Gratitude Friday

 

 

Today I'm grateful for:

1. Books on "tape" (I can "read" and do something else at the same time - unless the book is REALLY good and if that's the case, I just sit and listen) - downloaded from the public library website (FOR FREE!) directly onto my ipod.
2. The Help - truly a just-sit-and-listen or read-it-in-a-day kinda book - LOVED it!
3. E-Mags - who'da thunk it?!  As you know, I'm new 'round these parts, so I've just learned about this awesomeness.  Check out this one and this one.  I will be doing some serious perusing this weekend!
4. Craft Show Season - also on the agenda for this weekend, visiting here and here.
5. Flannel sheets (most of the time)  & cool cotton pillow cases when the hot is flashin'.

Have a cozy weekend.

Finally!

Brrr!  It's gotten chilly here in the last few days.  It really feels like Fall, and... FINALLY it's starting to look like Fall.

The mums are finally on all out GO!  They've just fully exploded this week.  I'm going to have to take it all in quickly because they don't last very long.  They are so flashy - love all the color!

Yea!!  I LOVE pretty!

Refrigerator Chalkboard

This weekend I made this...

I loved this idea! I got the idea from Melissa at The Inspired Room blog.  During October, I was an avid follower of her 31 Days of Autumn Bliss, where she showed off her Refrigerator Chalkboard here. 

Here's how to do it:

1. Get an old frame, or find one at Goodwill.  I found mine (measuring 9" x 12") at Goodwill for $2.99.  If necessary,  you can paint the frame to match your kitchen.  I lucked up on this one and didn't really feel like I needed to paint it.
2. For the chalkboard part, you can attack this one of two ways:  cut a thin board to fit your frame and paint it with chalkboard paint, OR buy adhesive chalkboard sheets here, and cut it to fit your frame.  I'm ALL about instant gratification, so I bought the sheets.  You don't have to wait for them to cure like you do the chalkboard paint.
3. Take the glass out of the frame, put the chalkboard in, and mount it on the fridge.
4. My frame had a picture hanger on the back - you can remove this, but I already had a 3M removable hook that I put on the fridge and the hanger slid over that perfectly.  Melissa used the removable Command Strips to hang hers. 

The other great idea from Melissa's post is using chalk pens instead of chalk.  They are so much easier to handle and much cuter colors than regular chalk.  I found them at Michael's for $11.99 and with my 40% off coupon, they were only $7.20.

This project was extremely satisfying and took me all of 10 minutes to put it together.  Of course, if you paint the frame and use chalkboard paint it will take a little longer.

I'm thinking these may make great Christmas gifts!

I'm linking up here:

Happy Halloween!

In celebration of the day, I just thought I'd share some of my favorite costumes through the last (too many) years...

Yep, that's me.  I think I was 13.  This is my version of "punk" at the time. This foreshadows something that I find much, much more frightening (you will see). 

Chicken Little's second Halloween.  The first year she was Tinkerbell and we squeezed her into a lime green leotard with wings (she looked like a big booger).  It was hysterical, but I can't find any pictures.  This particular Halloween, the temperature dropped from 80 to 40 overnight, so we had to quickly rethink the angel outfit and she became a cowgirl - much warmer!  Many years followed where any costume was good as long as it involved some sort of face paint or make-up - and always she was "workin' it".

Remember the first picture, this is where it gets scary.  This is CL - same age - same general idea!  For those of you about to enter this time, remember it is a phase and it will pass!

High school: wigs, trips to Goodwill, and much angst over having a cool costume.

So, now she is at college and still Halloween is a big deal.  She's posting her costumes now on her own blog.  But we are not left out this year - we get the pleasure of just enjoying the end product with grand babies.  A pirate and his parrot! 



Happy Halloween everybody!  Be safe and get lots of candy!

Grace Full

I mentioned the other day how much I have been loving the 31 Days of Grace series that Emily at Chatting at the Sky, has been writing throughout October.  It has been amazing!  (Get it? amazing grace!)  :-)

Today she is asking her readers to write about grace.

Life is full of grace, it is our choice, our obligation, our privilege to receive and share it.

The past couple of years have been a test.  As a family and as individuals, we've had our challenges, and in spite of everything I'm still able to look around and see our blessings.  That is grace.

As hormones have wreaked havoc on my body and my mind, I have felt strange and out of control.  I've spent most of this year in a clumsy, sweaty, painful, slightly befuddled and distracted haze.  Most of the time, I'm exhausted from the battle I fight just to stand up each day, yet I continue to stumble blindly forward, and without fail, I end up in a bright place, full of warmth and light.  That is grace. 

Many times during this season I've been too self-involved to be gracious to others.  Having the humility and strength to make amends following those days when I am ashamed to say I showed and accepted no grace.  That is grace.

I recently heard a new twist on the comparison of God to a teacher.  The speaker said, as you prepare for a test, the teacher is talking to you, giving you tools, guiding you, preparing you, but when it comes time for the actual test, the teacher is silent.  Depending on how you did on the test, the good teacher praises and rewards you, or if you failed, the teacher will begin the lesson again, reteaching in a different way and gently trying to rebuild your confidence.  During our recent tests, I have been searching and questioning, and I have been so disappointed because I felt my questions and were falling on deaf ears. As usual, I received the gift of this metaphor during this time when I was so desperate to hear it.  That is grace.

On a particularly difficult day, crying and praying out loud on the entire drive home, begging for a sign (anything!) that everything was going to be ok.  Turning the corner and seeing that sign (literally!):  a black and white billboard that said in huge letters "BREATHE" and nothing else. (Be still and know that I am.)  That is grace.

I have desperately tried to control every little "peace" of my life, and I continue to fail.  Recognizing that I am not the One in control, and that this is my lesson and my test.  This is tough, and that is grace.

Understanding, giving and receiving an acceptance and a Love that is without conditions and without end.  That is grace, my life is full, and I am deeply grateful.

I saw a similar sign on Flower Patch Farmgirl (love that blog!) here.  The piece she pictured was wonderful, and I loved the idea of it.  Instead of saying I stole the idea, I'd prefer to say I was inspired  by it.  I rushed this one, so it didn't translate as well as I'd hoped, but I may try again. 

I'm a feeling a little nervous and vulnerable about this post because it is so personal.  But, with amazing grace surrounding me, I acknowledge my hesitation and fear with a wink and a nod and hit publish....

Gratitude Friday

Today I'm grateful for:

1. Second chances
2. Sweater season
3. Having a job to go to everyday (as challenging as it may be at times)  :-)
4. It's our Anniversary!
5. The ability to get out of the bed today

 Have a great weekend!

Good, Funny, Texas, Not So Good and a Tutorial

GOOD:  I attended a class at work today based on the book, Getting Things Done.  When we still carried planners, I had my whole life arranged with the Franklin Covey system, but since I now keep my calendar in Outlook, I haven't really figured out a system for managing everything.  This class was AWESOME because they gave some applicable organization techniques and great tips on how to do apply them in Outlook.  Yea!  This is my weekend homework - I'm determined to use this stuff 'cause I'm tired of being so scattered.

FUNNY:  I caught a glimpse of this through the window this weekend... 

That was the sneaky-through-the-blinds picture I took.  Then I got bold and just opened the door for this one.

Yep, that's my husband vacuuming the lawn!  Bwaahaahaahahahahahahah!!!  Sorry for the blurry pictures, but it's hard to stay steady when you're rolling on the floor laughing hysterically.  He decided it would be easier to vacuum the acorns up off the lawn instead of raking or blowing them.  I have to give it to him, it was a clever solution, and it looks great.  :-)

TEXAS:  We had some storms roll through here this weekend. You can see (above) what the sky was like in the morning - sunny and gorgeous.  About an hour later, the sky in front of the house looked like this...

And from the back of the house, it looked like this! Within 30 minutes - it was pretty again.  I've lived here all my life, and it still amazes me how quickly the weather can change. 

 NOT SO GOOD:  I got home from work today, and I was all motivated to plug in my computer and get organized (using all that good info I learned).  I walked in the door, let the dog out, changed my clothes, let the dog in, finished the conference call I was on, and started to log into the network.  Lola came up and started rubbing her head and face on my leg - can't be good, right?

Why would that be bad?  Let's just say that Lola and I begrudgingly share our living space.  I'm allergic and she's a huge slobber factory, so I keep my distance most of the time.  She most certainly loves Joe and Chicken Little the best.  Even though neither of them were here tonight, she still would never be so cuddly with me.

I looked down at her, and this is what looked back!

OMG!!  Her whole face was swole up!  Not on my watch!!!  I would be blamed and NEVER be forgiven if something happened to her while she was alone with me.  (DAGNABBIT!!!!  I probably used a different choice phrase or two, but I'm keepin' it clean.)

The vet was closed, so off to the Emergency Animal Clinic we went.  Have you ever tried to heave/shove a 150 pound, non-compliant, stubborn, drooling, smelly, shedding beast into a mid-sized sedan? 

Here's the TUTORIAL:  

1. Open the car door.
2. Throw all the junk from the back seat onto the floor of the garage.
3. Coax the dog close enough to the door that you can pick up each front paw and put it on the back seat.
4. Quickly run around to the opposite side of the dog and SHOVE!
5. Get hind end close enough to the door that you can pick up each rear paw and put it on the back seat.
6. Make sure the tail is in.
7. Shut the door! 
8. Frantically run into the house and try to find car keys you misplaced in your panic.
9. Locate keys, run to car, get in driver's seat with dog's drooling, swollen head hanging over your shoulder.
10. Start car and slowly back out so as not to jiggle the dog and dislodge any more fluids to run down your neck and arm.

I was covered in fur, and not wanting her to suffer alone, I was already starting to itch and snot myself.

Turns out we both had allergy "events" tonight.  We got to the clinic, they gave her shots of Benedryl and steroids, and sent us on our way.  (I had to get her BACK into the car to bring her home, and she was DOPED up and even MORE NON-COMPLIANT than the first time.  Repeat previous procedure, but in public.)

By the time we got home, we both looked and felt a bit like this...

(I took both of these pictures at the clinic - I have no shame! I'm sure they thought I was a crazy person.  I can't imagine why she doesn't like me.)

When we got home, she went right to the treat jar, and looked at me expectantly. I knew all would be right with the world.

We don't know what she got into, the vet said maybe she was stung by a bee.  It's been about 7 hours and she's pitiful, but returning to normal.  I snorted and sneezed (and maybe even drooled) for about an hour, but once I was able to take a shower, I started to feel better too. 

Now that we're both in a Benedryl haze, it's probably time to put a close to this day...