unhealthy.

Ok, here is the rundown of our super-de-duper-unhealthy New Year's Eve Menu as it currently stands *meaning it is in the house and being either eaten at this moment or prepared for consumption.
We figured that since everyone makes an effort to eat healthier in the new year (and I for one plan on losing some weight...we will see how it goes living with a man that has the metabolism of a Triple Crown race horse)...we are going to splurge on good eats this last night of 2009.
Our New Year's Eve Menu:
- Denise's Cheese Dip (think Velveeta queso with sausage, Rotel, brocoli, and cream of chicken soup to make it creamy....oooo...yummy)
-Dunkin' Donuts (seriously...don't you know American runs on Dunkin's?)
- brownies
-pizza
-apples and dip along with other fresh fruit (this is our one saving grace here....)
and finally, but possibly the most important, Stinky Sweet homebrewed Beer.

You are still most welcome to join us and get your grub on to celebrate the coming of 2010!

we're getting close.

It is coming up soon....2010 I mean. A new year full of new possibilities!
I am pretty excited!
What will this new year bring us?
A house or more patient waiting?
New jobs or more patient waiting?
So many possibilities and yet we patiently wait, looking forward to growth and change.
One thing I do know for sure, 2010 will bring us another wonderful year of being together, learning from each other, experiencing change (both good and bad), and just loving each other.
Oh, I am so excited!

Last night brought us hooking up the WiiFit (that is not ours - that we may or may not have "borrowed" from Chad's mom) and giggling ourselves silly over tightrope walking, hoolahooping, yoga, and pushups. Chad and I spend a couple of hours just taking turns, laughing at ourselves and each other and it was wonderful. I am actually pretty sore this morning and I am not sure whether it is from my real yoga class yesterday evening or laughing so hard at trying to do yoga in my living room while balancing on a machine that is telling me I am pretty much horrible at it.

Tomorrow night we have invited some friends over for New Year's Eve festivities...actually, Megan invited a bunch of people over. I invited two people. And I will probably be the one that cleans up the house tonight when I get off work because everyone else is working today and says they will be too busy with errands to do it tomorrow. Oh well...it is our house and I want it to look nice no matter who is coming over. I bought some big chunky candles to add to the small bench on the front porch but I might need one or two more to make it look a little more balanced and I am also searching for a cheap glass dish to put them in so I can actually light them and not have them melt on my new/old bench! Also bought some cheap-o glass plates at Walmart ($1 each!) to put under my glass hurricanes so stay tuned for the Young House inspired table re-do after the Christmas decor comes down.

Anyway, since we have people coming over tomorrow and NO PLANS as of yet, you have any suggestions for party foods that are super easy, really quick, and cheap? I know, lots of rules here on StinkySweet. Chad is chopping some wood today for us to use in our new fire pit but that is as far as we have gotten in the planning process! Kitchen is a mess, living room needs a cleaning overhaul and a major vaccuming...help!

wrapping up.

We are wrapping up our time here in Columbus...Chad and I did not make it to church this morning, instead staying home to clean up our messes all over the house and hopefully get the car packed up before mom and dad get home for some lunch. We have had such a good time here, relaxing, just going where we want, when we want, hanging out with my family. Such a good, sweet, rare time of just being together. I think we are going to try to do Christmas with Chad's family next year so I am trying to soak up all of the little traditions with mine this year.
We built a fire in our new (to us) fire pit last night and had some friends over to make smore's and hang out for a while. It is always nice to see people you rarely get to see, even if only for a few minutes! Mom and Dad headed to bed early but we saw the fire to the end before we made it inside for hot chocolate and bed.
This morning finds us packing and on our way to Atlanta to see Jay for his Holiday Open House and drop off some things my sister forgot when she left here Christmas day. Then we are headed home to do dinner and Christmas with Chad's parents - I think his sister has to work today (bummer!). It will be nice to sleep in our own bed tonight...
Work tomorrow (bummer#2) but having these days off has been won-der-ful.

no help.

You get a real post this time, with no help writing it, or adding to it (whether in numbers or in words.)
In all honesty, Chad is gone for the evening, spending some time with friends here in town and I am hoping for a visit with my best friend before she has to have other engagements for the evening so we are apart for a while tonight. After having a food hangover for the day, I sat down a little while ago to admire the loot but more to be thankful for all our blessings. All my family together in one house (even if just for one night!), laughter, good food, hanging out, and an early morning of blessing sharing. My sister and F had to leave early this afternoon to go spend some time with F's family and Chad and I get our second round of Christmas Sunday some time. We will stay in Columbus until tomorrow afternoon atleast but are thinking about making our trip back home tomorrow night - there might be someone sleeping in our bed though...we need to see if we should extend our stay here until Sunday. You know how you never sleep as good when you aren't in your own bed so though we love being here with my family (our family!), nothing is as good as being back in our house.
Chad and I both got more gifts than we needed or deserved...his family has a tradition of "making a list" so people get you things you actually want or need but my family is all about surprises. Both ways are fun - I know most of the things I am getting from his family but they are things I asked for so I am super excited. And the things we got from my family were all pretty much surprises so that is always fun too...my mom got me something super cool that I mentioned here a really long time ago...if you remember this post I talked about wanting this awesome wall decor thing and I had since completely forgotten about it (with the exception of the image being saved on my desktop for me to refer to about once a week when I dream of having a home of our own). Well, I got that for Christmas from my mom. My sister suggested it and mom and dad got it for us. I am so super excited but I am not going to put it on the wall until we have a place of our own. Now all we need is a house with empty walls!!
Blessings pouring out and more to come....Merry Christmas!

so early.

Chad and I arrived in Columbus around 10 last night...after a fairly non-eventful 4 hour drive in the rain. We continued the Sanders tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve (which always used to be your Christmas PJ's but now is the present of your choice63650++5566985

Ch5ad565 is standing b5y56....typing58 things on the num57ber57 57pad on the right 57side of t57he keyboard. This 9is5+25
0
2+0202++++52220+206+20+020252022+
is his own way of saying Merry Christmas

So we opened a present and got to bed about 11 last night...

And my sister got us up at 7:10 this morning.

I am sitting here typing with new overalls, mocassins from Chad, and earrings from my sister. Awesome. I will share pictures later...now we are about to eat some breakfast and take naps (which my sister has already started on!)

MIA.

Sorry I've been missing for a few days, not that anyone was all that bothered by it! We have been a little busy around here, trying to get some things done for Christmas and finishing up house work for the week. Today is Chad's last day of work until next Monday (oh the jealousy!) so i am leaving him a list of things to help me out with while he is off tomorrow and I am trudging away at HL.
But for this morning, since I don't go in until 1pm today, I need to:
-clean out my car so Chad can change the oil, check tires, do whatever he wants to it - so we can drive it to Cols. this weekend
-clean up my Christmas crafts table/dining room table (it has literally not been cleaned off since I decorated it 3 weeks ago. I'm embarrassed.)
-do 3 loads of laundry so I can pack for Cols. tonight (we are leaving straight from HL tomorrow when I get off work)
-make one more Christmas present - some earrings for a girl at work (I guess I should do this before I clean off the craft table

Oh dear, I am going to quit blogging and get started or I will never finish.

love poems.

I hesitate to talk about this, for a few more days atleast, but it is making such a big impression on my currently that I feel like I must discuss. I only hesitate now because someone I love is getting a copy of this much-loved-by-me book for Christmas and I don't want to ruin the surprise. I just won't tell you who is getting it...they will know in a few days anyway.

The book is "Rilke's Book of Hours: Love Poems to God". I discovered some quotations from it when I was in India the last time but I didn't have a full copy of my own until recently. And I have loved it so dearly that I bought a copy for someone else who I think will love it just as much. The copy that I have (and this Christmas copy as well) is written in the original German and also translated to English (which is great, since I can't read, speak, or understand the first word of German and would obviously get nothing from reading the book!). It is a collection of poems, prayers to God from a human's mind and perspective. One of the most beautiful things about this is the way that the author (Ranier Rilke...I believe) chooses to portray our relationship with our creator...as Christians, we know that God technically does not need us humans. He chose to create us and now we give Him a reason to tenderly look at the world...we are His tender reason. These poems are beautiful...

This is the one that was written on pink construction paper, lovingly folded in my Bible for 3 months in India, read virtually every day, and now resides (pink paper and all) on the side of the mirror in my closet for me to see every day:

"You who know, and whose vast knowing
is born of poverty, abundance of poverty -
make it so the poor are no longer
despised and thrown away.
Look at them standing about -
like wildflowers, which have nowhere else to grow." - III, 19

And this is one of my new favorites (among many):
"Extinguish my eyes, I'll go on seeing you.
Seal my ears, I'll go on hearing you.
And without feet I can make my way to you,
without a mouth I can swear your name.

Break off my arms, I'll take hold of you
with my heart as with a hand.
Stop my heart, and my brain will start to beat.
And if you consume my brain with fire,
I'll feel you burn in every drop of my blood." II, 7

So, love poems to God.
I will share more as I find favorites and whisper them in my own heart for a while.

another wet sunday.

Today we are having another wet day off...rainy and cold.
Megan's friends are still here...been here since Thursday. We have already gotten our annual reprimand from the home owner's association for having cars parked on the street I think we are doing OK. Apparently the folks across the street can't make it out of their driveway around a car parked on the far side of the three lane wide street....oh yes.
We are making breakfast for all...bacon and pancakes...wanna come over?

much to do.

Mom was here all day yesterday, heading back to Atl. to see my sister this morning. We didn't do nearly everything that we planned on getting done but it was so nice just to hang out with her all day. We ran a ton of errands, finishing up Christmas stuff, talking, laughing, hanging out. I can't wait to be home next week and spend some time with my whole family!
Headed to the HL today...Chad is going to run errands and finish up his shopping while I am at work. I am so thankful for a day off yesterday...I really needed that one, especially one with my mom. It is really awesome how much our relationship has changed and improved over the past year since I moved away. I hate it that I don't live in the same city as my parents and I'm not able to spend more time with them, just hanging out. But I am thankful that they are so awesome and I enjoy their company so much!

rainy day off.

Today is my day off this week. And it is pouring rain.
The cold, terrible, stay-inside-in-your-pajamas-all-day kind of rain.
Too bad Mom is coming and we have 1,001 things to do...
errands to run, last minute Christmas gifts to buy/finish (and one is for mom so she has to wait in the car and pretend she doesn't know where we are!), lunch with Jay downtown, laundry to fold (whenever she comes, I always save her my laundry!), Christmas cards to design/print/finish/mail...oh dear. I might have overbooked us for today.
I am off to try to design a card in Photoshop because the ones I was going to make did not work out quite like I had planned in my mind...waiting for mom to come.

as i promised.

As I promised, pictures of the Christmas cookies...

which I decorated for 4 hours on Sunday.

And then promptly gave them all away!

a prayer.

We are having a hard time seeing and feeling the Christmas spirit around here...the true reason for our life and breath and remembering a baby in a manger....celebrating an advent season.
Or maybe it is just me....not finding the joy in the season.
I breathe a prayer all day...a prayer for thankfulness and whisper a pleading heart.
Unpacking boxes all day today - putting out more things for people to buy and forget the Child.
I breathe a prayer to help me remember to celebrate the Truth this Christmas, a truth having nothing to do with the gifts we have purchased (or not purchased yet), a truth that doesn't need a tree or ornaments or lights.
I whisper a prayer of thanks and a request to use me up so nothing is left.

looking forward.

Today is freight day at HL. Joy.
And the worst part is that this is no regular freight day...not only do we have an entire day's worth of framing to finish that is due tomorrow (after already doing an entire regular day's worth of framing yesterday that is due tomorrow - the joy of being double booked for Christmas) but we also have our biggest freight order of the year. Seriously. Apparently people give photo frames for Christmas much more than I realized. I placed my biggest order in photo frames and B (my dept. manager) placed a huge order back in the actual framing dept so we will have an absolute ton of stuff to unpack and put out today along with our regular framing. I think I am tired already.
Oh, and did I mention that I have to go in early and still stay to close (probably about 10pm)?
Ok, enough complaining...I am counting down the days until Chad and I get to go to Columbus. I desperately wish I got a whole week off to spend with my family (you are so lucky Dani!!) but next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will have to do. Chad and I will be driving down late Thursday night when I get off work, arriving in Columbus probably around 10 or 11. And frankly, if my sister keeps with our crazy traditions and gets us up early on Christmas morning she might get a black eye for Christmas (hi sis! I love you!).
My sis-in-law M has 6 friends coming to stay with us this weekend and if I didn't have to work I am pretty sure that Chad and I would leave home (mostly just because it would free up another bed!). I am trying to clean up this morning before I leave work because I will get in so late tonight and have to go in early tomorrow so I won't have as much of a chance to clean up our mess before they get here. I also have to make a couple of stops this morning before work to get some last Christmas presents before the money and time is completely gone!

new.

It is Monday night (late!) and I am feeling like a new person, though an admittedly tired one. Most of the gross stuff going on in my head has moved to my throat and chest so aside from the constant plague-like coughing, I am feeling much better! Hopefully this is a knock-it-out in a week and a half deal. I've been drinking lots of OJ, taking my meds, and getting plenty of water the rest of the day so here's hoping it won't last much longer.
I spent about 4 hours (no, literally 4 hours) making decorated sugar cookies yesterday. When I turn on my computer tomorrow I will share pictures. They are a little um...ugly...in their own cute sorta way and after about 2 hours of decorating I was running a little low on ideas. They do taste pretty decent so that makes up for their attractiveness. I also made my famous toffee tonight and Chad made a batch of chocolate fudge yesterday and a batch of peanut butter fudge today. In an effort to get brownie points - I mean be nice - and get rid of some of the Christmas sweets, I am going to take some to the managers at my store. I will hopefully bag some up and get it to work Wednesday since everyone needs a little sweet pick-me-up on freight day.
I am off work on Friday this week and hopefully my mom will be able to come up and hang out for the day, helping me to finish up some Christmas projects (that have been far too long going). Or maybe we will just hang out all day and do nothing. Either would be ok! I just look forward to a day off from HL to get things done around the house.

awesome.

I am still sick...feeling like I have more energy but still feeling like crap.
The coughing has started now too...the dry tickle that won't stop and the nice cough that means you are supposed to be coughing something up but it isn't happening so you just cough, and cough, and cough...ugh.
Sorry to be graphic. This is just my life right now!
I went to work yesterday and spent the whole day trying to tell people that I wasn't contagious...I just sound like a frog. The doc said I could go if I felt up to it and we are far too busy for me to miss another day of work so I went. I was exhausted when I got home last night and I have to open this morning. I hated getting out of my warm bed...it is in the 20's here! So the roads are icy meaning I am going to give myself a little extra time to get to work. I drive down two hilly/curvy roads that are constantly wet because of bad drainage so I always make a mental note to slow down and give myself plenty of time to get there. I noticed yesterday that they actually salted a couple of places on one road so that is telling you something about how cold it is here. Crazy! It isn't even officially winter yet!
I saw Emily at HL yesterday and it was so nice to see a friendly face when I didn't feel great! We talked about fun Christmas craft projects...her family is trying to do the handmade thing too which I fully support! Fun....! I am jealous!
My parents arrived back home in Cols. after a week in Gaitlinburg with my in-laws. I think they had a blast. I talked to mom a couple of times when I didn't feel good and they were always doing something fun. I think they really enjoyed being away for a few days...just being someplace new and different always gives you a new perspective. It was so nice of the in-laws to offer and I know my parents had a good time hanging out with them. It is the most time they have ever spent together - a good chance to get to know each other better since they have family in common now!
Enough for now...I could sit here under a blanket all morning but I would be late for work.
Making my lunch...bundling up...and headed out!

save your strength.

I am still home sick today...after a visit to the doc this morning, I learned that I will probably not die, though I might feel like it today. No ear infections like I thought it might be...just lots of pressure built up in there. She wrote me a prescription for antibiotics but told me not to fill it until atleast tomorrow or Friday if a) I felt worse or b) had a fever (which I do not currently have, though I have taken so much Tylenol in the past two days you wouldn't know it if I did!). So, I am waiting it out, taking the Sudafed every 5 hours on the dot (it said 4 to 6 so I am meeting that one in the middle).

After my Dr.'s visit, I saved my strength for two things:
1. dropping off Dani's goodies at the Post Office (so excited!)
and
2. Iced Green Tea from Panera Bread. (I think I might just be healed...for 5 minutes. Go. Get. Some. Now.)

I am currently about to undertake Christmas gift wrapping while I am the only person home so they won't see their presents. But really I want to put them under the tree to weigh down the tree skirt from the cat dragging it across the room. I do have a secret motive on this one. The last of today's strength will get used on this one so pray I make more for tomorrow...I have to go back to work Friday and Saturday and I am really dreading it....feeling crappy and Hobby Lobby do not mix well.

be still my heart too!

One of the blogs I read (ok, daily...don't tell!) is MckMama's blog and she is one of the 5 lucky bloggers that has been given a HP TouchSmart computer to review and one to give-a-way!
I also saw the giveaway on other blogs but for this one, if you reblog about it, and comment that you blogged about it, you get an extra entry in the contest.
And we all know I need a new computer...with my spacebarthatonlyworkshalfthetime, and the "h" key that is a bit fussy as well...a new touch screen computer would be a-ma-zing.
So, check it out, but don't enter
You will hurt my chances to win! :)

but wait...

There's more!

I did finish Dani's handmade Christmas gifts last night! Maybe I will venture out of the house and get those in the mail today.
Maybe.
Or maybe tomorrow when I don't feel like I am going to die. :)

But all those other things I was going to do yesterday?
I didn't.
Came home, took meds, ate, and watched NCIS (which was disappointingly reruns when I swear the commercial said they would be new episodes!)

dump truck.

There is a saying in my family, when you don't feel well, that you feel like you "got run over by a dump truck".
Well, that is today in our house. I called in sick to work for the first time since I have worked at HL. I had to leave work once but I have never called in sick. I hate being sick and I really hate not being at work when I am supposed to be there. My right ear/jaw has been bothering me for a couple of days but I literally thought that I just bit down on something hard and it would go away. Then yesterday, I started to feel worse and worse as the day went on. My throat hurts major bad and both of my ears ache so much it is giving me a migraine. Ugh.
Yes, I have an appt. at the Dr. and I am dreading them putting me on antibiotics...it just wipes out the good stuff along with the bad and that sucks too! I would like to just take Sudafed for a couple of days and knock out all the draining but I am at the point where it is giving me a migraine so it is time to just let the Dr. do his thing.
I am supposed to be off work tomorrow so that is good news anyway...gives me two days to do nothing, drink hot tea, and get to feeling better before I have to jump into the Christmas fray again.
So I came downstairs, after getting up super late (and it was awesome!)...I am going to find some food that is nice to my throat and spend the rest of the day watching movies in my pajamas and wrapping presents.
Any movie suggestions?

prepare.

Today=
- Work at HL (long day ahead because we are so far behind!)
- Yoga at the YMCA
- Make dinner
- Make Dani's Christmas gifts
- Watch NCIS
- Start on edible Christmas gifts
- Fold 2 loads of laundry
- Clean up craft area
- Work on Christmas cards

oh christmas tree.

I am sitting here, looking at our Christmas tree, enjoying the night...
I had to work late, until close when I was only scheduled until 7 because one of the other girls called in sick. Sorta a bad day to be sick; we were already behind when we started but got farther and farther behind all day because we were so busy.
Hopefully we will get caught up tomorrow since we don't schedule much for Wednesdays because of out freight.

I got a text the other day from Dani and she wants me to make her a few things to give for Christmas presents...I was super excited. I won't tell you what I am making because frankly I don't think the receivers read my blog but I don't want to ruin the surprise, just in case. But mostly I was so thrilled that she wanted me to make something for her...that my talent can be used somehow! And it is pretty much my first official paid order so that is pretty cool too. A couple of people have encouraged me to open an Etsy shop of handmade things but I don't know if I could handle the pressure. I am scared I would mess something up and then no one would want to buy things from me! I guess I could also only sell things that are already finished because the idea of taking custom orders terrifies me! What if they hated it?!? So anyway, I will make those in the next couple of nights (maybe while watching NCIS again tomorrow night? Commercial breaks seem to be a good craft time!)...fun! I am glad to be helping with a handmade Christmas gift...I fully support that!

By the way, my digits are no longer dingy. Thanks for asking.
And yes, it is hilarious now.
And yes, people at work joke about it constantly.
And yes, the jokes will probably be getting old soon.
Maybe right about....now.

My Christmas plans for folks at work:
Cookies for the general public I think.
Pecan Clusters (the kind with caramel and chocolate...yummy!) for the managers
and maybe Paula's Famous Toffee!
Who doesn't like cookies, pecans, and toffee?!?
I bought all the ingredients at BiLo yesterday. Another handmade Christmas idea!

finally. almost.

Finally, a small sampling of the Christmas decor...

some of this you will have seen last year,

some is new.

There is still some to be done but I will show you that as it happens.

I got these vases last year at HL for like 90% off...something like $2 each.

I was going to use them at Valentine's day, but honestly,

who decorates for V-Day?

So Christmas it is!

This is the tree - with lights, sans ornaments.

I have since put the ornaments up but didn't decorate the bottom foot or so of the tree...for fear they would come to an untimely demise.

You'll notice that the bottom half of the tree has different lights - I decided that since I had to buy lights, I would go ahead and splurge on the LED variety.

Cooler to the touch, costs less in electricity over the long run, and best of all? A 5 year warranty and a "stay lit" bonus (if one goes out, the rest stay lit!).

The greenery on the stairs.

Last year's stocking - an inexpensive reuse.

And a dog keeping guard.

This year's front porch! It is still missing a few things but handmade pillows and a greenery bunch made from leftovers from our tree (Free!) make it a fun and cheap decor! You will probably see this one again in our Christmas card pictures (to be taken today....if I have a good hair day. We all know it isn't happening if my hair is lookin' a mess like usual!)

And last, this is a newby.

A silver vase found in the house,

extra faux-greenery, and shatterproof Christmas ornaments.

Candles from last Thanksgiving, repainted (remember those!?), and the bottom half of one of my mom's paintings. She is awesome!

this just in...

Makin' tracks!

(All over the neighbor's yards...)

This is happening at our house, right this very minute!

We woke up to snow!

The forecast called for it but I always doubt until I see it...

it is beautiful!

My roses were making a last stand.

Snow won.

I stole this from Dani but it seemed perfect for out backyard table!
Thanks for the idea!
Since this might be the only snow we get this winter, I thought I should go ahead and get started.



The red and white...wearing their Christmas colors!

sad discovery.

I had great intentions.
Getting the tree completely decorated tonight and the swag made from the extra tree branches for the front porch.
Half my lights don't work. They worked when I put them up last year.
What happened attic light monster? Why did you kill my christmas lights?
Now I can't finish.
And I am totally bummed out.
Oh well...tomorrow!

personal.

I have an embarrassing confession.
Yes, more embarrassing than having an entire can of spray paint on your body somewhere (cause that wasn't embarrassing at all...cough, cough).
I have had this really crazy personal goal of getting a blog hit from all 8 continents (ok, are there 8? Embarrassed, again. )
If so, I will forgive Antarctica and go for 7.
At the moment, I am at six.
I need Africa (yes, more than Africa needs me but not for this particular goal.)
Name that reference!
After a visit from Brazil sometime in the past few days (thankfully, I do not check Google Analytics every day any more so I missed it when it happened), I have all the other continents except for Africa and Antarctica (whom I am giving permission not to participate in this round).
So, if you know someone who happens to be in Africa (or in the cold Arctic doing cool research or dog sledding or something), and you wanted to encourage them to hit me up here, please do.
You have no idea what kind of dancing and hip-hip-hooray-ing would happen in our house.
I might even embarrass myself further by taping it and showing you.
No pride here folks.

Still dingy Digits, signing off for the night.

in da' house.

The Christmas tree is in da' house.
Naked but here.
We are giving the animals (mainly the cat) a chance to get used to it before we put breakable ornaments on it....hopefully that will happen tomorrow. And maybe I will get the wreath decorated and put up tomorrow.
And the rest of the ornaments on the banister.

But literally, as I sit here and type, the cat is running circles around the tree and jumping up and down. And meowing loudly.
I am mildly concerned.

I will keep decorating and hopefully, maybe, someday, post pictures when we get finished.
All my love,
Dingy Hands Paula (yes, they are still a little brown...sparkly rings, dingy digits)

well ok.

Ok, it is funny now.
Now that my rings are cleaned and I am in the possession of new shoes (with plans to go buy pants tomorrow).
All is well in the world.
Mostly. You know, minus the world peace thing.

brown.

Yesterday was a - shall we call it...not so great - day at HobLob.

But we will start with the good stuff...I actually cashed in a gift certificate from last year's birthday for a 30-minute massage at this neat little place down in St. Elmo. I have never had a professional massage before and it was lovely. I was a little nervous - you know, stripping down in front of a stranger but she was really awesome about it. She said you leave on what ever clothes you want and then you cover up before she comes back in the room. She explained everything and worked a lot on my lower back and neck, problem spots for me! It was nice! I think I might treat myself another day but probably when I don't have to go put out frieght that day!

So, I got to work, started putting away freight and about 4:30 a customer came into the framing dept. asking about paint. She was trying to paint the frame on a gold mirror a nice shade of dark brown and wanted to know what the best kind of paint would be. It was a little matte and smooth but since the Art Supply guy was already gone for the day, I told her I would help her. I took her over to the crafts dept. and was showing her the paints and she picked up can of spray paint and it dropped on the floor. The lid and spray top broke off and it started spraying everywhere.. And by everywhere I mean all over ME, my pants, my shoes, the floor, the products on the other side of the aisle...everywhere. So, I grabbed the lid (now broken) and covered the unstoppable spray and started hightailing it to the breakroom (2 aisles away) where I know there is a giant trashcan. For some reason (which I later discovered and it was senseless), the breakroom door is locked. At this point, my hands are competely brown and paint is running down my arm. I have to go all the way around 4 more aisles and into the stockroom to find a trashcan...leaving a dripping trail of oil based spray paint for like 60 feet.

Ugh.

So...It's cool. I'm fine. I know it isn't my fault and we can clean but...I realize my pants and shoes are ruined.

Totally ok.

I realize there is paint for around 60 feet through the store that, as it is drying, is starting to look more and more like blood.

Totally ok.

I realize that there is paint in my antique engagement ring and in the ring I had designed made out of my grandmother's diamonds.

Really, really not ok.

I totally burst into tears in the stockroom.

Of course, everyone had a solution. "You should have taken off your vest and covered the can!"

Oh...the vest that is tied on my body in two places? That vest? Fabulous idea! Why didn't I think of that?!?

You could have just let it spray out? Oh...really? And cover and entire aisle and 10 customers in brown paint? No thanks.

As I am standing in the breakroom, using paint thinner on my hands, I hear over the walkie talkies that a mom who's child was "involved in the spray paint incident" wanted her entire outfit replaced and I am standing there with brown paint all over my shoes and pants, I nearly cursed someone.

So, I went home on my lunch break to change clothes. I called Chad and asked him to make me something to eat since my lunch was still in the fridge at HobLob...I got all the way to our road when I realized that my jeans and shoes from changing for yoga the day before were in my backseat all along. I could have just changed at work.

Awesome.

As it turns out, after I got back to work, the store manager (who I thought was mad at me) came back and told me to go get my rings professionally cleaned, by a new pair of pants and shoes and bring him the bill. He said that if it had been my fault and I was just being careless then it would be my problem but since I was trying to help a customer and stop a mess from being any worse, then the store would pay for those things. I guess I like Hobby Lobby after all.

Even though my hands just look really dirty now.

uh oh.

I got an an-non-i-mus comment on my last post that said I should return the Pioneer Woman Cookbook.
Not good...I can't.
I bought it on Amazon.com.
But I can give it to someone else!
So, if you are reading this, and you get a Pioneer Woman Cooks! book for Christmas, please know, you were supposed to get it all along.
It is just how things work!

late night top 10.

This is my top ten list of blogs, written late at night.

In no particular order, I do this because Chad laughs at me because of all the blogs I read every day. I claim that I don't read them all every day but there are a few that I pretty much check on a daily basis (and get really offended that they have real lives and don't post every day!):

1. Nie Nie. Come on. She's fabulous. Her house, her life, her story. Too awesome.
2. Nie Nie's sister CJane. Equally as cute. and equally adorable children.
3. Matt Logelin. I didn't used to read as often but now he is in India and I can't help myself.
4. Young House Love. Maybe they will come decorate my entire house when I get one. Is that too much to ask of strangers?
5. The Pioneer Woman. I am getting her cookbook for Christmas.
Because I bought it for myself as insurance.
6. Style Me Pretty. I think I am going to get married again so I can use all of these pretty ideas. I am literally embarrassed to tell you that I check this blog once a day. But, I can also say that the photography is equally inspiring and I get ideas from that too!
7. A Cup of Stone Soup. My mom's blog. And she doesn't post every day. And I talk to her on the phone pretty much every day so I know all the possible news and I still check to see if she blogged. What can I say - I'm loyal.
8. Holy Experience. I know I have talked about her before but Ann over at H.E. is amazing. She has such a sweet life/testimony just of her every day experiences. Her photography is great - of simple and yet beautiful subjects. Her stories and daily encouragement is even better. Check her out!
9. Adventures of Bort. Or Mrs. Bort really. My friend Dani's blog...she is sorta my blog inspiration. I started reading hers and thought "hey, I could do that! It might be fun!" and here I am over a year later!

Oh dear...there are only 9 that I check on a daily basis. ONLY 9...I think I am doing great! There are others, obviously, that I check when I see a new post in my reader or most days but these are the ones I check every day. Fun! Now you know all my computer secrets and what I am doing after Chad goes to bed (which was 30 minutes ago and now I am headed that way!).

the good news.

Chad got home at 9:30 last night.
Yes, he was gone about 7 hours....while we were supposed to be putting up Christmas decorations and hanging out.
You want to know the upside of that?
The state of TN doesn't like to dole out over-time.

I know, it doesn't make much sense now but let's put it this way...
he has to take those 7 hours off another day this week so he won't be overtime.
Any day he wants. (ok, not any day but he can have a preference).
So guess what?!? He is going to take Thursday off and hang out with me.
Put up some Christmas decorations and maybe even get our tree.
See? Things work out after all.
Woohoo!

HL was bearable today. Nothing too exciting happening except for ordering (which takes forever when you get interrupted 100 times) and me selling over $800 of custom frames today.
Awesome...solidifies my winning this month for the most sales. I think there are two movie tickets and dinner at stake. Fun! A free date night sounds good to me.

you didn't know.

Maybe you already knew - and didn't tell me.
Or maybe I knew and pretended that it wasn't true.
But I am going to share a little tidbit of trivia with you for tonight.
Did you know that when you get a cat you pretty much have to completely revamp your home's Christmas decorations?
Things that were cute and dangly last year are just far too tempting this year?
All the fun ideas I had were not created in my brain with a flying fearles furball in mind.
Things that crinkle or sparkle or are fragile just aren't acceptable in our house this year.

Good luck cat owners.

sewing. sparks.

Since I am not in the mood to offically decorate for Christmas yet, I thought that I would go ahead and make the pillow cases for the bench outside. I got about halfway through my third and final pillowcase and my sewing machine make some strange noises and I got nervous and had to stop. The foot petal started sizzling. Sorry mom, I may have burned it up. It got too excited. I will let it cool off and try again...
but hey, they are cute!

plans change.

Sometimes our plans change and frankly, I don't always like it.
Don't get me wrong or misunderstand me here - I am so incredibly thankful that both Chad and I have jobs that not only allow us to pay our bills but leave some to spare for saving and giving to things we are passionate about.
But I really dislike it - no, hate it - when we have plans to do stuff together (fun stuff!) and he gets called out to a fire.
Welcome back to fire season in Tennessee folks!

Chad and I had plans for church, lunch (yes, Mexican food it was!), naps, trips to Goodwill and the recycling center, getting our Christmas tree, and putting up decorations. We got through the lunch part before the phone call came sending him to a possible fire up in Soddy Daisy. Yes, I said a possible fire. They called him away from me, on the only day I get to really hang out with him, for a possible fire.
Trust me when I say this - if I could get my hands (or even just my words) on the people that either irresponsibly (and illegally might I add!) burn brush creating forest fires or intentionally set fires for spite/fun - they would never, ever do it again.
Trust me.

So, I think I will load up the stuff that needs to go to the recycling center and Goodwill and make those runs by myself. Somehow I am just not in the right spirit to put up Christmas decorations any more.

reporting in.

Not too much to report actually...I survived the Saturday after Thanksgiving at the HobLob as well today. We were actually busier today than we were yesterday (much busier!)...I guess everyone exhausted the good deals at the other store and came to see us today! I pretty much went non-stop today so I am beat and looking forward to lazy Sunday with my sweetie. Chad is getting up to run with a friend in the morning and I threatened his life if he gets me up before 8AM (maybe he will take the dog and the cat with him on his run...?). Then we will head to church, do a little lunch (ooo....Mexican food.), and veg out the rest of the afternoon. My lovely, sweet husband did some major cleaning downstairs in the living room and kitchen and has pretty much made way for the Christmas decor which came out of the attic this morning so we might even get some of that stuff put up. It doesn't take long - we don't have that much stuff - but the house always looks so dressed up and festive that I pretty much can't wait any longer. We even talked about getting the tree tomorrow too...hopefully it will work out.

I bought some pillow forms at the HobLob one day this week and some Christmas fabric while it was on sale (50% off!) and I am going to make a couple of pillows for my bench out front. I think they will be OK outside - they are under the porch and far enough away from the sides that the only moisture they should get it is what is in the air. I will make them so that I can pull off the covers and wash them so I will let you know how that turns out. It is a Christmas colored paisley (come on...you should know how I feel about paisley by now!) and I think they will turn out really cute. It is about time to put out my mini trees by the front door and retire the pumpkins....pumpkin smashing anyone?

There will be pictures headed your way soon...

survival. and winning.

I survived Black Friday (again!) at HobLob!
In all honesty, I have no bad things to say about today at work. It was quiet and lovely back in our little framing room - we didn't take any more custom orders than we would any other Friday or Saturday. Since we opened at 8, I got a ton of stuff done this morning with few or no interruptions. The cash registers went steadily all day but I think everything ran really smoothly...

So...I bet you are wondering who won my first giveaway! It was really funny how it worked out, with all 5 of you commenting (for future reference, pass along the word! And I promise, the next giveaway will be cooler stuff and a little better planned!)...and since Random.org picked #1, that makes Dani the winner! Funny how she said that since she was first she should win...apparently Random Number Generator did too! So, I will be sending you a fun pair of earrings to wear (or give!) and a pair of snuggly hand warmers for your and your hubby!

Going to bed early and getting up to do a little shopping in the morning before i have to go to work and close (which I am dreading actually...the store will be a mess!). Have a great weekend!

oh yeah...

I forgot to tell you...we will be in Atlanta for Turkey Day 2009.
My side of the family will be down at my parents house but we decided to just head to Atlanta (mostly because I have to work today and Friday at 8am) and do Christmas with my family like we did last year. For someone working retail, this really is the best arrangement. I am wishing, hoping, thinking, and praying that I will get a day off backing up to Christmas on either side (though I really want the back end because that means I will get the whole weekend off!). Anyway, you won't hear from me until atleast tomorrow night, maybe Friday depending on how late we get home. We are riding down with Chad's parents tonight after we get off work and then coming back with Megan tomorrow so, sadly, we are at the mercy of someone else to get there and home again on their schedule.
Also, I got another haircut! I bit shorter in the back than last time and more of an angle coming down to the front. I haven't washed it yet (of course!!) because it always looks so much better when she fixes it! I think I really like it. The back was starting to annoy me and it needed a little trimming anyway. Shorter hair requires a lot more work to keep it looking good than I realized it would but I am still pleased with the look.
Looking forward to hearing all about the things you are thankful for...enter the giveaway!
Pictures of Thanksgiving fun are optional!

giving thanks and giving it away.

Oh I am so so so thankful...

for my family, my job, my life.

Every breath, I am thankful.

Every hug or kiss or laugh or tear, I am thankful.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving with the people you love.

Tell them you love them.

Hug them for me too.

And because I promised (and I am so thankful for cool blog readers like you!)...

drumroll please.....

my first giveaway!

I will let the random picker-outer-thingy choose a winner from everyone who comments...

to be entered, you just have to leave a comment on this post and tell me something you are thankful for.

or 100 things you are thankful for.

I'm not picky (but sorry, only one entry per person please - name them all in your one comment!).

Oh, what do you win? I know, it isn't going to be that exciting but I just thought leading up to Christmas and chilly weather that two nice sets of handmade (by me!) cherry pit pocket sized handwarmers would do perfectly! And since I am so crafty, I think I will just throw in this sparkly pair of earrings I made tonight while watching NCIS! The findings are all sterling so you won't have a problem with crazy ear stuff! The beads are Swarovski (is that how you spell that??) crystals in green, dark bronze, and a caramel tan. I think they are so pretty I might make myself a pair!

I think they would look perfect with cute fall colors or even Christmas stuff too! Or if you really liked someone, you might give them as a gift. Or keep them for yourself. Let's sum that up...that's two sets of 2 (total of 4!) pocket sized fleece hand warmers and a pair of earrings!

Be thankful to your heart's content!

I think that is what I would do...they are too cute (and sparkly...did I say that aleady?).

So yeah...I made everything I am giving away so I guess there really isn't any legal stuff to deal with. It's mine and I can give it away free if I want!

Oh yeah, I will take comments until Friday night at 8p.m. EST. I know we will all be busy the next few days so that should give you plenty of time to think of something you are thankful for!

fabulouso.

I am off today.
And I get paid for it.
It is amazing.
Well, technically I get paid to be off on Thanksgiving but almost everyone is off on Thanksgiving so I am counting today as my paid day off.
So, today, I am getting paid to go get my hair cut, get some pictures printed, clean up the bedroom, work on a Christmas craft project for the parentals, go to Target and buy a birthday gift for a 2 year old, attend yoga, and go to Chuck-E-Cheese for a party!
It's gonna be great!


Sorry, I know I fell off the blogging wagon for a few days but my next post is going to be my 400th post!
Because I'm cool like this, I was thinking about doing a giveaway.
Something handmade because I'm trying to give all/mostly handmade gifts for Christmas and I want to help you out to do the same thing!
I have a couple of ideas (yes, it will probably be handmade by me) but I wanted to know if you think it would be a good plan? I'm sure there are tons of rules for bloggy giveaways but since I have like 4 readers I'm not too worried about it...

not funny.

I don't see the links at the moment but I am on the other computer.
Maybe that one was possessed.
If they come back, it will be war.

I promise I'm not crazy.
I think.

ooo...I'm mad.

There are more links in my last post.
And I am irate.
I will fix this.

oh yes.

Mom and I were bad yesterday...ok, not bad but we did some shopping that wasn't planned. First, I will let you see my awesome lanterns that I bought myself for my birthday super cheap in Columbus...they are sitting on my dining room table now that it is cleaned off (for the 40th time). I think they are wonderful. One day they might hang somewhere but for now, they are perfect on the table. Just the right amount of color.

This is all four of them together.

And this is one of the things we bought at this local little resale/antiques shop. It is a really cool old stool/bench and it is perfect for my front porch.


This is the other thing we bought...and old garden bench for 2! It is my Chrismas present from mom and I love it...it is also sitting on my front porch now and I think it is perfect. A few pillows later and I will be the happiest girl around...

On another note, when I pulled up my blog a minute ago to sign in, I noticed that there is a advertising link in my last blog post. I have no idea how it got there, no idea where it leads you to, and I make no claims to it. Actually, I a pretty ticked off that it is there. If I wanted to advertise on my blog, I would atleast want to know about it in advance and be able to do something wiht the money. Not this...so I am sorry. Don't click on it, don't use it, ignore it until I can figure out how to make it go away!

guess.

I am up at 7:45 on my day off.
I am cleaning out my car.
I am putting away clean dishes.
I am piling up about 4 loads of clean clothes on the freshly made bed.
I am picking up a thousand pieces of ripped up recycling that Gwen decided to destroy.
I am putting my new chocolate brown linen table cloth on the table so I can display my awesome lanterns.
Why do you ask?
Guess!


Mom is coming today!
I am super duper excited to see her. It's been a few weeks and I always miss her and dad tons! I am thankful that I have a relationship with my parents that makes me want to see them and makes me miss them terribly when I can't see them often enough!
I am thinking about taking her on the incline railway today. Neither of us have ever been...Ruby Falls would be cool because it has been about 15 years since I have been in there but uh...today is not the day. Not with two claustrophobic folks. It should be a nice clear day so it might be a good day to try the railway and take her through St. Elmo.
I sure wish my GPS worked so we won't be lost all day...
but I can't think of a better person to not exactly know where you are with.

hook, line, and sinker.

Oh dear...I am hooked.
On Etsy (better than illegal drugs any day!).
I have already purchased a few Christmas presents, throughout the year, in an attempt to make the money seem less like it is doing a disappearing act in December and a few of those are handmade (like my sister's present from Blue Skies...I know Sis, you hate me now...and yes, I've had it for months and not told you.)
But for the rest of you, the ones receiving gifts from me, they will probably (hopefully!) be handmade, either by me or a nice little Etsy shop owner.
It will be loverly. Yes. Loverly.

On another note, Chad is sick in the bed.
Blames me for bringing it home from Hobby Lobby...says he only sees the same people every day and I am the one bringing home the germs.
It wouldn't be from you know, running a marathon Saturday, with a 1,000 other people...sweating together....breathing hard near each other. Nope.
It's from Hobby Lobby. Germy HobLob.

oh house.

Do you remember that post about being content?
And her sweet comment about being patient and waiting?
And me knowing that we are supposed to be waiting on the right timing to buy a house?

Then why, oh why, is it so darn frustrating?
I thought I had made peace with it, learning how to be content in it.
I thought I could last as long as it takes.
I thought I was OK with waiting, being content, taking our time...
But I am losing my mind.

I have a pile of art - cool, fun, local, sentimental art - that is waiting to be hung.
And I can't hang it.
We have no available walls.
I yearn for empty walls.

I have furniture at my parent's house that I long to have in my house - an old desk that was my great uncle's, cabinets that are empty - waiting to be filled with my beautiful glass vases and trinkets from our lives.
We have no available space for our things.
I yearn for a little empty space.

I know, as soon as we buy a house it will consume me.
Consume all our available money, time, heart, and energy.
It is expensive and scary - being an adult.
I know that it will be so empty that it will feel like a tomb - we have so little furniture that is our own.
I know that it will be exhausting fixing it like we want it, making it our own.
But - it will be our own.
Ours. Full of our things.
I yearn for a house simply full (or empty!) of our things - it will be like being newly married again, combining our lives into one.
Just the two of us, living in a house that is our own.

i'm not a photographer.

I am not a photographer but I do enjoy photography. I wish that somehow, miraculously, I could take great pictures and never have to use Photoshop (mostly because it is confusing and frustrating to try and figure out how to make my mediocre photography look fabulous!)

Anyway, I told you that I took some pictures of my sweet niece and her family because they didn't have a good family pictures since my newest GREAT NIECE was born. I asked her if I could put some pictures up (because I know some people are really protective, and rightfully so, of their children's pics on the internet!) but she said she was ok with it (and I won't tell you where they live or anything!!).

So here are a few of the good ones...with three squirming children and a dog to distract, we had a laugh trying to get everyone looking at the camera at the same time but we managed to get a few that were worth it! And yes, Kayla, I will be sending these to you soon...really.

Now that I see this one on a different computer, it needs a little tweaking...darker maybe.

This one too...they are so much darker on the computer I was using and so light in these pictures...but hey, these two good lookin' folks make it look great!

Look at that awesome family! I am so glad I am related to them!

trying...really.

Seriously, I think this might the last post about Chad's marathon.

But really, I am so proud of him I could probably talk about it for days...his physical strength and mental determination amaze me!

Here is my story for the day....I spent about 4 hours standing around, in different places, waiting for Chad to run by for 10 seconds.

I know, the exciting life of a marathon spouse.

At the very end of the race, Jay, Megan and I were standing there knowing he would come by any minute and could see to the other side of the block and would know when he was headed our way. We were just watching and cheering on other people as they ran by and I saw him round the corner so I headed down to take a picture as he crossed the finish line. It was pretty packed out down there but there was an older lady standing there with her camera just waiting...I tapped her on the shoulder and asked if she could see her runner yet and she said she couldn't. I nicely asked her if she minded if I stepped in front of her for a second to get a couple of pictures because my runner was about to cross the finish line....she said she didn't mind a bit and I got ready to take pictures. All of a sudden, there was this guy in a bright orange shirt in front of me blocking my view (he was the paid photographer and is in pretty much ALL of my pictures) and then another guy that was taking pictures but just looked like the rest of us. I was like....hey now, I want to take pictures of my husband. How rude! Well, as it turns out, the second photographer was the father of the guy that Chad knows who was running and finished just before Chad. His friend (Adam) told his dad what Chad looked like and when to be expecting him and went to get Chad a gatorade and water. What a nice guy! So, the dad actually took some pretty good pictures of Chad and had a better angle (more experience and a nicer camera too!) than I did so I am thankful! So, here are HIS pictures, that Adam sent me today.
Awesome!

Chad at the end with his race number...they give you an extra, framed copy of your race number to keep, along with a little medal. I told Chad that I am a framing snob now and I am going to probably reframe those in a shadow box for him...

Chad's friend Adam crossing the finish line...check out that time ladies and gentlemen! Congrats Adam for meeting your sub-4 hour goal!

This is Jay and Megan cheering as Chad is coming down the last stretch...Jay in orange sweater. He is looking at them/glaring at them...I'm not sure which.

Ok, I'm done for tonight...

Oh, execept for this detail..I am editing the pictures I took of my sweet neice and her family. I want to show you some of the cute ones but I need your permission to post pics of your family first Kayla. Is that ok? (I promise I will only post the ones where your son is picking his nose.)

timing is everything....edited.

Chad had to run out for a bit so I am trying to get somethings done while he is gone...to see a friend and to Lowe's.
Trying to edit/move some pictures, finish cleaning off the dining room table so I can put my cool new lanterns on it (or maybe they should go in the sunroom?), fold about a thousand loads of clothes, and beat this headache (yes, I still have them.)
I am doing none of those things but moving pictures (blogging while I wait for the computer to catch up...the other computer).
But hey, atleast I will be able to share some pictures with you soon.
Hopefully.

edited to add:
Patience is everything, I hear.
I think I was behind the door or at the end of the line when they gave that out.
This slow computer is making me lose my mind.

race pics.

Hiding behind another guy...but laughing!

Crossing the finish line baby!

finish line!

He finished!
26.2 miles of endurance.
We saw him around mine 12 and a half and he looked good...laughing, joking, hiding behind another runner so I couldn't take pictures and then again at the finish line (where I did take pictures!).
He ran it in 4 hours and 21 minutes...pretty fabulous in my opinion.
I am loading pictures on the other computer so you'll see those soon but I just wanted to thank you now and let you know he's finished! He said he started hurting pretty bad around mile 17 but finished with still having done about a 10 minute mile average and that was his goal as he was training so I think he is pretty pleased with himself.
After limping into the house (literally), he is currently soaking in a hot bath to help with muscle soreness.
Thanks for your prayers and thoughts! A goal met and completed!

early.

I just made lemon cookies...they smell and taste divine.
Seriously.
You should try them.
And I am typing with one finger because I just painted my nails a dark chocolate brown, in appreciation of fall. It is lovely.
My Chad is already in bed asleep with a carb coma, resting up for his big day tomorrow.
We have to leave the house at 6 tomorrow morning...he has to get there in time to pick up his race packet and be ready to run at 7:30. I will take the camera...and he will make faces at me. Promise.
Say a prayer for a strong body and a strong mind...26.2 miles is probably more mental than physical (I wouldn't know...I'll never run that far unless someone is chasing me with a weapon.)

carbs.

Today is my last day of work for the week and I could not be more excited. I feel like I have so much stuff to do this weekend...not that I have to do but stuff that I would like to get done. A craft project or two, a batch of delicious lemon cookies (they have ricotta cheese in them...I know it sounds gross but it makes them so moist and delicious!), cleaning up in our bedroom (about three loads of laundry need folding and have been living out of the clean clothes basket for about 3 days...mom, you want to come fold - I'm off work next Friday!), and there are dirty dishes in the sink. And there they will stay today...I am going to work and since I made dinner, I was hoping someone else would wash the dishes.
Chad's mom is coming over tonight and we are eating as many carbs as a body can hold...not for us, but mostly for Chad. His race is tomorrow so we are trying to start filling him up on things that will give him energy over the long haul. He is going when he gets off work to go pick up his race packet so we know when to be where in the morning and then he will be home to eat spaghetti and meatballs...homemade meatballs cause the frozen ones are gross. They make me want to yak. Sorry, had to share.
But lemon cookies, now those are fabulous.
Off to the HobLob for one more day...

sweet and crisp.

As I sit here, eating my cereal this morning, I just thought I would tell you about what my sweet Chad did for my birthday. As you might recall, I was actually in Columbus on my birthday this year and I didn't even get to see him. The day went past with barely an acknowledgement of its passing from him but he doesn't like his birthday so I don't exactly expect them to be a big deal. There was little mention of it for about a week and a half I believe until one day he was like "ok, get in the car, we are going to the tool store." Still confused, I went with him and he picked out a food dehydrator.
For me.
For my birthday.
I know, you are thinking it is a weird birthday gift.
And it is.
But I love it.
He is also buying me a pair of Carhartt overalls.
I know, also weird.
But practical and awesome! They are for when we go to the farm and trek about working in the briars...I mean, I can wear them whenever I want but they aren't the best fashion statement (yeah, since I care about fashion) and I don't think they are entirely appropriate for the HobLob.
So yes, we dehydrated apples yesterday.
I prefer my apples sweet and crisp. None of this sour or soft stuff.
Sweet and crisp they must be (fuji are my favorite, thanks Mom!)
But today, they are sweet and crisp in a whole different way.
Like, shriveled, sweet, and crisp.
And they are great!

today's.

And for today's lesson in being thankful, I am thankful for a spacebar that seems to be working again.
And being home with my sweet Chad this morning as he has the day off (even though I don't and I have to go unpack freight later today...).
And going to the grocery store last night...and feeling like I still have no idea what to make for dinner the rest of the week!

giving thanks again.

Please check back in on sweet Stellan and his family...it appears that a high risk surgery on his little heart today was a huge success!
God answers his family's prayers in a huge way...
and it is HIS glory that shines in that baby tonight.

being thankful.

This is the season of the year when most of us are beginning to remember to be thankful.
The end of this month brings a Thanksgiving holiday and people spend the whole month trying so very hard to remember to give thanks...but why is that so hard?
Why do we focus on this for just one month of the year when we should spend every moment of every day giving thanks.
So, I will try and remember...
today I am thankful for a bed that needed it's sheets changed,
for a bathroom that needed cleaning,
laundry that needed doing,
and a job that needs going to later.
Please don't read sarcasm, I am truly thankful for all those things.
A house (that occassionally needs cleaning and organizing),
a family that needs feeding,
a husband that needs loving,
for all these things I am ever thankful.

Please say a prayer today for sweet MckMama and her Stellan.
Another one of those blogs that started as strangers and now I feel like a part of their lives (in a non-stalker, sweet, I-don't-really-know-them-in-real-life kinda way!). Baby Stellan just turned one and is in Boston with major heart problems...you can read all about him and his family on their blog but today they need your prayers. Just as you prayed for my dad and heart problems, please pray for Stellan. His mom has the most beautiful (even if she can't see it) faith and is acknowledging that God's will will be done above all so please just lift her and her family up today...

And yes, Kayla, I am attempting to get the pictures looked at and edited. I promise. I am trying. I should have done it in Columbus when I had more time on my hands but it just didn't get done.
They are coming...seriously.

one week left.

After my horrifically long day at HL yesterday (10 hours may be a normal work day for some people but it was horribly long for me...and after already putting in my other 32 or 33 that week it seemed even longer!), I got to hang out with Chad for the rest of the night.
And all day today.
And it was wonderful.
Admittedly, I do have to go back and do it all again this week but there is only one week left...
before what you ask?
Nothing for me, sadly.
Sorry, no big news there.
But for Chad...
oh yes, his marathon is this Saturday (shhh...don't tell him I told you.)
A full marathon - a grueling 26.2 miles of hills, exhausting flat lands, and mind numbing insanity (ok, maybe I am the only one that sees it that way!).
I am excited that I will be off work Saturday and I can go and cheer him on.
Say a little prayer that his body will be strong, heal quickly, and that he will meet his own personal goals (winning is not one of them and that is totally OK!).
I did not do any of the things that I was going to do this weekend - forgoing them for spending time with my sweetie. Better than any project I can imagine at the moment...

demons.

Yesterday at work, I was told that the other girl in my department was was supposed to open today wasn't going to be able to be at work. My boss came in and asked me if I wanted to work a little extra.
A demon took over my body and I said yes.
What on earth was I thinking?
So of course, the night before I have to work 10 hours, alone, in the frame department, I didn't sleep.
At all.
Demons.
Again.

ah yes.

I came home last night to a nice evening with my sweetie...
we went to see a $1 movie (Time Travelers Wife...not too sure if I liked it. I think it just wasn't what I expected. I remember reading the book forever ago but didn't really remember much of the story.), had Ok Sun's Chicken Rollups, delivered from Columbus, and got to just hang out together. It was nice after being gone for a few days to just be with him...
Apparently Wooby was sick most of the time I was gone...still pretty sick and I am thinking about taking her to the vet but I hate to drag her all the way across town to see the vet she usually goes to so I might just take her to one much closer to home. If this is day three, I am worried about her being dehydrated and getting worse because of it. I don't know if it is something she ate (she plays with all the plants in the sunroom but I don't know if any of those are toxic or not...Chad doesn't seem to think that they are.) or if it is something that Gwen brought in from the outside.

I have a lot of projects to do so you might not hear from me much the rest of this week...

here.

We are here, at home. All of us.
Dad too.
Happy to be in "real clothes" instead of an open-back hospital gown.
Happy to be sitting in his recliner taking a nap.
Happy to play Spider Solitare on his computer.
Happy to be away from the loud roomate and his many guests.
Happy to be healing and relaxing.

Apparently the surgeon said (while looking at the printout of his heart monitor) that his heart is already doing better.
Wow. Good to hear.
I always knew he had a good heart.

Sis (The Chef) is making dinner - something that dad requested, involving meat and potatoes.
Shocker.
But my family is all together (minus my sweet Chad but I talked to him on the phone today like 3 times, driving him crazy I'm sure but I don't like being away from him, especially when I am stressed and worried!).

I will head back to the Nooga tomorrow.
After lunch at Ok Sun's - a Columbus requirment.
And yes, Chad, I will bring you chicken rollups.
Driven all the way from Columbus, just for you.

it is well.

So far, so good. All is well with Dad.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers, gentle thoughts, kind words, and even for some, your literally presence today.
Our God is so good and His provision was in perfect order today.

The surgery went well though it lasted well beyond the usual 2 hour pace maker surgery...we were headed into hour 4 when they finally got finished. About hour 3 a cute little nurse came out and said that things are going well and he was in good spirits and for us to not worry (yeah right!) but the doctor was having trouble getting one of the electical leads in the place it was supposed to go. They don't put you to sleep for this one - just local anesthesia so he was joking with all the nurses and doctors, offering hockey tickets all around. Apparently they finally got it and finished him up - the pacemaker is visible from the outside (not in a creepy, robot kinda way) but it is an obvious raised area on his chest. The whole experience has been really interesting - asking a lot of questions about how it works, what he should do/not do. He thinks he is going to work on Wednesday and his doctor didn't have the gall to tell him otherwise I suppose....atleast the hockey team is out of town for two weeks so he doesn't have as much of an excuse.

Again, thank you for your prayers and thoughts.
I am plannig on being here through Wednesday but Mom is encouraging me to go home tomorrow (geez...getting rid of me already!). She says she knows the value of a day off work to do what you want but it would lack something without Chad being off to be with me. We'll see...

here we go.

It is 5:45 in the morning and we are all up and headed to the hospital.
Say a prayer please; cover the doctors and my dad in your prayers.
Bathe our family in your thoughts...please.

"I thank my God every time I remember you." - Phil 1:3

safely so far.

My sister, Frannie, and I just safely arrived in Columbus, far past my bedtime. I waited in Atlanta for her to get off work, round up the cats (or attempt to atleast) and then we headed sound. I had a major headache and took some Excedrin at her house and apparently the caffeine hit me just south of Atlanta and I had to pull over because my hands were shaking so bad. I honestly thought I might pass out and we were in all this road construction with barricades inches from the sideview mirror and I was a little panicky...all is well. We traded and my sister drove my car and I rode and we chatted...it was nice to hang out with her for a while and just catch up. I wasn't going to wait for them but I am glad I did...
My sister just came in and said "did something tell you to wait for us to drive? it must have."
She must not know about my angels.
Thank you for your prayers, and please, continue to pray. We will get about 5 hours of sleep then we're headed to the hospital. Dad is supposed to be there at 6 and I think we will all go too...
hopefully after a successful and easy surgery, I will be able to get some rest and some errands run around town. I'm looking forward to a few days off to get some things done (including craft projects!)

oh dear.

I am typing to you lovely folks on my old computer, the one that has a working spacebar.
Awesome.
So here is your story of our epic fail this morning...
The animals started going crazy around 7:30 so Chad and I finally got up about 8:30. I jumped in the shower, he went to walk the dog. I get out of the shower, come downstairs to check email and pack up the computer to go to Columbus with me. I remember that it is Sunday so there are Sunday Secrets this morning...it wasn't until I got about halfway down to the one that said something about f"ing daylight savings time that I remembered.
I could have slept another hour.
I mean, I really couldn't have even if I wanted to...I was awake and the animals were going nuts so it was time to get up. This will allow me time to do a couple of things before church this morning...I need to pack up the computer, like I said earlier. I will hopefully get some time to edit pictures while I am down in Columbus for a few days. I am stopping in Atlanta to see my sweet niece and her family and hopefully get some good pictures of all of them. I volunteered my photography servies so I hope we can get some good pictures with fall colors in them! I am sure they will need some work so I am taking my computer with me and hopefully will get some done while sitting around with the family. I also need to pack up all my stuff so I can hit the road as soon as we eat some lunch. Since I forgot about the daylight savings time, I didn't realize it would be gettting as dark as early as it will so I need to get there with plenty of time to take pictures while the light is still good! I don't mind driving down to Columbus in the dark (I've done THAT plenty of times!) so just say a prayer for safe travels but please, please pray for Dad.

this morning's prayer.

DearLord,pleasemakemyspacebarworkagain.
Amen.

literally.

You know all those cute little texting/online things that stand for other things...brb, cul8tr,etc....and my favorite, LOL?
Laugh Out Loud.
Do most people actually laugh out loud when they use it?
Probably not. And in all honesty, I am probably the worst offender (texts only...I can usually maintain my dignity online but really, who can say everything they want in 180characters?!? I have been known to leave out spaces soallofmywordslooklikethis and are really annoying to whoever is lucky enough to get one of those texts!!)
Anyway, side notes put aside...NieNie (who we ALL love...come on!) said something today that literally made me Laugh Out Loud. On my couch. All by myself.
Apparently her children were misbehaving and her dear husband said, "Oh girls, guess what? The devil called and said you guys were doing awesome."
That - is - fabulous. Go Mr. Nielson!

On another side note, instead of my "H" button not working, now it is the space bar. So it is paying me back for my above thoughts about not putting spaces in my texts.
Stupidtechnology.

projects...updated.

I got a few projects done yesterday...mostly just running errands around town, bank, Lowe's, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc. Got all the errands done but very little done around the house. I did however, manage to spend over $20 on paint samples at Home Depot and tried the 6 of them on the wall in the office last night. And sadly, I don't love any of them. I am still torn between a pretty grey and a warm brown so I tried a few of both. I will take a picture and show you...if I remember. Of the three browns, one is far too dark (the tiny room will look like a prison instead of a warm inviting guest room), the middle one looks like poop (that's where the EW....comes in) and the last one is too orange (think more terra cotta than warm brown). I also tried 3 greys and I like those better than the browns so maybe grey is the way to go. Chad asked why I can't just use all three browns as accent colors to all three greys. I didn't bother explaining why 6 vastly different colors might give our guests a decor migraine....just not worth it.

It is freight day at the HobLob. Good thing I ordered on Monday and barely ordered enough to make it worth it...I mean, ordered correctly and we didn't need that much stuff! Hopefully it won't take me (I would say us...use it loosely) all day to unload and put out, like usual...

On a more serious note, I will be heading down to Columbus the first of next week. My dad is having a pace maker installed (sounds like he is a robot or something...is installed the right word here?) and I wouldn't miss being there. His surgery is Tuesday morning and I am coveting your prayers. Please, please pray for him. Pray that the doctors will have angelically guided hands, calm nerves, patience, and use their best skills (he deserves the best!). Pray that my dad will be calm, heal quickly, not rush going back to work and give himself time to get better. Pray for us as we sit and wait (the part that sucks). I know we will be surrounded by people who care about us but I am still concerned...

Update: I just got off the phone with my mom who said that dad's doctor moved his surgery up a day because he needs to go out of town later in the week. It is now Monday morning so I will be heading down to Columbus Sunday afternoon sometime...add safe traveling to your prayer list too please! My sister(s?) and I will be headed to Columbus to be together...

surprise...it's gonna rain.

Actually, it is no surprise.
Is it my day off? yes.
Do I have 1,001 things to do? yes.
Do half of them require me to leave the house and even work out in the yard some? yes.
Then it will rain.
No surprise there!

A trip to Lowe's in my future, some cleaning up of the dining room, finish my cleaning job in the closet (which is going really well! I got a big stack of clothes that I don't wear out of there! I figure that if I haven't worn it in the year that I have lived here, through every season, I probably am not going to wear it!).
There are two high points in my day...lunch with a friend
and yoga at the YMCA.
I went to swim last night after work (exactly what my sleepless nights needed...I slept solidly until about 5 AM this morning. It was AWESOME.) and got one of the class schedules. Discovering that there is a yoga class at 5:30 today that I am going to try - it is beginners and hopefully they will explain everything because I've never done a class before or know anything about it really! It does mean that I will miss out on some time with my Chad but being healthy is important too...I will be home in time to make dinner and watch some NCIS so it will all work out!
Well, make that 3 high points..I am looking forward to my trip to Lowe's. I am gonna buy a couple of stepping stones to put between the grassy part of the yard between the bushes to the wall of the house where the controls for the gas lamp and the sprinkler system are. Chad had said he wanted a couple so he didn't have to tread all over the mulch so I am going to surprise him with some. Hopefully I can find a few that match the ones we already have and I can do it without the homeowner's association knowing. I have visions of them telling me I have to get digging in the mulch approved before I can do it...I am also going to look at paint. Don't tell.