Pocket Full of Sunshine

:: things we can make ::

2011-11-03T18:08:00.000-05:00

woohoo! november's is up already. i am an overacheiver (or just tired of keeping quiet!)

so i have been into craft/food/all kinds of blogs this past summer...so i've decided to do something about it! my goal is to make something at least once a month (which i think is completely achievable).

just a note...some things i can make completely by myself,and other things require help from significant others.

this is a very special edition of ::things i can make :: it is definitely not a things i can make...it is a thing we made together.

we could not have "made" this special treat without my dear sweet hubby, without my Father God ~ the creator of all things AWESOME, and the prayers and encouragement of some super awesomely amazing friends and family.

and unlike all the other :: things i can make :: i'm NOT going to give a step by step tutorial...because that would be GROSS and completely TMI and if you aren't sure you should ask your mom!

so without further ado....what God has created within me!

update on the 10 minutes

2011-10-31T17:03:00.001-05:00

...i'll be honest...the ten minutes is difficult (if you aren't sure what i'm referring to click HERE

i can be known to come in from work, sit on the couch for "just a minute" and that minute turns into an hour and then i have stuff i really need to do.
so i punish myself (bad joy). if i dont do 10 mins today...i have to do 20 tomorrow. it can add up pretty quickly. so much that ive had to do an hour (or more) on the weekend. arg.

i'm still trying to make simple steps. even when i don't do my 10 mins
~ pick up all five pairs of shoes i have under the couch
~ throw the junk mail away
~ clear off the kitchen table
and it helps! but its not enough! i have to discipline myself enough to actually do the 10 mins!

like right now i could:
~ fold clothes
~ put sweet hubby's hunting mess up
~ load/unload the dishwasher
~ clean off the "island" (old kitchen table) and counters
~ straighten the bathroom
~ etc...etc...etc...

WOW! i need to get to work!

so yeah...more discipline...less propping my feet up (though sweet hubby helps around the house sooo much! i love the mess out of that guy!)

...i'm going to do today's 10 right now...

:: things i can make ::

2011-10-28T16:32:00.001-05:00

*special note: do not allow children to handle the knife...they could cut their fingers off!

step one:
cut a circle around the stem and remove stem (you will need to keep it though!) - make sure to slant the knife so that you can put the stem back when you are finished

step two:
remove the icky slimey insides and seeds...let the kids help (and play with it) - this is when the ice cream scoop comes in QUITE handy (you can also separate the seeds from the gunk to roast later)

step three:
trace the outline of the face/object you would like to be on your pumpkin with a pen (i did leaves a few years ago all around the pumpkin and it turned out SUPER cute)

step four:
cut out the outlines (a paring knife is great for details), remove and throw away

step five:
sprinkle the inside of the pumpkin completely with cinnamon so that it doesnt stink when you light it

step six:
light candle, place in bottom of pumpkin, and put the stem back on

step seven:
display for all to see :)

:: things i can make ::

2011-09-30T16:27:00.002-05:00

so i have been into craft/food/all kinds of blogs this past summer...so i've decided to do something about it! my goal is to make something at least once a month (which i think is completely achievable).

just a note...some things i can make completely by myself,and other things i need help from significant others.

this creation took the assistance of my blessed mother. without her...i would not have had the equipment needed to make this beautiful creation.

that being said...here we go

materials needed:
magic bullet (thanks mom)
various fresh fruits/veggies
various frozen fruits
small container or yogurt
milk
knife

time required:
maybe 5 mins

result:
super smooth and sweet smoothie :)

directions:
get materials (dog treats not required)

i used kiwi and baby carrots for my fresh fruit this time (one day i want to try apple)

strawberry yogurt (though plain and vanilla make good smoothies too)

and strawberries for my frozen fruit...fooled you with the blueberries didnt i? (bananas* and blueberries...yum...maybe next time)

peel (if neccessary) and cut the fresh fruit/veggies into small chunks

put the yogurt in the bullet cup first (...ive learned order does matter...just in time until completion though)

add fresh and frozen fruit and veggies (the more frozen stuff the thicker the smoothie)

add milk to the top of the bullet cup

screw on the bullet blade

put the bullet cup in the bullet base

get ready to whir :)

whir :) (press the bullet cup so it blends)

continue "whir-ing" until thoroughly blended (this may require a couple pauses to shake the bullet cup)

you can actually see and hear when it is completely blended...pretty cool

enjoy

just a note:
* bananas freeze well - wait until ripe, peel,cut in half, freeze in a ziplock bag - take out what you want when you want it (and surprisingly they don't really freeze together)

the fruit/veggies/yogurt you use will vary the color of the smoothie...don't be grossed out

:: just 10 minutes ::

2011-08-29T17:11:00.000-05:00

i have a confession to make.

I AM A MESSY PERSON.

I AM A VERY MESSY PERSON.

whew, im glad i got that off my chest! now, if being a messy person wasn't enough...i just have to complicate it a little.

I AM A VERY MESSY PERSON AND I HATE MESSES!!!!!

yup thats me. messy while despising messes. leaves me in a conundrum.

there are many (many) times i have talked to my sweet husband about hating how messy our house can get. but i look around and realize ~ the mess is mostly mine!
the 6 pairs of shoes under the couches and kitchen table ~ yup mine
the opened mail fanned out across the table ~ you guessed it mine
the magic bullet parts on the counter ~ again mine
the sink of dirty dishes ~ ours (finally something thats not all my fault)
the onion skin and potato peelings on the floor and counter ~ i blame it on me attempting to cook
the dirty clothes on the bedroom floor ~ hey i may be able to wear them again

i think you get the point. im messy. but it drives. me. crazy. beyond. crazy. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH (i had to get that off my chest).

this summer i did a little bit better controlling the mess. life was pretty relaxed and i found some pleasure in keeping the house straightened (gasp, its true). but school started a little over three weeks ago for us. school = work, i teach, sweet husband does campus ministry. so three weeks of full time work plus about a week of prep...that being said...our house has gotten a bit cluttery...well messy honestly.

and again it drives. me. crazy.

so i came up with a plan. a 10 minute plan. just 10 minutes monday through friday.

it boils down to this:
as soon as i get home (immediately after walking though the door...immediately!)
set the microwave timer for 10 mins (and only 10)
straighten, wipe-down, wash, put away the 6 pairs of shoes, you get the point
when the timer goes off ~ stop..sit down, prop my feet up, eat a snack, rest

it only adds 10 minutes to my work day but makes my evening so much less stressful and more relaxed. i no longer have to be overwhelmed by the clutter...oh happy day :)

i tried out the 10 minutes today for the first time...and look at all i got accomplished:
shoes put away
floor in living room, kitchen, and bedroom picked up
counters, stove, and kitchen table straightened and wiped down
dishwasher unloaded
sweet hubby's work stuff organized
tools put back
laundry started

i say it was a very successful 10 minutes.

and i came away with only two rules...and both of them have to do with the dishwasher
1 ~ start working on dishwasher tasks LAST
2 ~ if you start unloading and loading and the timer goes off...finish before you stop

thats it success in 10 minutes :)

now for me to feel caught up on housework i just have to fold laundry, ill tackle that after my rest...

:: glaucoma and me ::

2011-08-28T14:16:00.000-05:00

this summer i went for my yearly exam...eye exam that is.
having been in glasses since 4th grade, this is of significant importance to me.

everything was going just "run of the mill" when near the end of my appointment my eye dr (lets call him dr h) goes "do you have a family history of glaucoma."

me being the naive silly one that i am said "well i think my grandfather had to have surgery to remove it"
silly girl...he had surgery to remove his cateracts....

that being said...no i was not aware of any history of glaucoma. "WHY?!?"
and dr h says..."the hole in your optic nerve (which everyone has) is much larger than it should be. lets run some more tests. oh and medical insurance will now cover your eye doctor exams and tests because you are a "glaucoma suspect". someone who one day MAY develop glaucoma."

...ill be honest...i freaked out a little. but he said one day i MAY develop it...so breathe joy, breathe.

i was to return for some "baseline tests" so "we can monitor your eyes to see if there are any changes through the years"

so tests...pictures of my optic nerve, peripheral vision flashy light test, heat picture of my eyes, touch my eyes with the plastic thingy....tests.

i survived each and every one of them. "you'll be getting a phone call in a week or so to review your test."

...no phone call. wait another week (me calling them would mean that i would have to take some initiative..and well i didnt) still no call. wait another week...get a voicemail "we have the results of your tests, call us so we can review them. i call them back, "oh wait, i can't go over them on the phone, dr h wants you to come in and go over them with you as soon as possible."

that was definitely not was what supposed to happen, so i conned sweet hubby into going with me.

we arrive to go over my tests. i passed the peripheral flashy light test with flying colors (dr h even showed me where i cheated). the other tests were ok too...my pressure was not too high...the picture just showed what the doctor saw. but the heated picture...that is where the problem was. apparently, you should have fan like heat coming from the optic nerve going out to the edges of your eyes...i do not.

so the official diagnosis was glaucoma...at 27...i have glaucoma.
...or a major injury to my optic nerves...but dr h feels pretty confident that it is glaucoma.

so what does that mean for me?
i have the pleasure of taking an eye drop a day. thats it. simple as that.
the eye drop Lumigan, should keep my pressure from spiking and therefore prevent further injury or enlargement to the hole in my optic nerve.

if it doesnt, then i could start to lose my peripheral vision, and if we dont do something about it, i could slowly lose my vision. if i lose any of it, i cant get it back. thats is why dr h is so glad we "caught it" so early.

so side effects of Lumigan:
~ my eyelashes will become longer *reversible with discontinuance of drop

~ my eyelashes will become fuller *reversible with discontinuance of drop

~ my eyelashes will become darker *reversible with discontinuance of drop

~ my beautiful brown eyes will become browner (no matter what color your eyes are the drops make them browner)*non-reversible

~ my eyelids may become darker *reversible with discontinuance of drop

~ dry eye, scratchy eye, eye fatigue (these are the side effects i am actually experiencing)

i have decided that i can handle this...and i can conquer this..."it aint nothin but a thang" (i cant believe i just said that)

so i have been on the drops for two weeks now (no i havent noticed any difference in my eye lashes).
i went for a follow-up appt to test my pressure and look at my optic nerve again. so they touched my eye with the icare tonometer (anyone that says they cant feel it...is lying...and i wear contacts) and my pressure had gone up (gasp). definitely not supposed to happen. so they retested...it was a little bit better, but not what dr h wanted to see. what to do what to do?
im to continue with the Lumigan, and hopefully my pressure will drop a little bit more. dr h also added another drop to help with my eye fatigue, scratchy-ness, and dryness.

but like i said, i can handle this...im not going to let it conquer me. its just a lable, and believe me, i know that anyone can overcome lables :)

Things I Can Make

2011-08-10T20:37:00.000-05:00

so i have been into craft blogs this summer...so i've decided to do something about it! my goal is to make something at least once a month (which i think is completely achievable).

so for the month of august (it's actually one of my summer goals which you can see here) my goal was to make the skirt seen here.

this was a pretty lofty goal being that we didn't own a handy dandy sewing machine UNTIL hubby came to the rescue. he decided he was tired of having to ask people to hem our pants, and there was no reason we couldn't do it ourselves, so we bit the bullet, and bought a sewing machine.

the machine sat around, hemmed some pants, sat around, sat around, got put away, hemmed some more pants...you get the picture. so i decided to get over my anxiety and try it...i mean the project wasn't costing me anything (the shirt was from hubby's goodwill pile)...so what did i have to lose.

of course every good craft blogger has great before and after pics...well mine aren't so hot...but hey...let's look at before...

i started with an XL men's dress shirt and then i removed the pocket and sleeves

then i cut it to pieces literally...because i didn't know what to do next honestly.
so i cut the collar off to try to decide where to do the top seam..then i just cut straight across where the armpit of the shirt was.
after buttoning the shirt, i folded over where i cut, ironed the fold to make sure it was straight and sewed. this was my first time sewing so it was pretty interesting but i did it...and even used a backstich or two :)

the skirt was too wide...not even touching my sides...so i turned the skirt inside out, lined up the bottom and sewed up the side about 2 inches in. well im not THAT small so it was too much and i got to pick out my seam...

i then remembered that i wanted ties on my skirt...so i took a break from the skirt to work on the ties.
i ironed the sleeves, putting one inside out so they matched exactly. then cut what i wanted the tie to look like. next i sewed up the open edge, then turned it inside out to hide the seam. tada ~ two ties

then i kinda measured where i needed to sew the sides of the skirt to fit better, and pinned the ties where i wanted them to be so they would be sewed inside the side seam. and again i sewed up the sides.

this time the results were much better and the skirt pretty much fit. but i needed to taper the top to fit my hips better...so i just put the needle about an inch below where i wanted the taper to start...and i sewed up again at an angle...and there once again was success :)

:: see ::

TADA!

:: summer lovin ::

2011-07-22T12:28:00.005-05:00

oh summer how i love thee!
the sunshine, the heat, the spontaneous storms, the tan lines, the sweat, the bar-b-ques ....oh happy sigh :)
summer is most definitely my favorite season...and this one, though almost over, has been wonderfully enjoyable!

:: summer successes ::

~ i have the hottest husband ~

~ my house is cleaner (please don't mis-read that...i said cleaner not clean) ~

~ up-to-date with laundry ~

~ ordering and loving a king bed ~

~ discovering embedded links ~ enjoy :) ~

~ amazingly wonderful, "oh my goodness, you too" friendships rekindled ~

~ rediscovering joy (like joy joy, not myself)

~ oh happy sigh ~

:: summer failures ::

~ all of our doors are still not painted ~

~ classroom is not even close to being ready ~

~ the lasagna, the fried deer steak (my hand is almost healed), the any type of food I attempt ~

~ i still canNOT cook...grrr ~

:: summer goals ::

~ i really REALLY want to make this...i even have the shirt to make it with ~

~ oh and this too (and yes i have another shirt just for it too) ~

~ paint the stinkin doors ~

~ le classroom ~

:: summer habits ::

~ craft blogging... OH MY GOODNESS I LUV FINDING CUTE CRAFT BLOGS!!! ~

~ for inspiration ~

~ stumbling ~

~ reading, reading, reading, oh and what i should be reading ~

~ cutting the grass / mowing the lawn ~ oh the bruises...and sweat :) ~

~ thrift store shopping!! oh what success! ~

:: summer travels ::

the traveling has been oh so adventous and enjoyable (and i typically don't care for travel)

~ we went here for some training and to be loved on by super awesome national staff ~ oh the love ~

~ here, here, and here for some awesome vacationing ~ ps...stingrays scare the mess out of me! ~

~ and travels to come ~

~ and we have the second best dog sitter ever!!! the best moved away...how dare she... ~

DEAREST SUMMER,

PLEASE DON'T END!!

LOVE,

some deep questions

2011-06-01T23:20:00.002-05:00

Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.

1.How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
um 6 or 21

2.Which is worse, failing or never trying?
they both hurt. i am more comfortable with never trying then failing...not that that makes it better or worse...its just comfortable. in giving people advice i would usually say that trying things and giving it your best effort is always worth it so take the risk of failing (except jumping off the balcony at the nat...thats just crazy

3.If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
we feel like its expected...even when it really isnt...or if it is the people that "expect it" shouldnt matter. and you never know until you try (haha see above)

4.When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
unfortunately...im a chicken...

5.What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
the lack of peace and joy...not just Christmasy peace and joy...but genuine deep down lasting peace and joy. it would help us all get along :)

6.If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
anything with puppies or zoo animals :) training and cuddling them

7.Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
...probably settling...but since i've settled i believe in my work more and in myself more...kinda finding what i believe in by settling. but who knows about tomorrow?

8.If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
ummm sleep in more, had kids sooner, married my friends off...sounds like a bucket list in the making

9.To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
to a large degree...meaning "its all my fault" hehe. for a large part i am dependent on others to assist in making decisions (even the little ones)...but i actually am controlling the course (they should have drivers ed for this course though seriously)

10.Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
...doing things right...very very closely followed by doing the right things...its the perfectionist, control freak, performance anxiety inside of me...

11.You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do?
point out the good in her. defend her without becoming "defensive". "oh are you talking about ____. she is amazing. did you know she saved the whales and took all the graffiti off my house all while babysitting a newborn and writing her thesis?" that is exactly what i would try to say

12.If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
love much - even when it hurts

13.Would you break the law to save a loved one?
um...depends on what i was saving them from...jail - no...creepy person - possibly...death - most likely

14.Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
most definitely

15.What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
process life...i over analyze and over anxietize...all while pretending life is perfect and im ok. oh wait thats not just me....but i feel like its just me...IS ANYBODY OUT HERE?!?

16.How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
because not everyone likes books and puppies as much as i need books and puppies and justin :)

17.What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s
holding you back?
have a kid...fear...finances...insurance...fear...fear...NEEDLES!!...responsibility

18.Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
yes...fear! (see above)

19.If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
australia of course. they have kangaroos and sunshine and aussie accents and sunshine and an outback on every corner :)

20.Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
no - unless the light in the button doesn't come on...then i press it again (just one more time) if the light stays off it stays off...

21.Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
joyful simpleton :) though being a genius has its benefits...i should know :) bwahaha

22.Why are you, you?
because God needs me to be me and likes me just the way i am :) and He wants to use me too. i truly believe He used experiences in my life to mold me just the way i am...perfectly imperfect

23.Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
i try...i dont want to be the naggy, clingy, i told you so friend...but sadly sometimes i cant help it...

24.Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
losing touch...its sad...but it happens and life goes on...

25.What are you most grateful for?
my life - the good, the bad, and the ugly :) the hard and the happy :) the smiles and the tears :) the opportunities and the fears (i just rhymed :) )

26.Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
...this is a tough one because i do not remember large (really large) chunks of my childhood...and new memories happen every day...but i rely a lot on the joy of past memories...but the memories that are yet to be made may bring joy as well...so as long as i dont have to lose the memories that are yet to be made once they are made then i would choose to lose all of my old memories

27.Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
yes...sometimes you just know...and sometimes it takes forever to figure it out...and sometimes the perspective of the "truth" changes over time. so what is truth? is there truth? dont answer that...i dont like debates

28.Has your greatest fear ever come true?
nope...every time i think it may be i overcome the fear that is staring me in the face

29.Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
actually yes...and it has made a difference in many aspects of my life today...but the time ten years ago doesnt matter a lick

30.What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
playing circus in the backyard in georgia...we were all a part of the circus...even Ter the monkey walking on the top of the swing set

31.At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
when sharing the passion and love the God has placed in me - oh and my wedding DAY (make sure you read that right)

32.If not now, then when?
i think just because i have felt passionate and alive in the past does not mean that there will not be more moments and opportunities to feel more passionate and more alive. i just have to seek those opportunities

33.If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
i have achieved it but i should pursue to continue achieving it...when the passion and life is lost what is the point? therefore continue pursuing the passion and the life until you find it and it finds you and the meeting of the two is one huge emotionally intimate mess :) and then chase after it again :)

34.Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
isnt it so refreshing...i love it :) it helps that i tend to be a quiet person and many times prefer the quiet over the projectile vomit of too many words and ackward conversations.

35.Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
because they are protecting what they love - even when it hurts so many others. people will do amazing things for the people/causes/religions they love and think are right.

36.Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
yes and no. i think the holy spirit leads us and guides us and gives us the ability to discern the difference (i mean eve ate from the tree didnt she) but we dont always listen...or we choose to ignore what our conscience. but sometimes there is no way of knowing without stepping out and experiencing for yourself

37.If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
uh haha well...seeing as though i dont actually have one...um...if i did..probably...because the people at work would harass me about it...i would move away...change my name...and find a job where people didnt know i was rich...and i could do my job because i loved it not because i needed it

38.Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
more work that i actually enjoy doing. but what does that look like? guess i have some self-reflecting to do

39.Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
not today nope.

40.When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
rarely if ever...i dont like the dark...at all...though metaphorically i feel like we all do to some extent each day with each decision we make (deep huh?)

41.If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
mom, ter, and aly-issa....but wait and sher...and dad...oh this list is going to get long

42.Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
uh no...besides...according to the people that really matter i am attactive and even famous. when you matter you matter and your looks and the gossip that follows you cant change that.

43.What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
i am alive but am i living? breathing and having a pulse means im alive. pursuing my dreams, aspirations, and the things that makes me feel fulfilled and joyous means im truly living.

44.When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
ouch - deep down i think we should always choose to do what we think/know is right...but sometimes the fear deep inside us wont let us...so find a buddy and do it together :) besides...who decides it is right...because if i get to decide what is right...well...i may be wrong (see below)

45.If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
its the perfectionism and performance anxiety that comes out in all of us...silly fear of failure...and societal expectations...we want to be superman and conquer the world...not let society actually see us in our weakness...

46.What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
wear althetic shorts and ts more...and jeans...and ponytails...and eat with my elbows on the table (oh wait i already do that). talk more openly about my faith (sad isnt it)

47.When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
...saturday when hubby could have sworn i was hyperventalating...but in all actually i was just crying..

48.What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
snuggling, kisses, puppies, getting people to share their life and their feelings. yes :)

49.In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?
yesterday possibly...the day before that no...the day before that definitely not...mainly because i cant remember now and its only been 3 days...

50.Decisions are being made right now. The question is: Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?
i am leaning on the guidance of those close to me, but ultimately the decision will be mine....arg....i wish i had an operation manual that would say "hey silly pick this one because it will make you happy and be amazingly awesome"

:: AB ::

2010-07-18T21:01:00.005-05:00

so in honor of my super awesome friend "AB" im doing a blog update to give her insight into the awesome life of me :)...!! miracles never cease!

:: im home!! woohoo!! ::

:: not without adventures though ::

:: i forgot...no...i didnt forget...i just didnt...to take pictures ::

:: sorry ::

:: so back to the adventure... ::

:: we had 15 mins to get from our arriving plane at concourse A to our connecting flight at concourse C ::

:: we made it ::

:: then our flight couldnt land in its designated city ::

:: a plane in front of us hit turbulence and someone got injured ::

:: the airport stopped accepting flights ::

:: we had to go to another city...land...refuel...and sit ::

:: then they decided to "try" to go back to our airport...not knowing if the airport would let us land ::

:: people kept getting up to go to the bathroom even though they announced everytime someone got up for people not to get up because of the risk of injury ::

:: if was ridiculous ::

:: they wouldnt even let the flight attendents get up ::

:: we were by the bathroom and decided we were going to tackle people that tried to get up ::

:: we didnt actually tackle anybody though ::

:: we did share some disgusting looks with the other people near us that had the same feelings about the people that kept getting up ::

:: one guy fell...after the flight attendent told him to return to his seat and he said no ::

:: i laughed inside...after i knew he was ok of course ::

:: nobody on our flight was injured and we finally made it home ::

:: yup the airport let us land ::

:: TSA searched my checked luggage ::

:: i probably should not have put all the water guns in there ::

:: im surprised they were able to zip it back ::

:: well technically they didnt...there was about a 5-6 inch gap between my zippers ::

:: im glad my unmentionables didnt fall out ::

:: can you imagine how excited our babies were to see us? ::

:: they were really excited!! ::

:: can you imagine how excited they will be when you get home? ::

:: very excited! ::

:: i start school in two weeks! ::

:: crazy huh? ::

:: can you imagine ill finish a whole school year while you are gone? ::

:: crazy ::

:: i have 90% of the years units planned out ::

:: woot! ::

:: oh and im going to be more proactive...more assertive...and less stressed this year! ::

:: im going to move your closet to my house so i have a bigger wardrobe to pick from ::

:: just another excuse to see your mom :) ::

:: we went on a date last night (hubby and me not your mom and me)...mainly because we didnt want to cook ::

:: then we walked the puppies on campus ::

:: zeke almost got in the fountain ::

:: daisy limped a little...we didnt think anything of it ::

:: i checked her legs when we got home ::

:: she stepped on a nail... ::

:: a big nail ::

:: over an inch was in her paw ::

:: hubby pulled it out...quickly ::

:: it bled a lot ::

:: im thinking it bent when it hit bone ::

:: it went in near her top pad of her paw ::

:: i was sad ::

:: after an aspirin and sleeping in bed with us...daisy is ok ::

:: my mom's coming sunday ::

:: i hope to have all the doors painted by then ::

:: do you think i can get it done? ::

:: we'll have to buy more paint thinner to get my hands clean ::

:: where are you now? ::

:: lys ::

2010-07-14T00:47:00.010-05:00

eek! im late..im late..for a very important date...no time to say "hello!" "goodbye!" im late im late im late!

so in honor of my super awesome friend "lys" im doing a blog update to give her insight into the awesome life of me :)...and im late!!...i was supposed to do this on sunday...but its tuesday (wedsnesday in alabama...but im not in alabama today)...alas...i will press on...

:: im not in alabama ::

:: AZ is hot "but its a dry heat" ::

:: it feels like im sitting really close to a campfire ::

:: or standing in front of an open oven ::

:: this is probably the largest gathering EVER of ministers in shorts and flip flops ::

:: there is a waterpark at our hotel ::

::we get it all to ourselves at night (we being the conference peoples) ::

:: i hope they are paying all 20 lifeguards well for staying soooo late ::

:: i want to be a lifeguard again ::

:: the ones here all had super awesome and amazing fanny packs with cpr masks hanging out ::

:: the babies are at home ::

:: without me ::

:: thats a big deal ::

:: we waited for you to come dogsit...but you never came...so we found somebody else ::

:: its a boy...who is definitely not loved as much as "lys" ::

:: they haven't eaten him yet ::

:: they probably (hopefully) miss me ::

:: school starts back in less then 3 weeks ::

:: AHHHHHHH ::

:: last week was pretty uneventful ::

:: oh yeah i got sick...pretty sick... ::

:: almost thought the answer to your question could be yes ::

:: then realized the real answer was no ::

:: hahaha are you confused yet ::

:: im better now ::

:: i have an official "hang out" time with your parents (mom specifically) ::

:: its tuesday after my old(er) lady Bible study ::

:: we watch movies...old movies...usually about nuns...well 50%... ::

:: ive gone twice ::

:: im not sure im ready for you to go somewhere with more "limited" internet access ::

:: though that does mean i am one month closer to seeing your face (and smelling your stinky shoes ::

:: have you and JH saran wrapped anything yet? ::

:: you should ::

:: reeses pieces are amazing ::

:: im going to bed now ::

:: g'night! ::

wish you were here!

they wish you were there!

:: owie ::

2010-07-05T11:39:00.004-05:00

so once again...in honor of the sweet and amazing "owie" i post a life update :)

:: hubby doesn't like sprinkles...who knew? ::
:: i painted 2 half doors (you know just one side of 2 doors) ::
:: it was a royal mess ::
:: who knew "ALKYD" paint means it permanently attaches to skin ::
:: that is until hubby saves the day with paint thinner...i seriously almost cried ::
:: 14 kids at cell this week...with even more new kids...and some gone to youth camp ::
:: it was one of those amazing talks when you plan and start one discussion and end up talking about something completely different...go God! ::
:: i have decided i want to go to youth camp ::
:: you've gone and that makes me jealous ::
:: maybe i'll go to the college retreat in oct that they have now ::
:: maybe it will be like youth camp ::
:: do you think they will let me? i mean im definitely not a "youth" anymore while also not a college student anymore...wow im getting old ::
:: but you are too ::
:: i was asked to lifeguard the women's retreat like you did last year ::
:: do you think you could recert me from Bucharest? ::
:: daisy taught zeke to want to lay on top of me when he sleeps...forget cuddling just lay completely on joy...its much more comfortable apparently... ::
:: we had a fourth of july celebration at church last night ::
:: yeah... ::
:: i saw AB this week :) ::
:: she misses you ::
:: wait i miss you too ::
:: i love getting "no sleep no food incoherent while yet perfectly coherent" emails from you ::
:: they make me feel special and loved ::
:: you sure you cant dog sit next week? ::
:: we are going (flying) to pheonix ::
:: it should be fun ::
:: i cant eat jalepenos anymore ::
:: they make me sick ::
:: sad :( ::
:: im still doing the old lady Bible study ::
:: its helping develop me into a "woman of spiritual confidence" ::
:: i really like the spiritual confidence part... ::
:: i think its been missing ::
:: but is soon to be found ::
:: we went to the lake for hubby's dad's bday ::
:: i am SUPER sore and bruised ::
:: but the MASTER of the tube ::
:: i still cant ski.... ::
:: i can get up pretty well...but then i fall down ::
:: Hannah Grace was given a bad report last week....that's why she is my FB profile pic...prayers would be super appreciated ::
:: i have decided that you and JH will become the best of friends while on the race ::
:: i may be completely wrong but she looks super fun and like yall would "click" ::
:: i leave you now because i must go brush my teeth ::

zeke is giving me moral support for the development of this blog...daisy's moral support is coming from underneath the bed...her favorite spot :)

:: aly cat ::

2010-06-27T16:20:00.007-05:00

so one of my most awesomest friends EVER (aly cat :) ) just left on an 11 month missions trip (find out more here ). so i decided that i would do a blog to keep her updated on life here...at least in my house (we will see how long this actually lasts). so here's to you miss aly! i love you and hope you are having a blast!

:: i started going to a small group at FUMC - i'm the youngest one there (by far) but i think they still like me ::

:: rosie the dog's mother (or g'mother...im not sure) is there

:: its for women who feel kinda overwhelmed ::

:: we're doing a book called When Wallflowers Dance ::

:: you should read it :) ::

:: i made a new friend (CH) she's cool...but is definitely not you...which is good...because no one could come close to being you ::

:: zeke's new hiding spot when he is in trouble is the bathtub ~ all we have to say is "Zeke did you do this?" and he runs and hops in and starts shaking ::

:: his first time in the bathtub was when he ate your (yes your) case to your Scrubs DVD (we will replace it i promise) ::

:: we had 12 kids at our first summer XA small group meeting and 16 at last weeks ::

:: mostly people we don't know (which is pretty awesome) ::

:: somebody ran over one of my pear trees after the 2nd meeting ::

:: hubby tried to fix it...hopefully it will work ::

:: daisy girl misses you ::

:: she went to your house and looked in every room for you (except your parent's room...nala was guarding it) ::

:: we need a dog sitter in july...do you think you can do it? ::

:: oh wait you'll be in some super awesome country doing super awesome work for God...*man* ::

:: i like dr pepper now ::

:: i will eat chocolate ::

:: to answer the question that popped into your mind "NO!" ::

:: anti-anxiety list ::

2010-04-06T20:37:00.005-05:00

i am getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow...and...i am NOT looking forward to it. but i believe/hope i am handling it well so far. i have created a list (i LOVE lists) of sorts to help ease my anxieties and fears and take my mind off the impending loss of all my wisdom....

:: spend the day with awesome kindergarteners

:: wrestle one

:: get frustrated about every little thing...but keep it bottled inside

:: be late for your beauty appt

:: get your hair trimmed (but vastly enjoy the hair wash and style....it worth the extra mulah)

:: get a pedicure too (ahhhhhh) (oh and thanks hubby for the gift certificate!!)

:: go back to school to make sure everything's ready for your absence

:: go the the library to learn you can only check out three dvd's at a time

:: select three great/mushy/fluffy/funny/horrible movies to enjoy once your wisdom is removed

:: start a new book while sitting on the totally awesome porch swing

:: facebook

:: sing and dance with the daisy and the zeke

:: pop-tarts (remember no eating or drinking after midnight)

:: imagine what jb's baby will be...

:: wish you could be at her "Its A..." party

:: wonder if hair was cut straight...hmmm

:: cuddle the zeke and the daisy

:: cuddle the husband

:: hope his knee is just sprained...and nothing is torn

:: tell the hubby all your fears and worries

:: try to sleep

:: run run as fast as you can cant catch me..im...fast? ::

2010-03-27T21:10:00.003-05:00

i enjoy running...honestly i do...though it is not always easy for me to get up and out and go run. i have finally learned the perfect formula for making running easy and more fun.

:: first...have a super awesome playlist on your ipod/mp3 player...i enjoy meredith andrews and addison road ::

:: take a daisy...she can pull you ::

:: take a zeke...he can pull the daisy ::

:: use a coupler...love couplers (see above pic) ::

:: have deer run across the street ::

:: daisys and zekes run faster and pull harder when they see deer ::

:: stop to let the daisy get in the water ::

:: run off the road when cars come...they do not try to avoid you ::

:: upon return to the starting location...give the daisy and the zeke a popsicle...and have one for yourself as well ::

:: oh and if you have one available...take an aly...she makes running way better and can carry on better conversations then the daisy the zeke and the ipod ::

:: puppy love ::

2010-03-27T20:02:00.003-05:00

another anniversary post...yay!!

in celebration of our anniversary, my dear sweet hubby gave me an amazingly awesome gift...his name is zeke :) and was a complete surprise.

my hubby, daisy, and i were on our way to spend the weekend with some dear friends (well daisy was going to be staying with hubby's parentals, but she was with us at the time). hubby decided to take the backroads because of traffic. i was somewhat familiar with where we were. but we turned around. then awesome hubby found some "old" directions in his pocket to a "church" he had visited recently...then we turned around again and hubby declared "i think we're lost." now im not super familiar with the town we were in...but i knew that indeed we were not lost, so i started to believe something was "up" so i slipped my shoes back on. we pulled up to a cute house is a small neighborhood and hubby said, "if you dont like it you have to tell me now." boy was i confused.

we were met at the door by this super awesome young lady who said "he's not ready yet" and then said, "well come on back to the bedroom i don't think he is coming out and by the way im probably going to cry." i told her i had no clue what was happening but i was probably going to cry too. when we walked into the bedroom zeke was just waking up from what seemed to be a nice nap. he looked at us like "whoa..who are you and what are you doing in my house?" apparently zeke was now mine!!

daisy had also come in to meet zeke and to make sure they would get along, and boy did they. they cultivated the mess out of the awesome young woman's yard (which by the way made it perfect for planting a garden :P ) while the pups played we talked and discussed zeke and his future. his owners had done an amazing job taking care of him and keeping him healthy! after about 15 mins of talking and getting to know zeke and his owner, zeke was mine!!

i never imagined i would own another dog like my sweet abbi that passed away several years ago, but zeke looks amazingly like abbi! he is stubborn like she was too!

we have now had zeke for three weeks now, and he has gotten pretty acclimated to us and us to him. here is what i've learned about our zeke...

:: zeke is a year and a half year old great dane puppy ::

:: he already weighs 100 lbs and will get up to around 140 ::

:: daisy is his best friend...he protects her greatly...like to the point of biting my father-in-law greatly ::

:: zeke is a bigger bed hog then me (is that really possible?) ::

:: zeke likes popsicles after runs ::

:: he drinks about a gallon of water a day ::

:: bird baths make the perfect outside water bowls for him ::

:: he will play with a ball/rope/stick if daisy is ::

:: zeke is scared of EVERYTHING...even the wind (and his wind too) ::

:: his nickname is buddy :) ::

:: his middle name is onyx ::

:: he bites his nails ::

:: he sheds as much/more than daisy ::

:: he can reach our bar-height table with great ease ::

:: he has to go outside at 5:30 every morning...i mean EVERY morning ::

:: when he needs to go out he hits the door with his paw...he doesnt scratch it, but literally hits it with the side of his paw ::

:: zeke has puppy acne on his chin...im not supposed to pop it...i really want to pop it ::

:: he loves loves LOVES the hose ::

:: zeke refuses to be still for pictures ::

:: he sounds like a horse when running ::

:: it takes 3 1/2 towels to dry zeke after a bath ::

:: he loves me ::

:: he loves face rubs...like to the point of pushing your hand out of your pocket and sticking his face under your hand ::

:: he likes to run ::

:: he likes to sit on feet ::

:: he thinks he can fit in a one foot gap on the couch...and will wiggle and turn until he does...though his wiggling and turning actually moves us over :P ::

:: we cant take him fishing under the bridge...the cars crossing the bridge scares the mess out of him and he tries to hide...but...he cant ::

:: he squats to go to the bathroom ::

:: if we are petting daisy we must be petting zeke too (we will "errr" at us if we dont) and vise versa ::

:: it took zeke over a week to learn that he cannot sleep on our bed with us at night...there just isnt enough room ::

:: he "erred" at us many nights to try to convince us to let him on the bed ::

:: we lost a LOT of sleep to his "erring"...but he sleeps on the floor now...well at least until i leave for work ::

:: zeke and daisy's favorite place to play is in our bed...zeke lays down and daisy stands while they try to put each others face in their mouth and wrestle ::

:: zeke is calmer then daisy ::

:: puppy love is so sweet ::

:: who needs kids when you can have super awesome dogs like daisy and zeke ?(did i really just say that?!?!?)...oops... ::

:: check yes or no ::

2010-03-22T19:40:00.003-05:00

remember those cute notes you passed in elementary school..."do you like me? check yes or no"? my sweet hubby sent me down memory lane by writing this on an anniversary card envelope recently and it immediately made me smile :)

hubby and i recently celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary. yay us!! part of me cant believe it has already been two years, and the other part cant believe it has only been two years. it seems like yesterday i was walking down the aisle to become forever his. but then again...it feels like we have always been together...always sharing those deep conversations (as well as the insignificant ones).

in celebration of our anniversary, i wanted to share with you a glimpse of the mushy goodness my hubby shows me.

:: no matter how mean/grumpy/evil i can be...he always has kinds words for me ::

:: he listens to me go on and on (and on) about insignificant happenings and wonderings in my life ::

:: he listens to me period ::

:: he greets me everyday when i get home with a smile and a hug ::

:: he makes me feel significant ::

:: he cooks for me ::

:: he shares my opinions (well some of them) ::

:: he lets me have puppies...inside (and even gave me a new one for our anniversary) ::

:: he buys me flowers...daisies to be exact ::

:: he holds me and cuddles me and makes me bubble baths ::

:: he pumps my gas ::

:: he takes care of our financial needs...making sure we have what we need while still preparing for our future ::

:: he works everyday so that we can get to our mission field as soon as possible ::

:: he is quiet when i need quiet and loud and fun when i want loud and fun ::

:: he sacrifices time and energy for me ::

:: he lets me hog the covers (and the bed quite frankly) ::

:: he feeds and waters the pups ::

:: he built a fence for them too ::

:: he tells me jokes and gives me glimpses into his mind ::

:: he loves to talk and debate on car rides ::

:: he lets me play minesweeper on the comp while he plays wii ::

:: he watches silly animated movies and the chick flicks too ::

:: he eats my wonderful (which really means horrible) food and pretends to like it ::

:: he does the laundry ::

:: he is the best bed-maker ever...the bed is always 100 times more comfy after he fluffs it ::

:: he makes me smile ::

:: he is mine ::

please note....this is not a comprehensive list....if you want a comprehensive list you will have to wait....forever...i dont think i could ever put all the amazing characteristics of my hubby into writing :P

ps....i checked yes :)

happy 100th

2010-01-28T21:05:00.005-06:00

in honor of the wonderful and exciting 100th day of school...i thought i would celebrate by making a list (i like lists) of the things i have learned while teaching :) so here we go

1 ~ something will not go as planned ...each...and...every...single...day... flexiblity and flying by the seat of your pants is key (#10 makes everything better :) )

2 ~ hitting sleep on the alarm clock is addicting...everyday trying to make it 5 minutes longer

3 ~ friends at the workplace are priceless

4 ~ you cant make everybody happy

5 ~ the day a student counts to 5 may just be the best day of the year

6 ~ eating off the floor boosts your immune system...its better than vitamin C

7 ~ the policeman directing traffic will always stop your car...esp when you are running late

8 ~ there are children's songs to go with every significant event in a 5 year old's life...from seasons to blowing your nose!

9 ~ always always take back-up shoes! even the most comfortable shoes will hurt your feet after 5 hours of chasing 5 yr olds

10 ~ kindergarteners will do anything for a skittle :) buy them in bulk

thats enough learning for one night...if your lucky there will be more learning moments to come :)

hehe...i bet i faked you out and you thought you were getting 100 things learned in honor of the 100th day of school...but you were wrong! ...well actually that was my intention...but i got sleepy...and 100 is a REALLY big number...i mean...unless you "skip a few"

:: random thoughts ::

2010-01-20T19:11:00.008-06:00

:: i like our new house...its prebby...specially the red door ::

:: my puppy has decided she can NOT sleep at night unless she is on top of me...right on top of me ::

:: i am ready for summer ::

:: yesterday was sunshiney and warmish ::

:: hubby is sooo wonderful to me ~ he attacks me with mushy goodness when i get home from work ::

:: i like (LOVE) hubby being home when i get home ::

:: im enjoying rereading some forever favorites...right now its the "true heros" series by dee henderson ::

:: im falling in love with my students...i realized this today while patting one on the leg...i didnt used to do that ::

:: i tried on my formals today...sometimes you just need to feel prebby ::

:: i wore high heels (with backup flip flops) to work last week...again sometimes you just need to feel prebby ::

:: im in love with a 5 year old boy who things the teacher across the hall is "prebby" ...he also likes the fan ::

:: i dont like it when peoples statuses on facebook say things like "if you love ____ (hubby, mom, children, God, botswana...etc) you will repost this as your status...89343 % wont repost" ....its fine that you love those things but you shouldnt expect everyone else to share (i really think a 14 yr old came up with this stuff...no offense to 14 yr olds)...just say..."i love my mom"...much less typing and everyones happier ::

:: i also dont like it when people post private family business on facebook such as "i hate my spouse they are horrible i have to move out now" thats private stuff that the world doesn't need to know....oh and don't tell me your bodily functions either...i dont need to know when you are "dropping off timbers" or any thing like that ~gross~ ::

:: my puppys running in her sleep...its cute...almost as cute as when she "talks" chews and licks in her sleep ::

:: i finally organized my closet...i feel much more settled now :) color coded hangers and all ::

:: one day i think i might like to live in prattville ::

:: im trying to decide whether or not to get rid of my larger clothes that are now 3 sizes too big...they take up a lot of closet space ::

:: my friend is back from israel...im expecting great pics and even awesomer stories ::

:: i like having a blog thats mine...all mine...because that means capitalization and punctuation dont matter unless i want them to ::

:: im the best aunt EVER...i have redeemed myself from being the worst aunt because i leaving my niece/flower girls name off our wedding bookmark...yes this meant having the bookmark recreated two years later...but what can i say...im pretty awesome ::

:: it is finally becoming weird seeing my maiden name ::

:: sometimes its still hard to say my first name with my married name ::

:: being a teacher helps a lot with the name stuff...i hear my name a LOT...though sometimes it sounds like "fat" ::

:: this is getting looooooong....apparently there was a lot swimming around in that head of mine ::

:: i have been "concerned" (its different from scared) that my alarm clock would not go off...this translates into me being WIDE awake at 400 yesterday morning and 445 this morning ::

:: grrrr ::

:: sometimes ...when your married...your favorite color is red...not because of its passionate connotation ::

:: is it summer yet? ::

:: we planted more trees monday...this makes me happy ::

:: im 1.5 up...only 21 more to go ::

:: ha...like thats going to happen ::

:: my friend pacer has a great home...its beautiful...and it has inspired me to light more candles...i hope she is going to help us decorate too ::

:: the candles help dissipate the smell of food cooking ::

:: im looking forward to new furniture...the pleather makes me hot and sweaty ::

:: our ups guy is pretty awesome...even if it took him forever and two days to find our house...he gave the puppy treats ::

:: mapquest doesnt think we live here...neither does googlemaps...or the gps ::

:: its like we are in the witness protection program ::

:: our new house is much MUCH more organized then the trailer...i like that everything (well almost everything) has a home ::

:: deer run through our front and back yards right by the house...not while we are watching though ::

:: my car needs to be cleaned out...badly...and washed too...any volunteers? ::

:: wii fit plus is fun and makes me feel good...and my puppy has a profile on it too ::

:: i really REALLY like light...natural and artificial but our electric bill told me i need to cut out some of the artificial light in my life ::

:: stollen is yummy ::

:: im starting to ramble...that means im getting sleepy ::

:: the date i write my blog is supposed to show...but for some reason it doesnt ::

:: kids eating their boogers make me gag...i can handle pretty much anything else the classroom throws at me...though the gas can get pretty bad sometimes ::

:: i am horrible at mailing things...i have something for a friend far (though not too far) away in grad school...and i havent even gotten her address...and ive had it since before Christmas... ::

:: my friends (and family) live too far away...well most of them at least ::

:: im ready for summer...well emotionally and mentally...but not in the clothes department ::

:: its thundering...like for real not figuratively or anything...and now its starting to rain::

:: my puppy wakes us up on weekends by jumping on the window above our bed...its pricelessly adorable...yet it always wakes us up ::

:: im going to bed now...gnight ::

:: give thanks ::

2009-11-29T20:55:00.005-06:00

* hums *

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ His Son

* end hums *

i am so very thankful this Thanksgiving! thankful for life, thankful for love, just plumb thankful!

because i like (well love) lists so very much, i thought i would make one of the things i am so very thankful for....so here we go....

:: my life...though its not always easy...God is the giver of life..therefore life is good :)

:: the love my Heavenly Father has for me

:: my precious hubby who is so patient, kind, and loving...and a good cuddler too

:: my amazing friends...who always love me...even through my blond moments...which can make catchphrase hilarious!

:: my family...especially when they come to visit...and when they fill my email inbox with their love and arguments

:: my adorable puppy, who gives the best kisses and cuddles, and no longer smells like a hamster
:: cool friends from the past who come to visit...thanks Yi!

:: a super cool house that is almost ready to live in...its ours...and its home (or will be soon)

:: the ability to run and let off steam...just me...my puppy...and my ipod...its great

:: bubble baths...LOVE EM!

:: preparing for the holidays...though they can seem overwhelming...the love given through the gift that is the reason we celebrate...and the joy of giving make it all worthwhile

:: black friday shopping with....my MOM!!

:: Thanksgiving eve dinner with super awesome friends...so close they are family...i <3 the blrs!

:: preparing a meal of love for family and friends (and i'm also thankful the fire alarm did not go off)

:: a restful and much needed break from work

:: reminiscing of the past...through facebook stalking...yes i am a stalker :)

:: wonderful sunshiney days

:: and spellcheck on blogger...even though it doesn't like my lack of capitalization :)

so what are you thankful for?

i like ...

2009-11-16T20:23:00.005-06:00

~ sunrises ... i think God made today's just for me ... cause i'm his favorite and everything

~ sunsets ... who would have thought that all those colors would go together ... seriously?

~ my hubby ... well actually i lurve him ... but yeah ... i'll keep it g rated :)

~ warm beds with soft pillows ... zzzzZZzzzz

~ a roof over my head ... even if its not "home"

~ puppies!

~ daisies

~ puppies named daisy!

~ finally getting it ... the third/fourth/fifth time i'm told (it can take a while ... but i get it now :) )

~ chapstick ... the cherry kind ... oh and the watermelon kind too

~ cuddles ... from hubby and puppy

~ hugs ... from hubby, puppy, and friends ... yes my puppy hugs me ... she kisses me too ... bet you didn't need to know that ... heh

~ happy music ... like the insiderz ... oh wait ... thats escapism music ... but yeah that too

~ waffle house

~ love ... all kinds

~ elephants ... giraffes ... bears ... cows ... hippos (but not in my moat) ... rhinocerouses (hehe) ... horses ... zebras ...missie's ... rusty's ... and cp's ... no matter how bad their breath

~ most animals in general

~ except the mean ones

~ bubble baths

~ candles

~ organization ... i crave it ... and if i can't have it ... i give up

~ chewy sweet~tarts

~ running in the rain

~ being reminded that im beautiful and loved ... thanks jus!

~ rocketdogs ... mine are dying ... tear '

~ tevas ... my feet breath a *happy sigh*

~ long hair ... today ... don't ask tomorrow

~ friends like Lys and AB

~ Miracle on 31st Street ... the classic

~ sand ... between my toes ... NOT in my swimsuit

~ sunshiney days

~ life

... to be continued

today's sunshine

2009-11-12T18:06:00.004-06:00

~ "Mizz Felsh...that's a nice bead" ~ student while touching my diamond on my engagement ring

~ being almost domesticated...i made beef stew (from scratch), coffee cake (from scratch), monkey bread (from scratch), and dinner tonight too!...tea and kool-aid too..and remade them without having to be asked...oh yeah i folded about a bajillion loads of laundry, cleaned the guest bathroom for the guest boys, and washed more towels so they would have warm fresh ones...and i'm house trained!

~ running with my puppy

~ playing on the playground with said puppy

~ cuddling my puppy after the run (she was pooped)

~ the house almost being done ~ thanks boys!

~ my ipod shuffle

~ the happy music on the shuffle

~ Mom's coming for Thanksgiving

~ being nice enough outside that I can open the windows when i fill the house with *ahem* smoke

~ getting warm mushy text messages from the hubby .... he loves me you know ...shhh dont tell anyone!

~ getting asked and prodded about my pockets :)

~ tomorrow's Friday!!! (so do the Friday dance!) (...we do it every Friday in Mizzez Felsh's room :) )

~ cute kids dancing "da twiss"

~ cute kids ~ you know the ones in my class...not that ones in public or such hehe

~ camping tomorrow!?! yup really

~ 8 days ... and yes im actually excited about it ... having people that love you will do that to you

today's clouds...

~ falling up the slide ~ OUCH! new bruise :P

always wear clean underwear

2009-05-13T18:17:00.005-05:00

Someone once said "Change is good, if it wasn't, you would still be wearing yesterday's underwear." But that doesn't mean change is easy...change can be easy, but it can also be hard...scary...fun...exciting...stressful...all of the above....

Change seems to be a theme in my life lately. We have completed our internship...are starting to organize our Chi Alpha's direction for the fall...meeting with our leaders...TOLD OUR TRAILER (WOOT)...trying to find somewhere to live...temporarily living out of boxes...starting to raise support (called itineration)...lots of change.

I've been ok thus far with the change. God has given me an amazing peace about the transition...selling the trailer...no worries...raising support...no fear...its amazing. The transition(s) have not neccessarily been smooth and stressfree...but there is an underlying layer of peace.

I'm excited about the other side of the change...getting through it may be rough/tough but once I'm through it...I'm through it and I've grown (whether I liked it or not).

why you do the things you do?

2009-04-07T10:42:00.005-05:00

Pockets! I really like pockets! They are frequently full of treasures...chapstick...candy...money... :D happy things.

When we were little we probably got caught with even cooler treasures. I vividly remember getting in trouble for the Roly Polys hidden (ie. dying) in my pockets. Its stereotypical for boys to carry around frogs and lizards in their pockets (think Little Rascals). A penny in a pocket felt like a million dollars. A note from a friend, pretty rocks, maybe an arrowhead or two (maybe more like rocks we thought were arrowheads), little things that made us all smile and be happy.

Today, life is more complex, but the pockets full of treasures are still remembered and still make us happy. Can you imagine how awesome life would be if we could still keep our treasures in our pockets, a constant reminder of the things that make us happy? A close friend hidden deep in the back pocket, my husband in my front pocket, a puppy in one and sunshine in the other. The things that make me happy may be a little bigger now, or maybe I just need bigger pockets.

blessings

2009-03-09T09:39:00.002-05:00

One of my friends is currently blessing her friends. Here is the blessing she gave me :D
Thank you Zoe!!!

May the fire be in our thoughts
Making them true, good and just,
May it protect us from the evil one.

May the fire be in our eyes;
May it open our eyes to see what is good in life.
We ask that the fire may protect us from what is not rightfully ours.
May the fire be on our lips, so that we may speak the truth in kindness;
that we may serve and, encourage others.
May it protect us from speaking evil.

May the fire be in our ears.
We pray that we may hear with a deep, deep listening
So that we may hear the flow of water, and of all creation, and the dreaming.
May we be protected from gossip and from those things that harm and break down our family.

May the fire be in our arms and hands so that we may be of service and build up love.
May the fire protect us from all violence.

May the fire be in our whole being - in our legs and in our feet,
enabling us to walk the earth with reverence and care;
so that we may walk in the ways of goodness and truth
and be protected from walking away from what is true.

- St Patrick's Province, Australia

friday felicities

2009-03-06T11:41:00.003-06:00

Welcome to Friday Felicities, create by Nattie. Friday Felicities is all about creating a list of things that make you happy and Nattie knew that when you concentrate on your blessings your sorrows are not as overwhelming.

~ snow day (singular)

~ sunshine

~ 75* days

~ laptops

~ barlowgirl

~ communicating with hubby

~ flip flops

~ half days at work

~ planning for the future

chickenhut and tornadoes

2009-03-04T15:47:00.009-06:00

As we all know trailers attract tornadoes, so when my husband and I woke up to the weather sirens going off on Saturday morning, we knew it was going to be a long morning. After checking the weather, my husband yelled "Get dressed!! We are under a tornado warning!!" We started debating what we would do and where we would go. The stream in the backyard (which was quickly become a rushing river) was quickly ruled out, friends were probably still asleep or too far away...it was a conundrum (10 points for big words). I wanted to go to Petsmart (so we could take Miss Daisy) but they were still closed, and probably not very safe.

After much discussion, it was decided we would go to Chick-Fil-A (which is brick and recessed)...it was also decided that we (I) felt much better about Daisy going with us and staying in the truck (remember tornadoes like trailers). So we were off to chickenhut (our code word for Chick-Fil-A).

Not long after walking in the door and leaving Daisy in the truck, I realized that I could NOT leave her...without even consulting my husband (who was debating on what he wanted for breakfast) I asked for the manager. A guy in the midst of several employees spoke up, saying "I'm the manager" (little did he know that he was about to have a crying woman on his hands). With tears streaming down my face (cause she's my baby) I told him that we had a puppy in the truck and asked if we could bring her in. All of the employees immediately spoke up "Go get her!" "Bring her in!" It was music to my ears. Miss Daisy was allowed in Chick-Fil-A (probably the first dog ever)!

My husband went and got Daisy (we keep a leash in all vehicles) and brought her to me. Of course my social puppy was excited about all the people (and the smell of freshly fried chicken did not hurt either), but she was very obedient. We sat at a table by the bathrooms (the safest spot in the restaurant) and Miss Daisy sat under the table (I believe there were some crumbs keeping her occupied). The lovely employees brought her water and treats and welcomed her (and us) wholeheartedly!

We survived the tornado warning as a family (including all the Chick-Fil-A employees, and travelers that pulled off the interstate for a reprieve from the weather)!

A very special and sincere thanks goes out to all the employees at Chick-Fil-A!! I don't believe we could have gone anywhere else and been welcomed completely (puppy and all) and kept safe all at the same time (and my husband enjoyed the food as well)!

friday felicities

2009-02-27T09:49:00.010-06:00

Welcome to Friday Felicities, create by Nattie. Friday Felicities is all about creating a list of things that make you happy and Nattie knew that when you concentrate on your blessings your sorrows are not as overwhelming.

~ not owing taxes (WOOT)

~ honey nut cheerios

~ drawing floor plans for my dream house

~ friends who have 2 or 3 facebook conversations with me at once

~ hubby that protects me when im "positive" someone is in the house

~ newborn babies

~ a clean desk that has been messy and full of things to do all week

~ a puppy that will cuddle up to me and chew a stick (more like a log) while i read a book in the sunshine

~ finishing a book so i can start another

~ old ladies in jogging suits

heart biscuits and trailers

2009-02-15T16:01:00.005-06:00

Ahhhh, Valentine's day...a day full of red, hearts and love (at least at Wal-Mart).

As newlyweds (we haven't been married a year yet...so we are still newlyweds) this was our first Valentine's day to be celebrated in marriage, so we planned on making a big deal out of it.

Our day began very early, because we were going on a road trip to look at land and trailers.

It began by me walking in on sweet hubby while he was arranging my V day surprise of roses and other flowers (that he arranged himself), skittles and starburts (i love fruity and chewy candy), a gift card to one of my favorite stores (that can be a little pricey), and a super sweet mushy card. He made me go into the office so he could finish arranging (which was fine by me because his gifts were hidden in the office and needed a little arranging too).

After we exchanged gifts and he drank his fill of his new Starbucks coffee we were off (Daisy came too). We stopped after driving about an hour for what would become our 2nd V day surprise.... Chick-Fil_A biscuits in the shape of hearts (the surprise was that they were heart shaped not that we got them).

And we were off again for a day of trekking through the woods, getting lost, and looking at what happened to be some promising trailers for the future. I also got to see one of my most wondermus friends and hear the awesome things that are happening in her life (she also brought us drinks and cake...see why i love her).

After a full day of events...we returned home to celebrate V day...just the two of us. My lovely husband grilled steaks and blackened shrimp shish kabobs (i really have no idea how to spell that...) while I gave Daisy a bath (she rolled in stinky stuff while on our road trip). Just for fun I decided to dress up for dinner...black dress pants...a lacey shirt with a white v-neck sweater...and of couse my black HIGH heels.

After I changed, I walked back into the kitchen where my awesome hubby had set the table with candles, and a silver bowl with ice and bubbly (sparkling apple juice). He is such a romantic!!! He also had dressed up :D Dinner was picture perfect with romantic toasts and wonderful food.

So I have to say, our first Valentine's Day was a complete hit!
It was an awesome day, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with my wonderful husband!!

Friday Felicities

2009-02-13T11:24:00.006-06:00

Things that make me happy:

~ my husband...who loves me and hugs me even when i'm annoying

~ mushy valentines from friends who avoid mushyness at all costs

~ cherry pepsi

~ valentine's day plans with the hubby (we're grilling steaks :D )

~ a puppy that greets me with her whole body quivering with happyness

~ a happy sunshiny day when the forecast called for dreary rain

~ knowing that God always provides...even when i'm scared and doubt

~ music that matches my mood and i can pretend to sing and dance to

Mushy Goodness!

2009-02-09T09:58:00.002-06:00

Many years ago, in a tiny house on Collegedale Street, three vibrant and youthful girls termed the phrase "Mushy goodness." Now, the girls had a intense love-hate relationship with the term "mushy goodness"...in that some days they loved it...other days it was loathed...sometimes just one of the girls would love it, and the others would hate it. But, say the words "mushy goodness" and a smile/giggle/eye roll would follow from each of the girls.

What is "mushy goodness" you ask...well mushy goodness is that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when a certain someone walks in the room, or sends you a text message just to say they're thinking of you, or even when your thoughts wander back to that certain someone. Mushy goodness almost always produces endorphins (or at least one).

If you have ever experienced the mushy goodness I speak of, I encourage you to rediscover the source of "mushy goodness" in your life...whether it be a significant other, a sport (they produce lots of endorphins), or even just a personal retreat. You will be happier, more relaxed, and your hair may stop falling out.

Run Away

2009-01-30T12:14:00.004-06:00

Typically running away is a bad thing, but for me, yesterday, running away was a very good thing. After a very busy and somewhat stressful start to the new year, I felt the need to get away and escape for a little while. Yesterday, this looked like me in tights (it was cold by my AL standards), shorts, and a t-shirt , and my puppy, Daisy, in her pretty blue harness and a leash escaping to a nearby park, and running. Running as far as our lungs could handle, and then even farther. Running over hills, trails, and over other runners and their dogs as well (Daisy did end up rolling a few times..it was funny). We ran and I processed my thoughts and fears. Being outside (in the sunshine :D) with just me, God, His creation, and Daisy was just what I needed. After I finished my run (which I did quite well being that I haven't ran in MONTHS) I felt completely refreshed and at peace. My thoughts were once again held captive, and on track. I then dropped Daisy off in the dog area (a huge fenced off area for dogs to run, dig, fetch, and use the restroom (just pick it up before you leave)) and rested. Catching my breath and cooling back down, I remembered how amazing running is and how much I miss it.

Today...my body is mad at me and my muscles are screaming because I pushed myself so hard, but do I regret it..No. I'm actually going to do it again...well maybe tomorrow.