What's One More?

I'm really starting to wonder about our house. If you've read here before, you know we have lots of pets. Lots of cats to be specific. Only one of those cats truly belong to us. The others were living in the woods behind our house when we moved here four years ago. Being the animal lovers we are, we had compassion on the cats when they started coming into our yard and eating with our cat.

In the beginning, there was one male and one female cat. The wouldn't let us touch them but they'd eat once we weren't around. We just let them do that because it was evident they were wild and not eating well. About a year after they first appeared, they were finally comfortable enough with us to allow us to pet them. To make a long story short, the female cat was pregnant every time we turned around. There was nothing we could do because she wasn't comfortable enough with us, to let us hold her or bring her inside. She gave birth to at least three litters of kittens out in the woods. Of those three litters, only one kitten survived. It only survived because I snatched it from the mama one day when her guard was down. We brought the kitten inside and he lived there until he was about eight months old. Then we took him to the animal shelter. That broke my heart. We did stay in touch with the shelter and although they would not give us details, they did tell us that he got a good home. About two years ago, the wild cats started to become very comfortable around us. We could pet them and they would even come in sometimes to eat. We decided we would start by having mama cat fixed and then the male cat would be next. We gathered mama cat up and somehow managed to get her into a kitty carrier (don't ask how we ever managed....it was tough!). We got her to the vet so that she could have a pre-op visit before being fixed (the vet required this since she was wild). Well, five minutes into the vet visit, we found out mama was pregnant....again.

Last March, mama cat gave birth to five little kitties, three male, two female. Mama cat was fixed soon after that! Finally! A few of the baby kitties were, well, a little different. Mama cat only had about 3/4 of a tail. She is classified as a bob-tail, although she's not a true bob-tail cat. Two of the babies were the same way, except not. LOL! One baby had 3/4 of a tail with some sort of funky end (it reminds me of a flyswatter), while the other baby has a little less than half a tail. It's strange....and a little creepy. I cannot touch their tails because it grosses me out. Of the five kitties, we only kept two. One "normal" kitty went to a family in our church and the other two normal ones went to the animal shelter. Yes, we made sure that they were adopted. If they hadn't been, we were gonna go back and pay to get them back. Anyway, the two "special" kitties still reside here. The flyswatter tail kitty has some mental issues. Her brother is totally normal, except for his strange, less-than-half tail. He's absolutely wonderful and my favorite kitty, by far. We didn't take them to the shelter because we were afraid they would not get adopted due to their strange tails. I'm glad we kept them because the female is mental and would have had a hard time finding a family. The male kitty, well, he was born just for me. We are soul mates :-o)

All this brings me back to my opening paragraph. I'm starting to wonder about our house. It attracts animals from all over the neighborhood. We don't mind as long as they go home after a visit. However, nature has other plans for us. Somehow, the animals have told other animals about our home. It's a safe haven, a place of animal love, a place to get a free gourmet meal (of special indoor kitty blend food). It's a place to get warm on a cold winter night; a place to sunbathe on our big ole' deck; a place to get lots of affection from the four humans who live inside. So why are we surprised that we have a new arrival and that it appears he isn't going anywhere?

How could you not love this face?

He's not going anywhere!

GMAC Real Estate

Are you looking to buy or sell a home but don't know where to start? Let GMAC Real Estate help you. Search their database for the property that is right for you. Need a real estate agent? You can do a database search for an office or agent. They also offer HomeRewards, which gives you special offers and services, to make the buying or selling process a little easier. Looking for a vacation home? GMAC will even help you find the perfect luxury home! You've got questions, GMAC has answers.

West Virginia Day 1

The girls made is safely home from West Virginia. I'm happy to have them back and I have to tell ya, I'm not sure I want them to stay overnight without me anymore! I missed them like crazy. Hubby did too. We were walking around the house trying to figure out what to do without them here. It was strange. Anyway, I wanted to share some pictures with you. I'll share them a few at a time so that I don't overload ya!

This picture was taken the morning after we arrived at my mom's. Caroline is a camera ham so Logan snapped a quick shot of us.

This is me and my mom. Logan took this right before we were about to head out to some of the local thrift stores. Don't worry, I'll be sharing photos of my thrift store finds very soon!

The last picture is of the Caperton Center. This is near Tamarack, where mom took the girls to do some browsing.

I'll be posting more photos of things the girls did during their visit. I'll also be posting a contest over the weekend so be on the lookout for that!

Win A Free Raleigh, NC Getaway!!

Is stress at work getting you down? Do you need a vacation? Then now is the perfect time for a fall getaway! Beautiful Raleigh, North Carolina has so much to offer this time of year. Do you love festivals? Well, come on down! The Autumn Arts Festival will be filled with family-friendly activities, food, music, and wonderful crafts made by the locals. Are you looking for something a little different? Then check out the Diwali Festival, the celebration of lights using music, dance, and fireworks! Gather around with the locals to celebrate one of India's most popular festivals. Do you love to shop? The fundraiser, A Shopping Spree, is sure to make any woman giddy! One hundred exhibitors from around the country will come to Raleigh with all of their goodies. Do you like water? Put on your scuba gear and enjoy some diving at Fantasy Lake Scuba Park.

If music is your passion, then you're sure to find something you love. Catch Trace Adkins in Concert, some 70's hits, or the Vegas-style performance of Susan Lucci and Regis Philbin. Yes, you heard me right. Regis and Susan will be performing with a 21-piece orchestra. Now that's sure to be a show stopper! If you are into sports, you have many options. You can play golf, watch a Carolina Hurricanes hockey game or a Carolina Mudcats baseball game, or even check out the Wake County Speedway!

There are so many great things waiting for you. Want to know the best part? You can register to win a FREE Raleigh getaway and save yourself some cash! The getaway package will include the following:

-One night accommodations for two at the Courtyard by Marriott Raleigh Crabtree Valley
-$25 gift certificate to Bloomsbury Bistro
-Free VIP admission for two to Rum Runners
-2 tickets to the North Carolina Theatre
-2 tickets to the N.C. Museum of Art’s Landscapes from the Age of Impressionism
-2 tickets to Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences

So what are you waiting for? Register to win NOW!

 

 

Friday's Feast #162

Appetizer
How are you today?

I am WONDERFUL! The girls are on their way home as I type this!!! They should be here within 30 minutes and I'm so excited to squeeze them!

Soup
Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis.

Well, let's see. 1. House (although I missed Tuesday's season premiere!!!) 2. LOST (totally addicted to this show) 3. The Closer (hubby hates the show because of Kyra Sedgwick's accent....he says she tries to hard for a southern accent!)

Salad
What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced?

I can't say that I've experienced anything really scary. It always scares me to drive in a heavy rain storm because I can't see very well. I also get pretty scared when winds pick up.

Main Course
If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be?

Definitely SCOTLAND!!!

Dessert
What do you usually wear to sleep?

Whatever I feel like throwing on. Sometimes I may even crash in my capri's! Usually though, I opt for my fuzzy pink pj bottoms and an oversized tee or my monkey pj bottoms with a tee.

For more feasts, go here.

Easy To Book

I've said before that if I could, I would travel all the time. If my budget could afford it, I might go to Prague or Amsterdam, London or Rome. This may be possible now that I've found out about Easy To Book. Easy To Book is an online booking service for hotels, that offers up to 75% discounts on rooms! Better still is that they book your reservations without charging you a reservation fee.

To book a room, simply pick a hotel and a room. Once you hit the Book It button, you will see a booking form. Fill this out and then submit it by clicking the Make Your Reservation button. It's that simple! The hardest part will be figuring out where to visit first!

Sending Out Link Love

I love reading crafty blogs. I especially love those that are crafty, creative, and economic. They are very inspiring to me. Having said that, I want to spread some link love. Monica, over at The Homespun Heart, is one of the neatest gals I've met in the bloggy world. She shares thoughts, recipes, crafts, and some great practical tips. One of my favorite things is the way she is being neighborly. She has been baking small loaves of banana and poppy seed bread. She's attached a little note to them and she's been putting them on the porches of her neighbors. I noticed that she's also added some beautiful flowers to the mix.

When I visit Monica, I never know what topic I will find. What I do know is that I will always find something that is inspirational, family-oriented, fun, creative, and economic. If you haven't visited her before, go get a drink and plan to park it for a little bit. You will not be sorry!

The Cooperative Bank

Are you a U.K. resident looking for a credit card to fit your needs? If so, The Cooperative Bank is sure to have what you are looking for. They offer credit cards with 0% interest on purchases and balance transfers for six months. Need a card with a fixed rate? No problem! The flat rate platinum card gives you a fixed rate for five years. They even offer affinity cards, which give a specified amount of money to an organization of your choice, when you use your card. For example, the first time you use your Shelter Card, The Cooperative Bank will donate a specified amount of money to Shelter, which benefits homeless persons. Need a travel card? The Cooperative Bank has you covered. Their travel card offers free travel insurance and gives you travel reward points each time you use the card.

You can't go wrong with all of the credit card options offered by The Cooperative Bank. Check them out today to find the card you have been looking for!

 

One More Night

Well, the girls are staying one more night with my mom in West Virginia. They will head home in the morning and should arrive by lunch. I'm looking forward to having them home. It's been extremely quiet around the house without them. I haven't had to do any homeschooling and honestly, I've missed it. Instead, I've spent the past few days cleaning out closets, throwing things away, packing things up for donation, and rearranging some things. It's been good for me to have this time to do these things but man oh man, I can't wait for the girls to get home and make a mess of something!

Caroline is a pack rat. She saves everything. She writes me little notes or draws me pictures nearly every day. It was getting to the point that I had to tell her I couldn't keep all of them because I had no place to store them. Today, while cleaning her closet out, I found several pictures and notes she had written to friends at church. I also found a note she had written me the other day. It said "Dear Mommy, Thank you for getting me some food to eat. You're very kind. Love you, Caroline". Awwww! I can't wait to squeeze her freckles off tomorrow! I talked to Logan on the phone last night and she tried to tell me every single thing they had done in ten minutes. I'm not sure she even stopped to catch her breath. She's a funny gal!

After I finished the closets today, I was walking around trying to find something else to do. I found myself going in circles because I didn't know what to do next. Having all of this free time is not normal and I can't say that I like it. I'm used to having the girls by my side pretty much every minute of the day. I like it that way. I tried to imagine what it would be like if I sent them off to public school each day. They would be gone most of the day. What would I do then? I have to tell you that I have no idea what I would do with myself. Homeschooling has become our way of life. It has been such a blessing. I cannot imagine living any other way. I can't wait to have them home so we can return to some level of normalcy.

On a lighter note, Jenny has posted the funniest video. Go check it out. It will make you chuckle!

Golf Mania

My brother loves to play golf. It's his hobby, his passion. He goes every opportunity he gets. He spends so much money on the sport, that I think he should open his own course! He will need to stock up on golf carts and golf cart parts. Maybe he can even convince his wife to let him buy a new set of clubs! Of course, for Christmas, we will get him golf balls, tees, and even a swanky new golf shirt! He will be set to run his new business. He could tell all of his friends and they could come support him by playing golf on his course. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

 

Stupidity Times Two

Just when I think people couldn't get any more stupid, they go and prove me wrong! Well, I guess I should clarify. There were TWO stupid people in this case since their decision was a "mutual" one, according to the article. Thanks to Jenny for bringing this to my attention.

Apparently, two daycare workers decided that it was ok to TAPE a pacifier into a 4-month old boy's mouth. The boy was found in the bathroom with two pieces of packing tape holding the pacifier in place. An investigator from DHS found the boy, after receiving an anonymous complaint. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?????

 

Alpaca Yarn

 

My friend Jenny loves to crochet. She's always on the look out for quality yarn at a good price. I can't wait to tell her about Alpaca Direct! They have a huge selection of yarn , including alpaca silk and pima. They even offer free shipping on orders of $50 or more! I wonder how she'll calculate how much yarn she'll need for her project? No problem! They even have a yarn estimator to help her with this! I can't wait to tell her all about it! She's going to be so excited!

Thursday Thirteen # 11

13 Things About Us

1. I use "kitty speak" with our five cats. Many times I also use "kitty speak" to communicate with the rest of my family.
2. 98% of the time, hubby tosses his dirty clothes on the floor. They're in a neat pile but in the floor.
3. Hubby throws them in the floor because I move the laundry basket around :-o) I like to mix things up around here!
4. I cannot wear socks to bed. They make me feel like I am suffocating.
5. Our youngest daughter loves the computer. She loves it so much that in the past two weeks, she's managed to try and sign up at E-Harmony AND she got so many viruses on the computer, it had to be reformatted! (She didn't realize what E-Harmony was. She's seen the commercial many times and one day they just happened to have an ad on a website she was viewing! She gets very embarrassed when we tease her about it!)
6. Our oldest daughter is saving to buy a laptop. We've decided to match every dollar she saves.
7. As if you didn't already know, we LOVE football!
8. I haven't washed our cars since June. Too stinkin' hot!
9. I used liquid eyeliner for the first time while I was at my mom's Tuesday. My pencil eyeliner broke so I had no choice but to use my mom's! I'm not sure how I feel about it.
10. If I break one fingernail, it seems they all get broken!
11. I do not like to unload the dishwasher! Not sure why but I always opt out of that chore if I can!
12. My hubby is going to the dark side. He'll be getting a Mac Book Pro this week, compliments of his company!
13. I'm thinking really hard about getting a Mac Book! I'm sick to death of Windows errors and bloated programs!

For more Thursday Thirteen's, go here.

Need An Anniversary Gift?

Our close friends are celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary tomorrow. I'm not sure what they will be giving each other but I know where they can find great anniversary gifts! Canvas On Demand will take my digital or scanned photo and create a beautiful canvas. If you have a traditional photo, no problem! Just zip it in the mail to them and they'll get your canvas to you in no time. Oh, and they cover the cost of shipping that traditional photo by sending you a prepaid envelope! Get this, it only takes them 4 to 5 business days, from the time they receive your photo, to ship your canvas! They will do a canvas of a pet, babies, outdoors, vacation, anniversary, wedding, or vintage photos. Now that I think of it, this will be a perfect gift for my aunt Z!

Thrift Store Book Finds

I made it safely back from West Virginia last night around 9:30. Hubby was still at bagpipe practice so I came into an empty house. I'll have to say that it's a little creepy to come into a dark house alone. Especially since the door was ajar! I came on in and figured if someone was robbing us, the dog would be going nuts. The dog was behaving as normal so I felt ok to go on in and put away my things. It took me about an hour to unload and get things put away and by that time, I was exhausted!

During my visit, mom and I went thrift shopping. This is always alot of fun and it's a good way for me to get creative decorating ideas. Mom is a whiz at that kind of thing. She can find something that looks like it should be in the trash, and make something beautiful out of it. I'm sorry to say that I didn't inherit that trait. I look at the same thing and see a piece of trash! We both found several items and I'll be sharing those with you in individual posts this week. Sadly, I can't post these items until the kids return home, with my camera, on Thursday night.

I did find a few books that I can share with you. The first one is Edith Schaeffer's The Hidden Art of Homemaking. I've wanted to read this for some time but I've never taken the time to pick it up. The next book I found was Becoming A Titus 2 Woman by Martha Peace. I already have a copy of this book but I couldn't just leave it in the store! The best part is the price of the books. I paid....I hope you're ready for this.....25 cents each for these books. So, for a total of 50 cents, I picked up two great books! Since I already have a copy of the Martha Peace book and this one looks brand new, I'll be doing a giveaway real soon. Stay tuned for that!

I enjoyed my overnight stay at mom's but I'm glad to be home. My house is a complete disaster and I'm moving furniture around today! LOL! It's funny. You'd think since the girls are gone for a few days, that I would just rest since I don't have teaching responsibilities. Not me though, I have to do it up big and move bedroom furniture around, clean out closets, and do laundry. I'm not sure what I'll do tonight while hubby is gone to yet another bagpipe lesson. I may just go crazy and wash the car!

Hope your Wednesday is wonderful!

UltraNebs

My nephew has asthma and lots of times he has to use a nebulizer to treat it. His nebulizer is big, bulky, and not convenient to carry around. He is going to be so happy that I found a tiny, portable nebulizer that he could slip into his pocket! Ultranebs carries several small, portable devices that can be very helpful to those who depend on them. In addition to to nebulizers and nebulizer compressors, they carry portable oxygen systems, blood pressure monitors, and even a fingertip pulse oximeter. I am not currently in need of any of these devices but if I ever am, I am happy to know there are portable solutions out there!

 

Some Clarification On Purpose

I'm sure many of you have already noticed that I have started doing some new things with my blog. I wanted to offer an explanation and inform you of my plans. Several months ago, a friend started doing sponsored posts for payment on her blog. She did this with much success and I enjoyed learning about some of the things she had posted. Recently, I started to talk to her about the process of doing these posts. I decided to sign up with one of these companies and try it out. I've been pretty impressed with how it works and the relative ease of doing the posts. That's not to say that it's easy. It is hard work but pretty interesting.

My reason for doing it is to help our family a bit. My husband is a wonderful provider. Sometimes we just need a little extra to help offset the cost of homeschooling materials, dental visits (we don't have insurance), etc. I've done that over the past eight years by cleaning houses. I've enjoyed that but it requires me to leave my house and go to the home of someone else. I have to clean my house, teach my children, and then go clean for someone else. To put it nicely, it gets really old. It gets really tiring. It is distracting to have to pick up in the middle of the day and go do this. So, when I started to see the success my friend was having, I wanted to give it a try. Another reason I'm doing it is because I am venturing into the world of small business. I am diligently trying to get things going with that. Currently, I'm waiting on supplies so that I can get started. My hope is that within a month, I will have something I can share with you. I don't want to get into detail about it right now because I'm still planning, tweaking, and tossing around details myself. So, doing these ad posts will also help finance that.

I hope many of you will understand where I'm coming from. I know that you don't want to read ad posts all the time and I wouldn't either. I'm not out to make lots of money doing ads. Each time I do an ad, I have to do an original content post so it will never be just ads. My desire is to get to the point where I can post more original content than ad posts. For example, I hope to get to the point where I post two original content posts to every one ad post. I hope that makes sense. I've made some wonderful friends and I don't want to lose your visits because I've chosen to do this. However, I realize that some may look down on ad posts and may have a problem coming here to read because I am doing it. I respect that. If you don't have a problem with it, then you know all you have to do is pass over the ads and read the other posts. Also, if you have any questions about how the ad posting works or my opinions, feel free to email and ask me. I hope that you understand that this is just an opportunity for me to help our family.....a one income, homeschooling family who believes my place is at home. This blog remains a place to share my thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Now it's just gaining an extra feature, which is to benefit our family. I hope you won't blame me for that.

Much love.....

Ten On Tuesday

Ten Things You've Been Putting Off

1. Cleaning the cobwebs out of the garage
2. Finishing the last coat of paint in the laundry room
4. Cleaning out the girls' closet
5. Cleaning out my silverware drawer...UGH!
6. Planting fall mums
7. Weeding the area where the fall mums will be planted! LOL!
8. Washing our vehicles
9. Painting all the trim in our house white. I started it but it's HARD to cover dark wood!
10. Drinking the amount of water I need each day! UGH!!

For more TOT's, go here.

Dial A Flight

With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, many people will be looking for cheap flights and holiday offers. Whether you are looking for flights to Canada or flights to Malaysia, Dial A Flight is the place to start. Not only will you find flights, you'll also find Caribbean spa holidays, weekend breaks in Cyprus, and even beach holidays in Antigua! I don't know about you, but I could use a beach holiday in Antigua!

We Made It!

Well, we made it to my mom's, in West Virginia, safe and sound around 8:30 last night (I'm using her computer to post). It's only a three hour drive so it passed quickly. I'm not sure what it is but everytime I drive up here, I get so lost in thought. I think it has alot to do with the beautiful mountain views. They are breathtaking. God spoke these things into existence! Amazing.....

Mom has been having some computer trouble so I took a look at it for her. She didn't have an anti-virus program going so I took a minute to download one for her. After that was complete, I ran a scan on her computer to see if she had any threats. After one hour of scanning, there were over 7,200 infected files detected. I immediately called my hubby to ask if this was possible. I had never seen so many on one computer. Hubby was stunned! He says this may be the worst case of virus infections that he's ever seen! The sad part is that the virus program could only clean about 3,800 of them. I'll probably be packing the computer home with me tomorrow night so that hubby can reformat it. Mom will have to start all over!

I'll spend most of the day here tomorrow going thrift shopping. I can't wait! I'll try and take some pictures to share with my next post. I should arrive back home around 9pm tomorrow. The girls will stay behind and visit with my mom for a few days.

I hope your Tuesday is a good one!

Overhead Bike Racks

Over the weekend, the girls and I cleaned out the garage. We were trying to get things organized and we were doing a pretty good job, until we came to their bikes. They take up alot of our garage floor space. They are constantly getting knocked over because they are always in the way. If I had a neat overhead bike rack, all my problems would be solved!

So mom, if you're reading, I know what the girls could use for Christmas!

**sponsored**

I Hate Spiders

Last night, as I let the cat out, I noticed a spider web outside the front door. I also noticed that there was a spider in it and he was moving around. I was intrigued so I took a closer look. This little buddy was spinning some silk around the supper he was saving for later. It looked like a fly but at this point, it was more of a fly mummy. Normally I would run, screaming in the other direction. I DO NOT like spiders. We seem to attract them though. The front of our house has this weird little stoop. The house is a split foyer and there's no nice wrapping porch on this baby. So this stoop tends to be the hang out place for spiders of all sorts. Sometimes I'll walk out the door only to have my face wrapped up in a web! I've tried everything to keep them away but alas, they have taken over. The only way I can seem to keep them at bay is to go and sweep down the vinyl siding all around the front door. I have to do this about every two days to keep them away. If I wait longer, they make their home there and I end up sweeping all of the webs down onto the top of my head. Sigh.....If it's not snakes or ants, it's spiders.

I tried to snap a photo so you could see him but I'm not sure you can really tell. It was about 2am and very dark outside. Even with the porch light on, I couldn't get a lot of detail. Actually, I wasn't getting any closer than I already was. It's funny....every time I woke up last night, I was itching. I guess I was dreaming about this little bugger!

I hope your Monday has been a good one. Try not to dream about spiders tonight!

Reproductive Access Solutions

Do you no someone who is PNI (Pregnant No Insurance)? How about a couple dealing with infertility but no insurance to cover the cost of treatment? Many employers do not provide benefits to cover these expenses. Others may have jobs as independent contractors and cannot afford the cost of private insurance. What are they to do?

Reproductive Access Solutions works with companies to provide individual and group benefits to those who need maternity health insurance, fertility aid, and a host of other reproductive health issues. Statistics show that 57% of women who are PNI do not seek prenatal care in their first trimester. With the help of RAS, women can feel confident in seeking the help they need when they need it.

**sponsored post**

Homeschool Day at Rocky Mount

Last Monday, the girls and I went to our local living history museum. They have an annual homeschool day so we decided to take advantage of it. The museum itself is a self-guided tour that takes about an hour. They have several exhibits throughout the museum, which gives alot of historic information about Tennessee and specifically, our part of the state.

We met up with a family from our church and were able to tour the museum and the grounds with them. The grounds consist of several original structures including the housing quarters, a kitchen, a dining room, and a spinning room. These were all separate buildings, which was the way things used to be. I think it is genius that the kitchen was separated from the dining area and main house. All that heat stays down in the kitchen and the food was brought up to the dining room by servants. We enjoyed hearing the history of the Cobb family, seeing how food was cooked in the 1800s, learning how people dined, and watching a lady do some spinning. The children didn't seem happy to learn that back then, when it was time for the meals, the adults came to the table and ate first. The children were made to sit along the wall and wait until the adults finished their meals. Then, the children were fed. Boy, things sure have changed!

We spent about three hours there and had a wonderful time. I forgot to pack a picnic lunch for us so we had to leave early to go home and eat. We did manage to snap a few photos while we were there. Here I am with a few of the children. We were at the barn looking for the sheep when my oldest took this pictures.

.We had a great time and we'll be going back at least once this year. The museum has a special Christmas event each year. I want to go and try to enjoy since the one time we did go, I stayed outside throwing up in the bushes! LOL! The Candlelight Christmas event is one that you have to have reservations for. We made them one year and about a week before we were to go, my youngest got the flu. She ended up staying with her grandparents so that Jeff and I could take Logan. I was going right along until we started the GROUP tour through the grounds. We got inside the main house and the little lady was giving her presentation. I think she sensed something was wrong with me because she kept looking over at me with concern on her face. Remember, this is the dead of winter and it was cold! I broke out in a cold sweat...the worst of my life. I started to feel dizzy and started to sway. Jeff realized something was wrong and whispered to ask if I was ok. I managed a short answer but as soon as I got it out, I had to head for the door. I made it just outside the door when I had to barf. It was awful. Thank goodness I was able to shut the door on my way out! Can you imagine all of those other people who paid to see the Candlelight Christmas presentation only to see my barfing in the bushes! LOL! I still laugh about that night! Oh, I guess you're wondering what was wrong with me....I had the flu as well! Oh the memories......

Graphic Design Companies

For many years, I have tried to talk my mom into starting her own interior design business. She has always been worried about where to begin. Since many people shop and do business online, I've encouraged her to make sure she has a good Web site. This will be the "face" of her company and one of the most important parts of the business. The first thing she needs to do is to check out potential Graphic design companies. An online image is so very important to making a business successful.

I am pretty particular when it comes to online shopping. If a company has a good Web site, I am more inclined to do business with them rather than a company that has a poor or mediocre visual presence. Professional design companies offer so many creative options and definitely give your Web site what it takes to be pleasing to potential customers. Many companies don't stop at Web site design. They might also offer graphic design, search engine optimization, email marketing, public relations, and even logo design. Professional companies are trained in these areas and can offer you the best solutions for all of your needs. If you're thinking of starting a business and want to make sure it is as successful as it can possibly be, let the professionals handle your Web site and graphic design needs.

Weekend Reflection # 30

This has been another fun but busy week. We have been able to accomplish several things that needed our attention.

My in-laws were on vacation all week. They went to the beach without us. Can you believe it?!!! We've been keeping an eye on their house and getting their mail each day. It's been a blessing for us because we wanted them to have a nice pleasant vacation, without any worries. I think they were able to do just that since they knew we would be "holding down the fort". They came back with gifts for us and plenty of stories from their trip. This is a yearly trip that they take with some other family members. My MIL's sister and her children all go and they all have a blast. They split the cost of a big condo and the gas for the drive to the beach and back. My in-laws only spent a couple hundred bucks for gas and lodging for the entire week! I think that's amazing and I want to gather up a bunch of people to take a beach trip!

I was able to stop into the local homeschool bookstore this week and pick up a handful of books at really good prices. This bookstore is less than a mile from my house and I really try not to go very often. I love books and I usually come home with an arm load. Pretty soon, someone is gonna have to move out so we'll have enough room for all the books! One that I picked up that I can't wait to read is A House For My Name by Peter Leithart.

The girls have been a huge help to me this week. While my hubby, BIL, and nephew were cutting up the tree in our back yard, the girls and I cleaned out the garage. We sorted through a lot of things that needed to be thrown out and we got that done. We also swept it out since my FIL will be working in there next week. He's been kind enough to volunteer to help us move the washer and dryer out to the garage. It'll be a task since new water lines and exhaust lines will have to be run. It will be really nice though. My laundry room is going to be converted into a craft/work area. I'll be doing lots of things in there and really needed a space designated for that. I've mentioned that I'm venturing into the world of small business and that's one of the main reasons for this project. I'll share details as I get closer to launch.

Today we enjoyed worship with our church family. We ran a few errands on the way home since the girls and I will be leaving to drive up to West Virginia tomorrow evening. They will be staying with my mom for a few days while she's on vacation. I'll be staying overnight but driving back home on Tuesday. It's only a three hour drive so it's not that big a deal. I get to drive through some quaint little places and it's a wonderful time to think about life. If you feel inclined, so a prayer for traveling mercies.

I hope you've had a wonderful week! I've enjoyed reading your posts this week and can't wait to see what you've got going on in this coming week!

Going to Australia?

I have always thought it would be neat to visit Australia. The first thing I would do is check out the hotels in Sydney. Once settled, I might head down to Palm Beach or catch the Manly Ferry to take in the beautiful views of the city. Later, I might enjoy a performance at the Sydney Opera House. Of course, I would have to take the kids to see the animals at Taronga Zoo. We could have a quick lunch by the beach before heading off to visit the Royal Botanic Gardens. Sydney has such a laid back outdoor lifestyle, and there is truly something for everyone to enjoy!

After Sydney, we would move on to Melbourne. After we check out the hotels in Melbourne, we may take one of the many tours offered there. There are motorcycle tours, winery tours, luxury coach tours, and even kayaking! Another thing that caught my attention were the scenic flights offered in Melbourne. We can take a flight in a seaplane or an early morning hot air balloon flight! Maybe we will even do a little windsurfing on the Great Southern Ocean. When we are finished with all of our outdoor fun, we might stop into a local restaurant to try some Cantonese food.

Our next stop will be Brisbane. This is a neat little place with a lot of history. It is actually the capital of Queensland, which became a colony in 1859. Besides this, Brisbane is known for its live music scene, theatres, and museums. It is also home to the Story Bridge. This is one of only three legally climbable bridges in the world!

After our climb, we will be tired so we'll check out the hotels in Brisbane. We will have to fly home after visiting Brisbane since I'm sure we will have spent all of our money. I know we will have a lovely time and that we will make another trip back to Australia!

The Great Outdoors

Back in the summer, lightening struck a tree in our yard and made a real mess. There were some heavy branches still lodged in the top of the tree and we've debated having the tree cut down. The problem is that the tree is only 1/4 of the way on our property. The other 3/4 of the tree does not belong to us. A realty company purchased the land behind our subdivision so most of the tree belongs to them. We don't want to fork out money for a tree that isn't technically ours. The realty company is putting up some high end condos and in the process, they cut down most of the tree behind us. What was once a pretty wooded area,is now an open window to the 4-lane. Not a pretty sight.

About three weeks ago, those lodged branches came tumbling down into the middle of our back yard. Can you say, huge mess? That's what it was. There were branches everywhere. Big ones. In fact, they were so big, that we could not move them because of their weight. Today we decided that we needed to get a chain saw and cut the huge branches and get the yard cleaned up. Since we don't own a chain saw, we thought we'd just rent one from a local rental place. Great plan, right? Well, it would have been if it hadn't been so expensive just to rent one. Instead, we opted to purchase one, knowing that we wouldn't use it much (remember most of the trees were cut down). We figure we can loan it to family, friends, or neighbors who may need it. Hubby, his brother, and our nephew headed out to get one and came back all giddy about an hour later. They got it running and cut wood for about an hour. Then the chain fell off. My nephew put it back on but every time he tried to cut a piece of wood, it came off again. That went on for about thirty minutes. Kudos to my nephew, Caleb, for not smashing the thing! I guess I should also mention that the thing you pull to start it kept locking up as well. So Caleb decided it was time to chop the wood with an ax.

Then hubs took a turn.

Our pets did what they do best. Never mind that those are my feet propped up on the bench above them. I was just taking a short break :-o)

Here we all are right after the chain saw decided to give us trouble. Notice the view behind us. This used to be thick with trees for about 100 yards out.

It was hot and there was a lot of sweat. Very gross. We did get the majority of the work completed and we'll have enough firewood to last for a few months. We finished just in time for me to watch South Carolina play LSU. SC lost and that makes me sad but hey, they hung in there. Our game was pay-per-view and we opted out of it since they've been playing terribly! That's the way we work. We love our Vols until they start looking like slackers. Then we get mad at them for a week. We did win tonight and that's good. The highlight game today for me was watching Georgia beat Alabama. It was a thrilling OT game. Ahhhhh, there's nothing like fall, football, and family!

How did you spend your Saturday? I hope it was spending a wonderful day with family or friends!

Advantage Auto Quotes

Comparing auto insurance plans can be a daunting task. It usually requires hours on the phone, talking to various companies about what they offer and their rates. I am happy to announce that Advantage Auto Quotes just made that easier! Never again will you spend precious time calling these companies! You will never be put on hold. You will never have to worry about getting the best deal. Advantage Auto Quotes will do all of the work for you. All you have to do is fill out one form and they will do the rest!

Advantage Auto Quotes will work to get you the best rate on any vehicle, whether new or used, foreign or domestic, classic or modern. Do you have a teenager who just got their license? Check out the teen driver auto policy. They also offer policies for seniors or drivers with poor driving records. Do you have a business that needs to insure a vehicle or several vehicles? Advantage Auto Quotes has a policy for you! Do you have a nice sports car that you need to insure? They also offer a special policy for you.

Whatever your insurance need is, you can be assured that Advantage Auto Quotes has a plan for you. So what are you waiting for? Visit them today and find out how you can get the lowest rate available!

Friday Night Fun

Last night, my hubby was sweet enough to take me to my favorite Chinese buffet to eat supper. I looked forward to it all afternoon and when it came time to leave, I rushed him out the door. I could not wait to get some coconut chicken, wonton soup, an egg roll, and that wonderful shrimp sauce. We arrived at the restaurant and I patiently waited at our table while hubs went to wash his hands. I could hardly contain my excitement because I knew I was going to get to taste that yummy coconut chicken! What seemed like thirty minutes later, hubs arrives at the table and we head off to the buffet. But let me back up a minute. You see, I didn't have to wash my hands since I had some antibacterial gel in my purse. I just popped it out, put it all over my hands, and I was ready to eat! Hubs can't do that. There's no using of antibacterial gel for him. He needs good ole fashioned soap and water! Also, it's our practice to go up to a buffet together. I never run off without him and vice versa. So anyway, he gets back to the table and we go up to the buffet. At this point, I'm salivating just thinking of that coconut chicken. I'm scanning the buffet and I can't see it anywhere! A little bit of panic sets in but I soldier on. Still, no coconut chicken. Alas, it's not on the buffet tonight because it's Friday....and we all know that Friday nights at a Chinese buffet means seafood. What?!!! I was shattered. The only thing I love better than coconut chicken is, well, nothing! After I got over the initial shock and realization that I wasn't getting coconut chicken for supper, I quickly embraced the sesame chicken. Just like my hubby said, you can't beat plain ole' sesame chicken! With a plate of sesame chicken, an egg roll, some glazed carrots, and two bowls of wonton soup under my belt, I left with a full belly and was ok with not getting my coconut chicken.

We made a quick stop into the movie store and then headed for home. As we were driving up the 4-lane, I happened to look over into a parking lot and saw the most bizarre thing.

It looked sort of like this:

Ok, it didn't look quite like this. What I saw was a deer family but the babies were much bigger than this. There were five deer in all. FIVE! They were scampering through the parking lot of what used to be an old flea market. There were two large ones and three "teenage" deer. LOL! It was a beautiful sight but we were worried that the deer may make their way down to the 4-lane. I hope the sound of the traffic scared them off.

I hope you are enjoying your Saturday!

Virginia Bed & Breakfasts

My wedding anniversary is coming up in December and I've been looking for a special place that my husband and I could go for the weekend. Since we live near the Virginia state line, I thought it would be nice to drive up that way and take advantage of some of the things Virginia has to offer. Before we head out, I will need to find us a place to stay. No problem! I'll use the Virginia bed and breakfast online directory.

The directory lists B&B's all over Virginia, which cuts out all the work for me. I simply browse through locations in Virginia, and click on the area that I'm interested in visiting. Once I chose a city, a list of B&B's in that area comes up and all I have to do is go check them out. The directory allows me to link directly to a particular B&B, where I can read about it, see pictures of the rooms they offer, and check out their prices. Simple and easy! I was even able to find the beautiful little B&B in Damascus, VA, run by our good friends, the McMahon's!

Another great thing is that you can purchase gift certificates through the directory. What a great gift idea! So mom, if you're reading, I know what you can give us for Christmas!

**This is a sponsored post**

Smelly Stuff

No, it's not what you think....I need your help. I'm looking to the future and a small business is part of my plan. I don't want to give away alot of information just yet but this venture will include nice smelling things that one may wear, burn in their home, or eat. This is where you come in. What are your favorite scents? Is there a particular smell that makes you think of fall? Thanksgiving? Christmas? How about for everyday? What is one scent that you never get tired of? Do you have several favorites? I'd love your input. I know what I like but I want to know what others like. Anything goes so put your thinking caps on and share with me!

Blogging For Cash

Lately, I've had an itch to start a small business. While I have been trying to work out all the details, I started thinking about ways to finance this business venture. A friend told me that she had started blogging to earn money. At first, I didn't think too much of it. I brushed that idea aside. Shortly after that, that same friend told me that she was able to purchase a new home computer using the money she had earned by blogging. Now she had my attention! After many more conversations and me asking lots of questions, I decided I would give it a try. What could it hurt?

Since there are many companies paying people to blog, I asked her opinion on where to start. She suggested I check out Blogvertise. With Blogvertise, I am responsible for writing reviews or advertisements for various products and services. Not only am I able to learn about these products and services, but I get to share them with family and friends! The best part is that I can do it without ever leaving my home! This is a plus since I'm a homeschooling wife and mother!

If you would like to learn more about Blogvertise and how it works,visit their user-friendly website today!

Lawsuit Insanities

I generally keep my opinions to myself or express them only to my husband. I have to tell you that I've been pushed today though. I feel like pulling some hair and smacking some faces. If you are wondering why I'm upset, you will have to read this article. It appears that you can sue anyone for anything! It seems that there are little to no boundaries on filing a lawsuit. Words can't describe how disturbing this article is to me. Unless I'm totally out of the loop, isn't there a risk of multiple pregnancies with IVF? Even if the woman told her doctor she only wanted one child, there is known evidence that IVF can lead to multiple births. And does she think her doctor is God? The research is everywhere. So, did the woman not read this? Did she think she was exempt from this possibility? From what I've read, spontaneous splitting can occur, although rare, which results in twin births. Seems to me that there was a chance of this happening anyway.

I guess what gets me the most is that now she has these two baby girls to care for. One of these days, they will find out that their parents sued a doctor for money because they only wanted one baby. Don't you think the girls will wonder which one the mom didn't really want? How heartbreaking is that?!!!

I am continually amazed at the things I read in the news on a daily basis. It's so ridiculous that I try not to read it very often. This article took me back to the quote I mentioned this week by Thomas Watson. And if the woman wants to give one of the babies away, by all means, bring the child to my door step. I will gladly raise this precious gift that was given to such an ungrateful woman! Stepping down now......even though I'm still peeved!

Maybe I should sue my neighbor because he didn't wave back to my kids twice this week....

Digital Cameras

About a year ago, Jeff and I were heading off to New York City. I knew I wanted to take tons of pictures but our digital camera was very outdated and bulky. We started a search for a new camera and after reading many reviews, we purchased a Canon Power Shot A540. It is compact and lightweight. It also takes pretty good pictures! This is very important because we take lots of pictures.

I use the camera almost on a daily basis. I take pictures of our homeschool science experiments, field trips, holidays, pets, and family vacations. These are moments that I want to remember forever. I want to share these memories with others also. I will be able to do that by scrapbooking the photos, emailing them to friends and family, or putting them on a cd. The possibilities are endless.

Recently, we snapped a photo of a beautiful barn at a living history museum near our house:

I also have my eye on a digital SLR camera. The Canon Digital Rebel XT looks very appealing with its 8.0 megapixels. I have seen photos taken with this particular camera and they are very crisp. If I ever get this camera, I will use it to take professional type photos of my children. In fact, I think this is what I need for Christmas!

What Color Orange Are You?

A few days ago, while visiting How About Orange, I came across this fun little quiz. Since I live in VOLS country, there is orange blood running through my veins. I thought it would be neat to see what color of orange it is. (Never mind that we were romped by the Gators last weekend!)

 

You are Mahogany

Stable and decisive, you lack the hyper energy of most orange colors. You're still energetic, but you tend to project a peaceful, relaxed vibe. You love to feel cozy. You often rather wrap up in a blanket than go out for the night.

What Color Orange Are You?

I agree with this assessment. My hubby may argue about the decisive part :-o) I'm stable and energetic (but not too energetic). I love to feel cozy and YES I often wrap up in a blanket and vow that I'm not going out for the entire weekend! What do you expect. It's almost fall, football season has arrived, and I can start cooking some yummy soups and chili in my crock pot. Mmmmmmm. It doesn't get any better than that! I hope I project a peaceful, relaxed vibe. That's what I'm shooting for. If the VOLS keep loosing, I think I'll have to become another color. Maybe red (Georgia Bulldogs) or maroon (South Carolina Gamecocks).

Black Friday, The Easy Way

Have you ever had the urge to go shopping on Black Friday? Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving, when you can go to most major retail stores and get a deal on just about anything. We have all heard the stories. Ladies cook Thanksgiving dinner and the following day, get up while it is still dark outside, go to these stores and stand in line just to get a great deal. The idea of such an outing is hard to resist. After all, we all want to save money.

I’m thrilled to tell you that you do not have to stand in those lines at 5 a.m. anymore, thanks to Black Friday's thanksgiving ads. Black-Friday.net allows you to shop from your home while getting the same deals that you would get if you were in the store when these special promotions are going on. You can even sign up to receive emails alerting you when new ads are posted! Now, all I have to do is go to Black-Friday.net and click on my favorite retail store to see what specials they are offering. I know I'll be checking out the Best Buy deals. Just think of all the wonderful gifts I will be able to pick up for my husband! I can hardly wait!

Wordless Wednesday....Kitty Style

Well, maybe just a few words! This is one of our cats. Her name is Tabi and we got her from a local animal shelter a few years ago. She was fixed when we got her so she's never had kittens. Anytime our dog, Sadie, will allow, Tabi gives her a bath. This consists of long periods of time where Tabi just licks the dog. Tabi seems to enjoy it but I can't say that Sadie does! She always looks like she can't wait for it to be over!

For more WW's, head over to 5 minutes for mom.

PayPerPost

A few months ago, my friend Jenny and I were discussing ways to earn extra money.  We are both homemakers and homeschool our children, so from time to time we need to purchase new curricula.  Jenny told me that she had been reviewing products and services through a company called PayPerPost. She said that I too, can get paid to blog. In one month, she earned enough money to purchase a new computer.  Her success encouraged me to sign up and try it out. 

I have taken advantage of a couple of opportunities and I am already seeing the benefits.  I am learning about a variety of products and services, while earning some extra cash. I love the fact that I can do this without having to leave my home.  I have come across many moms who are taking advantage of this and I think it is wonderful! 

The extra cash I earn will be put to good use.  We are always in need of things for our homeschool and we love good books. Payperpost also gives me the option of donating the money to charity.  This is just one more reason to take advantage of what Payperpost has to offer!  If you are looking for a way to earn money from the comfort of your own home, I encourage you to visit PPP and see for yourself.

Apologia General Science ROCKS!

I mentioned that we've started our new school year, which simply means we're using new materials since we homeschool year round. We opted to use a few new things this year and one was Apologia science. I've wanted to use Apologia for a couple of years, but had science curriculum that was given to me, so I felt inclined to use it. Since the age difference between the girls is little over four years, they are using different Apologia science subjects. Logan is using General Science. So far, we are enjoying it! We're halfway through the first chapter and have already completed two experiments! This is progress for us! We have been studying atoms and the purpose of the first experiment was to prove the existence of atoms.

First, Logan filled a tall glass with some veggie oil.

Next, we added an equal amount of water to the glass.

Then, we added an equal amount of syrup to the glass.

The end result was the layering of the three substances. The picture isn't the greatest, so I apologize!

Why is this so cool? If you look back at the way we added the liquids to the glass, you'll notice the order was veggie oil first, then water, and lastly the syrup. However, if you look closely at the last picture, you'll notice the syrup is on the bottom, then the water (although it's hard to see), and the top layer is the veggie oil. How did the veggie oil get on top when it was poured in first? The veggie oil was on the bottom of the glass and then we started adding the water. As we did this, the oil started to come to the top and the water fell to the bottom. This happened because the atoms that make up the water are more closely packed than those in the veggie oil. The atoms in the water were able to squeeze through the the atoms in the veggie oil. This holds true for the syrup also. Because the atoms in the syrup were more tightly packed than the other liquids, it was able to squeeze through both the oil and water and make its home at the bottom of the glass.

We added a few items to the liquids to see which had the largest density (how tightly atoms are packed). We added a raisin, a piece of cork, a rock, and an ice cube. Which one do you think had the largest density? You guessed it, the rock. It sank to the bottom of the glass because it was able to squeeze through all the layers of liquid. The cork floated on top of the veggie oil because it could not squeeze through it. The raisin floated on top of the syrup and the ice cube floated on top of the water.

As you can see, we're busy learning around here and having a wonderful time doing so! Maybe next week Caroline will have a project to share with you from the Apologia Astronomy book she's using!

Red Gac

Recently I was reading about a fruit called Red Gac over at http://jennyupthehill.blogspot.com.  I’ve never heard of this fruit but I learned that it contains antioxidants which rejuvenate skin cells.  I also learned that we absorb it easily since it is an oil. In talking with Jenny about how she found this information, she told me that she came across it while doing ads through a company called PayPerPost.  Looks like there’s alot of information out there just waiting to be found! 

Weekend Reflection # 29

So it's Monday and I'm just doing my weekend reflection. I figure I can get away with it since so many cool things went on during the week!

Last Sunday, we were invited, last minute, to enjoy lunch with a couple of families from church. We had such a wonderful time with them that we didn't get home until 5pm! The meal was so yummy and the fellowship was just what we needed!

The next couple of days were pretty normal. We started our new school year, which actually means we just started using new materials since we school year round! Things started off very well and I think the girls are enjoying our new science choice. We went with Apologia sciences this year and so far it's pretty fun. Logan is studying general science and this week the lessons have been all about atoms. Caroline is using the astronomy and this week has been learning all about stars and the planets. We've had fun with the Pluto controversy....is it a planet or isn't it? We all know that it has been determined that Pluto is not a planet but try and explain that to my 8 year old. Pluto was a planet and then scientists changed the definition of what a planet is. So, now it's not a planet. Sheesh! Anyway, it's been fun and we'll be making a model of our solar system this week. That should be lots of fun.

Wednesday, my bestest friend Jenny came over for the afternoon. Our kids had fun playing X-box games while we gabbed about various things. It's funny. We talk everyday via email.... .usually, it's more like several times each day. We don't get together very often because we are both busy being homemakers. We have so much to talk about that we don't stop for the length of our visit. We use every single minute we have! Wednesday, our visit lasted for about 4 1/2 hours. We talked about everything from personal loss to disciplining our children. Never mind the fact that we ate two dozen sugar cookies and a 60 count bag of pizza rolls! LOL! It wasn't just Jenny and me though. The kids, all five of them, helped us eat these things.

I went to the dentist this week only to find out that he has to do something to fix my popping jaws. They're awful! It sounds like a drum corp when I chew my food. Ack! I'll go next month to have that fixed. I'm not real sure what he'll do to fix it and honestly, I was afraid to ask. My dentist is wonderful. He's a perfectionist. He pushes you as far as you can go. Why was I afraid to ask what the procedure entails you ask? Remember I said that he pushes you as far as you can go? Well, once, while doing a root canal, my numbing medication was wearing off and I could feel EVERYTHING he was doing. That was a special kinda pain! I have a very high tolerance for pain. Probably higher than most people, when it comes to having dental work done. However, this was tough. I managed to get through that root canal but it was the most painful thing I've experienced from a dentist. I was crying so hard that I had to hold my breath to keep from shaking (which would have made things much worse). You see, when the medicine started to wear off, he was almost finished. Rather than stop, numb me some more, and wait for it to kick in, he chose to go ahead and finish. He kept talking to me, trying to comfort me. His poor assistant kept drying the tears streaming from my eyes. It is so funny to think about that day. I came home and vowed that I needed to find a new dentist. I didn't go back to the dentist for about three months because of it. When I did go back, I went back to him because he's just that good. He does good work and I trust him. Let's just say that I had a chat with his dental assistant and we've come up with some signals! LOL!

Thursday, Caroline and I went to have lunch with a sweet lady from church. She's older than me and I've learned alot about gardening and organic foods from her. We visited with her for most of the day. This sweet woman served us a tasty little lunch, full of things we had never tried. We had chicken salad on a bed of baby spinach, a cold soup (pureed strawberries w/blueberries), garlic bread, and for dessert we had lemon curd. We've never had a lunch like this and a cold soup was something new to me. We really enjoyed it. She served the lemon curd over a biscuit and it was so yummy! Definitely different but very yummy!

Saturday was full of SEC football, including our beloved Vols being killed by the Gators. Things were going ok until the third quarter and then we really fell apart. It's pretty tough to watch your team hang with a top ranked team, only to give up in the second half when things get tough. We need a change down in Knoxville and I'm not sure but I think it needs to be in the form of a new head football coach. I'm just sayin'. I'd love to see us get a coach like Mark Richt. He's just a quality guy with great character and morals.

Saturday evening, hubby and I headed off to Rhythm & Roots. This is an annual event that we usually try and take advantage of. We enjoyed seeing three great bands, Seldom Scene, Cherryholmes, and Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. These are favorites of ours and we really enjoyed each performance. We feasted on hot dogs and a funnel cake and didn't get home until 12:30am! Fun, fun, fun!

Sunday, we enjoyed worship. Afterwards, we opted out of the church picnic since we were tired from our outing the previous night. We had a quick lunch and a nice long nap. The rest of the evening, we enjoyed watching all of our favorite NFL teams win. Well, except the Titans. They couldn't win though because they were playing the Colts. I can't be happy when anyone beats my Colts. I am already dreading the game between the Colts and the Cowboys since I love the Cowboys ALMOST as much as the Colts. The Cowboys did win on Saturday too! I love the Colts because Payton Manning is a UT graduate and I'm convinced, the smartest quarterback in the NFL. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say he's the smartest quarterback ever to play in the NFL. I have a special kind of love for Dallas too. Jason Witten is from a neighboring town (we actually used to live in the same town and would listen to the high school games Witten played in). Then there's Julius Jones. He's younger than me but we grew up two miles apart. He went to a rival school and I went to school with some of his cousins. Gotta cheer for the local guys!

It was a nice week. It even rained for two days. This is wonderful news because it hadn't rained here since June! We're enjoying the first signs of fall weather and loving every second of it! I'm looking forward to making some soups and chili. There's nothing like fall! I hope your week went well!

A Perfect Day

Ahhhhhh, a gentle breeze is blowing through the open windows in our house. Leaves are laying all over the deck and yard. Patsy Cline is playing softly as I type this. The girls are quietly entertaining themselves. We are patiently waiting to see the home team play today (our beloved TN Vols). I can hear the noise from another football game coming from the tv behind me. We are looking forward to worship tomorrow, as well as a church picnic after the service. It feels like fall here in Tennessee. Life is good.

Now, if the Vols could just come away with a win against the Gators today!

Wisdom From Tom

"Discontent is an ungrateful sin, because we have more mercies than afflictions; and it is an irrational sin, because afflictions work for good." - Thomas Watson, (Gleanings, 38)

This quote is from Thomas Watson's book, Gleanings from Thomas Watson. I have never read this book but after reading this quote, I really want to.

I came across this quote a few days ago while opening my Google home page. You see, my hubby is a genius. I think I've said that before. He is all computer savvy and stuff. About a month ago he created a new Google gadget that contains Puritan quotes. You get a new quote each time you refresh. One morning I was sitting at my computer, refreshing like a banshee, when up popped this quote. I must have read it five times, processing each word over and over.

Lately, I have had an attitude of discontent. It's been mostly small things but I've been discontent and that's a real problem. For example, one morning I was complaining that my hair was too long and it was getting on my nerves. "I need a summer haircut" I said to my hubby. He kept telling me that summer was almost over and that my hair looked better than it ever has. "Just be patient" he kept telling me. "Summer will be over before you know it and it'll cool off." In my mind I was thinking, "well you wear it and see how you like it." After a few minutes of complaining, I remember Jeff telling me that I should be thankful to have such beautiful hair. I heard him but I continued being mentally discontent. A few days later I was complaining about some work I had to do. Jeff, again, quickly reminded me that I should be thankful that the Lord gave me that work to do. Again, I heard him but this time I realized that I had been complaining about ALOT of things. I was verbalizing my disdain for the situations God had me in and the things God had given me. It seems that I go through periods when I do this. I complain and murmur until my hubby has to reign me in. He's very gracious. He gives me opportunities to correct my little attitude problem before he takes over. I think in doing that, he's hoping I will recognize this sin in myself and turn from it. He doesn't let me go very far with it though. If it looks as though I'm oblivious to my sin, he steps in and sets me straight. I love that he does that. I also dislike the fact that he has to do that. I am thankful that he loves me and wants what is best for me. He wants to see me grow spiritually and if I step into a little bit of quick sand, he pulls me out. I dislike the fact that he has to pull me out. I wish that I didn't make the mistake of stepping in the quick sand in the first place.

Watson's quote hit me square in the face. As I read it, I knew that Watson was talking to me. He was telling me that I am ungrateful and irrational. But ole' Tom didn't stop there. His words went on to tell me that I am blessed so much more than I am afflicted. I knew he was right. All I have to do to see that is look around me. I see my children growing up to be godly young women. I see my husband, doing the work God has given him and doing it with a happy heart. I witness the goodness of the Church all around me. Our family is healthy and in want of nothing. So why, why, why, do I have these times when I am so ungrateful? Why is it we always tend to look for the negatives in things? I think I've convinced myself that the things I complain about are just "little" things and that it is not really a big deal that I voice my complaints. I tell myself I'm not really ungrateful. Isn't it funny how we convince ourselves of these types of things? I am always amazed at the way God brings us back to Him. This week, He used a man (Thomas Watson) that's been dead for over 300 years to bring me back to Him.

So, where do I go from here? Well, I now have Watson's quote stuck on the wall to the left of my computer. It'll stay there because I'll need to be reminded of how ungrateful and irrational I am. I'll need to be reminded that God shows me more mercies than afflictions. I'll need to be reminded that afflictions work for good. I will be reminded that every time I open my mouth to complain or murmur, I am being ungrateful to the God that created me. I pray that each time it happens, Watson's words will pierce my heart and make me cry out to the Lord to forgive my stupidity.

Thanks Tom.

 

 

Weekend Reflection # 28

The past few weeks have been a little busy for me. I'm sure that shows since I've only posted a couple of times in a week. Football season is here and I'm also working on some ideas for a home-based business. I haven't been real good at keeping up with reading other blogs either. I'm working my way through though and I'm having a good time reading about what all of you have been doing!

On Labor Day, we enjoyed a wonderful picnic hosted by our pastor and his family. We enjoyed a potluck type picnic and lots of fellowship. It was the perfect way to spend the holiday and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

The 5th was hubby's birthday and we managed to take him out to supper and to a movie. He enjoyed his favorite dish at O'Charley's (Bayou Shrimp Pasta) before heading off to see the latest Harry Potter movie.

Thursday through Saturday, I was laid up with some sort of sinus/allergy/cold thing. I think it was mostly allergies and the only thing that remedies that is for me to sleep it off. I did that on Thursday and Friday. I did feel better on Saturday but still not 100%. Of course, that didn't stop me from watching UT and USM. We won the game 39-19. It wasn't really that exciting because it was a pay-per-view game. I cannot stand to watch these types of games. The announcers bore me to tears. We had a house full of family watching it with us so that made it a little more tolerable.

Yesterday, we enjoyed a wonderful worship service and were invited, last minute, to have lunch with a few families from church. We were happy to get the invite and accepted. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch feast of pork, pasta, corn, green beans, fresh tomatoes, and peach cobbler for dessert. It was all yummy and the fellowship was just what we needed. We didn't end up getting home until around 5pm so we didn't make it back to church for the evening vespers service. We rested for awhile and then watched the Cowboys beat up on the Giants. What a perfect week!! The Vols win, the Cowboys win, and the Colts won on Thursday night! Who could ask for anything more!

I haven't taken any pictures in a few weeks so I'll try to get crackin' on that. Time just got away from me and it's been so hot that we've been indoors! Hopefully we'll get out some this week though and get some photos of all the interesting things we'll be getting into. We'll officially start our new school year tomorrow (the girls have had the past week off) so I'm sure I'll have plenty of things to talk about in the coming weeks! Maybe Jenny will even let me take some photos while she is over here this week!

I hope all of you have been busy doing things you love!

Thanks to Judi for hosting WR's. Not sure if she'll be doing a WR this week, since a good friend to her family passed away this week. Please keep the family in your prayers.

Thursday Thirteen # 10

Thirteen Things About My Hubby

First things first. Yesterday was Jeff's 38th birthday. I didn't forget his birthday but I also didn't get to post a happy birthday message to him. We did manage to take him to supper last night and then to a movie. Earlier in the day, my aunt and uncle stopped by and brought him a card with some cash inside. Thanks you guys! Now, on with the list.....

1. Although he's never lived in Scotland and has a definitive southern accent, he's Scottish through and through. Both sides of his family are Scottish. (Forresters and Bairds)
2. He loves his job as a programmer and Web designer.
3. He loves music and plays the Great Highland Bagpipes, banjo, guitar, and mandolin. He has toyed with the fiddle and button accordion in the past as well.
4. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work.
5. He has a Master's Degree in Biblical Studies.
6. He has a Master's Degree in Elementary Education.
7. One of his hobbies is flying radio-controlled airplanes. He has about three planes currently.
8. He loves football.
9. He is the most consistent, stable person I've ever met.
10. One of his favorite dishes is the Bayou Shrimp Pasta from O'Charley's. (That was his birthday supper last night!)
11. He cannot remember names. We've been many places that he's run into old classmates or friends. He's failed to introduce us because he has forgotten the person's name! LOL!
12. Another hobby is playing MMORPGs. He is currently playing World of Warcraft.
13. He loves animals. We have five kitties, a dog, and two fish to prove it!

For more TT's, go here.