Wednesday Hodgepodge

I'm a bit shocked that it is the last day of the first month of 2018.  How can that be?  Time is flying by so fast and I keep wondering if I'm making the best use of the time I have left.  I mean, I sure hope that's many more years but at this rate it will past very quickly.  Meanwhile, I'll get busy answering the HP questions for today.

1. Speaking of endings....at your wit's end, at loose ends, a dead end, burn the candle at both ends, all's well that end's well, or no end in sight...which 'end' phrase might best be applied to your life lately? Explain.  I would have to say, "all's well that end's well."  Life has been pretty smooth lately and any issues have all turned out okay.  But, I could apply all of these phrases at some time or the other.

2. What was a must have accessory when you were growing up? Did you own one? If so tell us what you remember about it.
Not sure this is what you mean but the very first thing to come to my mind were my glasses.  And, they were definitely not considered a fashion accessory in 1958, the year I started wearing glasses.  But, I was one more happy gal when I got them.  My first grade teacher mentioned to my parents that she was pretty sure that I could not see well and she was so right.  When I got glasses my whole world changed.  I told my parents I did not know that the trees had leaves.  They felt terrible that they had not picked up on it but we did not own a TV at that time or they might have noticed by how close I had to sit to watch it.  But, hey, "all's well that end's well."  ~big smile~



3. Something that made you smile yesterday?
Well, this really isn't funny but it did make me chuckle.  One of Hubby's staff was telling me about her husband having a bike accident on Sunday.  They were off for an afternoon bike ride in their neighborhood when her husband saw, what he thought, was about to be a tragic accident in one of their neighbors driveways.  He squeezed his hand brakes extremely hard as he was going to get off his bike and run and try to prevent it.  When he applied the hand brakes he went sailing over the handle bars onto the hard pavement and landed on his right arm.  He ended up at the Orthopedist office and is in a sling and  is in physical therapy.  It is not broken but nonetheless, a pretty bad injury that he'll be dealing with for a few weeks.  And, all was well with the neighbors, what he saw was not the way it really was.  And, just so you know I'm not being ugly by laughing, the way his wife,  laughingly, told the story and my envisioning it all taking place, made me chuckle.  Wow, that was a really long answer.

4. January 30th is National Croissant Day. Do you like croissants? Sweet or savory? We're having chicken salad for lunch...would you rather have yours served on a croissant, a wrap, a bagel, bread, or a roll of some sort?
I do like croissants, just the regular ones.  I rarely eat them as they can be a little too "bready" for me.  I'll take my chicken salad on wheat bread.

5. Sum up your January in fifteen words or less.
January was colder than rip and came and went in a flash!

6.  Insert your own random thought here.

A few months ago our son started collecting old license plates.  Yes, I know, why would anyone want old license plates?  But, apparently, there is lots of interest in them and some of them can be quite valuable. ~go figure~  Anyway, he was looking for a way to display a few of them in his office and I thought this (the above picture) was a good way.  This window looks out into the reception area and was just perfect to frame with the plates.  And, I hung every one of them.  Yessiree! and they are all hung on straight pins so as not to tear the wall up when they are removed.  I thought it really turned out nicely and he was quite pleased.  Yea, Mom!!!

Happy mid-week!!!

Lea's Favorites

And, it's that time again, some of my favorites..............

Okay ladies, has the cold weather made your skin drier than usual?  Well, if it has, this is your answer! I have been using CeraVe for about 3 years.  One of my sister in laws told me about it as her dermatologist had recommended it to her.  Well, once I tried it I've never used anything else.  It is the best body moisturizer.  It comes in both a lotion and a cream but I love the richness of the cream. I use it from head to toe every morning when I get out of the shower.  So, go get yourself some, you will not regret it, I promise!  I get mine at Wal-Mart. 

Isn't this the cutest teapot?  I needed a teapot about like I needed another hole in my head but what has that got to do with anything. ~smile~  I have been eyeing this teapot at Wal-Mart and just decided the other day that I couldn't live without it. ~chuckle~  It's from the Pioneer Woman Collection by Ree Drummond.  While I absolutely love all of her new line, it just really doesn't go with my style or what I already have in my kitchen.  But, I thought this teapot would be just the right "pop" sitting on my stove top and it makes me smile every time I see it.  It will just sit there and be pretty as I haven't boiled water on the stove in many a year.  

This is the cover of my new Shutterfly photo book that arrived last week.  I've been doing these photo books for the last 10-12 years and I'm hopeful that they will be something that our kids will enjoy after we're gone from this earth.

This is two of the pages from the book

I usually do the 12 X 12 and last years was bout 80 pages.  I do all the page designs myself but they have the option to let them arrange the photos by date.  I just don't know that I would like that so I just keep doing them myself.  I start each book as soon as I have photos to put in them rather than let them stack up.  It would just be too time consuming to try and do them otherwise and I'm sure I'd grow very weary in the process.  These little treasures are definitely not cheap but I always wait and order mine when they are 50% off, which is generally always right after the first of the year.  I've already started on our 2018 book.

I love mascara and have probably tried 50 different brands over my makeup wearing years. ~and that's a lot of years~  I've almost always used a couple of mascaras to achieve the look that I desire.  Well, no more!  I kept seeing Thrive show up on my Facebook page and I saw folks that I knew making favorable comments about it.  So, I just decided to order some.  They call it liquid eye extensions and that's a perfect name for it.  I no longer have to put on coat after coat to get the fullness and length I want.  And, it's in such a pretty tube and I do believe the tube is metal.  It is the heaviest tube of mascara I've ever owned for sure.  So, if you are looking for a really good mascara, look no further, go get yourself some Thrive.  I order mine directly from Thrive (and it was super quick shipment) but it may be on Amazon or Sephora or Ulta.  That I don't know.

Wishing you a fun filled weekend!

What's Up Wednesday

This is what's UP in my world.....

What we're eating this week...well, let me assure you that the eating around this house for me and Hubby is rarely ever anything exciting.  In the past week I did make some  pretty good spaghetti, chicken noodle soup (that we enjoyed during last week's cold, cold weather), good juicy hamburgers and gourmet cheese toast with chips.  Now, if the occasion should call for it, I can throw together some decent vittles. ~just so you know~

What I'm reminiscing about...my Mom died 9 years ago this past Dec. 1st and every year since her death I do a lot of reminiscing about her during Dec. and Jan.  It's not necessarily a sad time for me any more but just a real sweet time of thinking of her and all the things I miss about her.  As I've said many, many times, there's just no one quite like our Momma.

What I'm loving...the slower pace following the buzz of the holidays and the new year.  I do love a new year, it's like a fresh start and a new beginning. 

What we've been up to...things have been pretty low key for us since the holidays.  And, Hubby has battled a terrible case of bronchitis the past week and a half and between that and the cold weather, we've stayed closer to home than usual.  Can I just say that we are really looking forward to Spring!

What I'm dreading...my Dad has got to have quite a bit of dental work done in the coming weeks and I'm just hoping that it all goes smoothly for him.  I mean, one would think that if you live to be 88 years old that you would be past any dental issues.  But,  guess not!  And, I certainly do not want to ignore them and chance an emergency situation arising.

What I'm working on.....I have been cleaning out some and having a good time with it.  If you remember, I made myself a group Facebook page called, Second Time Around by Lea.  It's where I've sold a lot of items that I'm discarding from my life while cleaning out.  I've made a lot of head way but still have a ways to go.

What I'm watching/reading...I started a new Bible Study two weeks ago, The Jesus We're Aching For by Lisa Harper.  It's a study of the gospel of Mark.  Today will just be our 2nd session but I can tell it's going to be so good and I so enjoy the group of ladies that I am with.  It's a great mix of young, middle aged and older ladies all studying God's Word together. ~doesn't get much better~

Watching...well, I watch Hallmark movies while I ride my elliptical each morning and on Tuesday evenings, This Is Us and Sunday nights, it's my favorite show, Shark Tank.

What I'm listening to...I changed my XM radio to Escape (easy listening station) after the holidays.  It is so nice and relaxing and just what I needed.  I've listened to so much talk radio the past couple of years and it just began to wear me thin.  I can barely listen to the news without getting a headache.  Just give me some good elevator music and I'm a happy gal for now.

What I'm wearing...I've worn so many sweaters the past few weeks because we've had weather cold enough to really enjoy them.  It's been 2-3 years since we really had a cold winter here in NE Louisiana.  And, I've actually worn a coat many times.  I've got to start snapping more pics so I can use them on here, but, you'll just have to take my word for it. ~grin~

What I'm looking forward to next month...first thing is my youngest brother's visit on Feb. 1st.  I always look forward to his coming.  He spends some real quality time with our Dad and then he and I get to catch up with each other.
And, it's our 2nd Granddaughter's 3rd birthday. She's our little Sweetheart!
And, I love Valentine's Day, not sure why, but it's such a great day to do little acts of love and my first date with Hubby was to a Sweetheart Banquet 52 years ago.  Mercy, that was a very long time ago and surely I am NOT that old. 

What else is new...hummm, can't think of a thing.  Guess that may make it sound like I lead a boring life.  I assure you, it's anything but boring!

Leaving you with this......

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's Wednesday, and a cold one at that, but not too cold to join up with Joyce and the HP.

1. What keeps you blogging?
A few things:
1) I enjoy writing 
2) I so enjoy the friendships I have formed, many are so near and dear to my heart.
3) It serves as a way for me to document my life

2. Some people like to travel in the winter months. Do you enjoy the beach in winter? According to Southern Living the best U.S. beach towns to visit this winter are-

St Simons Island (Georgia), Hilton Head (South Carolina), Bald Head Island (North Carolina), Seaside (Florida), Bay St. Louis (Mississippi), Cape San Blas (Florida), South Padre Island (Texas), Folly Beach (South Carolina), Chincoteague (Virginia), Duck Key (Florida), Nags Head (North Carolina), and Fairhope (Alabama)

Have you been to any of the towns listed (in any season)? Which on the list appeals to you most this winter? 

I have been to Hilton Head, Nags Head and Fairhope.  Fairhope is a favorite place of mine.  Such a cute, quaint town, sort of like stepping back in time.  I doubt they are much better off weatherwise than we are right now, so guess I'd probably need to head to Seaside or Duck Key, Florida for a little warmth and sunshine.

3. What's a song you're embarrassed to know all the lyrics to? Are you really embarrassed or do just think you should be?
Well, I cannot think of one right now but I'm quite sure that there is some country song with less than stellar lyrics that I could recite.  I haven't listened to country music in years but somehow that doesn't matter when it comes to remembering lyrics.  If only I could think of one. 

4. When you were a kid what's something you thought would be fantastic as an adult, but now that you're an adult you realize it's not all that fantastic?
Oh, my goodness, I could not wait to get to go to the grocery store, fill my cart and then go home and cook all these amazing meals.  Well, it  didn't take me long to figure out what a chore grocery shopping is and also the chore of preparing meals.  But, I have been doing it for a very long time now and I have survived. ~giggle~

5. Share a quote you hope will inspire you in 2018.



I like everything about this quote, especially speaking gently, loving much and being kind.  I'm thinking it should be our nation's motto this coming year, especially the media.  I'm going to try and be a good example of this quote. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Many of you would get a kick out of the way our area was shut down yesterday and it continues today.

This is what it looked like at our house and on the hill coming into our subdivision.  Hubby and I got out about 8:30 to check things out, stopped and had breakfast and came back home.  In the time we left and the time we headed back things had changed significantly.  When we left the snow was just powdery and there really wasn't any ice.  Well, the temps were extremely low and as the snow was driven over and somewhat melted, it froze back slick, slick!  There were very few businesses open and not likely to be open today.

But, it was a day full of fun for my Princess, Sweetheart and their Mom and Dad.  And, Bella  wasn't sure how she felt about all of it.

I really hope it will all be gone completely by tomorrow and we can get back on track.  We all just got back into our routines from the holidays and now this.  I'm sure many of you are chuckling at this but this is sooooo unusual for us and pretty much stops us in our tracks.

Happy mid-week folks!

Monday's Musings

Just had a few smatterings of various things to share today and thought it might fall under the heading of "Monday's Musings." 

This is my sweet Daddy standing very proudly (with his call button tucked inside his shirt)  by the license plate that our son gave him for Christmas.  Brandon got this tag from some license plate collector and thought his Grandpa might like it.  Well, he did and bless his heart, he hasn't driven in over 6 years but he'll get a kick telling folks about his license plate hanging on the wall rather than on the back of his vehicle. ~chuckle~

Okay, some of my blogging buddies will get a big kick out of this picture.  It's me "trying" to photograph myself in a mirror.~ignore the background clutter~  I'm not quite sure I have the hang of it but let me assure you, this one is much better than previous 100 I took. ~laugh~  I wanted to show you the cute top I have on.  It's an Agnes and Dora convertible tunic.  My daughter just became an A and D  rep and they have the cutest clothes.  If you'd like to check out her shop, click here.   A couple of things I really like about this top is, the sleeves have about a 3-4 inch band that helps to keep the sleeve pushed up if you so desire.  And, I love the cowl neck!  It's called convertible because you can pull it down on your shoulders if that's a look you like.  Me, not so much, the more of me that's covered the better I look. ~grin~ And, it's plenty long enough to wear with leggings but I chose to wear it with my gray jeggings this day.

And, this little guy took his sheep to his very first sheep show on Saturday.  He has been working with these two stubborn guys since last Oct.

This is before the show began and Clancy was getting his sheep ready and had a few butterflies in his tummy as well.  

And, I am pleased to report that Clancy's sheep took 1st and 2nd place in the show and the sheep above was Reserve Grand Ewe.  Now, don't ask me that that is because I do not know but it is a good award if you are showing sheep. ~in case you ever have to know that~  And, all of the wins equaled to $43 and since it cost $20 per sheep to enter them in the show, Clancy came out $3 ahead. ~a good deal~  It was a great first experience for him!

And, Coleman had a great time watching his big brother and dreaming of the day he could be out there with the sheep. 

One last thing...........I have a collection of 10 Mark Roberts fairies.  They are  Limited Edition and all the designs have been changed since I got these.  They are all numbered and one on the left is 28/5000.  I no longer use these and saw them in the top of a cabinet the other day and thought that I would sell them if I could find an interested buyer.  I would prefer to sell all 10 with the two stands that I have.  I only had one out at a time for different holidays and the rest of their lives they have spent carefully stored in their original boxes. They are all just beautiful and so very detail.  I thought one of you might know of someone that might be interested in them.  I don't know what I'm going to ask for them but I do know that they were between $48 - $52 each new.  Let me know if you know of anyone.

Okay, that was definitely a post that went from A - Z.  Wishing you a wonderful new week!

10 Random Things about Me

I'm linking up with Erin today for the "10 on the 10th" link-up. Today's 10 is 10 Random Things About Me.   I think it's always fun to learn random things about people so here goes............

I.  I was born in Newport News, Virginia while my Dad was stationed at the Norfolk Naval Base in 1952.  I was the first child and yes, I suffer from "older child syndrome." ~whatever that is~

2.  My Dad surrendered to the ministry when I was 8 years old and over the next 10 years we would move 6 times from Arkansas back to Virginia.  That means that I attended 7 different schools in 12 years. And, I always adjusted quickly, made new friends and went right on with life.

3.  I met my husband when I was a mere 12 years old and married him when I was a mere 18 years old (2 months shy of my 19th birthday). That is almost scary but hey, we're working on our 47th year.

4.  I was raised by two very organized parents so I got my love of organization from both sides.  I am convinced that an organized life is a productive life. ~in my thinking anyway~

5.  I love a schedule and like to know what's going to happen next and enjoy making plans and looking forward to those plans.  Schedules keep me on track and I do enjoy staying on track.

6.  Our son, our first child, was due on Sept. 28th and was born Oct 3rd.  Our daughter, our 2nd and last child, was due June 28th and was born July 3rd, 2 years and 9 months later.  I've always thought that was so COOL!  Only an organized and scheduled person could manage that. ~big chuckle~

7.  I head straight to the coffee pot when my feet hit the floor of a morning.  It's coffee and then a little time with Jesus and I'm "ready for the day." Well, a shower and makeup afterwards and then I'm really ready. ~grin~

8.  I use to have a gift wrap business called,"It's a Wrap."  I wrapped more packages and gift baskets than the law allows and by the time I closed the business I was pretty much cured of ever wanting to wrap another gift.  But, it sure was great fun while I did it.  I still enjoy being creative, especially when it comes to Valentine's, Easter or Christmas goodies, such as fudge, cookies or miniature cakes.

9.  I love a sale and sometimes I get confused and think that just because it's on sale that I need it.  I'm really working on that because I'm at a point where I really don't need many clothes (but I love them) and surely don't need any more STUFF (but I love stuff too).  It's an on going battle for sure!

10.  And, my newest random thing..........A couple of weekend's ago I decided to post a couple of my really nice purses for sale on Facebook.  Well, they sold in less than 5 minutes.  I decided after that to make myself a group page and try selling more of my personal stuff.  I didn't want to fill my personal page with constant selling as it can be very bothersome.  So, this past Sat. I started my FB group page, Second Time Around by Lea.  I posted about 15 items and have sold most of them.  I'm selling some outerwear clothing, household decor, purses, household items and who knows what else.  It's all in excellent, like new condition and I get a few dollars and someone else gets to enjoy it.  If you are on FB and want to check it out, I'd love to have you join my group and have some fun.

Okie dokie, there you have it, 10 random things about me and I assure you, there are a lot more.

The BB Asks............

It's that fun time with the Blended Blog gals to answer their monthly questions.

1. Resolutions or No Resolutions?
No resolutions for me.  I use to make resolutions but grew weary of that several years ago.  But,  I do  have a "word for the year."  I seem to really do much, much better with a word than I ever did with resolutions.  My word for this year is "Abide."  Abide in Him through prayer, Bible Study, witnessing, loving others and on and on.  I've already pondered this word a lot and will continue to this year as I hopefully grow closer to in my walk with HIM.

I even found this little plaque to sit on my desk to remind me daily to ABIDE.

2. Love snow or No Snow?
Well, a light dusting is fine but any more is not to my liking.  And, thankfully, we don't have to worry about it very often at all here in NE Louisiana.

3. Name a New Place you want to go this year?
There are some interesting places right here in our own state and some would make a real nice day trip.  I think it might be fun if Hubby and I planned to visit 1 or 2 of these.  Sometimes we miss what is "in our own backyard" by thinking we have to travel many miles to see or do something.

4. Would you rather have a new Hair cut or Hair color?
Well, to tell you the truth, I'm pretty pleased with both right now.  I do change hair styles occasionally but I've never been one to play around with my hair color except for hi-lites every once in a while.  And, while we're on the subject, what is with the "wild colors" that some gals are coloring their hair.  I just don't get it! ~probably shows my age for sure~

5. Name one special thing you want to do for yourself this year?
I want to and plan to go to Virginia to see some  cousins and an Aunt on my Mom's side.  I love going and am working to make it happen, probably in early spring.  It's been 2 years since I've been and non of us are getting any younger. ~if you know what I mean~

6. Least Favorite thing about January?
It's sort of a "ho-hum" month and can be very dreary weather wise.  I'm a sun shine kind of gal and dreary days and I don't do well together.

7. Most Favorite thing about January?
It's the start of a new year and I do love new beginnings.

8. When do you take down your Holiday decorations?
As soon as possible and this year it was Christmas Day.  Our Christmas was over and we had nothing to do that day so I stayed busy undecking. ~don't think that's a word~  I was one happy gal when it was all down and put up for another year.

9. Do you diet in January?
Well, I wouldn't say diet but generally am more conscious about what I eat than usual for a while. I figure it's a heck of a lot easier to lose 1-2 pounds than 10-20. ~ugh~

10. What area of your home do you want to organize the most?
My home is pretty much organized and I work real hard to keep it that way but my closet could use some extra organization right now.  And, I am working on it, a little at a time and it is looking somewhat better.

11. Favorite Winter Comfort Food?
Well, it would be soup of all kinds and that probably doesn't qualify as a "comfort food" but it is for me.  Give me soup of any kind and piece of corn bread and I'm very comforted. ~chuckle~

12. Favorite Guilty Pleasure

Well, the first thing to come to my mind is Hershey Chocolate Nuggets with almonds.  I love those little sweet blocks of chocolate and keep them in a container on the kitchen cabinet.  I entitle myself to at least one per day and sometimes I give in to having two. ~shame on me~ 

Have a great 2nd week of 2018!!!

Lea's Favorites

Well, have you missed my "favorites" post?  It's been probably 6 weeks since I shared any of my favorites with you, so thought it was "high time."

We are big "soft butter" folks here at this house.  I have not refrigerated butter for the last several years.  It makes spreading it sooooo much easier.  I get so aggravated when I go to a restaurant and they bring me cold butter to use on my warm/hot bread.  Ugh!  Anyway, I saw this butter keeper on Facebook a few weeks ago and I just couldn't resist ordering one.  It holds 2 sticks of butter and I always kept 2 glass butter dishes on the counter and I thought  this would serve the purpose better.  It comes in 3-4 colors and easily comes apart for washing.  And, yes, you can find it on Amazon!

One of Hubby's staff shared these little jewels with me the other day. Just the name will certainly grab your attention.  These are the softest facial wash cloths you have ever used, so,so much softer than any regular washcloth (no matter how much fabric softner you use). I use mine to clean my face before using the cleanser in my skincare regime.  It claims to clean your face without any cleanser or soap but I just cannot buy that.  But, they certainly get the bulk of my makeup off before I use my cleanser. And, I'm quite sure their softness is much better for my face than the washcloths I have been using for years.  They wash and dry beautifully too and they are in such happy colors.  I got mine at Bed,Bath and Beyond for $9.99 and they were a whooping $19.99 on Amazon.  Yep! gotta be careful!

I am a big time lotion user.  I slather it all over from head to toe every morning when I get out of the shower.  Of course, my back always poses an issue since my arms are just not quite long enough to reach most of it.  And, in this bitter cold weather we've been having, my skin and especially my back, needs moisturizing.  I recently bought this lotion applicator and it's super!  I've tried a couple of others that just were not all they were cracked up to be.  You actually put lotion into the end container on this and the little rolling balls spread it all over.  The handle has enough curve to reach your entire back area.  A novel idea for sure!  I also bought this at Bed,Bath and Beyond for $9.99.

NOTE:  The following is definitely favorites of mine but of a different favorite, they are just something to admire, not use. ~yes, more stuff~  But, I wanted to share them with you. 

I have been on the lookout for some decorative plates that were non-seasonal.  I want them for a couple of times during the year, one of them being right now.  I don't really decorate for Valentine's or Madi Gras but love to have decorative plates on my stands.  While out and about during the holidays I saw these Clementine Hunter plates.  When I saw them I knew they were what I wanted to use during the non-seasonal times of the year.

Some of you may be saying, who is Clementine Hunter? She was a self taught black folk artist here in Louisiana.  She died in 1998 at the age of 102.  She went to work at the Melrose Plantation, on the Cane River, as a young girl and lived most of her life there.  It was there that she picked up brushes and paints left behind by a visiting artist and began painting.  All of her paintings depicted her life there at Melrose.   She is Louisiana's most famous woman artist and one of  the most famous folk artist of all time.

The painting on this square platter is named, "Baptizing on the Cane River."

This painting is "The Cotton Wagon." 

The painting on this round platter is Melrose and if you notice, you will see that her s in Melrose is backwards.   The vase is called "Cotton Pickin'."

Her work is very childlike and likely there's none other quite like it.  I am thrilled too death with these pieces and love the look they give.  They were my Christmas present to myself. ~chuckle~

Now, have yourself a great 1st weekend of this new year!!!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's so good to be back with the HP this week.  I've been AWOL with the HP for a few weeks.  Let me jump in for Joyce's first of the year questions.....

1. It's that time of year again...time for Lake Superior University to present a list of words (or phrases) they'd like to see banished (for over-use, mis-use, or genera uselessness) in 2018. You can read more about the decision making process and word meaning here, but this year's top vote getters are-

unpack, dish (as in dish out the latest rumor), pre-owned, onboarding/offboarding, nothingburger, let that sink in, let me ask you this, impactful, Cofefe, drill down, fake news, hot water heater (hot water doesn't need to be heated), and gig economy

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word not on the list you'd like to add?
I really don't hear many of these and some I've never heard of before.  But, nothingburger is pretty senseless as far as I'm concerned and certainly not necessary in the world of describing something or someone .

2. What's something you need to get rid of in the new year?
Oh, I likely have a lot that I probably should get rid of at this point in my life. ~big grin~ I probably need to lessen my dishes.  I love dishes and have more than my fair share of sets but I don't really want to get rid of any.  I do have two sets of fine Lenox china that need a new home.  But, so far I haven't found anyone willing to give me a decent price for them.  This was just the first thing to come to my mind, as I said, I probably have a lot that I need to get rid of.  And, hey I could get rid of some poor attitudes about "some" things as well. ~couldn't we all~

3. Where do you feel stuck?
I am often stuck in thinking that my daily devotional time serves as Bible study and it is NOT.  I am making a concerted effort to spend more time in Bible reading and study this year outside of my devotional time.  It is such a blessing to read and study God's Word but it's so easy to let other far less important things get in the way of it.  

4. January is National Soup Month. When did you last have a bowl of soup? Was it made from scratch or from a can? Your favorite canned soup? Your favorite soup to make from scratch on a cold winter's day?
I made the BEST pot of Beef Stew this past weekend (and I consider that sort of a soup).  It was definitely made from scratch.  I use round steak that I cut into cubes rather than regular stew meat.  My favorite canned soup is Homestyle Chicken Noodle and my favorite soup to make from scratch is Chicken Noodle and I'll likely be making it later this week.  We are soup and stew folks here at our house.  Add some corn bread and we're happy campers.  

5. Tell us one thing you're looking forward to in 2018.
Well, right now I'm just looking forward to the entire year.  I was so glad when yesterday arrived and things could get back to a normal routine. ~whatever that is~  I thrive on a routine and the holidays generally through routines to the wind.  And, that's quite fine but I do look forward to getting back with our routines.

6. Insert your own random thought here

On New Year's Day I decided to sell a few really nice purses and totes I had  on my Facebook page.  I have never done anything quite like that but decided to give it a whirl.  Well, I listed  6 and within one hour all but one had sold.  I'm thinking that I just might make a group page for selling items I no longer want or use.  Folks will have the option of being in the group or not.  I think it's a "win win" deal for both me and the buyer. ~the joys of social media and the internet~ 

Happy 2018!