making room for serendipity

moving!

2009-03-29T10:15:00.001-04:00

I've moved! Please click here to come and visit..... Window to my Soul
I will be leaving up all of my old blogs but won't be posting on them anymore.
Hope to see you there!

what he thinks of me...

2009-03-21T16:44:00.003-04:00

I was doing my daily blog surfing and came across something cute over at Interpret Sass and decided to play along and ask the same questions to my hubby. So I sent them to him in an email and this is what he sent back LOL what a joker!

#1) What is something your wife always says to you? Whats for dinner.

#2) What makes your wife Happy? Quality time and a good dinner.

#3) What makes your wife sad? When I don't cook dinner (or run to get dinner for us). (hmmm, I'm starting to notice a theme here..)

#4) How do you know your wife loves you? 'Cause she says so.

#5) How does your wife make you laugh? Watching her play Dancing games on the Wii.

#6) How old is your wife? 33 (hahahah good answer Hon)

#7) What is your wife's favorite thing to do? Blog.....

#8) If your wife became famous, what would it be for? I would guess her writing ability.

#9) What is your wife's favorite food? That depends on the day of the week.

#10) What is your wife really good at? Technical crap (i.e.computers) that would drive any other person insane.

#11) If your wife could be on a TV show what show would she be on? I'm not sure...The Worlds Sexiest Beaches? lol (oh yeah, that would be it.. lol)

#12) How are you and your wife the same? We enjoy playing games.

#13) How are you and your wife different? You guys don't have all day but in short we are like night and day.

#14) What does your wife like most about you? That I go to work?

#15) What is your wife's favorite color? Black.

#16) What is your wife's favorite animal? A hairless animal that doesn't make a sound and can let itself in and out. (hahaha this kills me)

random notes to self....

2009-03-07T08:38:00.002-05:00

1. Do all things with a grateful heart. Stop feeling sorry for yourself because times are tough, and remember that it is an opportunity to invent new ways of being resourceful.

2. Just because you make a bunch of chocolate chip/peanut butter cookies, doesn't mean you have to eat them all at once! lol

3. When you rent two movies from Redbox, remember to actually take BOTH movies with you instead of leaving one sitting in the box...

4. When it's a beautiful day out, remember to open the curtains and let the sunshine in!

5. Today is not a dress rehearsal. Stop sitting around dreaming and start doing...

6. Things don't have to be perfect to be just right.

let the happy dance commence!

2009-03-06T05:55:00.000-05:00

Today:	TEMPS: 52° / 36° WINDS: SW 7-14 mph		HOUR by HOUR
	Clouds and a sprinkle in some places early, then some sunshine will return
Tonight:	LOW TEMP: 36° WINDS: VAR 4-8 mph		HOUR by HOUR
	Partly to mostly cloudy with patchy fog forming
Sat:	TEMPS: 64° / 41° WINDS: SW 6-12 mph		HOUR by HOUR
	Areas of fog in the morning; otherwise, warmer with times of clouds and sun
	SUNDAY:	HIGH: 60 LOW: 44	HOUR by HOUR
	Mostly cloudy, a little rain
	MONDAY:	HIGH: 52 LOW: 38	HOUR by HOUR
	Times of clouds and sun
	TUESDAY:	HIGH: 54 LOW: 38	HOUR by HOUR
	Some sun, then clouds

winter

2009-03-05T05:23:00.003-05:00

Catatonic state of winter
Its grip has siezed my soul.
Frustration, no motivation,
Smiles take flight as this
Haze of irritability sets in...
The constant voice of sleep
Grows louder and louder
As it screams my name from behind
The curtain of life...
How much longer must I be
Imprisoned by it all?
Come, Spring, and breathe new life
Into this soul of mine,
To writhe in the misery of
Winter's painful grasp is almost

More than I can bear....

~Tiffany Cross
3/4/09

just a little heads up

2009-03-03T05:40:00.002-05:00

I wanted to let everyone know that I'm considering moving my blog over to Wordpress... Blogger seems to be experiencing more and more issues every day and it totally freaks me out to think about losing all of the archives, pictures, etc.! Nothing against Blogger, and I'm not trying to jump ship, I swear, I just feel like Blogger is experimenting a little too much for my taste is all...
It's not a firm decision yet, but just wanted to let y'all know that I'm thinking about it. I've been playing around with it when I have a few minutes here and there and am loving some of the options that Wordpress offers! For one, you have the option to import all of your posts and photos over from most other blogging sources, I tried it just for the fun of it, and it worked!
So tell me, have any of you had any experience with Wordpress? If so, what is your opinion on it?

happy birthday sweet little blog

2009-03-01T08:04:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday sweet little blog!!!

I can't believe it's been a year already...
A good friend of mine asked me yesterday what it is that I get out of blogging, she wanted to know if I don't feel vulnerable about putting my life out there for the world to see and read about. Funny thing, I'm a very private person in all reality, it's difficult for me to make friends because of that. Blogging has helped fill a void that I didn't even know was there. A need to share things in my own time, or not, if that is what I choose. I have enjoyed my space here at blogger immensely over the past year and wouldn't trade it for much of anything!
I have become acquainted with so many different people during this time, some are like-minded, some are not, and I have learned something different from each and every one of them.
When I'm sick or down, it's always a guarantee that other bloggers will drop in with a comment to show their support or encouragement. When things are good they are always happy for me, and are encouraging at those times as well!
It's a creative outlet that I haven't found in any other venue, a place where I can bring all of the things that I love and tie them up together like a pretty little package, from photography to books to crochet, and everything in between. While blogging is most certainly not my life, what is on these pages definitely is....
So with all of that being said, I want to thank all of my readers for stopping by and sticking with me! I know there are times when I haven't had much to say, so thanks for not giving up! And here's to a new and exciting year together!

will ya look at that?!

2009-02-28T13:09:00.001-05:00

Look over on the sidebar to the right, see what that says? One year y'all, one year, I actually stuck with something for a whole entire year!!!!!!! lol Doin' the happy dance here!!!

a glimpse into this old home...

2009-02-26T12:04:00.007-05:00

In my last post I listed 5 things that I love, one of them being my 100+ year old home. We moved into this house almost 4 years ago and really haven't done anything at all to it except the bathroom project, which I won't go into (because it's remained half way done for 3 years now). Oh, and I started painting the kitchen cabinets, which I STILL haven't finished, but vow to do this weekend, and you can hold me to that.
Anyway, Linda from Growin' With It asked me to post some pictures of the house, I told her I would that day, and then completely forgot, sorry about that Linda!
The title on this home lists it as being built in 1900, but we were told that there's a real possibility it's even older than that. The title people, or whoever it is that does that sort of thing, will sometimes list an old house as 1900 if they don't know the exact year that it was built... I've tried to trace the property all the way back, and so far I'm able to trace back to 1870, but I'm not sure if the house was actually here at that time, or if it was just the land ownership that I was looking at.
One thing that I love is that ours is one of the original homes in this neighborhood, there's a lot of history in this little city, it's nice to know we're living in part of that history. I would love to see pictures and a blueprint of it, the way it was back in the beginning, would be interesting to see what the layout was back then!
So, without further adieu, here is our humble little home.... Someday we will win the lottery and it will be nice to have these to look back on and remember how things used to be... lol

Note: these photos were taken the day after we moved in, most of the furniture has been changed and things have all been put away...

Front Porch

Side view. There's no fireplace, that smokestack goes down into the basement boiler.

Living Room

we now have a honkin' big tv with no rabbit ears lol

hardwood floors are all original

Another of the living room, still have the big old dog, but a different sofa.

Kitchen

See the wallpaper? I swear it's as old as the house! This is the room I'm working on now.

This is the back room, which is now my office/craft room. No more sports border. I love the window that looks out onto the backyard.

Side area that leads from the back patio to the front yard. There is now a permanent indentation in the ground where the dogs always lay, rain or shine lol

The backyard that extends to the street behind us.

The back patio, a favorite place to spend time with friends and family in the warmer months!

Back view of the garage and house, as well as the storage shed and clothesline...

So there you have it, a little glimpse into our lives and the place we call home! Nothing fancy, but it's ours and we love it!

play time...

2009-02-24T05:48:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we started the What I Love scrapbook/illustrated journal over at Debbie's place, From a Creative Heart! I'm having the best time with it already! These are the supplies I have together so far, but this week we're working on keeping our eyes open for things to add.
Debbie's done such a great job of helping guide us along in this project, which is wonderful since I have a really difficult time with thinking outside of the box and getting creative. lol
Ideas for this week are to work on our introduction page, and to list five things that we love, here are mine:

1. Pictures of old things (barns, churches, farmhouses, kitchens, etc...)
2. The color red.
3. Little birds: real ones, fabric ones, and everything in between.
4. Quilts
5. My 100+ year old house.

This is going to be so much fun! I didn't think that I had a creative bone in my body, I just don't think that way, but I'm getting excited, thinking about all of the possibilities for my book.
Anyone wanna join us? There's still time! And listen, if I can do this ANYONE can do this, so don't be afraid, just jump right in!

40 days

2009-02-21T14:38:00.002-05:00

Anyone up for a challenge?

Georgie, over at Decisionally Challenged has posted about her own, and invited us all to get involved.

If you haven't seen the movie Fireproof, I highly recommend it. Chad and I went to see it together, right after it came out, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. The acting is more along the lines of a Lifetime TV special, but the message is one that we can all take something away from.

So in keeping with Georgie's 40 day-love dare challenge, I've started one of my own over here:

Coming Full Circle

Thanks Georgie, for encouraging us all to come along on this journey toward a better marriage. I'm looking forward to it!

hope is not lost...

2009-02-16T20:31:00.002-05:00

I'm crashing off of way too much sugar today, please excuse if this makes no sense, and the fact that I'm about to write a novel, but there is meaning behind the madness, I assure you.
In the place where I work, a domestic violence shelter, I've seen my share of every situation you can imagine, and some you probably would never want to. Against my will, I have become unaffected by so many people, places, and things. It's the only way I can remain working there without losing my ever-loving mind.
I've seen women who have come to us with nothing on their backs, with 8 children in tow, single women with more money than I will ever hope to have, and everything in between. Every situation is different, every face, every tear, every shout of anger...
Some of these women are truly in desperate need of the type of service that we provide, which is 30 days in a safe place with everything provided at no charge, from food to counseling...Many of the women who come to us are, without a doubt, much more suited for other agencies than ours.
Now I'm not going to get on a ranting soapbox, and I hate to offend anyone here, as that is never my intention, ever... but day in and day out we see women who abuse the system on a regular basis, whether it be shelter hopping (dragging their families from shelter to shelter constantly), sitting at home on welfare when they are fully capable of working at least a part time job, always demanding anything and, more often, everything, from a group of staff who only have very limited resources with which to work. I have seen many a mother within our four walls who abuses her children on a daily basis, from sun up to sun down.... I have had women scream in my face telling me that I'm nothing but a piece of crap that's done nothing to help her and her children because I won't give her steak and lobster to eat for dinner. (this is no lie)
I could go on and on and on until you'd get tired of hearing it (if you aren't already), but let me assure you, every bit of it happens day in and day out, every day of the year, in one way or another. It's frustrating, to say the least, and makes it quite difficult to remain understanding and forgiving regarding the situation as to why or how they ended up a certain way. After a while it just doesn't matter anymore because it is what it is....
I have learned that people who work hard can sometimes get the short end of the stick. That's another thing that is what it is. And now, I'm not trying to play the martyr or pat myself on the back, but my husband and I try to be the most honest, hard working people that we can. We do the best with what we have, and never live beyond our means. We don't have credit cards, and don't ever buy anything that we don't have the cash to pay for. We don't ask for handouts from anyone. We worked long and hard to pay off any debt that we have incurred in the past, such as our car and student loans. Every year, somehow, we end up owing on our taxes, we don't like it, but we pay it, because it's the law - and we are law abiding citizens. We understand that sometimes the situation we are in is fully due to our own lack of planning for a better future and don't lay blame on anyone but ourselves. But on that same note, we lay our heads down on the pillow at night, worn out, but satisfied in the knowledge that we did the best that we could, regardless.
There have been many times that we have needed a little bit of help with one thing or another, such as a gas bill that's too high to pay all at once, medical assistance because we couldn't afford insurance, food enough to make it just 3 more days until payday and there's nothing left in the pantry.... Only to be told that we make $10.00 too much to receive any assistance at all, no matter how temporary, or how much of an emergency it is. Assistance that we have paid for with the 1/3 of our checks that go to the government each month, assistance that we have never insisted that we wouldn't pay back as soon as humanly possible.
So after a while a person can tend to feel a little resentful toward the people that seem to be given everything but won't do anything to help themselves, while hard working people who ask for a simple loaf of bread or help with prescriptions are completely turned down flat. As Christians we try so hard to remain steadfast in our faith that in the end all things work for the good and that God will never give us more than we can handle, or less than what we absolutely need, in His eyes.
I won't pretend to understand the system, but I do know something needs to change before there are no resources left to give. But that's for another day... I'll now move on to the whole point of my story...
My husband has been sick for 4 days now, he's sicker than I've ever seen him in the whole 13 years that I've known him. He doesn't have insurance because he hasn't been working at his job long enough to qualify and the next enrollment session isn't for a while. He applied for CHIP, which is a statewide medical assistance program for all families in PA, a program that has a monthly fee that we are more than willing to pay. I think you know where I'm going with this..... he didn't qualify because we make about $10.00 over the limit. So he was left with no coverage and now he's sick. He wouldn't go to the hospital for 3 days, for fear of not being able to pay the bill, until I finally couldn't take it anymore and forced him to go...
Well, with all that being said, our hope has finally been restored! The wonderful staff at the hospital never asked, until he was being discharged, whether he had insurance or not. They treat everyone equally, without regards to method of payment. Hallelujah! A financial counselor came in and spoke with us, filled out some paperwork and said not to worry because we would get it all figured out and they would work with us down to the last penny. Can I get an AMEN?!
Then when I went to the pharmacy to get his meds., one of them came to over $100.00 and the pharmacist could tell that I was about to start crying when she offered to call the doctor at the hospital to see what else they could prescribe that might be less expensive, and don't you know he did and it came to $11.00?! Praise God!!! (Sherley at Walgreens, you are an angel!)
Human kindness and God's goodness has triumphed on this day and our hope is once again restored!
Today we had a happy ending...

cold winter mornings...

2009-02-15T08:07:00.004-05:00

Random things on my mind this morning...

the smell of winter-wood burning in someone's fireplace, sometimes makes me wish we had one...
how good the warmth of our home feels after going out back to feed the animals
the sweet, citrus aroma of orange flavored cinnamon rolls and wondering how many is too many to eat
sick hubby upstairs, taking a day off from work to rest just a little more, but only after MUCH prodding from his wife, and me downstairs wondering why he's so stubborn sometimes
100% cotton p.j.'s, does anything else feel this good in all the world?
loving the bamboo plant that was my ♥day gift this year. i have always loved plants more than flowers
two whole days to do anything, or nothing at all, what will I spend my time on? there are pictures to scan, a little boys blanket to crochet on, cleaning, laundry, chili to make, painting, a book to read...
wondering why we haven't received any mail for the past 4 days straight, and visions of a post man with a big shredder hidden away in his basement because he'd rather sit at a pub somewhere or pull over and sleep than do his job... (okay, this is totally in my mind, but where's my mail for goodness sake?!)
chocolate covered coconut birds nests with 3 little red jelly beans in the middle are very very good and I wish I had more
it's 8:20 in the a.m. and I think I'll go take a nap...

What kinds of things do you think about on a lazy Sunday morning?

this day...

2009-02-14T16:21:00.002-05:00

Hubby's got a fierce sickness that's got him knocked out on the couch. I'd take a picture but I'm too worried, he NEVER gets sick, so to see him this way really spooks me. He's promised to go to the hospital if it gets any worse, in the meantime I'm pumping him full of every kind of med you can think of, soup, and gatorade, poor guy. I'm also staying as far away as possible, after making sure he has everything he needs.... Sorry, but two of us down at the same time is not pretty...

Hope you've all had a wonderful day full of love and romance. And if it wasn't a romantic day for you, for whatever reason, I at least hope you were happy. :o)

Lotsa love,

Tiff
p.s. i will not get sick, i will not get sick, i will not get sick....

pre - ♥day

2009-02-13T21:59:00.003-05:00

Snagged from Bonnie at Things No One Tells You

Hubby Tag

Play along if you like!

1. Who is your man? Chad
2. When did you meet? November 1995
3. How long have you been married? 10 years last July
4. How old is your man? 36 (much younger than me!)
5. Who eats more? I eat more often but when he gets on a roll the man can eat!
6. Who said “I love you” first? We pretty much both did
7. Who is taller? Him, by about 7 inches
8. Who sings better? I don't know, I never hear him sing!
9. Who is smarter? I would say me but it IS ♥day so I'll give him this one hehe
10. Whose temper is worse? Mine, without a doubt
11. Who does the laundry? we each do our own and we share the sheets and towels and stuff
12. Who takes out the garbage? He does
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does
14. Who pays the bills? The money comes from our joint account but I'm the one that sits down and pays them
15. Who is better with the computer? Me.
16. Who mows the lawn? He does, and cleans up after the messy dogs
17. Who cooks dinner? Both of us.
18. Who drives when you are together? Mostly mee, he makes me nervous.
19. Who pays when you go out? Either of us. It all comes from the same account...
20. Who is most stubborn? me.
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Usually him.
22. Whose parents do you see the most? His, they just live down the road and mine are in other states.
23. Who kissed who first? He kissed me first.
24. Who asked who out? We didn't really ask each other out. We were inseparable from the second we met for the longest time.
25. Who proposed? I think we just agreed to get married lol.
26. Who is more sensitive? Me.
27. Who has more friends? In person, him. Around the globe, me.
28. Who has more siblings? me.
29. Who wears the pants in the family? I make a lot of the decisions because he's so easy going
30. How did you meet? at a club.
31. What are your three favorite traits about him? his good heart, his willingness to forgive, he loves me, cracks and all...

oooh, it's a giveaway!

2009-02-12T20:34:00.004-05:00

Hi everyone! Remember in my last post that I mentioned my good friend Debbie's website, From a Creative Heart, and the project she's hoping to start on the 23rd? Well now, she's having a fantastic give-away! See all those sweet little things in the picture up there? They might very well be all yours if you head on over and enter her giveaway. Normally I would really want all of these things for myself, but since you're all friends, I don't mind sharing and will be happy for you if win, really and truly I will... I love y'all that much!

great idea!

2009-02-10T05:21:00.002-05:00

My good friend Debbie has a terrific idea that she's talking about over at From A Creative Heart!
Has to do with scrapbooking/journaling about things that we love and making new friends while we're at it. Now I'm not a scrapbooker and don't have a clue as to how to even begin, but I do think I might like to try a photo-journal of some sort!
She'll be starting it around Feb. 23rd, so if you think you might like to join in, head on over to her blog to read more about it, I think it sounds like a great way to create a wonderful keepsake!

two words

2009-02-07T08:11:00.002-05:00

Thank You...

To all my friends who prayed for my situation, even though you didn't even really know what the situation was to pray for... Prayer can be so powerful and work miracles!
I've been through a lot in my life, starting at a very early age. Most of it I put myself through, and had I chosen a better path, life would have been much easier. But the things I went through made me who I am today, and for that I wouldn't change a thing. Okay, I lie, I might change a few things, but you know what I mean.
I've always been fearless, strong and bold in my existence, from the day I was born. I've rolled with a lot of punches and "adjustment" felt like my middle name for many years. But on a rare occasion, a situation will come about that is completely out of my control and that sort of thing always makes me come to a screeching halt in whatever my current path is and causes me to question all that I am and all that my life is. It's uncomfortable and I hate it; dealing with tough emotions that I don't want to feel or deal with. It's human nature, I think, that when things become just a bit too uncomfortable, we want to run as fast and as far as we can. And I almost did.
2 days ago I almost packed a bag and left everything I know, because something that I was told, in 2 split seconds, completely altered my marriage and my life. But I didn't pack that bag, and I didn't run, instead I got down on my knees and prayed that God would give me understanding and forgiveness, and the knowledge to know how to handle what was going on.
And He did...
After asking for your prayers here, yesterday morning I woke up with a renewed sense of being and faith. I felt ready to take everything on and knew that no matter what the outcome was, I will fall back on my fearless ways and do what it takes to get through it all. Does it mean that I'm not hurting or upset? No, but I will deal with it and be the better for it, and that's about all that I can ask for at this time.
So thank you for everything, my friends, for your prayers and support, they mean the world to me!

heavy...

2009-02-05T17:45:00.004-05:00

Just a note that I'm going through some pretty heavy stuff right now that can't be posted here or anywhere else. I can go so far as to say that there's been a bomb dropped on me, in a way, and I'm not knowing what to do or where to go with it, emotionally or mentally, and the only thing that will get me through it is my faith in God and knowing that his arms are always around me, even when it doesn't feel like it. Even when it feels like I'm utterly and completely alone.
Now I know that you can all be some serious prayer warriors, when there is a need, and simply put, there is a need... I've seen proof of what prayer can do, and I'm not about to forget it now, when it's needed most.
I'll be back more when things get right, but my heart is just too broken right now to post anything lighthearted or joyous.
Thanks for understanding, it means the world to me.

good trade-off

2009-01-29T18:48:00.003-05:00

Five days ago we buckled the kids up in the car and made our way out to my daughter and son-in-law's new home, their very first place as home owners. She didn't know it, but the entire drive there I felt like I was about to cry, it would be the very last day that any of her family would live with us and it pinched my heart just a tiny bit.
No more nightly bedtime hugs and kisses from the grandbabies, no more listening to them giggle hysterically upstairs, or rumble around until I thought the floor would fall through.
It's a good trade off though, they are in a wonderful new home in a terrific kid-friendly neighborhood. There's a big park with a baseball diamond across from them where they will spend countless summer days, I'm sure!
They are all happy and safe and at such a good place in their lives. My daughter is content for the first time in a very long time, her smile is real and sunshine radiates from that beautiful smile. I can't even express how proud I am of her and the wonderful young woman and mama she has become.
So for now, I will settle for bedtime phone calls from those little boys that melt my heart, telling me all about how their day went and what they did in school today. Making kissy noises and telling me "I love you Nana!".

don't wait for february!

2009-01-26T15:36:00.002-05:00

Girlfriends, there are some awesome giveaways taking place right now over at my friend Jen's blog Rundpinne! She's giving away both a Twisted Silver Romance Bracelet AND a Basil Essentials Gift Set! So head on over to enter, someone's gotta win it, might as well be one of us, right?!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And talk about great contests, it's gonna be a terrific month full of fantastic giveaways in February over at Southern Plate! Y'all definitely don't want to miss out on all the great goodies, and while you're there, be sure to sign up for her email list to get in on all of her yummy recipes, freebies, and a great little e-cookbook, you're gonna love it, I promise!

facebook?

2009-01-26T14:40:00.002-05:00

Admit it, you either love it or you hate it, right? I wasn't really sure about Facebook when I was first invited to join but after seeing so many of my family and friends there, I have quickly grown to love it!
So I was just wondering how many of my bloggy-friends also have an account at Facebook, raise your hands if ya wanna be "friends"!
Okay, okay, I know I'm 43 and it's totally ridiculous that I'm even on there in the first place, but it's so fun to be able to catch up with so many people that I am blessed to know, all right there in one place.
Not really much else to write about, to be honest. It was a really busy week last week with my daughter and her family getting all moved and situated into their first home! I had the boys over the weekend and it was just another reminder that I'm getting older. I don't know how the heck that Duggar family does it with 18 kids, I only had 2 here and was exhausted! LOL And speaking of the Duggar's, don't you find it a little odd that the woman is never in a bad mood with all those kids running around all over the place? How in the world do they even have time to think about making MORE babies?! Definitely not judging them, hey, if it works for them and they aren't living off the system, I say more power to them and thank goodness it's not me! lol
Well, off to catch up on some blog reading and try to figure out where I left off last, see ya later alligators.
Lotsa love,
Tiff

contest

2009-01-20T06:01:00.004-05:00

Well, as you can tell, my break didn't last long. Still won't be posting as much as usual (not that it was very often to begin with..) but it's hard for me to stay away from you all!

There's a contest going on, and it's a good one, head on over and check it out for yourself! Just click on the banner and it will take you right there, easy cheesy!

I saw the book at Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago and seriously thought about buying, but picked up a couple of other things instead. It really is a great book if you like to sew, or are thinking about learning! She's giving away an apron too, and you all know how much we love our aprons. ;o)

family

2009-01-19T16:18:00.003-05:00

Today my brother created a blog,
I think he's found his niche.
Love you Bro!
Silence Escapes Me

sister-friends...

2009-01-18T11:15:00.004-05:00

Interrupting this bloggy break to talk about an award that was given to me by two of my best bloggy friends, Deb and Ky. Thanks Sister-friends, it means the world to me, especially hearing all the cool stuff you said about me... lol just kidding (sort of)
Let me just say that both of these girls have a way with keeping it so real it's unbelievable, they are grounded, strong, beautiful women that I have been nothing but blessed to have in my life.
If you haven't seen their blogs, why don't you head on over and take a peek, I think you'll be happy that you did!
And now to pass it on to 7 other bloggers that I love visiting on a regular basis, they too know how to keep it real and I appreciate them all for the different things that they bring to the table. I can easily see being face to face friends with all of these girls! Thanks to all of you for sharing your lives with me, you have no idea what it's meant over the past year...

1. Gail, from At The Farm. What can I say, I've had such a great time getting to know Gail, we seem to be on the same page with just about everything we've talked about and I always love what she has to say in each and every post. She gets it that I'm a cracked egg, and still likes me anyway...

2. Binks over at A Day in the Life of Binks. The girl is just plain spunky and fun! She makes me laugh and I ♥ her for it. :o)

3. Linda from Growin' With It. She always wears her heart on her sleeve, and knows what is most important in life. The love she has for her family and for God shine through in all of her posts, even during the tough times.

4. Erin over at The Why Behind. So down to earth and genuine, not afraid to ask why or discover new things about life or herself, love that about her! And her kiddos are sooo cute, gotta love cute kiddos!

5. Tracy at The Brown-Eyed Pea What a Sweetheart, always staying true to herself, a trait that I seriously admire in people! She loves Jesus as much as I do, it's a good thing :o)

6. Nonna, over at Nonna's Nonsense This gal's got some guts, not afraid to show the inside of her pantry to the whole wide world, I like that! lol And because her posts always keep me giggling, especially the ones about her husband coming in every 15 minutes, asking her "what she's doing" now, that poor girl, I can so relate.

7. Christy, over at Southern Plate, cus Honey, that Girl can COOK!!!!!! I'm not afraid to say that I think I love her. lol

8. Sorry but I have to add one more to the list: Georgie, over at Decisionally Challenged, for teaching me out to do this ♥♥♥♥ and not making me feel stupid for not knowing how... Oh, and she's pretty freakin awesome too...

Now if you don't see your name here, please don't be disheartened, I love ALL of my bloggy friends and so look forward to reading what you have to say with every single post! I have such a hard time picking just a few people with things like this!

still here..

2009-01-16T06:16:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to drop in and say that I'm still here, reading everyone's blogs when I can, but taking a little bit of a break from the world of internet. See, the problem is, I love it here, way too much and tend to start neglecting other areas of my life, I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. So I'm taking a bit of a break for a little while, see ya soon!

pretty little things

2009-01-11T16:48:00.002-05:00

I've been having fun playing over at Polyvore.com, instead of cleaning or cooking or anything else....
I totally covet ALL of these things now! lol Thanks for pointing me to the site Debbie!

pretty little things by serendipity17

pretty please with sugar on top

2009-01-07T20:38:00.002-05:00

Just a request to pretty please leave a way to get back to ya if you leave a comment?. I love love love every single comment that y'all leave me here at my home on the web and do my best to answer them all personally. I save all of the emails that contain those comments so that if the return address is "no-reply blogger" then I can remember to go back and answer them in the comment section, but sometimes/okay, lots of times, I get so wrapped up in different things and I end up forgetting. And then I feel like a total dirtwad for looking like I'm ignoring you!

Please know that if you've ever commented and didn't get a reply, this is the only reason, k y'all?

Lots o' love to everyone, hoping you're enjoying a nice peaceful evening, doing something that makes you happy. :o)

note to self

2009-01-04T11:31:00.003-05:00

Pick yourself up,
dust yourself off,
and start all over again...

sweet awards

2009-01-04T10:40:00.003-05:00

This award is from my good blogging friend Gail, from At the Farm.

Thanks Gail, I needed this today!

project 365

2009-01-02T17:57:00.002-05:00

Wanna play along?
I've decided to join in the fun of Project 365, to read more about it
just click on the button above, hope to see you there!
I'll be posting my pictures over at my photoblog:

serendipity ~ real life in photographs

boldly into the new year

2009-01-01T11:16:00.003-05:00

to my husband on the first day of this new year

take my hand and let us walk boldly

into this new era that is our life.

this year is our year, we've waited for our turn,

for all of these years, and now it's finally come...

i can't think of anyone i'd rather share my life with,

days of happiness and sorrow, joy and pain...

we've seen it all, and we've seen it together,

and together we shall remain until the end of time.

happy new year, Chad, I look forward to reflecting on all that has been,

and all that is to come for us in the new year,

and to the peace, forgiveness, grace,

and understanding that have finally opened their doors to us.

cheers to you, my best friend and husband,

cheers to us

out with the old

2008-12-31T05:39:00.003-05:00

All in all it's been a good year here at our place. And while there have been a some adjustments made here and there with my daughter and her family living with us, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I've been sitting here thinking about what I would like to remember about this year, something that made it different from past years. Let's see...

1. One of the biggest things of all is that I let go of being homesick... In the past, every time something went wrong or didn't work out the way I thought it should, my first reaction was the desire to return to Texas, you know, that whole "fight or flight" thing. I started out the year missing my family and friends terribly and was riddled with guilt over moving so far away from everyone. I mean, what good Southern girl moves 2000 miles away from their family and friends? Well, I guess this one does, cus here I am, all the way up here on the east coast, living in a house that I love, in a beautiful little city that is really beginning to feel like home to me, in a different sort of way. Texas will always be my real home, where my roots are, and if the opportunity came up I would go back there for sure, but I need to be happy and content where I am, and it feels like that's finally happened. Praise God, now on to the rest of this story called "Life"...

2. Our marriage finally feels like it is on real, solid ground. I'm not sure either one of us thought it would ever happen, with so much chaos and drama in the past, but here we are - none the worse for wear, and stronger for all that we've been through. I think we've pretty much mastered the art of conflict resolution and forgiveness and have finally moved into the state of comfort and security...

3. This year has been a big one on letting go of who I thought I was supposed to be for everyone else, and finally coming into my own. I've realized that it's okay to just let go of being perfect, especially since it's never going to happen! I've learned, for the most part, to let go and let God.
While I would love to have an immaculate home, be organized, sew a spectacular quilt, grow the best garden around, read a book a week, journal every single day, and go on a trip to some far off place in Africa, I'm okay with the fact that a lot of those things will possibly/probably never happen. I don't need to know how to do every single thing there is to do, or learn every single thing there is to learn. I'm okay just being me and living the life I'm in, right here and now. Something I wish I would have figured out 2 decades ago, but hey, better late than never, right?

4. Coming full circle... What seems like a lifetime ago, I made some choices that would affect me and many other people, in one way or another for the rest of our lives. I won't go into the details here, but I'm happy to say that I have finally come to terms with the decisions that I made and no longer do I hate myself for them. I never realized what a huge hole there was in my heart until this year, and now it's good to say that the majority of that hole has been filled back up. Nothing can ever take back the choices that were made, or all that was and is to follow, but to finally come to terms with it all leaves me free to move on and love myself!

5. Finally realizing what God wants me to do with my life and taking my first steps down the path that he has put me on. And while I'm still unsure as to where the all the path will take me in the end, it feels so good to set one foot in front of the other!

So while I didn't feel that anything significant was taking place this year, I couldn't have been more wrong... This has been one of the biggest years of my life, the one that marks the point where I came into my own and learned to love myself for all that I am and have been. I have been humbled before God and have witnessed how truly gracious and forgiving He is and am so excited as I look to a new year and all that is to come!

I hope this year has been a good one for all of you and that you are all happy and healthy as we say goodbye to 2008! Happy New Year everyone!!

more of what's to come

2008-12-30T05:42:00.003-05:00

When I said that I don't make new year's resolutions, well maybe I never said it here but I do say it, I think that I will change that to say that I will make one single solitary resolution for the year to come.

I will live in the moment...

Paying attention to the little things and being okay exactly where I am at any given moment. Not being so quick to move on to the next thing or situation before I've had a chance to enjoy the here and now. And taking it all in, so as to create memories that I might have missed otherwise.

Don't get me wrong, I'm fairly well versed at the practice of living in the moment already. I realized a long time ago that life is too short and sweet to let it go by without paying attention to the details, but this year I will do better. Much better.

When I read a book my eyes always skip to the last paragraph of each page, for some strange reason, and then I have to force them back up to the beginning of the page so that I can read what's in between. Surely it has something to do with being anxious and always feeling the need to keep moving... This year I will make more of an effort to read the "in-betweens" of my life.

This year, I will have a quiet, but well-intentioned, chat with my mind and let it know that this is the end of it's constant multi-tasking and anxiety riddled existance. Time to slow down and breathe...

And I will have a similar chat with my heart and soul, telling them that it's okay to simply be. To be open to whatever comes my way, as opposed to the way they think things should be. I have missed out on too many chances to love and be loved in life because my heart and soul had other plans.

I will begin to create a home in this house we've lived in for almost 4 years. To let go of the stress that stems from unfinished projects and all that "needs" to be done. Those things don't make a house a home ~ love, patience, and understanding do. Those projects will always be there waiting, just the same as my family. I choose my family.

This year I choose to listen to that quiet little voice telling me to slow down and pay attention.

To live in the moment.

history and things to come

2008-12-28T18:59:00.000-05:00

Oh how I cherish things from my mother and father. All of the stories they've told me, the gifts they've given, the wisdom they have imparted...
I wish that I would have kept them all better, especially the stories, there have been so many~ some happy, some sad, but mostly just about their lives in the making. I wish I would have written them all down to save. For future generations, a long way down this road of life, to read about and hold just a tiny little piece of history in their hearts.
I'm sure they didn't think that all of their stories and gifts had significant meaning to anyone, but to me they mean the world.
While they haven't been together for many years, and have both remarried and share their lives with wonderful people, the two of them are my roots, the place where I, and many generations to follow, began.
I always feel like my life has never had much substance, that I don't have much of a legacy to pass on. I have an infinite abundance of memories, not many of which would be of much interest to anyone else, or at least that's my opinion. But I can say without a doubt that I wish that I would have had something, anything, in written form, from my grandparents and their parents before them. Anything that spoke of their daily lives and the things that thought would have been of no importance to anyone else. It would have been important to me.
This coming year I vow to keep better track of everything, it's never too late to start...

memories in the making...

2008-12-27T10:49:00.007-05:00

I know that just about every single thing that can be written about Christmas has already been written, all around bloggyland, but since I haven't posted in a while I thought I'd go ahead and join in and share our awesome day with you.
Now keep in mind that it's all about simplicity and comfort in our house, which is why none of us got dressed all day and we kind of lounged around like sloths for the most part LOL But it was such a great day all the way around... This is probably the only time that the boys will be living here at Christmas time, therefore probably being the only time they will be waking up here to see what Santa brought, so I will cherish this Christmas for as long as I live.
Here are just a few of my favorite pics...

When Josh opened this card, his first words were "I got an email, I got an email!" lol

John's favorite gifts where two little Lightning McQueen cars that he's been carrying around with him ever since, even taking them to bed with him.

Chad loves his new Bluetooth shades! Might be a while before he figures out how to use them, but he'll look cool in the meantime lol

Three generations, playing V-Motion...

Josh and Dad playing V-Smile...

Christmas "aftermath" lol

A delicious dinner cooked for us by Nicole and Bryan as our Christmas gift, including one of my all time favorites, Waldorf Salad, YUMMY!!

Happy New Year from our house to yours!

sense and sensibility...

2008-12-24T07:07:00.002-05:00

Before I go out and attempt to make it to work in the really crappy weather conditions, thought I'd take this little quiz that Jenn posted over at Rundpinne.

Take the Quiz here!

You are Marianne Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are impulsive, romantic, impatient, and perhaps a bit too brutally honest. You enjoy romantic poetry and novels, and play the pianoforte beautifully. To boot, your singing voice is captivating. You feel deeply, and love passionately.

reminder

2008-12-22T19:13:00.001-05:00

Just For Today
by Sally Meyer

Just for this morning,
I am going to smile when I see your face...
and laugh when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning,
I will let you wake up softly in your flannel p.j.'s...
and hold you until you are ready to stir.

Just for this morning,
I will let you choose what you want to wear...
and I will say how beautiful you are.

Just for this morning,
I will step over the laundry to pick you up...
and take you to the park to play

Just for this morning,
I will leave the dishes in the sink...
and let you teach me how to put your puzzle together.

Just for this afternoon,
I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off...
and sit with you in the garden
blowing bubbles.

Just for this afternoon,
I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you
scream and whine for the ice cream truck...
and I will buy you one, if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon,
I won't worry about what you are going to be
when you grow up...
I will simply love you for the joy you bring me

Just for this afternoon,
I will let you help me make cookies...
and I wont stand over you . . . trying to 'fix things.'

Just for this afternoon,
I will take you to McDonald's and buy us both a 'Happy Meal'...
so you can have two toys.

Just for this evening,
I will hold you in my arms and tell you the story of how you
were born...
and how much we love you.

Just for this evening,
I will let you splash in the bathtub...
and I won't get angry when you pour water over your sister's
head.

Just for this evening,
I will let you stay up late...
while we sit on the porch swing
and count all the stars.

Just for this evening,
I will bring you glasses of water...
and snuggle beside you for hours...
and miss my favorite t.v. show.

And tonight when you are sleeping safe and warm in your bed,
I will think of the mothers and fathers
who mourn for the children they have lost.

I will remember the parents who sit by hospital beds,
watching over the little ones they love.

I will weep for those parents whose children are cold,
hungry and suffering,

and .... this evening,
when I kneel down to pray,
I will simply be grateful for all that I have

and not ask for anything...

except just one more day.

© copyright 1999 Sally Meyer
(written for her autistic son, Dhylan)

updates?

2008-12-21T20:55:00.002-05:00

Is anyone else having problems with either the Blogger follower thing or Google Reader updating? My favorites aren't updating and then when they finally do it sends a ton of them through all at once or changes the link to the person's blog all together! Can't figure out which one is having the problem....

23

2008-12-20T20:20:00.004-05:00

Wow, it's hard to believe that 23 years ago I was a hospital in south Texas giving birth to my beautiful daughter. So many years ago but it feels like yesterday, guess it's that way for all mothers...
All of these years you have been the light of my life, the most true and good thing to happen in my world.
As a single mom for the first 9 years, we went through some pretty tough times together, but at the end of the day all I had to do was look into your beautiful face and know that it was all worth it and that we would always be okay, there was no other way to be...
I've seen you grow from an unsure and shy little girl into a strong, independent, caring young woman. And while you are a woman of few words, I have always admired the way you handle life, and all that it has handed you, with patience and grace. You have always had the ability to think before you speak or act, a trait that I'm afraid I don't even possess!
You took on the responsibility of motherhood at such a young age, both to Joshua and then to John. Struggled with a sick baby in the hospital for the first month of his life, with no complaints. You just did what you had to do and that was that. Most definitely a sign of the woman you would grow into.
You have loved those little boys so deeply and unconditionally and I love watching you take care of them day in and day out, still never complaining when you're tired or sick, or about how much you wish you could just have a break from it all.
And now that you're in school, your life is headed in such a good direction and I am so proud of you, passing your first final! but then again, was there ever a doubt that you would?
I look forward to seeing what life has in store for you, knowing that you will continue to stay true to yourself, just as you always have. With character and good moral convictions.....
Hold your head up high and love yourself as we all love you. You deserve all the happiness that life has to offer, and so much more.
Happy Birthday Nicole, I hope this year was the best ever!
I love you

bloggy blah and a friday fill-in

2008-12-19T20:04:00.002-05:00

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, I guess I need to come to terms with the fact that I'm a fair weather blogger, lol.... just kidding, I've certainly written about my fair share of troubles and not just all sunshine and happiness.
It's been snowing/sleeting like a banshee all day and I just about killed myself and a few other unsuspecting drivers on my way home from work. Thank goodness they let us go early or it probably would have actually happened! My car was sliding down the hill and I thought my brakes went out, I pumped and pumped but the pedal would barely go down. Miraculously I was able to stop at the busy intersection and when I looked down the oil light was on, what in the world??? And then when I went to go I realized that during my slip sliding down the hill, the car had actually died and I didn't know it because I had the heater full blast and couldn't hear anything but that! That explained the brake and oil light situation. One turn of the key and all was well. thank you Jesus!
So I finally got home and quickly changed into the warmest pajamas I could find and haven't done a single thing since except read blogs, emails, and eat a yummy dinner that hubby made!
Hoping to catch up on everything this weekend if I get the chance. Feeling like I'm coming down with some kidn of bug so I may do more reading catching up than writing! Oh, and I can't forget playing on Facebook lol Loves me some FB y'all!! Being able to keep up with family and play silly little games like I was a teenager again and having a blast with it!
Looking forward to tomorrow, it's my baby girl's birthday and I'm making her an extra special treat, can't wait till she sees it! But I won't post it here until after the fact just in case, by remote chance, she might be reading this. lol
Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend so far. Go out and do something fun, unless you're in blizzard land like us, and in that case, stay in and do something even more fun ;o)

Till next time, here's a Friday fill-in for ya...

1. Snowflakes are EVERYWHERE!!!!!
2. I'm going to wrap some gifts and crawl in bed with some tv...
3. Forever, by Ben Harper, is a song whose lyrics have meaning to me.
4. Just one sip and my thirst is quenched.
5. Home is where I'm happiest.
6. I believe that spending time alone is a necessary part of life.

spreadin' the love...

2008-12-15T20:21:00.004-05:00

My sweet friend Bette, I mean Debbie, has adorned me with this awesome/well-deserved award, isn't it beautiful?! You see, Debbie has been spending all of her time in Bloggyland instead of on other things that she thinks should take precedence during this holiday season and blaming it all on me. I mean, yes, I agree that I do supply her with all of the nice, shiny, new links, but do I make her visit them? Um, I think not!
I kid, I kid... Debbie is one of the greatest friends, always supportive and totally down to earth. Thanks for the award Girlfriend!
So now I'm supposed to pass it on to 6 other people, how do I pick just 6??? I mean there are so many awesome girls who stick with me even when I'm not up to blogging par! But since we all seem to show up at pretty much the same places as far as I can tell, I'm sure it will make it's way around and then everyone will be covered, right? ;o)
So with all that being said, here are the 6 to start it all off... Hopefully you'll all be Sweeties and pass it on to other Bloggers you love!

1. Linda at Growin' With It
2. Binks at A Day in the Life of Binks
3. Georgie from Decisionally Challenged
4. Gail from At The Farm
5. Sarah at Life in the Parsonage
6. Whitey over at Skunk Hollow

Now y'all know I love each and every one of you that come by here, so please feel free to take the award for your blog, whether your name is listed or not, it sure is pretty isn't it?

who are you?

2008-12-13T20:52:00.003-05:00

Saw this over at Jennifer's and just had to play along, I love it!

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Bette!

You are a Bette -- "I must be strong"

Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective.

How to Get Along with Me

* Stand up for yourself... and me.

* Be confident, strong, and direct.

* Don't gossip about me or betray my trust.

* Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side.

* Give me space to be alone.

* Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me.

* I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack.

* When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am.

What I Like About Being a Bette

* being independent and self-reliant

* being able to take charge and meet challenges head on

* being courageous, straightforward, and honest

* getting all the enjoyment I can out of life

* supporting, empowering, and protecting those close to me

* upholding just causes

What's Hard About Being a Bette

* overwhelming people with my bluntness; scaring them away when I don't intend to

* being restless and impatient with others' incompetence

* sticking my neck out for people and receiving no appreciation for it

* never forgetting injuries or injustices

* putting too much pressure on myself

* getting high blood pressure when people don't obey the rules or when things don't go right

Bettes as Children Often

* are independent; have an inner strength and a fighting spirit

* are sometimes loners

* seize control so they won't be controlled

* figure out others' weaknesses

* attack verbally or physically when provoked

* take charge in the family because they perceive themselves as the strongest, or grow up in difficult or abusive surroundings

Bettes as Parents

* are often loyal, caring, involved, and devoted

* are sometimes overprotective

* can be demanding, controlling, and rigid

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

fiesta time!

2008-12-11T08:41:00.003-05:00

Jaci, over at Ravings of a Mad Housewife is having the best give-away ever!! A 4-piece place setting of Fiestaware! She's even letting you choose up to 4 different colors. I had the hardest time choosing but in the end went with Cinnabar, Plum, Scarlet, and Cobalt. What colors would you choose?

a meme and much ado about nothin'

2008-12-10T15:17:00.004-05:00

Wow, has this vacation made me la-zee... I've spent lots of time doing pretty much nothing at all and am starting to feel like a total bump on a log, my brain is in a stupor here and I really can't think of much to post about but I'll give it my best shot.
Vacation + Me = pajamas and Wii all day...Yes, they are frog pajamas with the words "toadally cool" printed all over them, I kinda roll like that. It's a wonder my husband still finds me so irresistible! Bawhaha Why do I look like a giant compared to everything else in the living room???

And now for your viewing pleasure, quite possibly the sweetest little girl on the planet! I'm captivated by this kiddo and apparently I'm not the only one, she's becoming famous across the internet, can she tell a story or what?! When it's done you should click on her name at the bottom of the video and watch the rest of them!

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

Since I missed the "Post Your Tree" stuff that was going on around Bloggyland yesterday ( I tried to make a video but it didn't work) here's a picture of our magical light show tree, isn't it lovely? lol Unfortunately this is about as good as it gets where pics are concerned...

And now for the good stuff, a meme I snagged from my good friend Ky's blog, thanks Ky! Feel free to play along, you know you want to ;o)
Just bold the things you have done. Here we go:

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors ...

35. Seen an Amish community.

36. Taught yourself a new language.

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class.

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

What a neat list, huh? And I guess by the standards of this list, I didn't do too bad. So my challenge to you ladies is to repost this meme and then pick 5 items that you most like to accomplish in your lifetime and post them here.

1. Go to Africa.
2. Go on a mission trip.
3. Read the whole Bible front to back.
4. Learn to Knit.
5. De-clutter my entire house!

Well, that's it for now y'all, wish I had something a little more interesting to post about, but my brain is much from sitting around for 3 days! lol So, till next time...

2008-12-08T10:40:00.003-05:00

When I drive down Main St. in the evening, surrounded by tourists, I realize how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful little city. Amidst the hustle and bustle of window shoppers, horse drawn carriages, twinkling lights, I am filled with the Christmas spirit and enjoy taking every bit of it in! Tourists abound, visiting our city, just to say they have been to Bethlehem at Christmas, makes me giggle inside. When I pass them on the street, I wonder if they think that I am lucky to live here all year long. If they would ask me, my answer would be "yes", and that it is just as beautiful in all of the other 3 seasons of the year as it is in winter...

Every year, the weekend after Thanksgiving, city employees work diligently at getting Bethlehem ready for Christmas. Every light pole you see has a small tree attached to it, the candles go up at the top of the Hill to Hill bridge, and the star, we can't forget the Bethlehem Star at the top of South Mountain, all just waiting patiently to be lit! THEN we know it's Christmas time! And what a sight to behold!
And while I miss home, as well as my family and friends, terribly, I can't help but hope that they are happy for us here in the little town of Bethlehem at Christmas time...

Until next time, stay warm, and try to remember, when the holidays get stressful, as they do for everyone, that the most important things at Christmas are Peace, Love, and Joy to all, and remembering the real "Reason for the Season".

Happy Holidays to you all!

With love,

Chad and Tiffany

good day...

2008-12-07T14:30:00.004-05:00

I want to thank everyone for their well wishes and good luck comments! I'm not actually sick, although it probably sounded like it in yesterday's post. I have always had awful problems with my sinuses, so every once in a while I'll take something for them, like Nyquil Sinus. I don't know about you, but with this colder weather, having the heat on wreaks havoc on my poor little nostrils! lol

Anyway, the interview went well this morning, although I was really nervous, and I HATE the feeling of being nervous!!! I always second guess my words and actions, ACK! But the person I met with was awesome and a real pleasure to finally meet, I've seen her around in church many times but hadn't ever spoken with her until now. So with all that being said, she's going to pass on my information to the person that sets up the volunteer orientation, who will then check my references and get back to me on when I can start. I'm so excited to finally get going with this! I expressed to her that my ultimate "goal" is to work with children in the mission field and she stated that there are a lot of great things in the works at this time and extended an invitation to sit in on some meetings regarding that! Another small step toward a bigger purpose!

So I know that yesterday's post title didn't exactly match with what I wrote, I meant for it to, but got sidetracked and ended up posting without explaining that this is going to be the first time I've actually followed through on working toward the plan that God has set before me. I have always had good intentions in the past but ended up ducking out at the last minute, either from lack of confidence or fear of commitment, or probably a little/lot of both! So that's what that post title was all about, that it really is for real this time! lol

Church was awesome this morning, we are so fortunate to have a pastor that really cares about people and their salvation, and it always comes across in the words that he speaks to us all. Before service this morning, while we were all waiting for things to start, I was watching him with his wife, who is the pastor of our music ministry. She was crying for some reason and I watched as he took her aside and placed his arms around her with so much kindness and love and spoke gently into her ear, no doubt acknowleding whatever was going on with her and validating her feelings, or at least that's the way it seemed to me. I have to just say that I was so humbled by what I witnessed, something that wasn't a show to anyone else, just a simple act of kindness to the woman who shares his life with him. I feel so blessed to have this man as the person who leads us in worship each week.

So, everyone, how's it coming with your Christmas plans? What will you all be doing this year, will you be sticking with tried and true traditions or will you be trying something new this time around? Usually we would have our tree up already but I guess we'll be doing it all this Tuesday since Chad will be off work and I am home on vacation. Looking forward to getting everything all decorated, my favorite part is the very first night when all of the lights in the house go off and the tree lights go on, that has always been magical to me. And this year we are lucky enough to have my daughter and her family living here with us temporarily so we'll get to see the boys' excitement on Christmas morning, can't wait for that! They are getting a V-Motion, which is the children's version of the Wii, sort of... I got them Kung Fu Panda for that, should be lots of fun for everyone!!

Well, I think that's about it for now, hope you're all having a great weekend and that you're all keeping your tootsies nice and toasty in the cccccoooollllldddd weather!

Till next time...

You Are Flannel Pajamas

You seek comfort above everything else. You rather feel good than look good.

You are a very relaxed person, especially when you're surrounded by your favorite things and people.

You are a homebody. Home is the place where you can truly be yourself.

You are likely to wear pajamas a lot. In fact, you often change into your pj's the minute you get home!

What Kind of Pajamas Are You?

for real this time...

2008-12-06T19:42:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! Figured I'd better stop in and write a little bit of something before you all started thinking that I forgot where I live! Life gets in the way sometimes, what can I say... I try to read all of your awesome posts, saving most of them until I have time to comment here and there. I love Google Reader for that very reason. But I do miss y'all!
I'm officially on vacation now, so I'll be able to catch up soon, but for now I need to pop some Nyquil Sinus, burrown down into my nice warm bed, and try to forget the fact that it's freezing outside. It was snowing a bit earlier, hopefully by morning it won't have accumulated more than a dusting.
Tomorrow I have an interview at church at 10:00... the paperwork is all filled out and ready to go to apply for a volunteer position with the Kids Life children's ministry. I've been going to Lifechurch for over 3 years now, so I guess it's about time!
It's the beginning of a journey, small steps toward a bigger purpose.

Till next time...

p.s.

2008-11-30T12:37:00.002-05:00

Okay, so this should have gone on the last post, but I forgot...
It's totally snagged from Binks, thanks Binks :o)

CHRISTMAS MEME

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, any inexpensive but pretty paper will do.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial, I think I've only had one or two real ones in my life, they are beautiful but a lot of work and I'm scared to death they will catch on fire!

3. When do you put up the tree? take the tree down? Whenever the mood strikes us. We try to wait till Dec. 18th to honor my husband's grandfather's birthday but I can't always hold out till then.
It usually comes down when I'm sick of looking at it, right around the beginning of Feb. (yes we are that lazy)

4. Do you like eggnog? YUMMY!

5. Favorite gift received as a child?
The Sunshine Family and their house! That and the beautiful dollhouse that my Grandmother gave me. She made every single thing in it from the needlepoint rugs to the little fake fruit for the kitchen. It even has a Christmas tree that really lit up!

6. Hardest person to buy for? My little brother. He's a total science/techno nut! (in a good way :o)

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I just bought a new one a couple years ago

8. Mail or email Christmas cards? Snail mail

9. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can't really think of anything I haven't loved

10. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Story! LOVE that movie, it makes me crack up every time I watch it. Oh, and Charlie Brown, can't forget him...

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? After Thanksgiving

12. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, someone gave me a lotion that had a scent I didn't care for so I gave it to a friend who loved it.

13. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? EVERYTHING. I can't get enough food of all kinds at this time of year lol

14. Lights on the tree? Yes, tiny sparkly clear ones

15. Favorite Christmas song? Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Baby It's Cold Outside

16. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Staying home. I'm not a big traveler. Although last Christmas at my Mom's was wonderful!

17. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher,Dancer,Prancer,Vixen,Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen . (I totally stole Binks answer)

18. Angel on the tree top or a star?Star

19. Open the presents Christmas eve or Christmas day? We have dinner and open gifts at my In-laws on Christmas Eve and then have our own gift opening at home on Christmas morning

20. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Commercial/materialism.

21. Favorite ornament theme or color? Just a mix of all the ornaments we've collected over the years, no specific theme or color.

22. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham and all the yummy side dishes

23. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Anything I might get will make me really happy, it always does! But if I could pick one thing I think I would love to have a Wii Fit! It looks like a lot of fun, if you can call getting fit "fun" lol

Feel free to snag it for yourself if you'd like!

in the spirit of giving : handmade...

2008-11-30T11:11:00.003-05:00

Shannon, over at rocks in my dryer, has the best post this morning about Etsy! I don't know about you but I love me some Etsy goodness!!! So in the spirit of giving all things handmade this season, hop on over to rocks in my dryer and check out all the linky-love. You're bound to find a few favorite shops that you didn't know about before, and while you're there, if you've got a shop of your own, be sure to post it so we can all get in on your handmade goods, afterall, it's all about spreading the word around here, right?

Hoping that you're all having a terrific day! I've enjoyed my 4 day weekend and am soooo looking forward to my week-long vacation coming up in a week from now. No plans other than getting the Christmas tree and decorations up and sending out gifts and cards. Might even try out a few new recipes, but that will be the extent of any hardwork I might do for that entire week, afterall, I've got some blogs to catch up on! lol

Tiffany

the big three six...

2008-11-29T08:26:00.004-05:00

Happy Birthday Honey!
May this be the best one ever...

<-- I Love You -->

unbelievable...

2008-11-28T19:25:00.001-05:00

I can't believe this is what it's come to.

Wal-Mart Worker Trampled to Death

something to think about on black friday...

2008-11-27T18:13:00.001-05:00

be safe and happy...

2008-11-27T06:22:00.003-05:00

I know everyone around here has already said it, but I hope you all have a wonderful Day of Thanks!! How awesome is it that we have a day completely dedicated to being together and giving thanks for all of the awesome gifts that God has given us?!
A day that still hasn't been turned into a commercialized chaotic mess, centered around money.
I hope that you will all find yourselves surrounded by friends and loved ones today, no matter how you celebrate!

giving us everything we need...

2008-11-23T17:35:00.002-05:00

Ever since I was a little girl it has been a dream of mine to travel to a far away place to do some kind of mission work. To work with young children in some way that made a difference.
Even when I was wild and carefree, something was always tugging at my heart, and whispering in my ear, reminding me of the dreams I had.
I remember my Dad's cousin and his wife showing us pictures from their mission trips, always somewhere far away in some remote place, both in and around Africa. The pictures were always so beautiful with bright vivid colors and smiling faces just as bright. And I have never forgotten those photographs.
Well, as life would have it, I became a mother and was busy doing all sorts of "mom" things, and then I remarried. And the thought of going off to a foreign country, leaving my daughter and husband behind, was a faraway dream that I had all but forgotten.

Until now...

For the past couple of years things have really been stirring in my heart as I was struggling to figure out exactly what it is that God has wanted me to do with my time here on earth. I worried that maybe He told me what to do and I either didn't hear him or had just plain ignored him, albeit unintentionally.
But let me just say that when He finally feels that you are ready to hear what He has to say, He will not let you ignore him, nor will you fail to hear! He has given us all everything that we need to complete our tasks here in life. He's given us certain talents and gifts that we are to use to do His work, He only needs us to be still and listen, and then he will reveal His plan for us.
My whole life He has been preparing me for what is about to come, a new journey of sorts. He has spoken to me and I have finally listened and I am ready to do the work that has been assigned to me. I don't know exactly how it will all play out, but I do know that big things are coming!
For the past few months everything has been pointing me in the direction of mission work. It weighs heavy on my mind and in my heart as I begin to prepare for this new adventure. I'm excited and nervous and honestly scared to death! I don't have a clue what I'm doing, but one thing I do have is faith, and the bottom line is - that's all we really need.

run, don't walk!

2008-11-22T19:31:00.002-05:00

Wow, y'all, this is the giveaways of all giveaways! Joanna, over at Jo-Jo's Place, is giving away a fantastic bunch of prizes, but you can't win unless you enter! So run on over to her place and sign up, all you have to do is leave a comment telling her what your favorite thing to do with your family is, pretty simple huh? Good luck everyone!!

Sorry I haven't posted my goal progress for a few days. There's been a lot of stuff going on and I have just been drained~! Excuses excuses, I know... I will try to catch back up tomorrow.

the joys of winning!

2008-11-21T09:47:00.003-05:00

Wow, I can't believe I won another prize, I'm so happy!!!!

Dee, over at Two of a Kind Working on a Full House was giving away these cute little lip balm holders and my name was picked, thank you so much for the great giveaway Dee!

I picked the brown one with the blue button :o)

friends...

2008-11-21T05:49:00.001-05:00

Look what Linda gave me!! I love it Girlfriend, thank you!

Every once in a while you meet someone online that you just hit it off with and Linda is one of those people.

Oh, and guess what?! I won her cd giveaway, isn't that awesome? She was giving away an Ayiesha Woods CD and I won!

winds of change...

2008-11-20T17:06:00.005-05:00

On my way to work this morning I was looking at the leafless trees and the beginnings of winter all around me. There was no breeze, and while all was still, there was something stirring in my heart and I can feel changes taking place as I begin to learn to take focus in life off of myself and place it on to other things that matter much more than I. And God says

"now you are ready"...

He reaches deep inside of me and stirs things around and I can feel His presence like never before.
No longer is it about what He can do for me, but what I can do to give back to Him and others. I have been so blessed in life, given everything I could ever want, and far more than I could ever need. I demanded things from God and then wondered why my requests weren't met.
I've damanded that He show me what it is that I was put on this earth to do, instead of preparing for whatever was in store for me. He told me over and over to be still and listen, but I never did. I was in it for what felt good and right at the moment and nothing else, although I didn't realize it at the time.
But now I see that it is not about me, not in the least...

and I am ready...

thank you

2008-11-19T19:56:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone that prayed for us today as we took John to the audiologist! So much support and wonderful comments from family, friends, and all of you that we've not yet had the chance to meet in person.
As we thought might happen, he wouldn't sit still for the doctor to even start to look in his ears, much less get any kind of hearing test! So after repeated attempts with no success, the doctor finally gave up and gave Nicole a referral to the hospital so that they can try again there and give him something to calm him down, if need be.

It's unfortunate that there was still a co-pay of $40.00 when nothing was actually done, but the doctor gave it his best, so I guess that counts. Anyway, thank you all again, your prayers are very much appreciated! check out his sly little stinker of a face, knowing he got out of it!

Wow, is it cold where y'all live? Cus it's quite a bit more than chilly here, holy bejeesus! I wasn't ready for this so soon, heck, I was just getting used to Fall and now BAM, here we go with snow flurries and heavy coats already. Can I please get a ride back home to Texas? lol

Oh, and good thing I didn't complain about my job today, cus I got a bonus!!! That's right, a BO-NUS!!! We NEVER get bonuses, but since it's our organization's 30th anniversary, the Board of Directors decided it was about time. Thank you Board of Directors, it couldn't have come at a better time, and so unexpected! You should have seen everyone's face at work, and while it wasn't a huge amount of money, it was enough to make us all happy to be there today! LOL
And then when I got home there was a letter from my World Vision sponsor child waiting for me. It's the first one I've gotten from her and I think I was just as excited about her letter as I was the bonus.
Hoping you are all having a wonderful week, make sure you take some time to do something special for yourself, you all deserve it!

1. Twenty minutes of devotion and prayer, first thing in the morning before anything else. I got part of my devotional done but had to leave before I could finish this morning. I did spend some time in prayer though, even if it was in my car on the way to work...
2. At least 30 minutes of physical movement each and every day, whether it be walking or playing the Wii! As long as I’m up off of my duff! Not tonight, I was pretty busy, and didn't get back home till just a little while ago and to be honest, now I'm just too tired and lazy...
3. Fast food only ONCE a week for the next 30 days, no exceptions, period! No fast food today! Cereal for breakfast, lunch at home after John's appointment, and then dinner at our favorite restaurant this evening.
4. No complaining about work, whether it’s at work or at home. Did really well with this today except for one thing I started to complain about and then caught myself. I guess that's the most important thing is to try and stay aware of what I'm saying at all times and change the direction of the conversation if it starts to turn negative.
5. Spend one hour each day doing something for someone else, whether it be crafting gifts, writing letters, etc… All done! Spent some time taking my daughter to her school to make a payment as well as going with her to the appointment this morning to lend support if needed.

prayer request

2008-11-18T20:44:00.003-05:00

Just a real quick prayer request for my grandson John. Tomorrow he will be going for his first appointment with an audiologist. To make a 4 1/2 year story short, John contracted meningitis right after he was born and ended up spending the first month of his life in Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. I can't say enough great things about that hospital or the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, but that will be for another post, I promise.
Anyway, from the outside, John looks like any other 4 year old boy and is definitely our own little version of Dennis the Menace! He's rambunctious and inquisitive and a total whirlwind.. We love him fiercely and unconditionally, without a doubt. However, there is no denying that this beautiful little boy will have to deal with some heavy duty issues throughout his life. The ability to communicate being one of them, but in order to receive the services that he needs, such as speech therapy, he must first be given a diagnosis by the medical professionals.
It started with an MRI, where they found nothing out of the ordinary. So now they will move on to an audiologist and see if it's the way that he's hearing things around him that are causing him difficulty in the speech department. Or maybe his auditory perception...
So anyway, tomorrow will be the hearing tests and I would appreciate any and all prayers that y'all are willing to offer up. Please pray that he will be able to sit still long enough for them to get an accurate reading, because most of the time just getting him to sit still is an adventure all in itself. Please pray that the results will be enough to get him started with the services that he needs! We would really love a miracle, but the fact that he survived the Meningitis in the first place and is active and loving and beautiful is a HUGE miracle, so we'll take whatever God has in store for him tomorrow and pray for positive results!
Thanks everyone :o)
Oh, and as for my daily goals, I did really well but am just too tired to post them right now and need to get to bed... I'll pick back up with it tomorrow.
G'Nite all.

creative heart

2008-11-17T16:52:00.002-05:00

Okay y'all, see that stocking filler badge over on the left sidebar? If you click on it I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the fantastic giveaway that my friend Deb is having over at her site From A Creative Heart.
Let me just say that I've had the pleasure of becoming good friends with Debbie and she's one of the most genuine and talented people that I've ever met, not to mention one of the most witty!
So hop on over to her site and sign up for all the goodies she's giving away, and while you're there, be sure to click on the link to her shop where she's got all kinds of great hand-made items for sale. I've ordered from her before and her work is gorgeous!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On to my goal progress... I know I didn't post about it this weekend, in fact I didn't do much of anything this weekend except relax and try and stay off of the computer as much as possible!
While I do love blogging, I think it's important to take a break sometimes when something is taking up more of life than it should...

1. Twenty minutes of devotion and prayer, first thing in the morning before anything else. Sure did. Picked up a new devotional at the book sale yesterday and was excited to start with it this morning. I also love the time in my car on my way to work, listening to great music and just spending time being thankful.
2. At least 30 minutes of physical movement each and every day, whether it be walking or playing the Wii! As long as I’m up off of my duff! Will be working out to DDR on the Wii later this afternoon.
3. Fast food only ONCE a week for the next 30 days, no exceptions, period! No fast food today! Oatmeal for breakfast, rice and enchiladas for lunch, and hubby is bringing dinner home from work, although it might be healthier to eat fast food since he's bringing chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes! lol
4. No complaining about work, whether it’s at work or at home. Did really well with this today after telling myself to just keep my mouth shut the whole way there!! Hey, whatever it takes, right? lol
5. Spend one hour each day doing something for someone else, whether it be crafting gifts, writing letters, etc… All done, although I will probably spend a little more time crocheting on an afghan while watching TLC tonight.

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend and were able to start your week off in a positive way. Till next time!

holiday giveaway fun...

2008-11-14T05:15:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to let my 3 "pay it forward" winners know that I haven't forgotten about them! I'll be picking up your prizes this weekend and will have them out by Sunday night! And, Country Girl, your box will be delivered within the next 3 days, so be on the lookout :o)

And speaking of giveaways, there will be tons coming up for the holidays on blogs all around Bloggyland, people are already starting and you really can win, but you have to enter to be eligible! lol See over there on the sidebar where it says Sweet Giveaways? I will be posting about contests there, so make sure and take a peek on a regular basis to see if anything has been added. I will try to keep it updated as much as possible to take down buttons for contests that have already ended.

Okay, it's really early and I haven't had my coffee yet so I'll come back here later when I can make sense with what I type!

1. Twenty minutes of devotion and prayer, first thing in the morning before anything else. Yep!
2. At least 30 minutes of physical movement each and every day, whether it be walking or playing the Wii! As long as I’m up off of my duff! No exercise today other than going up and down the stairs at work. Will work out extra this weekend.
3. Fast food only ONCE a week for the next 30 days, no exceptions, period! While I did stop at McDonald's this morning because I was in a HUGE hurry, the only thing I got was a fruit and yogurt parfait, so I'm not counting it as fast food no matter what anyone says! lol
4. No complaining about work, whether it’s at work or at home. Same as yesterday... and I didn't complain about it at all at home, haven't since I started this. Although I did bring up something that was on my mind that is very difficult to handle regarding one of our clients children.
5. Spend one hour each day doing something for someone else, whether it be crafting gifts, writing letters, etc… Spent quite a bit of time looking for special Christmas gifts for the people that I love. I'm really thinking of going the Etsy route this year.

daily goals

2008-11-13T20:15:00.002-05:00

No regular post for tonight, maybe there will be something fun and exciting to write about tomorrow. I have been enjoying everyone else's blogs though!

1. Twenty minutes of devotion and prayer, first thing in the morning before anything else. Done, although this was a tough one because I didn't get much sleep last night so I had a hard time staying awake while reading.
2. At least 30 minutes of physical movement each and every day, whether it be walking or playing the Wii! As long as I’m up off of my duff! No exercise today other than going up and down the stairs at work. Will work out extra this weekend.
3. Fast food only ONCE a week for the next 30 days, no exceptions, period! Today was my fast food day, it will be the only time this week! Had a baked potato and chili from Wendy's for lunch. Grilled cheese for dinner, made by Moi'
4. No complaining about work, whether it’s at work or at home. Did pretty good on this one, the morning start off kind of rough but then I realized what I was doing and made an effort to make the rest of the day much better.
5. Spend one hour each day doing something for someone else, whether it be crafting gifts, writing letters, etc… Yep, worked on the letter w/pics for my World Vision sponsor child, Dapta. Also worked for about an hour and a half on my grandson's afghan.

yummy quilts

2008-11-12T06:01:00.004-05:00

LOOK at what Old Red Barn Co. is giving away!!!

They are so sweet I can hardly stand it, and I would really really really love to win one, or see one of you win one. So go on over and check out the gorgeous quilts that are up for grabs!

And then you simply MUST head over to Simplify for the chance to win another gorgeous quilt!!!! She is actually going to make the winner a quilt with the pattern of their own choosing, how fantastic is that?!

Good luck to everyone and I hope you all have a blessed day. Check back here later because if I find anymore great giveaways like these I'll be adding them here!

*Going to be really honest here in saying that I only completed half my goals today. I'm beat and just had the biggest supper I've had in a long time. Tomorrow will be a much better day, and I will give it my all.

focus

2008-11-10T13:17:00.004-05:00

I’ve noticed lately that I’ve been feeling increasingly out of sorts, and when I feel out of sorts I start to get anxious and irritable. Does this happen to anyone else?
My house is a mess, my eating and weight are out of control, things feel unorganized and chaotic.
When things get this way I know exactly what it is that I’m not doing and that would be focusing.
First and foremost, every single day, no matter how busy things are or what is going on, my focus needs to be on my relationship with God. Without this, everything else starts to fall apart.
Secondly, there’s focus on my relationships with my family and home. I have a habit of spending too much time on other trivial things and getting away from what’s important, and slowly but surely my relationships with family will start to suffer, leaving us all feeling disconnected from each other. And when we feel disconnected from each other, tension and strife will ensue, rest assured.
And then of course, when there is tension at home everything else seems to fall apart as well. So much energy is spent on feeling anxious and being stuck in “fight or flight” mode that there’s not enough left over to take care of ourselves. Eating fast food becomes the norm because I’m too tired to plan meals or cook, and then soon after that my weight skyrockets and health plummets.
It’s all a vicious cycle that I’ve been round and round with my entire life. Right when all seems right with the world, I get too big for my britches and start to think that I can do all things on my own, without the help of anyone, including God. And it never fails, that is exactly the moment that things begin to fall apart. You would think I would learn, wouldn’t you?
I don’t know about anyone else but being held accountable always seems to help me keep things on track with most things, so I’m making a few goals and am going to start posting my daily progress at the end of my blog posts. I’m just starting out with a few because I know myself and won’t keep up with it if it’s more than that! The ones that I’ve chosen are:
1. Twenty minutes of devotion and prayer, first thing in the morning before anything else.
2. At least 30 minutes of physical movement each and every day, whether it be walking or playing the Wii! As long as I’m up off of my duff!
3. Fast food only ONCE a week for the next 30 days, no exceptions, period!
4. No complaining about work, whether it’s at work or at home.
5. Spend one hour each day doing something for someone else, whether it be crafting gifts, writing letters, etc…

Well, that’s it! I’ll be coming back here every day, starting tomorrow, to write down my progress. I won’t be too hard on myself if I don’t follow things to a tee, but am going to try my hardest!

you go girlfriends!

2008-11-10T06:01:00.004-05:00

Okay, looks like we have our winners for the Pay It Forward contest. Really, when you think about it, everyone who pays it forward is a winner, don't you think?
1. Debbie over at From a Creative Heart
2. Linda from Growin' With It
3. Gail from At The Farm
Congratulations Girls!!!
Debbie I've already got your address, so Gail and Linda I need you to email me at tiffanycross(at)rcn(dot)com with your snail mail addy so I can send out your prize! And don't forget, when you receive you prize to post your own "pay it forward" contest on your blog, and thanks so much for playing along!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And now for just a little more contest news. I'm sorry, I know you're all probably getting bored with hearing about all the great prizes I've been winning over here. This has been the luckiest month ever for me and I just can't help but blog about it because I usually never win anything!! Just ask my co-worker Mary (Hi Mary!). She is always getting me scratch-offs and I never win a dime... We went to Atlantic City once and she felt so sorry for me because kept losing that she gave me part of her winnings....
Anyway, back to my good fortunes.
Aly, over at LipZip informed me that I won a book! And not just any book, mind you, THIS book:

I can't wait to start reading this one, all 720 pages of it!!! Thank you so much for the wonderful giveaway Aly!
Well, my coffee's all gone and I need to get ready for work or I'll be late, but I'll be back later with some kind of deep and meaningful post, I promise!
Till then, have a great day and try not to let the fact that it's Monday get you down...

pay it forward...

2008-11-09T07:55:00.003-05:00

Morning Y'all!
Hope you're weekend's been a good one and that you're taking time to just relax and enjoy.
A few days ago I won a contest over at Chronicles of a Country Girl, which is kind of funny because immediately after that, she won my contest here! lol Anyway... she stated that she wasn't exactly sure what she would be sending as a prize, which added to the excitement - you know, getting something that is a total surprise, I love it!
So I kind of put it all in the back of my mind because it's been a little busy around here, and then yesterday this package arrives and I can't think for the life of me what it could possibly be. It said it was a print on the box so I opened it very carefully, still wondering what in the world it was, because I hadn't ordered anything lately. But as soon as I opened it, I knew exactly where it came from... It was a print of a beautiful picture that I'd commented on at her website. Isn't it gorgeous? I can't wait to get it framed and hung up. I was having a pretty awful day when I opened this and it just reminded me that no matter how hard things get in life, there is still beauty to be found and that we should always be looking upward and not inward...
Thank you so much for the wonderful prize Country Girl, I will treasure it always!

(please remember this photo belongs to Country Girl
and must not be used without her permission. Thanks! :o)

So now, in the spirit of Paying it Forward, I will be giving something away to the first three people who comment on this post! Good luck everyone! Oh, and just one simple rule, you have to agree to do the same thing if you win.

and the winner is....

2008-11-05T19:01:00.012-05:00

Drumroll please.....

..... and the winner of the giveaway is.....

(sorry about the dark photo, the flash was keeping the name from showing, and what's up with the icky looking nails? I swear they don't really look like that!)

CONGRATULATIONS

COUNTRY GIRL

!!!!!!!

You are the winner of this bunch of goodies

And.............

Your choice of one of these three books:

I'll be contacting you to get your snail-mail addy and choice of book, way to go!

And to everyone who participated, thanks so much for playing along, it's been a lot of fun!

yesterday, today, and always...

2008-11-05T06:04:00.004-05:00

Okay, for everyone that voted yesterday, or anyone that wanted to but for some reason weren't able, don't forget to leave a comment in my last post by 7 p.m est tonight to be entered into my drawing!

And now on to other things....

Yesterday I got a little text message from my Honey about it being the anniversary of the day we met 13 years ago, he's good like that - remembering important days of our relationship and is usually the first one to bring them up.
So all day I was flooded with memories of our first meeting and enjoyed telling a couple of people about it at work when they asked how we met. I won't go into all the details here, but I will say that I knew I loved him the very second I laid eyes on him. I caught a glimpse of him for a minute and then he was gone, and even though I'd never seen him before, I felt my heart drop. But then just a little while later I saw him again and it soared. It was meant to be.
God has a funny way of bring two completely different people together, to share their lives, to balance each other out and make each other whole. And while these things aren't always easy to accomplish, He always knows what He's doing.
So for all of the readers out there that don't believe in love at first sight, I'm here to tell you that it really does happen. Chad and I met on that night, all those years ago, and have been together ever since. We've weathered through some pretty tough times together but at the same time we've always had each other's backs.
Honey, thank you for being my shelter in the storms of life. For loving me even when I'm most unlovable and letting me shine when I'm at my best. I am more in love with you now than I was at the moment I laid eyes on you, thank you for loving me...

not just for the coffee...

2008-11-04T06:04:00.003-05:00

Please please please vote... and please don't do it just for the free coffee, although free coffee is lovely and St. Arbucks is going to give you some if you tell them that you voted today. Cus, you know, it's important, really really important...

And if you come back here after you've voted and tell me how it went for you (not who you voted for, unless you really want to) you will be entered into my drawing. That's right! Just like St. Arbucks, I'm giving something away! Although, unlike them, I'm not telling what it is until the contest comes to an end and I have drawn a winner.
So come on, play along, get happy and all that jazz... Tell me what your voting experience was like. You have until 7 p.m. eastern time tomorrow (that's November 5th) to get your comment in and then I'll draw a name and let everyone, including you, know what you've won! OH, and be sure to include a way for me to contact you to let you know you've won, cus that would really stink if you won something and never knew...

Just an addition to this post to let people know about another great giveaway carnival that's going on. I think I like this one even more than the last one because it's all about books! Even without winning anything it's an awesome giveaway because there are so many books that can be added to your TBR list, something that always gets me excited!

give thanks...

2008-11-03T06:06:00.004-05:00

See that pretty little button over there on the sidebar? I've joined up with the Giving Thanks Challenge over at South Breeze Farm. Please feel free to click on it and join up yourself.
Thirty days of giving thanks, something we should all be doing every day but it seems so easy to get away from at times. God's grace is so awesome isn't it? I don't know about anyone else but I've been pretty negative here at home lately, focusing more on myself than much of anything else. And when I start feeling discontent within my own heart it's so easy for me to start finding fault in everything around me.
At times like these it's easy for me to withdraw from everyone and everything, including God. The last thing I want to do is give thanks, but it's times like this when that's exactly what I need to be doing. Instead of focusing on everything that's not going the way I would like it to, I need to be down on my knees giving thanks for all that's gone so good in life!

i won, i really won! and THOSE people...

2008-11-01T17:44:00.003-04:00

As you all know, the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival is going on. I think a lot of the contests are just about over, but believe me, there are still enough up to drive your poor little eyeballs crazy by the time you're done entering each giveaway that's still available! lol
Anyway, I entered one for a handbeaded bookmark from Capturing Today. I love handmade beadwork and I love bookmarks and I love reading, so if I was going to win any of the giveaways, I'm glad it was this one. She's even letting me pick the colors of the beads and what charms I want, so I picked deep red and black, and asked for a cross on one end and the letter T. on the other. Can't wait till it gets here, will definitely post pictures!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And speaking of other things I can't wait for.... I'm sooooo ready for this election to be over with.
I need to let everyone and their mother and their mother's little doggy know that no matter who I decide to vote for, I still love Jesus just the same, okay? okay.
I have had people go so far as to tell me that if I vote for one party or the other that I am betraying God, um, WHAT? I'm sorry, but that is NOT the way to get me to go on over to the other side. And if they think that I'm going to hell for choosing someone that they don't agree with, then "they" and I should probably just not talk to each other at all. My God is a loving God. He knows my heart and He knows that what I want is for the best person for ALL of us be elected into office. And for those people who think that cramming slanderous emails, letters, advertisements, etc... down my throat is the way to get me to listen to their views, think again. All it does is make me want to walk away and cry. I am always happy to hear what someone else has to say if they approach me with facts and educated views, not ignorance and judgement. Trust me to make my own decisions, give me the information you want me to know and please just leave it at that.
Because the bottom line is this: No matter who wins, we are all in this together and we'd better start learning to come together in these hard times before things get messier than they already are.
(stepping down off of soapbox now...)

more give-away goodness....

2008-10-29T05:56:00.004-04:00

Seems like there are give-aways and contests everywhere you look in Bloggyland lately! I don't know about you but I just can't pass up a chance to win something, especially if it's terrific stuff like these bloggers are giving away!

Okay, first of all there's this great book that Liz is giving away over at Mabel's House. Let me just say that if a miracle doesn't happen and I don't win the book, I will definitely be putting this book on my wishlist over at paperbackswap.com!

Then there's this gorgeous star over at The Nesting Place . I have wanted one of these for the longest time, ever since my neighbors hung one up on their house! I know it's not cool to covet thy neighbors good decorating taste, but I totally do....

And stay tuned because I'll be giving something away right here on my very own blog pretty soon! I have the prize ready, just need to think of the details. Guess I'd better go out in search of more give-aways to see how other people do things. If I'm not back by tomorrow, I got lost in Bloggyland somewhere....

**Oh, and just a totally unrelated side note, to all you son-in-laws out there... Don't ever roll your eyes at your Mother-in-Law when you are living in her house, she's liable to.... well, I won't elaborate but you get the point.

contest...

2008-10-28T10:05:00.003-04:00

There's a great contest going on over at Simple-Needs! Scoot, go on now, get on over there and take a look!

don't you hate it when...

2008-10-27T20:02:00.003-04:00

Don't you just hate it when Bob always has to show off for all the girls?

Shelle's got a weekly contest going on called "Don't you just hate it when?" And I won't stoop to the level of begging for votes, but if you felt the need to vote for me, kinda like Bob feels the need to show off for the girls, it wouldn't hurt my feelings any!
Just click on Shelle's name above and it will take you to the contest, and maybe you'll even have a great entry of your own and decide to play along! Either way, hope to see you there....

lulabelle, my new best friend...

2008-10-24T10:00:00.003-04:00

Feeling a little off-kilter today, finally went and got anti-biotics for this month long illness I've had, blch blch blch. Am I the only one that feels worse with anti-biotics that are supposed to make you feel better? So now, not only do I feel weak and tired, add nausea on top of it! lol But there's a light at the end of the tunnel in knowing that soon I will be 100% again, yippee!

A couple months ago we were at a party and my husband was standing around with all the men who were talking about cooking, or something, and he proceeds to tell everyone that I don't know how to cook! Hold up, y'all, now I don't know about you, but those are fighting words to a Southern girl.
So you know I called him on it and he said that what he meant was that I don't cook, not that I don't know how... hmmm....too late, the words were out, so now every person in the Valley thinks that I don't know how to cook! LOL it's okay Honey, you didn't know what you were saying, I forgive you... ;o)
Well, it all got me to thinking that he's right on one point, I rarely cook anymore, other than a frozen pizza or grilled cheese, bad bad bad... I have been thinking of cooking good meals as a hassle instead of a way to bless my family and nourish my own body. I've lived off of fast or processed food for basically years now, I admit it. No wonder I'm so tired all the time, and let's not even talk about my cholesterol or how plump I've gotten. No really, let's not talk about it...
So anyway, after work yesterday I hit the market up and picked up all the REAL food that I used to buy. You know, stuff to make good, hearty meals that are satisfying and healthy. Lots and lots of it, and don't you know it cost less than I've been spending on all the crappy stuff we've been eating all this time. Go figure...
Then I scooted my rear on over to the house of the devil, otherwise known as wally world, and picked up my very first cast iron skillet! Woohoo! I have wanted one for years and years but could never justify spending so much on a cooking utensil when I already have so many skillets at home. I'm all about using what we already have. But a cast iron skillet y'all... c'mon, every self-respecting person NEEDS one, don't you think? So I got mine and the second I walked in the door I informed everyone that if they touch it I will hit them over the head with it, that I needed to give it some tender loving care before anyone could even think of using it! lol Afterall, the will last more than a lifetime if you treat them right. So now I give my skillet the name of Lulabelle, Lulu for short, cus I have always had some strange need to name everything for some reason... lol
So how about you, do you use a cast iron skillet in your kitchen, and do you use it on a regular basis? What are your favorite tips for keeping it in good condition and I just know y'all have some great recipes out there, won't you pretty please share with the rest of us?! Or maybe you have a favorite Southern cooking blog that you like to visit, would love the links if you do!

Well, that's about it for me till later. I'm at work right now and shouldn't be on the internet at all, but hey, I'm a rebel, what can I say? lol
Hope you all have a great weekend, can't wait to catch up with what's been going on with everyone.

abc's

2008-10-24T05:55:00.002-04:00

I snagged this from Georgie, thanks Georgie!
Okay, I know I haven't had anything of much substance on here as of late, during the week my brain is in a fog, always... by the time I'm able to sit down and post, I sit in a stupor and just can't think enough to write anything worth reading. But then the weekend comes and I'm back to good, so hang in there lol

A is for age: 42
B is for burger of choice: Sonic #1 burger, onions (yes, even after the "incident" a few days ago...
C is for the car I drive: 2003 Toyota Matrix, which we only have ONE MORE PAYMENT ON!
D is for your dog's name: Sassy and Monk
E is for essential item you use every day: eyelash curler
F is for favorite TV show at the moment: Paranormal State
G is for favorite game: Rayman for Wii
H is for home state: Texas
I is for instruments you play: None of them, never was very musical, even after the gazillion guitar lessons I took in jr. high school
J is for favorite juice: Ocean Spray cran-grape
K is for whose bum you'd like to kick: can't really think of anyone
L is for last restaurant at which you ate: Wendy's, although I didn't actually go in and eat...
M is for your favorite Muppet: That one with all the wild red hair that plays the drums, can't think of his name right now...
N is for number of piercings: Just my ears, but there's three on the left side and two on the right
O is for overnight hospital stays: Ceserean, appendix, heart tests
P is for people you were with today: No one so far
Q is for what you do with your quiet time: Read, crochet, play on the computer, watch movies
R is for biggest regret: Not being more focused in my life, it caused me to make a LOT of wrong choices that I have to live with to this day.
S is for status: Married, working full time, content...
T is for time you woke up today: 5:00
U is for what you consider unique about yourself: everything lol, there's not another one like me out there! (okay I totally stole Georgie's answer)
V is for vegetable you love: fried okra and sweet potatoes
W is for worst habit: Blogging!! I spend waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time on here...
X is for x-rays you've had: Um, whole body?
Y is for yummy food you ate today: Have only had coffee so far
Z is for zodiac: Capricorn, but I don't really follow astrology

memememe...

2008-10-21T18:59:00.003-04:00

Found this little meme over at Mama Belle's and decided to play along... I mean these are things that are important for y'all to know, right? ;o)
Hope y'all will play along too!

1. If you could be invisible, where would you go?

Hmmm... maybe to Chad's work to see what he does there and if he has the same personality when I'm not around lol. Sorry, I know that's a lame answer but I really couldn't think of anywhere else.

2. What was your favorite book growing up?
When I was little it was Go Dog Go, then anything and everything by Judy Blume and VC Andrews, remember Flowers in the Attic?!

3. Where is the worst place you've ever had to wait?
Anytime I ever have to wait overnight at an airport is the worst!

4. Name a food that nauseates you.
poached eggs

5. If you could read minds, whose would you want to read?
My grandson John's. He isn't able to communicate in a way that most of us can understand very easily and I would love to know how his brain works.

6. What is the worst grade you've ever gotten? In what subject?
F's in math, HATED it! Never got past Math 101.

7. If you could be an animal, what would you be and why?
Probably a big fluffy cat. Independent to a certain degree and affectionate on my own terms LOL

8. If you were a teacher, what grade/subject would you teach?
I think that I would love to teach 2nd or 3rd grade, and the subject would be anything but math!

9. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what is the one thing you would want to have, besides your Bible?
A boat! Okay that's cheating... I would probably want to have a big machete so that I could use it for anything I needed to do like kill game and cut down trees to build a hut or boat...

manic monday

2008-10-20T20:33:00.002-04:00

How long does it take you to get out of bed in the morning?
About one second. I used to hit snooze for an hour but now I get out of bed right away so I can have some quiet time before work.

Do you usually sleep on one side of the bed or another?
For some reason the left side has always been mine

Something you wish to accomplish before the end of the year:
I would love to finish the afghan for my daughter that I've been working on for quite some time now... Poor thing thinks I'm never going to finish it! lol

don't you hate it when...

2008-10-20T07:47:00.003-04:00

Come on, come play along with us over at Shelle's!

You drive 20 minutes out of your way to go shopping at a place you hate (won't mention any names but it kinda sounds like Wally) just so that you will have an excuse to go to the brand new Sonic. Then when you get to said Sonic you have to wait 20 minutes, literally, in the line that reaches out to intersection, which you should have paid attention to in the first place but you didn't because you were starving half to death, and by the time you realize that you really don't want to wait in line that long, you're stuck there with no way to turn around.
So anyhoo... it's all good when the line starts to move and you're salivating with thoughts of a yummy #1 combo, no onions, tator tots, and a grape slush... you inch up to the drive-thru line and while you're sitting there, waiting for your order, one of the kids that works there comes running out the back door screaming with a big box full of bags of peppermints, throws them down on the ground where hundreds of little BUGS go scattering EVERYWHERE... And I don't mean this kind:

but this kind:

And don't you know, they took all the peppermint bags out of the box, shook them off and then took them back into the store?!!!!!

Yeah, I hate it too....

Sonic, you broke. my. heart.......

my hat's off...

2008-10-19T06:45:00.006-04:00

Okay, after having my grandsons, ages 4 and 6, completely to myself for the weekend, all I have to say is that my hat's completely off to all you Mom's and Dad's out there! Well, I say completely to myself, but that's not true cus Chad was here and he helped out some after he saw I was ready to have a mental breakdown LOL I don't think it would have been so bad if I hadn't of already been so worn down from being sick for 2 1/2 weeks and stressed out from work, but that's neither here nor there.

Even though the kiddos live with us full time, so do my daughter and her husband, so I don't have responsibility for their well-being 24/7, only for small smidgens of time here and there every once in a while. Other than that, I just get the fun stuff, so I forget what it's like, and all I have to say is that I will be very happy when my daughter walks back through that front door and they go running to her telling her how much they miss her! lol

All that being said, I do hope they have had a wonderful weekend away. They spent one night in New Jersey, and another in Reading and were going to go see Reba in concert, something Nicole has wanted to do since she was little. They got portraits done at Glamour shots, and let me just say that it's nothing like it used to be back in the day when they would fix you up with big hair and tons of makeup, remember that? LOL They stopped in for a bit and I saw the proofs and am really impressed!

So anyway, I hope they had a fantastic time together celebrating their first anniversary!!! Bryan will be leaving to TX for school in a couple weeks and they will be apart for several weeks, so I'm glad they had these few days alone together.

Wow, I can't believe how quickly this year has passed, can you believe that soon it will be Thanksgiving, and then before you know it Christmas?! I feel like I haven't had a second to stop and really take this season in yet... So before all of the leaves fall off of the trees I was able to get a couple shots with my trusty little Kodak EasyShare c533.

The first one was taken from the porch at work...

Look how quickly things change, just a few days ago the trees were still pretty green and now many of them don't even have leaves.

Well, I hear the hooligans so I'd better go for now, but hope to catch up a little more later...

Hope you're all having a stress-free weekend!

Tiff

little whine to go with my cheese...

2008-10-15T17:31:00.002-04:00

Okay, can I just whine for a little while, please?
Feel free not to read this post, it's okay, it won't hurt my feelings... I just need a place to complain and moan and groan and, well, you get the picture (if you're still here)
You know, I get it that I'm supposed to be thankful that I have a job when so many other people can't find a job anywhere and I really am thankful deep down inside for the opportunity to work my hiney off for next-to-no pay or appreciation. But I'm tired people, TIRED. I don't want to work anymore, I want to win the lottery and just stay home and read and crochet and watch movies and hang out in my pj's, like on the weekends, but all the time.
I've been sick with a cold/sinus/headache thing for two weeks straight, which makes me a very unhappy camper and all I want to do is crawl in bed for another two weeks straight and sleep. No I'm no depressed or crying out for help, so please don't get all "crisis intervention" on me. I just need to rest my pretty little head and not think about anything for a while. Anyone else know what I'm sayin'?
And I miss my little home and friends here in blogland! All I seem to have the energy or motivation for lately is skimming updates on my Google reader and making a few comments here and there, other than that my mind is one big snotty uncreative blob. WAAAAHHH
Everyday I think I'll have more energy to come here after work or in the evening, or whenever, and post my little heart out, but every day is the same. So don't y'all go thinking I've forgotten you, nope, not in a million years, and soon I'll be back with a mighty blogging vengeance, I promise!!!!
Hey, did ya'll hear the one about the man that was asked by his friends what he would want on his tombstone after he passed on? He tells them all that he would hope it would say something about him being a Godly man who loved to read his Bible and do good for others, and so on and so forth.... After that they all turned to his wife and asked her the same question about what she'd like on her tombstone, to which her answer was short and sweet:

.
.
.
.
.
.

"I TOLD YOU I WAS SICK!"

Lol, sorry, since I'm on the subject of being sick I couldn't resist.

Anyhoo, if you kept reading till now, you are a better person than I am, I probably would have quit listening to me complain after the first sentence up there! Thanks for hanging out with me, even at my worst, that's what makes a true friend. :o)

Today is my daughter Nicole and son in law Bryan's first wedding anniversary but I'm going to save that for a post all it's on, hope they don't mind, which I'm sure they won't because they don't ever read my blog anyway. But, they deserve not to be lumped in with my sour attitude here. So tomorrow I will pick up with a more cheery demeanor and pay them tribute then.

Till next time,

Tiff

random factoids...

2008-10-13T05:53:00.003-04:00

So Binks tagged me for this meme and I thought, what the hey, at 5:55 a.m. I can't really think clear enough to write anything of great substance. And I love finding out weird stuff about people anyway! Thanks for thinking of me Binks!
The rules are if you're tagged, post six random/weird things about yourself on your blog and tag six people. And leave them a comment on their blog letting them know that you've tagged them.
So here goes...
1. I can only drink my morning coffee out of certain mugs, even though we have a zillion others, I MUST use certain ones or it just doesn't taste right.
2. Seeing hair in a bathroom sink makes me gag, literally.
3. I stay in pajamas the entire weekend, except to go to church or run errands, but the second I walk back in the door the pj's go back on. So if you ever stop by, don't be surprised lol
4. My pinkies are crooked.
5. When I was in 3rd grade I got in trouble for calling every boy in the class during a sleepover at my house. (I don't have a clue how I got their phone numbers) when I walked to school the next day all the boys and the teacher were waiting for me on walkway in front of the class. She made me kneel to do my work for the entire day.
6. I don't like clothes shopping, to the extent that I will wear clothes until they are literally falling apart. I seriously need to go on "What Not to Wear".

Okay, I know I'm supposed to tag 6 people, but from the looks of it, most of you have done this one already. So if you're reading this, and you haven't actually done it, then TAG, YOU'RE IT!

Tiff

apologies...

2008-10-11T13:32:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to apologize for changing up the look around here so much within the past few weeks. I loved the three column layout but the colors and such were just too flashy and not "me" at all. So it's back to simplicity, which is the way I like things anyway!
Still need to get the widgets in order, but I think I'll keep things this way for a while.

Tiff

speaking of friendship...

2008-10-11T08:17:00.003-04:00

Nan over at Nannybird Crafts has been on my blogroll since I first started blogging at the beginning of this year. I don't remember how I stumbled upon her site but I'm so glad to have found it and have enjoyed her great posts and comments. We seem to have quite a bit in common, and I have a sneaking suspicion we would make great "real-life" Girlfriends, but for now, I'll take what I can get - here in bloggyland!
Anyhoo, back to what I was going to say... Nan has given me this neat little BFF award (Blogging Friends Forever), which I have placed over on the sidebar. It's a credit card, standing for blogging friends we can always "bank" on, and now I'm passing it on to four of my favorite bloggy friends, plus one blogger from another country. it's hard to pick just 5 people, I love everyone that comes by here! So if you are a "follower" here at Serendipity, please feel free to snag the award for yourself, k? k.
Okay, the following Gals are ones that I would just love to meet in person, I have so much fun reading their posts! They are each so geniune and down to earth and I'm having the best time getting to know them.
1. Mama Belle at The Bayou Belles and Their Beau
2. Shelle over at BlokThoughts
3. Debbie at From a Creative Heart
4. Ky from Ponderings over the clothesline of insanity
And the overseas bloggy friend I'm picking is:
Annie from Funky Photography

Well, that's going to be about it for today, I'm STILL sick with the crud, you would think that after a week and a half it would have said it's fond farewell, but nooooo.... it's decided to stick around and totally wear out it's welcome, just like a bad house guest. Still have to get a few things done though, we're washing down the front of the house so we can hang the shutters back up that I took down a month ago! Then we're going to finally get those Halloween lights and luminaries up, oh and take out the air conditions, woohoo! We didn't take them out last year and you wouldn't believe the amount of cold air that gets in through those things in the wintertime!

Hope you all have a terrific Saturday, go out and do something fun with someone you love!

Tiff

friendship...

2008-10-09T18:04:00.002-04:00

I was reading about friendships between women over at Mama Belle's and it really hit home with me. Today, on my drive home, I saw all of the same school kids I usually pass on a daily basis, I love to watch these kids, the way they interact with each other. They throw caution to the wind and aren't afraid to just be themselves around each other.

There's this one group of girls who are ALWAYS laughing hysterically every single time I drive by, like they've just heard the best joke ever. I adore the way they just throw their heads back and let out those full belly laughs! They aren't afraid to be close to each other or hold hands, and are oblivious to anything else going on around them. They don't care what people think yet, all they know is that they are enjoying each other's company immensely.

Seeing them always leaves me wondering when I went from being one of those little girls with tons of friends, full of giggles and happiness, to the person that I am today. When did I forget how to laugh and have fun? When did I stop trusting other women and start keeping my distance from them? Somewhere along the way I became self-conscious about letting go with others, or maybe even self-absorbed to a certain degree, I won't deny that fact.

After living here for 6 years, I still have yet to make any real connections with other women. Oh, don't get me wrong, I have friendships with the girls at work, who are all great girls, but that pretty much stays at work. There are my terrific sister-in-law and mother-in-law, as well, and I love the time that I spend with them, but I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about. I have made some awesome friends on-line, some that I have known for almost a decade and we have been there for each other through thick and thin, but have yet to meet in person. (But I still have faith that this WILL happen!) And I can't leave out the wonderful women at church, but it seems that outside of Bible study or Sunday service everyone is just so busy these days that relationships kind of fall to the wayside....

But I miss it.

I miss true, heartfelt, emotion-filled friendship.

And I want it back in my life again, the way it was with Jan and Yolanda and Kelly and Shirlene and Juanita.... Okay some of those were from waaaaaaaaay back when, but they were tried and true and still hold a place in my heart to this day.
So where do we start when we find ourselves just a little lacking in the Girlfriend department? I think it all begins within ourselves. Like Mama Belle says, we have to be willing to take risks and do the work that it takes to be in a friendship, trusting/knowing that it's all worth it in the end.

Hope you had a great Thursday, only one more day till the weekend!

Tiff

oh happy day...

2008-10-08T05:45:00.002-04:00

Need I say more?

Sonic FINALLY opened here on Sunday, so I made a little trip out after work yesterday and got my fix that I've been waiting so long for. #1 combo with tots and a cherry limeade!

They actually had the kids wearing rollerskates, all 250 of them... Oh my gosh I felt so bad for them, running into each other, falling down, dropping orders... I mean, roller skating used to be the norm, but there's no place for kids to even skate around here other than the ice rink!

Anyway, back to the food... I was so happy that it tasted just like every other Sonic I've ever been to, and they have the same ice. Weird thing to be happy about, but when you've lived without something that you love for so long, you wanted it to be just like you remembered. lol

Hoping to catch up on posting soon, of course every time I say that it's a week before I post again, sorry about that. And thanks to all of you who have stuck in there and keep coming back!

Things have been pretty hectic at work again, illness is rampant and I'm the lucky one that always catches everything, so posting and reading time have been limited. hate that....

Hoping you're all having a good week.

Tiff

homebody...

2008-10-05T07:43:00.006-04:00

Friday night I went to a birthday party for my father-in-law and spent 2 hours listening to one of the guests/neighbors tell me that I need to get out more, need to go visit more, etc... 15 minutes wasn't enough, for some reason he felt the need to drill this into my head for TWO HOURS, like that would change who I am or something. HUH? Now don't get me wrong, this guy is a fantastic individual, and any time that I've ever been around him I've always enjoyed his company. He's got fascinating stories to tell and is just a neat guy all the way around. Just sayin'.
But with that being said:
First off, I really don't get the need to tell anyone that they need to change anything about themselves (even with the best of intentions), unless it is someone in your immediate family who is on a destructive path or something, and even then, there are ways to go about suggesting change, not telling them they must change.
Second off, this is me, it's who I am... I don't feel the need to "get out more", if I did, I would. I'm not a hermit, like some people seem to think. I just so happen to enjoy being at home. I'm a creature of comfort, always have been, and being at home surrounded by the people and things that I love brings me comfort. What/who am I hurting in this?
This isn't the first time this has happened to me, people have always felt the need to tell me what they think I should change about myself, why is that? This goes all the way back to when I was a kid and my Mom (sorry Mom) used to try to get me to put lipstick on for family pictures. To this day I hate lipstick and rarely wear it for anything. I never understood what was wrong with me just the way I was, why did I need to add anything to make me better? (And don't worry, I've made peace with my Mom over that silly little issue, just for the record.) And it continues to this day, even into my 40s, with other people always telling me I need to get out more, call more, do this more and that more...
So anyway, for anyone out there who has a habit of telling people what they "need" to do differently (which I doubt is anyone reading this blog!), please think before you speak and realize that we are all human beings and most of us are a-okay just the way we are. It takes much less effort to accept someone the way they are than to try and change them.

*Note: I did have another part to this post but thought about it and removed it. The blogging world is probably not the best place for marital advice, although it is a wonderful place for inspiration! lol For those that get updates in email format, you've already gotten the other part, so feel free to comment if you'd like. I'd be interested to know what others have to say but just don't want to go about it in the wrong way (sorry if that doesn't make any sense...)
Tiff

mom...

2008-10-02T09:42:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday Mom!

You are so much more than just my mother.
You are a friend, confidant, inspiration... You are such a beautiful woman, both inside and out, setting a wonderful example to everyone around you.
You are humble and giving, compassionate and loving.
And your love for God, wow, what can I say? You have always stayed strong and true in your convictions and faith, no matter what. And if there ever was a time that you were unsure, we never knew it.
You have always been fairly quiet and reserved, but underneath that exterior lies a woman with great spirit, someone who loves to have fun and laugh at a good joke. How else could you dress up in a cheerleading outfit and prance around in front of the whole family? LOL Don't deny it, I have photographic evidence... ;o)
Mom, really what I want to say is just that I love you to pieces and you mean the world to me.
I hope this birthday is a great one and that you do something fun to celebrate your special day!

reminder

2008-10-02T05:22:00.002-04:00

Just a quick reminder that Monday is the last day to register to vote. Now, as I said before, I won't use this blog as a political forum, but I do think that it is so important that everyone at least be registered!
So please, if you haven't already, scoot yourselves on over here and take advantage of the awesome right and responsibility that we have to vote.
Oh yeah, and don't forget to watch the vice presidential debate tonight, it looks like it's gonna be a good one!
(Now don't get me wrong, just because I don't talk about politics with anyone, doesn't mean I'm not up for hearing what others have to say about who they are choosing. I have a pretty open mind and can agree to disagree. Just wanted to say that for the record. :o))
Till next time,

Tiff

oh brother...

2008-10-01T18:58:00.002-04:00

Okay, you know I just couldn't leave y'all hangin'. I know you've been on the edge of your seat wanting to know if I got fired or not, now haven't you? lol
So I go in this morning and the executive director shows up and tells me that she's lost my July and August stats AGAIN! Yes, that's right, I said AGAIN. All month, every month, I work on stats to be turned in at the end of each month. I am really obsessive at being on time with every single little thing that I do, always. I'm not kidding y'all, if I think I'm going to be late for something I totally freak out. And for my Mom, who will eventually read this, I really wish I wasn't this way, but it's in my wiring or something!
Anyhoo... sorry, got off track.
So she tells me she lost them AGAIN, and I know at that time I could have caught horseflies as wide open as my mouth was. Kinda like this:

How in the world do you lose something that's soooo important, TWICE? I mean come on! How can you sit and talk about funding all the time and then keep losing the single piece of paper that is the source of that funding. And y'all, get this, she says "well, you know how you have something in your hand and you're looking at it, but then you lay it down for a minute and when you turn back around to pick it up it's just gone????" All I could say was "no, that never really happens to me." HA! And this is why that happened to her, because her desk looks like this:

So in the midst of the bedbuglicescabiesfleasstomachbug fiasco, opening the door for everyone, answering a zillion phone calls, helping the residents with any needs they have, listening to staff buzz all around my head like gnats, I am ordered to get my stats together by the end of the day or else...
Good thing I didn't call in sick today, what do you think she would have done then?
Yes I'm feeling sorry for myself, I know it's not very becoming of me, I know...
Has anyone seen my mind running around anywhere???
On the upside, I still have a job. Or I guess that's on the upside anyway.

So this kind of stuff is a huge pet peeve of mine, people always demanding stuff from me when I've already obviously got one too many peas on my plate. Anyone else deal with this kind of stuff on a regular basis? Please tell me I'm not the only one, I know y'all have got some horror stories to tell.
Anyway, tomorrow's another day, and I shall hopefully have something to blog about besides myself, thanks for listening to me rant and rave, if you've made it this far! LOL

Tiff

irony...

2008-10-01T05:20:00.002-04:00

Does anyone else find it just a little ironic that when you pay for Burger King with a debit card, the money gets paid to some place called "TWOTON"? Seriously, it's even spelled out in all capitals like that on my bank statement....

So.... most of you know, from reading my profile, that I work in a domestic violence shelter. There's always something going through that place, some illness or funk, and today is no exception. But this time it's a triple whammy and I'm sitting here at 5:25 in the morning wondering when I'm going to win the lottery so I can quit my job, or at least build my own office, WITH a DOOR, so I have a place to run and hide sometimes. Because as it stands right now, my office just happens to be the whole front office and my desk is smack dab in the middle of EVERYTHING that happens in the place on a second by second basis....
This morning, bright and early, I have to meet the exterminator because the shelter either has fleas or bedbugs, which, in case you didn't know, is harder to get rid of than roaches. There's a case of ringworm of the scalp going around, as well as either lice or scabies. And to top it all of, everyone some kind of freaky stomach bug.
I know I have been praying for patience but gees....... when does a girl get a break around here? lol
And if that's not enough, I've been told that the executive director is coming to meet me to talk about some statistical stuff first thing this morning. Huh? This woman never goes to you, she forces YOU to go to HER when she has a question or needs to talk to you about something. And when I asked my supervisor if she knew what it was all about, she acted weirdly secretive about the whole thing, like she had something to say but couldn't or she'd get in trouble... I wonder if I'm getting fired or something, talk about something being ironic since today marks 6 years that I've been working there. Anyway, I'll update y'all later, for anyone who might be remotely interested! lol
Hoping you all have a blessed day.

Tiff

don't you hate it when...

2008-09-29T20:34:00.003-04:00

Okay, I definitely need to lighten things up around here...
Playing along with Shelle's new funniness...

Don't you hate it when it's your turn to keep Aunt Gladie company?

"Where is that smell coming from???"

unsettled...

2008-09-29T16:32:00.005-04:00

For the past few weeks I have been so out of sorts... scattered and anxious, restless and unsure. I'm burnt out and exhausted, and as I expressed to a good friend, I just feel like running away and becoming a missing person for a while.
And it seems that the more I pray about it, the harder things get. I pray for patience and I am flooded with irritability. I pray for understanding and compassion and I am filled with intolerance. What is up with that?!
At times like this, when I am filled with such anxiety, it becomes so easy to find fault in everyone around me (most of the time this unfortunately falls on my husband), when I should really be focusing on what it is that is going on within myself. What is it that I'm letting control my life other than God? Because I know it to be true that when we turn our focus toward anything but Him, everything will most certainly begin to go haywire.
Do you find that the harder you try to control everything around you, the more out of control things get?
I think it's time to take a step back and refocus my sight on what is most important in life. To take a deep breath, exhale, and remind myself that life is too short and sweet to waste on being agitated and upset all the time. To clear my head and heart of the negative, making room for happiness and serendipity...

fireproof...

2008-09-28T08:04:00.002-04:00

Last night we went to dinner and a movie to celebrate Chad's new job, dinner at Gus's Crossroads and the movie was Fireproof.
Now let me just say that Fireproof has not been advertised to the general public much at all, there hasn't been a big deal made out of it, and it was totally expected to flop the first night it was on. What they didn't expect was completely packed theaters and the movie coming in at #3 at the box office!!!! And by the end of the movie there wasn't a dry eye in the house, it was awesome!
If you haven't gone to see this movie, please find a theater close to you and go see it. Let's show the bigwigs out there that we need more movies like this!

Hope you're all having a great weekend full of rest and relaxation!
~Tiff

windows and doors...

2008-09-26T05:34:00.003-04:00

Well, I knew it would happen, just didn't know when or how... When a door is closed a window always opens and that's exactly what happened here this past week.
As you all know, ~C. lost his job a couple weeks ago... what some of you don't know is that I got completely freaked out because I felt that he was putting all of his eggs into one basket by not searching for every...single...job... available in our area. He interviewed for this one paticular job a while back, and when he got laid off he called the guy who interviewed him to see if there was still an opening. The guy was happy to hear from him, saying that he'd like to hire him because the guy he'd hired wasn't really working out, but needed to talk to his supervisor to get the okay.
Days went by and there was a little bit of contact but not a definite "your hired", and control freak wife got antsy about how we were going to pay the bills when they came around next, instead of trusting that things would work out just fine, even though I knew full well that God was in control. I felt that ~C. should have been out pounding the pavement instead of telling me to please trust him, that there was a method to his madness and that if he didn't hear from this guy by a certain date then he would come up with plan B! lol
Well, turns out he was right, because yesterday was his first day at the new job!
Thus starts this new chapter in his life, working at Moravian College. A place with structure and security, not to mention benefits and a future! (and it doesn't hurt that it's only a 3 minute walk from our house either).
I'm so proud and excited for him, and for this opportunity to grow and learn in a field that he really seems to love!
Thank you all so much for your prayers regarding this situation, they really mean the world to us...
And I can't leave this post without saying how lucky I am to be married to him. In hind-sight, it's plain to see that we balance each other out, although it never feels that way in the midst of things. When I'm totally freaking out about things that I don't have any control over, he remains calm and easy going, trusting that things will work themselves out for the best. And even though it drives me nuts at the time, in the end it's part of the reason I love him so much. lol
Thanks for being my rock Honey, you're the best! And way to go on the new job, you're gonna do great there, they are so lucky to have you!

~Tiff

trivial... really...

2008-09-23T16:51:00.003-04:00

When you are going to dinner with someone and they ask where you would like to go, what do you do?
Do you say you don't know in hopes that they will decide.
Or maybe you say you don't care because you feel the need for the other person to be completely comfortable and happy the whole time, so you would rather they pick the place?
Or do you pick the place and leave it at that?
Just curious....

~Tiff

all in due time...

2008-09-22T07:08:00.007-04:00

Knowing what my calling is in life is a constant struggle for me, it always has been. At times I feel that I have had glimpses into what I was called here on earth to do, but just like most glimpses, they are fleeting and gone in an instant.
I have always known exactly what I want to do, but every time I've told someone what my dreams are, they've looked at me like I was insane for even thinking about the idea. They laugh it off like a joke and I walk away feeling ridiculous and defeated. Has my romantic notion of doing mission work in another country been my own selfish dream or something that I'm really supposed to be making an effort to do?
Everywhere I go, I look around me and the world seems full of people that are so sure of themselves and their purpose for being. People that know exactly what their calling is, and are living the life they are supposed to be living. My question to them is how did they know? At what moment in life did it come to them? Was it some big revelation that came to them in a bright flash of light or a small quiet voice inside their heart?
This morning during my quiet time, once again I was struggling with this issue, pleading with God to give me a sign, any sign, as to what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. I have felt so discontent lately, unfulfilled and unsatisfied. Like my feet aren't planted firmly on the ground and that things are spinning slowly out of control. And then it came to me, I heard it clear as day, the voice that spoke to me from my own heart.... God telling me that he would reveal His plan for me in His own time, not mine, when He feels that I am ready, not when I tell Him that I am.
How foolish I am for thinking that I can tell God how or when to do anything, especially when it is His plan for me! How selfish to think that it even has anything to do with me, other than the part I will play in seeing it to fruition. How can He trust me to carry out this plan when I can't even glorify Him in all that I do, to be a good example and live life with a servant's heart? When I'm not even disciplined enough to pray each morning and night, and when I do pray it is usually about what's going on in my own life, or to ask God to do something for me.
How can I be trusted to follow through with the plans He has for me when I am still sitting on the fence, with one foot on each side? Always walking middle of the road, depending on the day or the people I choose to surround myself with...
I don't know if I will ever be a good example, but I do know that I'm able to do anything through Christ. He knows my strengths and weaknesses much better than I do. He sees when things are spiraling out of control and is there with an open hand to help me if I would just be still and quiet enough to realize that without that hand I will never do anything other than stumble and fall.
Someday I will know exactly what it is that I was put here to do, but in the meantime I think I'll just stay quiet and listen for a while...

Hoping you all have a wonderful week!

~Tiff

forgiveness...

2008-09-21T15:48:00.002-04:00

Today I was fortunate enough to have the chance to listen to Nicky Cruz give his testimony as a guest speaker at our church. I hope that someday you will also have that chance, it's a life changing experience...
You might be wondering what the title of this post has to do with anything, but forgiveness is what Mr. Cruz spoke about this morning, and it is what is on my heart this afternoon. He spoke about where he came from, born into a family of 18 children to parents who worshiped Satan and practiced witchcraft. He suffered terrible abuse at the hands of his mother and eventually ended up falling into a dark world of gangs and violence. But in the end he was able to forgive his mother, just as God forgave him.
As he spoke about the things that happened to him and how he came to know Christ, he wept openly telling us that he hates to tell the details of his life, but that he feels that it is what he must do as his calling. I feel so fortunate to have been witness to his testimony and hope that some day I will have the chance to listen to him speak again, what a humble and genuine man he is.
He's got a movie coming out soon, it's in production at this time, but I'm really looking forward to it!

As for what's been going on here at the Cross casa, not really much of anything new. I wish I had something to write about, but I'm afraid you'd all be bored to tears! lol
We've been enjoying the cooler weather and it's always terrific when we can finally open up the house and let some fresh air in. This morning I got a cute little pumpkin to set on the front porch and am hoping to put up a few more decorations this week, maybe some orange lights for the porch or something, not really sure yet. How about you, do you normally decorate for the different seasons, and if so, do you decorate inside or outside, or both? Would love to hear about the things that you do to celebrate this time of year!
Not much news on the job search for C.... There's a guy up at the university just up the street that is interested in hiring him, he just has to get the okay from the head guy. Please keep this in your prayers, it would be a great opportunity for him once he got his foot in the door.
Well, I think I'm going to go be lazy and watch some movies for a bit. Haven't had much of a chance to really relax this week so I'm going to take advantage of the rest of the day before returning to work in the morning.
Hope you're all having a great weekend and are doing something to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!
Oh, and while it's on my mind, I'd like to ask you all to keep everyone in the Gulf Coast area in your prayers. So many are still without electricity, and for some, that is the least of their worries, as many have lost their homes and all of their belongings... It's such a sad situation for all involved, and I know that your prayers would be appreciated.