Unattended Children

Saw this sign in a store today and it cracked me UP!

The Best of 2009- December 13, 14, and 15

I'm doing The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge by Gwen Bell.

December 13 What's the best change you made to the place you live?
We didn't make tons of big changes this year
but I did finish redecorating my guest room.
It has my super cute craft table in it and
is such a peaceful and calm room that I absolutely love!
We also spray painted our china cabinet and
I LOVE LOVE LOVE how it turned out!
Sometimes, it really is the little things!


December 14 Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?
Um....I'm drawing a blank on this one. Sorry.


December 15 Best packaging.
Did your headphones come in a sweet case?
See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?
I love cute packaging and have even been known to purchase an item simply for the container it came in. But to be honest, I can't think of anything other than the fact that I found a spaghetti sauce that I like that comes in a cute glass jar that I've been saving to use for awhile now. I purposefully buy this particular brand so that I can have the cute jars. Silly huh?

Monday Morning Question of the Day

When I was a child, my sweet mother would paint

wooden Christmas ornaments

(cut out by my sweet Daddy) each year for

the classmates of both my sister and I.

My mother was a very talented painter and would sit

for hours on the couch painting something.

(In fact, in my mind- that's often the picture I have of her in my head.

Sitting on the couch painting or reading a book. With a glass of sweet tea beside her. )  

I have friends who still to this day have some of those

 Snoopy and Ziggy (obviously this was LONG ago) ornaments.  

This was such a fun tradition and something

we looked forward to each year. 

When Madison was born, my mom 

decided to continue this tradtion with her. 

The ornaments she painted for her and her friends are adorable

and are now my absolutely favorites. 

As I hang them on the tree each year it 

breaks my heart that there are only a few.

They truly are some of my greatest treasures-

because they were painted with such love.

So what is your favorite ornament on your tree

and is there a special reason why?

The Invisible Woman

Do you ever feel invisible?

I do, and if you do too, then this is for you.
It's a beautiful reminder that what we do, is for Him.

The Best of 2009- December 10, 11, and 12

I'm doing The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge by Gwen Bell.

December 10
Album of the Year- what's rocking your world?

Truthfully, I'm not a big album person. 
I listen to a Christian music station out of
Houston KSBJ basically all of the time. 
I'm not a big cd or itunes buyer-
because KSBJ is so great and plays the latest music and it's fabulous
(by the way, they have live streaming so you can listen no matter where you live from your computer)

If I had to pick an album (do people still call them that?)
I'd have to pick the last one I purchased,
Francesca Battistelli's My Paper Heart.
Beautiful singing, fun tunes, and a wonderful message.

December 11

The Best Place- A coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook?

The Best Place of the year for me would have to be my sweet friend Betty's country house.  It 's a place that for some reason is truly a retreat for me. It relaxes me like no where else.  It's absolutely beautiful, it's out in the country, and it's a place where I feel like I can truly slow down.  The moment I drive though the gate,

it seems like the stress just oozes out of me.

December 12

New food- What food are you now in love with that you

didn't even know what it was in January of this year?

I'm not a very adventurous eater-

because I am actually a little alot picky.

I can't think of any new food that I tried this year that I liked-

probably because I wasn't brave enough to try a new food. 

Maybe next year?

Flashback Friday- Christmas

This was my sweet girl at 6 months with my dad,

 dressed up like Santa Claus.

I love the sweet look on her face.

(and I had a matching denim and black dress that I also wore with black tights- isn't that a hoot?)

This picture always makes me laugh!

It was taken at the nursery at church and

I think Miss Madison was a bit tired at this point. 

She only has one shoe on and the look on her face is adorable.

Randomness on a Thursday Evening

1. I've had serious trouble sleeping lately-waking up around 2:45am each night- as have had many of my friends.  I wonder if it has to do with the many, many things we have to do this time of year?  Last night I was so tired after many nights in a row of only about 3 hours of sleep and I knew I had to get some good sleep.  I read recently that they have done studies that if you wear socks to bed, you will sleep better because you will be warmer. So, I decided to give it shot and guess what? It worked! I'm sure the simply sleep helped too- but I think I'll keep wearing the socks and see if it makes a difference. 

SOCKS + FEET = SLEEP

 

2. Those inflatable Christmas decorations in yards all over town? They kinda creep me out when they are laying down in yards deflated because they look like they are dead.  Blecht.

INFLATABLE CHRISTMAS DECORATION + NO INFLATION = CREEPY

3. I rang the Salvation Army bell last night in front of our local store that starts with a Wal and ends with a Mart.  Now, I find that highly ironice since I do like that W store, but even though it was COLD, we had a ball! Here are my observations from last night:

• 
  
  All but 2 people smiled and/or spoke to us when we greeted
  them with "Merry Christmas"
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  Lots of college boys wear shorts when it's 38 degrees.  LOTS.
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  Most people with kids give money - especially those with small children
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  Most college kids give (which we thought was awesome & shocking)
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  I'm such a fired up bell ringer that I broke a bell!
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  A girl walked in wearing booty shorts and Uggs boots- and it was 38 degrees!
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  The big brother of the Six Flags commerical guy works at our W store. Who knew?
  
  
  
  
  
 SHANNON + MARY BETH + BELLRINGING IN THE COLD = FUN

4. I made these soft mint chocolate chip cookies recently and they are the best SOFT chocolate chip cookies I've ever eaten. I was very hesitant to try the recipe since it called for melted butter but I tried them and they are fabulous.

MELTED BUTTER + CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MAKINGS = SOFT YUMMY COOKIES

5. My husband is ADDICTED to Farmtown and Farmville on Facebook. Farming? Online? I so do NOT get it.  The other night I asked him to do something and he actually said
"Well, let me go check my farms first." Seriously.

FARMING ONLINE + TONY = ADDICTION

6. This version of the 12 Days of Christmas is truly amazing! LOVE it!

CUTE BOYS + SINGING ACAPELLA + CHRISTMAS SONGS = AWESOME

7. Holley has done it again. It's like she wrote this post  just to me. It's beautifully written (as are all of Holley's posts) and as the queen of saying "I'm fine" it was definitely something I needed to read.

HOLLEY + HER GIFT OF WRITING + GOD'S WORD= SPEAKING TO MY HEART

8. My daddy just called and asked me how to make gravy.

 How sweet is that? I love that man to pieces.

My mom would be so proud.

MY DADDY + CALLING TO ASK ME HOW TO COOK SOMETHING = PRICELESS

The Best of 2009- December 9

I'm doing The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge by Gwen Bell.

December 9

Challenge

Something that really made you grow this year.
That made you go to your edge and then some.
What made it the best challenge of the year for you?

My new job as a technology specialist for two elementary schools has absolutely been a challenge this year- but one that I have LOVED.

There is so much I do not know and I have so, so, so
 much still to learn but I truly adore that!
I truly think learning new things keeps you young.

Although I am mentally exhausted at the end of most days,
I absolutely love it and feel so blessed to have my job!