing Favre's name. Thank goodness it's over and we can all get back to our normal routine.

I look forward to watching this all unfold. I like Favre as a person but the Jets, well, not so much:-o) I'll still be pulling for my Colts, Cowboys, and Titans. I do hope Favre shakes things up in New York and has success in whatever is left of his playing career.

Rite Aid Deals 8-4-08

2008-08-05T11:43:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was an excellent day for going to Rite Aid. They had several FAR (free after rebate) deals that I wanted to take advantage of. I made up my list ahead of time and headed to Rite Aid after piano lessons. Here's what I walked away with:

Twin pack of Bausch & Lomb ReNu Multiplus solution $9.99 but FAR
Revlon nail polish $2.99 but FAR
Stayfree pads $2.99-$1.99 SCR-$1Q=.99cents
Gillette mens shampoo $4.49-$3.49SCR-$1 Q=free
Infusium 23 shampoo $5.99-$1SCR-$3Q=$1
Gillette Fusion razor $9-$5SCR-$4Q=free
2 pk of light bulbs $2 but FAR
Acne treatment $7.99 but FAR
Olay facial cleanser $7.99 but FAR
Charles Worthington conditioner $4.99 but FAR

I can't believe I never took advantage of these generous deals until about a month ago! The total before coupons was about $60. After coupons (I had $11 worth of those), my total was $49.72. After my rebate check comes in, I have spent $1.99 plus tax for all of these items! Even if you're not into finding deals, couponing, or saving money, you have to admit this is wonderful! Rite Aid is very generous for running so many great FAR items. These are items that we can all use. It's not just a bunch of junk that they want to push out of the store. I'm very excited and glad to add these things to our stockpile. I'm going to have a wonderful time creating gift baskets for relatives come Christmastime.

Even if you don't want to fool with clipping coupons, you should check the Rite Aid sales paper each week and take advantage of these wonderful deals. They ran a deal last week that allowed me to get toothbrushes, toothpaste, and mouth wash very, very cheap. I paid 50 cents for six toothbrushes. Don't need these items? That's ok. Take advantage of the deals anyway and donate the items to your church or local shelters. There's always someone who can use them.

Trying To Catch Up

2008-08-04T11:35:00.002-04:00

The past couple of weeks have been extremely busy in our house and I feel like we need a little vacation. This morning, I was browsing some Orlando vacations since I know many people who've traveled there and loved it. I've always wanted to go to Sea World. That would be a real treat. I love animals and would love to be in the water with dolphins. I'd be scared to death for a little bit but once we warmed up to each other, I'd be fine.

Gas is just so outrageous now that it will be a while before we can actually take a vacation. It seems that every time we get in the car, we are trying to figure out how many things we can combine into one trip. I think we've finally decided to trade our Toyota 4-Runner and get a new small car that's good on gas. Our Echo is great. It's just that it has a lot of miles and needs to be our secondary car. We're trying to save toward the new car for a few months and once we get enough saved, we'll start looking. I think we can work a pretty good deal with a trade in and a substantial amount paid toward the new car. It's been 8 years since we bought a new car so it should be interesting.

Our garden is doing extremely well this year and I'll be sharing pictures in the coming days. I've got squash, zucchini, green beans, okra, jalapenos, cucumbers, and tomatoes to use up this week. I can't wait for our roma tomatoes ripen so that we can start making salsa!

Hope things are going well for you. What have you been up to?

Sticky Post Go Jenny Go!

2008-07-26T23:13:00.000-04:00

This is a sticky post that will be up through the 26th. Please scroll down for the latest posts.

Join my friend Jenny as she participates in Blogathon 2008. She'll be blogging for 24 straight hours on July 26th and could really use your encouraging comments or donations if you are able to make one. She'll be blogging for the American Society for Deaf Children in honor of her son, Gus, who passed away two years ago while waiting for a liver/small bowel transplant. He was also profoundly deaf. If you'd like to read more about Gus, visit his Caring Bridge site.

I'm going to dig out my pompoms so that I can cheer Jenny on. I hope you'll join me in pushing her toward the finish line on the 26th!

Menu Plan Monday ~ July 21-27

2008-07-21T01:52:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted my menu in awhile so I thought I'd join in today. I've got to find some way to keep myself accountable else I'm going to have to resort to taking Leptovox ! I didn't realize it would be so hard to jump back on the diet wagon once you fell off! I'm determined to do it though and all of my recipes are Weight Watchers friendly.

Monday ~ Grilled Burgers, Fries, Salad (Greens w/warm turkey bacon dressing)
Tuesday ~ Beer-Soaked Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Salad
Wednesday ~ Slow-Cooker Cheeseburger Soup, Bread
Thursday ~ Skillet BBQ Chicken, Green Beans, Salad
Friday ~ Mexican Meatloaf, Pintos, Salad
Saturday ~ Easy Ziti, Italian Cheese Bread, Salad
Sunday ~ Out

You may notice a theme, salad. We're really enjoying salad right now, even though the lettuce I planted in our garden was a total flop! We do have an army of tomatoes coming up and some jalapenos that are just about ready to be picked. I need suggestions for some tried and true meatless dishes. I'm thinking a nice cheese or bean burrito recipe would be just what the doctor ordered. We eat meat at every meal and if I even mention that we might be having a meatless dish, my hubby almost passes out. The ziti recipe above....you guessed it! He wanted me to add meat to it! I don't have a problem with that but our budget does. So, I'm looking to incorporate at least one meal per week that is meatless. Eventually it would be nice to have two of these types of meals each week. If you've got suggestions, send them my way. I'm all ears :-o) If you're interested in any of the things I've listed above, email me and I'll be happy to share the recipe. I can't link directly to them because they are on the members only portion of the WW site.

For more menus, visit Laura.

Projects, Projects, and Yes, More Projects

2008-07-19T17:31:00.001-04:00

I just realized I never revealed my secret project from the week my hubby was gone. Each year, he goes to boot camp of sorts for bagpipers. This is no easy week for him. A handful of pipers from all over the world, including Scotland, come to instruct students in piping and drumming. Students spend a week, from 8am to 9pm, learning from these instructors. When hubby arrives home after this weeklong instruction, he is exhausted. Last year while he was gone, I decided that we needed to tackle a major project around the house just to surprise him. He works so much and has very little free time. So the girls and I felt like this would be helpful to him. It went over so well last year that we decided to do it again this year.

Since early spring, he's wanted to get our deck stained and waterproofed. You might remember that he, his dad, and his brother spent last summer building it. It's become very special to him since his brother passed away this past March, unexpectedly. Naturally, he wanted to get it waterproofed so that it was protected from the weather. We had tried several times to tackle the project but just as we'd start to do it, it would rain. If he mentioned getting it done one time, he had mentioned it 100 times since early spring. Well, while he was gone, the girls and I decided we would tackle it for him. It took us three days working from early morning to late evening and four gallons of Thompson's water sealer. It was a huge success and as soon as I can locate pictures of our work, I'll share them. It really looks wonderful and we added some nice little planters full of flowers to the railing. He was thrilled that we had knocked this out while he was gone.

Now I'm moving on to other things. I've started painting our indoor trim again. UGH! Our house was built in the late 80s and all of the woodwork is stained a dark color. It's murder trying to cover it up and very time consuming. I finally did get a section of the house done. I only have three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs to finish! And the smell.....who knew paint smelled so bad! I'm starting to think we need one of those Austin Air air purifiers ! We also have to clean up the mess the plumbers made last month which involves hanging sheet rock, laying ceramic tile, painting the entire bathroom, installing a new light fixture, vanity, and sink. Ahhhhhhh! The beauty of it all is that one day we'll be done renovating and will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. I'm looking forward to that day!