Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Wednesday Hodgepodge


1.  When were you last facing an ocean? Using just ONE word, describe how you felt as you faced that ocean.
In August 2011 we went on a cruise that began in Quebec and ended in Boston which put us on the Atlantic Ocean. 
PEACEFUL would be how I felt
 
2. What are three sounds you hate to hear?

1 - screeching of brakes behind me
2 - strange scratching noises above me (as in a possible varmit in the attic)
3 - an uncontrollable crying baby
  
3. This question comes to you courtesy of some real life friends. Hi real life friends! When you shop for yourself, do you try everything on in the store before buying or do you buy, try on at home, and then return what you don't like or what doesn't fit?


  Most of the time I go ahead and try on and at least "think" that I want/like it and if, after getting home decide differently, I'll return it.  Returns are so easy now and I do not hesitate to take something back. I do a lot of internet ordering and it's usually a simple return process with those folks too.
 
4. February 26th is National Pistachio Day...are you a fan of the little green nut? Do you use them in cooking and baking or prefer to eat them right out of the shell?

No, not really a fan and can't think of a time that I have used them in cooking or baking.  I have used pistachio pudding in salads before, but that's it.

  5. When did you last have to compromise with someone?  Were you happy to reach the compromise or slightly irritated it was necessary? 
Hum.....probably don't need to post that so I will pass on this one. ~ got your curiosity peeked didn't I?~ 
 
6.  Have you ever written a letter to an elected official? Did you get a response?
I'm ashamed to say that I have not.  I've certainly given it serious thought before, but have not.  Guess I probably had the attitude that it likely wouldn't do any good.  And, I know, that's not a good attitude.
 
7. We 'March' into a new month at the end of this week...what's something on your March calendar guaranteed to make you smile?

Our daughter and Grandson coming for a visit.  Problem is they will have to return home to Dodge City. ~sigh~
 
8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Two weeks ago today I had taken my Dad to the Dr. and afterwards we stopped by Sonic to grab a bite of lunch. (he loves their burgers)  While waiting on them to bring our food we both used hand santitizer.  I took my rings off and laid them in my lap. While rubbing the santitizer into my hands the carhop came with our food and distracted me.  I paid him, got our food and never thought another thing about my rings.  We sat in the car and ate our lunch and went on our way.  Our next stop was the pharmacy to get Dad's prescription.  It was the day before Valentine's and the parking lot was filled to the brim.  I pulled into a place, jumped out of the car and unbeknownst to me, my rings went tumbling out of my lap on to the parking lot.  Fast forward 3 1/2 hours........Hubby and I are about to go somewhere and I go to the little box that I keep my rings in on the kitchen cabinet.  No rings! I looked a couple of other places and still no rings. Panic sets in!  Yes, they are "just" rings and I know that but............they were both custom designed for me, one was a gift from Hubby to me on our 25th wedding anniversary and the other (the center diamond) was left to me by my mother in law.  Yes, they are insured but I didn't want replacements, I wanted them!  Okay, it suddenly dawns on me that I had left them in my lap and the next place I had gotten out was the pharmacy.  I know all the folks at the pharmacy (it is locally owned) and called and asked one of the gals if she would go out and look on the parking lot and just see if she saw my rings.  I knew that the chances were slim to none but it was worth checking.  Well, imagine my surprise when she said, "Oh, my gosh, Ms. Lea, your rings are here."  One was broken and they were banged up but the diamonds were still in them.  Now, call it luck or whatever but I felt extremely fortunate that they were still there and I was a happy gal to say the least.  Obviously folks walk with their noses up in the air, if not, they would have found themselves some real treasures. ~chuckle~ Lesson learned..........leave rings on at all times!!!! 
NOTE: Rings are being repaired by the jeweler who designed them and he assures me that they will be "good as new" when he finishes. 

I leave you with this...........

 

Monday, February 25, 2013

Miscellaneous Monday


Monday + Carissa = Miscellaneous Monday.

What's the deal?????
Mustaches are the "thing" in case you didn't know or haven't noticed.   Don't ask me why because I really don't know. But, I do see them on t-shirts, birthday party themes and in your larger cities there are even mustache stores.  Really?  Hanna Beth and I were in the $$$ store the other day and they had a pack of 5 for $1.  We had more fun with those silly things, and they make for a fun photo.  Here's to mustaches!

Cute rain gear..........

  Okay, ladies, have you heard of the RainRap?  It's a new fashion accessory and serves as protection from the rain at the same time.  Wraps are all the rage and how cool that two gals came up with the idea of making it serve a dual purpose.  If you are not familiar with them, you can check it out here.  There's a color for everyone! Some folks are blessed with such creative minds! Mine, not so much.

Inexpensive fun........
  Plain paper and a sheet of stickers can provide more enjoyment to a 3 year old than the most expensive toy on the market.  Again, while Hanna Beth and I were in the $$$ store the other day she spotted these Easter foil stickers.  They were $1 and they provided for her almost an hours worth of fun when we got home.  Oh, that all fun were so inexpensive.

Decisions, decisions........
Do you find that the older you get the longer you think about decisions you make?  Maybe it's just me,but I use to just make a decision and never look back.  Now, it seems that there is so much more to think about and while I hate to say this, I think it's something called "age." ~Yikes I said it~  I don't have as much time to recover if I make an unwise decision and when I was young, it just didn't seem to be that big of a deal. Seems I do a whole of pondering these days in regards to decisions that I make.  How bout' you?  And, I'm not just talking about financial decisions, I mean all kinds of decisions.  Something I really try to remember is to pray earnestly about any and all decisions and not get ahead of God's plan. It always works best this way. I'm reminded of Proverbs 3:6 that says, "in all they ways acknowledge Him and He will direct they paths."

And, I leave you with this.....

 

Friday, February 22, 2013

Simple Woman's Daybook



FOR TODAY

Outside my window...
it is foggy, foggy. We're coming out of two days of wet and cold but today is "suppose" to be dry and a bit warmer.  We can only hope that Mr. Sun will find his way out!

 
I am thinking...
how
much I've enjoyed blogging these past 4 years.  My blogoversary is on March 21st.  And, to think that I didn't really even know what a blog was all about when I began this adventure.

I am thankful...for a husband that built a successful business from the ground up almost 39 years ago.  He is now enjoying the fruits of his labor.

In the kitchen...
hamburgers are on the menu for us this evening and our son, DIL and the Princess.  They will join us for dinner and while it will be very simple, we'll sure enjoy their company.

I am wearing...
jeans and a reddish hooded sweater with my comfy Merrell clogs.

I am creating...
well, I haven't created it yet, but I'm about to try my hand at creating a photo montage on IMovies. Everyone says it is easy, so we shall see!

I am going...
on several fun trips in the coming months, the first of which is to Savannah.  I love planning trips and looking forward to them almost as much as the actual trip.

I am wondering...
how some folks can choose to live lives so apart from God and His will. But if they have never come to know Him, that explains it.  And, some who profess to know Him, still choose to live outside of His will and that really causes me to wonder.  Now, I know we are all guilty of being outside of His will at times, but I am talking about willfully choosing to do so and seemingly not bothered by it. ~so sad~


I am reading...
"Peace Like A River" by Leif Enger , a fiction.

I am hoping...
to see God work in some miraculous ways in the coming months and to see my faith increased as I try not to loose hope in some situations.

I am looking forward to...
our daughter and Grandson coming on March 9th.  It has been too long since we've seen them.


 
I am learning......to trust Him more

Around the house..
.
it's beginning to look a lot like Easter as the bunnies and other decor find their way into our home.

I am pondering...
all kinds of things.  I seem to do a lot of pondering at this stage in my life.  Not sure what that means, but pondering is pretty much a part of everyday for me. ~smile~

A favorite quote for today... 
"My greatest limitation is God's greatest opportunity."

One of my favorite things...
is finishing our ironing each week.  It bothers me until it is done and sometimes I put it off longer than is necessary just because I'm not in love with ironing. ~who is?~

A few plans for the rest of the week......
well, today is Friday and Hubby and I have not really discussed the weekend.  It does look like decent weather is in the forecast, so who knows what we may get into.

A peek into my day...
My precious Princess is spending the day with me.  She is at such a fun, fun age and I almost wish that I could hold her at this age for a while.  But, there's something special about each age and I plan to enjoy each phase and try to make a whole lot of memories in the process.  

A picture for the day......
 This is what it looked like in Dodge City, Kansas yesterday.  Our daughter lives there and sent me these via her phone (that's why they are not the best quality) and you can see that Clancy is raring to go outside and get in the middle of it.  They got about 14 inches. ~no thank you!~  

And, I leave you with this.....

  

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Wednesday Hodgepodge


It's Wednesday, that means that Joyce has likely come up with some great questions and we've all come up with some great answers.  Join us, click on the button above.

1. When were you last 'on a mountaintop'?  You may answer in the literal or figurative sense.

Last July when Hubby surprised me for my 60th birthday by having our two children and their families join us at the Gaylord Resort in Grapevine, Texas.  It was such a wonderful time and I think of it often.

  2.  Do you establish and maintain a strict budget in your household?  What is one piece of financial advice you would offer someone just starting out on their own?
Sort of, kind of..........we do not budget every little item but things like savings and investments, YES! most definitely.

 My piece of advise........
If you have a credit card(s) make sure you manage it rather than it managing you.  I've seen so, so many young couples get into serious trouble with a piece of plastic.  It can have devastating effects that you spend the rest of your life trying to recover from.
  3.  Cherries-yay or nay?  Cherry pie, cherry cola, black forest cake, or a scoop of Ben and Jerry's Cherries Garcia...pick one. 

I can take them or leave them, but if offered, I'd take a piece of warm cherry pie.

  4.  Should you ever discuss religion or politics with people you don't know?
It's probably a pretty good idea to steer clear of such discussions but if handled respectfully, one would think it would be possible.  And, for Christians, it could well be a witnessing opportunity.

  5.  When you take a road trip do you prefer to be the driver or the passenger?  Where were you headed on your last road trip?
I am usually a passenger for most of the trip, but I do drive some and give Hubby a break.  Our last road trip was in mid-December when we went to see our daughter in Dodge City, Kansas.  We have several road trips planned beginning in April, the first of which is Savannah. ~can't wait~

  6. If we peeked inside your closet, what color would we say is most prevalent?
White would likely jump out at you just because it is so stark and bright and I have a white blouse of every style and description.  I love white blouses!  But, I have a smattering of all kinds of colors.

7. Who's your favorite senior citizen and why are they special?

Billy Graham, hands down!  At the age of 97, he has been referred to as "the Pope of Protestant America."  He has preached to more people than any other evangelist and has managed to avoid any type of scandel during his ministry.  He has been described as non-judgmental, sincere, innocent and accepting.  He has sown eternal seeds as he has advanced the kingdom of God through his ministry.  I'd say that's special indeed!!!

  8.  Insert your own random thought here. 
 Easter is only 5 1/2 weeks away and the first day of Spring is one month from today.  However, we are still having some very wet and cold weather here in NE La. and I'm more than ready for Spring.  We've had such a wet winter and cold and wet just do not go together as far as I'm concerned.  Yesterday was a gorgeous day, full of sunshine and warmer temps.  Today, not so much, cooler and more rain on the horizon. (and I know, some of you guys have endured all kinds of real winter with snow, snow and more snow)  I'm pulling out my Easter decor, thinking warm thoughts and getting ready to greet Spring with arms wide open!

Monday, February 18, 2013

Miscellany Monday

Monday's seem to roll around so quickly.  I'm not sure if that's age or just the way it is.  But, whatever the reason, it's always fun to begin my week with sweet Carissa and MM.  My week always goes better.................

Family time..........
My brother, Joel, came in this weekend for a visit.  Of course, we're always excited to see him and Daddy certainly enjoyed the diversion that it gave him.  Speaking of Daddy, what do you think about that beard he's growing?  He said he's going to be Santa this next Christmas. ~funny~ Now, if he can just get a belly to go with the beard. ~ho,ho,ho~

Perfect combo.........
We Southern gals always bake a cake, pie or something sweet when someone's coming for a visit, be it family or friend.  So, my brother's visit was no exception.  I whipped out a delicious pound cake and it was just picture perfect and tasted the same. ~no brag, just fact~ It is full of almond flavoring and as I love to say, "it would make you slap your pappy."  I found some fresh strawberries, cut and sugared them and the cake and strawberries were the perfect combo for this weekend.  Yummy is the word! 

Enclosures.........
  Are these just the cutest? Of course, these are for my two Grans.  Gift enclosures are no longer just a small card with your name on them.  They are designed in whatever fashion your heart might desire.  I found these at The Social Butterfly on Etsy.  Emily has more cute designs than you can "shake a stick at" and I encourage you to go by her shop and check it out.  I have yet to be disappointed in anything I have purchased through Etsy.  Yea! Etsy!

Spring and Flip Flops.......

I found these sassy flip flops on Amazon, yes, Amazon!  I am a huge fan of Volatile flip flops, mainly because they tend to run more narrow than most and I have a narrow foot.  The other is that they are reasonably priced.  And, they have so many with bling on them and I do love bling!! ~laugh~  These are so, so comfortable and I can walk for days with no problem at all.  I just can't get into wearing tennis shoes with stylish outfits.  There's not a thing wrong with it, it's just not me.   Like you really cared to know that. ~roll eyes~  But, Spring is coming and I'm getting ready and Amazon is helping me! ~smile~

Love, love this.....


 

Friday, February 15, 2013

Friday Fragments

This week's fragments are centered around Valentine's Day.  It was a week long celebration for me.  Did I say, I love Valentine's!  Such a fun time to show some love.  Thanks to Mrs. Fours for hosting FF each week!

Mommy's Idea

Our week began with our church Valentine Banquet on Sunday evening.
It was an evening of good food, entertainment and fun and fellowship.  As you can see from the photos the decorations were quite lovely and it certainly put us in the Valentine spirit.
~~~~~~~~ 
Chocolate seems to be the candy of choice for Valentine's, so I always manage to make at least one batch to share.  And, I always have to make Scotch Shortbread at Valentine's and of course, in the shape of a heart.  I package them lovingly and then give them to folks to show a little love.  If you would like to have the recipe for either of these they can be found under the recipe tab at the top of my blog.
~~~~~~~~ 
Hubby brought these in last Friday so that I could enjoy them the entire week of Valentine's.  They are some of the prettiest roses I've ever seen and they have just now begun to wilt.  They've brought a smile to my heart everyday.
 ~~~~~~~~ 
 These gorgeous flowers arrived yesterday afternoon from a very special friend.  They were totally unexpected and arrived when I had just walked in the door from the funeral of a dear friend.  What perfect timing!
~~~~~~~~ 

Tuesday was a fun day of making Valentine arrangements with the residents at The Arbor.  The Arbor is an assisted living facility here and where my Dad lives.  Our Garden Club went over and we helped the residents make an arrangement to put in their rooms. As you can see, it was an enjoyable time.
~~~~~~~~  
Pictures above taken at our girlfriend reunion in April, 2008
Just as I mentioned, I attended the funeral of my sweet friend Ginni and it truly seemed very appropriate that it was on Valentine's Day.  She had a big heart and her funeral was such a wonderful celebration of love. One of the greatest celebrations of life I have ever attended!
 ~~~~~~~~ 
My youngest brother arrived yesterday afternoon from his home in Des Moines  and will be here until Sunday. He'll be spending time with our Dad and we'll have a family dinner here tonight.  This should be a real "spirit lifter" for Daddy, or at least, I hope so!
~~~~~~~~

 

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Hodgepodge Wednesday


 The day before Valentine's and it's Hodgepodge Day.  Makes for a great combination.

1.  This week marks the beginning of Lent...will you be giving something up or adding anything to your life during this season of the year?
The Baptist faith has never observed Lent traditionally but I have given much thought to it and each year say that I am going to participate and each year passes by and I do not.  I truly think it would add so much to my Easter observance.  It's not too late to participate this year but I need to hurry because it is upon us.


   2. The day before Lent is Shrove Tuesday... tradition states you eat pancakes on this day. In some parts of the world Shrove Tuesday is actually known as 'pancake day'. How do you like your pancakes? Or don't you? 
Oh, yes I do like pancakes but they must be light in texture with butter and syrup!  I have a recipe called "Light as a Feather Pancakes" and it is my favorite.  You do not feel packed after only eating a couple of them.  IHop has a multi-grain pancake that I like very much to, but I can only eat one of them and an order is 3.  Give me some good ole crispy bacon with them and I am literally in "hog heaven."

3.  I'm sure there are many, but what's one love song you really love?
Oh, it has to be "Power of Love" by Celine Dion.  It is dynamite and there's no one that can sing it quite like Celine and truly, no one should even try.

 
4.  What are some things you do to let others know you love them?
Likely not nearly enough, but I do try to do thoughtful acts for both my family and friends.  I like for it to be totally unexpected and something that definitely lets them know just how special they are to me, especially my immediate family. And, I try to actually say the words, "I love you" ~ it's such a soothing expression~ to both family and friends.

 
5.  Roses...red, pink, or do you prefer another color? Can you recall the last time someone gave you flowers? Given your choice would you like to open the door and see a dozen red roses, a dozen purple tulips, or a dozen pink peonies?
This is easy..........Hubby brought me a budvase of red roses last Friday so that I could enjoy them all the way up to Valentine's Day.  They are some of the prettiest I've ever had. 
I think peonies are one of the prettiest flowers, so I could definitely "get into" a big bouquet of them and I'd love for them to be pink!

Hubby has always been good to bring me flowers at random times throughout the year.  I love them, whatever kind!
 
6.  President's Day will be celebrated in America next Monday. Does US Presidential history and trivia interest you?  Many Presidential homes are open to the public and offer guided tours...Monticello (Jefferson's home), Mount Vernon (Washington's home), Montpelier (James Madison's home), Hyde Park (FD Roosevelt's home) and The White House (home to the sitting President) to name just a few. Of those listed which would you be most interested in touring?  Why?
I'm not much of a history buff at all.  I have toured Mount Vernon and would love to tour all the others listed.  While that may be history, that is most interesting to me, love the architecture and the decor.  I've been to Washington DC 2-3 times but we've just never done The White House tour.  Might need to go back  just to do that.

 
7.  Are you good at keeping secrets?
Oh, yes, your secret is safe with me!  I think it is a trait that few have these days and I certainly want to be a "secret keeper" if someone needs to share something close to their heart with me. In fact, I am honored if I am given a secret to keep. And, I am blessed to have a few really good "secret keepers" in my life as well.

 
8.  Insert your own random thought here.


I have been reminded once again of how quickly our lives can change.  The above photo is of a friend of mine.  Ginni and I became friends in the 8th grade.  She is one of those people that comes into your life and never leaves.  She was always the life of the party, in fact, as someone said, "she was the party."  She was wife to a wonderful man, mother to 3 precious daughters and "Tootsie" (affectionately called by her grandchildren) to 6 Grans. She has taught 3rd grade her entire teaching career (24 years) and she could always be found working in the nursery at her church.  Last Monday, February 4th, her day began just as usual but ended with her being rushed to the hospital in cardiac arrest and she entered her heavenly home this past Monday evening.  We are all still in a state of disbelief.  She was 60 years old.  Oh, the brevity of life!

 

Monday, February 11, 2013

Miscellany Monday

Oh, it's the Monday before Valentine's Day.  Don't you love it?  I sure do and I love that we get to start each week out by joining up with Carissa for our miscellaneous thoughts.

 A cute little find..........

We have the best little consignment shop here in our town and when I go through my closets I always take my clothes there.  Well, I stopped in there last week to ask the owner when she would start taking spring clothes and my eye spotted this super cute beaded purse.  It seemed to have my name on it so I grabbed it!  It is the perfect size for church and looked as though it had never been touched.  So, for a few dollars, I walked away with this little jewel.


Making memories...........
This past Friday the Princess and I had a Valentine play day.  I had baked some Funfetti cupcakes (thanks Pillsbury) and had them all ready for us to decorate.  I was so amazed at how well Hanna Beth did decorating as compared to the last time we did it (not quite 3 months ago).  She is very precise with her little movements and really did a good job over all.  I used the squirt icing for mine and we both had a great time being creative.  Hanna Beth's favorite part is when I tell her it is now okay to lick the spatula.  I have to watch her while she's decorating or she'll steal a lick inbetween decorating the cupcakes.  Just too cute!!
 
"Cutie Patootie".........
Speaking of cute!  Is my little Princess and this outfit not the cutest!  A friend of mine makes children's clothing and this is one of her creations.  And, while it can be worn for Valentine's, she will enjoy this all the way until summer.  Can I just say that I'm crazy in love with chevron!  And, I had so much fun listening to everyone's comments about my little Princess while we were out and about on Friday.


Just down the road.....

Are any of you folks Duck Dynasty fans?  For those of you who aren't, it's a TV show on A & E on Wednesday nights.  It's about the Robertson family that live about 25 miles from us and their business.  Their business is Duck Commander and they make duck calls and ship them all over the world.  Anyway, their show has been a HUGE hit (it started about a year ago) and folks drive from all across the country to visit their store and peek at their business.  Saturday, Hubby and I decided to go over and check it out.  I was amazed at the crowd of folks in the store. And, of course, I had to have my picture taken by their rig and their motor home. ~smile~   Both of our children attended school with some of the Robertson boys and little did we know what stars these very ordinary folks would become.  Guess one never knows...........


In closing..........
 Be sure and "show some love" this week! 

Friday, February 8, 2013

Friday's Letters

It's Friday and that means letter writing time. I'm afraid that email has just about taken the place of good old fashioned, pen in hand letter writing.  I guess that may be why our dear ole postal service is in such financial straits.  But, be that as it may, I'm joining up with Ashley for some fun letter writing this morning that cost nary a penny other than a little of my time ~which I freely give~ 
Dear Valentine's Day, you are one of my most favorite days of the year.  Yes, you are way over done by many, but if you are kept in the right place, you are so much fun.  I think it's just the whole "love thing. We can never get enough of love and I love sharing a little love with those I love. ~can I say love just one more time~  And, I might love you even more because Hubby and I had our first date to a church Sweetheart Banquet 47 years ago. ~awe~

Dear Motherhood, I can so well remember my Mom saying to me, "once you become a Mother, you will always be a Mother."  Well, duh, I suppose so and what she meant, I didn't fully understand for many years.  But, as the years have gone by, I so "get" what she meant.  My son and daughter are 36 and 33 years old, but guess what, I am still their Mother.  And, I love them more than life itself, still have such wants and desires for them and also for their spouses and children as well.  Can I just say, "Motherhood is NOT for sissies!" It's both the sunshine and the rain and I could not survive if it were not for God's amazing help and guidance. And, might I add, I wouldn't trade the title of Mother for anything in the world and that's probably a good thing since I will always be one. ~smile~
 
Dear Peacock Decor, my goodness, I had no idea that you were "all the rave" right now.  And, can I just say, I love it!  My niece is using all of your vibrant colors, with teal as the main one, as the colors of her wedding in June.  What fun!  Your colors make me happy!
Dear Boy Scouts, it does make my heart sad to see you considering lowering your standards. I'll say no more.........
Dear Amazon, is there anything that cannot be found on your site?  You started out with books, CD's and the such and now the sky is the limit.  I mean, I even ordered some body lotion from you the other day.  And, I love, love your Prime Membership.  I no more than have placed my order and it has arrived. Yep! you are all that and a bag of chips for sure!
Dear God, why do I still struggle with knowing that you really do have it all under control?  I mean, I've known you as my Savior for 53 years.  That should be way long enough for me to know that you are more than capable of handling any and everything that life might throw my way. Well, guess I really do "know" it just sometimes struggle with realizing it. Thanks for being so patience with me all these years.  You are life to me!
Dear Hubby, I may not always mention it but I truly do appreciate the way you care for our yard ~ all 2 1/2 acres of it.  You always see that it is in first class shape and that is truly a huge job. We've been here 30+ years and I can only think of a handful of times that it has not been in "showcase fashion" and those were times that weather related issues kept it from being so. 
Dear Weekend, even though I do not work outside the home, I still get excited about you.  I know, plum silly!  We've no big plans for this weekend, but hey, it's just Friday morning, there's still time for plans.