Thursday, December 28, 2006

Cleaning House

Usually I don't start the serious cleaning, organizing, dumping out of drawers until, oh I don't know, July.

Lately I have had plenty of time to sit on my little keister and read, play video games, and generally while away the hours. It has been blissful, restful and altogether healing to body and mind.

One of the best things about so much free time is that when it's over I have all this pent-up energy for working and doing. Generally, when I get into an organizational mode, it gets a lot worse before it gets remotely better.

At the moment, Cammie is guarding the mess of papers to be gone through, filed or thrown away. Closets are getting an overhaul, many loads of laundry are washing, the budget is being rewritten and rededicated, Christmas wrapping leftovers are getting put away, etc and so forth.


I hope you are having an equally productive day today! Of course, here I am blogging about my work instead of actually doing the work, but it's all the same, right?

Oh, and I just want it to be known that the fantastic speakers that my fabulous husband bought me for Christmas for my laptop are indeed Fantastic. Man, I don't think I'll be able to turn the music off now...

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

What'd Ya Get?

I have to say I was immensely pleased with Christmas this year. Now don't get me wrong, I have been striving to pull myself out of a materialistic hit I'd been struggling through. I asked for very little this year and only when pressured.

What do I need? As a happy, healthy American, pretty much nothing at all.

I asked for books. And I got more than I really could deserve. Besides my much-coveted books I also got a couple card games, a movie and some fabulous speakers for my laptop.

However, my favorite gift of all, the piece de resistance if you will, was nothing truly material. It's not something I can sell on ebay (well...maybe I could, but I doubt anyone would buy it) and it's definitely not something you could find in a store.

I was still sick on Christmas. On a day usually spent enjoying family and reflecting over the birth of our Lord, well, I still did both of those things. But I did them from the comfort of my couch and my glass of Sprite. Really, it's one of the worst holidays to be sick.

My husband gave me the gift of laughter. He always knows just how to make me smile, to show he cares in the most effective manner possible. He drew me cartoons to go with each of the gifts he gave me. Small gifts, but made so huge by his creative efforts.

If I showed them to you, you probably wouldn't think they were funny at all. But I was laughing so hard when I first read them that I was positively crying. Every time I look at them again I am just filled with love for him and I just keep giggling.

Thank you, my husband for your love. For your creativity and generosity of heart. You are God's gift to me and you show me His love in so many ways. I will never be able to deserve you. :)


What was your favorite this year?

The Great Cat Move of Oh-Six

It was a quiet afternoon.

A day for anticipation, cleaning, and endless finishing touches. The holidays were approaching, guests would be arriving with all haste.

There was some trepidation in the decision. For many months the learning had gone without a hitch. Progress was inevitably made, the accomplishments indeed were great.

Yet would The Great Cat Move of Oh-Six go smoothly? Were the most carefully-laid plans sure to succeed?

Yea verily, oh faithful readers, The Move was put into motion with much thought, preparation and the knowledge that all would indeed go well.

It has been five days now and nary a whiff of the disaster that would be but a portent of evil. May your prayers be with us now as we continue on a journey of discovery and, dare I say it, prevention.

My great wish for us all now in these times is for an ever lingering hope. A hope that there will be no relapse, no failings, no succumbing to peer pressure. Nay, that instead there will be rebirth, growth and sustainable happiness in the days ahead for all who reside in this abode.


And please, no peeing on the floors. Is that really so much to ask?

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Why Me...

I seem to have an uncanny ability to get horribly sick at the worse possible times.

Back in June when I had a fever for three days...on the weekend of our big kids event that I always run.

On Christmas Eve when I am supposed to play in the band for five services. Yuck.

But I suppose it's going around and it was bound to hit me sometime. I guess I will console myself with the fact that it's a really easy (though nasty) way to lose weight, right? Ugh.

Here's hoping I will be up and about for Christmas!

And that you are healthy, happy and enjoying the season!

Friday, December 22, 2006

Of Pillows and Purses and Aprons


This year, being on a tighter Christmas budget, I decided I would make a lot more of my Christmas gifts. (The ones I didn't make, I bought using coupons and gift cards!!)

Now, I don't claim to be an amazing seamstress, nor do I assert that there is an excessive amount of creativity in my bones. There are many others who posess so much more than I. However, I am quite proud of my little gifty creations. I had fun, did a splendid job and am looking forward to putting some joy on people's faces!




Anyone who is interested in having me make them an apron or purse or pillow, just let me know! I've got it down to an art!






Oh, and I made a bunch of cinnamon ornaments as gift ties. They smell so great and are really cute!

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Three: Another Book Review

I love finding a book that I just have to devour. A long, wordy text that I am physically unable to put down.

Ted Dekker had been a novelist that I was hesitant to read, if simply for the fact that he's a 'Christian' writer as opposed to being a 'writer who is a Christian.' Trust me, there's a difference. Anyway, I got this book for free yesterday donated at the office and available for anyone to grab. So I grabbed it and I just couldn't put it down.



I won't tell you what other stories it rather reminds me of, because that would ruin it for you, but it was a great blend of suspense, action and mind games.

It was a great, fun read and well worth my time curled up on the couch!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Dumb

I do dumb things all the time. Walk into walls, babble through my words nonsensically (sometimes it's a dain bramage issue) or write teh instead of the. *ahem*

Not that I'm necessarily absent-minded, or flaky (I hope?) or whatever, but I am definitely impulsive and often act without thinking.

Or I could have been distracted. Who knows.

Last week I sold quite a few things on eBay. Very excitedly and as soon as payment would come in, I'd pack it up and ship it off.

A couple of the items didn't sell and so I immediately re listed them. You may have found me wandering aimlessly through my house looking for more things to sell...

At this point, I would like to clarify. I am normally a very organized person. However, somehow or somewhere I got all confused. Yet I didn't realize my mistake until days later.

Today while checking my current listings, I noticed something really dumb. Not just "Ah gee, I just locked my keys in my car" dumb. But embarrassingly and problematically dumb.

I shipped the wrong thing out. I shipped out an item that hasn't even sold to someone who bought something completely different. Com-freaking-pletely different. Now really, to my credit, they look a lot alike, have similar manuals and are about the same size, etc. The husband claims that he knew I was doing it wrong at the time but I assured him I wasn't. Of course, I don't recollect this conversation at all.

So I had to swallow my pride today and email my buyer and inform him that he was about to receive an incorrect item, and would he please send it back to me so I can mail out the right thing? No, this isn't the end of the world, but I created a huge pain for myself and now I'm hoping that one of my items (the one I mistakenly sent out) doesn't actually sell.

Sheesh.

Please tell me you've done something dumb recently? I would like to salvage just a little bit of my pride...

Playing Peekaboo

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Friday, December 15, 2006

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

I Hate Money

Seriously. $$ causes problems no matter how you look at it. If you ("you" meaning "me" in this instance...but it's easier to place the blame off of myself, so bear with me/you) have a lot of $$ then you are consumed with buying things with it and if you don't have enough of it you are still consumed with buying things but you can't, so you are just consumed with what you can't buy.

I have been pretty good about buying less since I now make less.
It was fabulous back when I made more. I would shop whenever I wanted, while still saving a good amount. But over the summer, a good deal of "house" things crept up that I easily paid for on my pretty pink credit card. (with a credit card that cute, who doesn't want to shop!?) Our shed, paint, plants, pots, dirt, fabric, light bulbs, wiring, curtains, mud plaster, venting fan, etc, etc, etc. All necessary at the time, but horrifyingly painful to look at the bill now.

Then I was saving up faithfully for a new car. About which time, the old car got smashed and we had to get a new car right away and we used other savings for that and had to get another loan. Joy of all joys. So the car savings (which was smaller) got used for my fabulous new camera. I had been wanting said camera for a very long time and justified it since I had the savings and also because I plan to use it for future business ventures.

The very next week the hot water heater went out and what money I spent on the camera could have/should have/would have been saved for that expense.

In the meanwhile, I have been busily ebay-ing to make up for many of these losses. And as most of my auctions end today I have been checking my stats every three minutes. I never really realized that sellers would check the info as much as buyers would!

And the hard part is going to be deciding where to put the money. I'm thinking about the "saving for the expensive car fix that will be coming up before we drive to visit family in Florida in February." But there's also the "saving for driving to Florida in February" that I have to think about. Not to mention the previously mentioned "seemingly insurmountable ever-looming credit card debt that has mounted over the past 7 months that I'd really prefer not to think about at all but it looms so I have to think about it."

I really enjoy budgeting and organizing the bills and getting everything paid early (kind of like Monica who assumes everyone pays their bills as soon as they come in the mail) but I also am a horrible compulsive shopper.

When will I ever learn!? I don't need half of the things I have and sometimes when I open my closet(s) I am sickened by the amount. But I want, I want, I want.

We have already decided it would be a small Christmas this year. When asked what is on my list, I usually just say books. Surely I don't need anything else. At least a book can increase my brain more than just being a possession.

I should be/I need to be/I want to be giving money and things to church and charity this year, but sadly I can't even do that. Again, sickened by what I have and by what I wish I could give. Time, I can give, and I will, but that just doesn't seem to make up for it.

I don't know what I hope to accomplish by this telling blog post. Maybe I just needed to get my problem out for the world to see for my own accountability. Maybe I really need someone to tell me to quit buying things. Some days it's so easy when I'm in my right mind, and other days I find myself in the mall or any other store and the pink car fairly flies out of my hand. At least now, I leave it at home. In a drawer. It should probably be under lock & key.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

I Always Love a Good Poll

You can vote for more than one, but hurry! I need to get my shopping done!









Top Three Albums



Which Three Should I Buy?






"truth, soul, rock & roll" by The Elms
"Don't Wait" by Adie Camp
"Matt Mays & El Torpedo"
"Drunkard's Prayer & Ohio" by Over the Rhine
"Room Noises" by Eisely
"The Golden Hum" by Remy Zero
"Let Go" by Nada Surf
"Long Trip Alone" by Dierks Bentley
"Fewer Moving Parts EP" by David Bazan
"The Crane Wife" by The Decemberists
Tchaikovsky's 5th symphony
"Songs for Christmas" by Sufjan Stevens
"Wintersong" by Sarah Maclachlan
"Keep No Score" by Sleeping At Last
"Into the Blue Again" by The Album Leaf

Current Results



Monday, December 11, 2006

DVFX Christmas 2006

Every month, the big event for our Children's Ministry is called DVFX. And every month, we spend tons of time planning, rehearsing and setting up all the parts that go together for said event.


D
iscovery Village (the name of our kids' programs/classes/etc) Family Experience. It's fabulous. Kids can bring their parents, siblings or whomever they choose to experience what we do on a regular basis on Sunday mornings. Singing, stories, activities, and lots of silliness.








Since it's December, this month it was our annual Christmas event. Hundreds of families, lots of different crafts, cookie making, storytelling, service projects, and music everywhere along with a little bit of dancing.

Each class of kids gets a chance to perform (aka: shout Christmas carols while picking their noses) for their families and friends as well as providing numerous photo opportunities.



As you may or may not know, I lead a group of kids called the Half Notes. They're kind of like a choir, but a lot louder and with a bit more nonsense. Along with the singing kids, I also have a band. And I may have said this before, but they rock. (This may or may not have anything to do with the fact that Hubby is the leader of the band...)




Anyway, all of this to say we had this event last Saturday and it was amazing. The kids performed spectacularly, families had a blast, we had plenty of volunteers to pull it all off and chalked the whole thing up to another great year.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Need Some Help Here

Ok folks, the time has come for another of the "You Recommend" posts.

If one were to purchase only three CDs this season (excluding the new Switchfoot album that will be purchased first thing on the day after Christmas) what CDs would one purchase?

They need not necessarily be brand new albums. Just your top three ever. Or current. Cuz, I have some old ones, but do need some new.

Thanks as always for the help.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

14 Hours


That's all it took to watch the last season of Alias. 14 hours. Not straight through of course. At least not entirely. We stopped at 2am and then got back up at nine the next day. And obviously there were a couple food and bathroom breaks.

I have to say, the last season did not disappoint me in the least. Nosirree. I'm sure it made a difference to watch it all back to back and without commercials. The finale was perfectly satisfying as well. There were a couple cheesy moments, but all in all an excellent ending to an excellent show.

It was so fun to snuggle down indoors yesterday and get so involved with something exciting like that, while the snow fell endlessly and freezingly outside. We have over a foot now I believe, and it's beautiful.

So there's my confession for this week. I truly watched 14 hours of tv in two days. And I'm not sorry.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Legion



Other working titles for this post:

"All the Little People (Where Do They All Come From?)"

"I Never Claimed to be A Professional Cookie Decorator"

"Don't Look Too Closely"

"Add Your Own Clever Title Here"

Friday, December 01, 2006