First Hike RT07-5

We wanted to hike in Canada, but the hiking trail was plowed over so that you couldn't get in, so we just drove back on the highway.











On our way from New York to Virginia, we stopped in Shenendoah National Park. The skyline driveway was closed due to snow and ice, so we decided to drive up to the barricade, park, and walk.






The trail as well as the skyway was covered with snow, but still made for easy hiking. Good uphill climbs and beautiful views of the valley as well as the creeks and trees and wildlife.













Cardinals fluttering their blood-red wings, woodpeckers hammering at the trees and countless tiny chickadees chirping throughout the branches.

Puppy dog prints, deer hooves and maybe some fox tracks?





What can you find in the woods of Virginia? Just about whatever you can think up in your wildest of imaginations. The rustle of leaves and scrunch of snow underfoot tattles of many animals out in the trees but they will remain hidden. We only see birds and the tracks of those who walked before us.









The weather changes from bright blinding sunshine on the trail to freezing wind and blowing snow higher up on the mountain. We pulled our scarves up over our faces and plowed on. At the top of the Dickey Ridge Trail we switched over to the wider road to walk back down the hills. Because of the thick ice and packed snow over the road we practically skiied the whole way back down to the barricade.

It was a fabulous, breath-taking, exhilerating, (insert other adjective here) hike through the Appalatian Mountains. You get to enjoy our pictures as we do since we don't know when we'll be able to go back. Maybe in the summer next time.

of all the things we've seen... RT07-4

...my wife makes me "guest blog" on this one. yup. been in lots of cities and seen lots of friends. seen lots of friends' pets as well. and actually one of these is our friends neighbors dog. connor, i think his name is (toby is the other). so we are sitting in our friends kitchen eating breakfast and hear a knock on the door. toby (dog) runs to the door. turns out it's connor coming over to play. so they open the door and they run out and in and all over. quite funny.

okay, now i've explained the picture and can say whatever i desire. so hi. i'm andy, the guest blogger. you may know me from my previous masterpiece (101 things about anne by andy). yes, i'll sign your copy next time you see me...what, you don't have it printed off and framed?

we are in south carolina. much warmer here than in MI. *yay* and this is our first chance to upload pictures we've taken from the trip so far. have no fear, there will be plenty of posts. hopefully in order. hopefully written by anne, so that there is actually relevant info. but right now she is too lazy to write, type or post. hence me here writing nothing in particular. and yet you continue to read...i guess i would too. so i'll give you some fun information that might not otherwise make it into a post.

first a quick quiz...what do the simpsons, batman and desperate housewives have in common? anyone? anyone? yup, that's right! they all have music (or themes) written by danny elfman. yup, i'm a big danny elfman fan and while at a borders books in erie, PA i discover a CD of symphonic works by mr. elfman. and we had a gift card. so guess what i bought! hmm...that wasn't as exciting of a post as i thought. hard to emote in type.

so is it good? i know you are wondering. well, i haven't actually listened to it yet...still in the packaging. but the title is cool: "Serenada Schizophrana" which makes sense for something from danny (yeah, we're on a first name basis).

oh, and in the previous post you will notice that "schizophrenic" was spelled right (spelt write)...yeah, that's because anne asked me how to spell it. any of you who know us will know the extreme irony, not only that she asked but that i got it right! (rite)

off i go. been nice to meet you all!

A Trip Through Snow RT07-3

Leaving Michigan it was 7 degrees, but bright blue skies and sunshiney weather. Canada was schizophrenic and kept throwing blizzards at us followed immediately by more blue skies and sun.


They do not kid around about having snow. They really just have a ton of snow. A Ton.

We Really Like (Need) Coffee RT07-2

You? What's your favorite caffeinated beverage? Hot winter beverage?

Ideal choice for me is Vanilla Latte or White Chocolate Mocha. Mmmm...

Here We Go RT07-1

Oh Dear. Our Long Road Trip Episode One

So, we're leaving in about a half hour but I'm rather distraught and need some advice.

So far our renter* has seemed really nice and easy-going and whatnot. Frankly, it's not a big deal whether she's tidy or messy...in her own room. When it comes to whatever she chooses to do outside of the house is also fine...as long as she doesn't bring it in.

She's been so worried that she's been loud at night and we haven't heard a thing. We've gotten pretty used to my brother coming in late that we can sleep through quite a lot. Yet it is rather difficult to sleep through a drunk man stumbling from here room, slamming the door open, running through the hall to the bathroom where he slams that door shut and begins to, uh, undo being drunk.

Seriously?

I really don't want to stress out about what is going on while I'm gone. Theoretically, as long as all looks ok when we come back it shouldn't really matter, right? But now I have worries.

If I have to send my wide-awake husband into your room to tell you that your friend needs to, at the very least, go downstairs, then we have a problem, right? Especially when we have to get up early and drive all day long the next day.

I want to be respectful of her, but how do I respond when I feel like she isn't being respectful to us? Or is it just a simple time of a bad decision?

I don't want to be a jerk and I don't want to be condescending or whatever, but I honestly don't know how to respond. Do I ignore it until I get back and just pray the house and everything in it is still in tact?

Sigh. Happy Valentine's, folks.






*a friend of my brother is living in our spare room

Up Late Packing and Watching the Weather

It's supposed to be pretty snowy driving tomorrow. I'm pretty much just crossing my fingers and trusting in the AWD of our car.

Prayers will be appreciated! The adventure begins!!

The Long Version

Here's the schedule. We're starting bright and early Wednesday morning (this means 9 or 10) and driving up through Canada. We'll stop at a Dundas Conservation Area for some Canadian hiking and then drive down to Buffalo for a couple days with my grandparents and various aunts and uncles. Then drive a little further to Jamestown, New York for a couple days with my parents and friends.

Down through Pennsylvania with a quick stop overnight at a cheap little motel and then into Maryland and Virginia (stopping for a few hours to hike in Shenendoah National Park) to visit a high school teacher and his wife whom I haven't seen in ten years. I'm pretty excited about that visit.

South Carolina looks just warm enough this time of year for a two-day stop. (Not to mention, perfect to hike at Mount Rogers National Park.) I am always surprised at how easily it is to lose track of friends who you thought you would be close to and know forever, which is why this trip seems so meaningful to me. A chance to spend some seriously good time with friends I haven't had a chance to spend any time with in years.

OK. After SC we're driving straight through to Bradenton, Florida (maybe with a stop in Orlando to meet fellow blogger Jen?!) to visit hubby's Grandma for a night and then on down to Fort Myers for a few days with my favorite sister-in-law and her hubby!! Days at the beach, shopping and generally just vacationing. Ahhh.

Back up through Florida (stopping again at Grandma's for lunch) continuing to Atlanta and visiting my fabulous aunt (I'm so ready for a haircut, too! She always does the BEST!) and cousin. I'm been tempted with the possibility of stopping at IKEA. Our car is going to be so full. Good thing it's a wagon...

The very last stop is for two nights in Gatlinburg, TN. We've rented a cabin in the woods (complete with full kitchen, pool table, jacuzzi & hot tub!) and will be relaxing all by ourselves as well as doing some serious hiking in the Smokey Mountains.

And that is our trip. The only unfortunate part is that we have to go to work the very next day we get back, so hopefully that last bit is very very very relaxing!

This is the Part of the Show that We Like to Call Crowd Participation

I need a bunch of recommendations for good, healthy, filling road trip snacks.

We know fast food will come into play in our 14 days on the road, but have made a pact to a. Not drink soda and b. Only eat chicken sandwiches and salads from these places.

But I also know part of the problem of road-eating is the snacking along the way. I know we'll buy a big bag of combos and there will be candy consumption.

However, I want to have some better choices. Jean, Heather, Jenna, Brooke--I especially need your help here, but I could use a lot of options...so tell me about your favorite relatively-healthy snack that can easily be eaten while driving and will hopefully keep us from gorging on junk food.


I plan on blogging from the road. Many adventures will be had and I'm sure you will want to know every single detail...

The Art of a Candle

Moving Day

Doesn't it always feel like you just got settled somewhere when you have to move again?

Or is it more often that you feel as thought you need something new?

Today my office spaces were moved. I say spaces because I don't really have a true business office anywhere.

In our house I have an office/sewing room/spare bedroom. At my job I have a cubicle area.

Both were due for a change.

My department at the church (children's and family ministries) has been growing quite a bit and there are both new staff members as well as a couple that have been working for some time but haven't ever had an 'official' desk and computer and all that. So everyone from our department, a few kind volunteers as well as a good number of able-bodied men added and rearranged and reassembled cubicles today. Lots of craziness, but all for a great result.

At home the office part of my O/SR/SBR was moved into the library today. We have a renter moving in to the spare bedroom tonight or tomorrow. Since it would be a bit awkward for me to be on my computer while she was sleeping, I moved my desk and all of its various accessories out. The sewing room is still part of the SBR. But only because there's really no where to move my sewing closet. I'll end up sewing in the library, but keeping everything in the renter's bedroom. Hopefully this will work out without too much hassle. I don't really see another option. According to my brother, (the renter is his friend) she has been used to sleeping on a random friend's couch so a real room with a real bed will be great for her!

Busy day. Now for the settling down and getting some work done.

Thieving Murderers!

My husband calls me a hypocrite for chastising the cats for something that only days ago I was praising them for.

Ok, I'm still proud of them for killing the mice. But it just seems fitting to call them thieving murderers!

Yesterday was a very busy day, running around getting the car worked on for next week's Road Trip and other various errands. One of them was to be going to the bank, but I never got to it.

Which is why when I was getting ready for bed, I still had a couple checks and some cash in my pocket that were supposed to be deposited. I set them on the counter in the bathroom so I'd be sure to see it first thing in the morning and put in back in my pocket for today.

Well, when I went in this morning they were all jumbled. Checks scrambled on the floor and counter and the money? GONE!

Little thieves stole my money! I looked all over for it this morning and can't find it anywhere! Just now I thought that I should have shuffled through the clothes lying on the floor in the bathroom (We're not always very tidy) and that maybe they were just playing with the money and it's still in there but under something.

I kept telling them I wouldn't feed them until they coughed up the loot. Or at least told me where their secret stash was.

The creeps wouldn't tell me a thing.

Taxes

I have to say, I look forward to tax time. Remember how Monica was trying to be less stiff & perfect? And she tried to deny paying bills as soon as they came in the mail? And how people who don't do that are just crazy? Yeah, well, I have to agree. Seriously, isn't it just easier and more fun to pay them right away?

Obviously and of course I have to do the same with taxes. As soon as I have all of the pertinent information I am all over it.

Years ago, when I first gave taxes a try, I was enthralled. Filling in all of the little blanks. Trying to figure out what on earth the instructions were trying to say.

Granted, there was the one year where my husband and I had 12 W-2 between us and I chose to go to an accountant. That was just a little overwhelming for me.

But then TurboTax came out. How much fun is it to enter in all the information and just watch your refund go up in the corner?

Last year my paychecks had been calculated incorrectly and there wasn't enough taken out. We got a very small refund last year. As we all know, the government is using our money in the meanwhile, so it's really ok that we received a small refund.

However, there's just something so rewarding about a bigger one. Fortunately, I'm the kind of person who sees extra money as a way to pay off bills and debt. (I don't know how I will be if there comes a day when we don't have debt...)

This year we are paying off our credit card. It had been accumulating through the summer with all of our projects and various emergencies (see: hot water heater, car accident, etc). The weight that is lifted from my shoulders for that kind of thing is unbelievable. I am so very excited!

Hooray for taxes!

Freezing Outside, Sewing Inside

This weekend, everything was closed. The temperatures were below zero. Nosehair freezing weather.

Church was cancelled, so we didn't even have work on our main day of the week.

So I got some work done at home. Four apron orders finished. And I'm working on two more today!




I don't think I have ever drank more coffee than I have the past week.
It's just so cold that hot beverages are so good. And really, I have only had one "real" cup of coffee. The rest were half-caf or decaf. So it's not really like I'm flying off the walls or anything. A girl just likes to stay warm and toasty.







Am I the only one who watches the Super Bowl for the commercials? And even if you watch the game for the game's sake, am I the only one who was horribly, frustratingly disappointed with the lack of good ones? There were a couple, sure (the crazy Doritoes one?!) but it seems like they get less impressive every year. Maybe it's just me.







Anyway, let me know if you see anything you like! I also just uploaded all of my current fabric choices to my flickr page for further browsing. I can customize, or you can choose one of the nine designs I have already done! Email me at sewverysweet[at]gmail[dot]com and I'll get started on it right away!

Have a fabulous Monday! It's still freezing, but the sun is shining and I don't have to leave the house today so all is well!

What Do You Do When You're Snowed In?

Quite Possibly The World's Most Cutest Shoes

For our upcoming Two-Week-February-Road-Trip-Oh-Seven I decided I would need to only bring one good pair of shoes.
(this may end up being only mostly true as I will surely need flip-flops for Florida and warm snow boots for hiking in Canada)

Ebay is the place to shop for cute shoes at the best price. They are oh-so-comfy and as you can all see, they are darn cute.

On a side note, I was shopping at the mall yesterday for clothes for the hubby (at the recommendation of some very deal-savvy friends) and found him some unbelievable deals on stuff. Really nice dress shirts for $8! Sweaters for $11! We almost picked up a great blazer for $30, but it just wasn't quite long enough in the arms. The man has monkey arms, I swear. Frankly, I may have to make him one. *light bulb over head*

Aaanyway, one of my other reasons for going to the mall was to buy some laundry soap from Victoria's Secret. It's my favorite. The smell, the softeners...it's the best for your delicates. Well. It is now discontinued. I couldn't believe it.

"What am I going to wash my underwear in!?" I asked the sales girl. She didn't have an appropriate response for me at all.

Fortunately, you can buy anything on Ebay. Even laundry soap.

A Children's Rhyme

Two Dead Mice. Two Dead Mice.

See how they run.

See how they flee.

They must have got in through the floor crawl space.

Our cats caught them fast, they didn't have a chance.

I never thought I would see such a sight.

As two dead mice.

The First Shipment

I love to order things online. So when I found a fabulous fabric store (fabric.com) I sort of went nuts. They have such great deals on material! Designer prints, simple prints, everything imaginable. And the CLEARANCES! Oh my, it makes my head spin.

See anything you like? I'm going to start making up a bunch of different adorable aprons and start selling them on ebay. The apron store is opening soon!

What a Couple of Losers

I've never really been a big fan of squirrels. Out in the woods to see them scampering up and down trees is OK; their big bushy tails swishing back and forth.

However, when they're in my yard eating my vegetables or terrorizing the birds, I have a tendency to yell at them. And I will admit that I have thrown sticks at them before. Don't worry, I have terrible aim.

For the past three months or so, we have had two squirrels living in our soffit. It is not open to the attic, just an enclosed space all the way around the top of our house. I could hear them tearing around after each other, racing each other in a mini marathon, sometimes stopping to fight and then taking off again.

This week I finally hired someone to repair the spots where the metal pieces were unattached, enabling the squirrels easy access in and out of their little 'home'.

One squirrel was trapped out. One squirrel was trapped in.




One squirrel now has no ability to get to the food he has been storing up for months. One squirrel now has no ability to get out to a water supply.

The one that is stuck on the outside has been running up and down the tree right by the house chattering and trying to find a new way in.

The one that is stuck on the inside has been running around in circles trying to find a new way out. And he has been pounding on the siding...I think he can see a little bit of light through a crack and is trying to bash his way through. Unfortunately for him, once he smashes through all he will do is fall two stories straight down.

I'm not a squirrel hater. I do feel sad for the squirrel who is trapped and for the squirrel who now has to start from scratch to store his food.

Yet there is also a sense of success in knowing that very soon they will not be burrowing into my home any longer. They will not have a chance to destroy my siding or make a mess of the entire soffit.

And the whole this is really really funny.

Heard Last Night

"What's this dough in the refrigerator?" He asks me as he searches for an evening snack.

"I don't know. Was it on the shelf?" I ask, thinking it is probably a roll of pie crust dough.

"It was way in the back."

"What does it look like?" I continued to yell from the living room.

"A turtle?"

Not Just Another Apron

It was also my first sale! Granted, my mother-in-law bought it as a gift for someone, but that still counts, right?

This is the Upstairs Hall

The hall without paint here on the left. You can kind of see the cutting in around the trim.


Which looks surprisingly like the hall with paint here on the right. It's just a bit lighter than the downstairs green. Honest. It's green.




But after a long day of work, the Picture Project is finished! The hall can be named Complete.
It seriously took us all day long. Scanning old pictures in. Then taking pictures of some of the ones that didn't scan well. Older pictures really don't scan very well.

There are a couple more that I need to photoshop and I am actually out of frames, which is phenomenal because I have always felt like I seem to have a million of them floating around the house. Anybody have any extras that are interesting? I would like another red one or at least something colored.

The trick will be to keep them mostly level with each other. Fortunately, we don't live near trains or have many serious earthquakes.

Though the way the cats tear through here I'll be lucky to keep them on the walls at all.

Fluffy

My cat.

Clouds.

A Stuffed Teddy Bear.

Baby Blankets.

Shag Carpet.



The snow falling in mounds.

This is the Hall *Updated*

And I love the new paint. Sure, it may not look very interesting to you, but the walls are a fresh, new color and the table is re stained.

Now, I have that nice little pot with a plant in it and the fabulous red ceramic vase sitting on the table. But I'm not convinced that it is the perfect arrangement. First of all, there are always supposed to be an odd number of items together and secondly, it just doesn't completely do it for me.

I need a suggestion for the perfect little table arrangement. Any item you've seen that should go here? Or something that has been floating around the net that I just have to pick up to make the perfect ensemble?

Thanks,

Waiting for Inspiration


*Update*

Ok, so here is the key hook. It's new and really cute and I actually got it for free b/c the engraving was done really badly so they refunded me...but I didn't need to send it back!

Anyway, I don't need the table for keys. The table is purely decorative at this juncture. It's not big enough for coats or much, really.




This is the hallway from another angle. Sticks I love, but I've already got 'em.

Oh, and do you like my new curtain? You can see it hanging there. It's supposed to be a Roman Shade, but I haven't sewn the rings or pulleys onto it yet, so it's just a shade.












Your suggestions and ideas have been fabulous, really. But I have already done all those things. Oh, and there's a mirror to the right of the table on the door that you can't see. So I have that too...

Now you see why I'm at a loss!?

Winter Wool Skirt

I have to say I was very pleased with how well my skirt turned out. For the most part. Except for the part that involved my need to make things much more difficult than they should be and except for the part where I was far to lazy to correctly do the thing that was more difficult.

All that to tell you that I have been sewing for years and still learn several new lessons. For example:

A. Don't buy a pattern that says "For Dummies" anywhere on it. It is actually much more riduculous and confusing than a normal pattern.
B. If you are adding something to your project that is not in the pattern (like an extra lining or interfacing to create stiffness) make sure you're not a lazy incompetent. Those two factors added together will ensure that the project will be a thorn in your side. And that you will swear at several inanimate objects quite profusely.
C. Don't spill coffee on your project mere hours before you need to wear it. You will inevitably smell like coffee all evening. And be rather damp.

Brought to You By the Letter B

Red Apron

Very cute red apron. With a very silly black & white polka dot lining.

Need an apron? Let me know and I can customize one just for YOU!

Productive

Thank you to all of you who sent well wishes. It's been almost a week and the grieving is easier, though there are still little reminders of sadness. However, the other kitties seem more loving and more snuggly so that has helped.

Anyway, I have been trying to be as productive as possible to keep myself busy. The hallways have been painted this week and all that needs to be done to finish that up is a bit of touch-up, staining a table, picking up and hanging the new light switch plate and a cute new key hook. Tomorrow I'll be sewing the curtains for the windows. I love the new color and the freshness it brings as soon as you walk in the front door.
Actually, that's not really all taht needs to be done. I am planning on printing, mounting, and hanging a ton of family pictures on the upstairs hall walls. So my project still has several aspects left to be worked on before I am content...I'm not taking pictures of the final project until it's really DONE.

I also made another very cute apron with a friend (red with a very cute black & white polka dot lining) and am currently finishing up a beautiful grey wool skirt for a wedding I'm going to tomorrow. More pictures will be forthcoming!

He's Really Gone

I kept thinking I would change my mind or something would come up or I just wouldn't be able to go through with it. I keep telling myself it's just a stupid cat. There are bigger problems in the world.

There weren't really any other options. He may find a farm to live on, or he may get adopted by some nice little old lady. But he's really really gone.

I think Andy and I both cried ourselves to sleep last night. And I just can't stop.

A Few Moments (or Days) of Silence

I'm trying not to really think about it at all. Otherwise, I'll just sit here and cry. I'm crying typing.

Can I really send him away to a new home?

He was our first kitty. We got him before we were even married. He has the cutest little meow, the saddest little face. He likes to lick your hair and purrs so loudly when he's on your lap trying to read your book.

But he peed on my plant window. And the tile floor. And the wall behind the stove. The STOVE! I have to cook there!! All this after almost two months of re-training. If that didn't work, nothing will. It was honestly the last straw. The last three straws, really.

My sweet Iggy with a Hitler mustache. My tall kitty with big green eyes. He likes to play hide and seek around the house. He'll chase you up the stairs and then wait for you to turn around and chase him back. He can jump higher than any of the the other kitties.

I truly can't take him away myself. A friend is coming tomorrow to pick him up and "take him to find a new, happier future." I am accepting that as whatever it may be. I don't want to know. I am simply so grateful that she is willing to do this for me as she knows I can't do it.

Yep, crying while typing is hard to do. Sheesh, it's just a cat. Just a sweet, innocent kitty who never meant any harm. He doesn't mean to do what he does.

You may have to keep reminding me about the stove. Maybe every day for a while.

It feels like such a life-altering thing. And in a sense, it really is. There's this little body that has lived with us and who we've cared for for six years. No, he's not human, but that doesn't mean we haven't had a huge emotional attachment to him. There will be something missing from our lives. Something will truly change forever. I know I'll look back in a few years or months and not feel as I do now, and that knowing is what is helping me get through. Seems so silly that it's so huge but it is.

I will miss you, my sweet Iggy. We have loved you and cared for you and snuggled you. We have fed you and played with you and brushed your soft, glossy fur. We will cry for you and miss seeing you in your favorite spots. Oh dear, there I go crying again.

3-D Cookies

What more could you ask from a New Year's party than a cookie-decorating contest!? Or a Mario-Party-8-Player Tournament? Or enormous bottles of champagne? There we go, now I have your attention.

From Sojourners Today

Whoever is on a journey towards God goes from one beginning to another beginning. Will you be among those who dare to tell themselves: "Begin again! Leave discouragement behind! Let your soul live!"

- Brother Roger of Taize

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...

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?

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!

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!

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!

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

Silly Shot on Sunday

Friend Foto on Friday

Cat Picture on Thursday