tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83659815143616602202024-03-13T10:33:36.435-05:00Take Me the Way I Ammusings and meanderings...a hodgepodge of my thoughtsLorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.comBlogger850125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-44287092379954783662017-11-25T21:10:00.000-06:002017-11-25T21:11:10.119-06:00find the joy<div class="_5pbx userContent _3576" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_28" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "SF Optimized", system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.12px; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 6px;">
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i was on a random app and don’t even know what company/ad to attribute it to. {although that’s not what nudged me to glance down at my phone anyway}</div>
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but on our drive back home today these words flashed across my phone screen and then froze in my heart to remind me (and maybe you) that THIS is what this season is about.</div>
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dislike your circumstances? <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br />ok. find your joy anyway.</span></div>
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hard to get through the holidays?<br />
ok. find your joy. it’s attainable.</div>
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not crazy about the people in office?<br />
ok. are you going to let them steal your joy too?</div>
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the second i start losing focus on things that matter and begin focusing on the “wrong” in my life or in the world at large, the more the enemy is able to steal what belongs to me.</div>
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and for me...that’s joy. because even in the hardest moments and the most difficult times He has remained faithful. all i have to do it recall one of the many moments in my life that i have been covered by grace and my heart starts bubbling over again. sometimes i can do that on my own and sometimes a sweet friend texts, or calls or just gives me a hug to remind me...don’t discount those “little things”!</div>
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seasons come and go but the Lord never changes. and His JOY is my strength.</div>
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Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-16329981050705207552017-10-07T00:19:00.000-05:002017-11-25T21:56:57.561-06:00me: ugh, if you roll down the window my hair will be all over the place.<br />
<br />
he: let's just stop at walgreens and get you some hair ties.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, I ran to my office to pull down the shade in that room, surveying quickly to see if we would all fit in case I felt it was necessary. (But moving there might draw attention, so I'm really going to have to judge the situation as it develops).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I returned to my desk, noting the large eyes that grew larger as they saw a shadow moving outside our classroom door. Fear sparked in their eyes as they realized the knob was moving. I tried to smile reassuringly, but the dark figure in the slim window rattling the door was disconcerting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Students remained still and silent as my thoughts raced. I tell my students often that my first and most important job is keeping them safe. Normally that is safe from emotional and social threats, but this is a reminder that I am absolutely responsible for their physical well-being as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thankfully the drill was over within a few more minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fire and tornado drills do not affect me this way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They do not affect the students the same way either.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being shot at school is not something we should have to prepare our children for literally from birth.</span><br />
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<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-73726971107596017402016-04-04T09:30:00.000-05:002016-04-04T09:30:32.129-05:00monday's memory: the one with the return home<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ok, it's been awhile. so i'm just jumping back in. and i'm going to use my normal "monday memory" slot to catch up on what's been happening in our lives the past couple of years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">so.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i worked at an amazing inclusive preschool for 4 years. i learned SO.MUCH there about myself, about managing others, about children with needs far beyond what i would have imagined, and about dealing with the drama of working with a staff of 80% females! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for awhile i could seriously imagine myself doing this forever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and then it happened.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i realized, as i taught music to the children (ages 6 weeks to 7 years) how much i LOVED and MISSED teaching music.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and so i began daring to dream a little. it was as if God was whispering in my ear to hope.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i had always kept my application current with my former school system, but nothing seemed to materialize. i had applied in other systems as well, but nothing piqued my interest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and then a friend who taught at the very elementary school i had passed many times on the way to teach piano lessons told me their music teacher was leaving. it was an elementary school in the one of the most affluent counties, with a great population to work with, unlimited resources and parents who were highly involved.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i interviewed. i realized about midway through the interview that i didn't want to work here. as much as the school was amazing and i would be working with a wonderful group of people...i just did not want that job.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">{release}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">my current boss called me into her office in the midst of this and told me that i would be able to teach in a classroom in the fall if i wanted. the open room was the 4 year old room, and i knew it would be challenging but great. and it was what i had truly wanted to do for a couple of years. i accepted, knowing that if i found out anything from the school system i would be able to tell her in plenty of time for her to put a deserving assistant teacher in that role.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">{security}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and yet, i felt like i heard the Holy Spirit whispering "keep dreaming..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in may i attended a conference at a church nearby, and was really encouraged by several of the messages. but on my way home one night i found myself talking to God...really baring my soul to Him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i told Him that i knew He placed the desire and talents within me to want to teach middle school, and that He knew my heart was to teach in my former system again. i had been searching daily and there were NO middle school positions, so i was so frustrated so i literally asked Him to release me from this deep desire or to let it materialize.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i wasn't despairing. but i was weary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and two days later i received a message from a former assistant principal of mine that there was a potential opening in her {middle} school that was 10 minutes away from my house.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">through her communication i finally leaped the last hurdle with my application and got the green light for interviews. the music dept head for the system was incredibly impressed by my credentials and told me that she would be thrilled to have me back.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and i interviewed at the school. and it was fine. and while i was in the interview i got a voice mail from the principal of the school down the road, the one only 3 minutes from my house, the one connected to the greenway that i had literally walked dozens of times and <i>prayed over the school and the people in it</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">{talk about sowing into your future!}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and she interviewed me over the phone on a saturday while she was on vacation. and by the end of our conversation she told me i would have an email by day's end on monday with an offer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i've been there since august.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and no, not every day has been wonderful. not every student has come to me and showered me with praise about what an amazing teacher i am.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[who am i kidding...i teach middle schoolers. they give me major attitude on a daily basis!]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but i am where i belong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i am doing what i am supposed to be doing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and i am thrilled.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">over a 3 month period, God literally let me have a chance to do the things i thought i wanted. and continued to encourage me to dream bigger.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i'm so glad i took His challenge.</span><br />
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</script>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-23822194920426075452016-04-03T09:00:00.000-05:002016-04-03T09:00:11.200-05:00emi: the day we said goodbyeit's been nearly two years, but it affected me far beyond what i could have imagined.<br />
and it is the reason my voice went silent for awhile on this blog.<br />
and since she was so much a part of my life, i feel i have to finish her story here.<br />
<br />
shortly after moving into our house in march of 2014 we realized that emi was ill.<br />
and after a few trips to the vet the worst was confirmed.<br />
she had cancer.<br />
and if we chose to treat it we *might* get six months to a year more.<br />
<br />
we chose to make her as comfortable as possible.<br />
we asked a friend to do a photoshoot with her<br />
we took her on one last trip around nashville to visit the place where i first saw her and the home where we first became a family of three<br />
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and we loved on her as much as possible.<br />
and i prayed over her every day, begging that it wouldn't be so.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pMD6RSumFzE/VwCu4ZwrfaI/AAAAAAAAGeA/sMlFTrl6jEsKr7guY2YQfF0pMVrRMX1Lw/s1600/IMG_0452%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pMD6RSumFzE/VwCu4ZwrfaI/AAAAAAAAGeA/sMlFTrl6jEsKr7guY2YQfF0pMVrRMX1Lw/s320/IMG_0452%2B2.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3rgH8NcOVGc/VwCu38-tCLI/AAAAAAAAGd8/0GBuyEiWps4XcGm0NCzYOiT4p1mJ0k9JQ/s1600/IMG_0270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3rgH8NcOVGc/VwCu38-tCLI/AAAAAAAAGd8/0GBuyEiWps4XcGm0NCzYOiT4p1mJ0k9JQ/s320/IMG_0270.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
she found me. she chose me, and she rescued me as much as i rescued her.<br />
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and on a sunday morning, more the middle of the night, she slipped away from us.<br />
we both were sleeping in the den with her as we couldn't bear to let her spend her nights alone<br />
and we both petted her and kissed her as she took her last breath assuring her through our sobs that we loved her.<br />
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<br />
i still visit her little grave in our backyard a couple of times a month. i still find myself saying hello to her when i drive in after work. i still smile when a patch of good sunlight hits "her" spot just right.<br />
<br />
and although a little over a year later a kitten came into our lives and our hearts<br />
our emi will always be special<br />
<br />
to you, darling girl.<br />
<br />
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yesterday i broke an important thing. </div>
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i am really blessed to have several of my grandmothers kitchen items. one of my favorites was a sugar bowl. it was kept in our spice cabinet and made me smile every time i opened the door and saw it. beautiful, simple, and classic. </div>
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and yesterday i wanted to read a package of seasoning mix and moved it for less than a minute and when i went to put it back i bumped the shelf and it just fell out of my hand. </div>
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i sobbed. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zwcjvFUJGlU/VruKod_LKRI/AAAAAAAAGXg/PVw-BqFf2fo/s640/blogger-image--127714509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zwcjvFUJGlU/VruKod_LKRI/AAAAAAAAGXg/PVw-BqFf2fo/s320/blogger-image--127714509.jpg" width="320" /></a>i scooped up the cat and closed her in a room to keep her away from getting cut, i put a band aid on my bleeding toe, i went back to the kitchen and looked at all the sugar everywhere and the pieces of the beloved sugar bowl. </div>
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and i sobbed some more. </div>
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and eventually i started cleaning it up. </div>
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my husband told me to keep the pieces to see if we can salvage it.<br />
several people have mentioned making something out of it.<br />
and those are great suggestions. they really are. but my goodness my heart hurts. </div>
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i have so many memories of my childhood that i would rather forget.<br />
so many moments that i remember through the lens of hurt and loneliness.<br />
it was NOT a bad childhood especially in the grand scheme of things. i was loved in the best way that people knew how to love. no one meant me harm, no one set out to purposefully hurt me. </div>
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but my grandmother loved me in the purest way of anyone. and the pieces of her that i still own make me happy because THOSE memories i will cherish forever. </div>
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so yes, i am keeping these shattered pieces and will be putting them together somehow.<br />
but i won’t feel bad that a broken sugar bowl is still making me cry.</div>
Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-42288716354770728852014-05-30T13:16:00.004-05:002014-05-30T13:21:34.845-05:00swagbucks update: signing bonus!<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">you guys know that i am cheap by now, right? ;-) well, one of the ways we are able to live as generously as we desire to is by using swagbucks gift cards not only for the things we want for "fun" (think target runs and amazon movie purchases as well as my weekly or so trip to starbucks) but also for birthday and christmas gift money. last year we used swagbucks gift cards for approximately 65% of our holiday gift spending. when you have an extended family as large as ours to buy for that is HUGE!</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">clearly <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=203">swagbucks</a> is something i love. i understand that it's not for everyone, but for those of you who would like to try it i'm writing this post to let you know thati have exciting news and a great opportunity for all of you to earn bonus SB -- enough to </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">get a free $5 gift card!</b><span style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br />
<br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">any of my readers who signs up for <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=203">swagbucks.com</a> through </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=203">my link here</a></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> between now and june 30th is eligible to get a 500 SB bonus! that is basically a free $5 gift card JUST for signing up through me. in order to get the bonus automatically*, you must also earn 1500 SB by July 14th. note that since this is an exclusive offer, you must </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=203">sign up through this link</a></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> and earn 1500 SB in order to get your 500 SB bonus. if you sign up elsewhere, or only do one of the two steps, the bonus unfortunately will not be available to you. </span><br />
<br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">so how do you get that 500 SB bonus? simple: you can earn SB from any of the earning activities found on the homepage or top bar of swagbucks.com (shop, search, watch, play, answer, discover, daily crave, NOSO & daily poll). i am also ALWAYS available by email to give you more tips on how to earn. i actually have a pretty effective system that you can use with whatever time you have, whether it be one hour a day or ten! if you haven't started earning with Swagbucks yet, now is a great time to </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=203">sign up</a></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> and check out all the different ways to earn Bucks -- all so you can get a bunch of free gift cards. </span><br />
<br style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="; color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">* Please note that it may take up to 14 business days to credit your account once you have earned 1500 SB. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Lucida Grande, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**ALL links in this post have been linked so that you will receive the signing bonus...so don't worry about clicking on the wrong one! :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">coming {very} soon: a few recipes that i've been making during the last few months of silence. also, more "only in lora's life" moments, more silly lists, more memories, and a couple of serious thoughts. maybe ;-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ohmygoshaldihadfrozenFRIEDPICKLES</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> i did NOT sign up for rabies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">currently following a truck that has the bumper sticker "some days all i want is to be a missing person". dark. but thought you would appreciate it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Lucida Calligraphy, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we'll be creepy but healthy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> apparently i was on the jumbotron while texting you that. oops.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CINNAMON!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Lucida Handwriting, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">autocorrecting my prayer isn't cool, phone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">why do you think toto was so insistent on blessing the rains down in africa?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> go punch her</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hope you're not sequestered</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Chalkboard, Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my crazy runs deep</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">do you have those moments where you think "if anyone read this conversation they would seriously question my sanity"? yeah. guess i've just presented you all with evidence ;-) anything random in your messages that you'd like to share? :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nearly 4 years (3 years and 11 months) after finding out i was losing my home</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">we signed papers and became homeowners</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">anthony for the first time</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">myself given a second chance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the loan is not in my name. we aren't yet done rebuilding my credit from the horrid hit it took way back then. but my name is on the deed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i feel like it's come full circle. that i am being given back in buckets what was taken from me. so grateful that redemption is a part of my journey. so thankful to have a place that's really OURS. and the timing of this and so much more is not escaping me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i'll show you photos of the inside once we get unpacked. so in approximately 6 months ;-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but here we are in front of our adorable house!</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FS0Lk1Iz5vk/U0LpZ5cM9BI/AAAAAAAAFkY/vLB8T9dtpbg/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FS0Lk1Iz5vk/U0LpZ5cM9BI/AAAAAAAAFkY/vLB8T9dtpbg/s1600/photo+1.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and here is anthony giving emi her first tour of our new digs. thankfully, she approves because we aren't leaving here for awhile!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kmvl2qVeAag/U0LpaCyABcI/AAAAAAAAFkc/tYXKOf_KYwE/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kmvl2qVeAag/U0LpaCyABcI/AAAAAAAAFkc/tYXKOf_KYwE/s1600/photo+2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i want to spill out words all over the page to tell everyone how amazing, how hard, how blessed, how difficult, and how wonderful life has been since the last time i wrote in this place</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and at the same time, i feel like it would be ridiculous to</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that year (almost) is done</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and i feel like even though we did so much living during that time</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if i couldn't find the time to chronicle it then, well...there's really no reason to write about it now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so here's the very short version of life since last july: it happened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i laughed (a lot), cried (not as much) and the majority of the time was amazing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">truly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i am very blessed to live this life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm not saying i'll never tell you anything from the past few months...in fact there are some posts aching to be written about recent events. but i will have no regrets if i don't get every word out. after all, i was living my life...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but this blog is a part of that life. which is why i'm here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i do hope that this post will launch me back into blogging. i miss it. i miss the connection across the screen and the way there is really community between posts. i plan to begin the rounds again, visiting blogs i love and have missed almost as much as i've missed writing here. i plan to write here, the good, bad, ugly and beautiful that i have always spilled out in my little corner of the interwebs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but i know that life, it happens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i know that i won't be here as much as i'd like. even if i'm here daily.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i know i won't comment on every post that moves me, even when i desire to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but i'm not done here. by any stretch of the imagination. so if any of you are still reading this little blog, i'm back...in some capacity at least.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i miss you all, and can't wait to visit your lovely blogs soon :-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i've stayed busy, accepting babysitting jobs here and there and teaching a few piano lessons all while working 40+ hours a week. that's true. and i've attempted to make time for friends and family time in all that, but sadly have failed to do that as much as i wanted to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and i have been tired. and i have been sick for what seems like an extreme amount over the last 10 months or so, but the last couple of months have been especially vicious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and i've been sooooo frustrated. by being sick and tired. and being tired. and being sick.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so when a mere week after being out of work with a stomach bug that i won't detail here i woke up with a fever of 102.8 (which is pretty high for someone whose norm is 97.5) i was mad. my throat ached, but so did my whole body, and i was freezing. so i was a bit unclear whether i was dealing with strep, flu or the plague, but i knew whatever it was i was not a fan.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and i couldn't leave the bed, until my husband came home after lunch and insisted i call my doctor so that i could go there instead of a walk-in clinic. he drove me mainly because i was in no condition to drive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the nurse practitioner who saw me couldn't tell me exactly what was going on because both the flu and strep tests came back negative. however, she visually diagnosed strep, put me on an antibiotic to deal with that, and told me that this was clearly a mean illness of some sort because "i've never laid eyes on you, but you look like you feel awful".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and that feeling (and fever) didn't go away for several days, and even when it did, i.was.exhausted.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">anthony insisted i call the doctor, who responded "if you still feel this way on tuesday, come in for a mono test".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fast forward to tuesday and the myriad of tests they actually ran...and the following day when i got the call.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not only do i have mono that's been hanging around for an undetermined amount of time, but i also am severely anemic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">well, ok then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lots of things cleared up with just those words. i'm not being lazy, there are actual medical reasons why i cannot bring myself to work out on a consistent basis even though i desperately want to be moving.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i often fall asleep on the couch these days is because i have reasons to be tired!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i've been taking iron for a week now, and anthony told me yesterday that he can already tell a difference. as for me? yes, i still fall asleep on the couch once in awhile, but its for 20 minutes, not two hours. yes, i'm still exhausted, but exercising isn't out of the question. i finally am starting to get a tiny bit of "me" back, and for that i'm excited. and grateful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm grateful that the tests she ran for more serious things have not materialized as anything (at least not yet--and i don't expect them to). i'm grateful that for the issues i'm dealing with there is a somewhat simple fix. i'm grateful that i have a co-teacher who is understanding that sometimes i just need to sit for a few minutes (usually with one or five children clamoring to be on my lap...and that's ok). i'm grateful that the acute antibodies weren't present in the mono test, so i CAN work...and that none of my students seem to have caught anything from me. i'm grateful that when my job description changes in a month or so i should be back to feeling normal again. (i've been interim teaching the pre-k class since april 1, but go back to the admin team and add teaching music to all the classes in mid-august).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it could have been worse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it could have been different.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and without a case of strep from hell, i would never have discovered that these other things were going on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so with that said...thank God for a case of strep throat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">xoxo</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">well, nothing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what would i tell you about the things i haven't said in those months?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">well, plenty</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that the payment i get in hugs and smiles and oh yeah illnesses ;-) far outweigh any paycheck i could ever receive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that i never imagined that working in a preschool setting would be so rewarding</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that A and i are happier when the house is tidy. i would also say that when one of us is sick, it becomes a lot harder to keep tidy. we definitely work as a team around here, and i adore that</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that grown adults who know better can be vindictive and attempt to steal your joy because of their own bitterness all while wearing a sugary smile and proclaiming their love for Jesus</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">{i could write an entire series on the southern facade that i.desperately.hate. just be real for crying out loud. yanks have that one over southerners hands down}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that only you can let someone steal your joy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">{in other words, neener-neener, aforementioned person didn't win ;-) }</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that car shopping when you HAVE to car shop isn't as exciting as it seems to be</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">{moment of silence for lora's amazing passat...it finally died last month. and i have shed more than a couple of tears.}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that fresh flowers in the house brighten my mood immensely. fresh flowers that my husband pick out for me just intensify that!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that i fall more in love with texas each time i visit </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">{year 2 for going on a missions trip to a children's home in the hill country. heart partially there}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that getting your garden planted two months {two MONTHS} late just means a longer harvest period</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">{fingers crossed}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that the God-encounters that you allow yourself to be aware of are more amazing that you could ever come up with by any stretch of your imagination</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i would say that i have wanted to come type out long versions of each of these snippets and felt a block of some sort. so for now they are snippets. fuller versions on request...or as i have the time to tell them</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but really, it doesn't matter what i have to say about the months between january and july. we did a lot of living during those months. times spent with great friends, playing board games, crashing on the couch to watch movies, having family over and A *finally* getting his youngest sister and i to watch the LOTR trilogy, taking time for a date night or two, celebrating my birthday and hosting gatherings for each of our best friend's birthdays, A speaking for the first time at our church plant...and there were also tears and hurt, and pain, and stress and confusion and wondering if we had made the right decisions about several things.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and that's life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the next six months will hold much of the same, and i await it all expectantly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">life without pain means you forget to feel. because of tears, i feel joy more radically.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm not going to make any promises i can't keep. but my desire is to be here, to be real, to live life authentically in this tiny blip in the internet where i get to have my real voice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so for the good, for the bad, for all the lovely moments in between...here i am.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oh, and if you take the time to be sweet and comment please include what you drive and why you love it. did i mention car shopping is a pain?!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">xoxo</span><br />
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-31512478587834759722013-01-21T20:20:00.001-06:002013-01-21T20:22:26.772-06:00swagbucks extravaganza TOMORROW!!<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow (Tuesday) <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=68">Swagbucks </a>is celebrating the month of January with a bunch of Swag Codes - if you can get them all, you'll have an extra 65 Swag Bucks at the end of the day!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They'll be happening all throughout the day at random times, so check their blog, Facebook and Twitter for potential clues. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have the new Toolbar installed you'll be able to check for Swag Codes all day long!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've written several times about how much I love <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=68">swagbucks</a>, and y'all I promise it's totally legit! Through gift cards a large percentage of our Christmas gifts were FREE! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you haven't joined <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=68">Swagbucks</a> yet, click any of the links in this post to join the fun and start earning reward points that you can exchange for free stuff like gift cards!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use the code JANTASTIC during sign up - that way you'll start with 100 Swag Bucks instead of the usual 30. Enter the code exactly as it appears with no spaces.</span><br />
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<img src="http://www.sbx-cdn.com/content/uploads/blogEntry/card68.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">carry on :-)</span>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-76577906070628111492013-01-21T06:00:00.000-06:002013-01-21T06:00:12.981-06:00recipe of the week: buffalo chicken strombolii originally published this recipe a couple of years ago, but that version contained some ingredients that i no longer allow in our home. so here's the much healthier, real food containing and yummier version that we eat now!<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">buffalo chicken stromboli</span><br />
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1 ball pizza dough from trader joes or your favorite pizzaria<br />
1 pound chicken breasts, cooked and shredded<br />
1/2 cup hot buffalo wing sauce (i use frank's red hot)<br />
1-2 tablespoons straight up hot sauce (i use frank's for that too)<br />
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded<br />
1/4 cup fiesta blend cheese (i use whole foods brand)<br />
1/2 a large red onion, diced<br />
1 carrot, shredded<br />
2 stalks celery, diced<br />
your choice of dressing on the side (ranch is my preferred, naturally)<br />
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you guys, this recipe is so.stinking.easy. every time i make it i mean to take pictures of the whole process, so next time i PROMISE i will have them for you :-)<br />
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spray a baking sheet lightly with olive oil (i have a mister that i use...i definitely prefer real olive oil to any other nonstick spray substance)<br />
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while the chicken is cooking, roll out your pizza dough--it helps to be more oval or even rectangular for this recipe.<br />
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mix the chicken and the hot sauces together, and put down the center of the dough in about a 1-2 inch wide strip (depending on how wide your dough is)<br />
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top with the onion, then the celery and shredded carrots<br />
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put the cheeses on top of the veggies<br />
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then start "braiding" the pizza dough<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vuAGAuXz6z0/UPsAtCFlQrI/AAAAAAAAFH0/I5baolqfqd0/s1600/IMG_2398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vuAGAuXz6z0/UPsAtCFlQrI/AAAAAAAAFH0/I5baolqfqd0/s320/IMG_2398.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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it'll look something like this when you finish. i then mist the top with a little more olive oil so that it'll brown nicely</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mpX973DkHfQ/UPsAtP22dLI/AAAAAAAAFHw/zBmbpNVR5hw/s1600/IMG_2399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mpX973DkHfQ/UPsAtP22dLI/AAAAAAAAFHw/zBmbpNVR5hw/s320/IMG_2399.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes depending on your desired brownness.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iO5kduTfDTQ/UPsAuaVFIiI/AAAAAAAAFIA/fANpJvnRdmg/s1600/IMG_2400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iO5kduTfDTQ/UPsAuaVFIiI/AAAAAAAAFIA/fANpJvnRdmg/s320/IMG_2400.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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and naturally, enjoy.</div>
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<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-28656265177131499542013-01-19T14:07:00.000-06:002013-01-19T14:07:02.767-06:00it's a great day for hockey to come baaaaaack!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6JmypsQrtwE/UPr8O_QdR6I/AAAAAAAAFGc/Q3gOqHd9vyU/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-01-19+at+2.03.12+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6JmypsQrtwE/UPr8O_QdR6I/AAAAAAAAFGc/Q3gOqHd9vyU/s640/Screen+shot+2013-01-19+at+2.03.12+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
so, there was this silly little lockout<br />
{those are the nicest adjectives i can use to describe it. feel free to replace}<br />
<br />
and now it's finally over. so, naturally we are having a gathering tonight to watch the first hockey game the preds have played all season.<br />
<br />
until then it's the normal saturday cleaning, laundry, tv, cooking, errands run...<br />
<br />
anything spectacular happening in your world?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-35918288657491212382013-01-17T14:59:00.002-06:002013-02-19T01:04:27.368-06:00thursday's ten or so: the january goals edition<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so i've been a little lax on the blog this year, but that's ok. i've been formulating a new plan for what i'm going to be doing this year in terms of goals, and i've come up with a fun way to combine one of my favorite things (making lists) with another favorite (pinterest). this year instead of having random goals that i can't really "track" i'm trying to do ten things a month that fall into the categories of:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />1- try new recipes (because we all know i love the cooking)<br />2- improve overall health<br />3- do something creative<br />4- invest in relationships (God, husband, friends, co-workers, etc)<br />5- have FUN<br />6- organizations/improvements in general</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so, i'm creating a board for each month (not all of them exist yet) of things that somehow fit one or more categories. here is <a href="http://pinterest.com/lorabneal/lets-do-this-january/">january's list</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://pinterest.com/lorabneal/lets-do-this-january/"><br /></a>1 - start a "blessings" jar for 2013. more on that as it comes {creative, fun, relationships)<br />2 - create a vegetable soup recipe that both anthony and i will enjoy. i hope. {recipes, health}<br />3 - try the meat/egg in muffin tin recipe {recipes}<br />4 - recipe for tortellini spinach bake {recipes}<br />5 - recipe for hashbrown quiches {recipes}*<br />6 - get in a routine of exercising in the mornings {health}<br />7 - recipe for balsamic carrots {recipes, health, relationships (because it's mainly for A)}<br />8 - recipe for blt pasta salad {recipes}<br />9 - reorganizing the kitchen utensils/counters/drawers {organization}<br />10 - trying the mint tin storage solution {organization}</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this month it's a bit recipe-heavy. hopefully the months will even out a bit...this was just my first attempt at a monthly goals board. we're a little over halfway through the month, and i have done a few of these already! i'll post pictures/give an update at the end of january or beginning of february along with feb's goals! i think this is going to be fun :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*swapped this one for another salad type recipe that i realized i'd rather have in warmer weather! perhaps the low 20s this week made me reconsider!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">join me?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or at least share some of this year's hopes/dreams/goals with me!</span><br />
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<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></span></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-74485503406214398072012-12-27T15:27:00.001-06:002012-12-27T15:27:11.994-06:00thursday's ten or so: the holiday edition<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">since i'm still kind of in a holiday coma (and more to come since we haven't celebrated with my family yet!) i thought it would be fun to share a few holiday memories from this year. please feel free to respond in the comments or write your own post with these memories and more!</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">most awkward moment</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a toss up between playing a dirty santa game that half the room wasn't into and when we all had to be silent while an aunt read the weather report from...louisville?</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DlYoHO9_FYg/UNy8UHUAXjI/AAAAAAAAFFc/96rtvgx4wsk/s1600/IMG_1139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DlYoHO9_FYg/UNy8UHUAXjI/AAAAAAAAFFc/96rtvgx4wsk/s640/IMG_1139.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>most satisfying receipt of a gift (for me)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">anthony's reaction when he realized that i had bought him the complete collection of calvin and hobbes. </span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">most satisfying receipt of a gift (for us)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we made anthony's mom cry. twice in a row :-) first for a cashmere scarf and second for a family photo from our wedding we had printed and framed for his parents</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">most surprising gift (for me)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">anthony got me a new tv!</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">most surprising gift (for us)</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">anthony's aunt bought us the sound of music on bluray, which was on our list. only she got us a limited edition collector's set. it's pretty amazing...and TOTALLY above what we would have ever expected!</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f_zZXRsS96c/UNy8aE5hpvI/AAAAAAAAFF8/dAhUXO70u1w/s1600/IMG_1745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f_zZXRsS96c/UNy8aE5hpvI/AAAAAAAAFF8/dAhUXO70u1w/s640/IMG_1745.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">most gobbled part of the main meal?</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we had prime rib and sides...not surprisingly the prime rib was number one on the "like" list (at least at our table). however, the twice baked garlic potatoes were pretty freaking awesome too!<br />
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<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">most fun stocking surprise?</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for me? pretty sure it was the OPI bondettes mini set anthony stuffed in there. for him? i think it's a toss-up between the ninja-bread cookie cutters and the om-nom (character from cut the rope) plush. he might tell you differently though ;-)</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">most pleasant surprise?</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that instead of everyone ripping into their gifts at once there were several of us who watched for the reactions of everyone else...that made it last slightly longer, but certainly made it more fun.<br />
<br /><i><span style="color: #cc0000;">most fun new tradition?</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we added to an old tradition (that of everyone gathering to watch a christmas movie for 3 or 4 nights) but offering to bring dinner one of the nights. tomato basil soup and grilled cheese is now officially "the" meal for the viewing of white christmas :-)</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iXDM1H6ASt8/UNy8YoxoXhI/AAAAAAAAFF0/3xOYzyCstCE/s1600/IMG_1740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iXDM1H6ASt8/UNy8YoxoXhI/AAAAAAAAFF0/3xOYzyCstCE/s640/IMG_1740.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so. how were your festivities?</span><br />
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<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-68151487536209011552012-12-16T21:33:00.000-06:002012-12-16T21:33:22.266-06:00even so...rejoice.<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oh come Thou Dayspring come and cheer</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oh, Papa, do we ever need your peace. your cheer. your arms to wrap around us.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">our spirits by thine advent here</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we wait. we dare to hope again. we dream.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">disperse the gloomy clouds of night</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the clouds this week have have been more sobering than before</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and death's dark shadows put to flight</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">remind us that death, even senseless, tragic, angering death <b>does not win</b></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rejoice, rejoice</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">give us the strength, the faith, the will to rejoice again</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Emmanuel</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God is with us. GOD is WITH us.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">has come to thee, oh Israel</span><br />
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<br />
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-47701345926538877942012-11-08T09:16:00.000-06:002012-11-08T09:16:00.121-06:00thursday's ten: the non-suggested 5k edition<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">times i wouldn't suggest running a 5k</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s6NosCnin0Y/UJsjgI4VSbI/AAAAAAAAFEc/6-cM4PAe6NE/s1600/IMG_0591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s6NosCnin0Y/UJsjgI4VSbI/AAAAAAAAFEc/6-cM4PAe6NE/s320/IMG_0591.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when you've been sick with the flu 3 out of the last 5 days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when because of your back being injured for 6 weeks followed by the flu, you haven't trained even once in the last 2 months</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when it's classified as an off road adventure</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when your asthma is acting up</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when you stayed up until 3 am with a girlfriend eating junk and watching tv</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when you are used to temperatures over the mid 60s (in tennessee) and you are now set to run in 40 degree northwestern kentucky weather</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when rain is also predicted</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when your tennis shoes are so old they aren't really great for running on any surface anymore, much less non-paved surfaces</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when you forget to take your inhaler until halfway up the first hill (thank GOODNESS i had borrowed a spibelt to carry it in and was able to remedy that quickly!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BUT</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QxLHaNaQZAk/UJsjhC6HvpI/AAAAAAAAFEg/3zbkRcAWAJE/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QxLHaNaQZAk/UJsjhC6HvpI/AAAAAAAAFEg/3zbkRcAWAJE/s320/IMG_0594.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if you choose to still do the 5k after ALL that?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it may be awesome</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it may be fun</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it may be the worst time you've ever had because you ended up HIKING in the woods on a single file trail instead of running a 5k (guess that's what they meant by off road)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">there may be gorgeous scenery</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QADVpRRPAC4/UJsjjRfJrWI/AAAAAAAAFEs/gmMYKwhQSQU/s1600/IMG_0604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QADVpRRPAC4/UJsjjRfJrWI/AAAAAAAAFEs/gmMYKwhQSQU/s320/IMG_0604.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you may feel an enormous sense of accomplishment just for surviving</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it may be something you want to do again, at least once in awhile :-)</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yPDtk9SRnXo/UJsjk1I64PI/AAAAAAAAFE0/y_PTRTegJXg/s1600/IMG_0617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yPDtk9SRnXo/UJsjk1I64PI/AAAAAAAAFE0/y_PTRTegJXg/s320/IMG_0617.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-45407005716693715512012-10-31T15:04:00.003-05:002012-10-31T15:05:16.005-05:00coming out of my (you guessed it) sick fog to post some exciting swag news<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seriously, i'm sick again. although i'm on the upswing now, i've been running a lovely fever and having general flu-like symptoms for the last 3 days.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BUT i just read this and had to come post it quickly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Starting on November 1st, the <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=42">Swagbucks</a> Swag Store will be bringing you lower prices and limitless rewards. (and they even make sense now. $5 gift cards are 500 swagbucks, $10 gift cards are 1000 swagbucks, etc, etc. the only exception is amazon $5 cards which will still be 450 swagbucks!</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
<i>You can now snag even more rewards, because the old monthly redemption limits (except the $5 Amazon.com Gift Card which bums me out slightly) will be gone. You’re still limited to 2 rewards per day, but you can get as many repeat cards as you want! </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i>
this means i may actually get a $10 and $25 amazon card or two each month in addition to my normal 5 $5 cards. this means christmas shopping just got WAY easier. and free-er.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">um, if you haven't signed up for <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=42">swagbucks</a> yet, you really should. click on any of the links in this post and (a) you'll start earning free gift cards by doing very simple things and (b) i'll get referral bucks when you search on sb!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oh, and there's a new program where if you go to stores you normally shop at (like itunes for example...) and purchase something you get <a href="http://www.swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-trk&t0=blgTrk&t1=2672294&t2=42">swagbucks</a>. it varies how many sb you get per dollar spent, and you don't get instant gratification. but i just got 18 swagbucks in my account for using an itunes gift card (therefore spending NO money) to buy a 8.99 album last month. check out the shop and earn tab to see what stores are featured!</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-72138830561776817062012-10-22T01:07:00.000-05:002012-10-22T01:10:13.132-05:00monday's memory: in the details, He is there<span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">be encouraged -- God sees you, knows you, and loves you</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">{-me :-)} from <a href="http://lorablogs.blogspot.com/2012/08/thursdays-ten-or-so-little-inspiration.html">this post</a> on august 23</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and little did i know that hours after writing those words i'd have an example</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">because of my scheduled time to arrive at work (9.30 am) there is rarely traffic on my way in. therefore, i rarely consult the traffic app on my phone before leaving my house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on august 23, however, i did.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and what i saw made me pause. my normal route to work was clogged, apparently. and the secondary way i would have normally chosen was not the recommended way to go. instead, a third way that i wouldn't ordinarily consider popped up as the way i should go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">at first i dismissed it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but the nagging thought (read: Holy Spirit) kept pressing that i should go that way after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and so i reluctantly pulled off the exit. after the light turned green i made my left turn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and that's when i knew something was wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">heart pounding i pulled slowly into the first gas station i could spot</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and stepped out of the car to see if my suspicions were correct</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sure enough, i had a flat tire. and not just a flat tire that needed a bit of pumping up...a FLAT tire. as in, i'm not even sure how i had made it this far on it, surprised my wheel wasn't damaged, flat flat tire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and then i had to laugh just a little.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you see, this alternate way that i would have never considered?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the gas station that i had abruptly pulled into?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it happened to be just down the street (about a mile) from where my husband's office is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so he was able to come within moments, drive me to work, and then wait with my car for the AAA guy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all ended up well</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(hello brand new set of tires)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but it could have been the opposite.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my normal way to work? interstate the entire way. i don't even want to think about the ramifications of what could have happened given HOW flat my tire was.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that morning i was prompted to open an app on my phone that i ordinarily would have ignored</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i was nudged to follow the instructions on the app even though ordinarily i would have dismissed them and gone a more familiar route</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a few hours after all this happened a friend tweeted these words, and i had to smile (and retweet):</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"God has never stopped being interested in the details of our lives. so why do we worry?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm sure some people would argue that God isn't interested in the details of our lives</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm sure some would say that i am imagining the hand of God in this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and all i can say to that is that i hope they have experiences (as i have) where it is undeniable that God is working even in the tiniest areas of their life. living in disbelief that you are radically loved by God is one of the saddest things i know.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">because knowing that the God of the universe, <i>the One who speaks and mountains move </i>is personally and intimately interested in every detail of your life?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it's life-changing, my friends</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">oh, how He loves us so.</span><br />
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<br />
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-27407515406995617472012-10-21T11:42:00.001-05:002012-10-21T11:42:47.996-05:00it's a great day to celebrate granny<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kd2POEQ5mJU/UIQkzfCpNWI/AAAAAAAAFD4/WhOiDEFXCew/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-10-21+at+11.35.10+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kd2POEQ5mJU/UIQkzfCpNWI/AAAAAAAAFD4/WhOiDEFXCew/s640/Screen+shot+2012-10-21+at+11.35.10+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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this is one of those glorious weekends </div>
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where not much is 'scheduled'</div>
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and things are pretty laid back</div>
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<br /></div>
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yesterday morning anthony worked while i had lunch with a friend and ran errands</div>
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we had <a href="http://lorablogs.blogspot.com/2012/01/recipe-of-week-rerunrevampedrevised.html">vodka pasta</a> for dinner (yay indulgences)</div>
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today is church (at 4.30 pm. being part of a church plant is awesome that way)</div>
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and tonight we celebrate anthony's granny's birthday</div>
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(i believe there is brisket involved)</div>
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<br /></div>
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i have a gift to wrap</div>
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and worship rehearsal to get to</div>
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<br /></div>
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hope you're having a lovely day</div>
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xo</div>
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<br />
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-8804343601600853802012-10-19T00:09:00.002-05:002012-10-19T00:10:05.932-05:00recipe of the week: beefy noodle casserole<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i love my schedule. except for one small but important detail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm rarely home before 7. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">which wouldn't be a big deal if</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(a) i didn't love to cook</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(b) we ate more easy/processed foods</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but since neither of those are a truth in our home, i have limited options to getting a healthy and tasty meal on the table. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">thankfully i've discovered a few solutions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(a) prepping ahead of time, and leaving instructions for anthony to pop something in the oven or mix the last part of a dish together</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(b) a husband who doesn't mind cooking start to finish since he gets home first (and who does so at least once every other week or so...and would do it more often if i asked!)</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(c) a crock pot that i try to utilize several times a month</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>(d) quicker but still "real food" recipes.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">don't get me wrong. i will always love cooking the more involved and impressive dishes. but they simply aren't practical for a weeknight in our home. hello saturdays :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with that longest introduction ever, here's a very basic little recipe that you could adapt to fit your own taste preferences. this is actually originally a taste of home recipe that i adapted quite a bit. it's fairly low-fat, calorie and carb though, so i definitely appreciate it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">beefy noodle casserole</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cups egg noodles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 pound ground beef</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 can tomato sauce (14.5 oz)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6 tbsp diced green chiles (standard small can)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp diced green onions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 cloves garlic, minced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup sour cream</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tbsp cream cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 cup mozzarella cheese</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cook pasta according to package directions</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y85xk2IYTRo/UIDZPSC3PmI/AAAAAAAAFBM/e8lldeMwAPc/s1600/IMG_9397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y85xk2IYTRo/UIDZPSC3PmI/AAAAAAAAFBM/e8lldeMwAPc/s320/IMG_9397.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> brown ground beef</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pv4cqnj6e64/UIDZUYi5RoI/AAAAAAAAFBc/R_w778A3fEs/s1600/IMG_9399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pv4cqnj6e64/UIDZUYi5RoI/AAAAAAAAFBc/R_w778A3fEs/s320/IMG_9399.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> add tomato sauce</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-77gRbyNkpjs/UIDZY9JhsiI/AAAAAAAAFBs/DOlc_yGvApM/s1600/IMG_9401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-77gRbyNkpjs/UIDZY9JhsiI/AAAAAAAAFBs/DOlc_yGvApM/s320/IMG_9401.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> green onions</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TeiFPQX860Y/UIDZbFjsY5I/AAAAAAAAFB0/dLg1f7fMvvA/s1600/IMG_9402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TeiFPQX860Y/UIDZbFjsY5I/AAAAAAAAFB0/dLg1f7fMvvA/s320/IMG_9402.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> green chiles</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w1qGopLlINw/UIDZf5gPTHI/AAAAAAAAFCE/k9LY6MqJNQA/s1600/IMG_9404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w1qGopLlINw/UIDZf5gPTHI/AAAAAAAAFCE/k9LY6MqJNQA/s320/IMG_9404.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and spices. simmer together for about 5-10 minutes</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-65N-GfnXuyk/UIDZp5GtjII/AAAAAAAAFCk/uLb3GthVNXg/s1600/IMG_9408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-65N-GfnXuyk/UIDZp5GtjII/AAAAAAAAFCk/uLb3GthVNXg/s320/IMG_9408.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> spoon 1/2 beef mixture into bottom of casserole dish</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t6x_8qZe13M/UIDZueITRPI/AAAAAAAAFC0/fV0ohbbDACE/s1600/IMG_9410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t6x_8qZe13M/UIDZueITRPI/AAAAAAAAFC0/fV0ohbbDACE/s320/IMG_9410.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> top with 1/2 the noodles, then layer the cheeses and sour cream on top</span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5iDYYKbQ9Eo/UIDZwu-LDII/AAAAAAAAFC8/u-Iie8o4M1c/s1600/IMG_9411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5iDYYKbQ9Eo/UIDZwu-LDII/AAAAAAAAFC8/u-Iie8o4M1c/s320/IMG_9411.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> repeat beef and noodle layers</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r1HRQkbw9h8/UIDZy07UyaI/AAAAAAAAFDE/yQ44PXI-RXM/s1600/IMG_9412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r1HRQkbw9h8/UIDZy07UyaI/AAAAAAAAFDE/yQ44PXI-RXM/s320/IMG_9412.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until it's bubbling nicely</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YnHkY1oncCA/UIDZ6sH5-iI/AAAAAAAAFDc/6JNpTo0vHQg/s1600/IMG_9415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YnHkY1oncCA/UIDZ6sH5-iI/AAAAAAAAFDc/6JNpTo0vHQg/s320/IMG_9415.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">enjoy! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a> </span><br />
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Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-24808743273339222992012-10-18T07:46:00.000-05:002012-10-18T07:46:00.210-05:00thursday's ten or so: on the tv edition<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">so, between the debates and all that, i've found time to add a few new shows to the plethora i already watched ;-) in no particular order, here are a few shows that are new this fall that i've made it a point to watch at least one episode of. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. <a href="http://www.nbc.com/go-on/">go on</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-new-normal/">the new normal</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. </span><a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/elementary/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">elementary</a><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. <a href="http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/nashville">nashville</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. <a href="http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/last-resort">last resort</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. <a href="http://www.nbc.com/guys-with-kids/">guys with kids</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. made in jersey (which was canceled already...)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i also have plans to check out</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. <a href="http://www.nbc.com/chicago-fire/">chicago fire</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/partners">partners</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10. <a href="http://www.nbc.com/revolution/">revolution</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11. <a href="http://www.fox.com/the-mob-doctor/">the mob doctor</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">i kind of make it a point to watch a few episodes before deciding whether i will continue watching a show or not. so i'll reserve commentary on any of the above for awhile, but i'll say that so far i'm enjoying most of them! it does help that half of them are only 30 minute shows that i can easily watch while prepping or cleaning up from dinner :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">are you watching any of this season's new shows? what do you think so far?</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8365981514361660220.post-68292234402509100952012-10-16T22:43:00.000-05:002012-10-16T22:43:31.992-05:00hey, it's ok (tuesday) 10.16<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hey, it's ok</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...to look forward to your trips to whole foods. hello my happy place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...to use your lunch hour to go buy soap at target. hey, sometimes it helps to just get out of the building.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...to be grateful for God's timing and divine appointments</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>...to light candles in the dining and living rooms when your husband is getting ready to have a houseful of guys over to play poker. like they cared.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...to be somewhat amused by the debates (and more than a somewhat annoyed at the facebook/twitter/even freaking pinterest feeds of one-sided responses).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>...to not really understand the purpose of gender reveal parties. i mean, fun i suppose. but what's wrong with the good 'ol facebook or group text of "it's a boy!"? </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>(if i ever have one, you have my permission to remind me of this post)</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...to still not understand the tennessee licensing system. in indiana you got your driver's license and car license plates at the same place. it was even called the license branch. here you have to figure out which to do first if you're a new resident and then go to three different locations: emissions testing, county clerk and ...i still don't know what the place is called to get your driver's license. but you can also register to vote at one of those places. and one of those places you go to every four years and the other two yearly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">...to realize that your job is one part baby fever and one part birth control. snuggling a precious cooing 6 month old and then dealing with a full-blown 3 year old fit in the space of 20 minutes will make you one confused woman. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">please to visit <a href="http://whisperingwriter.blogspot.com/">amber </a>and her wonderful blog :-) she hosts this fun link-up every week!</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/?action=view&current=ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/msmsctchr/ad6e53b836d564d280e85423065ada66.png" /></a>Lorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18440537885057746046noreply@blogger.com1