hey, it's ok (tuesday...er, wednesday)

hey, it's ok


...to be absolutely LOVING my new job and at the same time be absolutely EXHAUSTED at the end of some days.
...to be just now completing my list of 31 things to do while i'm 31 for the blog. yeah, i've been 31 for over 3 months now. one of the things should be completing the list i suppose.
...to have begun this list a week plus ago. did i mention i was exhausted?
...to be both thankful that i like the 4.99 whole bean coffee i found at whole foods and annoyed that i didn't try it a year ago. several pounds of 11.99 coffee from starbucks later, i would have saved a lot!
...to be grateful that it's finally raining again.  we went over a month in drought. our yard is finally not crunching as much when you walk in it
...to be swagbucks-earning like CRAZY these days.  so far i have $150 earned for the year in amazon credit, just by spending a couple of hours a day earning SB.  by the end of the year i'll have at minimm $300 to spend on christmas shopping for our family. that combined with black friday shopping means our spending out of pocket should be VERY small.  plus, i have enough extra to get a large starbucks or maggianos gift card for us! (you should join swagbucks if you haven't! please use my referral name of msmsctchr if you do, or click on this link!)
...to be seriously needing an eyebrow wax. there's a beauty school about 1/4 mile from work...i'm considering seeing if they'll do a decent job. because i hate tweezing. a lot.


join in the fun of being OK at amber's blog. or just visit her because she rocks.

thursday's ten: currently

i ran across this post on one of my favorite blogs last week, and just had to use it sometime.  what better time than for thursday's ten?






currently listening on repeat to
mostly pandora stations, but the new Jesus Culture album gets my attention each time.  may have to be my next purchase with those gift cards i got for christmas!

currently planning to cook
in the next two weeks, new (to me) recipes will include slow cooker Thai beef, a stuffed baguette, gyros, bacon and caramelized onion tart, and some sort of garlic cheesy bread

currently reading
the lost symbol (dan brown)
and a book that i'll be reviewing here soon: close enough to hear God breathe (greg paul)

currently discovering
how incredibly handy my food processor is.  i use that thing at LEAST every other day.  love.it.

currently catching up on the trend of
big bang theory.  we started watching season one on new year's eve and are now partly through season 3. if we didn't have to do silly things like sleep we'd probably be caught up to the current season!

currently organizing
guest rooms and closets.  of course, the pantry/kitchen is ever-ongoing

currently dreading
cleaning out the garage and storage room or as they are known around here the "just put it in the..." areas

currently drinking
the usual suspects of water with fresh mint, daily coffee and the occasional stevia sweet tea, soda stream or diet coke.  we've also discovered the carbonated zevia drinks at whole foods are are liking them too

currently desiring
a juicer...a good blender...more toms...uggs...a north face jacket...and lululemon yoga/dance pants

currently creating
mischief?  i've been more creative in the kitchen than with jewelry or other crafting lately, but i think it's time to make a few fun pieces, even if they're just for me :-)


what's currently going on with you?

thursday's ten: about 2012

ten things i desire to do (or do more of) in 2012





1. drink more cups of coffee at home


this is deeper than it sounds...i have a collection of beautiful coffee mugs that i've collected or been given, and they are rarely used.  instead, i'm usually running out the door with one of my travel mugs, racing to the next thing.  the "coffee at home" is an invitation to be in the moment more.  better sleeping patterns, which i'm establishing slowly but surely, will lead to more rest, getting up earlier, and being able to savor those early morning cups of coffee in the beautiful mugs.


2.  go on more hikes


i ended 2011 with two in the month of december.  i've begun 2012 with one on monday.  these aren't just any hikes though.  these are intentional gatherings with Godly girls...conversation is good, uplifting and inspiring.  nature around us is breathtaking.  movement is made, bodies are healthier.  and there's never a limit -- 2, 3 or 10 can join in!


3. do the 365...er 6... photo thing


i pretty much did it last year, but didn't share.  this year i'll be posting it here and possibly on facebook.  i'm hoping to bring more meaning to the mundane in this way...seeing beauty even on a tuesday in sweatpants!


4. use my technology for good


and by that i mean, not getting as sucked in to facebook, pinterest, twitter, etc.  multi-tasking is great, but once in awhile it's ok to close the laptop and read a book...made of paper :-)  a and i make a habit of playing board games fairly often, but i seldom make time to keep electronics off and actually read.


also, if i'm not completely sucked into a tv show i'm more likely to keep a clean house, stay on top of the laundry, and make it to places on time.  so while tv is GOOD, i need to make sure priorities are in place.


5. take advantage of opportunities to open our home


we've had one (well, two if you count my bachelorette party) big events in our home so far, besides having friends over for dinner, cooking with girlfriends, and having halo/poker nights (that's obviously more a than me).  2012 has the opportunity for many more.  next week i'm hosting a fashion swap, we'll have a superbowl gathering, we ALWAYS have an oscar party, and i'm planning a st patrick's day bash as well.


we want to be very intentional about opening up our home and sharing in hospitality.  we truly feel that we are called to this, and we've been given a wonderful platform for it!


6.  find some good EASY & wholesome recipes


we've changed our grocery habits (mainly because i do the shopping) and are probably 80% whole foods and trader joe's, while staying in the same price range as we were when we were less than 50%.  buying from these grocery stores don't mean we're automatically eating healthy--or that they are all low-cal, low fat foods, but it DOES mean that our ingredients are for the most part more wholesome and that at least *i* feel better cooking with them.


and i love, love, love cooking.  however, i also love spending time with my husband, so i'm trying to find wholesome and delicious crock-pot meals to add to my arsenal and have at least once a month.  i'm also expanding my soup recipes a bit.  i'm definitely open to quick/one-pot/crock pot meals if you have them to share (and i haven't already stolen them from you!)


yes, we still have a stockpile (no, really) of hamburger helper.  but having processed crap (that tastes pretty good actually) a couple of times a month isn't going to kill us.  and having really.good stuff with fresh ingredients the rest of the month is helping at least me feel better.


7.  "no.  cuddles."


the little girl i nanny for two days a week climbed on my lap earlier today asking for cuddles.  after she's been there for a few minutes i asked her if she wanted to get down and play since she seemed restless.  she thought less than a second before saying "no.  cuddles." and snuggling in.  it was precious...and a reminder that i need to press in to the cuddles too...literally and not.


sweet moments spent with friends, settling into the couch with my husband to watch a movie, emi jumping onto the bed or couch with me, enjoying hugs and high fives from the children in my life...all these things i need to appreciate more!  and when asked if i'm ready to move onto the next "thing" even if it's a good or necessary thing...sometimes i need to just say "no" and enjoy the "cuddle".


8. continue using financial wisdom God's way


which means giving it away and THEN paying our bills...i love God-math.  i've certainly experienced it over and over and over and over again -- that when you tithe and give you are blessed in ways that just don't make sense to the average person.  or to me, really.  i've often looked at my finances at the end of a month and said "that shouldn't work..." but it DOES.  i'm not saying you'll be richer than your wildest imagination or never experience financial hardship...but i AM saying that you'll be taken care of by your heavenly Daddy.


9.  let my "yes" be yes


instead of agreeing to things that i don't necessarily WANT to do but feel i should, or feeling like i have to cancel plans because a family thing came up...i'm going to be authentic with my answers.  not in a "um, i'd rather do anything BUT that" way, but in a "you know, that's a great invitation, but i already had plans to ___ tonight" or a "not this time, thanks anyway!" way.


it's harder than it sounds.  but actually sticking to boundaries and saying only authentic "YES's" will not only allow my calendar to have some relief, but will make the time spent with friends both more plentiful AND more meaningful.


we started this with new year's eve.  we had two invitations (two states apart) that were both fantastic...and craved the time spent with both the couples who had invited us.  but since Christmas had been (wonderfully) spent with family, and sort of a whirlwind, we elected to spend NYE at our own house with just each other.  we don't expect it to be tradition -- but for this year it was the authentic yes and the right choice.


10. continue to live in awe


i've mentioned the small pillow that has now hung at my last three residences at the bottom stair banister.  it reads "delight in the unexpected" and it has become a multi-daily reminder that those unexpected gifts and surprises are FUN.  


sometimes i think i'm continually in awe of what God is doing in me, through me, and around me.  and then i catch myself...because i don't EVER want to NOT live in that awe.  He is amazing, unexpected, extravagant and FUN.


that seems like a reasonable list to me...how about you?  what are your desires for the year?

hey, it's ok (tuesday) .5

please visit amber for the original!

... to totally invite yourself to a new year's celebration. 
... to want to take pictures in the christmas snow, since it only happens in nashville every 20 years or so.  so, maybe when our future children are teenagers we can take more christmas snow pictures.
... to wish they had somehow figured out a way to get MORE caffeine into coffee.
... to be surprised by things you find on facebook.  for example, the guy from college who continually creeps you out suddenly being in a relationship.
... to not understand the appeal of silly bandz, but to buy them for the kids in your life anyway.
... to be so glad that it snowed in nashville more than once this year...and to be completely ready for spring to come.
... to possibly be plotting a trip to starbucks while taking kids to a fun outing.  hey, that makes it more fun for ME too!
... to have snuck the laptop into the bathroom to take a shower and listen to some awesome worship music while the kids have breakfast
(it's the only time the little one is contained enough for me to shower!)

can you tell i'm babysitting today?  i have two boys -- 3 years and 18 months -- monday through wednesday this week.  we're having a blast and i'm LOVING how early they go to bed.  not so much the wakeup call, but it's still later than i normally have to be at work, so hey.

much love, all!

hey, it's ok (tuesday)

hey...it's ok

(go visit amber for the original!)

... to put redi whip in your coffee if you're at a house that has it. it's just like creamer, riiight?

... to laugh at the words "sarah palin misspoke again" simply because you don't really think they are necessary anymore.  and that has nothing to do with politics, really.

... to watch phineas and ferb.  by yourself.

... to marvel about how people are obsessed with superficiality as you flip through a people magazine.  and then realize that the only reason you're looking through that particular magazine is because you're sitting under a dryer while the highlights your stylist just put in take effect...

... to really want to smack the wiifit lady in the face when she says "oh" in THAT tone of voice when you step on the board. 

you'd beter believe it!

i'm SO taking advantage of this one.

yes please!

somebody forgot to tell me that it's apparently a monday

this morning began as most wednesdays do

with my alarm going off shortly after 5

unfortunately, it did little to rouse me out of bed

so i lay there for awhile, enjoying my warm bed

(i bought organic sheets on sale not too long ago and they are so.incredibly.comfy)

and i started hearing this strange noise upstairs

and just assumed that it was anthony's grandpa, although it was WAY too early for him to be stirring

and somehow in this meantime

i fell back asleep

sooo, i woke up (again) about the time i should be leaving

and *may* have said an inappropriate word

as i ran to the bathroom to brush my hair and throw on some clothing

and realized that i was still hearing that strange noise...

and THEN realized that i hadn't seen emi yet

which was odd

and as THAT sunk in, the word that i *may* have said earlier *may* have slipped again

as i ran up the stairs in only my undies

to let her back in

(that strange noise was her attempting to open the door -- i was hearing her paw scrape the underside of the door to the downstairs)

it was a pitiful "meow" that met me

and i felt soooo bad

(although, she'd been up there for less than 6 hours...but still)

so of course as soon as i got dressed i had to go upstairs to make sure she hadn't made any...messes...upstairs

thankfully, i didn't see anything out of the ordinary

(although i had to search in low light on tiptoe...)

and after all that, i thought

"well, maybe she won't be so sneaky about coming upstairs with me now!"

because i distinctly remember her coming upstairs with me last night

and i made sure (as i always do) that she headed back down the stairs before me

but i turned my back for a couple of seconds to put something in the dishwasher

sneaky, sneaky girl

sigh

after calling finn's mom (my friend jes) to let her know the craziness of the morning

i was on my way

waaaay late

i arrived and finn was still sleeping

(a miracle in itself)

and when he finally awoke an hour later

i went to get him out of his bed

he was excited to see me

smiling and clapping

i picked him up

and snuggled him close...

...only to realize that his wet diaper 

had completely soaked through his pj's

and now onto my clothing

something tells me i'll be heading home for a wardrobe change later on...

all this before 8 am

wonder what other craziness is in store today?

i'd better get more coffee.

recipe of the week: copycat scones

my friend natasha and i have been enjoying fall at starbucks

you see, on our road trip to arkansas we discovered that they had these a.m.a.z.i.n.g pumpkin scones

and we loved them

(they compliment pumpkin spice lattes quite well.  just in case you're wondering)

but, as you may have heard, starbucks

is a *little* expensive

so after our 2nd scone of the season

natasha ran across this little recipe

it's a copycat scone recipe

and while our version isn't as PRETTY as the starbucks version

it also cost us about 2 times the price of one of their scones to make 6 large or 24 mini scones

plus our version used all natural and organic ingredients from trader joe's

so it's better :)

so...there you go

i've simplified the recipe a little (we use pumpkin pie spice in place of the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves the original recipe called for) and made it a little easier to understand (we stared at the recipe for several minutes the first time while we tried to figure out how they wanted us to cut the scones.  once we figured it out, we said "ok, we can do better than THAT"

one note: this recipe is actually 3 in one.  i'm listing the scones first, then the glazes.  whatever you do, take the time to make the glazes!  it means that you'll be waiting about 2 hours after they are done to enjoy them but it is SO worth it!

scones

2 cups flour

7 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

6 tablespoons cold butter

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

3 tablespoons half and half

1 egg

preheat oven to 425゜F.  lightly use butter to grease a pan/cookie sheet (we changed that from using oil. we figured it would be better to have buttered scones than oiled.  don't you?)

* combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and spices) in a large bowl.  using a pastry knife, fork, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious.

(that is the hardest part, if you have only a fork.  i'm totally asking for a food processor for christmas.  or buying it myself first.  :)

* in a separate bowl whisk together pumpkin, half and half and egg.

fold wet ingredients into dry.  form the dough into a ball

* pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a rectangle approximately 1 inch thick.  it will turn out to be about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide.  use a large knife or pizza cutter to slice the dough into 3 equal long strips (2 cuts from top to bottom, making each strip about an inch wide).

* for large scones, cut each of your 3 long strips diagonally in the center, making 6 equally sized scones total.

* for small scones, cut 8 triangles out of each strip of dough, making 24 total scones

(i'm not convinced i said that any better than the original recipe...hard to explain!)

* bake for 14 - 16 minutes, or until light brown.  place on wire rack to cool while you make the glazes

powdered sugar glaze

1 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 tablespoon 

2 tablespoon whole milk

* mix the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth

* when scones are cool, use a brush to paint the glaze over the top of each scone

* wait for the first glaze to firm up while making the spiced glaze

 

spiced glaze

1 cup powdered sugar, plus 3 additional tablespoons

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

combine ingredients, and then drizzle over each scone.  you can be all fancy with it, but it'll taste the same either way ;)

allow the icing to dry before serving...this will take about an hour.

(again, may i remind you that it's totally worth the wait)

enjoy!

Thursday's Ten: a more positive spin

as i typed in response to a comment last night, yesterday's post was published to remind myself as much as anyone that while i choose joy most days, some days are meant for sadness...and that's actually a healthy response as long as i don't wallow in it!

but i like joy.

don't we all?

and so today's list is going to be things that make my heart sing.  things that take me out of the sadness momentarily, and lift me to a higher place.  and some of them may be a surprise...others, probably not.

1.  car rides with friends

there's something about a trip, whether 10 minutes or 10 hours, that opens up conversation in a way that sitting over a cup of coffee or meeting at a movie theater won't do.  maybe it's the sunlight tickling the corners of the car and shedding light on life itself.  maybe it's that moment when darkness has descended on the day and you feel safe to talk about what's real.  i find that those conversations often continue out of the car and onto my couch...and it's a blessed time.

2.  knowing i am loved

i have a Godly man who reminds me of that multiple times daily.  i have his family who not only say it...they show it.  i have my family who loves me in the best way they can.  i have church familIES who minister to my spirit and soul.  i have friends who will drop everything just to be with me.  and i have perfect strangers who have prophesied words of love and grace over me.

those are just a few examples...and they are all reflections of the Father's love

3.  a baby

i told a lady in class tonight "you don't have to operate in the prophetic to know that i'm drawn to babies!"  and it's true.  there's something about snuggling a little one close...something about hearing those giggles (or in finn's case, those fake coughs!), something about the innocence and trust.  i love reading a book, snuggling in, and putting a baby to bed.  there's something so tender and wonderful about those moments -- i consider them sacred.  

and as much as i've loved on everyone else's babes, i am so ready for the day when i rock my own little one before bedtime.

4.  emi

the last few months have made her even sweeter.  i feel like she "checks" on me now -- jumping up on the bed or couch with me when i walk in the door, sometimes even jumping into my lap.  she's never been overly affectionate, so i love those moments

5.  hot coffee

it's been so chilly here lately, and coffee just warms my insides and makes me feel...comfortable.  at rest.

6.  hiking

i haven't done it much lately, and i need to.  sometimes a walk in pure creation, conquering a steep ridge, or just crunching leaves underfoot in a forest is exactly the recharge i need.

7.  the prophetic

i don't pretend to understand it all, and i'm certainly no expert...but going to this class has really highlighted my gifts and given me reassurance and affirmation about areas of my life and personality that i had always questioned.  it's been such an encouragement...and honestly last night's class was the very thing that lifted me -- at least for awhile -- out of the funk i had been in

8.  words

reading your blogs -- they make me laugh, cry, think.  

writing in my own -- it gives me a voice, and stretches me to be more authentic and transparent.  

words like "restore" "refresh" "renew"... they give me hope.

9.  ethnic foods

i'm a fan of thai in particular...but going to experience the food of another region of the world is somehow enlightening to me.  i don't know -- there's something about the experience that reminds me to treat each day as a new adventure.  maybe that's a stretch or corny or something...but i somehow relate the two

10.  music

of course.  it's my language.  it's how i felt God speaking long before i ever realized that He actually does speak.  it's how i've learned to speak back to Him...long before i ever knew that He cared about what i had to say.  and so it's special.  it's amazing.  and i never go through a day without it, in some way, shape or form.

will you join me in sharing what brings you joy?  if you post something on your blog, will you let me know so i can read it?  if you don't post it on your blog...will you share it in a comment?  i think sharing these things will make God smile today...and it'll certainly make ME smile!

:-)

 

Thursday's Ten: fall stuff

last week i shared one of my favorite fall things

fall tv

this week...the rest of the good stuff :0)

for the record, i'm not a huge fan of what comes after fall.  but these initial days of breezes blowing through the screen door, tickling the wind chimes, crisp leaves to crunch, warm beverages to delight in...they are what i like.

winter can be skipped.

(although, yes, i'll try to come up with a top 10 list when winter comes too.  most likely #1 will be 'tennessee's is short')

soooo,

my favorite things about fall

1.  bonfires and outdoor activities

2.  starbucks: pumpkin spice latte.  yes please.

3.  actually, pumpkin anything.  and the cinnamon pumpkin fragrance mixes...to.die.for

4.  gorgeous scenery to capture in a picture

5.  pumpkin delights from little debbie.  i haven't seen them yet this year...i hope they're actually back!

6.  being able to walk/run/jog without being completely drenched in sweat from the moment you step outside

7.  football...yes, i'm hooked.  love going to NFL games, love watching it on tv

8.  blankets on the couch and robes at the ready.  and slippers.  ahhh.

9.  fall clothing.  i do love me some comfy clothes

10.  soup season.  oh, how i love comfort food.  oh, how i love an excuse to make soup!



join me, yes?  what are your favorite things about this season?

Thursday's Ten: the random edition

i just realized that i have a LOT of stuff i haven't shared here lately, so (sorry) i'm lumping it into this post :)



1. i get to see bill clinton tonight! he's coming to campaign for the dem nominee for governor of tennessee...and while i'm not really into the whole "rally" idea, i couldn't pass up the opportunity to see a former president for free! i'm actually leaving the house in a couple of hours, having lunch with the boyfriend, and then hanging out downtown for the afternoon. *really* looking forward to it!

2. the whole burning of the Koran thing makes me sad and disgusted. until this morning i had not had even ONE person on my "friends" list on facebook even remotely supporting the idea -- at least publicly. and on my friends list are a LOT of conservatives --both in politics and faith, a bunch that have propagated the idea that our President is of the Islamic faith, and quite a few who are scared of anything but lily-white Christiandom. this morning, that changed. one "friend" i know vaguely from high school said something to the effect of "if he's praying and hears that from God, who are we to say it's wrong?"

on the one hand, i understand the reasoning.
on the other, i think we have to look at the fruit.
the last couple of weeks i've been learning more about the prophetic and how to operate in that gift. and i know this is "out there" for some of you, so bear with me, ok?
the thing about the prophetic is that the message should always be shared in love
if you discern that someone is struggling with depression
you don't want to say "oh, you're depressed and feel hopeless!"
you want to ask what to DO with that knowledge
and speak words of peace, hope and LIFE over them
because God wants to reveal His love to people

i can't help but think that this is similar.
and how on earth is burning someone's Holy Book
showing them God's love and Father Heart?

(i always lose followers when i write stuff like that, so goodbye 3 or so of you. :-)

3. we had an AWESOME time in st louis! i will post pictures here eventually...
although my iphone lost all the ones i took on friday and saturday. i was quite sad about that one...

4. 30 rock is my new favorite thing. in fact, this morning it's trumping all my ideas of getting ready to go see Mr Former President. that should tell you how much i'm loving that show!

5. this weekend is retreat with our youth group kids. since i missed camp this year i'm looking forward to finally meeting our new 7th graders!

6. twitter is becoming more and more addictive. oy.
honestly, i think it's because NONE of my former students or youth group kids are there. or not that i've found. and i'm happy to not have to wonder how people will take what i say there. it's nice :)

7. next weekend i get to take anthony to a place i spent quite a bit of time in as a child. holiday world is not very far from my parents house, and we are (hopefully) meeting one of my best friends from high school (angie) and her husband there for the day.
i'm excited about it...and really hopeful that it's all i remember it to be, lol.

8. and the NEXT weekend i'm going to arkansas (blech) with my friend natasha to see jason mraz! yes, i am fully aware that i live in music city, usa...and that he is here fairly often...but road trips are awesome and especially with good friends.

and for those of you keeping track at home, YES, this means that not one weekend in september am i home. C.R.A.Z.Y. here's to staying home in october! except that i probably won't be staying home the *entire* month...but more on that later

9. hmmm -- this is my favorite day of the year! 9/9 :) my favorite number is 9.
(when i was doing data entry earlier this year i got really excited when someone had entered the country on 9/9/09. i'm a dork...)

10. sometimes iced coffee makes my day. especially when i make it myself so it's way cheap. ahhh...in my new mug from the arch that is the *perfect* shape and size? sometimes it's the simple things...

this blog brought to you by (an) appointment...

i walked in with my bag, starbucks double-insulated cup filled with iced coffee in hand.

spoke to the receptionist, handed over my keys

sat in a comfy chair and gave a cursory glance to the magazines splayed out on the table before simply reaching into the bag and pulling out my laptop

smiling as i noticed the girl sitting opposite me was also typing on a macbook.

her drink of choice is perrier water—with lime

trendy girls, we are

and then i begin to wonder:

am i being trendy for the sake of being trendy?

does that girl LIKE perrier water or is she drinking it because of a fancy name

or fancy bubbles

do i really prefer starbucks coffee?

yes, i brewed my own coffee for the iced coffee in the cup, but no one else knows that…

do we as girls REALLY enjoy wearing high heels?

do people sign up for graduate school because it’s the thing to do,

or do they truly have a passion for what they’re studying?

i suppose it’s different for everyone

i love apple products, so yes i have a macbook

(and an iphone)

and while i enjoy a good coffee anywhere

most of my coffee travel mugs come from starbucks

(i like their style, what can i say?)

and while i much prefer flip-flips

or bare feet

i do like that i feel sexy in a cute pair of heels

so there you go

i'm going to assume that the girl across from me also loves apple

and prefers her water “con gaso”

and now i'll stop thinking so deeply

and just wait for my oil change to be over.

Thursday's Ten: a day off

today's blog comes to you from a little haven

where i'm shaded from the sun

surrounded by a few boxes that i'm either going through or taking back to storage

and where breezes are blowing the windchimes

it's just a carport

but i'm loving it :)

the family i'm nannying for this summer

left for a week

i drove them to the airport yesterday

and now i have a loooooong holiday weekend to look forward to

some of it will be busy

but i hope most of it will be just like today

i find myself more productive on days where i don't feel rushed or stressed

(anyone else like that?)

so here's what i've done so far today, or am planning to do as the day goes on

1. slept in

(ahhhhh)

2. planted and watered in my little garden

(i should have ripe tomatoes soon!)

3. introduced emi to her new surroundings, outdoor edition

(i know we've been here 2 months nearly, but i wanted her to be comfortable INDOORS first, and today is just gorgeous so it was perfect)

4. cleaned out a bit of the carport

5. returned some emails

6. chatted with the neighbors

7. ate some fresh fruit

8. fixed myself another iced coffee

9. cleaned out the cooler from yesterday's chicken adventures

(that's another blog in itself)

10. sat in the carport with my little macbook on my lap and enjoyed relaxing...because i deserve a day to relax!

oh, there's plenty on the agenda today...like laundry, organizing, cleaning, etc. but i figure i have the whole looooong weekend to do these things. so for now, i'm kicking back with my iced coffee. (which may turn into a nice iced bloody mary later on this afternoon--only 3 hours til 5 pm!)

what about you? what are you up to today...or what do you normally do on a day off?

Thursday's Ten: product recommendations

i've been wanting to do this for awhile...why not now?

ten products or items that i would highly recommend for your own use. most of these are VERY cheap :)

(PLEASE play along even if you don't have a full 10 list!)

1. my stacking recycling bins from ikea

2. my can opener. it was a gift from my parents one Christmas, and it's a.m.a.z.i.n.g

(mine is red, but i couldn't find an online image of it. it's the 'one touch' brand and i think you can even buy it at target or walgreens now)

3. my creative memories all purpose scissors. coupon clipping, scrapbooking, photo trimming...fantastic

4. pampered chef kitchen shears (ok, similar to the above, but they are AWESOME on their own and i use them for *everything* around the kitchen)

5. avacado slicer. it makes it so easy to have fresh avacado when i don't have to get so stinkin' messy cutting it up!

(you can buy it wherever you buy kitchen tools)

6. starbucks insulated cup. you knew i'd bring it up again eventually!

7. and on that note, the sigg water bottle. um, i don't know where mine is...someone besides me packed it. must.find.soon!

8. (for pet owners) the mouse laser light. best purchase under $5 i have possibly *ever* made. emi loves it! (i bought mine at target)

9. cfl's (compact fluorescent lamp). not only are they SO much better for the environment, they also last forever and drive down your energy costs!

10. in that whole "green" vibe--reusable grocery bags. trader joe's are quite stylish, and i'm forever taking a reusable bag with me on trips, or to carry stuff back and forth from jobs...so they're quite versatile for me!

i KNOW you have a similar list. please share!

It's a Great Day to Stay Inside

Um, I haven't done these for awhile. First up, a bit of a wordle...


and

i have two.

i'm so glad April is OVER!
(lost the house, car got banged in parking lot, er/hospital visit...yeah, i'm glad the month is gone. may has to be AWESOME after all this.)

and:

reminding the weather: it's APRIL showers!!

yep, it's raining cats, dogs, chickens, etc in nashville today
i've gotten out in it once--to teach a voice lesson this morning. i have another voice lesson to teach late this afternoon. and this in-between rainy, thundery day? i'm parked on my couch with the remote in one hand, computer on lap, and a cup of coffee next to me.
it's a good day for all that.

bummer too, because cheekwood, one of my favorite nashville spots, is free today. however, i hardly think "botanical gardens" and "torrential rain" is really a good mix...so i'll suck it up and pay the admission on a pretty day soon!

emi is sacked out on the bed, i'm feeling rather snoozy myself...considering the earlier events of the week...this may just be the perfect way to spend my day after all.

:)

Monday's Memory: The One With Disney and a University President

(thats me, far left, holding the iced coffee and Disney bag. not much has changed in my love of coffee and shopping!)

In 2002, one of the choirs I was involved in took a bus to Orlando for a long weekend. We performed at several area churches, but we DID spend a day at Disney. We could pick one park, and my friends and I chose MGM Studios. My reasoning was that since I'd never been to Disney I'd rather come back and do it one day with my kids.
(or not. now I kinda just want to go!)

Anyway, my good friend Bethany (far right in the picture) and I caught up with some friends. We were lucky enough to get asked to be in the cast of a show because we got there early (although it made us really wet!) and I survived the Tower of Terror (never.again). I loved the Rock-n-Rollercoaster or whatever it's called because not only did it blast Aerosmith, it also was all in the dark so I couldn't tell when I was upside down!

We were surprised to bump into our university President when we were headed to the meeting spot. Apparently he had also chosen our park, and we asked to get a picture with him. Dr. Millard Reed is such an awesome and incredible man--I'm glad to have this little photo treasure :)

Indy trip: the hometown edition

Our trip home went fairly smoothly. Here are a few highlights!

First stop: the Schnitzelbank where we treated mom and dad to their birthday meals. They both ordered the salad bar (huge sigh) which is typical...but Anthony and I both enjoyed some great German food!

Next was the M's house. I told Anthony on the way up that we should stop there because they have an obscene amount of Christmas lights. He was confused about my use of the word "obscene" until he saw it for himself.

We ended Friday by going home and to bed...pretty much. Lots to do the next day!

Saturday dawned with my parents fixing breakfast for the first time in ever. This slowed us down considerably, but we finally headed out the door to meet my friend Nicole for coffee at P-burg's very first coffeeshop and cafe. It was amazing. No one had coffee. I saw they had sweet tea and immediately jumped on that. You can't get that just anywhere in Indiana!

From there to Dotty's house where they had a huge meal of roast and potatoes and all the sides...even cake and ice cream. We chatted with them awhile and then rolled our full bodies on out the door...

for the P-burg Christmas parade. Anthony experienced his first small town parade. It began with every ambulance and fire truck in the town, sirens blazing (heaven forbid someone have an emergency during the parade!)

contained tractors and golf carts

bagpipes (?!?)

flatbeds and tow trucks
(I lost count)

Anthony's favorite part was seeing all the backed up traffic at the end
We went back to mom and dad's after this and packed up the car...but I had to say goodbye to Squeak first!
On to Indy, which I'll blog about tomorrow!