Squeezing the Day

Redeeming Myself From Yesterday...Must Be Doing Something Right

2012-02-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

I love it when my husband tells me he's read my blog. You know, without me even telling him to. ;) Yesterday's conversation with him began with him telling me that he had indeed read my blog (cue the applause in my head), but then ended with him telling me that he thought it was kind of harsh (and the LP playing said appause makes that screeching/scratching sound when the needle is not so delicately removed and the record stops). Ouch. Huh?

I feel like my mothering style is schizophrenic at best. I teeter back and forth between breaking my arm patting myself on the back for volunteering at school and making homemade Valentines with Jamie to beating myself up for giving her coke with breakfast and having terribly incomplete baby books marking the girls' milestones from birth to age 5. Can you relate? I hear so many times, "Pick your battles with your children," and for the most part, I feel like I do a good job. But then I stumble across a blog about a mother with seven children who homeschools them all, makes homemade bread, and only buys organic produce (if she doesn't grow it herself in her garden that all seven children help her with). I become exhausted just reading about it. Mouth gaping wide open, I turn the computer off and wonder how my lil' chilluns are EVAH gonna make it with a momma like me.

Well, lucky for them they have a dad that goes above and beyond the call of duty. If yesterday's post left you thinking that I'm doing all this parenting stuff by myself, you are sadly mistaken. My husband often jokes that I don't know how good I've got it, to which I reply, "Uh, yeah I DO. I dated the planet before we met. I know what's out there. Why do you think I waited 28 years to get married???" I don't know if this kind of sarcastic comeback is exactly what he had in mind if he was fishing for a compliment, but he knows he's appreciated. I tell him all the time.

And then there's the saving grace that I pray for my kids all the time. I call down all the powers from heaven most every day in carline to help me be able to cope with whatever the red-head has been holding in all day, only to release it on me in the comfort and safety of the minivan. I pray for strength (both physical and emotional) to be able to care for my sweet Anna as she gets older, and heavier, all the while reataining her 18 month old mindset. I pray that despite my faults and shortcomings, that somehow, somehow, I will do something right and instill in them love and compassion for others, self respect, and respect for God. And then like in the movies, the skies part, and my prayers are answered.

Jamie came home from school the other day and began telling me about her day. She said that the substitute teacher they had that day suggested that the children break up into partners to read to each other as the school day came to a close. A little boy in her classroom (whom she has talked about before) began asking different kids if they would like to be his reading partner. (Okay, here's some background info: This little boy would be what an adult would call an "outcast." He's just a bit too quirky for the status quo and unfortunately is excluded by others for being what Jamie describes as "weird." ) Anyway, the little boy asks student after student to read with him and each child he asks says no. Jamie then tells me, "So I just walk up to him and say, 'Charlie,* would you like to read with me?' " I asked what he did then and she says, "He just kinda jumped back a little bit, kinda shocked, and shook his head yes. My friends were all looking at me like I was weird, but I didn't care." I almost cried.

"Of all things you have ever done, Jamie Ruth, I am most proud of this one thing. You may not realize it now, but you have made a difference in this little boy's life. This is what God wants us to do: love each other and take care of each other. Did it make you feel good to be nice to Charlie*?" She nodded. "I bet it made God feel good too. Come here and give me a hug!" And just like that, all that "coke for breakfast" and incomplete baby books didn't even matter anymore. Light had conquered darkness and my ability as a mother was not in question anymore. At least not for the rest of the afternoon. ;)

And then yesterday rolls around and she tells me, "Mom, Erin totally stole my idea." "How so?" I replied. "Well, yesterday, she just went up to Charlie* first thing and asked him if he wanted to read with her." "That's great, honey! Now because what you have done, others want to include him too. Isn't that great?" "Yeah, I guess. But I did it first." LOL! I guess we'll still need to work on humility, but thank GOD, I must be doing something right! Happy Thursday, peeps!

Time for ME

2012-02-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

I hate this idea of motherhood being all about self sacrifice. And could I SOUND any more self-centered??? Well, maybe I am. I sure as heck don't feel self centered most days when I'm playing chauffeur to my precious gals, forking out big bucks for violin lessons, or being so sleep deprived, but still managing to function well enough to make it to the fridge to get a little red-headed baby a drink when she's sick. Or change a diaper. Or guide a sleep walking child back to their bed. Again.

But that's what we DO, right? We are good mommas and we put our little ones' needs and wants ahead of our own. But at what price? Where is that proverbial line in the sand where the sacrificing mom of the year turns into our personal "own worst enemy?" Almost 11 years and counting, and I'm still having trouble figuring this one out.

As a new mother, my "mommy guilt" came on rather quickly. Sure, the newness of having such a sweet bundle of joy to feed in the middle of the night (every two hours, sigh) got me through for a while. And frankly, I got a kick out of being "the one she needed" by breastfeeding. But at 7 weeks old, I dropped that precious bundle off at day care without a tear and drove like a bat out of Hades back to my j-o-b. With mommy guilt. Not because I was leaving her, but because I was happy to do so and get back to something that was just for me. I blamed it on the fact that I had waited so long to have kids and tried to convince myself that in time, my feelings would change. But they never really did.

Chuck, I think, always wanted me to be a stay-at-home mom. We would talk about it right after Anna was born and plan that "when things got a little better financially," I would consider the idea. Emphasis on the word, consider. ;) Life had other plans, though. After only 13 months of motherhood, Anna began having seizures and multiple health problems that required me to quit my job and stay home. I did NOT handle it well.

Years later, another kid in tow, and after many shed tears, I became okay with my lot in life: SAHM, housewife, martyr. Yep. Martyr. "One who makes a great sacrifice for the sake of a principle." Notice how similar the word martyr is to mother. Don't ALL mothers make great sacrifices for the sake of their children? (Well, not all mothers. But that's a post for another day.) Seriously, we sacrifice and go to work so our kids can have a private school education or to afford the extracurriculars. We sacrifice and stay home to keep them from having to be the "latch-key" kids we were when we were growing up. We sacrifice our wardrobes so that they can have one. We sacrifice our gym membership for their intramural soccer season. We sacrifice "must see t.v." and watch recorded "Barney" episodes for the umpteenth time. We sacrifice pedicures for art lessons and date nights with our hubbies for slumber parties. And if you sit there and tell me that all of that is perfectly okay with you and you wouldn't have it any other way... well, I both applaud you and feel sympathy for you all at the same time.

Motherhood is but a season, dear sisters. By all means, cherish it. Embrace it. Give your children your best. Too quickly we will be reminiscing about our little ones in a far better light than things actually were. ;) Unless you are like me and are the mother of a handicapped child who will grow to be a handicapped adult and need your constant mothering at home until, I don't know, forever... your reign as mother hen will come to an end and another role and season of life will emerge. Who are we besides mothers and caregivers?

As I get closer to my 40th birthday, I barely recognize the reflection peering back at me in the looking glass. I understand that youth, like mothering small children, does not last forever. But what I see in the mirror is someone who has been neglected. And not just her physical appearance. Where is the light in the eyes? Where is the "get up and go?" I'm reminded of Rosie the Robot... you know, the maid from "The Jetsons?" (Totally dating myself, here.) A worker, for sure, but lifeless. Robotic. Monotone. Most days I'm simply running on autopilot, getting things done. Sacrificing for the good and welfare of the family. But again, at what cost?

Remember the last time you rode an airplane? What did the flight attendant say? "In the event that the oxygen masks drop, if you are traveling with small children, first place the mask on yourself and then assist your children." Cuz momma ain't gonna be any help to her offspring if she's passed out from lack of O2, mmmkay? And the population at large accepts this as good common sense. So why do we have problems relating this to life? What is the "oxygen" that you are depriving yourself of, all the while fumbling and gasping to get your children's masks on?

While talking to my good friend Jaimee the other day, she reminded me (as she always does) to take time for myself. "Promise me, Linds, that you'll do something just for you once a week, okay?" At first this idea seemed so foreign to me. Something just for me, huh? What? When? So then I decided to reward my 5 lb weight loss with a pedicure. Whilst the callouses were being sloughed off, that dang mommy guilt reared her ugly head. "Really, Lindsey? A pedicure in January? Nobody is gonna even see those toes. Shouldn't you be mopping the floors at home, anyway? And you could've put that $25 to something a little more useful, don'tcha think?!?" Mommy guilt is my nemesis. Hate her.

So then I began a little dialogue with myself as the massage chair worked it's magic on my rhomboids and I politely told mommy guilt to shut-the-heck-up. I'm worth a whole lot more than $25, and I would be seeing my toes, thankyouverymuch, and just so we were clear... that particular shade of turquoise would make me smile every time I looked down and caught a glimpse at how outrageous my little piggies looked. Bam! Take THAT. Putting mommy guilt in her place like a BOSS. LOL!

"Me time" doesn't have to include spending money, either. There have been days reeking of PMS, with all the rights and privileges therein, where I have declared a "do-nothing" day. After dropping the kids off at school, I have been known to pop an Advil or two and crawl back into my memory foam mattress and snooze until 2:oo p.m. Once again, I sacrificed the laundry pile and a spattered cook-top, but we were really no worse for the wear. And no one was killed in a PMS rage, so I consider that day a success. :)

I see more books downloaded to my iPad in my future. A little more window shopping at antique stores, and a little more yoga and fitness... because I did a lot more of those things before I was a wife and mother (except the books were actually paper back then, gasp!) and those things make me happy. And how does that old saying go? "If momma ain't happy, ain't NOBODY happy." No truer words, friends. Put on your oxygen mask first, and then attend to your children. And be sure to wait until the pilot turns the seat belt sign off before walking about the cabin. ;) Enjoy your flight!

Music Therapy Thursday...More Rain!

2012-02-02T06:48:00.000-08:00

Who else besides me is SICK of this rainy weather? It's enough to make one a little stir crazy, no? Well girls, for today's music therapy I chose a song that always makes me happy, no matter how much the weather is affecting my mood. How apropos that it's about rain... :D

The Weather Girls can flat out SING, peeps, as this live performance shows. The male dancers in their sequined tap pants are a little creepy, but it makes me smile all the more. What I love most is watching every.single. age. group in the audience rock out to this "single woman's" anthem... even the dudes. Gotta love the French. They embrace life like no one else!

So enjoy today's music therapy and boogie on down with our French friends across the pond. I'm feeling better already....

Cleaning Green, Compliments of Pinterest!

2012-01-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of me doing three things that I love: using craft supplies, re-purposing something into something else useful, and cleaning "green." I have been using a brand of cleaners from a company called Shaklee for about a year now and I really do love them. But being the economically savvy consumer I am, I just couldn't justify throwing out all the scrubbing bubbles I had left over from a Costco trip, so I have been trying to use it all up. Now that all the scrubbing bubbles are gone, I've been needing something with a little scouring power to clean my shower and tub alongside my Shaklee stuff and found the answer in Pinterest, of course.

Basically, the pin suggested to put baking soda in a parmesan cheese shaker to use as a dispenser for cleaning. When I went to Wal-Mart this morning and found said Parmesan cheese shaker, it was $1.98!!! And only about 2 inches tall... and GLASS. Umm... no. I remembered I had saved some Crystal Light containers to craft with, so I took out my crop-a-dile (mack-daddy hole punch) and used the smaller size hole punch to randomly perforate the lid. One small box of baking soda filled the container 3/4ths of the way full. Now I have a container for each bathroom at just about FIFTY CENTS a piece. Lurve....

And there she sits on the side of the tub waiting patiently for me to quit blogging and get to scrubbing. Ahhh, Pinterest. How do I love thee?! Have you ever made anything from your pin boards on Pinterest? This is just the first of many for me, I'm sure. Happy Monday, y'all! Now, pardon me while I go scrub the tub......

Sighing and Sassiness and "Swats," Oh My!

2012-01-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

I've got a cheeky 7 year old girl that resides in my home and constantly tries my patience. Although she is very naive in comparison to her peers, she already has the mouth and the attitude of a teenager. Oy vey! And I'm painfully aware that it's MY fault.

I would consider myself the "heavy" in my household... you know, the "bad cop" in the "good cop/ bad cop" scenario. Don't get me wrong, though. Chuck means business and does discipline the girls, but I am the parent that Jamie says she's "scared of." Why? Because I'm the one handing out the corporal punishment 99.9% of the time, that's why. Yeah. Fun times.

Don't start reprimanding me for spanking my children, please. "To spank or not to spank" is not up for discussion, thankyouverymuch. ;) I've got no problem with any parent spanking a child's bottom when said child needs to be brought back into the fold of little people who know how to act appropriately. And say what you want about how awful it is that my child is afraid of me. It is my personal opinion that young people in general should be a lot MORE fearful of their parents... but those arguments aren't what's on the table today.What IS on the table is my inability to hand out those "swats" appropriately and effectively. Lemmee explain...

Like any mother who loves her children, I would rather do anything but hurt them. And because I am "the heavy," it gets really old being the enforcer all the time. Unfortunately, this leads to a lot more "talk" and a lot less "action," if ya know what I mean. Well, this momma is tired of talking. Wouldn't it be wonderful if your kids did things the first time without having to be hounded and sans whining? Yeah. I could go for some of that, myself.

My downfall is that I've been trying too hard to keep from spanking. That sounds a little strange, doesn't it? In an effort to keep from paddling my child's rear end, I exhaust myself with words, which leads to yelling (both ways), which inevitably leads to me wearing her little bottom out anyway. I've read every child-rearing book I could get my hands on, and they all say the same thing: do not spank in anger. Epic parenting FAIL. I only spank when I'm angry, how about you? I know I shouldn't, but I do. Why is it that I think that I know more than child psychologists and behaviorists? Why do I think that, somehow, the rules of behavior do not apply to me and my situation? Cuz I'm a stubborn old goat with a tender heart for my beloved, though mouthy, offspring. Sigh.

Well, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel or put my own twist on another's ideas, I've decided to just do what the experts say and do it consistently. After telling my seven year old what is unacceptable behavior (eye rolling, crossed arms, huffing, stomping, slamming doors, a sassy tone, or any other disrespectful gesture), the first offense is not another warning, but one swift swat on the butt. I've told her that I won't be angry when I do it (and I haven't been), but that the kind of behavior that has been shown previously has been unacceptable and will not be tolerated from here on out. How has it worked?

Well, Sunday she got two spanks before we ever even got to church. But the rest of the day she was great. To be honest, she was even more helpful and considerate afterwards than she's been in a long time. Yay! Of course, because it's still a new concept, she gets taken off guard when I pop her rear after she's sassed me... but she's catching on and it's getting better. And that's all I could hope for.

I walked in on her yesterday watching an episode of "Super Nanny" where Jo (the nanny) was explaining to the mother on the show that making your children mind makes you a good mother. Jamie asked me how I learned to be a mother. I told her that it was something that you learned as you go, but I was always trying to do better. She asked me if it was hard and I said that it was, but that it was something I enjoyed. I didn't know what to say, really, because she took me by surprise. But maybe one day, when she has kids of her own and she's dealing out her own "swats," she'll remember our talk and maybe, just maybe, she'll appreciate the discipline she received as a child. I hope so. Until then, I'm going to try to stay consistent and swat when necessary. Oh yeah, and maybe call my mom to apologize for the sassy lass I used to be. ;)

Music Therapy Thursday... Sweet Home Alabama

2012-01-12T02:45:00.000-08:00

This week, the Alabama Crimson Tide brought the National Football Championship title back to the great state of Alabama. Although I live in a house that roots for their state rival (Chuck went to Auburn University), we were all glad to see the Tide bring that crystal trophy back "home" (Auburn was the BCS champion last year). Alabama sure does love it's football. ;) But what I love about Alabama has more to do with the people and the way of life we have here in the "heart of Dixie," and not so much about championship titles and football games. I realize this puts me in the minority against some of my die-hard, football-enthused friends and relatives. Truth be told, I wouldn't even consider myself a "fan" (because I'm not the least bit fan-atical) and that alone makes me un-Alabamian if nothing else does! LOL!

Am I proud that Alabama has positive recognition for stellar sports programs at the collegiate level? You betcha! Am I proud to be associated with a state that prides itself not just on "tradition," but a winning one, to boot? Heck yeah! It gives me hope that people can somehow forget the fact that our state was once better known for setting fires to churches, rioting over bus seats, and the insensitivity, intolerance and the ignorance that was shown by Alabamians to fellow, darker skinned Alabamians. We've come a long way, baby.

Today I hope people see the Auburn students and faculty reaching out and helping the people of Tuscaloosa after last year's devastating tornado in April. I hope people see the faculty and students of Alabama banding together for their "Tide for Toomer's" campaign, showing their support for Auburn and their disdain for the poisoning of the beautiful live oaks by a radical Alabama fan. I guess "haters gonna hate," as the saying goes. But I believe that the majority of us are good people, with kind and caring hearts, no matter what side of the football field we're sitting on.

I love the fact that people drive down the roadways and throw their hands up in the air to wave to complete and total strangers. I love it that the bag-boy at the grocery store calls me "ma'am." I love it that you can find a church or place of worship on almost every street corner because we Alabamians are a God-fearing ("fear," here, means "respecting") bunch of folks. I love the fact that all celebrations and catastrophies of life require a covered dish of something delicious delivered to your home by friends and neighbors. I love the fact that people will pull over on the side of the road, at anytime of the day, and wait for a funeral procession to pass.

I'm proud that Alabama is home to a fantastic space and rocket program just minutes from me in Huntsville. I'm thankful for an exceptional children's hospital that has been indispensable for our family, located in Birmingham. And though the sugar-like sand at the gulf is (to me, anyway) the most beautiful beach you'll ever see, you can't beat the scenic view atop Cheaha Mountain or the rolling hills found all over the state. Trees are so green here and the air is, dare I say it... sweet. :) Perhaps that's how the lyrics of Lynard Skynard's rocking anthem for our state came to be.

Yep, I'm proud to be a southern gal hailing from the great state of Alabama. There were a few years where I tried to shake my hillbilly roots, but you know what they say: You can take the girl outta the country, but you can't take the country outta the girl! This version of "Sweet Home Alabama" is fantastic because it's a great live performance and I just dig those clothes circa 1975. The guitar solo at 4:42 ain't to shabby either. Enjoy today's music therapy. And y'all come back, now, ya' hear?? ;)

My New Breakfast Fave

2012-01-11T07:46:00.000-08:00

Ever get into a rut with what you are eating on a day-to-day basis? I know I do. And trying to adhere to a healthier meal plan can just throw another cog into that wheel. But yesterday, the skies parted and I've been introduced to something that is super yummy so I thought I'd share it with the rest of you.

I subscribe to Peak313 Fitness on Facebook and she was asking everyone yesterday what we were all eating for breakfast and then shared what she was having. I tried her suggestion and I'm hooked! It's super simple and super yummy too: a toasted whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter, banana slices and just a drizzle of honey (I'm loving me some honey these days, BTW)! AND the whole breakfast is only 5 Weight Watchers points and it's really filling.

So stop whatever it is that you're doing and go and make yourself a little piece of heaven on a plate. "You're welcome" in advance. LOL! Thanks, Clare at Peak313 Fitness , for great inspiration as always. If you are looking for some health and fitness motivation with a Christian influence, check her out!

Weighing In On My Resolutions...Pun Intented

2012-01-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

Happy January 10th, folks! We've all had just over a week to get ourselves adjusted to any New Year's resolutions we might have made... so how's it going? I'm delighted to report that from my side of the blogosphere, things are going well!

My main New Year's goal (as 40 creeps closer and closer) is to get healthy and active. I was tired of being tired. ;) Been there? Yeah, me too. And for too long. Getting a little more specific, I have set my mind to weigh what I did when I got married. Granted that was 12 years and two kids ago, but it was also a time where I was taking pretty good care of myself. Still, that requires a weight loss of 35 pounds. Yep. Christmas (and Thanksgiving) was a two-month celebration for my taste buds. And my waist-line is the proof. :/

Unlike Januaries past, this year I've committed to doing Weight Watchers instead of my "go-to" South Beach diet. I'm trying to eat moderately and really make lifestyle changes and not get caught up in a "diet," so to speak. I'm also learning that I'm going to eat a cupcake now and then, and darn it, I am NOT going to grieve myself silly over it. I'm just going to eat healthy the majority of the time. It's about balance, you know?

And as for the active part, I'm trying to walk at least a 20 minute mile most days. Did you see what I did there? Most days. No real set schedule, just trying to do it every day that I can. I still have dreams of running a 5K this year, but I'm taking things moderately, something I've never tried before. And days like this Thursday when I'm going to be in Birmingham all day with doctors' appointments, I'm not going to fret over missing a day or trying to work harder or longer the next day to try and make up for it. All this might sound like a "no-brainer" for a lot of you, but this is brand new territory for me. My "all or nothing" mentality hasn't gotten me anywhere but stressed and NOT where I want to be physically, mentally, or emotionally. So 2012 is going to run differently. So let's see how it all shook down, shall we?

Starting weight (Jan 2): 172 lbs. Gulp.
Monday (Jan 9): 167lbs. That's 5 pounds, baby! Woot!

And the best part is? I had a burger and fries for lunch one day and peach cobbler on another day. I just reigned the eating in around my "splurges," and walked as many days as I could (which I think was 3, but I'd have to check to make sure). How awesome! Now, it was a little bit of a challenge to take the time to write down EVERYTHING that I ate all day, but it really does give you a wake-up call to what you are putting in your mouth and how often. For me, I'm allotted 26 points a day and 39 "overage" points a week for days I might go over or for special treats. I'm doing WW online, so I don't have to go to any meetings or anything. But the online tools have been fantastic to track how much water I'm drinking (which wasn't enough previously) to reminding me to take my vitamins (and, ahem, other medication that keeps momma outta the crazy house, if ya know what I mean ;)!! ). All in all, I'm pretty pleased and ready to celebrate my 5 lb loss.

Which leads me to this: I've been trying to come up with non-food related rewards for every five pounds of weight loss. My first reward is a pedicure, but I'm having trouble coming up with the other 6. These are things that I'd like to do that I normally wouldn't do for myself so that it will be extra special and exciting to reach each goal. If you have any ideas, feel free to leave me a comment. I'll post my reward schedule when I'm done with it. I hope today finds all of you on your way to meeting your own goals!

My Back Says, "Thank You!"

2012-01-09T05:10:00.000-08:00

This is a picture of the door that leads into our house from the garage. Do NOT judge me for all the junk on the shelf. Save that until you've seen the other side of the garage that could technically qualify us for an episode of hoarders. ;) Just keepin' it real, folks. Anyways... this is not a post about organization (gasp! Although de-junkifying the garage DID make the list for the near future! LOL!), it's actually about how awesome my brother and my Pops are for building a wheelchair ramp for us in like three.whole.hours. I know. They are supah-stars!!!

Here they are in the demolition stage. They look handy enough, right? You have no idea. I stayed out there with them the whole time because I was just amazed at how they decided what to do and then executed the plan effortlessly, working together like a well oiled machine. I asked my brother how he knew what to do without a drawing or anything, and he just pointed to his temple and said, "I've got it all right here." Gotta love that.

Here they are a little further along in the process. I'm glad they weren't opposed to me taking pictures like a maniac. :D They were so in the "zone" with their building that they hardly noticed me at all.

And here she is all finished! They added a runner to the ramp for a little extra traction and to help keep from tracking dirt in the house. How thoughtful!

You can see that the rug is doing a bang-up job catching the sawdust after we tested the ramp out to make sure it would hold us all! Poppy even mounted my broom rack to the front of it to keep my cleaning stuff handy but out of the way of wheelchair traffic. He's good like that!

My favorite part is the personal "stamp" my brother put on it after they were done. Since Chuck is an Auburn grad who married into a family of die-hard Alabama fans, Bill couldn't resist throwing a little jab his way.

Bill also said that if he comes back and it's painted orange and blue, he's tearing it down. LOL! Chuck and I are so thrilled with it, we wouldn't care if it was all decked out in houndstooth with crimson pom-poms. But don't give my brother any ideas, okay?!?! Thanks so much, Bill and Poppy for all your hard work! We love it AND you!!!

Anyone Else Getting Organized?

2012-01-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

This is the side of our pantry when you walk through our kitchen door. Below are our recycling bins that barely made it into the picture. :) This little wall is like the "command center" of our house where the big calendar usually stays (notice the 3M hook in the middle. I had already started to take stuff down when I thought about blogging about this organization project! LOL!). The lunch menu from school also hangs out here along with random reminders and miscellaneous artwork that all get hung up with blue painters tape to keep from marring my solid wood cabinets and the drywall. But it's a mess, no? Definitely not the prettiest thing in the world, so I headed to Staples to pick up a few things to make this area really work for our family...

Ta-dah!!! I purchased these three boards for about $20 dollars each and I think they do the trick, don't you? The top one is a cork board, the middle one is a dry-erase/ magnetic calendar and the bottom one is just a blank dry-erase/ magnetic board. I picked up a magnetic cup holder at Wal-Mart in the school supplies section to hold all the markers and it's found a home in the top right hand corner of the bottom board.

Here's a closer look at these beauties. I spent a little more on these that had the black wooden frame around them because I thought they coordinated well with the other black accessories in my kitchen. Did you notice the calendar, though? I actually started my New Year's organizing back in December! Trust me, there's LOTS of organizing left to do around here! Do any of you have a "command center" from which your family operates? Is it working for you? Perhaps you could implement something like this in your kitchen or office and organize all that paper clutter. Another solution would be to paint the side of a cabinet or wall with magnetic paint and/or chalkboard paint (which I almost did here). How about putting a large sheet of flashing from Lowe's on the wall to hang your calendar or notes from? The ideas are endless, really. I hope this has given you a few ideas to get you started. Have a great weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday!

Music Therapy Thursday... Strong Enough

2012-01-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

Today's choice for a little music therapy was a no-brainer after my last post on New Year's resolutions. It was solidified when I learned that my good friend Mary Snyder will be having surgery on Monday to remove her bladder. She has bladder cancer.

I talked with her yesterday and, of course, she's frightened about what lies ahead. It breaks my heart because I know few people as wonderful as Mary and cannot think of anyone who deserves this less than she does. However, trouble comes to all of us in this life. Lance Armstrong put it best, though, when he said "In life and in medicine we have two choices: give up or fight like hell." Mary is a fighter and I know she isn't going to give up, but over the last year I have felt like Mary and probably many of you who are going through your own battles. I've wanted so many times to throw my hands up and say "I can't DO this anymore! I'm just not strong enough to take this!"

But here's the beauty and the dichotomy of it all: we don't have to be strong enough. As this songs states, it's in the times that we are flat on our face with no where else to go but up that we reach out and take the hand of the One that IS strong enough. Are you tired, struggling, suffocating, stagnating, and have done all you can do for yourself? There is freedom in letting go and letting the master and creator of the universe do what he does best: restore, redeem, and make new his creation. He's on our side. Better than that, he'll carry you to the finish line!

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." We all need this reminder from time to time and Matthew West does an excellent job with this song. Even if Contemporary Christian music isn't your "thing," I hope you give it a listen. Blessings to you this Thursday! Now rock on!!!

Let's DO This Thing!!!

2012-01-03T08:52:00.000-08:00

I love a fresh start. A clean slate. A new beginning. Nothing brings more hope than the idea of starting things off "brand new." That's what I love about a new year. 365 days to do more/better/differently than the 365 days previously. What can I say? I've always been an overachiever. ;)

I've heard many of you are not making resolutions for fear of not completing your goal. For some it's weight loss (me), for others it's debt management (umm... also me), and for others it's organization (yep. Ahem. ME!)that eludes us year after year no matter how sincere we are about our endeavors to change on January the 1st. Hey, I'm with you! If I had a nickel for every resolution I've kept over the years, I'd be writing this blog post from somewhere tropical, with a slushy drink in hand, topped with an umbrella. While getting a massage. Waiting on my next massage. ;) But trust me, this does not mean I'm not going to hike up my knickers (once again) and jump off into the deep end of the resolution swimming pool. I'm going for it. I'm ALL in!

Yes, I'm stealing the phrase coined by the Auburn tigers during their championship season in 2010. Sure it's corny, and I'm not even a "real" football fan according to the rest of my fellow Alabamians, but I think it sums up what I've made up my mind to do this year. For my health and fitness goals this year: I'm all in! For our family's financial future: I'm all in! For my house and tackling the clutter therein: I'm all in! For my family and our time together: I'm all in! For my relationship with God and my spiritual journey: I'm all in!

Why such a drastic stance? Because in looking back at these fundamental areas of my life, I can see where I've given things "the good 'ol college try" but have not given them my all. I'm not beating myself up too badly because over time there have been EXCELLENT excuses that have kept me from doing so. Valid excuses, but excuses all the same. And because I have realized I cannot do everything or be everything for everybody, I'm letting a lot of things go so I can concentrate on these five main areas. Yes, I've made some specific goals and specific lists that I'll share later, but for now I'm just thrilled to be starting fresh. I feel like I've hypothetically swept my arm across my desk, clearing off all the junk, and am slowly putting only the things that belong back on there. How's that for a visual? LOL! I'm such a weirdo... No amount of resolve is going to change that, I'm afraid!

How about the rest of you? Any goals or resolutions to speak of so far this year? I promise to encourage you, if you promise to encourage me, mmmkay? C'mon! Let's DO this thing! My step-dad always said, "Can't never could and won't never will!" So here's to a Happy New Year and to new beginnings!

Christmas Shopping Via the Internet

2011-12-07T06:37:00.000-08:00

I began my Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving. NO, I was not one of those people up at the crack of dawn, standing in a line, elbowing my way to the deal of the century. I guess it was about 3:00 p.m. when Chuck and I mosey-ed on down to K-Mart to start making a dent in our Christmas list. Surprisingly, we STILL managed to get several things at TERRIFIC prices. Plus, the crowd was manageable and the check-out lines were moving like well-oiled machines. But the "holy Grail" of Christmas shopping came later that weekend when momma racked up doing some online shopping. My life will never be the same. :)

Where do you go when your nephew asks for an obscure DVD for his gift this year? Well, AMAZON, of course! Where do you turn when your dad wants some jeans, but wears an unusual size not found in stores? Yep. Amazon to the rescue again. Throw in free shipping and zero tax and momma starts doing her happy dance. Remind me to show it to you sometime. It's awesome.

Next, I head on over to www.verabradley.com where my mom had seen a purse on clearance that she wanted. To my surprise, they were having a 50% off sale on three of their most popular styles in retiring patterns. Well, for less than the cost of a purse on clearance, I got dear old mum a bag I would have never been able to buy for her otherwise. And there's always her birthday for that purse she had her eye on. I have never heard of Vera Bradley selling anything at 50% off. I had to pay shipping, but completely, totally worth it. YAY!!!

Santa has also been doing some online shopping, himself, for the little red-head. Jamie had been wanting a Miss Piggy doll like I had when I was a girl, and I haven't been able to find one anywhere locally. Ditto for the new Monster High dolls. Once again, Amazon hooked us up with Miss Piggy and we found two of the new Monster High dolls together on eBay for a steal (cuz Target was all sold out)! Combine all that with the fact that I did not waste any gas searching all over for all of the above items, I did not have to deal with traffic, crowded parking, harried shoppers, distressed sales clerks, or long check-out lines, and I would say woo-to-the-hoopty-hoo!!! It's no wonder I am in more of the "Christmas spirit" than I have been in years. Just a few more items to check off my list and I'm done! And I've given myself a deadline of this Saturday to have it all completed so I can relax and enjoy the rest of the season in peace...

Did any of you do any online shopping this year? It's SO the way to go, don'tcha think? Are y'all finished up with shopping or have you even started? As I was reminded this morning by the red-head... "Only 17 more days 'til Christmas Eve!!!"

Music Therapy Thursday...Top 4 Christmas Songs (No. 4)

2011-12-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas," isn't it? We have finally finished all the decorating (inside and out!). Whew! It's so wonderful to sit back and look at the tree in the evening or drive by houses all lit up for the season. Those sights make me happy. That's the reason I chose to share this song today for a little music therapy.

When I started this party on Thursdays over a year ago, I had no idea how much positive feedback I'd get from it. Some of my blogger friends are even jumping on the bandwagon and sharing a little music therapy of their own. That also makes me happy! Music is such a wonderful way to bring people together, no? So anyway, while talking to my friend Hollie, she mentioned that she was going to be sharing a Christmas edition of MTT and I thought I'd take her great idea one step farther and count down the next four Thursdays sharing my favorite Christmas songs with you. What are some of your favorite Christmas songs? Leave a comment if you'd like. I'd like to see if there are any obscure ones I could add to my list! Well, without further ado, let the awesome Christmas music begin!!!

Cards or No Cards?

2011-11-30T08:25:00.000-08:00

I got my first Christmas card of the season yesterday and it was BEAUTIFUL!!! A sweet family I know that moved recently sent a precious 5x7 flat card/picture of their adorable children and I immediately showed Chuck and the girls and hung it on our refrigerator. I want to message her on Facebook and tell her how much I appreciate her sending it and how much I think her kids have grown. I will also (somewhat) apologize for NOT sending out Christmas cards this year. Again.

Yep. You read that right. I may be the only person on the planet that is NOT sending out Christmas cards. In fact, I can't remember the last time we sent any out... but it's been several years. Are you surprised? Shocked? Disgusted? Don't be. I've pretty much given up the Christmas card guilt and have become okay with my decision. For the most part.

I enjoy getting Christmas cards and I keep the photos that come with/on the ones that people have taken the forethought to do in advance. Like I mentioned earlier, I like to see how people's children have grown from one year to the next and I bet I even have some relatives who don't live close by that wish I would do something like that with my crew. In a small way, I do too, but written correspondence has not always been my strong suit. In fact, I'm STILL working on thank-you cards from when Anna was in the hospital back in September. I'm SO not the typical southern lady, am I? So Christmas cards... eh. I just quit bothering a few years ago when life (along with the holiday season) got a little too hectic for us.

At first I decided that I would only send out cards to the people who were so kind to send us a card. Boy did THAT cut the list down in a hurry! And then after a year or two of that, I just got busy and forgot to get them out on time. In fact, the unopened, very full box of cards is still tucked away waiting for their chance to grace another home's mantel or doorway (and eventually their garbage can or recycling bin). Sigh. It just seems like a lot of waste to me.

This is the part where my sister will start calling me a hippie, or a snuggler of the trees, but think about it... Even if ALL the cards got recycled, it still seems a little excessive to me. With all the social media that we have today, I can keep in contact with anyone I want to and post pictures of my kids to my wall. I can wish everyone a Merry Christmas without waiting in line, buying said cards, purchasing stamps, hand addressing every.single.one. and then tieing up the wonderful USPS who are busy enough making sure Aunt Edna's fleece-lined booties make it to her house before December 25th. See. I don't send Christmas cards because I care. ((Snort.))

I understand that for many of you, it's a tradition, and trust me, I am in NO WAY trying to lure you to the dark side. I still have many Christmas cards signed by family members who are no longer with us and I wouldn't trade them for anything. I'm simply explaining to you why your mailbox will be missing a Christmas card from our family. We all have to do what works for us. And for me, it no Christmas cards. Is there any part of Christmas that you dread because it's "what you've always done in the past" or because it's what you think you are "expected" to do? Grinches UNITE!!! Let us all cut back where we can and make the holiday season a little less chaotic for ourselves and those around us. Who wouldn't like a less stressful Christmas? Sign me up!

Preparing For the Rest of the Holidays: Deadlines or Dreadlines?

2011-11-23T10:34:00.000-08:00

It's upon us, folks. The wonderful holiday season is officially in full swing with Thanksgiving being tomorrow and then it's full speed ahead until Christmas. Whew! Where did the time go? I know I keep asking that, but seriously. This year has FLOWN by. Are you ready for what lies ahead? It seems I get to this point every year and wish like the dickens that I had started earlier. With everything. I'm a planner by nature, so why in the world does this time of the year send me reeling? I have a couple ideas: expectations and procrastination.

I've worked myself into a tizzy this week preparing for overnight guests and family at our house this Thanksgiving. Wait! That's not procrastination, you say! You're right. But it IS expectation. I have a sickness and it's called I-want-my-house-to-look-like-a-magazine. Unrealistic, I know. But it doesn't stop me from trying to live the dream. I like things organized and put together in an esthetically pleasing manner. Unfortunately, I take things to the extreme and don't know when to say "enough." This would give you the impression that all I do is constantly organize and that my house must look amazing. Ha! I wish. And that's where the procrastination comes in.

Nothing like "company coming" to try and tackle all the projects I've been putting OFF. Painting, rearranging, tossing... Mental note: Make a list of tasks to be done and then make a deadline to finish them THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. Not just before your company is to arrive. Before the holidays. That would seem simple enough,, right? Yeah. One would think. The planning part I've had down pat. The deadline, not so much.

For instance, wouldn't it be wonderful to have all of your Christmas shopping done by Thanksgiving so you could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the season? I've said in the past, " start Christmas shopping in January," but I've never given myself a deadline to have it completed. I've said, "put Christmas tree up November 1st," but have never had a deadline to have the decorating COMPLETED. Therefore, I'm always running around finishing up the final touches way after the fact, driving myself and all around me insane. FYI: my tree is still not up yet. Cuz I've been painting bedrooms, and rearranging furniture and making coffee tables out of discarded items. Madness. But back to deadlines... Doesn't that make so much sense? And perhaps that's what the rest of the world does. But for me, this is a revelation.

Many of you would argue that setting a deadline for the things that are supposed to be pleasant and fun would put a spin on the holiday season that you just don't want: one of just another task to be completed or a chore. And you may just have a pretty valid point. But momma works best under pressure and on a time schedule over here. Essentially, it's just a more organized way of waiting to the last minute, nailing all of my strengths and weaknesses in one fell swoop. Genius. I can't lose!

So while I'm not finished with my Christmas shopping (heck, I haven't even STARTED yet. Gulp.), I am still going to set myself up a little Christmas schedule, complete with deadlines, to help ease the chaos that inevitably ensues with each Christmas season. What about you guys? Do you have a plan or do you wing it? Check back later for how it all goes down. I'm getting excited! Happy Turkey Day, you all!

Dare2Share

2011-11-18T06:46:00.000-08:00

How did it get to be Friday already??? This week has totally gotten away from me. I've been pretty busy, volunteering at the school and trying to get this house in order for Thanksgiving next week. WHAT??? I know. My house STILL looks like a tornado went thru. Why does things have to look worse before it gets to looking better?

Anyway, I saw this on another blog a while back and thought it was pretty awesome. Until I can get my crap together and show you what I've been working on in the house (painting Jamie's room, upcycling a coffee table and re-doing the mudroom) I'll just leave you with this gentleman. His message is a little more important than mine and heck of a lot more entertaining. I dare you share it. I did.

How to Get Permanent Marker Off Hardwood Floors

2011-11-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

Yep. That's some good old-fashioned Colgate paste. Who knew?! Well, Google did. Naturally. :)

Excuse the craptastic photo. It was taken on Chuck's phone and I tried to enlarge it. Photographer extraordinaire, I am not. The pics below I took with my camera to document what happens when you leave a seven year old and her friend alone with some hi-jacked Sharpies from my office. No, they didn't exactly draw on the floor. Black permanent marker just happened to seep through the paper they were drawing their masterpieces on. Sharpies are cool like that.

To say I freaked is putting it mildly. Thank God Google came to my rescue. What on earth did we do before the Internet? I shudder to think...

Ahhh, more Sharpie loveliness. But, with a smidge of toothpaste (it HAS to be paste... no gel. Luckily we had some.) and a washcloth.... viola! Instant restoration with no damage to the finish.
Gotta love that. Just rub the toothpaste in with your finger and wipe the residue away. It doesn't get any easier than that.

And there's your "after" shot. I could hardly believe it, myself. Thank you, God and Colgate toothpaste!!! FYI...Chuck also said it will work wonders to get the stinky smell off your hands (like chicken smell if you work at a processing plant or garlic if you happen to use it on the chicken that comes from the processing plant). I sure love a good household tip, don't you? Hopefully you won't need this particular tip any time soon. Public service announcememt: Kids, Sharpies are NOT your friends. Oh yeah, and stay in school. ;) I'm gonna go stare at my ink free floors now. Catch y'all next week!

Music Therapy Thursday... Mercy Me - "Move"

2011-11-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

There's been a lot of sadness in the news lately with all the Penn St stuff (which is unfathomable, btw) and the passing of rapper/entertainer Heavy D. I also read where Wyatt Knight who played Tommy Turner in "Porky's" committed suicide this week in Hawaii after dealing with the physical and emotion pain of treating his stage 4 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. ((sigh)) Throw in some more flailing economy and whatever personal issues you might be dealing with and you've got yourself a recipe for some delicious depression.

Sometimes life can blindside us with something tragic right out of the blue. And then sometimes, it's just "the straw that broke the camel's back" that can send us reeling into the throws of sadness and despair. I have come to realize that it is not our circumstances that define us, but rather the way we react to those circumstances that determine our state of mind. Sure, go ahead and cry your eyeballs out. Shedding tears is very therapeutic... and it's not healthy to keep feelings and emotions bottled up inside you. But the moment after you're all cried out, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and put one foot in front of the other.

Life is hard and we ALL are dealing with something monumental. Myself... well, I'm choosing to move. I don't want to stay in that pit. And one thing's for certain, nothing ever stays the same (which is good news for those of us who are dealing with heartache right now). So if yesterday was unbearable: good news! Today is a new day! In a day or two, after putting one foot in front of the other, one step at a time, you'll be amazed at how far you've come. Remember, a journey begins with one.single.step. I'm not asking you to jump up and run to Happy Town in 27 and a half minutes. Just take one step in the opposite direction than where you were yesterday.

I've chosen this song for my music therapy today because it inevitably gives me the kick in the pants I need to keep going no matter what life tends to throw at me. I pray blessings for you today and much, much happiness in spite of ALL that's going on in the world around us. Now, let's MOVE!!!

What's Cookin'? Granny's Butternut Cake!

2011-11-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

Ain't she purdy? Well, let's just cut to the chase, shall we? Yes, I, Lindsey Pearson, ACTUALLY made said cake. Shocking, I know. Yes, it was a labor of love. Pains and all. ;) And YES, it was edible. What am I saying, they LOVED IT!!! Success is so sweet. Kinda like this hunk of butternut deliciousness pictured above.

Like I said in my last post, I want to start cooking my way through a cookbook (ya know, all "Julie and Julia" like) so I decided that Chuck's birthday, yesterday, would be a good jumping off point. His grandmother (God rest her soul) used to make this for him EVERY birthday. It's his favorite. I prefaced the ordeal by saying that I was in NO WAY trying to replicate what Granny did so effortlessly... the woman worked magic in the kitchen. I was just trying to do something nice for his birthday and with any luck, not send anyone to the hospital with food poisoning. Kidding. ;)

There are no pictures of the process and that's probably a good thing because I made a MESS of the kitchen. I'll have to work on documenting this cooking thing. *Babysteps. :) But the end result turned out much better than I imagined, so I'll consider this one a win! He was SO surprised and raved and raved about how good it was. So without further ado, let's get to the recipe in case you want to try this one for yourself:

For the cake:
1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1 TBS Butternut Flavoring
(I went to three stores looking for butternut flavoring. Apparently it's not as common as it used to be. Actually, the one I found was a vanilla and butternut combo, but it worked fine. For those that are local, I found it at Foodland.)
Mix cake according to directions on box, adding the 1 TBS Butternut Flavoring. Bake in three layers.

For the filling and frosting:
1 8oz package of cream cheese (softened)
1 stick butter (softened)
1 box confectioners sugar
1 TBS Butternut Flavoring
1 cup toasted, chopped pecans
(Last Thursday I went to visit my folks and got a sack full of pecans from their two big trees in the front yard. This little cooking adventure, if nothing else, taught me that I am NOT the best sheller of pecans. It is apparently a learned skill that takes time and patience (both of which I'm a little short on lately). Those little bags of nuts in the grocery store that are all pretty and perfect and WAY overpriced? Yeah. Worth every penny. Anyhoo, I DID roast them in the oven for a bit and it made a world of difference, so don't skimp on that step.)
Cream together cream cheese, butter and sugar until well blended. Add flavoring and nuts. Spread between layers, on the sides, and on top of cake. Then you're done! Yay!

In case you're wondering, Jamie put the candles on the cake. She made sure Chuck knew that the number of the candles was not really the age he was, but that we didn't have enough candles for all that. LOL! The red-head strikes again! She also "made" him a present by painting a hand in fingernail polish on one of our guest soaps and wrapped it in ribbon. Others might shake their heads and wonder "WTH?" I beam with pride cuz momma has a resourceful DIY'er on her hands! Anyway...let me know if you make Granny's delicious cake. Or the fingernail polish hand soap. ;) As long as it's made with love, I don't think we can go wrong!

Cracking Open the Cookbooks... Go Ahead and Pick Yourself Up Off the Floor

2011-11-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not a cook. I CAN cook, I just do not enjoy it the way a lot of women do. My husband LOVES to cook, however, so he has become the designated chef for our family. Truth be told, that's MORE than okay with me, but I wonder sometimes how this reversal of roles in our kitchen will affect my litlle redhead as she embarks on her own journey to become a domestic goddess. Somewhere inside me I feel like she should see her mom cooking (as old fashioned as that sounds and even though she could learn SO much more from her dad). So today I had an idea that would put me back in the kitchen more, improve my culinary skills, and could perhaps be fun to boot. Lemme explain...

I've been rearranging things in the house lately and have finally put every book I own in one bookcase in the office. This includes cookbooks as well. Sure, it would make more sense for cookbooks to be in the kitchen, but I've got limited real estate in there as it is. And besides, for a gal that doesn't cook much, I've got A LOT of cookbooks. Many have been handed down from Chuck's grandmother and my mom, but Chuck and I have accumulated a fair share of our own. It hit me today that I should put those suckers to use or just get rid of them. So I've chosen the former.

In the style of the movie "Julie and Julia" I thought it might be neat if I took a cookbook and "cooked" my way through it (or at the least, try and make one recipe a week from the different cookbooks that take up a whole shelf and a half of my gi-normous bookcase). I would feature the recipe on here and tell you where it came from and also tell whether it was a hit with the fam or an epic fail. I think I'll call this series "What's Cookin'?" (or more appropriately "What's That Bubbling Over On the Stove, Momma?" LOL!). Seriously, though. I think this could be fun. Look for a "What's Cookin'?" post later in the week!

"Watch"-ing the Redhead Learn Time Management

2011-11-04T05:47:00.000-07:00

My husband works with a man that frequents auctions and on more than one occasion, we have been the recipients of some of the treasure that he has bought "sight unseen." Last night Chuck brought in a "Little Miss Chatterbox" watch from Avon (new in the box) that Mr. Arab had sent for Jamie. She loved it so much that she had to sleep with it on. Adorable, right? But momma has reasons for loving this watch too.

This morning while barking out how much (or little) time is left before she has to walk out the door to get to school, I stop myself and begin to shift gears. Taking Jamie aside and showing her on her watch that when the "big" hand gets to the three, Nana Mary will be here to pick her up and she MUST BE READY. I've done this before with the clock on the wall, but something about having her own beautiful pink time piece to keep her on track made all the difference. Insert "Halleleujah Chorus" here! Without missing a beat she said, "And now I'll be able to know when it's time for lunch, too!" Priorities. I've taught her so well! With me and "Little Miss Chatterbox" in her corner, she just might be able to conquer the world! Thanks, Arab. I think our mornings may be taking a turn for the better. Fingers crossed!

Music Therapy Thursday.... I Wanna Put On My My My My My Boogie Shoes!

2011-11-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have been singing this song since early Sunday morning and I knew then I had to share it for some music therapy today. There are more "cleaned up" versions on You Tube, funkier versions, more versions in stereo and HD, but this one came from "American Bandstand" (didn't we all look forward to that show on Saturdays?) and this version sounds like it's coming right out of our 1975 television set. I'm a traditionalist, what can I say...

I had an epiphany that if I just put some of my favorite dance songs (like this one) on my mp3 player, and danced around like a maniac (like I do when I hear this song... I can't help myself) maybe I wouldn't have to spend so much time on the treadmill. After all, boogieing AT LEAST 3 nights a week in college was my fitness regime back in the day. ;) Couldn't hurt to give it a re-try, right? Put a Swiffer Sweeper in my hands and I could have a clean house AND a cardio workout. I think I might just be on to something.... I'm going to put on my-my-my-my-my boogie shoes and give it a try! Enjoy a little KC and his Sunshine Band today and Happy Thursday, y'all!

Good Deal!

2011-10-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

I'm always inclined to share the love when I try something and it rocks my face off. This would be one of those times.

For most of the year, I get my morning caffeine fix from a can of Diet Coke. But something about cooler temps gets me craving a good cuppa joe, even in the evenings. To keep myself from being wired til all hours of the night, I try to keep decaf on hand. But what happens when I look in the cabinets to find we are OUT of coffee? Well, momma sets off to get her some.

There are two Wal-Marts within 15 minutes each way of my house that I try to avoid at all cost, especially if I only need an item or two. For those quick trips I tend to mosey on down to my local Walgreens that is (almost) walking distance from my abode. Not wanting to spend a lot of dough on some java(cuz it was not on sale) I opted to purchase the Walgreens brand (Cafe W) of decaffeinated coffe in original roast this time around. Momma was NOT disappointed.

This coffee is delicious. Better than the Dunkin' Donuts brand I bought last time, fo sho. I've served it to guests and THEY have asked what kind of cofee it is. They can hardly believe it when I tell them it's the Walgreens brand! I'll be trying the fully leaded kind next and scouring the circular just waiting for it to go on sale! Are there any off-brands that you like better than the name brands? Looks like an "off-brands" post may be in my future. Stay tuned!

Music Therapy Thursday... Anna's Song

2011-10-20T06:19:00.000-07:00

Today at 10:00 a.m. I will be meeting with Anna's teachers to establish a new IEP that will enable her to return to school for half days following the brain surgery she had on September 27, 2011. She is surpassing all expectations with her recovery, and we couldn't be happier.

Last night, for example, we got her to "blow kisses" to us for the first time ever. Words don't do justice to just how huge this is! Since surgery, she has been much more alert and focused and (obviously) able to follow directions better than ever. She acts like she feels so good and of course, that makes the rest of us feel good! Time will tell about how the surgery will affect her seizure disorder, but if the past few weeks are any indication of what we can expect, we are over the moon!

I have always loved Natalie Merchant and this song, but when I stumbled upon it again while Anna was in ICU, I knew WHY I have always loved it. Little did I know all those years ago as I sang along to it in the car, the REASON behind the song and how much I would relate to it with my very own little "wonder." I sat in the waiting room that night, tears streaming, feeling like Natalie Merchant had written this song just for me. I dedicate it to my precious wonder, Anna, and know that without a doubt "with love, with patience and with faith, she'll make her way."

"Superwoman" is an Oxymoron

2011-10-17T19:00:00.000-07:00

I got a letter in the mail the other day from my GP informing all her patients that she will be closing her practice at the end of November. My first reaction was a gasp due to shock, followed by sadness then frustration. I LOVE my doctor. She takes extremely good care of me. Getting re-acquainted with another physician and spoon feeding them my complete and somewhat complex medical history AGAIN is not at the top of my list of things I dearly enjoy or have time to do. Hmmph. But then it hit me.

This doctor is a mom to three children. Two are twins. Last year she lost her dad. She is married. And she ROCKS as an M.D. One thing that's NOT on her resume is Superwoman. Pardon me for not cutting her a little more slack. In her letter she states that she has chosen to spend more time with her family and I say good for her! As modern women, we are taught that we can have it all. I'm inclined to believe that is a bald-faced lie. I jokingly refer to myself as "every woman" and belt out Chaka Khan's iconic chorus with the rest of my Generation X sistas, but deep down inside, I don't believe wearing a plethora of hats is something we can do for an extended period of time without someONE or someTHING getting the short end of the stick.

I'm NOT saying all women should stay home and not work. I'm NOT saying you can't balance children and a career. What I AM saying is that it is my opinion that smart people know their limitations and realize that you can't be everything for everybody. How many men do we see driving their kids to school, putting in their eight hours at the office, taking the kids to Scouts, throwing in a load of laundry when they walk in the door, fixing some grub for the family, checking in on their aging parents, helping the kids with homework, overseeing bath time, balancing the checkbook, paying all the bills, keeping up with their personal grooming head to toe, and still finding time to connect with their spouse before collapsing from exhaustion just to get up and do it all over again the next day? Exactly. You're picking up what I'm putting down. Women are extraordinary, no doubt.

But we shouldn't feel like we have to adhere to that pace to be successful. What if we all just pulled back and focused our efforts on the things in life that mattered most to us? And that list is different for all of us, friends. Where am I spreading myself too thin? What or who can use a little more of me? Interesting questions. I'll be pondering these while finding another physician. See, she never stops helping me be the best possible me. Thanks, Dr. Clifton. You will be missed...

Entertaining on a Dime... Actually on $8.64!

2011-09-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Dollar Tree, for saving my hide once again. We threw an impromptu Italian dinner on Friday night for some friends and because I'm the hostess with the mostess, I felt the need to stock a make-shift bar with a few different red wines to compliment the hub's eggplant parmesan. Realizing Thursday night that there was no red wine glass to be found in the whole house, I set out to find some.

First stop was Wal-Mart, and their assortment of glassware was so pathetic that I'm not going to waste your time bad-mouthing them. Remembering that I had gotten some margarita glasses at a good price for a friend at Belk a few years ago, I headed there next. I did find a suitable set of wine goblets but they wanted $34.00 for a set of FOUR! Sorry, Belk. I am SO not spending that.

As a last resort, I thought I'd try Dollar Tree. And Ba-Bam! Eight red wine goblets (all a nice shape and quite sturdy) to the tune of $8.64 tax and all. And at that price, if one (or two:D) get broken along the way, I won't be reaching for the Pinot Noir to drown my sorrows! LOL! I've been wanting to add some champagne flutes to my glassware collection, so guess who's making a return visit? :) What are some of the things you frequent your local dollar store for? What's been your "deal of the century" there? Leave a comment and we'll all compare!

Throwing Caution to the Wind

2011-09-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I get too obsessed with my schedule. I can't play with the girls, cuz I've GOT to get these dishes done. I can't invite anyone over because today is laundry day and I CAN'T get behind. I couldn't possibly break our evening routine or the earth might stop still on it's axis. And where does that leave me? Checking off my unending to-do list, up to my elbows in dish suds, and smelling "April fresh." And that's about it.

I don't know what's gotten into me lately, but in the last 24 hours, I have made a conscious decision to put more effort into my relationships than into my domestic duties. I have stepped over toys making my way out the door to walk with a friend. AFTER supper. On a school night. Gasp! I've left laundry in the hamper to go and have breakfast with another friend. What's for supper tonight, you ask? I have no idea. I've decided to write this blog post about how good it feels to "let go" and worry about dinner later. And as far as I know, the world is still turning. Wait... Yep. Still turning. ;)

Don't worry, this outrageous behavior will in no way become the status quo around here. I just think that living life on "housekeeping auto-pilot" can be just as detrimental as never adhering to any schedule at all. In a hundred years, your floors will be mopped by someone else living in your house. Your dishes will be packed up in your great-grand daughter's attic. And what will be said for your life? I hope my life will read like this: "She played with her girls. She loved her family. She listened to her friends. She welcomed everyone into her heart and into her home." Balance. And who couldn't use a little more of that?

How Me and My Ride Compare AKA: Random Musings About Momhood and Minivans

2011-09-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

Both are indispensable for getting the family where we need to go. With all the crap that comes with. ;)

The kids take a toll on us daily and it shows!

Speaking of, both of us could use a little TLC in the grooming department.

We are both NOT the latest model, but was top of the line back in the day. ;)

You can find us sputtering around, "running on empty" half the time.

The older we get, the more maintenance we require!

The kids love us and all the bells and whistles we provide for them, but would NEVER admit said love for sheer embarrassment.

Yesterday, my battery died in car line. I'm hoping this is where we draw the line with our comparisons (she writes, laughing nervously). Although, Chuck DID drop everything to come and get me going again. Loving the romantic connotations here. I'm lame, I know. I drive a minivan, remember?

We are both a lot bigger than I thought necessary, but FABULOUS nonetheless!

Food For Thought

2011-09-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

Every time we get a puppy, Anna has some life-threatening hospital stay. I'm thinking this may be our last puppy for a LONG time. Like ever.

Every time I make plans to "change my life," life, as it turns out, has OTHER plans for me. Life lesson: I'm really not as in control as I think I am.

Dreaming about someone I love that is no longer with me is almost like being with them again. In my dream I remember what their hands look like, and how their hugs felt long after my conscious mind had forgotten. Sigh...

Hollywood has not come up with an original movie idea in YEARS (with only a few exceptions). Quit making money off of someone else's brainchild. Re-makes are old and putting a movie in 3-D and re-releasing it is just lame. Of course the last movie I saw in the theater was "High School Musical 3" so my opinion might not carry much weight.

I am currently dealing with an apparent card hoarding addiction. Only yesterday did I successfully discard cards given to me when I graduated from college. SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO, people. Gah! I'm letting go. Moving on. What exactly was I holding on to?

I find it most intriguing that after visiting New York last month, us southerners are quite repressed in our thoughts and actions as a whole. Why IS that?

Finding an old pay-stub or checkbook register from years ago can really put things in perspective and put your present financial circumstances in a far better light than you imagined. Just think how much better it can be five or ten years from NOW...

"Phineas and Ferb" is pure genius. If only summer vacation was really 104 days...

Is 39 too old to start making a "bucket list?"

The Year of "Me"

2011-08-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

Back in December, as part of my New Year's Resolution, I vowed to make this year "the year of ME." I had big plans to put Momma "back on the list," so to speak: get back to the dentist, get some new glasses, finally get in shape, etc. Well, it's August 1st (WHERE did the summer go?), and "the year of Me" has yet to get underway. Typical.

So I've decided that today, August 1st, marks a new beginning... and with school starting in just a mere two weeks, what better time to devote a little more time to Momma! :) And, shall I even mention that the big 4-0 is only 322 days away???? Gasp. Shocking, I know. Seriously, I don't look a day over 28, right?... cough...cough.. Don't answer that. Just join me as I make some mid-life, er... I mean some MID-YEAR resolutions...

1. Because I want to ring in my forties as one hot momma (and I'm not talking about pre-menopausal flashes, people!), I've decided to try (operative word) to get back down to what I weighed when I got married 11 years ago. And in case you were wondering, that was 135 pounds. I weighed 162.4 on Saturday. Do the math. Yep. 27.4 pounds. But hey, if those people on t.v. can do it, I can too. So I'm back on Weight Watchers and the exercising routine.

2. Another goal I have made for myself is to run a 5K. A few months ago I was doing the "From Couch to 5K" podcasts and got to week 7 of the 9 week program., I quickly threw it to the wayside as soon as summer set in, however, and have not done much of anything "exercise-y" since. Yesterday I actually started back and did day1 of week 1 AGAIN. I thought I might be able to skip up a couple of weeks but...ummm.... NO. But the good news is that by September the 30th, I should be able to run the full 5 kilometers. And by training again, it will help me achieve goal numero uno. That's me...the multitasker. ;)

3.Got to, GOT to, GOT TO to make an appointment and go to the GP for a physical, the dentist for a check-up, and the eye doctor for some new specs. My current eyewear is six (yeah, count 'em: SIX) years old. I haven't been to the dentist in 9 years (don't judge me). The girls and Chuck go every six months, I just don't ever get around to it.. So that's all on the to-do list for when the girls are in school. I figure if I put it on here, I'm actually going to have to break down and make the appointments. Y'all can hold me accountable. Feel free. Please.

4. And this one is just a "want to" (but I could give you a list as long as my arm on why I "need to") and that is: Lasix eye surgery before the end of the year. Besides Anna grabbing at my glasses all the time, I hate running (or exercising period) with glasses because they always slide down my face when I get all sweaty. Not to mention when I'm all contorted trying to clean the toilet bowl, they slide down then too. That last one is a lame one for sure, but I had to throw it in there. Mostly because it's true. LOL! And if I could wear contacts comfortably I would, but I can't. So there. Convinced? Well, I tried...

5. And lastly (actually this is a pact my friend Lori and I made this weekend), NO MORE GRANDMA CLOTHES! T-shirts and elastic waist pants sure are comfy, but come ON. I'm 39 not SEVENTY-NINE!!! As soon as the girls get back to school, I'm giving my closet an OVERHAUL. I'm only buying things I absolutely love and that fit great. I figure I would rather have a few good pieces that are flattering, than a closet full of crap. And right now, my closet is pretty craptastic. Plus that whole ordeal would make for some pretty interesting blog posts, no?

So that's it for now. I thought I'd keep the list fairly short as to make the tasks more do-able. What about the rest of you? Where do you stand with your New Year's resolutions? Do you need to get back on the wagon and make yourself a priority? What are you waiting for? We'll do it together! I'm reminded of a quote that says "Life does not have a remote control. You have to get up and change it yourself!" Well said...

Music Therapy Thursday... Singing Anyway

2011-07-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

I've been in a funk lately... and not the "George Clinton and the Funkadelic" kind. ;) Most times, a somber mood is a catalyst for some righteous ramblings, but for whatever reason, I've become stricken with writers block. It's probably a good thing, actually. A couple of things I'm dealing with right now might be better resolved through reflection, contemplation, and prayer rather than the angry rantings of a lunatic! LOL! Although I realize the rantings are a lot more fun to read...

So, taking the high road (my little legs are so tired!), I've decided to choose a song today that I actually sing as a prayer. Inevitably, it moves me to tears every time I do. Cuz here's the deal: (Number 1) I'm a mess. I fail miserably as a wife, mother, friend, Christian, etc., etc., (we ALL do) because we are imperfect human beings. (And number 2) Life is HARD, folks. And quite unfair. Don't even try to trick yourself for one solitary second that it's not. Having a positive attitude is only going to take you so far. You can still do all the right things and have the rug swept right out from under you without warning. Why? I don't even have a clue.

But one thing I do know is having a relationship with God makes a difference while living in this broken, temporal, human existence. I stumble, but I don't fall. By God's grace and mercy I have a supernatural strength to endure the storms that come. I am certain that if it weren't for the plan that he has for my life, and my choice to accept it, that the circumstances of my 39 years on this planet would have consumed me physically, mentally, and emotionally and brought me to my ruin. Instead I have hope:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:28, 37

So as you listen to a little music therapy today by Heather Williams, ask God to come to where you are. He's just waiting for the invitation. "On my knees here I fall, in spite of it all... Hallelujah! And though it seems hard, I'm still trusting you, Lord... Hallelujah!" Hallelujah, indeed.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.... Music Therapy Thursday

2011-07-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

This song always makes me think of college... only because I used to stalk this band that covered this song! LOL! But I've chosen it today as my music therapy because there are some pretty big changes going on around here. Ahh... being an adult is SO fun.

First of all, we have decided to put the brakes on the remainder of all the testing Anna needs to qualify for brain surgery. Our last hospital stay was only slightly less than horrendous and Chuck and I feel that she just needs a break from the poking and prodding. She doesn't understand how all of this medical stuff might help her in the future, she just knows that it's ZERO fun. And that's putting it mildly. Right now she is doing well with the last medicine change; and though it's probable she will fail it eventually (as she has with the rest), right now she's doing well.

We have weighed our pros and cons and feel that right now, doing what we're doing is working for her and the rest of our family. We are not ruling surgery out completely in the future, we are simply putting the brakes on for a while. I guess you could say we are just "shifting gears" as far as surgery goes and are going to enjoy the ride for a while. It's summer, after all. ;)

The other big change looming is that, as of this week, Chuck will be stepping down as plant manager and returning to his previous job as shipping manager. This has floored a lot of people, but rest assured, it was a decision we BOTH made to better our family. There comes a time in everybody's life when you realize what's important and what's not. Money, though helpful, is not always the most essential part of what makes a happy home run smoothly. Status and power will not make the days I spend in bed with my seizing child any easier. Having a husband who is available (mentally and physically) will benefit ALL of us. I'm proud of the fact that we are not strapped financially or "house poor" so that we can make a decision like this and not regret a single second of it. We still have debt, but so much less than we used to thanks to the wonderful opportunity of him being plant manager for almost two years.

Now, thank God, we are no longer a slave to the workplace. His job will once again return to something that he does instead of being who he is. I'm looking at it as a wonderful opportunity to regroup as a family and I couldn't be happier! Thanks be to God for his mercy in this situation as it's literally been an answer to prayer. The stars just aligned perfectly to open up his previous job and to have his decision approved by the "higher-ups." They could have blocked him from doing it, but understand what we deal with at home and support him fully. How awesome is that? Sometimes life is so good. Now is one of those times!

A lot of people do not like change. Sure, it can be scary, but a rut is a rut. And just because your rut has become your "normal" doesn't make it any less of a rut. Just because everybody else thinks that living in a rut is the only way to live, doesn't mean you have to. Life is too short to live anything other than the best life you can. Start today to make the changes necessary for yourself and your family. What do you have to lose? The rut? Good riddance!

Music Therapy Thursday...Fourth of July Edition

2011-06-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

What song makes you feel all patriotic? "Born In The USA?" "God Bless the USA?" Surely, "The Star Spangled Banner" tops the list. As for me, I like to funk-tify my Fourth with a little Godfather of Soul. Plus, I'm a child of the 80's, so I had to go with "Living in America" for some music therapy today. Anybody got some totally awesome plans this weekend? Our weekend involves lots of swimming with friends so my kids are super pumped. As I lay on some sort of floatation device, drinking a cold drink, slathered in SPF 50, I'm going to be thankful for the freedoms that we as Americans possess and ask God to continue to bless this great nation of ours. And channeling a little James Brown, you might just hear a "HAH! I feel GOOD!" coming from the deep end of the pool...

The Front Door Gets A Patriotic Salute

2011-06-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Decorating for the holidays is something that I enjoy doing, but unfortunately, it can get costly. Lucky for me, I have an eye for bargains. While perusing the isles of a local decorating store, I spy these red, white and blue flowers that were marked down after Memorial Day for a cool two bucks.

That definitely fits Momma's budget! If you look closely, you'll notice that they were meant as cemetery flowers, but I saw a cute arrangement for my front door instead. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box, ya know? I also picked up two little picks of red white and blue "berry"-like thingies for a little extra jazz. Those little guys only set me back about a buck a piece. My bank account is loving me right now! LOL!

Combined with a little container I purchased last fall, some fake ivy and three little flags I already had on hand... now we have a lovely little door hanging that is pretty and patriotic! Stay tuned for more from the front porch as I reveal the before and after pics from our re-do and more Fourth of July decorations...

Changing the World...One Can of Spray Paint At a Time

2011-06-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that bronze fixtures are where it's AT. From bathroom faucets, to ceiling medallions, bronze is boss in decorating circles these days. Crafty bloggers have been singing the praises of Krylon's Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint for evah. Naturally, I am the last to jump on the bandwagon, but better late than never, right?!?

I wish I could remember which blog I stole this from because I would give credit where credit is due. But alas, the brain has failed me again. Anywho... not long ago I noticed my floor vents were looking a bit shabby. Wanting to trade them for the ones with a bronze finish, I had decided that I would just buy one or two at a time until I had replaced them all, since buying them all at once would put a strain on the ol' pocketbook. But then I saw where someone had spray painted their vents and it looked fabulous, so I decided I would give it a try.

Exhibit A: Rusty, white, builders grade floor vent. Yuck.

And Exhibit B: Lovely, new-looking, fancy floor vents courtesy of ORB (that's Oil Rubbed Bronze for you newbies!)! You can't tell very well in the pictures but it's a beautiful brownish-black with just a hint of shimmer. Gawjuss!!!

Even the hubs agrees that they look mahvelous! And getting him to notice, much less comment on some floor vents, is a testament to it's fabulosity! All I did was wash them really well, sand the rusty spots with fine grit sandpaper and spray them down with very light coats until all the nooks and crannies were covered. That's it! One down... ten more to go! I'll give you one guess what I'll be doing in my downtime this summer... ;)

Here's another pic to show you how well they go with my black chairs. Lurve. Have you tried Kyrlon's ORB? I've seen it used from candle sticks and chandeliers to door knobs and drawer pulls. One blogger even sprayed her faucet in the bathroom sink! No lie! I'm hooked. Just wondering what else would look great in bronze after I finish up the vents... Any suggestions?

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

2011-06-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago today we welcomed a feisty little red-head to our brood. The pediatrician we saw in the hospital said that she was the smallest baby in the nursery... with the biggest set of lungs! Not much has changed since then. ;)

It might sound strange, but I knew when I was carrying her that she was a strong spirit. I wanted her name to reflect her strength and to honor a family member (as we do so often here in the south). We decided on Jamie Ruth (after my brother who had passed away and my grandmother on my mom's side). I felt that since her name was unisex, it could hold it's own with her less than demure personality that was evident from the get-go.

Little Ruthie (as we called her in the beginning) was the antithesis of Anna's laid-back, easy going demeanor. She was a joy, don't get me wrong. But she always had this determined little furrow to her brow that accompanied her Frank-Sinatra-I'll-do-it-"My Way" attitude. It seemed that if I wanted her to go right, she'd go left just because she could.

The terrible twos were more terrible than I have time to write about here. And I'm only half-kidding. ;) She kept me on my parenting toes, so to speak, and because of that, I've read more books on strong-willed children and discipline than you can shake a stick at. I've joked in the past that if she had been my first child, she would have been my only! But as time has put a little distance between then and now, I believe that our relationship has become (among other things) a beautiful metaphor of "iron sharpening iron."

I've learned from this beautiful red-headed baby that a fiery disposition coincides with a passion for life like no other. I've learned that wearing your heart on your sleeve is really love in it's most innocent and sincere form. I've learned that though having "no filter" in your thoughts and actions might make you unpopular with others, it takes more guts to deal with the aftermath than simply being a wall-flower. I've also learned that the "wailing and gnashing of teeth" mentioned in the bible can be a typical Monday afternoon with a red-head after she's heard the words "no you may not!"

I've learned that six year olds can articulately explain the handicaps of their siblings to curious friends and neighbors as well as jump to their defense if they feel that someone is "staring" or not being sensitive enough. I've learned that when you pray to God for patience, He will send down as many practice tests as He feels is necessary until said virtue is mastered. I've learned to NEVER say "my child will never (throw a tantrum like that, eat chicken fingers morning, noon, and night, get a toy every time we go to Wal-mart, etc., etc.)... as she has inevitably done all those things and ten thousand more.

I've learned that sometimes we hurt the people we love the most because they are the ones that we can really let our hair down with. This helps me understand that I'm not always the target. Most times, I'm the safe haven. :) I've learned that letting my temper blow and getting down on a six-year-old level in an argument is lazy parenting and that you are never too old (and should never be too proud) to say you're sorry. I've learned that saying "yes" every now and again won't kill me. Sometimes it's down-right fun.

But most importantly, having Jamie has taught me that love never divides. It only multiplies. There's always enough to go around no matter how many kids you have, how many disabilities you have to deal with in a day, or how completely opposite your personality may be from your child's.

I couldn't be any more proud of my little Diva. She's following in the steps of her name-sake and exceeding all my expectations with her music. She loves the violin, plays songs on a horn by ear, and has been strumming Uncle Jamie's guitar since she was about three years old. She's inherited my obsession with Barbies and loves to cook like her dad. She has a flair for the dramatic, even with her wardrobe. I love picking out clothes for her when I shop. That girl loves her some bling! But her heart! I love her sweet heart the most. She loves deeply and openly and makes no apologies for who she is. In that sense, I wish I were more like her. Happy birthday to my sweet pumpkin pie! Momma loves you so!

Sharing the Love

2011-06-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

Ya know what I love? A product that lives up to all the advertising hype we as consumers are forced to endure during the 60 second commercial breaks from "Judge Judy" or "House Hunters International." I've found the "holy grail" of mops, peeps, and I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't share with you how incredibly awesome it is.

In the past I was a loyal Swiffer Wet Jet user. I liked the Wet Jet. It served me well. But Libman has taken the idea of the Wet Jet and made it better. Easier. Dare I say it... cheaper. Let me introduce you to the Libman "Freedom" mop. I'm in love with this thing. How so? Let me count the ways...

Starting at the top, the trigger is manual, so there are no batteries to buy or recharge. Ka-ching! There are no specific cleaners to buy either. The reservoir can be opened and refilled with any cleaning product of your choice. I've switched to using non-toxic, environmentally safe cleaners from a company called Shaklee, so I can just mix up a batch and add it to the mop. LOVE that. Also the cleaning pads can be thrown in the wash so there's zero waste. The mop comes with one pad, but I've bought a couple extra (about $6 each) as a back-up. They work really well, too, as they have these little scrubbers sewn in to the fabric. Sometimes momma's floors need that extra little scrubbing power!

The cost for a mop is about $20 which I think is a great buy. If you are still using a traditional mop (or a Wet-Jet) you need to RUN to your local super center and pick yourself up one of these bad boys. You can thank me later. And trust me... you will. ;)

Getting My Craft On

2011-06-17T06:22:00.000-07:00

I'm a fan of the gift bag. Yes, there was a time when I meticulously wrapped presents and fussed with bows until they were "just-so." But now-a-days I'm a crazy-busy mom so I keep a stash of bags on hand (along with tissue paper, of course) so I can be ready at a moment's notice when a birthday party comes along.

I'm also a fan of re-using the bags we get throughout the year. Doing so keeps unnecessary trash out of landfills and keeps more moolah in my wallet! But lately I've become interested in using reusable shopping bags and wanted to start giving gifts in bags that could actually be used by the recipient for a long time to come.

I purchased this little gem of a canvas tote at Wal-Mart (for $5!) to house the gift I'm giving to one of Jamie's sweet little friends from church. Sure, it's adequate and cute enough... but it needed something more. What's a momma in need of some quality craftin' time to do? Bang out some embellishments on the sewing machine, that's what!

Ahhh... much better. No matter the crafting question, ruffles and a cute monogram applique is always the answer! Add a pocket and you're good to go! I hope sweet little Katy likes her new bag and all the goodies inside. Spoiler alert: this may be my "go-to" gift this year. I mean, what's not to love? So easy. So fun. So eco-friendly. And most importantly, so cute!!!

Meet Jasper!

2011-06-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome the newest addition to our family! Yesterday we gave Jamie her birthday present early and drove to Arab, AL to pick up this adorable little yorki-poo puppy!

Pardon the blurry photos. I'd like to blame the camera, but I'm afraid it's the photographer- not the equipment- that's the problem! With the help of our friend Olivia (who hung out with us all day yesterday and gave us awesome pet-owners advice!) we named him Jasper James. Jasper, because it's just a cool name, and James after his momma, Jamie. Yep. Baby girl is going to be most of the work...I mean pet care. So far so good! Of course, it's only day two!

You can tell by that smile that she's enamoured with him, as we all are. Well, everyone except Ginger the cat We're hoping in time she'll warm up to him. Right now she's not happy with ANY of us! LOL! It's been a long time since we've had a puppy and it's almost like having a baby in the house again. You know, without all the spit up and the worry for college fund! Can't wait to watch this little guy grow. Summer is off to a fun start!

Thoughts From a Burden Bearer

2011-06-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

Something happened yesterday that happens to me quite often. So much so, in fact, that I'm tempted to start keeping a tally. It was brought to my attention a while back by friend of mine who said it happens to her all the time too. Sometimes it's a stranger, sometime it's not. But inevitably, for whatever reason, people seek me out to help them bear their burdens. Strange, right?

I'm starting to wonder about this unusual draw I have on people that enables total strangers to tell me their whole-life story in gory detail without batting an eyelash. And it happens EVERYWHERE. At a child's birthday party. While getting a pedicure. At Wal-Mart in the greeting card isle. In the office at school. For a split second, it's as if I've morphed into this person's long-lost friend and they begin to pour out their soul to me. I've heard stories about abuse, kidnapping, upcoming trial dates, in-law disputes and mental illness... Just to name a few. And that's just the four scenarios I listed above. These aren't just your usual gripes about your husband not helping enough, or how badly the kids are behaving. These are stories that will wrench your heart out. Like being homeless and jobless. Like being beaten by your boyfriend. Like watching your baby turn blue and stop breathing, unable to resuscitate her. And there I sit (or stand) wondering why this person has chosen me to divulge such secrets to. Why me? Why now?

Perhaps it's because I've stopped to listen. Perhaps they would tell their story to anyone with a willing ear. Or perhaps it's a divine appointment with a hurting soul that God has planned for in advance. His name gets brought up in the conversation at some point, by either them or me. The lady waiting for the attempted murder trial of her boyfriend said, "If you're a praying woman, remember me." I almost lost it. I told her I was and that I would pray for her. I wonder how she's making it and if she's sitting next to someone right now telling her story.

Chuck doesn't get it. It angers him that people "dump" on me (his words) when our life is FAR from a walk in the park. " Tell them you've got problems, too! Let one of THEM walk in your shoes for 24 hours and see how sane they'd be!" And he's right. We've got problems. Problems that all the money in the world can't fix. We hurt. We struggle. And maybe that's why I listen to these people. Because I know hurt and loss and frustration and fear. We ALL have our crosses that we bear in this life. But somewhere along the way, I've chosen Light and maybe people in the darkness of their situation are drawn to the Light I've chosen. Perhaps like the sleepy-eyed child they blink at It's brightness and reach for the warmth of It's rays. And if that's the case, I'm honored to be a conduit for the life-giving, burden bearing, one, true Light. "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

I'm BAAAACK! (Insert sing-song-y voice here!)

2011-05-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a couple of months we've had! Tornadoes, no power, a short stint at my moms, plus all the "end of the year" stuff with all the girl's activities (parties and awards and a field trip... Oh my! LOL!). I get tired just thinking about it all! Springtime, at least in OUR household, is our busiest time. And though Momma loves her solitude that sending her children to public school affords, I AM looking forward to the laid back days and unhurried mornings that summer vacation brings.

All that being said, our June is already BOOKED. Wait! What happened to all that "laid back" yadda-yadda and "unhurried" mumbo-jumbo? I guess that will have to wait until July! LOL! On the bright side, there should be LOTS of good, blog-worthy material to write about. So if you haven't bailed on me yet, I promise a feast of crafts, home improvement projects, life lessons, and lots of laughs this summer. So grab your ice cold lemonade, put you feet up, and hang with us as we try to get the very most out of our hazy, (not-so) lazy days of summer!

Where Does The Time Go? Happy Birthday Anna...

2011-05-16T06:32:00.000-07:00

There I sat, finishing up the scrapbook I was making for my little sister's graduation from high school. It was a nice distraction. Cutting, pasting, getting each page just right while reliving a few memories courtesy of Kodak. Waiting. My induction began at midnight. Three days past my due date. We were too excited to sleep.

Still newlyweds (married only for 11 months), Chuck and I could hardly believe the whirlwind our lives had become. We met Labor Day weekend 1999. Twelve weeks later, we were engaged. Seven months after that, we said "I do." And a short three months later (exactly a year to the day that we met!) I found out that we were expecting. It shouldn't have been such a surprise. We were trying, after all. Convinced our biological clocks were ticking themselves into a frenzy, we decided to have children right away. We never imagined it would happen so quickly, though.

We painted the nursery yellow. We wanted a gender neutral color palette... mostly because we decorated before we knew what we were having. Excited? A touch. Anxious? Of course. Living the fairy tale? You bet. I took one last look in her room before we left for the hospital. In a few short days, she would be sleeping in that pretty, yellow room. I could hardly believe it.

We were early (natch). We waited in the car in the parking garage of the hospital until the clock in the car blipped to 12:00 a.m. and then we made our way to the emergency room to check in. I noticed a sign that said to let the nurse know if you are in labor. I was thankful that I was being induced and that things were calm and orderly.

The labor and delivery room was smaller than I thought it would be. Chuck and I never toured the hospital or took any pre-natal classes like some other couples we know. There had hardly been time with my work schedule (I worked right up until the Thursday before I was induced that early Tuesday morning). We settled in... me in the bed and Chuck in a straight-back chair. Seriously. There were no frills in that room. This was before the Women and Children's Wing had been built with their spacious rooms and pull-out couches. My groom had to spend the next 13 or so hours in that puny, little, uncomfortable chair. Ask him about it sometime. We still laugh about it.

Things progressed quickly for us. Pitocin is a wonder. When it came time for the epidural, they made Chuck step out. That was the only time I freaked (only on the inside, of course. That's how I roll. lol!). I was scared, though. The nurse held my hands in my lap as I bent forward the best I could with my very large belly. A few tears fell on her hands as they held mine. I apologized. She reassured me. Then they let Chuck back in. I was glad we wouldn't have to be apart anymore.

And let's just say that the epidural worked like a charm! So well, in fact, that not only couldn't I feel my legs, but I couldn't move them either. Panicking that they would "turn off the juice," I threatened Chuck within an inch of his life that my temporary paralysis would be our little secret. My worry was unwarranted, however. I pushed like a champ and with the exception of one little funny moment, I don't think anyone would have been the wiser.

Yes, there was laughter in the delivery room as well as tears. The first time I pushed the nurse instructed Chuck to hold one of my legs close to his body as she held the other. After my first round of pushes, the nurse congratulated me on my efforts and Chuck let my leg go to rest until the next set. Having no control of my legs, the one he "let go" dropped to the bed like a sack of potatoes with a loud thud! He had ratted me out! Of course he apologized up one side and down the other (to me and to the nurse!) and promised to handle me a little more carefully next time. We all laughed. What did we know? We were novices. And nervous. It was a beautiful time.

The nurse left to tell our families to wait about getting their lunch because the baby was on the way! I pushed for about 40 minutes and at 1:26 pm, the most perfect, angelic little face met mine for the first time. "She looks like us!" I thought to myself (us meaning my side of the family! lol! Though for the first three years of her life, everyone thought she favored Chuck.). The expression on her face was like "What in the WORLD just happened?!?" I thought she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. So small. So plump. Perfection.

The nurse gave me something for the "shakes" I had after delivery which made me sick. Then I was given something for nausea which put me out. When they brought her to me, I could hardly hold her in my arms, so Chuck got to hold her and hold her while I slept the drugs off. Before I crashed he asked, "What's her middle name going to be?" I told him that it was up to him. He could choose. "Really?" he asked. "Really." I wish I could have been a fly on the wall (or at least conscious) to see their bonding. He had waited so long to hold her. I awoke to the most precious sight of a father totally in love with his baby girl. He named her after himself...Anna Gentry.

She took to breastfeeding like a champ, which was a good thing thing since I was still out of my mind on medication. The lactation nurse asked "And this is your first baby?" "Yes," I replied all proud of my offspring. Only a few hours old and surpassing expectations! I gloated. "She's going to be a rocket scientist," I thought. "A pretty one."

Perhaps it was a delicious cocktail of drugs and new-mom-itis, but when they brought her to me in the middle of the night for a feeding, I sprang up out of bed like a child on Christmas morning! It was a feeling I can distinctly remember to this day and one that I've tried to conjure up the 7,000 times since then that I've been woken up in the middle of the night to tend to her. Like an addict, that first high has never been able to be duplicated, though, even though we've tried and tried! lol!

We brought her home to a house full of family and friends who had prepared the most wonderful spread of food. It truly was a celebratory time. I felt like in the "Power Ball" of life, I had hit all the numbers. Everyone "ooh-ed " and "ahh-ed" over her and for a brief moment, all was right with the world. I was full of pride and humility at the same time. I was overwhelmed and completely satisfied and comfortable. I was fearful in ways I had never experienced before and yet determined and confident too. Motherhood had come with all it's wonderful paradoxes. Life was so good.

I felt the unconditional love of a mother for the first time ten years ago today and 3,650 days later, I couldn't be any more proud of my sweet little Anna. These have been ,without a doubt, the hardest and most fulfilling days of my life. Happy birthday, sugar plum. You will never know how very much you are loved...

How To Organize Your Magazines & Newspapers

2011-04-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

I have a problem. Okay, I have more than one ;), but I have one specific problem that sends my husband through the roof. I am a hoarder of magazines. There. I said it. They say acknowledging a problem is the first step in recovery. So thanks, Jennifer Ford Berry for writing "Organize Now" and helping me come to terms with my obsession...

Following along with Bonnie at House of Grace this week, we are at week 10 (can you believe it? Time flies when your organizing!) and are tackling our magazines and newspapers. We don't take the newspaper at our house, so I'm free and clear on that one. Ahh, but the magazines. I need help. Do you? Let's check out this weeks goals:

*Toss or donate all magazines that are more than one year old. (I'm ashamed to tell you that just the other day I found some paper crafting magazines from 2007. Can you say "Twelve Step Program," please?!? Be sure to check each room in the house for old magazines (cuz I've got 'em stashed everywhere. Ev.er.y.where...

Exhibit A: Side table in living room stash.... (how heinous does that lamp look, btw? Yikes!)

And because one stash of magazines in your living room is not enough, two cubes (almost full) underneath the entryway table...

Here's some hiding out in the closet in the office...

And here's some in a bag that we took to the hospital back in March. The bag is full...

Okay... back to the goals:

*Toss all newspapers more than a month old.

*Toss all catalogs and sales papers that have expired. Make it a habit to toss all sales papers from the places that yo never shop and if you find something you want from a sales flyer, clip it out right away and put it on your to-do list.

*Clip what you need from old magazines, then recycle them or donate them. The thrift store in my town sells used magazines for like a quarter, sometimes. Yes, they have enabled by obsession, but I've also donated stacks to them as well. :)

*Designate a specific home for the magazines that are left.

*Cancel subscriptions to magazines that you never read anymore. I have let many subscriptions go in the past year or so. There may be hope for me yet! LOL!

I try to justify my large number of mags because of my various interests. My faves are "Family Fun," "Woman's Day," "Better Homes and Gardens," (or any of their other publications like "Do It Yourself," "Small Room Decorating," or "Paint Anything"). I will not turn down a "Martha Stewart Living" either, or a "Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee." My mother-in-law also gives me her cast-off which include "Redbook," (which I call the married ladies "Cosmo!") and "Martha Stewart Living." since I was a kid I loved "Highlights" and last year got Jamie her own subscription. I think I should get brownie points, though, because I have recently cancelled the subscription due to her lack of interest in conjunction with the cost.

My husband jokes that we could have been millionaires five times over if those periodicals hadn't "four-dollar-and-99-cents-ed" us to death! He's probably not exaggerating too much, there. I guess that's one reason I tend to hang on to them for as long as I do. So that I don't feel that the money has been completely wasted, I donate some to my local thrift store and take a few others with me to Children's Hospital when we have a clinic visit. From experience, I can tell you that it super nice to have something to read and take your mind off of things while waiting in the surgery or ICU waiting room. Doctors offices, nursing homes, and gyms will also be glad to take your extra magazines of your hands. You could also send them to me. Just kidding. Well, sort of. ;)

Whatever you do, please don't just throw your old magazines and newspapers in the trash. Touring my local recycling center last week has re-opened my eyes to the responsibility we have to our earth. You can also search out crafts for your kids to do on the Internet with old magazines. There's a ton of them. Anything to keep them from a land-fill.

Speaking of green living, I got an iPad for Christmas and though I could download my magazine subscriptions to it, I haven't yet. I've been thinking of trying it with one of the one's a get regularly, but honestly, there's just something about the feel of a crisp new magazine in my hand and the relaxation I get from turning the pages. It's very zen. But my renewed interest in "going green" has convinced me that I should at least give it a shot. I'll let you know what I think when I do.

The library was getting rid of these magazine racks one day. They were on a table marked "Free" so I took eight of them.

I've put them on top of my desk with the intentions of corralling like magazines and making this their permanent home. I thought this would make a good reference spot since it's right above the desk. Right now non-specific things are just kind of thrown up there, but the plan is in place!

Berry's Tips for STAYING Organized:

Once a Month

-Dispose of all items you've read and don't want to keep.

-Clip articles or ads that you'll need or want later.

Every 3-6 Months

-Donate all the magazines you are done with to a charity or business of your choice.

-Toss catalogs from the previous season.

-If you keep magazines in your bathroom, update the reading selection and toss the old issues.

Once a Year

-Cancel subscriptions to periodicals you do not consistently read.

Come back next week as we organize our e-mail. My inbox this morning had 243 messages. This is why I'm loving this book. I hope you are too!

Yummy Banana Bread

2011-04-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I was down for the count last week with the worst case of food poisoning known to man (or so it seemed!). Momma was a pitiful pile of uselessness and unable to eat anything. All the while, the bananas I had bought to snack on after running was ripening themselves into oblivion. Not one to waste food ;), the first day that I felt better, I decided to make some banana bread (which surprisingly sounded palatable to my weak stomach!).

This is a recipe that I have combined from a few different ones and made into my own. You can make it with or without nuts, depending on your liking. Enjoy!

Banana Bread
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs (beaten)
3 really ripe bananas (mashed)
1 cup pecans *optional*

Melt butter and add to sugar, eggs, and bananas. Mix well. Add flour and pecans, mixing well. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour in a buttered loaf pan (I spray mine with Pam).

How To Organize Your Files

2011-04-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

Well, this week all of you readers will get a double dose of organizational posts as I was out of commission last week with food poisoning. I'm linking up with Bonnie at House of Grace as we are working our way through the book "Organize Now!" by Jennifer Ford Berry.

Week 9 is about organizing your files. Do you have a have a filing system in place? What should you hang on to, anyway? Why does paper multiply faster than two bunnies in the spring? I have no answer for the last one. The first two questions Berry can help us with!

Week 9 goals are:

*Get your papers together! If you don't have a filing system, start here. This includes all stashes you've stuck here and there. Immediately sort the junk and toss, toss, TOSS! (Berry says that 80% of what we file is never looked at again!) Place remaining papers "to file" in one location where you will be filing (like a home office or work area).

*If you have a filing system in place, go through the files and toss all useless and outdated information. Shred personal and financial information before recycling. (If you do not have a shredder I personally suggest in making that a priority. We have been the victims of identity theft in the past and now I shred all paperwork with any personal information on it. It just makes me sleep better at night. :D)

*Set up your filing system. If you have a lot of papers (like me!) get yourself a filing cabinet. A small, portable filing container (like a crate or a large accordion style one) will work just as well especially if you are not the paper hoarder that I am. Berry suggests color coding based on categories and whatever you do, do not use "miscellaneous" for a category! Examples of some you might want to create are:

-Bank Statements

-Credit card statements

-Pay stubs/ work related expenses

-School info (one for each child)

-Home and auto insurance

-Health insurance

-Tax info

*Start filing! Go through all the papers you've gathered "to file" and separate them by category. Berry says to use broad categories so that you won't end up with lots of files with only one or two categories each.

*Berry also suggests making a master page that lists all the files under each category to save time later on.

*Choose one storage space for your addresses and business cards and update this space with new addresses and phone numbers. If using an address book, always put your entries in pencil so you can update changes as needed.

How To STAY Organized:

Once a month: File papers waiting in your "to file" bin. This should be a file folder or tray on your desk to put your papers that you are currently working on filing.

Every 3-6 months: Go through your files and toss anything you don't need to keep.

Once a year: Every January clean out your file folders, making sure you have all of your tax info together. Purge your files from the previous year and move files that won't be used in the new year to a storage box.

Two weeks ago I promised you a peek at my new (to me) filing cabinet. This little gem was a cast-off from my in-laws. And though it's dinged and rusty (in parts) and stickered to death, I am in love with her. I call her "Big Bertha" because, well, she's big (duh!) and Bertha sounded like a lass that could use a (ahem) makeover. I have delusions of grandeur where I imagine myself giving her a delicious coat of glossy candy-apple-red paint, but for now, she's in her "before" stage:

The top drawer is filled right now with some crafting overflow. And let's face it, there is ALL kinds of craft overflow around these parts!

Here is the second drawer and where the files actually begin. The categories for my files are as follows:

-Bills Once I pay a bill, I mark it paid with the amount paid and the date and then it gets filed here in case there is any discrepancy with any of my creditors.

-Blog This is where I put blog inspiration until I find the time to get the fingers to the keyboard!

-Capital One This file contains documents that pertain to an account I had with Capital One. Capital One said I owed them money. I did not. Had to get a lawyer. Needless to say I'm keeping this paperwork til the cows come home. And also it should go without saying, but Capital One is NOT in my wallet!

-Baby Okay, I could probably get rid of some of this stuff since my kids are, like, 9 and 6. It's pretty much stuff from the pediatrician about shots and stuff. Mental note: PURGE!

-Cards These are cards I've picked up and keep on hand (birthday, condolence, etc) in case I need one in a hurry!

-Keepsake cards

-Church This has info about our church, pamphlets, and so on.

-Computer

-Credit cards

-Dish Network

-Edward Jones

-Fly Lady I printed out some of her schedules and keep them in here. Go here to check out her website.

-House

-IRS Business

-Kirby Vacuum

-Insurance

-Marriage/ Wills Okay, I know I need a fireproof box for the wills/ marriage license/ birth certificates. Save your e-mail. Momma's working on it... ;)

-Old work Yeah. From, like, college. Mostly short stories and poems.

-Paint Samples Cuz when your toddler marks with lip gloss all over the wall and you've trashed the remains of the paint and can't for the life of you remember the name of the color you painted your living room... this folder comes in super handy!!!

-Personal Obituaries and a few college things and newspaper clippings.

-Phone

-Printer

-School Handbook, medication forms, etc.

-Seizure stuff This is for information sheets we have gotten from the neurologist that I give out to caregivers.

-Stories Yeah, more written work. I guess I could consolidate, huh?

-Wedding/ Honeymoon A few mementos...

-Warranties/ Manuals

Below is the third drawer. This contains:

-School pictures

-Anna's school work

-Jamie's extra work from school (I had big plans for summer with this folder!)

-Crafts

-Christmas crafts

-Sewing machine

-Sewing patterns

-Craft patterns

-Techniques

-Inspiration sheets

-Craft paper in folders arranged by color

-Foam/ acetate

-Pattern paper (scraps)

Below is Chuck's contribution to the filing cabinet. That's tax stuff. I don't even touch it. Which is why it's kind of just thrown in there. At least we know where the tax stuff is when we need it.

So that's it! Check back Thursday where we will organize our magazines and newspapers. See you then!

It's A Curse, I Tell You!

2011-04-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

Some people are born with keen intelligence, mad hostessing skills, or killer cheekbones. I, my friends, got cursed with excellent taste. ((sigh)) Sad, but true. Apparently so did my husband. ((double sigh))

We are about to have our back deck roofed and ceiling fans added. We told the builder that we'd save him the hassle (cuz we're picky, um, I'm mean helpful like that) and pick out the fans ourselves. Any excuse to get me into my favorite of ALL stores (AKA: Lowe's)... So off we go.

The beauty pictured above is the unanimous choice. At $150. Times 2. For ceiling fans, people. Please understand that the pic doesn't do it justice. It really is awesome. So now, the ceiling fans outside will be 100 times more aesthetically pleasing than the ones inside my house. So you know what that means... more ceiling fans in my future. Aye caramba!

See what happens when you're cursed with good taste? Sensibility and reason go right out the window! Hand in hand with a few Benjamins, I might add! Before and after pictures to follow....

Music Therapy...Wednesday Edition "I Am New"

2011-04-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

If I had to pick one song that I felt best describes me, this one would be it. I love EVERY SINGLE WORD of it. It reminds me of a billboard I saw the other day in front of a church: "Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future!" Thanks be to God!

Think you've flubbed up beyond repair? If I could tell you one thing right now, it's that today is a new day. Forget about the person you once was, even if it was only yesterday. As long as there is still breath in us, we have another chance to get things right. God isn't finished with us yet, and he is working day by day (moment by moment, sometimes) making us into the image of what he wants us to be.

Whatever has happened to you or whatever you have done does NOT make you the person that you are. God is love. And peace. And forgiveness. Do yourself a favor and forgive yourself. God already has. "...he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103: 10-12

"I Am New" by Jason Gray

Now I won't deny the worst you could say about me,
But I'm not defined by mistakes that I've made because God says of me
I am not who I was
I'm being remade, I am new!
I'm chosen and holy And I'm dearly loved. I am new, I am new!

Who I thought I was and who I thought I had to be
I had to give them both up, cuz neither were willing to ever believe
I am not who I was
I'm being remade, I am new!
I'm chosen and holy And I'm dearly loved. I am new, I am new!

Too long have I lived in the shadows of shame
Believing that there was no way I could change
But the One who is making everything new
Doesn't see me the way that I do
He doesn't see me the way that I do

Forgiven
Beloved
Hidden in Christ
Made in the image of the Giver of life
Righteous
Holy
Reborn
Remade
Accepted
Worthy
This is our new name
This is who we are now

How To Organize Your Receipts

2011-04-09T05:13:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Ford Berry's book, "Organize Now" is the first organizational book that I have ever read that deals with organizing your receipts (and trust me, I've read a ton of 'em!). It's like she wrote this book with me in mind, friends! I knew I couldn't be the only hoarder or receipts (being self-employed for many years created this monster in me, BTW). I can barely open my wallet and pay for a coffee without little white slips of paper spilling all over the place. I blame those pesky debit cards. And my lack of organization in this area... which is why I'm following along with Bonnie over at House of Grace as we work through this wonderful organization book together. Go grab your receipts, girlfriends. I'll wait...

You might be thinking that you could just skip over this chapter of the book. Receipts? How important is it to organize receipts? Have you ever had insufficient funds because of something you "forgot" to record in your check register? Have you ever had to return something without the receipt (because you couldn't find it) and had to take less cash back than what was originally paid? Have you missed out on rebates (that's like FREE money, homies) because a receipt got lost in the shuffle or because (gulp) the time limit had expired? Yeah. Me too. Receipts are muy importante. Read on to see what Berry says about this weeks goals:

*Gather all loose receipts and sort them into piles:

-Check card/ATM receipts to be recorded in your checkbook ledger

-Credit card receipts

-Receipts already recorded/ cash receipts

-Tax deductible receipts

-Work related/ reimbursable and rebate receipts

-Gift receipts

-Receipts for major purchases (appliances, furniture, electronics)

*Record the check/ATM card receipts in your checkbook ledger.

*Place your tax-deductible receipts in your tax file for the current year. Take your work-related receipts to work and file an expense report.

*Put rebate receipts in your day planner and place them on your "to-do" list. Most reimbursements have a time limit, so time is of the essence.

*If the gift receipt is for a gift you are giving, put it with the gift. If it is for a gift you received and want to return, put the receipt with the item and put the return on your "to-do" list. Again, time is of the essence here. Most stores have a time limit on returns. If you are keeping the gift, toss the receipt.

*This next goal is dependent on how detailed your record keeping needs to be. If you are creating a budget or tracking your expenses, sort receipts by category, then record then on your computer or in a notebook. Examples could be:

-Food/ groceries

-Gas

-Clothes

-Entertainment

-Gifts

After recording the amounts, toss the receipts. If you aren't tracking your expenses, toss all of these receipts.

*Set up a small accordion file to organize the rest. Label each slot by category or by month. Categories could be:

-Major purchases

-Credit card purchases

-Tax-deductible purchases

-May return (these may be products that you've purchased, but aren't sure if they are going to meet your needs or expectations)

I LOVE her tip on keeping a zippered pouch inside your purse to hold all of your receipts (instead of in your wallet). Like, why didn't I already think about this?!? I'm getting one ASAP. I'm also taking her advice and cleaning out my purse and wallet each week (Fridays sounds good. That way my purse will be all tidy for some weekend shopping! LOL!). Mine currently looks like a garbage receptacle. Just keeping it real...

I don't have much to add this week from my own experience, as organizing receipts will be a new experience for me. Like I said before, most of the time they are either spilling out from my wallet or piled on top of my bathroom counter top after emptying my pockets. Last week I did incorporate a file in my bill organizer for receipts. You can read more about that here. Other than that, I'm going to heed what Berry suggests. Come back next week when we are going to organize our files. I recently upgraded from a 2 drawer cabinet to a 4 drawer cabinet... what can I say? I'm into the filing thing! LOL! See you then!

From Flab To Fab Friday... A Little Less Conversation and a Little More Action

2011-04-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I get it. I feel ya. I'm picking up what your putting down. You're tired. You didn't sleep well last night. You have a headache. You've got a gazillion things to do around the house. You just plain don't WANNA. Well, boo-flippin-hoo. That's right. I said it. I am SO going there.

I can think of one million and one reasons NOT to work out. News flash: I am not an "I just Lu-uv to exercise!" person. Momma don't move like she used to. It's hard to get going, and even harder to recuperate. But I like food and apparently food likes me. And my metabolism has slowed to a snails pace. When your fat pants start to cord you off like link sausage, it's time to do something. And it's not all about what you look like...

Three months ago I felt horrible. I had zero energy. It took an act of Congress and a case of Diet Coke to get me going most days. And truth be told, I was unhappy. Unhappy with my looks and beating myself up because of my lack of will power. I was feeling sorry for myself and the circumstances of living with a handicapped child and I drowned my sorrow in food. "It's one of the few joys I have," I'd argue. Wow. That's putting food before a lot of things. Too many things.

Then I had a revelation. There are LOTS of things that I have no control over: cancer, seizures, the economy... but I do have control of what I put in my mouth and how much I move my body. Looking at working out and eating right from this perspective is very empowering. And after pushing through a workout (or exchanging the bag of chips I was about to eat for an apple) my confidence soars and I tell that little voice in my head telling me I can't to shut up. There's a new sheriff in town, little devil on my shoulder! Momma's kicking butt and taking names!!! LOL!

My step-dad always used to tell me, "Can't never could and won't never will." Getting over the "I just don't feel like it" hurdle is as simple as changing your vocabulary from can't to CAN and deciding to "act like a grown-up" (as I call it) when it comes to disciplining yourself to exercise. What is THAT, you ask?!? "Acting like a grown up" to me simply means looking at the tasks on your plate and DOING them, whether you want to or not. Like paying the bills, going to the dentist, or scrubbing the toilet for the 16th time this year. Nobody really wants to do those things, right? But as responsible adults, we know they need to be done, so we do them.

Since starting the "From Couch To 5K" program weeks ago, I have more energy than I thought I could have at a ripe old age of almost 39 years. But if I'm honest, there are days that I'd rather just do something else. ANYTHING else. But I push through. And exercising first thing in the morning makes a huge difference. That way it's over and done and I don't have to try to fit it in my schedule later, or beat myself up when it doesn't get done at all. When I wake up, I get dressed and put my running shoes on before I take the kids to school.

Even then, though, my lazy subconscious tries to sabotage the best laid plans. But ya know what? When that happens, I just decide that I'm not going to entertain those thoughts and I decide to do it anyway. "Just do it!" I tell myself. It's right about then that I laugh at myself as I think of the Nike "swoosh" and how I really ought to talk to a professional about the conversations I have with myself. But at least the workout gets done, right? It's a means to an end, people. A means to an end. ;)

So there's your kick in the pants for today, peeps. The "tough love" you need to spur your athletic endeavors. What are you waiting for? Make it happen, Captain! Or if nothing else, listen to the video and shake what your momma gave you. It's 3 minutes and 52 seconds of righteous groovin'. And if you're ready for more, then listen to the lyrics: "Come on baby, I'm tired of talkin'. Grab your coat and let's start walkin'. Come on, come on!" The King has spoken. ;)

One More Lesson We Can Learn From "The Greatest Generation"

2011-04-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

Allow me a few minutes to rant, if you will. First, let me remind you that I am a stay-at-home mom. Yoga pants and t-shirts are my uniform, most days. And yes, there are days that I go to Wal-Mart in my post-gym workout clothes and no make-up. But if I'm going to have to "see" people and have other people "see" me, I'm going to try my best to look presentable.

Monday afternoon we had an appointment at Children's Hospital. Settling into my seat in the waiting room, I got to partake in an activity that I'm quite fond of: people watching. I realize that I'm getting older and more "old-fashioned" in my opinions, but I could not believe how some of the parents had dressed themselves to come and see the people who operate on their children's brains. (Disclaimer: You don't have to have a lot of money to dress "presentable." However, I'm afraid that what someone might consider "presentable" and "appropriate" is up for debate. And this is where my ranting begins. Go ahead and have a seat. This might take a while...)

We live in a society that has reached it's MAX in all areas of living casually. This is a good thing, to a degree. I've always boasted that our house is a house you can feel comfortable in and live in. No fussiness around these parts. Come in, and put your feet up! If my kids haven't destroyed it, you can't either! Having "casual" decor and clothes for working in your house saves a lot of mental frustration for yourself, especially if you have young kids (and even if you don't!). But it is my humble opinion that we have lost a little bit of our pride in ourselves as the majority of us have taken living so casually to the extremes.

You know who I'm talking about... like the lady who wears her slippers to the grocery store. C'mon. I know they are comfortable. So are tennis shoes. House shoes, as the name implies, should be relegated to the house, ladies.

While at Children's, I saw a woman who took it one step farther. She looked as if she were wearing her pajamas! Not the matching set, mind you, but her holy knit pants and stained, mis-matched t-shirt. Her her hair was disheveled and looked unclean, to boot. She literally looked as if she had just rolled out of bed.

Then there was the rather rotund lady who was wearing a camisole-type tank top with no bra and skinny jeans. Ladies, if your "girls" are large enough to protrude from your chest, a bra is definitely in order. And if your shirt cannot cover your waistband, let's try a longer one, mmmkay?

Though the women had them outnumbered by a long shot, men made the "offenders" list that day, too. In tank tops. That were supposed to be undershirts. If I'm lying, I'm dying, friends.

I also saw a grandmother in cut-off jean shorts... a GRANDMOTHER!... and more than one person that I wanted to take a bar of ivory soap and a stiff brush to. These were just the people who were wearing underclothes as outer garments and the dirty ones. I could write a whole other post about the absence of "modest" clothing. And these were the PARENTS. Oy vey.

Let me give you a mental break and take you to the local DMV a few months ago. There in line before me was a little elderly couple getting their car tags. The man was in slacks and a button-up shirt (shirt-tail tucked in, belt on) and the lady had on pants and a nice top. Her hair was fixed and her make-up was on (I noticed because I liked the shade of her lipstick). I guess I payed so much attention because of the way I was dressed: jeans, baseball hat, no make-up. Though I was a far cry from the perps at Children's Hospital the other day, I felt slovenly. I wasn't proud of the way I was presenting myself to the public.

And then I'm reminded of my grandfather... the man got up and dressed every day, even as he was dieing with cancer. He continued to get himself dressed until just a few short weeks before he passed. He, of all people, could have laid around in his jammies. I mean, he had cancer, after all. No one would have blamed him. But he didn't. My mom said sometimes it would be in the afternoon when he got dressed, but he did get dressed. It was important to him.

Take a look for yourself the next time you are out and about. Most of the time, the older generation is the ones who are the best dressed. They might look dated, sure, but they are a sharp, put-together bunch of folks. They are the ones taking pride in themselves and their appearance, something we could learn from them, if you ask me. Pride in your appearance is different from vanity. It's about self-respect and putting your best foot forward... for the people you meet and for yourself. "Why does it matter what I look like?" you ask. Because people will treat you accordingly. Sad, but true. And when you look good, you feel good. Think about the last time you were dressed up. Didn't you stand a little taller? Walk with more confidence?

I'm not talking about wearing your pearls when you are scrubbing toilets... unless that what you want to do. ;) Stacey and Clinton from TLC's "What Not to Wear" always claim that it takes just as much effort to put on a nice sweater and pants as it does to put on your sweats. And if the sweater is cashmere... it'll feel better than those old sweats! Save the sweats and undergarments (listen up Children's Hospital parents!) for the house. Or get crazy and buy yourself some aprons to save your nicer clothes if you get a wild hair to get "dressed" at home!

Above all, "cleanliness is next to Godliness," or at least that"s what I've always been told. Should grown-ups have to be reminded of basic hygiene? You'd be surprised. And as for the clothes, if it's dirty and stained, just throw it out. Or only wear it to do yard work.

Some people have noticed that I am taking the initiative to get "dressed" more often these days and have commented accordingly. It really is a confidence booster. Thanks to all who have noticed! . My apologies for the last decade or so where life as a wife and mother had me putting myself last on the list and my appearance showed it. I'm taking my cues, now, from "the greatest generation." Isn't it funny that the older we get, how much smarter our elders become?!?

Fried Apple Pies

2011-04-05T07:52:00.000-07:00

Look at that face! That's my little homemaker in training! Truth be told, she likes the kitchen WAY more than I do. She never wants to miss an opportunity to help me or her dad (mostly her dad...he's the cook in the family!) make something yummy. So when her teacher requested that parents bring in an apple snack to share with the class, I immediately thought about my father-in-laws delicious fried pies (and JR immediately thought she'd help!) It was actually a lot of fun and fairly simple to do. Here's what we did:

Get yourself a can of biscuits from the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Yep, that's right... canned biscuits. What could be simpler than that?! Put a little flour on your counter or cutting board so that your biscuit won't stick.

After both sides of the biscuit has been "floured," take your rolling pin and flatten it out. On a side note, could she BE any cuter?!

Here's a close up. My rolling pin is from Pampered Chef and it ROCKS THE HOUSE!! I like it much better than a traditional one.

Now for the insides: I have done this two different ways . The pic above is of some apples that I peeled and cut up (about 4 I think), sprinkled liberally with brown sugar (mine was dark brown, but it doesn't matter), and splashed with a little orange juice (no, I didn't measure anything which is TOTALLY unlike me...what can I say, I was experimenting.) I then covered the dish and let it bake on 350 degrees until the apples were soft (about 20-30 minutes). After that I used my handy-dandy food chopper (also from Pampered Chef) and turned the apples into mush. A regular food processor would also work or you could just mash them with a fork. The second time I made fired pies, I used homemade apple butter that my father-in-law had made for the filling. MUCH less labor intensive. :) Any type of pie filling in a can would also be yummy, too.

I used a measuring spoon (1TBS) and put the apple filling in the center of the biscuit.

Have a little cup of water handy and dip your fingers in the water and tap them along half of your biscuit. This will help the sides stick together when you fold it over.

Carefully fold the biscuit over, pressing the sides together.

To help the sides stick really well, press around the edges with a fork.

Put some vegetable oil in a frying pan and set the heat on medium. When hot, drop the pie in!

Flip the pie when it starts to get golden brown. That's it! Repeat with the rest of the biscuits in the roll. Easy Peasy. Sorry that there are no "after" photos. I guess we were too busy munchin' to take pics! Make some for yourself with the filling of your choice and let me know how you like 'em!

How To Organize Your Bill Paying System

2011-04-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to week 7 in Jennifer Ford Berry's fantabulous book, "Organize Now!" Forgive me for being a little late with this post... life happens, ya know?!? But this week's topic is super important (though probably not the most popular!) as it deals with how to organize your bill paying system. Let's roll up our pants, put on our boots, and jump right in, shall we?! First let's go over the goals that Berry has laid out for us this week, and then I'll share with you how I have finally implemented a system for our house that has worked like a charm:

[]Decide on a comfortable place to pay your bills. If you are lucky enough to have a "home office," that's great! If you don't, the kitchen table or the counter top will suffice. If you find it more peaceful (and quiet!) in your bedroom, that works too.

[]Set up this area with all the things necessary for bill paying: a calculator, pens, envelopes, stamps, return address labels, etc.

[]Shred any old payment books from old loans that you've already paid off.

[]Decide on an organized system that works for you (handwritten checks, online bill pay, or a particular computer software program... they all work!) and put it into practice.

[]Berry suggests asking your bank about online banking and also suggests Quicken for bill paying if you feel comfortable letting the "pen and paper" go. As I mentioned last week (and Berry confirms), online banking is fast and easy, and can also save you money in the long run on stamps and envelopes. Plus, it's a "greener" way to pay your bills by saving some trees and a bonus: PAPER CLUTTER is banished!!! Berry also suggests asking your bank to keep your cancelled checks for the same reason.

[]Schedule time each week to pay your bills and check on your accounts.

[]After a bill is paid, write or stamp "PAID" across the top and file it away in your filing cabinet (or basket or folder if you don't have a cabinet) until the end of the month. At the end of the month, punch holes in them and file them away in a 3 ring binder. Use dividers to mark each category (mortgage, car payment, electricity, etc.) for easy reference.

Not long ago, I ran up on this blog post that has literally saved the day with my bill paying. I knew I had to copy it. I mean, LOOK at it. Pardon me while I swoon with organizational envy...

Seriously, go check out the deets. I copied it almost exactly. Why reinvent the wheel, right?!? I also saw this morning where Bonnie from House of Grace has a similar one too! Great minds think alike, eh? ;) I'm just thrilled to now be in the company of such organizational excellence! Here is my version:

And here is another picture without the calendar on the front nestled away in the corner of my kitchen... it's new home!:

I picked the file box up at Staples and it was on sale! Woot-woot! I liked it because it matched my other organizer that I bought from Wal-Mart a while back.The calendar in my first picture is also from Wal-Mart and was a steal at around three bucks. Momma likes a bargain!

Here's a peek at the insides:

Notice that the folders for bills is numero uno. As mail comes in, it gets sorted accordingly. Each member of the family also gets a folder so when those papers from school come flooding in, they have a space, too. The categories for the folders are: Bills, Incoming Mail, Receipts, Chuck, Lindsey, Anna, Jamie, Coupons, and To File. Eventually, I would like to have ALL yellow folders so that it looks all "coordinated" with my kitchen (cuz I'm a freak like that!), but I just had to use what I had on hand.

My main problem with bill paying was this: the mail would come in and get put on the counter. The paper pile would grow and grow and eventually, a lonely little bill would get lost in the shuffle and not get paid on time. UGGHH! Complete frustration! Has that happened to you? Well, this little systems takes care of that. Once a week (on Mondays, that's my designated "bill paying" day) I take this little basket to my desk and pay the bills in the "Bills" folder. Done. Easy peasy.

As for the ever-growing paper pile, it gets designated to one of these two trash bins:

One is for papers that need to be shredded (the shredder is in the office, these bins are in the kitchen right behind the counter where the mail organizer is) and the other is just for general paper to be recycled. I forgot to take the "Hefty" labels off from when I bought them. I DID, however label them with my handy-dandy label maker so other people (should they choose to handle the mail) know exactly what goes where. I'm the bill payer of the fam, so this task is usually left to me, but a girl can dream, right? :D

Okay, so back to the actual bill paying! Like I said last week, I've been paying my bills online for a while now and it has really worked well. I actually figured up one time how much money I was saving in stamps over the course of a year and I was amazed. I can't remember now as it's been so long, but it was substantial.

After I pay a bill, I mark on the bill how much was paid (by either circling the minimum payment or writing the amount on top if I've paid more) and writing the date I paid it. I then file it away in my filing cabinet. After about 6 months, I shred this info. Usually, I haven't needed this info after this amount of time.

Right now there is only one bill that gets sent to my e- mail (I was trying the "paperless statement" to see if I liked it... the jury is still out. I'm still the kind of girl that likes to have my hands on the bill right in front of me.) and one bill that is taken out of my checking account automatically. As our bills decrease in number, I see me switching to more automatic bill paying. It's just one less thing to think about, ya know? But for now, I think I'll keep doing what I'm doing, at least for a while.

I hoped this post has helped someone out there who might be struggling to get a handle on their bill paying system. It can be overwhelming, but just keep trying. Any system is better than no system at all, and there is lots of inspiration from Blog-land to encourage and inspire you. Check back next week as we organize our receipts... SO important for tax season that is well under way! And don't forget to check out today's post by Bonnie for more bill paying ideas! Bye for now!

You GOTTA try these!!!

2011-03-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

I HAVE to tell you guys about the most delicious snack EVAH!!! I haven't always been a fan of the almond the way that I am now. I guess you could say it has become an acquired taste for me since becoming a little more health conscious. But now, I love them. I really do. Indeed. But momma needs a little variety in her life, you know? These little tasty tidbits of deliciousness are the answer to a dieter's prayer. I grab a handful for a snack (the can says 28 nuts is a serving, but The South Beach Diet has brainwashed me that 15 is the magic number!) whenever a hunger pang strikes. Nuts (especially almonds) are so heart healthy and very filling making this a great go-to snack. And even if you aren't a fan of almonds, this wasabi and soy sauce flavor of these might change your mind. They rock my face off. Now if I could only get them to rock off a little of the tummy and some back fat, we'd be good to go! Seriously, go get some. Before I buy them all!! Muah-ha-ha-ha!!!!

Sew Cute and Sew Fun!!!

2011-03-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at sewing for the public! Ain't it the cutest?!? This was made for a sweet little girl in Jamie's Girl Scout Troop named Zoey. I hope she (and her mom) like it! Now that I've gotten myself on a schedule, I've decided that Fridays are going to be my sewing day (after I work out, of course!). I've got lots of projects lined up so I'll be posting those as I get them done. I might even throw in a tutorial or two, who knows. Check back for updates!

How To Organize Your Finances

2011-03-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

Week six in Jennifer Ford Berry's book, "Organize Now!" deals with organizing your finances. Despite an uncontrollable urge to link you directly to Dave Ramsey's website and call it a day, I'll offer you some insight on what we do around here to keep the Pearson family finances in check. Fair warning though... this might sound like a Dave Ramsey infomercial... you know, without the annoying "and if you call in the next 10 minutes" shpeel. LOL!

Seven short years ago, Chuck and I were living in a new town, I was preggo with child numero dos and had recently come out of work due to Anna's medical situation. Coming out of work was something that happened suddenly and not by my choice, so we went from a two-income family to a one-income family without warning, planning, or want-to. Keep in mind we still had the bills of a two-income family and for a time, things were pretty rough. Many months went by when I was literally "stealing from Peter to pay Paul" as the saying goes. Add mounting medical bills to this scenario. It was NO fun, I tell ya. No fun at all.

I had never heard of Dave Ramsey, but was immediately interested in his course "Financial Peace University" by the title alone. Our church was offering classes (by video and workbook) and Chuck and I signed up immediately. We were doing the best we could with what we were going through (which was mostly living off credit cards) but I knew we needed help. Help came in the form of a witty, tell-it-like-it-is, been-there-done-that, knight and shining armor...otherwise known as Dave Ramsey. ;) I hold the man in high regard, can you tell?

If you ever have the opportunity to take this class, I highly recommend it. You can even take it online now. If you want to get the gist of things, buy his book "Total Money Makeover" and heed every.single.word. There is no quick fix to getting out of debt. You have to "plan to work, and then work the plan" as he says. But if you do the work, you WILL reap the benefits.

This is the part where I should tell you how we live debt free and are the poster children for following Dave's advice. Ummm, no. If we had stuck to our guns we would be debt free by now. But we got lazy. And we lost focus. But luckily we've managed to get back on track and have made a plan to be debt free (except for the mortgage) in 5 years. That may sound like an awfully long time, but dear peeps, we're talking about an awful lot of debt. And you know what? It's TOTALLY do-able. Dave can show you how.

If you are so lucky (and smart!) to have not accumulated the debt that we have, Dave's advice is good for you too:

*Do you have an emergency fund? This will keep you from having to rely on those credit cards when the air-conditioning goes out or you need a new set of tires.

*Of course, a budget is crucial (I know, the "B" word. It's so ugly. But essential. Kinda like Spanx after childbearing!). You HAVE to know how much money you have coming in and going out before you can do anything else. This may take a month or more to collect such information, especially if you haven't kept up with things before now.

*Got outstanding debt? Tally your balances and start with the lowest, putting all extra cash toward paying that one bill down. Pay only the minimum payments on the rest. When that bill is paid in full, take the money you were paying on that bill and add it to the minimum payment of the bill with the next lowest balance. Dave calls this the "debt snowball."

Soon, you will see your debt disappear. It's a beautiful thing. Check out his website for all the deets on saving for an emergency fund, budgets, and basic wealth building. He's got it "down pat" as my grandmother used to say. It's fool proof.

The only other advice I can give on organizing your finances is to have a specific day set aside to pay bills. Mine is Monday. I pay the majority of my bills using my bank's online bill paying service and though it takes a few days to process, it's no slower than snail mail. And think of all the money you save in stamps! My apologies to the USPS! I also use automatic bill pay for our hospital bill. The benefit here is that you don't have to worry about the bill getting overlooked because it gets paid every month on the same day. The only thing you have to worry about is making sure there's money in the bank! I see us switching to more automatic bill payments in the future. This is easy when your emergency fund (in a separate savings account) is linked to your checking account through overdraft protection. Just one less thing to have to worry about, you know? Who couldn't use more freed up mental space?

Next week the topic of Berry's book deals with organizing your bill-paying system. I've re-vamped mine recently, so I can't wait to show you. Don't forget to check out House of Grace for tips from Bonnie and the other girls linking up to her party.

Spring Has Sprung Around the Mailbox!

2011-03-23T06:12:00.000-07:00

Life stands before me like an eternal spring with new and brilliant clothes. Carl Friedrich Gauss

Happy Spring! Yes, I'm aware that the first official day of Spring was days ago. Just call me a late bloomer. Bah-dum-bum! Yeah, I couldn't resist. Anywho...

After spending Spring Break at Children's Hospital last week, all 4 of us were eager to get our hands dirty and work in the yard. Our first project: a mailbox overhaul. Thank you young hoodlum, whoever you are, who thought that hitting our mailbox with some blunt object would be a riot. I'm sure that was the climax of your weekend. Loser... No worries, though. We are resilient. And so is our new plastic mailbox. ;)

Here's a pic of the Diva washing bird poop off the pole. Look, she volunteered for that job. Far be it for me to stand in the way of a willing worker! LOL! After it was dry, I gave it a fresh coat of black paint.

Here is the remains of the old one. May it rest in pieces, um, I mean peace. :D

We brought a quilt outside for Anna to sit on. She loved it! Daddy is taking a break from mailbox duty. When I say stuff like, "Honey, will you cut the bottom out of that fake whiskey barrel planter so I can put it around the mailbox?" he's always game. After 10 plus years, he trusts my vision (even when he can't see it for himself, right away!).

And there she is... ain't she purty?! It was getting dark, so the picture is not the greatest. We are going to fill in the bare spots with Lantana later on so it can spill over the sides. I'm pretty proud of our work. :) Adding little touches like this really makes a big difference to your curb appeal. What are you waiting for?! Get out there and show your mailbox some love!

Daily Devotions

2011-03-22T09:57:00.000-07:00

This book was a gift to one of my girls on her birthday several years ago. It is a sweet little book of devotions with even sweeter illustrations. Mostly this book has been read before bed time, but I brought it back out for Lent and decided to read it in the mornings as me and the girls are having breakfast.

Aren't the pictures precious? The title says it's for the very young, but my six year old and (mentally challenged) 9 year old love it. We've started keeping the TV off in the mornings and read a passage from the book as we begin breakfast.

After telling them the date (which can start conversations about who's birthday it may be, or if it's a holiday) I explain to them about where the bible verse at the top of the page is from. After the short devotion, I read a little bit from this children's bible that I borrowed from church. I got the idea of reading the bible at breakfast here from Courtney at Women Living Well. I thought it was the perfect time (we're all at the table anyway!) and it gets the day started on the right foot.

We started at the beginning (Genesis 1:1) and each day we read a little bit at a time. This morning was interesting because we read about Adam and Eve eating from the tree that gives knowledge of good and evil and the curse that befell mankind and the earth because of it. "They were naked?" the Diva asked. "Yep," I replied. "Why were they naked?" I thought to myself: They were banished from paradise, made to sweat and work for their food, cursed with agony in childbearing and ultimately death and all the red-head can focus on is that they were without clothes. Oy vey! Seriously though, it's been wonderful to have conversations about the beginning of all things with my child no matter where the questions might (ahem) take us. I've always heard there's no such thing as a dumb question. Parenting definitely puts that theory to the test!

How do the rest of you teach the bible to your children? The responsibility is not the minister's, the Sunday school teacher's, or the private school's. If you don't have regular bible time with your children, perhaps you could start one over breakfast or another meal. And the bonus? You get your daily dose of the scriptures as well. Win-win, people!

How To Organize Your Personal Information

2011-03-17T13:20:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are at week 5 in Jennifer Ford Berry's book "Organize Now," and we are working this week to organize our personal information. Honestly, this was not a week I was looking forward to, but not for the reasons you might think. Surprisingly, Momma's got a pretty good handle on important paperwork. This is due primarily to the fact that I traded in my two drawer filing cabinet for a mack-daddy 4 drawer one that my father-in-law was getting rid of. Because I was the lucky recipient of such charity, I happily gave my friend Hollie my old filing cabinet. "Share the love," I always say. But I digress...

How about you? Could you put your hands on your family's important papers like Social Security cards, birth certificates, or car titles? Berry breaks down this weeks goals to guide us though this very important task:

1. Decide where you want to store this information. I'm a "paper-and-pencil" girl myself, although storing such info on the computer would probably be easier. Just be sure you save a backup copy to a jump drive, you know, just in case...

2. Label each category accordingly so you can reference the information easily. Berry suggests these:
A. Finances
*Your credit score (I have NO idea what mine is...oops!)
*Credit card and debit card numbers and the number to call if they are stolen
*Bank account numbers and the number to call if your checkbook is lost or stolen
*A budget for your income, expenses, savings, and personal goals
B. Health
* Allergies (food, meds, animals, etc.)
* Your blood pressure
* Any health issues that run in your family
* Your cholesterol level
* Your blood type and those of family members
C. Safety
* Emergency contact numbers
* License plate number and VIN
* Flight numbers if you or a family member are planning a trip
* Current photos of every member of your household labeled with heights and weights
* Photocopies of yours, your spouse's, and your children's passports
D. Just In Case
* Your measurements and clothing size (along with your spouse's and your children's).

3. Purchase a fireproof storage box (if you haven't already) to keep important documents in like:
* Marriage certificates
* Birth certificates
* Death certificates
* Adoption papers
* Auto titles
* Stocks and bonds
* Wills
* Household inventory list
* Valuable contracts
* Passports

As mentioned earlier, I actually have a pretty impressive filing system but a fireproof safe, I have not. I've always wanted one, so I guess it's worked it's way up on my " things to buy" list. I'm going to look around because if I remember correctly, they are not cheap. Worth every penny, I'm sure, but not cheap.

I made a notebook for Anna's medical history several years ago to help me keep up with medicines (that she currently takes, and has failed), doctors and therapists (along with phone numbers and clinic notes or instructions for home) and basic seizure information that I pass on to anyone whose care she might be under (church workers, babysitters, etc.). As for the rest of the fam, including myself, I have almost NO
information. This area needs work I guess. I'll do a post on Anna's book, too, as that might be beneficial for some of you to see how something like that comes together.

I also need to get all my credit and debit card numbers together. We have been the victims of identity theft recently so many numbers have changed for us. This will also be a good chance to cancel some cards that carry a zero balance thanks to some hard work to become debt free. Woot-woot!

Next week we will dive in to organizing our finances and this makes me super excited! Berry's book is making this organizing stuff easy peasy. If you've been following along and haven't gotten the book yet, I would HIGHLY recommend it. Bonnie at House of Grace has a printable for your personal information that looks awesome today, so head on over to check out her post. Happy organizing, folks!

Music Therapy... Friday Edition

2011-03-11T05:51:00.000-08:00

Since my Thursdays have been rather full "organizing my life" ;), I thought I'd interject a little music therapy today. When I need to get in touch with my inner red-neck, I like to listen to Miranda Lambert. This is such a fun song and it literally makes me LOL. So to kick off the weekend, here's a little diddy to help us laugh at ourselves. Just one question, tho... Southern belle or red-neck gal? Me? Well that's easy. "I'm just like you. Only prettier."

How To Organize Your Priorities

2011-03-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

"Does it ever feel like you spend all your hours and days doing but not living?" This question, posed by author Jennifer Ford Berry in her book "Organize Now," really hit home with me. If you are a wife/mother who wears a plethora of hats daily, then I'm sure on some level it resonates with you too.

This week we are focusing on organizing our priorities (I actually exhaled deeply as I wrote that last sentence! Do I need this book, or what?!?). As a mother and a wife it seems as if my life is consumed with the details of housekeeping and child rearing... as it should be. Because I didn't marry until I was 28, it was an adjustment for me to shift gears from worrying about me and only me all the time, to devoting my life and my work to my husband and the two adorable children that followed suite. Ironically, now I struggle to find balance in putting myself "back on the list" as they say, and making myself (my emotional and physical health, my goals and aspirations) a priority. Berry must have written this chapter especially for me! LOL!

For this weeks goals, we were asked to make a list of our top 10 priorities. Remember, Berry says that they "...should reflect what is important to you. If you don't decide what they are, others will decide for you." No truer words have been spoken. Here are mine:

1. My relationship with God and my spiritual growth

Of course this would be number one, right? But sometimes, if I'm honest, I struggle with putting God first. Lent is making me acknowledge this about myself and I'm making strides to do better.

2. My relationship with my husband

Like "the Man upstairs," my husband gets put behind the children most days. Heck, sometimes even the laundry gets put before him. Sorry, sweetie. I'm making progress here, too. Once the kids are asleep, me and the hubs have been making an effort to stay up and talk, watch TV, or (ahem) whatever.

3. My relationship with my children

Having a more organized routine in the house has helped me be a more attentive mom in the afternoons when the girls come in from school. I try to have the majority of the housework done so I can be available to them in the few short hours we have between 3:00pm and bedtime. We've been playing the Wii after supper together some nights and it has been great "family" time for all of us.

4. Healthy eating

I have the best husband in the world. Not only does he cook, but he also grocery shops when needed. He's always so supportive with whatever I'm doing diet-wise and right now we are just focusing on eating "healthy." For me, this means 4 small meals a day. I need to be better about meal planning, though. Still working on this one...

5. Exercise

I've been doing "From Couch to 5K" for over a month now. This week, I've joined the gym for the first time in ages. I'm finally making this a priority and I'm exercising first thing in the morning that way it's done and out of the way and I don't even have to think about it for the rest of the day. I'm feeling better in general (which gives me stamina to complete all that I have to do in a day) as well as feeling better about my looks (which helps with priority number two... the hubs may say he doesn't care what I look like but I do!)

6. Becoming debt free

This has fallen down a few notches on the priority list, but needs my attention a few days out of the week when I pay bills and budget the rest of the money. Gotta tighten the reigns here again...

7. Teaching Sunday School

Anna's seizures has kept me from teaching Sunday School for about a month now, but this is something I dearly enjoy. I love working for my church this way and also heading up Vacation Bible School. At least one day a week needs to be devoted to planning my lessons so I'm not running around last minute.

8. Free time (AKA: ME time or play time!)

Okay, here we go. Momma needs down time too, right? This week I've scheduled two naps into my schedule and ya know what? I've been a better mom and wife because of it. I've also allocated Friday as my sewing day so I can get caught up on some projects that are lying around. And truth be told: being creative is therapeutic for me. It's good for my soul. Having a day at the end of the week to play is like a reward for doing all the stuff that needed to be done earlier in the week. So there. Enuff said! ;)

9. Organizing the house

The condition of my house is usually a reflection of what's going on in my life. It's the reason I bought this book. Duh. :D But it's getting there. I'm proud of my progress.

10. Extended family

My parents and Chuck's parents live about an hour to an hour and a half away. My sister lives even farther. I want to make an effort to visit with them more. Chuck and I are also talking about going to North Carolina to visit my brother this summer. And if nothing else, I'm trying to be better about calling regularly. A quick call to say hi and I love you doesn't have to take half an hour. Pick up the phone, Linds. It's not that hard.

11. Special Needs Advocacy

Yeah, I know we were only supposed to have 10 priorities, but what can I say? I'm an overachiever! Being a mom to a special needs child has put me in places and around people I never thought I'd be in or around 10 years ago. I have always had a heart for the handicapped and I adore spending time in the Special Ed classroom at Anna's school, going to Miracle League softball games and watching sweet angels compete in the Special Olympics. I have spoken on two different occasions about Anna and her disabilities and I am always honored to talk to, answer questions, and share stories with other parents who have similar circumstances like we do. I feel this is a great calling on my life and I would like to do more for people who have special needs in our community. I don't know where this will lead, but I feel God has big plans in this area of my life. I'm trying to be open and listen to his call here.

Two other things that are worth mentioning in this section of the book deals with setting boundaries and learning to say no as well as limiting time spent with negative people. First of all, we are not responsible for the entire world. Look at your plate. Is it half-full, brimming, or running over? The world will not stop on it's axis if you say "no" to the PTO, your next door neighbor, or the Ladies Auxiliary. If you don't bake the cupcakes, organize the block party, or book next month's speaker, they will find someone else to do it. They always do. And second, nothing will suck the life out of you faster than a negative friend. Look at the people you surround yourself with. Search out ladies who you admire and who can be a mentor to you and invite them over. Or better yet... meet somewhere for breakfast and pick their brain over pancakes or have your kids play at the park together. Attitudes are contagious. Surround yourself with positive people and keep yourself emotionally healthy.

Next week focuses on organizing your papers. Are y'all ready for this? I'm no psychic, but I see a LOT of work for me in the next few days! LOL! Check out House of Grace today and see how others are organizing their priorities and get inspired to start setting some of your own!

Ash Wednesday and Buh-Bye to Stuff

2011-03-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

As a good Presbyterian, I'm preparing myself for the Lenten season. Having grown up in a totally different denomination of the Christian faith, I have learned more about Lent over the last several years and the purpose and ideas behind it. In these last years, I have not always observed Lent, as I believe that whether or not you participate, and to what extent of what you do and do not do, is completely between you and God. For a general overview, if you are unfamiliar with Lent, look here and here.

This year I have decided to take part in the "40 Bags in 40 Days" challenge that Ann Marie from White House, Black Shutters is doing. She got the idea from Sarah from Clover Lane who got the idea here.This is a fantastic idea and goes right along with all the decluttering I've been doing around the house. My pastor always asks us during Lent, "What is it that keeps us from spending time with God?" For some it's too much television, Facebook, or any other hobby that many of us make into an "Idol." And for some (like myself) it's STUFF. With all the junk I've accumulated, I spend the majority of my time, picking up stuff, putting away stuff, organizing stuff, and trying to find stuff. And if I see cute stuff on sale, you better believe it's coming home with me. See what I mean? I'm tired of being a slave to my stuff.

So for the 40 days of Lent leading up to Easter (this does not include weekends), I am going to take a bag a day (whether it's a Wal-Mart sack, or black lawn and leaf bag LOL!) and fill it up with the stuff that's cluttering my home, my mind, and my LIFE and take it out of my house. Normally I would pile all my stuff that I take out of my house in the garage and save it for a yard sale... OH, BUT NO!!! This time I'm going to sacrifice the money I would usually make from my yard sale and give all my stuff to the Downtown Rescue Mission where they can sell it in their store and help the homeless. Everybody wins this way!

Another way I'm preparing myself for the Lenten season is reading a devotion everyday at breakfast with my girls as well as reading our way through a wonderful International Children's Bible that I borrowed from our church (I'm going to post about this next week). Today we started in Genesis and read about the beginning of all things. JR commented that there were LOTS of pages for us to read to get to the end. LOL! How observant is that??? That kid cracks me up...

Now, where did I put those garbage bags?!? Kidding! They're under the sink in the kitchen. I cleaned out THAT cabinet a week and a half ago. ;) I'll post pics of the progress. Stay tuned!!!

Groove Is In The Heart...And The Hat Too, Apparently

2011-03-08T06:15:00.000-08:00

"Just Dance" on the Wii is a favorite at our house. I just had to capture this moment.

Sporting momma's fedora helps the Diva find her groove. Looking good!

That's right. Work it, girlfriend. She beats me in points every single time. It's gotta be the hat...

'After' Pics from "Operation Find the Floor"

2011-03-07T08:24:00.000-08:00

As promised... here are the "after" photos from the little challenge I have since named "Operation Find the Floor." This is where my mother-in-law and myself cleaned up, cleared out and hauled away 2 garbage bags full of trash and a super huge cardboard box full of junk to take to the thrift store. And now this is what you see now when you walk in the Diva's bedroom.

Here's a closer shot of what's above her bed. We picked up a new quilt and sheet set at Target. Her room needs a good re-painting. Any suggestions??? I was thinking that lime green color even though that was the color it was before the pink. I got the circle-y/ crystal-y thing at Trees and Trends for 60% off. Momma ROCKS the bargains. The chandelier sticker is from Hobby Lobby...50% off! I've been waiting MONTHS to use it somewhere and I think it's cute over the bed. You can't tell in the picture, but it has some adhesive crystals that play off the circle-y thing.

Here's a closer shot. The Barbies above the bed are really MY collection. ;) If she had her way, JR would have them out of the box and half naked by now. True dat.

The curtain is just some fabric that I just threw over a curtain rod a couple years ago. Actually making the girl some curtains has been on my to-do list for quite some time. I'm still not satisfied with all the stuff just lining the walls, but I think you'll agree that it's a vast improvement from what it was. We are in the market for a new little throw rug to bring in more of the colors from the quilt on the bed and I really want to do something with that cork board...

This still looks cluttered to me. We are talking about hanging the tv on the wall to free up more of the desk space. This would get rid of the make-shift, wooden "hutch" that I've repurposed from an over-the-sink shelf. I also spray painted the original hardware to the desk with some Rustoleum spray paint in bronze. Still not crazy about them tho. I got the desk for $25.00, so I can't really complain too much.

And here's the last pic, working your way out the door. The bookshelf was given to me 10 years ago and I used it next to Anna's crib when she was a baby. It's solid wood and fits nicely in that little space. Cat clock from K-Mart. :) I'm weird and have to have a clock in every room.

So there you have it, friends! I have to say that the red-head LOVES her room. We actually have a hard time getting here out of there now! Tee hee. :) And she has been a champ in keeping it picked up and clean. This morning, before school, she even made her bed. Pardon me while I wipe the tears from my eyes...

My next projects involve getting into the two worst closets in my house: the office and the master bedroom. It never ends, does it?!? Spring has gotten me so motivated for, well, Spring Cleaning! Anybody else been bitten by the cleaning bug?

From Flab To Fab Friday... From Couch to 5K

2011-03-04T06:08:00.000-08:00

Thought it might be time to check in on the weight loss and keep myself accountable with my exercise routine. Let's just rip the band-aid off, shall we?!? I've GAINED 4 pounds. I know. Cry me a river, you say. Because in total, I've still lost 12 lbs, and that makes me happy... but 16lbs is closer to 20, which is closer to the 40 that I set out to lose in the first place. That's right. Four, zero. Or the equivalent of my youngest child. Talk about putting things into perspective. I was practically carrying Jamie Ruth around with me every day. No wonder I ached top to bottom!

I'm surprised I haven't gained more than 4 lbs, honestly, considering I have eaten my weight in Girl Scout cookies over the last three weeks. My saving grace has been the "From Couch to 5K" podcasts that I downloaded for free (that's right FREE. You know what they say... If it's free, it's for ME! LOL!). Inspired by a friend on Facebook, I decided to take the leap (no pun intended) into running.

First, let me say that I have NEVER been the running type. I really don't know what got into me, really, other than thinking it would be really cool to run a 5K. This program takes you from your current "couch potato" status, and through the course of nine weeks of building up walking and running intervals, will have you running continuously for 30 minutes, or 5 kilometers.

I "Google" searched "From Couch to 5K podcasts" and was surprised that there are several different ones out there. The one I chose has a British lady named Laura who guides you through the walking/ running routines to some up-beat, contemporary pop music. Laura tells you when it's time to walk (a 5 minute warm-up in week 1), and when to run (30 seconds of running in week 1 followed by 90 seconds of walking to recover and so on). You need to complete at least 3 sessions before moving on to the next week, and always take a day of rest off in between.

I started off gung-ho. I ran EVERY. OTHER. DAY. Without fail. Then life happens, as it tends to do (sick kids, sick husband, etc.), and I began to skip two and three days in between. Then Anna's seizure activity picked up and as of yesterday, it had been almost 2 weeks since my last run. But after NOT exercising, my body started to (dare I say it) crave running. I know it sounds bizarre, but it's the truth. So yesterday I hopped back on the treadmill and completed day three of week three and it felt great. I guess I'm a runner now. Who would have ever thought that would happen?!?

As a person who never ran anywhere before (except to the fridge in the garage for an ice cold diet coke!), I can hardly believe how much I love this program. It's quick (30 minutes... that's all!), and after purchasing my treadmill for a sweet deal from my friend Jennifer, I don't have to worry about the weather messing up my exercise plans. Plus it has been a GREAT stress reliever for me. Sad, mad, or frustrated? I just work it out on the treadmill. And I have energy to spare. I haven't felt this good in years. YEARS, people!

Today is the 4th of March... how are you doing with your weight loss goals for the New Year? If you are struggling, I highly recommend the "From Couch to 5 K" podcasts. If I can do it, anybody can. I can hardly wait to run my first 5K. Wanna join me? :D

How to Organize Your Cleaning Schedule

2011-03-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have tried and tried to get myself on a cleaning schedule. In the past I've broken tasks down into daily chores, and I have also tried the "once a week" cleaning day... both with little success. But that is why I bought the fantastic book "Organize Now," by Jennifer Ford Berry. This book is changing my life. And that's saying a lot since I've read almost every organizing book, magazine article and blog post I could find on simplifying and order. I'm an organized person deep down. Really, I am...

I have at least figured out that I haven't been able to clean as I would like because a lot of my time is spent putting things back in their rightful home. I guess you could say I do a lot of "picking up" but not a lot of "cleaning up." I recently implemented a chore chart with my kiddo as well as began purging a lot of unnecessary things to help with this issue. After following Berry's advice to write down ALL tasks that need to be done in the house and then categorize them into what needs to be done daily, weekly, monthly, etc., I think I've come up with a plan that will help me be successful once and for all.

Basically, I broke my house into sections that will be addressed on certain days of the week.

Mondays: Master Bath and Master Bedroom

sinks/counter tops/mirrors
tub
shower
toilet
sweep/mop
change sheets
dust
vacuum
pick up

Tuesdays: Laundry Room and Kitchen

wipe down washer and dryer
sweep and mop Laundry Room
put clothes away
sweep/mop Kitchen
clean sink/wipe counter tops
clean microwave
wipe down cabinets
wipe down fridge
clean out fridge

Wednesdays: Living Room and Dining Room

dust
sweep/mop/vacuum
clean t.v.
pick up

Thursdays: Guest Room/ Office and Girls Bath

change sheets
dust
vacuum
clear desk
sweep/mop bath
sink/mirror

tub
wash rugs

Fridays: JR's Room

change sheets

dust

vacuum

clear desk

Jamie now has a new chore chart that involves keeping her room clean, but the Friday list is for me to make sure that things are being done and tweak some things that she's already done to get them to my specs. I know. Control is a hard thing to let go of. But I'm trying to keep this from happening again. Aye-yie-yie.

Of course there are things that NEED to be done daily like make the beds (hopefully JR has already made hers before school), take out the trash, dishes (empty dishwasher, load dishwasher, run, repeat :D), laundry, and some general sweeping (We keep our litter box for the cat in the master bath, so I'm trying to sweep in there every day to keep from stepping on strewn cat litter. I know. Gross part dos. And let's not forget one-third of our meal that seems to end up underneath the table. It's the only reason I'm thinking of getting a dog... kidding!) I recently purchased this little broom and dust pan set at Tuesday Morning. I thought it might help me feel cheerier (is that a word? LOL!) about cleaning crumbs and cat litter. I'll let you know when that emotion kicks in...

Once a month I plan to dust the base boards (first week of the month), ceiling fans (2nd week) and windows/ blinds (3rd week), change the air filter in the return and dust the grate (on the 4th week of the month). I'm outta control, right?!? Soon the Pearson house may actually be dust-bunny and cobweb free. Oh, to dream!

Three things I can already check off my list that Berry suggests is to have each family member an assigned towel for the week (Check), place a set of disposable disinfecting wipes in each bathroom for quick, in between cleanups (Check), and to save space by minimizing cleaners (big fat CHECK!). I recently switched to Shaklee cleaners after reading about it on Bonnie's blog and I have been super impressed. I'll do a post about them later cuz they are just. that. good.

Whew! What a long post! But can I tell you what a difference it makes to actually have it written down? There's no "Where do I start? What do I do now?" cuz it's all right there in black and white. In doubt? Check the list! And if the kids are sick and I'm unable to accomplish everything for that day... oh well. New day = new tasks. It can just wait until next week or if there's extra time later in the week (yeah, right!) I can back track on a task or two but I am NOT getting bogged down trying to play catch up. It just defeats the system, ya know?

I hope y'all are enjoying the book and every one's posts as much as I am. Don't forget to check out House of Grace today for inspiration on getting your own cleaning schedule started. Next week we delve into organizing our priorities and I've already jumped ahead a little. See what a little organization can do? ;)

I REALLY Can't Believe I'm Doing This

2011-03-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

Allow me to mortify you with some pictures of my daughter's bedroom. I seriously can't BELIEVE I am going to share these with you, but in the attempt to clean up and organize my house, I thought it would be beneficial for you to see the "Before" pics so that you could really appreciate the "After" the way I do. Are you sitting down?

Exhibit A: My mother-in-law is so horrified, she's taking her own pictures. I needed back-up. MoMo and I make a great clean-up crew!

Exhibit B: Can't even GET to the desk to work... The small laundry basket was my last effort pre- "Operation Find the Floor" to get her to throw 20 things in there to get rid of. She only managed FIVE.

Exhibits C and D. And yes, I did stumble (and almost fell) trying to make my way across the room to get these shots. What can I say, I'm a dedicated journalist.

This little experiment does three things. First, it embarrasses me that we have indulged our child with so much STUFF. I'm also embarrassed that my inability to stay on top of the situation has let it get this "outta control." Ahh, mom-guilt. It's a beautiful thing. Second, I am motivated beyond measure to clean up and clear out anything and everything that's not nailed to the floor. Everywhere, not just the Diva's bedroom (I do feel I must put in a disclaimer here that states the rest of the house DOES NOT LOOK LIKE THIS... Okay. I feel better now.). And lastly, if misery loves company, it might make you feel a teensy bit better about the condition of your home. Come back Friday for the "After" photos. Prepare to be amazed...

Update: Due to a last minute sewing project, "After" photos have been postponed to Monday. Sometimes 24 hours in one day are just not enough around here... and sometimes they're 24 hours and 36 minutes to many! LOL!

Pear Salad

2011-03-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

If you know me, you know that I am NOT the cook in the family. That's Chuck's title. He's an avid " Food Network" watcher, a mean omlet maker, and truth be told, I think he dreams of one day owning his own restaurant. Yep. I'm a lucky gal. I'm also happy to relinquish the kitchen to his master-mind and enjoy the delecacies that he creates. I, on the other hand, tend to gravitate toward easy-peasy recipes. I like casseroles and semi-homemade stuff that looks great, but could easily be pulled off by a grade school student. Case in point: the delicious and uncomplicated (and very southern) pear salad.

Chuck and I often wonder who was the first person to come up with this unique flavor combo. At first glance these ingredients seem like they would never go together, but trust me... It's super yummy. My mom used to make it all the time, and though it's technically a salad, I like to have it for dessert.

* Get yourself a can of pear halves and drain them.
* Arrange them on a bed of lettuce for presentation (I left the lettuce out, cuz, well, we were out of lettuce!).
* Add a dollop of mayo to the pear centers (I like to use a mellon baller because it's quick and keeps the fingers mess free!).

* Grate yourself a little cheddar cheese and sprinkle on top.
* Finish it with a cherry and you're good to go.

What could be easier than that? Pretty enough to take to a pot-luck and simple enough for an after school snack. And dee-lish. Four out of five housewives with the culinary skills of grade schoolers agree. ;)

Music Therapy... Monday Edition

2011-02-28T14:31:00.000-08:00

After searching You-Tube for a completely different song altogether, I stumbled upon this one. It's raining over here. Literally and figuratively. It's a good thing I like thunderstorms. "So I pray..." Enjoy today's music therapy and enjoy the cleansing power of the rain.

It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's...

2011-02-24T07:46:00.001-08:00

SUPER GIRL! And what a super girl she is. This picture was taken at The Miracle League softball game last October when the players dressed in their Halloween costume. Chuck and I joked that the "S" on her costume actually stood for "Seizure Girl." C'mon. It's kinda funny, right? No? Perhaps others need a sense of humor like we have. If you can't beat it, joke about it. That's our motto!

There hasn't been a lot to joke about lately. Increased seizure activity and manic behavior has kept a smile from that precious little face...and ours too. We will be spending our spring break at Children's Hospital for a 96 hour EEG where Anna will be taken off all her meds and then we will start over with new ones. The neurologist has told us to prepare for a roller coaster ride, as it will be all trial and error as to what medications (or combos, thereof) will work best for her. And that, friends, takes time. Doesn't Dr. McGrath know that I gave up roller coasters 10 years ago? Apparently he and Anna did not get the memo. Pardon me while I get a ticket to ride...

So my little super hero is the reason I've been a little absent from the blog world lately and the reason I may be sporadic in the near future. Blogging is like therapy for me, so I'll definitely be making an appearance and keeping everyone posted on her progress that I'm claiming in advance. When you pray, say a few words for my sweet Anna. Cuz that would be, well... super.

What's Love Got To Do With It?

2011-02-14T07:20:00.000-08:00

Everything, actually. As this is Valentines Day, I'm reminded of a conversation that Jamie and I had not too long ago. She was asking me about "friends," and how she could make more of them. Apparently, at school, the subject came up about who among them had more friends. Never one to be outdone, my little red-head set out to be numero uno in the friend department. I saw this as a great opportunity to impart a little biblical wisdom. ;)

I asked her, "Do you know the best way to make a friend? It's to be a friend." She looked at me like I had four heads (it's a look I'm used to getting). I could see the wheels turning. Could it BE that simple? Really? "How do I do that?" she pondered. "Easy," I said. "Smile. Be nice. Play fair. Share your stuff. Be lovable. Treat other people the way you would like them to treat you."

Matthew 7:12 (The Message) says, "Here is a simple, rule of thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get." Many people dread Valentine's Day because either they don't have a special someone, or the special someone that they do have will not lavish them with the type of gifts that they feel they deserve. As a mom to a special needs kid, I understand all too well this focus on "what's lacking." But the best way I have found to take my mind off of my situation, is to focus on others.

How about you? Do you need a hug? Have you given one today? Do you need to hear that you are appreciated? Have you told your husband just how much he's appreciated? Do you feel like your husband is withholding affection? When is the last time you took the initiative with some romantic, physical contact? "Smile. Be nice. Play fair. Share your stuff. Be lovable. Treat other people the way you would like them to treat you." That's good advice for children AND grown-ups, alike.

And as for the red-head, she was happier than a tornado in a trailer park with all her new "friend-making" wisdom. I can only hope that she puts her competitive nature on the back burner and takes my advice to heart. Pun DEFINITELY intended. Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

Thrift Store Clock

2011-02-08T11:01:00.000-08:00

So last week I told you about the picture I made for the girls' bathroom here. This week I'm going to show you how I found a hideous clock at the thrift store and turned it into something fabulous.

I'd been looking around for a clock to use in the new "rock star" bathroom, but just wasn't finding anything suitable. I thought I wanted an orbit clock like this one, but I didn't want to fork over the thirty bucks for it. So there I was, aimlessly searching for the perfect clock, when I found this little gem hiding on the bottom shelf of the thrift store in town:

This picture was taken after I had begun to spray paint the top. Isn't she ridiculous? In all her tacky, gold and plastic-y glory? I prayed that she worked, but for $2.99, I figured , what the hay.

Yep. $2.99. (Sorry about the upside down picture. "Professional photographer" I am NOT! LOL!) And with a AA battery, she was good to go. Score!

And here is the final product! So glam! So fab! So cheap! I am SO in love with it!

And here she is in her new new home and I think she's fabulous. Quite sophisticated with a coat of glossy black, eh? The only thing laborious about this project was taping off the actual clock mechanism, but TOTALLY worth it in the end. Blue tape is your friend, folks. I use it for all kinds of stuff. So anyway, whaddaya think? The bathroom is still in progress, but coming along. I was thinking about adding a third color as an accent, maybe purple? Just in little doses, but where and how is still undetermined...

I'm linking up here:

Good News From The Good Book

2011-02-07T09:48:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had one of those "ah-ha" moments (as I call them) where you feel like God is seriously trying to speak to you? I mean , not audibly, of course, but through the written word? Specifically scripture? I'm always extremely humbled that the Alpha and Omega of the universe would even want to have anything to do with me, much less try to tell me something. Especially when that something is going to benefit me in some way. I feel like such a wretch, sometimes, and yet God is so faithful to forgive me, to love me, and willing to make me a better human being. It's far better than I deserve, really.

It's easy to jump on the bandwagon with that "mob mentality" when the media decides to publicly crucify the celebrity of the month when they step out of line. Suddenly, Tiger Woods and Jesse James are the most hated men in America and water coolers everywhere are a-buzz with what has sent Kate Gosling over the edge this time. I've been there. I've judged. I've added MY two-cents worth, thinking in some way I had some authority to do so. Hmmph. And then the proverbial light goes on.

Who am I to judge? I was certainly not the poster child for decent living in my younger years. I'm so thankful that my private life was not and IS not on display on every magazine cover or news cast for all to see. And I'm not even going to discuss what you'd think of me if I had a camera crew following me and the kids around on any given Monday afternoon. There have been times I would have made Kate Gosling look like Mother Teresa. And I don't bring up my past (or my, at times, volatile present) to keep myself under some yoke of shame or unforgiveness, but to simply say that God has forgiven me of MUCH. And still does. Daily. :) I'm a work in progress. We ALL are. The family member who made a remark about my weight. The friend who let me down. The church member that hurt my feelings. Tiger Woods. ALL works in progress. ALL going to flub it up. ALL in need of forgiveness. And at the very least, to not be judged.

Two pieces of scripture stood out to me from another blog that I read. They were:
"He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'" Revelation 21:5 a. and
"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locusts have eaten." Joel 2:25
With a convicted heart, I can come to the throne of God and ask for His forgiveness. Renewing a right spirit within me, He allows me to grow into more of the type of person He wants me to be and less of the person that I was/ am on my own. Thank you, God, for making me new. Cuz let's face it, there were MANY years that I let the locusts devour all they wanted of my life. It was a choice. I knew better, but chose the wrong path. But God says He will restore those years to me. And I SO don't deserve it. But that's just how God is. Merciful. Compassionate. Full of grace. Completely and totally awesome. Can I get an amen? :D

Organize Your Life Week 2

2011-02-03T06:47:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Week 2 of the "Organize Your Life" par-tay hosted by Bonnie at House of Grace, where we are working our way through the bestest book on organization EVAH: "Organize Now," by Jennifer Ford Berry. I have to say I am IN LOVE with this book and all those around me know it. So much so, that as I was explaining to my husband about some new schedule changes, he replies, "Is that in your book?" LOL! And I quickly quip, "Why YES! Yes it is..." :D And THIS week just happens to be about organizing your schedule. How apropos...

I bought a new planner a month or so back at Target and I like it okay.
It's spiral-bound and I honestly prefer one that I can add my own pages to, but I thought this one would fit nicely in my purse. And it does. Maybe I just need to give it more of a chance, so I will. :) Plus, it has stickers. What's more fun than using cute little stickers to flag the days I'll be volunteering at the school, getting my hair "did," or planning date night? I know. The next entry into my planner will read: "GET A LIFE!" LOL! But I digress...

So for this weeks goals:

* I've gotten a planner (Check.).

*Sat down and planned for the week ahead (And check.).

*Made a "to-do" list to keep in my planner. ( I found one over at Simple Mom under downloads.)

*And sorted "to-do" list by
A: Tasks for today (like pick up prescriptions, for instance)
B: Tasks to be done this week (mail present)
C: Tasks to be completed in the future (cards for Tammy)
(Check, check, and check! Yay! I feel organized already!)

I'm still in the process of
*Scheduling dentist and doctor appointments for me for the rest of the year (The kids are taken care of. I'm not going to tell you the last time I was at the dentist or the eye doctor. The sheer embarrassment would surely kill me! But that's what this is for, right? Getting momma back on track..) and
*Purchasing a new little notebook to keep by my bed to jot down things that I think about before drifting off to sleepy-town. I don't know why, but my mind just spins when my head hits the pillow and Jennifer Berry suggests that by writing them down when you think of them (knowing you can add them to your to-do list in the A.M.) will help you free your mind to get to sleep. As for
* Keeping a long-term "to-do" list in the back of my planner (BIG FAT CHECK!), that's an ongoing thing for me, so I'm ahead of the game there. Who woulda thunk it?! LOL!

So there it is... my schedule for the week. Is anyone else feeling rusty getting back to this schedule thing? ((blush)) Just being honest! But I know it's going to pay off big time. :D Next week involves organizing your cleaning schedule. The hubs is going to be THRILLED...

The Infamous Chore Chart

2011-02-02T06:28:00.000-08:00

I'm a "list person." Always have been. Always will be. There's just something about checking off a "to-do" list that gives me a sense of accomplishment. And as a bonus, stuff ACTUALLY gets done around here!

I have attempted to get a chore chart implemented for Jamie Ruth for some time. I've made my own, copied others online, and even forked over cash for some at Target and Hobby Lobby. Realizing lately that I'm the determining factor in whether a chore chart/system is going to be successful, NOT the fancy-schmancy chart itself, I'm backing up and punting (as the hubs would say!).

So I Google-searched "free chore charts," and good gravy, there are more to choose from than I could have ever imagined. I resisted the urge to make one with her name on it specifically (because I was in a hurry and I wanted to get this DONE and checked off my "to-do" list! Ha!) so I chose a simple template with all blanks spaces so I could fill in the particular chores myself. Next I sat down and decided on some age-appropriate tasks that she could do to help me out around the house. I narrowed the list to seven because that's how many blanks there were to fill in. See, this isn't brain surgery, people! I decided we'd start with these:
1. Make bed
2. Clean room
3. Set table
4. Put clothes away (these are her own clothes that I have [hopefully] already washed and dried and put in her own little laundry basket!)
5. Dirty clothes to hamper (after bath time, these are usually just left in the floor for me. Sigh...)
6. Pick out clothes for tomorrow (she wants to ague with MY choices anyway... might as well let her pick from an appropriate selection that I've chosen earlier. Insert evil laugh here. Momma is SO sneaky! Plus it makes the morning routine a breeze.)
7. Living room pick-up (EVERYONE is included in this little chore right before we hit the sack: parents and kids, alike. It doesn't matter who made the mess. We all work together to clean it up. And the bonus is, no one has to take their life in their hands if they have to make a trek across the living room in the middle of the night for a drink or to go to the potty. Safety first, right?! ;)

This list was met with zero opposition, surprisingly. I think she's a list person deep down, too. ((Sniff.)) Pardon me while I wipe the tears from my eyes. Seriously tho, it HAD to be the quarter I told her she would get for every task completed! The red-head responds to cash. Plain and simple.

To save you from doing the math, that's a potential to make a whopping $12.50 each week! For those of you that think this is too much moolah for a six year old, bear in mind that I had the forethought to know that (at least in the beginning) ALL of these tasks would not be completed each day. I've also thought ahead and decided that once we get the hang of the chore chart, I'll give her a quarter for each job completed, and then she'll give ME a quarter for each job undone. Genius, no?!

Well, before I go breaking my arm patting myself on the back, let's just hope I have enough follow-through to keep this plan in effect. I'll be checking back in here on the blog to keep myself accountable and let you know of the progress. How about the rest of you? Any chore charts/ systems that work for YOUR family?

Fast, Easy DIY Art on the CHEAP!

2011-01-31T09:47:00.001-08:00

Our guest bath, (aka: the girls' bathroom) has been under a decorating re-do for months now. JR insisted that the previous "fish" theme had to go and a more mature "rock star" theme was suggested to take it's place. What a six year old knows about being a rock star is beyond me, but I went with it. Momma is always up for a decorating challenge.

The thing is, NOTHING about this room has come together in a way that makes me think, "YES! I love it!" and so has therefore been left unfinished. As a woman obsessed with task completion, this room has become a thorn in my side. My new organization plan to start with the smallest room in the house and "re-work" it to my specifications (progressing to the next bigger room once completed, and so on...) has led me to once and for all FINISHING this bathroom.

So what does momma do when she needs a cute little picture and doesn't want to spend a lot of money (cuz there are LOTS more projects, people...)? She gets creative.

Out comes the embossed wallpaper that I have used for more projects than I can count...

My new Barbie calendar that I picked up at Costco for next to nothing (a smaller calendar also came with... this bigger one was bought for crafts in mind!)...

And a purchased frame from Wal-Mart...

And viola! An easy, tres chic piece of artwork that is cute enough for momma and sassy enough for my wanna-be rock star/ first grader.

Here's a shot from farther back to kind of give you the "feel" of the piece in relation to the room. It's a small bathroom. I was practically "feeling" my backside against the shower wall to get this shot! LOL! I think Barbie is going to like her new digs. She, like Chaka Khan and myself, IS every woman. I think she'll like her new "rock star" status! Stay tuned for more bathroom updates!

Carbs Or No Carbs... That Is The Question

2011-01-28T14:04:00.000-08:00

If you are around me for longer than five minutes, I'll have told you AT LEAST once or twice what a fan I am of The South Beach Diet. It is my "go-to" diet plan every January 1st and any other day in between when I realize I'm tipping the scales in a not so flattering fashion. Why? Simple. IT WORKS!

Broken down into three phases, The South Beach Diet focuses on good fats and low glycemic index carbs for a healthy eating lifestyle. Where I tend to go overboard is trying to stay longer on the first phase of the diet than necessary (Phase 1 is two weeks). This first phase is very limiting on your carb choices, completely eliminating some delectable healthy food like fruits and fruit juices. BUT THE POUNDS FALL OFF. My "more is more" mentality thinks that if two weeks of this is "good," a month would be even better! Yeah, that's why Dr. Agaston has all those letters after his name. The man knows what he's talking about. Read the book. Follow HIS advice. Don't be like me (the non-doctor person in this scenario) and do your own thing. Doing "my own thing" is what got me in this situation to begin with, right?!?

It's hard not to look at a piece of whole wheat bread and think, "Hey! Why don't I just forget about you and just have the meat and cheese of this sandwich all by itself?" when denying yourself bread, potatoes, pasta, and rice for two weeks has helped you fit into a smaller dress size. Suddenly carbs of ANY kind start to look like the enemy. And suddenly you start to become obsessed with food. Not healthy.

Carbs are NOT the enemy (I'm saying this for MY sake more than anyone else's!). Whole grains are good. Brown rice is good. Fruit is good (heck, it almost tastes like candy after you've gone without for so long!). It's a crazy, mixed up world when we are more concerned about the amount of whole grains we've consumed in a day and NOT the amount of NutraSweet we've ingested (again... talking to ME). So guess what? As I sit here drinking the last of my Lemon Berry Slush from Sonic ((gasp!)) I'm not gonna beat myself up over the carbs I ate today having lunch with JR at school. I'm hoping that they will fuel the exhaustive efforts I'm about to throw down on the treadmill as I continue to train for a 5K. As someone reminded me today, carbs are ENERGY. And I'm gonna need me some of THAT!

I'm On A Mission For Organization

2011-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

I'm the self-proclaimed queen of good intentions. Case in point: this last snow storm where we were holed up in our house for the better part of a week. Delusions of grandeur filled my wee little brain as I plotted and planned how I would meticulously clean up and clear out closets and cabinets and crannies... oh my! Well, to be fair, Anna's sock drawer did get an overhaul. Everything else... not so much.

And honestly, momma is just a little overwhelmed. Seriously, there is crap as far as the eye can see over here. I get a twinge of motivation to do something and then I just stand around right in the middle of it all and think,"Well, where on earth do I begin?" Or once I start something, the "it has to get worse before it gets better" stage drives me to the brink of insanity. And trust me peeps. That's a short drive for somebody like me.

That's when fate stepped in. :) While magazine flipping at Lowe's, I spot a book on organization. I did not buy said book as I have numerous ones like it at home (all read cover to cover thankyouverymuch!). So, with a pang of regret, I put the book back (much to the shock and disbelief of my husband). Then, just the other day, Bonnie at House of Grace said she was going to be doing a weekly post from the chapters of THE VERY SAME BOOK I HAD SEEN AT LOWE'S. I knew it was meant for me to have the book, so off to Lowe's I go. When I got there, there was one. book. left. Fate, people. Seriously. :)

"Organize Now" is written by author, speaker, AND personal organizer Jennifer Ford Berry. Each week focuses on certain areas of our lives that need organization, beginning with "Yourself." Clever, right? Why NOT start with ourselves (our mind, schedule and priorities)? Berry finishes each week with a list of goals to check off, a cute quote, and tips to STAY organized a month, 3-6 months, and a year down the road. Sounds fool-proof. Er, I mean, Lindsey proof. We shall see as I am going to follow Bonnie on Thursdays as we work throughout the book together.

What is it about the new year that gets everyone in this organizational frenzy? I'm not sure, but I AM sure that something's got to give around here. Or else the hubs might just call my bluff and contact "Hoarders." I always wanted to be on t.v., but public humiliation is NOT exactly what I had in mind... Join us?(See Bonnie's post here.)

Money Matters Monday... So, How Are We Doin'?

2011-01-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

I've been comparing a lot of things lately to "a race." Prolly because I've started this running thing. LOL! I've also realized that, unfortunately, I'm an "all or nothing" kind of girl. I'm either 110% IN, or completely and TOTALLY off the wagon as the saying goes. I'm doing my best to embrace the former, and with any luck, kicking the latter to the curb!

As mentioned in a previous post, we have been able to pay off A LOT of our debt recently. This has freed up a fair amount of cash that I SHOULD be using to pay off more bills. But oh how easy it is to take that extra money and buy shoes! Or a nice desk from which to blog from! Well, a honeymoon period is expected in ALL relationships, I guess. And my new relationship with a little extra cash is no exception.

But today is a new day. And as I am now looking at things from a long distance race perspective (instead of ,say, a 100 yard dash), I'm tying up my running shoes and digging in once again. And isn't that what it's all about, really? Not getting discouraged when we fall. Not just lying there in the dust when others start to pass you by once you are down? Keeping your eye on the finish line?

Whatever we try to do, whether it is losing weight, getting out of debt, or learning something new, we gotta keep at it. For certain, we WILL fall off the wagon. We won't be able to resist those cute pair of boots (even though they were 60% off!) or the pecan pie with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce (and it was delicious!). But a stumble on our way to our intended goal does not disqualify us from the race. I'm getting back up, dusting myself off, and getting back on track. That's where I am. How are YOU doing?

From Flab To Fab Friday

2011-01-21T09:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome, everyone, to my 27th day on a diet. So you don't have to count, I started the day after Christmas. I'm impatient! I couldn't wait for New Year's Day to start my weight loss resolution (mostly because momma had NO pants that fit... not even sweats. Sad, right?)! So Sunday, December 26th, was D-day for me. And here I am 27 days later and happy to report that there have been no casualties! Ha!

About a year ago I started a weight loss blog trying to chronicle my efforts to shed the weight I have acquired in my 10 years of marriage. But, alas, I found that (once again) I was having a hard time making what the experts call a "lifestyle change" and the blog fell to the wayside (along with my willpower and motivation for healthy eating and exercise! LOL!). So since I'm "back on the wagon," per se, I thought I'd keep myself accountable here on THIS blog and do it on Fridays... with alliteration...cuz, you know... I'm a freak like that.

I'll keep y'all posted on what I'm doing (and NOT doing) to keep this weight off of me for good. I've made some decisions and I'm changing the way I'm thinking about things, so I HOPE that this is the first step on the long and continual journey to better health for me. In the meantime, I'll close by sharing that I've dropped a total of 13 lbs since December 26th. The pants are FITTING again and I'm able to broaden my clothing selection to tops that haven't fit in FOREVER. And this makes momma happy!!!

So join me if you wanna. It's always better to tackle the not-so fun projects with a friend in tow. And who knows? We might just find that there is fun to be found, after all!

Music Therapy Thursday... The Band Perry

2011-01-20T06:52:00.000-08:00

This is another song for all you poets out there... simply beautiful. The members of this band hail from Tennessee and are siblings, all in their 20's. I think they are super talented and look forward to hearing more from them. Enjoy today's music therapy... with or without a tissue!

A Prized Possession

2011-01-18T06:32:00.000-08:00

If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you would grab (besides your kids and the hubs, natch!) before you ran out the door? For the longest time I thought it would be my pictures. I have a black box w/ dividers designed specifically for the purpose of storing, I don't know, a THOUSAND or so pictures. It rocks the house and has been one of the best investments I've ever made. But I think I'd risk losing all of our family's memories on Kodak paper to save what I feel is one of my most prized possessions... my grandmother's wedding ring.

Years before my grandmother passed away, she started giving me things. Random things. A pair of red sheer curtains here, a mod 1970's polyester top there. Then she began to give me more personal things: Her beautiful gold watch from the 1940's (IN THE BOX), and then her mother's ring. I would try to protest my displeasure of the "giving away" of her treasures, but she INSISTED that she wanted me to have them so she could be around to see me enjoy them. I couldn't argue with that kind of logic, even though it made me super sad to think about the reason behind her gift giving: she was preparing for the inevitable. And I guess she wanted to make sure certain things were received by certain people. By giving them in advance, she could make sure her wishes were followed.

But one day, she completely floored me. I had been to her house for some delicious Sunday dinner, and she went to her room and came out with her wedding band and told me she wanted me to have it. My grandfather had passed almost 20 years before, but even before that, I never remembered her wearing it. It was well worn, however, having almost taken the shape of her finger. The embossing around the ring had been worn away too, but she said that it used to be a beautiful vine with intricately detailed leaves. I was in love with it from the first time I saw it.

My dad filled in some of the blanks for me later. He said that when my grandparents married, they didn't buy each other wedding rings. Money was tight and I guess they felt that rings for each other were a luxury and not a necessity. My dad says that he can remember my grandmother buying the ring for herself, with her own money that she had worked for, when he was young. He said she was so proud of it and was so happy that she got to pick out what she wanted.

My Mimi (as I called her) was not able to come to my wedding. Her ring was my "something old" that I wore that day as well as a representation of her presence, which I missed dearly. Sitting at her house a month or so later, we poured over my wedding pictures together and I would point out her ring and say, "Look Mimi, you WERE there!" I think that made her extremely happy.

From that day on, I've continued to wear my grandmother's wedding ring. Now that she's in heaven, I'll talk to the ring when I'm putting it on. I'll say something like, "Well, Mimi, today we are going to a graduation." Or I'll say, "C'mon Mimi, we've got to get to church!" LOL! I feel like when I'm wearing her ring, a part of her is still with me. Mimi has accompanied me to Nashville for my sister's bachelorette party, on vacations to the beach and to the mountains, to the hospital to celebrate births, to funeral homes to say my good-byes, and even to Mobile to a Mardi Gras ball. I think she would have really liked Mardi Gras. She was a woman who always enjoyed a good time!

So I guess if, heaven forbid, I hear the smoke alarm late one night, it will be a natural reaction for me to go and rescue Mimi from the jewelry box. More than a prized possession, her ring is almost an extension of ME now, like it was for her for so many years. I hope she knows how much I love it (and her!) and how happy it makes me to have ownership of this little treasure!

Music Therapy Thursday: Happy Birthday, Peter Gabriel!

2011-01-13T08:58:00.000-08:00

Today is Peter Gabriel's birthday and I couldn't help posting my favorite P.G. song. As a teenager in the 80's, I fell in love with the movie "Say Anything" and with Jon Cusack's character holding his boom box over his head while this song blared outside the window of his beloved. Ahhh, memories...

Peter and his videos have always been a little, well, unusual, and this one is no exception. I still love it, though. It must be the "artist" in me! LOL! Enjoy today's Music Therapy and take yourself back in time a bit...

Top Ten Names I Considered Naming My Blog

2011-01-12T07:37:00.000-08:00

10. Seizing The Day... Already taken. :( Wanted to play on the words since Anna has epilepsy and to chronicle our life living with the condition. But I'm so much more than an "epilepsy" mom so...

9. Prescription Hugs... Okay, I'm a hugger. If you know me, I have squeezed you to death at least once. Maybe twice. But would this title say anything about me other than the obvious?

8. Pearsons On Plantation Drive... I liked the alliteration (I was an English major, after all!) and the title did include all four of us... but I wasn't sold.

7. Sand Mountain Momma... again, a play on where we live, AND alliteration ( I lurve alliteration!) but I felt it sounded a little back-woods. Momma is no hillbilly!!!

6. Seized For His Glory... I wanted to give a nod to my faith (and tie it in to Anna's epilepsy), but I think this is the title of a Christian book written by a woman with a seizure disorder. I knew it sounded like a winner! LOL! But I'm no plagiarist...

5. Sugarplum and Pumpkin Pie... my daughters' nicknames. :) SWEET, no?

4. Craftin' Like Crazy!... I still like this one, but my blog isn't just about crafts, it's about ALL of my life so...

3. Moxie In The Mayhem... I've got moxie, baby. And let's face it, it's ALL mayhem around these parts. This one is still a fave...

2. Life According to Lindsey... I still think I should have named my blog this. So much so, that I've considered shutting this one down and starting a new one. But that's an awful lot of trouble for my whole. seven. followers. I like to keep it simple for the fans. LOL!

1. Squeezing The Day... This one won out because it plays on the the epilepsy, it shows that I'm a lovva (that's a lover for all of you needing a southern-to-English translation!) and a hugga! And it implies that we are getting the very most out of our days around here as we're learning, helping, crafting, serving, etc. Thanks to Lori Boatfield for the suggestion!

So that's the meaning behind the name of my blog. What about you? Leave a message and tell me why you named your blog what you did. I've been wondering about some of yours that aren't so obvious! This ought to be fun! :D

I Guess I Just Have A Knack For It!

2011-01-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

Well, I've done it again. I've pee-peed in some people's Wheaties. :) When will I ever learn to keep my mouth SHUT? I have this sickness of not being able to leave well enough alone. This applies to going to the n-th degree embellishing a craft, and not being able to hold my tongue on something that I feel strongly about.

I know we aren't supposed to discuss religion and politics in mixed company without an all-out war of words following suite. Well, apparently you can add football to the list if you live in the great state of Alabama, or anywhere else an intense rivalry exists. :D I am a strong, intellectual, independent woman, and I have an opinion on just about everything. You don't even have to ask me for it... Most times I'll give it willingly, without warrant! I also thought I had a sense of humor, but have been set straight on that matter too! Thank God for all the thin-skinned people of the world who can say what THEY want, but get their knickers in a knot if someone disagrees (in a somewhat derogatory manner...blush...) and is set straight and schooled on freedom of speech. What would we DO without their insight? Yep. I can add "not taking the high road" to my list of faults too, I guess. I'm only human after all...

I realized this morning, however, that this is not my first offense. In recent years, I've debated my stance on politics, religion, and my beef with the DMV and doctors giving every Tom, Dick, and Harry a handicapped parking permit. I try to not name-call or speak derrogatively, but yesterday got the better of me. Funny thing is, I was trying to make a point of being "intolerant of intolerance" as I have been known to joke about among my friends. Obviously, I failed big time. And obviously just because a person is a "friend" on your Facebook "friends list" does not make them so. Ouch. Life lessons all over the place! LOL!

I am reminded of my senior year in high school when I was one of the editors on the school paper. I wrote an editorial (tongue-in-cheek, Dave Barry style) about Thanksgiving dinner at our house. My English teacher (and newspaper supervisor) LOVED it. Hundreds of students did not. That's right. I said hundreds. You would have thought I had shot the Pope or something the way they felt I had bad-mouthed such a beloved holiday. On one hand I was flattered that that many people actually read the paper, and on the other hand, I was appalled that people couldn't laugh at my family the way I could. One things for sure, the written word is POWERFUL, people. And apparently I have a knack for stirring things up with it.

If you know me, I mean really know me, you know that I would rather hurt myself than to hurt someone else. You also know that I'm a sucker for the under-dog and will always stand up for injustice when I see it. You also know that I'm gonna tell you EXACTLY how I feel, no matter the outcome. I tell the truth and I tell things as I see it. I will try not to ask certain football fans geographical questions (like if they can find their team's campus without a map or a GPS) and I will always use humor wherever I can. Because if we can't laugh at ourselves, we've got problems, people. I'm also always up for a good debate. I find intellectual banter stimulating, so don't be afraid to chew the fat with me. No subject is off limits here, folks. Be sure to bring an umbrella, though, when the crap decides to hit the fan. I'm willing to stick it out if y'all are!

The Christmas Spirit Is Still Alive

2010-12-24T02:22:00.000-08:00

An amazing thing happened to us at Cracker Barrel a week or so ago...

As the hostess seated us at out table, I noticed a young man/ teenager at the table in front of us finishing up his dinner. I also noticed that he was looking a little longer at Anna than I thought was polite. As this happens more frequently than I would like to admit, I went back to my usual "let's not make eye-contact with anyone, lest I'll get my feelings hurt while they try to decipher what's wrong with my handicapped child" stance. The waitress came, took our order, brought our drinks, and our dinner continued as normal until...

The young man finished his dinner, and before he left, stopped by our table, knelt down and began to talk to my husband in a low, soft tone. He explained that Anna reminded him of someone that he had grown up with as a little boy, and though he didn't have much cash on him (only two dollars, actually), he asked us if we would take it and buy something she would like for Christmas with it. I jumped up from my chair and proceeded to embrace him in a death-hug (a signature move of mine). The only words I could utter were "Thank you! God bless you!" as I unsuccessfully choked back my tears.

I "happy cried," as Jamie Ruth calls it, through most of dinner and thanked God for the kindness, the mercy, the gentleness, and the compassion that was shown in this young man's actions. It was the best Christmas present I have ever received and I will never forget him for as long as I live. Thank you, young fellow in the navy pea coat. It's obvious that Santa, angels, and even Jesus can take on the appearance of hungry patrons this time of year!

Music Therapy Thursday... O Holy Night

2010-12-23T04:44:00.000-08:00

I had the privilege of seeing David Phelps in concert several years ago. He has one of THE BEST voices on the planet and this video is one of my favorites of his. I said last week that "Ave Maria" had become my new favorite Christmas song, but depending on the day, this one keeps sneaking back into first place! David does this song like no one else I've heard. Enjoy today's music therapy as we prepare to celebrate the most divine of all nights...

Homemade Teacher Gifts

2010-12-22T04:44:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late posting these, but I wanted to show you what I made for teacher gifts this year. I am horrified because I have just now realized that I misspelled a word on the tag that I gave to three TEACHERS and a NURSE! Oh well, that's what happens when you stay up past midnight for two nights in a row trying to finish Christmas gifts at the last minute! You put "We 'wisk' You a Merry Christmas" instead of "We 'whisk' You a Merry Christmas!" MORTIFIED, people!

Anywhoo... at least the towels are cute and there isn't anything permanently misspelled with embroidery or anything. Mental note: explain to the teachers and the nurse that even English majors with a college degree (AND Spelling Bee Champions of their 5th grade class!) succumb to the occasional whoopsies. Maybe there's a Hallmark card for that. I'm holding out hope! LOL! Murrrie Christmass frum hour howse two yorz!

Dr. 35950

2010-12-21T04:44:00.000-08:00

I'm a sucker for shows about plastic and reconstructive surgeries. I blame this, in part, on my secret desire to work in the medical field. And I guess I like a good "before and after" photo. Anyways, I used to watch a lot of "Dr. 90210" and follow Dr. Robert Ray and his crazy antics, but I don't think the show comes on anymore. So when an old friend of mine was in desperate need of a rhinoplasty, I thought, "Hey, I can do that. How hard can it be?"

Meet Frosty. (Did I have you going? For just a second, even? Nah, I didn't think so.) Sometime last year this poor guy lost his nose. Apparently, my husband was unaware (I, of course, had his nose safely tucked away in the kitchen junk drawer) because he was a little freaked out when he couldn't find the missing part in the attic. This snowman has sentimental value to both of us because it was the first Christmas decoration we bought when we got married. If memory serves me correctly, Frosty rode home from K-Mart strapped to the top of our clown car, I mean, our tiny Honda Civic. We proudly displayed him on our front porch in all his tacky, plastic glory. Ahh, memories....

So I HAD to help a fella out. I mean, he's like family. Dr. Pearson to the rescue! I prepped him for surgery by cleaning the affected area with alcohol and then scuffing it up a little with a sanding block (per the instructions on the bottle of E 6000. Don'tcha just LOVE E 6000? It and duct tape are my faves. Oh, yeah, and super glue. But I digress...).

Look at the poor fellow. Frosty without his carrot nose... a travesty, I tell you. A complete travesty.
After I waited the appropriate amount of time to let the glue get sticky, I reattached his nose. But then problems arose in the operating room. Because the nose was so tall, it began to lean.... Look, Frosty can't be greeting my guests with a crooked nose. I've got an image to uphold. So in comes the blue tape (I love blue tape. It should have been included with the aforementioned list. Again I digress...) and viola! Straight as an arrow! Sporting the blue tape, he looks like a real plastic (no pun intended) surgery victim, I mean patient.

Frosty recovered, lying down of course, for the recommended 24 hours like the E 6000 instructions dictated. And now, he's as good as new! He's still taking it easy, though. I've not yet put him outside, but I think he's enjoying hanging out with the inside decorations this year. I can't be sure, but I think his little nose-job has boosted his self-esteem. I thought I overheard him tell our wooden, stand-up Grinch figurine that he's thinking of asking for a little lipo next year...

Music Therapy Thursday... Ave Maria

2010-12-16T04:51:00.000-08:00

I heard this version of Ave Maria yesterday for the first time and undoubtedly it has become my new favorite Christmas song. I had the instrumental version played at my wedding and until yesterday, I had only heard the lyrics in Italian. What a wonderful love song it is! I've cried listening to it and it gives me goosebumps every. single. time. I cannot imagine the way Mary must have felt in the months leading up to the birth of the Messiah, but I think this song is a beautiful description of her heart. I'm sure when she was told she had found favor with God that she never expected the the road her life would take. Enjoy today's music therapy. It will truly do wonders for your soul!

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." Ave Maria, indeed!

Money Matters Monday: Keeping a Lid on Christmas Spending

2010-12-13T10:23:00.000-08:00

Yes, I DO realize that I have only been blogging on Mondays and Thursdays, thank you very much. If you're still following along, bless your sweet little heart! I realize there hasn't been much variety to my lil' ol' blog, but that's going to change, I promise. You understand. It's CHRISTMASTIME, for crying out loud. I'm up to my neck with everything, just like the rest of you. Here's hoping y'all are keeping things together better than I am. But that's another post...

One thing I'm NOT crying about is the state of our finances. At Christmas. Talk about an oxymoron! This is what we already know: Christmas is WAY too commercialized. Any given family spends ENTIRELY too much at Christmas on things. Christmas lists grow by leaps and bounds from the day after Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. And I'm not just talking about what to buy, but also whom to buy for. I've taken a little more control this year, and it's made all the difference. Well, that and Chuck's big fat bonus check! All I can say is "Whoopity-doo!"

We have been blessed beyond belief because Tyson Foods had such an excellent year (thanks, Tyson!). There have been years where we didn't get a Christmas bonus, but when we do, we almost always buy Christmas with it. This year we were able to do that PLUS pay off several of our bills and start an emergency fund (would Dave Ramsey be so proud, or what?!). We still have a ways to go, but what a relief it has been to cut our bills in HALF. I can only imagine the weightlessness I'll feel when it's ALL gone. This has only fueled my fire to get the heck out of debt. It really is a big ol' burden. You don't realize just how much a burden until you are released from it (or part of it, in our case!).

I've also played it smart this Christmas. I began picking up things earlier in the year. On SALE. At the end of the season. To the tune of, like, 75% off. You can't do this with everything and everyone, of course, but keeping your eyes peeled for deals all year long is smart Christmas shopping. I also like to shop at stores like Tuesday Morning and Ross where you can find really nice things at a discounted price. I guess it goes without saying that I'm also making some presents too. They are for the girls' teachers. I'll be showing those soon.

We are also not exchanging gifts with extended family or friends this year. I know that a lot of you think it just can't be Christmas without giving gifts to all those we know and love. But it adds up. Quick-like. I prefer to give my friends a birthday gift and let them know that my Christmas presents will only include the immediate family. I've flat out told friends, " Do NOT buy me a present this year. Your friendship is my present!" (Yeah, I'm smooth like that.) But you know what? The relief on their face was priceless. I consider that my gift to them!

If you feel you must buy presents, agree to keep it just for the children. We all have more than we need, anyway. And so do the kids, for that matter. You might suggest to girlfriends or extended family about having a get-together for breakfast, or finger foods one evening, and just enjoy each other's company. Your pocket book will thank you and you won't have to up your Rx of Xanax come January when you're trying to balance your checkbook and pay the bills! Merry Christmas, all! Here's hoping you wallet is the only thing getting fatter this holiday season!

Music Therapy Thursday... Happy Birthday Granddaddy!

2010-12-09T06:14:00.000-08:00

Today is my granddaddy's 85th birthday! For as long as I can remember, he has played the guitar and the banjo and I have always loved to listen to him play. He even played in a bluegrass band until just a couple years ago! "The Possum Song" was always a crowd favorite, but today I've chosen to play "Man of Constant Sorrow" just because it is one of my favorites and one you will probably recognize. I love bluegrass music. I don't know if you have to be southern to appreciate it, but I hope you will, wherever you hail from. Happy birthday granddaddy! I love you!

Money Matters Monday: Before and After... FINALLY

2010-12-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

It's been a long week. And I mean LLOOONNNGGG. I've completed a month-long sewing project, lead a Girl Scout meeting, attended a funeral, walked 10 miles, celebrated a birth, organized a delivery for food, went shopping for Christmas presents, wrapped said presents, (okay, I'm not even done with my list, but you get the point, right?!)...

So I'm just now getting around to showing you this awesome "Before and After" that I did a couple of weeks ago. I got the idea from one of the MANY blogs I stalk, I mean follow, but I can't remember which one. Sorry... But here is the before: Typical, girly, desk chair. It was okay, other than it was filthy and stained and I never liked it to begin with! LOL!

See what I mean? It was in dire need of a little "Va-va-va-voom." Cuz it belongs to my red-headed diva. And because I have a sickness. It's called "Can't-leave-well-enough-alone-itis."

I'm holding out for a cure. Anywhoo...

I unscrewed the back of the chair from the seat and turned it over to "eyeball" (technical term) how much fabric I would need to cover it. I did the same for the seat part.

Because I do not have a staple gun (hint, hint to anyone that wants to spread a little Christmas cheer my way!), I simply used a glue gun to hot-glue the fabric to the bottom of the chair and to the back of the chair, tucking the fabric inside the plastic on the back (sorry, no picture of that part!).

And here's the "After!" Tah-dah! Pretty swank, don'tcha think?! It goes much better in her pink, black, and white bedroom now. She loves it and I love it too! And it didn't cost a thing cuz this was remnant fabric that I already had on hand. Ka-ching! What do you think? Makes you want to cover YOUR desk chair now, right?! Been there, (and now finally) done that! LOL!

Music Therapy Thursday... CAN

2010-12-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

Rick Hoyt and his father are a complete inspiration to me. Rick has cerebral palsy due to his umbilical cord being wrapped around his neck during birth. As a baby, his parents were told that he would never be a functioning member of society and they should just put him in an institution. Of course his parents had other plans...

As a child, the Hoyts brought Rick up as they did their other sons: They gave him a hockey stick to hold while his brothers pushed him around in his wheelchair. They held him in the pool so he could splash and "swim." Because of a computerized communication device, Rick is able to "talk" to his family, though he has never uttered a word. He went on to graduate from high school AND college.

Rick and his father, Dick, have competed in numerous marathons as a team. This began when Rick was young and wanted his Dad to "run" with him in a charity race for a boy who had become disabled. Rick wanted to show this young boy that just because he was disabled, his life could indeed have meaning. Many years, and many races later, Rick and Dick are known as "Team Hoyt" in racing circles and their motto is "You CAN."

This video is a wonderful representation of a father's love for his child. I like to watch it when I feel that I'm at the end of my rope and I'm struggling to be the kind of mother that my handicapped child needs. The words of the song say "I know my redeemer lives" and I know that he does because the love that is displayed between this father and son goes beyond the natural love we have for our children and our family. It's supernatural. When we live our lives by focusing on "us" less and "others" more, we are displaying the kind of love that Christ has for us. I hope this video inspires you the way it inspires me. When you're down and think you can't go on, remember that "you CAN."

"I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

Money Matters Monday

2010-11-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

Well, after a short hiatus to the mountains, I'm back in the blogging world. Yay! Did ya miss me?

I'm really surprised we didn't spend more money than we did on our trip, but I'm pleased to report, we only spent around $500. I can hardly believe it myself. And some of that was on Christmas presents (of which I cannot go into details about for the obvious reasons!). But what I CAN say is that so far, I have six presents accounted for and that makes me uber happy. :D

Today's Money Matters post deals with the evil that is the "Friday After Thanksgiving Shopping Day." Yes, I got out in it. No, I didn't get out at midnight like I have before. Yes, I got some SWEET deals. Yes, I loaded up on Xanax to deal with the hustle and bustle. ;) No, I'm not kidding. LOL! The end!

Forgive me for the brevity of this post, but I must get back to the details that were left unattended while we were away. Did anybody else brave the crowds for some great deals? Was it worth it for you? Come back tomorrow for an awesome "Before and After!"