Christmas Progress?

As far as Christmas decorating goes, we don't have much done.

But at least we have one of the trees up.

Yes, you read that right. I said, "one" of the Christmas trees have been put up.

That would mean that yes, we do put up more than one Christmas tree.

Are you wondering how we can possibly fit more than one Christmas tree in a one bedroom house?

It's easy. At least it's easy when one tree is of the slimline, space-saving variety like this one:

It's our refrigerator tree! My mom always gives us a little bag of Christmas themed goodies on the day after Thanksgiving (after a group of about 15 of us shop for 8-10 hours; we are a CRAZY family!). This year her little goodie bag contained this wonderful magnetic tree. It's actually an advent calendar & you are supposed to put up one ornament every day until Christmas. Rule breaker that I am, I just couldn't wait! Had to decorate that tree up right from the beginning! One of these days I'll tell you what it's like to be me, dancing on the edge out here & being such a risk taker...

So as far as Christmas decorating our house, we have a ways to go. Right now our real Christmas tree is buried in a corner of the basement beside Mike's "workshop". It's buried under at least an inch of sawdust. Hopefully by the end of the week we will have it dusted off & shining in all of it's pre-lit white light glory!

However, I can report real progress in the hand made Christmas gift category. I'm not sure when I started this project but I don't think it's been much more than a year ago...it's been a doozy! It was very detailed & just a little bit difficult. But I finished it last night & that means it will actually be given this Christmas as planned!
I still need to decide about matting & framing. This is actually going to be a gift for my dad. I know that sounds a little weird - cross stitch for a man?! - but "Silent Night" is his all time favorite Christmas carol so I'm hoping he will really like this. At least I'm hoping he will pretend that he really likes it!

I had a list as long as my arm of other things I wanted to make for Christmas this year but I'm not sure any of it is going to happen. I have to make a set of corn hole bags for my husband or he is going to bust a gasket. Seriously. It's like he doesn't realize we have a whole 25 days until Christmas...

*I want you to know that "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" is playing on the tv in the other room & just listening to it is making me smile. I could sing every one of those songs by heart...good stuff!

Celtic Thunder & Friends

A few weeks ago my fabulous friend Autumn organized a little concert trip. It was wonderfully good timing because Cody was home, visiting from Hawaii. The last couple of times she has been home I have totally missed seeing her. With Autumn's concert plan, we were all going to have an entire evening to catch up. We all knew Good Times lie ahead!

First of all, any trip outside of our little hometown region over to the Big City must include a stop a Chick Fil-A. If I had the dough, I'd open a Chick Fil-A of my own. I love it that much.
I also love Chick Fil-A enough to make sure that everyone got their picture taken with the cow.

As you can tell by our mile-wide grins, Jess & I love Chick Fil-a & we love the cow. There's no explaining love.

As you can tell from their merely happy smiles, Autumn & Cody are not as enamored as Jess & I. Maybe they just hadn't dug into their waffle fries yet. Those fabulously good waffle fries should bring out a mile-wide grin on anybody!

After enjoying our wonderful Chick Fil-A dinners we all hit the front desk for a soda refill & then we hit the road again, motoring on to the Celtic Thunder concert.

That's when the mishap occurred. Cody & I were in the back seat of Jess's car. We were swapping stories & I was showing her some pics on my iphone. Then the unthinkable happened. Somehow, in my extremely talented way, I hit the straw in my soda knocking it through the bottom of my cup & leaving a nickle sized hole for the soda to flow through. In seconds I was soaked. I had never ridden in Jess's car before; my panic stricken mind couldn't figure out how to roll down the window, open the door, or even yell for Jess to stop. I just remember lots of fumbling, moaning, screaming, & icy wetness all over my lap & iphone. Not good, people, not good.

When Jess realized the disaster that had befallen the light gray upholstery of her back seat, she pulled over & I jumped out of the car.

Alas, it was too late. I was wearing about 24 oz. of diet Coke all over my pants. In places that looked very bad. I was a bit distraught but I just couldn't stop laughing. I just couldn't believe what I had done!

I also can't believe I have posted a pic of my backside. Please don't notice any clear details, such as size. Just look at the Coke stains & then promptly scroll on. Thank you very much.

Here is the evil cup. It obviously had some kind of manufacturing defect. It couldn't even stand up to a straw!

Jess rummaged around in her trunk & found me a trash bag to sit on since the seat was SOAKED. I was in a bit of a tizzy trying to figure out what I was going to do about my jeans. Someone miraculously remembered that we were close to an Old Navy - thank the good Lord! We had just enough time to run over & get a new pair of jeans. Autumn coached me on the way to the store...

It doesn't matter if the jeans are on sale! You will buy them!

It doesn't matter if they are long enough! You will buy them!

It doesn't matter if they fit perfectly! You will buy them!

Perhaps she has been shopping with me before & knows how hard it is for me to commit to new jeans? Usually it's a three-or-four-trips-to-try-on-and-investigate before I buy kind of deal. That's what happens when you are tall, a little chubby & frugal like me!

Jess dropped Autumn & I at the curb, we ran in, I grabbed three pairs, tried on the first pair & a dove descended from heaven, declared this day to be the day for my miracle, & they FIT! I tossed them over the door to Autumn, she ran to the cashier, paid for them, brought them back to me & we ran out the door. The fastest jeans buying experience of my.entire.life.

Jess hit the turbo on her Hyundai & we barely made it to the concert on time. My dry legs & backside were very grateful the other girls were willing to make the Old Navy stop. I would not have survived the cold theatre in cold, wet pants. Never mind the crazy stares I would have gotten.

We had a blast at the concert. Jess & Autumn didn't have tickets near us but we met up at intermission to commentate with one another & decide what needed to be purchased from the sales table.

I know we look super happy here, but it was all totally concert-induced. We did not purchase beer from the bar during intermission. However, the older lady sitting next to me did. She was hilarious with the continual remarks during the second half of the show - pointing out who was the sexiest in the Celtic Thunder group, knocking her empty beer can over & then calling herself a loud old drunk lady. Quite entertaining, let me tell you.

I know you are wondering why we would be so excited about a Celtic Thunder concert. I'm sure you've seen them on PBS & thought - weird! Aren't they the guys that sing cover songs like, "Everything I Do, I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams from the movie "Robin Hood." That's totally not cool.

And yeah, they totally sang that song. And I didn't love it. But the other songs that they played & sang totally made up for it. I love Irish music & I will not apologize for it.

After the concert we hung out in front of the theatre for like FOR.EVER waiting for the musicians to come out & board their bus. This was not my idea. However, it was hilarious. I admit that I screamed like a middle school girl a time or two. Said screaming was in jest; I was not giddy with any kind of crush on the handsome musicians. I didn't even get my picture taken with any of them. But I did take Autumn's pic with one of the guys. Funny how she didn't include that one in the pics she sent me for this post...hmmm...maybe she had it blown up poster size & it's hanging on her closet door!

Cause that's what I'd do with it if I were her *grin*

I had all of these grand plans to write a super well thought out, praiseful, thankful, grateful post today. I wanted it to make sense (ha!) & be thought provoking.

However, I slept in a bit this morning - ahhhh! I had to forsake my annual Thanksgiving Day run (because we are getting some much needed rain) for a Denise Austin workout - this is my first Thanksgiving with her! - and now I need to hit the kitchen to make the noodles! So since time is slip, slip, slipping away from me, I'll keep this short & nonsensical like most of my other posts! But hopefully I can convey just a little bit of the gratitude in my heart.

1. I am so thankful for my God & my salvation.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,

that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Lately I have been really meditating on what my life would be like if I had never accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior & received forgiveness for my sins. Let me tell you, I can't think about it too much before my heart overflows with gratitude. The path of my life would be strewn with fear, anxiety, poor decisions & bitterness. I would be without hope. I have so much to thank Jesus for; He has been so good to care for me, lead me, & give me peace. Without Him I could do nothing, I would be nothing.

2. I woke up this morning in a warm, cozy home snuggled up next to my husband. Second only to my salvation, Michael is God's gift to me. I cannot remember how I lived before him. Daily he makes me laugh, comforts me with his wisdom & gentleness, challenges me to love, forgive, & communicate in a Biblical way & he shows me the love of Christ. I am very blessed.

3. Mike & I both have jobs. Full time jobs with benefits. In fact, right now we both have a little more overtime than we know what to do with. Our home is warm, our pantry is stocked, we have what we need & a little that we can share. God has provided for us in a wonderful, faithful way. We are thankful.

4. Today we will have dinner with Mike's family & my family. My parents literally live two blocks away & Mike's M&D are only about 5 minutes away. I still have one full set of Grands & Mike has a G-ma. We have so much family to love & fellowship with. It is overwhelming in a glorious way. Sometimes I think my heart could literally burst from the swelling up of love & happiness. Kind of like how the Grinch's heart grows at the end of the story? I have FELT THAT! God is good.

I'd better wrap this up or there will be consequences - no noodles (oh no!) & I will get so emotional that I'll have to have a kleenex up my sleeve all day!

Mike & I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

So Much For That!

I am by no means fashion savvy. I have to go to work early in the morning. I cannot put together a comprehensible sentence until I have been awake for at least an hour. If I wait until morning to decide what to wear that day I will most likely stand staring into my closet for a full five minutes & still be unable to come up with a workable outfit.
It's just who I am.
I should be on that show, "What Not To Wear."
Sad but true.
In an effort to overcome my early morning mental handicaps (not to mention my lack of time due to hitting the snooze button approximately 63 times), I will generally pick out five outfits on the weekend. Then I iron them all & hang them in a special slot in my closet. Ahh...the joy of planning ahead!
This week I had my outfits all planned & this morning I selected an outfit that seemed fairly well put together, a nice sleek black sweater layered over a cream colored tissue T with crisp dark wash jeans & black shoes. Simple. Solid colors. That's how I roll.
I was even enough ahead of the clock that I could put on some jewelry. I worked in a jewelry store for over five years so I really like the stuff. And I used to really wear it. Not so much anymore, but when I have time I put on a ring (other than my wedding rings which I always wear), a necklace, & some earrings.
So I put on the jewelry, snag my coat & head out the door. All the while thinking I looked just fine.
However...
after I had been at work for a while went to wash my hands. While looking in the mirror I discovered this:

In my right ear I am sporting a beautiful opal stud.

In my left ear I am sporting a beautiful trillion diamond stud.

Oops.

Out With the Old...In With the New!

My goodness! I have been pinned under a heavy rock of work, stuff, & more stuff! I think about blogging all the time...I just haven't had any moments when I could get my fingers on the keyboard. Right now I just have a short moment, so let's make the best of it!



You girls were right, the glasses were the difference in the last picture I posted. I had been living with these little honeys for two years. I was so ready for a change!



Out with the old (and seriously funky looking peeling transition lens glasses)...

and in with The New!

So far, I'm loving these! I'm actually wearing them again today. It's nice to give my eyes a rest from the contacts every once in a while. I'm so grateful I was able to get a good deal (with my vision insurance) for these hopefully a bit more stylish frames :-)

A Little Trivia For You!

I have been majorly absent from this, my little corner of cyberspace. Life has been hopping & I've not been keeping up. Never fear - I have a list of pics & stories as long as my arm that I will be sharing with you all in the *hopefully* very near future!

Until then...

What's different about me in this picture?

If you don't see me on a regular basis it might be hard for you to figure out. But I'll bet that someone out there will see it!

There are no prizes to be awarded *boo!*

But you will feel very smart if you answer correctly. As least it would if it were me...