Wednesday's Post, A Day Late

It's funny how yesterday was such a hectic and busy day, yet there isn't all that much to write about.  Ever have a day like that?  Wednesday was my hectic quiet day.

It started off early with school, since E had 3 live lessons to do.  He had music first, so he did the reading for that before going to class.  He is currently studying the music of the Baroque period (and if it's not Baroque, don't fix it).  After that was science, with an assignment that he finished and turned in.  Then he had algebra class.  He hasn't done that assignment because a) he didn't fully understand it, and b) he didn't have enough time.  There was a Hope assignment he had to do (he got 100% on it) and an English assignment (another 100%).  His science teacher checked his portfolio and gave him 100% on that too.  So it was a busy but very productive school day.

I got my package from Ulta yesterday, and tried out the Complexion Rescue, but I have to honestly say I didn't pay much attention to it, other than the fact that my face felt very hydrated.  I had too much other stuff to focus on.  I couldn't spend much time looking at my face.

I made my turkey and quinoa chili which we love.  After lunch I showered and did my hair and makeup.  This is the second time I use the Pretty Wild kit from Bare Minerals on a Wednesday, and the second time I get complimented on my looks.  Obviously, this choice was a hit!

Awana was great.  The boys and girls had game time together, so they were pretty riled up, but my girls were focused on getting their work done.  One of my girls had me chuckling.  She is an overachiever in every sense - she's ahead of all the girls except one, who is tied with her in her book.  The assignment was to make at least 3 drawings of 3 separate times when she was afraid, and how God helped her through it.  She got one picture done, then said she couldn't think of any others because "she's never afraid of anything".  She claims she always knows what to do so she has no reason to be afraid.  While I applaud her bravery and positive outlook, I don't believe her for a minute.  So I said we'd ask Mom to help us.  She didn't think that was even necessary because Mom wouldn't be able to think of any times either.  I asked Mom anyways.  She gave me that, "Are you kidding me?" look and said, "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll remember some episodes before we get home."  I couldn't help but laugh at my new Merida (I told her we'd have to change her name because she's so Brave).  These girls give me life, I'm not even joking.  They make me smile from the inside out.

After that we came home, and I got ready for bed.  Here I was, in my jammies, and my oldest son comes home with his best friend.  I was not about to go out into the living area in my jammies, so I stayed in my room.  My computer was in the dining room, which is why this post had to wait till today.  And now today is gonna be another busy day, so let's see if I have a chance to report today's activities tonight!  Have a blessed day ya'll.

Middle of the Week

It's my goal to try and appreciate every day.  I don't like the whole "I hate Mondays" attitude that is so popular today.  I feel like every day is a gift, and we should enjoy each moment of every day.  Wednesdays are my challenge day in this respect.  I have to make it a point to look for the good in my busy Wednesday schedule.

I knew I had to be up early today.  My son had his first class at 9:30, and he doesn't move very quickly in the morning, so I had to make sure I got him up and running as quickly as possible.  He had a good morning of classes: music history, science, an hour to work on his science portfolio, and algebra.  Because today is Wednesday and we have church at night, I focused on him getting his time in, and getting as much work done as possible before it was time to get ready to go.  He managed to do his music reading, finished and sent in his science portfolio, and watched two of the four videos his algebra teacher assigned.  He was pretty confused during the class, but once he started watching the videos he seemed to get it.  The videos were more broken down and detailed.  Tomorrow he can finish the videos and take his first algebra quiz of the semester.  I'm sure he's excited.

Today I decided to try the Complexion Rescue sample in tan.  I figured it was probably too dark for my skin, but I wanted to see how it looked anyway.  Well, it looks amazing!  I had a nice, healthy glow to my skin without having to put on any other product.  I'm confused now - do I go with natural, which is a perfect color match for my skin, or do I pick tan instead, for that JLo glow?  I'm gonna have to try the natural again tomorrow, this time with nothing else on, and decide which I like best.  I didn't think it was gonna be this hard!

I made fried chicken for lunch and dinner.  I love fried chicken, but I hate the mess.  Thankfully I was able to keep it all under control.  After lunch I showered and washed my hair, then worked with E on his science portfolio for a bit before I put on makeup and fixed my hair.  It seemed like my day was rolling along well.

Awana went smoothly as well.  The girls in my group are wonderful, always prepared and always excited to learn.  The only part I didn't like was having to go outside.  Oh my word, it was cold out there!  Temperature-wise it wasn't cold; it was 64 degrees.  But the wind was blowing, and it was a chilly wind, too.  It made it feel lots colder than it actually was.  I was shivering!  My kids say they love it, but even my son E was shivering (he claims he likes to shiver; gimme a break).  We left on time today - usually we leave later because my son is hanging out with his friends, but today he wanted to get home early, which I was thankful for since I was freezing.  When we got home, we realized no one else was home.  That was strange; I thought for sure my oldest son R would be home from work.  We walked in, and the evidence of his coming home was all over my dining room table.  R has decided to build his own computer, and he's been purchasing the parts as he finds them.  Well, today was the day he chose to put his masterpiece together.  On the dining room table.  There's boxes and computer pieces all over the place.  I thought I might have a heart attack.  But then I remembered: be thankful.  For the good, the bad, and the ugly.  He'll finish putting this together, and it'll go in his bedroom where I won't have to see it.  It'll be okay.  Deep, calming breaths.

My daughter got home from work, then R got home a few minutes later.  He'd had to go back to work because he'd forgotten his phone.  Funny, when I was growing up no one had cell phones so no one missed them.  Now, you can't walk two feet inside your own house without the cell phone within arms reach.  My, but we've become dependent on those things!

I'm gonna wrap up this post.  I'm in a little corner of the dining room table, and my son has control of all the rest of the space.  Maybe it's best that I go to bed.  You know, before someone takes over that part of the house too.  It's been a good day.  A really good day.  Thank You Jesus.  Good night.

Wednesday Mid-Week

Today was a slightly more relaxed day than yesterday.  I like days that are even the slightest bit more relaxed.  I'm a relaxation loving gal.

I awoke to the sounds of my daughter coughing up all the nastiness that has been plaguing her the past few days.  It reminded me of her brother just last week.  That Mucinex-DM really does work, let me tell you.  Her voice is slowly returning though she whispers most of the time just so she doesn't strain her throat.  That's been the hardest part for her: my daughter the chatterbox doesn't know how to "not speak".  She went back to work today because she had to, not because she wanted to.  Her boss at the tutoring place told her that she'd had to cancel two of her students because there was no one to replace her.  My daughter felt bad, even though this is the first time in a year and a half that she's missed a day of work.

Since today was the last day of the semester and my son is completely done with all his work, I just asked him to do some reading for the day.  It made no sense to try and figure out something for him to do.  I did a bunch of cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, laundry...basically kept busy with all the inside housework.  I'm thinking tomorrow I'll work outside; there's plenty to be done, and the weather has been nice, though today it was pretty hot out.  Apparently it's supposed to cool down over the weekend again.  We've had temps in the upper 50's and lower 60's during the night and in the mornings, and 70's in the afternoon.  Today actually got up to about 80, but that's not supposed to last.  I'm glad; it's much easier to do yardwork when it isn't too hot outside.

We had Awana tonight.  One of the leaders told me my makeup looked really nice, which made me happy :).  I'd taken my time fixing my makeup and hair, and it was nice that she noticed.  When I got home I cleaned up the kitchen, then prepared the jambalaya for tomorrow.  I prep everything and put it inside the crock pot, then leave it in the fridge till tomorrow morning when I set it on high for about 5 hours.  That's why I love the crock pot so much: it takes about 10 minutes to prepare everything, and the crock pot does the rest.

So that was pretty much my day.  Nothing exciting, no big adventures, just a quiet, ordinary day.  Well, quiet when my daughter wasn't coughing :( .  I'm desperately hoping I don't catch this cold; she hangs around me a lot, and I hate telling her to keep away, but I really, really don't want to get sick.  Here's to hoping!  Have a blessed, restful night everybody.

Middle of the Week

It's Wednesday.  Only Wednesday.  Why does it feel like Thursday?  Why is this week taking so long?!

I woke up at 6:00 but it was so dark out I just rolled over and went back to sleep till 7:30.  I didn't know why it was still kind of dark, then I checked the weather on my phone.  Dense fog for our area, it said.  I looked out the window; it wasn't what I would call dense, but it was foggy.  I had wait for my son to get out of the bathroom, so I spent some time in prayer.  Once he got out I went in, then I heard him leave shortly afterwards.  Turns out he did go to see the eye doctor that saw him at the store yesterday.  Pink eye, both eyes.  Who would have known?  Oh yeah, an eye doctor :P.  He still had to work, though, because there was no one to cover for him.  I don't think he even told the store manager that he had pink eye.  R is very responsible at his job and he always gets good reviews because of it.  I'm really hoping he'll get hired full-time.  It would make a world of difference for him.

I let my youngest son E sleep till 10:00.  I thought he had to report to his science class, but it was a collaboration class and he's already done the two he needs for the semester.  He started school at 11:00 with his algebra lesson.  While he did that I cleaned the master bathroom and put away laundry.  Lunchtime came and I hadn't taken anything out.  Honestly, I had nothing on the menu for today.  I guess I messed up when I did the menu planning for the two weeks, because I have nothing planned for tomorrow either.  There's stuff I can make but I'm running out of staples quick.  Friday will be a grocery day for sure.  I just have to plan out what I'm gonna need.  Anyway, I made E a frozen pizza (no problem for him, he loves them) and I had some Tyson popcorn chicken with fries.  My daughter took the leftovers from yesterday so it wasn't an issue that mom took a day off from the kitchen.

After lunch I had E watch an algebra review from last week, then he did part one of his final.  He scored a 72 so far, with a couple of questions still needing to be graded.  Two of the questions he got wrong were silly errors; not reading the question through or copying the equation wrong.  I feel bad for him because I know how hard he's trying, and because he has an 89% in that class.  He wants to get an A so badly.  I'm praying he scores higher on the next two parts of the exam.  Part 2 looks like it's gonna be the hardest part, but we'll have to see.

Oh yeah, that burn on my hand?  It blistered.  Like, ugly.  There's this big old blister on my hand that I'm afraid of popping because I know the minute it pops it's gonna hurt like crazy.

Tonight was Awana.  I love my third grade girls.  They are a bit competitive but in a good way; they want to excel, but they're willing to help each other too.  They are so sweet!  I showered but didn't blow dry my hair because according to the weather forecast it was supposed to rain and be muggy tonight.  I figured, why straighten my hair just to get the frizzies the minute I walk out the door?  So I left my hair in its natural form, curly like a rat's nest.  I stepped out the door and wouldn't you know it - it was cool and dry out :P.  As a matter of fact, it seems the temps are going down tonight.  I was so upset, because I absolutely hate wearing my hair curly.  Of course I got 100 compliments on how great my hair looked.  Go figure.

I got home and went to the bathroom to change into my jammies and wash the makeup off my face.  The minute I turned on the bathroom light I saw it.  In the sink.  A palmetto bug.  Any Floridian would immediately know what I'm talking about: they are giant cockroaches that fly.  Now, I usually take care of these myself, so long as I have a can of Raid handy.  This time, however, the odds were stacked against me.  The can of Raid was in the cabinet under the very sink where the palmetto bug was, and I was not about to take a chance at that thing flying on me.  I'm not "afraid" of them, but I am ridiculously disgusted by them, like sick to my stomach disgusted, and I was not about to have it get on me.  Ugh!!   So I called out for the boys to get the other cans of Raid from the garage and come take care of this ginormous bug.  My son R came and I told him to look in the sink while I stood outside the bathroom (where I was safe).  He didn't see anything; then I saw it on the wall inside the bathtub area.  When he saw it, even he said it was huge.  He had to stand on the bathtub rim to reach it because I have a garden tub, so the bathtub area is deep.  The moment he sprayed it, it flew towards him.  He almost fell off the tub, poor kid!  Once it landed on the floor he was able to spray it directly and it died almost instantly.  This thing was about 2 inches long, I am not even joking.  It was totally gross, and I couldn't even be in the bathroom until I knew for sure it was dead and I could sweep it out of there.  I guess I could say that was today's adventure.  I can also say I'd be happy to live the rest of my life without another similar adventure, though I'm sure that's not likely in Florida.

I finally did get ready for bed, so I bid everyone a good night, pleasant dreams, and blessings to all.

Wacky Wednesday

Why is today a Wacky Wednesday?  Because this morning the weather took a strange turn.  Yesterday it was in the 80's, hot and muggy.  Not overly muggy like in the summer, but after our run I felt stickier than I had the past month or so.  This morning when I got up it was 70 degrees, but the humidity was gone.  In its place was a cool breeze, cool enough to turn off the a/c and open the windows.  What's more, it's supposed to get down into the low 50's tonight after weeks of warm weather.  You just never know what to expect!

Our weather in South Florida has remained warmer than the rest of the state.  North Florida has freeze warnings in effect, and Central Florida has wind advisories.  My kids lament the fact that we don't have the different seasons like in other parts of the state, but I have no problem staying in the warmth.  I did the cold weather all my growing up years, and I have to say, I don't miss it.  I don't mind a little bit of cold; mid to upper 50's is fine with me.  The lowest I can accept is 49 degrees, and that's pushing it.  Not that I enjoy the heat and humidity; heat is fine, but humid weather I can do without.  I like it when it's warm and dry, and my hair looks fantastic.  Like today!

I woke up at 6:30 this morning, spent some time with The Lord, then got moving in the kitchen.  I remembered to take out some chicken tenders (yay!) so I got the crock pot out and started on my chicken taco chili.  This chili is loaded with beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, green pepper, and garlicky goodness.  It's healthy and tasty, and the best part is that I throw it all in the crock pot and walk away!  It takes 10 minutes to get all the ingredients in my slow cooker, 4 hours to cook, 5 minutes to shred the chicken, and before I can say, "Man that smells good!" our meal is ready :-).  I serve this with tortilla chips and nothing else.  It's a complete meal all in itself.

My son E spent the morning either on the computer listening to his classes or in the bathroom.  His colon was overly active today (yeah, I know, TMI.  Realities of life).  His music class is done, so all he had this morning was science and algebra.  Only his two most important classes :P.  E is really good at math, but he's not good at taking tests.  He gets overwhelmed really fast.  Science is a tricky subject: as in, the exams have lots of trick questions.  My son doesn't think in those terms; he's very black and white.  Multiple choice is fine with him, so long as there are 3 clearly wrong answers and one clearly correct one.  When there's 2 wrong answers and 2 possible answers, he gets exasperated.  The best thing he can do is be as prepared as possible, so that's what we're trying to do.

While he was doing science I did some cleaning and putting away laundry, then when algebra started I took a shower and washed my hair.  I knew that, with his tight schedule and Awana starting back up tonight, I might not have time to get myself ready.  While he ate lunch I did my makeup and dried my hair.  I've been considering whether to get my hair cut again or let it grow out some more.  My hair has been looking amazing.  It's responding really well to the OGX products.  I find that it doesn't get greasy as quickly as it used to, and when I dry it there's not a lot of frizz.  It also still has a lot of body the next day after I've slept on it.  Thanks to my amazing hair stylist, my hair is growing out beautifully.  It almost seems like a waste of great hair to get it cut.

Another thing I've noticed, is that I'm not taking nearly as long getting my makeup done, and it's looking better every time.  I think with all the products I got I was having a hard time deciding what to use, and I was going back and forth on whether to use this color or that, or this powder or the other.  I'm getting a good feel about how I want to look and the steps to achieve it, so makeup application is much smoother.  In all my experimenting I've found out things I never knew about myself.  For instance, I would never, ever purchase products with a peach undertone.  I was certain I needed pink undertones because that's what my mother uses and my skin is like hers.  Well, with some of the kits I've gotten from Bare Minerals there have been peachy tones, and I went ahead and gave them a try.  They work 100 times better on my skin than the pinks!  I made the erroneous assumption that whatever works for my mother must work for me because, hey, she's my mother.  The reality is, I have some olive in my skin which I inherited from my father.  I realized this when I got color-matched for foundation, and the color that works for me is medium beige, which is a neutral.  The pink foundation would have looked ridiculous on me, but the golden is too yellow.  I'm in between.  My daughter made the same mistake; she got medium beige because that's what I got.  When she went to Macy's with her dad to get her Christmas present, she got color-matched at the Bare Minerals boutique in the store.  She's a golden medium.  It works wonders for her rosacea because the yellow counteracts the redness in her skin.  Lesson learned:  always get color-matched.  Don't assume anything.

My oldest son texted me just after lunch.  He is so sick.  He's achy all over and has a fever.  Unfortunately he took Aleve, which he can only take every 8 hours, and the fever was back after 6.  I know he's a grown man (he'll be 28 years old in March), but he is still my baby, and knowing he's sick puts me in mom-mode.  Except when he's at work there's nothing I can do for him.  It's times like these I wish they were all little again and I could take care of them like a mommy should.  He got home and told me he'd taken ibuprofen.  I told him to get some rest, but he was sure he wouldn't be able to because he hadn't been able to fall asleep the night before thanks to the aches and pains in his body.  E and I left for church, and when I came home he was fast asleep on the recliner.  *Sigh*  When are they gonna accept that mama knows best?

Awana was great tonight.  I had a new girl join my group; her mom is a sweet friend of mine and I was excited to see her daughter moved up to T&T.  Unfortunately, most of my girls didn't come today.  There was the new girl and one other girl, and that was all for the third graders.  We joined the fourth grade girls and had book time with them.  After that it was our welcome back ice cream party!  The kids were so happy to get ice cream; I wonder if the parents were equally enthused about their precious little ones getting loaded with sugar?  Those kids will be bouncing off the walls for next few hours, LOL.

As we were leaving I noticed that it was cooler outside than when we'd left.  It's already 69 degrees.  It'll be interesting to see just how low our temperatures get tonight.  Guess it's time to break out the warm jammies ;-).  Good night, sleep tight.

Wonderful Wednesday

That's right, wonderful.  Why not?  We are 7 days away from Christmas Eve.  I think that qualifies as wonderful!

My day started early and pretty normal.  Cereal, toast and coffee for breakfast.  My son's schedule was pretty packed today for a change:  he had 5 assignments to do, but one he'd done yesterday and the other he'd started, so he was ahead of the game.  He also had 3 live lessons to attend, so I got him up early to get started - it was gonna be a busy day.  At 9:30 he logged on to his music history class.  The teacher never showed up.  I guess the class was cancelled, but search as we might we couldn't find any announcement from her.  I told E he needed to keep working even if the teacher wasn't there, so he worked on his music history lab:  questions regarding the music of the Renaissance.  At 10:00 am he logged in to his science class.  Another lab, but this one the class did together and she said he could use her notes and results for his portfolio.  He's gonna leave that assignment for tomorrow, since he has all of tomorrow's assignments caught up.  After that it was algebra.  This particular class was really important:  he hadn't done a collaboration for algebra, and if he didn't do this one he'd get a zero.  Not only did he do his collab, the teacher gave the class credit for 2 assignments with the one class/collaboration, so he's now done with algebra till after Christmas break.  Once that class was done he finished his music history lab and submitted it.  Two classes down.  He still has his PE assignment, and an English assignment for Friday, plus sending in the science lab.  Once that's done, he can relax.

Today's lunch was fried chicken tenders, stuffing with gravy, corn, and a salad with fresh greens from my garden.  This is a butter type lettuce but while it has some sweetness to it, it also has some bitterness, kind of like endive.  It's very crunchy too.  I'm really enjoying it.  There was a little housework to be done while my son took his live lessons:  sweeping up an enormous amount of dog hair (well, it felt enormous, anyway), cleaning the hallway bathroom, and getting a load of laundry in the wash.  Other than that there wasn't a whole lot to do.

Today was our church's end of year mid-week services.  I serve as an Awana leader, and my son attends youth group.  Both had their parties for today:  Awana had a Happy Birthday Jesus party, and the youth had their Christmas Fiesta.  I showered early and did my hair; it's been about 6 weeks since I got my last haircut and already it's getting harder to style because it's grown so much.  My hair grows like a weed.  I hear women complain about how slowly their hair grows.  Mine is the exact opposite.  Maybe it's all the vitamins I take or something, because my hair has no growth issues.  I've been using a sample of Matrix Oil Wonders Egyptian Hibiscus Color Caring Oil (say that three times fast) that I received with one of my Ulta orders.  It can be used before shampooing, before conditioning, or as an after conditioning treatment.  It's supposed to make color treated hair more vibrant.  I will admit my hair color does look brighter, but I don't know if that's because our humidity has gone down and my hair doesn't get frizzy like in the summer or during the rainy season.  So far my hair feels nice.  I would have to try it during the time when my hair looks its worse to see if there's really a change.

I kept my makeup look simple today, but I did try the new blush I got from Bare Minerals.  It is so pretty!  It's a light pink shade, not overly pink, very natural looking.  My daughter has been using hers too, and she likes it as well.  She's been having a rough time with excessively dry skin, though.  I don't know if it's because she was taking medicine for her rosacea, or if maybe it's the dryness in the air, but her skin gets downright flaky.  She's been trying different moisturizers but none seems to stop the dryness for very long.  She got some intense hydrating cream by Burt's Bees last night, and it seemed to be working - her skin felt smoother this morning.  When she got home from work I thought she looked much better, till she got up close to me and I could see the skin flaking under her makeup.  She's getting frustrated; whenever her skin starts to clear up from acne the rosacea flares up, and when the rosacea calms down her skin gets drier than the desert.  The cleansing products she's using work great.  It's the moisturizers that aren't doing the job.  We are on the search for a potent moisturizing cream.

Back to Awana:  our evening started out fun.  The party room, which is the school cafeteria, was decked out with balloons for Jesus' birthday.  After the pledge of allegiance and prayer, we broke off into separate rooms by groups for counsel time.  This is the time when the kids listen to a teaching.  One of the kids, who has Asperger's Syndrome, was acting up, so we took the rest of the kids while several of the leaders stayed behind.  It was a good thing we left - he became violent towards the leaders and one of the pastors and had to be held down by 3 men so he wouldn't attack one of the female leaders.  It put a damper on the festivities for the adults, but thankfully we were able to shield the children and they had a fantastic time.  We loaded them up with sugar before sending them home ;-).  I ate a bit too much as well; I'll suffer for this in the morning, I'm sure, but hey, Christmas only comes once a year, right?  Actually, the teaching was about was how Christmas isn't about shopping or Black Friday or gifts or food, it's about God so loved the world (John 3:16).  So really, Christmas is everyday, because everyday we are loved by our Heavenly Father.  That is a comforting truth.

We have no Awana now for the next two week.  I'm gonna miss my girls, but I'm also gonna enjoy my wonderful kids and vacation time.  Looking forward to that!  Good night folks.

Wacky Weather Wednesday

I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone.  I've walked into another dimension, one with temperatures way below what they normally are this time of year.  We woke up to 47 degrees today.  This is highly unusual in South Florida overall, but even more so at the beginning of December.  We typically don't see temps this low until late December or early January.  For us, having temperatures in the 40's on Christmas means we're gonna have a cold winter; it's December 10th and the forecast calls for 40's and 50's for the next week.  I think it's safe to say, this winter will be frigid.

Today my son had a pretty packed school schedule.  Interesting how it works:  Monday and Tuesday we had nothing to do other than school, and his schedule was light.  Tonight we have church; E has youth group and I serve in Awana.  So of course today he has a heavier schedule :P.  I'm thankful, though, that homeschooling gives us such flexibility.  He finished one of today's assignments yesterday.  His music assignment isn't due till tomorrow so it's not pressing.  He has 3 online classes to attend today, plus his English and science assignments to turn in.  Once that's done, if he has time he can work on music or leave it for tomorrow.  He doesn't feel pressured by deadlines, yet he's way ahead in all his classes.  Public schools could learn a lot from homeschool.  Of course there are the cons, the inevitable glitches that come from doing schoolwork (or any other kind of work) over the internet.  The connection to the school link was giving us problems.  I literally had to shut down my computer and start it back up because it just froze.  The good thing is, all the live lessons are recorded, so if my son needs anything he can always go back and listen to the lesson again.  They've really taken care of things.  Once the internet was back on track, he finished the classes he needed to get done.

After our run yesterday I decided the weather was perfect for putting up some Christmas lights.  I only wanted to get them up around the garage and the entrance; it's hard to get around the plants and trees on the other side of the house.  E and I worked for an hour, and it was looking really good.  Then I tried to plug them in.  I'd done it again.  I put the lights up backwards.  The plug is on one side of the 2 car garage, and the outlet is on the other side of the entryway.  I can't put an extension cord without it going all over my driveway.  It was past 5:30 and starting to get dark, so I had to quit my work and leave the lights to be fixed today or tomorrow.  I was so bummed; my intention was to surprise my daughter when she got home from work.  She was surprised, alright.  First thing she said when she walked in was, "Do you realize the lights aren't turned on?"  And then she laughed at me.  I'm glad I was at least able to bring some comic relief into her life :P.

My first Bare Escentuals order came in today!  Let me just give a quick rundown of all I got:  first off, I got 2 Prime Time eye primer shadow which I am SO glad I got.  I've always had dry skin, but lately I've noticed my skin getting oilier around the t-zone area and especially my eyelids.  I cleanse and moisturize daily so I know that's not the reason; it's just my skin adjusting to a new season of life I suppose.  I'm not upset that my skin has gotten a bit oilier, since it was always so dry.  It just means I have to take measures to keep my skin from getting too oily.  It also means I have to make adjustments in my makeup, hence the eyelid primers.  With such oily eyelids my eye makeup would crease and the colors would blend, making them look mushed up if that makes sense.  I have been using my regular primer on my eyelids and it has helped, but I'm hoping these primers which are also base shadows will do a better job.  The colors are nude glow and gold nugget; nice neutral transition shades.

Also for the eyes, I got 3 new eye shadows.  Oasis is a stunning green which I'm really excited about because I don't have any green eye shadows!  Brown eyes look very nice with green eye shadow so I can't wait to try it, especially since it looks like a nice holiday color!  Mai Tai is more on the orange-y side, brighter than I'm used to but I have to actually try it and see how it looks.  Lastly, Velvet Vanilla is a light powder similar to Vanilla Sugar but not as glittery.  I also got a much needed eyeliner pencil in bronze - my brown pencil is down to almost nothing since it's the one I use the most.

The blush that came with the set is called Exhilarate, and it's a bright rosy pink.  I've needed blush for some time; the one I have I need to layer on thick so it'll show.  That defeats the purpose of trying to use less makeup.  This color looks really pigmented and it's a lovely shade of pink.

Next, lip colors.  I got a beautiful lipstick/lipliner combo in Get Ready which is a dusty rose color.  I usually use brighter pinks but this is a pretty color for evening.  Then I got 2 lip glosses, one called Plumtini (easy to guess what color that is) and the other Apricot Nectar (also pretty easy to figure out).  These are mini sizes which are fine; I don't usually use lip glosses except over lipsticks if they are drying.

The kit brought a nice two sided concealer brush.  While I wasn't looking for one, I'm glad this one came with the set.  The large side is perfect for under the eyes, and the smaller side is great for around my nose which gets red especially during allergy season, so this was a great plus.  Add to that the pastel yellow makeup bag and I got 13 items for $30.  Happy birthday to me!!

Awana went very well tonight.  It is awesome to hear the girls encourage one another, and oh how they learn those bible verses!  I'm privileged and humbled that God would use me to plant His words in their precious hearts.  I wonder if these girls know how much I learn from them and how much they bless me each week.

We're back home now.  It's just me and E; my oldest son R is at work, and my daughter A is at a funeral.  A girl from her youth group sent a group text out yesterday asking for prayer for a girl in her dance class; she'd passed out and wasn't breathing, and the ambulance had rushed her to the hospital.  My daughter told me it was a girl who'd been to youth group before.  Shortly afterwards she got an email from the church asking for prayer as well.  A couple of hours later she got the news that the girl, who was just 11 years old, was now with Jesus.  Apparently she'd had a heart attack.  I guess she had some undetected heart disease, though I don't know for sure.  I cannot imagine the pain and anguish her family must be feeling right now; just thinking about it drains me emotionally, and I didn't even know the girl.  It's a reminder that our lives are fleeting.  We have to live each day like it's our last, because tomorrow is not guaranteed.  I will be praying for this family.

The dishes are washed, everything's put away, it's time to get washed up and ready for bed.  Oh, in my kit I also got a sample of Bare Minerals' Active Cell Renewal Night Serum.  It's a product that helps "maximize cellular renewal and hydrate skin overnight," to provide "skin that looks firmer, healthier and younger."  Sure, I'll give it a try.  I don't know that I'm gonna be dishing out $50 for one fluid ounce of this in the future, but I'm not against trying out a freebie.

That was my day today.  Thanks for stopping by.  God bless.

Wednesday - My Crazy Day

We've arrived safely to the middle of the week.  It's Wednesday.  My crazy day.

I call it that because it's my son's heaviest school day.  He has 3 live lessons back to back, plus all his assignments.  While he is required about 5 hours of school per day, Wednesdays will typically run into the 7-8 hour range.  Which today is not so bad, since he's a couple hours behind for the week.  But the week has been, shall we say, a tad out of the ordinary.  You just never know.

I woke up this morning to rain.  Again.  Let me explain:  this has probably been the wettest year in the history of Florida.  We had rain almost every single day this summer.  I'm not even joking.  I was babysitting my cousin's kids during school break, and my hope was to take them to the park for play and exercise at least 3 times a week.  We probably went 3 times the entire summer.  When it wasn't raining, the park was flooded.  We stayed indoors and played board games.  Lots and lots of board games.

Our hope was that, once fall rolled around, the humidity and rain would go down, along with our temperatures.  And it did, for a while.  The rain slowed, the days got cooler and breezier, I even had the windows opened.  This week, however, it has been totally unpredictable.  We get rain, then sunshine, then rain again, then blue skies - all in the span of an hour.  Talk about bipolar weather!  The temps have stayed in the upper 70's for the most part, which isn't bad, but we are yearning for some 60 degree weather to come back!

At 10 am it was time for my son's science class.  Lo and behold, it was collaboration day.  Collaborations are group projects that the kids do during class, and they are required 2 per semester for science.  Well, E had done both in previous collaborations, so he didn't have to stay in class.  Yippee!  It allowed us to get a bit caught up before algebra class.

Today is also Awana.  Awana is our children's ministry program at church, and I'm one of the leaders.  I teach 3rd grade girls.  It's a ton of fun, and I have a small but enthusiastic group this year.  They are pretty competitive, though in a good way.  Lots of comraderie going on.

It's also hair day - I wash and blow dry my hair twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays.  Today I used a sample of L'Oreal's Color Vibrancy Conditioner that I got from Ulta, a beauty supply store in our area.  I color my hair about every 6 weeks so a good conditioner is a must.  I'll have to see if this one does the job.  I already use L'Oreal's Kerastase to protect my hair during blow drying and straightening and it leaves my hair feeling soft and silky.  Of course now that we're in the fall and the humidity has dropped a bit, my hair is looking sooo much nicer.  I hate how my hair frizzes up in the summer.  Fall and winter mean good hair days.

Lunch and dinner today consisted of a family favorite, Southwestern Style Chicken Soup.  It has chicken and veggies so it's really good tasting and good for the body.  We eat it with tortilla chips for some crunch.

Yeah, so, that's been my Wednesday.  We are almost caught up with school now, tomorrow we should be right on schedule barring any mishaps.  We're learning that there are no guarantees in life, no matter how much we plan.  It's okay though; God is in control.  Good night y'all!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

I'm taking a quick break to spend some time with my friends at the porch before my oldest son comes out for the beginning of his birthday celebration!  And what's even better, one of the questions is mine!  Thanks to Patrice and Wendell at Everyday Ruralty for hosting and letting me join in.


1. Melanie asks "What kinds of seafood have you tried and liked? What is the most unique seafood you've eaten?
I love all different kinds of seafood:  shrimp, lobster, clams, sea bass, salmon, tilapia, etc.  Crab I'm not fond of.  The most unique seafood I had years ago was fried eel at a sushi place.  It was surprisingly delicious.

2. Anne says, "An unforgettable holiday moment is_____________________. (She's on the other side of that BIG pond. I believe a holiday is a vacation on this side. )
I guess it would be the time we took my sister to Disney World.  Despite the fact that she was in her late 20's or early 30's (can't remember which) she was as giddy as a little girl.  Seeing her so happy made me happier still.

3. Arlene wants to know, "When was the last time you tried something new?"
Funny you should ask! (Or shall I say, funny I should ask, since this is my question, heehee).  I'm baking a cream cheese pound cake from scratch for the first time for my son's birthday today.  I'm really hoping it's a hit, otherwise I'll have to break out some Duncan Hines!

4. Becky asks, "Who or what inspires you?"
Missionaries inspire me.  Men and women who are willing to leave family, friends, and the comforts of home to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ remind me that any little thing I can do here to impact the kingdom of God is worthwhile.

5. Madonna wants to know," How did you chose the names of your children. Wendell adds,"If you don't have kids, how do you choose pet names?"
Since I don't share my children's names on my blog for privacy reasons, I will just say this:  my oldest son's name is Biblical, my daughter's name I got from a cartoon princess, and my youngest son was named by his older siblings.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's time for some Wednesday Hodgepodge, courtesy of Joyce, From This Side of the Pond.


1. March 20th is the first day of spring...is she a lion or a lamb in your part of the world?
Interestingly enough, here in South Florida we've enjoyed a mild winter.  Up until March rolled in.  That's when the temps started taking a nose dive, from upper 70's and low 80's to mid 40's and low 50's.  It's starting to climb back up now, with a few rain showers to pave the way to spring.

2. What's the most dreaded task on your spring clean to-do list?  Do you have a 'plan of attack'?
I want to give the hall bathroom some sprucing up with paint, and I'm dreading the amount of work that goes with that.  I like taking it one room at a time so it doesn't feel so overwhelming.

3. Peas...love 'em or hate 'em?  What's a favorite dish you make using peas?
I like peas.  I wouldn't say "love" but I certainly don't hate them.  I use peas in my Easy Chicken and Stuffing recipe.  

4.  Do you feel under appreciated?
Sometimes, by some people.  Usually, though, I feel very much loved by God, my family and my true friends, so it's good.

5. Have you been using Google Reader?  If so, what are you switching to now that GR has announced retirement?  If not, how do you read your favorite blogs?
I'd never even heard of Google Reader till now that it's going away.  I guess I can't miss it if I never knew it was around, so that makes the adjustment easier.

6. Anne Bradstreet is credited with the following quote~

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant;  if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

Agree or Disagree?  Why?
We don't have a typical winter in South Florida; it's always pretty warm here, so the analogy doesn't work for us.  However, I do agree that we appreciate the good times much more when we've faced adversity and seen the hand of God take us through it.

7.  When did you last 'spring for something'?  What was it?
I guess you could say I sprung for the barbecue grill that my sister generously gave me.  Having a grill makes me spring into action - grilling action!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
I've been asked by my old church to do some volunteer work this month, to help them get ready for Easter.  It's an honor and a privilege to serve the body of Christ and our community.  I prepared invitations for the children to give out, helped make candy bags for Easter Sunday, and now I've been asked to teach at the Saturday night children's service.  This is what happens when I ask God to use me to help others - He offers up opportunities galore!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

I'm joining Patrice, Wendell and all the gang on the porch for some chats at my favorite chatting place, Everyday Ruralty.  Some of the girls contributed the questions, so here are my answers:


QUESTIONS
1. Furry Bottoms asks: Did you grow up in a small town, or a big town? Did you like it?
I grew up in the city.  New York City.  The Bronx, to be exact.  I didn't like it at all.  I like where I live now, a small town outside of the big city.  I have all the perks of the city nearby, but not in my backyard.  There are cows in our area.  I like that much better.

2. Lisa wants to know: If you could pick one song to hear for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Amazing Grace.  It's beautiful, and expresses what I feel.

3. Karen asks: What are your pet peeves?
Leaving closet doors open.  What is so difficult about closing the doors?  It seems every time I turn around the pantry door in the kitchen is open.  Just shut the door, for crying out loud!

4. Colletta says: Do you remember your dreams? Are they in color or black and white? What is the craziest dream you've ever had?
I don't usually remember my dreams.  I wake up from a dream, I know I've been dreaming, but I'll quickly forget what I was dreaming about.  I do believe my dreams are in color.  I don't know about the "craziest" dream, but I've had several dreams where I'm a teenager living at home with my mom.

5. Rachel asks: What is the perfect pair of shoes for you?
Flip-flops.  I practically live in them.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's time for some hodgepodge, folks!  Thanks to Joyce, From This Side of the Pond for hosting.


1. Do you play games of luck/chance for money? Have you ever played bingo for money? Visited a casino?  Placed a bet on a horse? Bought a lottery ticket?
None of the above.  I like to play games to have fun.  I'm not a very competitive person, and I don't like how ugly people get when they play a game where money is involved.

2.  Will you be preparing and/or dining on the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage meal this St. Patrick's Day? Mashed-baked-hash browned-french fried...your favorite way to have potatoes?
I don't care much for corned beef so no, I won't be preparing any.  As for potatoes, I love 'em!  All the ways listed, plus au gratin.  Yum!

3. What's the last thing you felt 'green with envy' over?
I'm not typically an envious person.  I try to be content with what God has blessed me with.

4.  What's at the end of your rainbow?
Ireland! ;)

5. March 12th marks the anniversary of the death of Anne Frank (June 12, 1929-March, 1945).  Anne's diary detailing her time spent hiding from the Nazi's during the war ranks as one of the best selling books of all time.  Besides your blog, do you keep any sort of diary or journal?  Was this a habit you developed as a child or is journaling something new for you?
I remember keeping a diary many years ago but stopped.  I guess I got so busy with other things I didn't find the time to write stuff down.  I wish I had.

6. What's an item in your home or closet that contains every color of the rainbow?
I can't think of any.  I love color, and my closet has a nice variety, but I don't recall having one item with all the colors of the rainbow on it.

7.  Write a limerick with you as the subject.  You can do it!!  Just remember this is a family friendly blog...don't make me get out my wooden spoon.
You remember how girls in middle and high school would try their hand at poetry?  I was NOT one of those girls.  I hate all kinds of poetry.  I'm terrible at it.  Whenever I'm faced with having to help my kids with poetry homework, I get a headache.  Please, please, please don't ask me to write a limerick!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
No income tax refund yet, but I couldn't resist getting a couple or maybe four things at Old Navy.  My daughter needed to pick up her last check so I went with her.  I found the absolutely cutest white jean jacket for $29.94 - these are usually $60+ at the department stores!  I also got a pair of hot pink ballet flats that are perfect for this dress I got at Kohl's a while back.  The dress is navy blue with a hot pink belt, and the shoes will complete the outfit.  I can't wait to wear them, they are so comfy!

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

As usual, I'm arriving late at the porch - the snacks are probably all gone!  No matter, I can still enjoy my chat time with Patrice and Wendell at Everyday Ruralty.  Some of the other chatty Cathy's have contributed questions - this should be interesting (and fun!).


1. Beth asks:What's your favorite movie of all times? The one you've seen multiple times.
I don't know if this qualifies as a movie, it's more of a mini-series.  It's the BBC's version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth playing the part of Mr. Darcy.  I could watch it everyday and not get tired of it.

2. Clairity says: Name three things that are permanent residents in your handbag or purse.
Two or more pens, my mini umbrella (because rainstorms hit out of the blue in South Florida), and my tinted lip gloss.

3. Red asks: What's the best way to your heart?
Do something around the house without being asked.  Nothing pleases me more than to go into the kitchen and it's been cleaned up, or the laundry got magically put away.

4. Mamaw wants to know: Do you like going to yard sales?
You know, I've never been to a yard sale.  There are always multiple ones in my area, but I've never stopped to see what is being sold.  I hate the thought of stopping and looking over people's stuff only to walk away empty handed, but I don't want to spend money on things I don't need.

5. Cathy says: If you could slide down a rainbow, what do you think you'd find on the other side?
Ireland, I hope!  Wouldn't that be so cool?!?!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's the middle of the week, time for my mid-week Hodgepodge courtesy of Joyce, From This Side of the Pond.


1.  When were you last facing an ocean? Using just ONE word, describe how you felt as you faced that ocean.
You know how it is, when you live near something you rarely go visit it?  Well, that's me and the ocean.  I can get to the beach in about a half hour, maybe less, but I can't remember the last time I was there.

2. What are three sounds you hate to hear?
Whining, doors slamming, and bad words coming out of children's mouths.

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?
I try on at the store.  I hate making return trips, especially with the price of gas being what it is.

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?
I do like pistachios, but they don't like me back.  No kind of nuts for me unfortunately.

5. When did you last have to compromise with someone?  Were you happy to reach the compromise or slightly irritated it was necessary?
I can't remember any specific time, but I don't mind compromising.  As a mom I think it's important to teach my kids it can't always be their way.  They have to take the feelings of others into consideration.  This is especially true if they want to have a successful marriage someday.

6.  Have you ever written a letter to an elected official? Did you get a response?
I believe in grade school I did because it was a school assignment, and yes I got a response, but I cannot for the life of me remember who it was I wrote to.

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?
My oldest son's birthday on the 27th.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
February was a dry month except for today.  We've gotten lots of rain since early this morning.  It's been much needed, and behind it there's a cold front which will also be welcome.  It's not normal to get temps in the 80's in the middle of winter.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

Grab a cup of tea and join me, Patrice, Wendell and the gang on her porch for some chats at Everyday Ruralty.


1. What's your favorite fruit?
Seeing as I'm a native New Yorker, that would have to be apples.  In pies, in sauce, or just like it comes off the tree.  Raisins come in second.

2. Wendell would like to know if you've ever been horseback riding.
You know, I never have.  My uncle had a horse but it was so big it scared me and I never rode it.  Silly me.

3. Do you carry a small purse, a big one, or just a wallet?
I usually carry a mid-sized purse.  Not too big, because then I'll over fill it, but not too small since I always carry my folding umbrella in it.  If you live in Florida you know that an umbrella on hand is a necessity.

4. If you could travel to one state for a day (all expense paid), where would you go? If you're not in the US, where would you like to travel within your country?
I would visit Washington DC, or historic Virginia.  I love learning about the history of our great nation.

5. What was your first car?
A Buick Regal.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Here I am, trying to catch up on my posts again!  Join the Hodgepodge bunch at Joyce's, From This Side of the Pond.


1. When were you last 'on a mountaintop'?  You may answer in the literal or figurative sense.
Actual mountaintop - not since I was about 20 years old, in Puerto Rico.  There are no mountains in Florida.  Figuratively - last night when my daughter told me she'd won tickets to see Casting Crowns in concert.  I asked the Lord for those tickets, and He delivered.  I'm still on that mountaintop.

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?
Yes - at least I try very hard to.  My advice that I've given my own kids is to prepare a budget and stick to it.  Debt is a curse.  Avoid it at all costs.

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 love cherry pie.

4.  Should you ever discuss religion or politics with people you don't know?
I guess that depends on your confidence level.  I don't talk much about anything to people I don't know.

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'd much rather be the passenger.  I only drive because I have to, not because I like to.  My last road trip was to Orlando several months ago.

6. If we peeked inside your closet, what color would we say is most prevalent?
I have a fairly colorful closet actually.  I think teal takes up a good portion, as does fuchsia/burgundy.

7. Who's your favorite senior citizen and why are they special?
That would be my mom.  'Cause she's my mom.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Okay, so Casting Crowns, one of my all-time favorite Christian bands, is performing in Boca Raton, and I knew I couldn't afford to buy tickets, which is a bummer.  So I asked God if it were His will to let me somehow get tickets.  My daughter went to see Chip Ingram yesterday at a local church and won 2 tickets!  God is so faithful!  It was a simple request I made once, and I didn't think about it again, but my Father didn't forget about it.  He is so good!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

I'm excited to get back on my blog, and today is Wednesday, time for my Hodgepodge post.  Thanks to Joyce, From This Side of the Pond, for hosting.


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?

I attend a Baptist church.  We don't give things up for Lent, but our pastor has suggested doing a church-wide fast as we listen to God's voice and His will for the church.  I'm thinking of giving up Facebook for the month of March, but I don't know if that is enough.  I may fast from something else as well, as the Lord leads.

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?

I love pancakes!  I make buttermilk pancakes from scratch.  Just a drizzle of syrup is enough for me.

3.  I'm sure there are many, but what's one love song you really love?

Amazing Love.  "Amazing love, how can it be, that You my King should die for me?"  I get teary eyed every time I hear it.

4.  What are some things you do to let others know you love them?

My love language is Words of Affirmation, followed by Acts of Service.  I need words and actions that show love, and that is how I best show love as well.  Giving encouraging words and reminding people how much they mean to me, as well as doing a little something unexpected is how I show love best.

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?

I've always favored red roses, but really any color rose is lovely.  My kids gave me roses for my birthday, and a friend gave me roses to thank me for a going away party we hosted for her and her husband.  If I had to choose, hands down it would be the red roses.  They are so beautiful.

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 love all kinds of history, American history best.  I do enjoy learning about the Presidents and the decisions they made that help shape our nation.  Let's see, if I could tour just one of the houses listed...I've read that Monticello is extraordinarily beautiful, and the extensive grounds are also famous for the gardens, so I would definitely be interested in seeing it.

7.  Are you good at keeping secrets?

I think I'm pretty good at keeping secrets.  Why, would you like to share one? ;)

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I got a text message from our Awana leader yesterday asking if I would teach tonight's lesson.  I will be talking about making good choices, focusing on Abigail (1 Samuel 25).  Prayers are appreciated.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Is it still Wednesday?  Yes, it is!  Good, that means I can get my Wednesday Hodgepodge post up on time! Thanks to Joyce, From This Side of the Pond for hosting.


1.  In the USA this coming Sunday millions will be watching as the Baltimore Ravens take on the San Francisco 49's in the Superbowl.  What was the last event you attended that could be described as super?

Hmm, let's see.  The one super event that comes to mind was a few years ago.  We attended Night of Joy in Orlando, I'm thinking it was 2006.  Saw some amazing performances, sang praise songs at the top of our lungs and enjoyed a magnificent worship night at Disney's Magic Kingdom.  Unforgettable.

2.  Share something you're a fan of these days?

Netflix.  I love that I can watch what I want, when I want, with no stupid commercials, for a fraction of what cable/satellite costs.

3. How do you feel about wings?  In case anyone is confused, I'm talking the edible appetizer kind.  What's your preferred seasoning on a wing-hot, mild, teryiaki, sweet and sour, other?  Do you make your own or is there a favorite place you like to go for wings?  

I absolutely, totally LOVE wings!  I like honey barbecue wings, hot wings, sweet and sour wings.  I like them fried, baked or on the grill.  I can have them with or without sauce.  They are so yummy!

4.  As long as we're talking sports today...have you followed the Lance Armstrong story?  Did you watch his interview with Oprah and if so what was your reaction to his confession and subsequent remarks?

I admit I haven't followed the story much.  I heard it being mentioned and googled it to see what it was all about and I was very disappointed that he'd been lying for so long.  I'm glad he's come clean; I just hope he's truly sorry for what he's done.

5.  What's a question you hate to be asked?

"Is that your real hair color?" :P

6. The coaches in this Sunday's big game happen to be real life brothers.  Jim Harbaugh coaches the 49er's and his older brother John Harbaugh coaches the Baltimore Ravens.  Were you and your sibling(s) competitive?  In what way? Are you still?  If you're an only child how did you handle competition growing up?

I'm the oldest of four siblings.  We weren't competitive, at least I don't remember being so.  We'd play board games or card games and we'd play honestly, not trying to cheat or anything like that.

7.  What's your favorite game involving a ball and when did you last play?  

I'm not athletic.  At.  All.  The only ball game I play these days is tossing a ball to our dog Molly so she can run after it.  I'm not a sports fan either so I don't have any favorite games.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

So my daughter's CT scan results came in, and it's not looking good.  Her wisdom tooth is more than just close to the nerve; the nerve is running through the roots.  It's in a precarious place, and what's worse, the tooth has begun to move, causing cutting in the gum.  It can easily become infected if food particles fall into the area.  We talked about it, I prayed, and she thinks she's going to have them all removed at the end of February.  She's performing at our church's carnival next month and at a concert, so we both agree it would be best to get the surgery after these two events.  We'll be praying for a good outcome and asking everyone to pray as well.  All prayers are welcome.

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

Good morning!  It's a lovely day in South Florida, and I'm visiting with Patrice and Wendell on their front porch.  Please join us at Everyday Ruralty.


1. Have you ever been on a boat? (Motor boat, sail boat, cruise ship, ark, or Good Ship Lollipop)
Yes.  About 10 years ago I went with my husband to the Bahamas on a one day cruise.  It was extremely relaxing and fun.

2. Do you need an alarm to wake up in the morning, or do you wake up naturally? If you have an alarm, tell us what type.
I do have an alarm clock, one with a CD and radio plus a buzzer, but most times I'm awake before the alarm goes off.  I have it as a safeguard, just in case I doze off.

3. Have you ever had a yard sale?
Nope.  I wanted to have one but the hubs was totally against it.  We live in a cul-de-sac that is out of the way so it would be hard to get much traffic here anyway.

4. Do you like kitchen gadgets? What are some of your favorite?
Why of course I do - my favorite is my crock pot (or crock pots, since I have 3).  I also like my mini food processor, though I don't use it as often as I could.

5. Do you read labels at the grocery store?
If I'm purchasing something I haven't purchased before, yes.  I like to know what I'm getting myself into, or rather what is getting into me ;).

Chats on the Farmhouse Porch

I can't get through the week without visiting my dear friends Patrice and Wendell on their porch at Everyday Ruralty.  Though I must say, my porch is nicer this time of year, Patrice - it's 74 degrees out, sunny with a nice breeze.  Come on down for a visit, we can have some yummy Southern sweet tea if you like!


1. Do you eat eggs? What is your favorite way to serve them?
I do like eggs, very much.  I like mine over-easy or scrambled.  Or in an omelet, with ham, peppers, onion and tomato.  Yum!

2. Do you have a favorite item that you really like having around? (a pillow, a chair, a sweater, a teddy bear, etc.)
The recliners in my family room.  They are about 10 years old but they must be the most comfortable chairs in the universe.

3. Is most of the furniture in your home dark wood, light wood, painted, lacquered, or distressed?
I have a variety.  The furniture in my dining room and family room is light wood.  The TV stand in the living room is dark wood but it works alongside the lighter wood items in there.  The bar stools are also dark wood.  I don't care for the distressed look.

4.  Please fill in the rest of this sentence. "I could write a book about____________."
I could write a book about being thrifty.  I love looking for bargains.

5. If money and calendar/family obligations weren't an issue, would you prefer to spend next weekend at a Bed and Breakfast, a posh hotel, a cabin in the woods, or on a sailboat on a calm body of water? I guess the last thing, the sailboat, would have to be someplace warm. :) (It's 30+ degrees here.)
Well now, let's see...I don't think a sailboat would be my dream mini vacation; I would most likely get seasick.  I'm not the cabin in the woods type, unless the cabin has all the amenities.  That leaves the posh hotel and the bed and breakfast.  I think I'd go with the B&B.  It sounds more homey and casual, and I'm a homey/casual type of gal :).