Em In Stitches

Box of Chocolates

2011-05-08T10:36:00.002-04:00

You know the movie quote from Forrest Gump, "life is like a box of chocolates?" Well, that's I think the best way to describe my life right now. Some days I get a really nice sweet white chocolate, while other days (like today), I am tasting some of the real bittersweet kind.

Mother's Day is not always the easiest day for me to begin with...I live 3,000 miles away from my Mom and so don't get to celebrate it with her. But this year is much more difficult than most, as it is exactly 1 year ago today that I m/c my first baby with my DH. My life will never be the same, Mother's Day will never be the same. It is difficult not to reflect on all of the things that today "could have" been if things had turned out differently. I "could have" been the mother of a small baby, celebrating a happy Mother's Day, relishing in all the hopes and dreams that I would have for that little one. Instead, I am the mother of an angel baby who I never had the chance to meet and for whom all the hopes and dreams I had will never be realized. This past year it has been very difficult for me to even think of myself as a mother and just to write here that I am is difficult. But with the grief and loss that I feel, I know that I am, even if I never had the chance to hold, hug, or kiss that little baby.

I do not know the plans that God has for me...I can only hope and pray that the dreams that I have are somewhere in line with God's plan for my life. As each month passes with no closer step to mothering a live baby, my faith is tested and challenged. But I will hold steadfast to my faith and trust that God knows better than I do and, whatever God has planned for me will be the best possible plan for my life. That's not to say that I have given up on my dream of holding and raising my own dear child...in fact, I haven't yet been able to reconcile NOT having that dream become reality. But I do have to consciously make the decision every day to trust in God and trust that "Father knows best".

So, as I muddle through this day, while reflecting on my own experience with motherhood (however brief), I will also think of my own mother and all the other mothers I know. And I will prayer for these amazing women on this Mother's Day.

Pandora's Box?

2011-03-15T20:23:00.002-04:00

DH noticed a trend recently...the use of "Pandora" as a brand name. He asked me "why would a company want their brand to be named "Pandora", isn't Pandora's box a bad thing?" While I don't know the answer to this question, I have found a bit of Pandora to be an added joy in my life. It's Pandora radio!

I heard about this quite some time ago, but was reminded of it in a recent discussion with my uncle. So I decided to finally check it out and I just LOVE it!!! If you're not familiar, it's free online radio that is created to your own personal taste. You can even create multiple radio stations if you like. I like to listen to music softly while I'm working at home but with any radio station (whether on line or on the TV) I always have to choose a specific genre. With Pandora, I've been able to create a station for me, which includes many genres, consisting of only songs and artists that I like. If a song comes on that I don't like, I just give it a thumbs down and it won't come up again.

Try it...it's fun!

Reading List - February 2011

2011-02-25T20:10:00.009-05:00

I can't believe it's been nearly a year since I last updated my reading list. It's not that I haven't been reading. Actually quite the opposite, I've done quite a bit of reading in the past many months. Following are my thoughts on the books I've finished, along with an updated reading list. My "to be read" list is MUCH longer than what appears here, but it would be overwhelming to include them all:) Here goes...

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Okay, so this is a book written for preteen/teenagers, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was like a lighter version of Harry Potter, minus the magic and younger heroes/heroines. I enjoyed the story line, the development of the characters and the mystery that unraveled throughout the book. There was one especially interesting development at the end (part of a subplot) in which I was like "ahhhh, now it makes sense". So for kids and kids at heart, I recommend this fun, easy read.

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
This book was not at all what I expected. First, I didn't realize that it was the author's actual experience. Second, I guess from the movie previews I was expecting something lighthearted. Third, I did not expect the book to make me think and reflect so much on my own life and I never expected to relate so much. I'll leave it to you to get into the details but I loved the writing style of the author and her transformation throughout her story was relatable at many different intervals. I have already recommended this book to a few people and would do the same in general. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie...I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon
A deviation from my typical genre, this one wasn't quite what I expected but it was actually quite good. It's an easy read, not too long, but for a relatively short book I felt that it was pretty well developed and the build up kept me turning the pages. I definitely had difficulty putting this one down once I got started. When I read the reviews, they were mixed so I think this is one that you would either love or hate. Give it a try and let me know what you think. For me, I'm looking forward to reading another of Jennifer McMahon's books.

127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston
Yes, THAT Aron Ralston...the one the movie is about (though I can tell from the previews that the movie took some liberties). This book is amazing! The true story of Aron Ralston's experience when his hand gets caught by a boulder while hiking and he has to make the unthinkable decision to cut off his hand. Very well written...loved the outline, his writing style is incredibly engaging and sucks you in, and of course the virtually unbelievable experience that this man went through. I started off the book feeling sorry for him, went through a phase where I felt he kind of deserved what happened after tempting fate so much. But at the end I only have admiration for all that he went through, how he survived and especially how honest he was about himself. I strongly recommend this book, but beware that the part where he cuts off his hand is not for the weak of stomach.

Not Lost Forever: My Story of Survival by Carmina Salcido (with Steve Jackson)
I decided I had to get this book after I saw this young woman's story on a show titled "Kids of Killers" on TV. I was so intrigued by the show that I went searching for more about her and found a 20/20 episode on YouTube. That picqued my curiosity even more. So I got the book for Christmas and have just recently finished. The book is heartwrenching and gives me nothing but hope and prayers for a better life for Carmina Salcido. But at the same time I'm inspired by her strength to endure all that she has over the years. Please, read her book, hear her story in her own words. And share with me in raising up continued prayers that she will find peace and healing in her life.

So with those books done, here's my updated list of books to read:

The Flight of the Romanovs by John Curtis Perry & Constantine Pleshakov
To Full Term: A Mother's Triumph Over Miscarriage by Darci Klein
Patti Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik
Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown
Emma by Jane Austen
Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Klaus
Me: Stories of My Life by Katherine Hepburn
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Have a Little Faith: a true story by Mitch Albom
The Hunt for Bin Laden: Task Force Dagger by Robin Moore
A Long Way Gone: Memoir's of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

I find that this past year I leaned toward true stories and, based on my reading list it seems that I'll stick to the trend (at least for now).

What are you reading?

My new favorite for baby gifts

2010-10-04T21:14:00.010-04:00

In late Spring 2009, I tried crocheting my first real stuffed animal as part of a gift for a colleague's baby. I have since crocheted 4 more stuffed animals and I have more fun making them every time.

Traditionally I have crocheted blankets; however, as life gets more hectic I've found sometimes it's easier to get the stuffed animals done. They're quick, easy, and oh so cute! I still do some blankets, but the animals are a nice addition to the arsenal. So far, I've crocheted...

Wesley the Elephant (my first)

Lourdes the HippoNestor Lochland

Amigurumi Turtle

And, the cutest froggie in the world

I have to give a shoutout to my hubby...him buying me a pattern book of stuffed animals is what got me started (the first of the 3 listed above are from that book). He took care in picking out a book that he really thought I'd love and would use and he did a fantastic job!

Carrying on a Family Pasttime

2010-09-04T08:37:00.009-04:00

Last weekend my cousin and her family came to visit and we all went peach-picking at a local orchard. Between the 2 families, we got just under 50 lbs of peaches! We had a great time and me and my hubby ate a few of them throughout the past week. But my ultimate plan was to can a bunch of the peaches.

Yep, that's right...CANNING. From the time I was about 13 or 14 years old, we spent lots of time every summer canning, canning, canning. We canned just about everything, was even reminiscing with my mom about the time we canned jalapeno peppers. I DO NOT recommend it by the way...latex gloves DO NOT keep the oils from getting on your skin. Ouch!

Mom was surprised when I called last night to ask for her syrup recipe (to carry on a bit of the family pasttime) and then we had a nice chat while I started my first crack at canning (without Mom's supervision, that is). It all went pretty smooth and I'm happy to say that all of the jars sealed. Okay, so there were only 5 jars, but still, big accomplishment for my first time. Here are a couple pictures of my first attempt at canning (BIG SMILE):

I had a great time all around and learned a few things along the way:

Picking fruit is an absolute blast when young kids are involved...they get so much joy out of the whole experience:)
It's not that easy to find all the canning supplies and sometimes you have to get inventive.
~23 lbs of peaches really don't go that far. I still have some peaches left, probably enough to can about 5 more jars; however, I have other plans for those little guys. Next year, we'll definitely need to pick more.
Hard water (which we did not have growing up) leaves a coating of calcium on everything after the canning is all said and done.

Thanks to my cousin and her family for picking peaches with us (she froze most of her peaches...I'm going to freeze some of our remaining this weekend) and, most of all, huge thanks and (((HUGS))) to my mom, the canning queen! Mom, you taught me well and I feel so blessed to have grown up learning the nearly lost skill/art of canning. I will carry this torch and, Lord willing, pass it along to future generations. I love you Mom!!!

Who knew?!?

2010-08-16T22:06:00.014-04:00

So, me and my hubby had a great day of finding bargains this past Saturday. Hit a couple yard sales, a flea market, one of our favorite bookstores, and a discount store near us. It was a great day of LOTS of deals.

The hubs' favorite was a book that is probably worth $100+, that he got for $4!!! My best deal? Well, check this out...I got this piece for $1.

I know, it looks pretty bad, right? But, it's all about seeing the potential. I remembered reading in my "Real Simple" magazine about more uses for an ordinary household item...TOOTHPASTE, which is supposed to be able to remove tarnish from fine metals. Me and the hubby were both a bit skeptical but, since I only paid $1, it was definitely worth a shot.

So, with a little toothpaste and a rag...

And some elbow grease, here is the final product...

Definitely worth the work that went into it. This is a great alternative to using harsh chemicals to clear up tarnish and, hey, the final product is minty fresh! But, if you don't want to get dirty, or just don't want to use some elbow grease, this solution is not for you.

So after about an hour that ugly serving dish (which I'll use for rolls at Thanksgiving, btw) was transformed. All thanks to my "Real Simple" magazine and to my aunt for getting me the subscription to such a useful magazine!!!

Did I pass the test?

2010-07-25T10:22:00.002-04:00

I feel like I might have been undergoing a test yesterday. Me and my hubs went to a BBQ at a friend's house, which we go to every year. It's always a great party, a few people I know and several that I don't...always a great crowd. So I'm sitting there talking to my friend's parents and another person comes up to say "hi" to them...she's obviously pregnant, they ask when she's due and what does she say...December 10th. The exact same day that "B" and I would have been due. I immediately felt weak, dizzy, on the verge of tears (thank God for sunglasses!)

That made things tough for awhile but then a little later, we go in for a cool off in the house and a bunch of other people come in and another guest comes in with her two kids and I can't remember what she was talking about but she said something about the only boys in her family all having the same birthday...the day was the exact month and day of our m/c.

What are the odds that of the 365 days in a year the only 2 dates I heard all day were the 2 dates linked with our little angel baby?!? Okay, so I calculated the odds and it's 0.5% chance!!!

So, did I pass the test? I don't know, but I made it through the day. It was a wonderful BBQ, as always, but it was an emotional rollercoaster for me. I'm still emotional about it but I'm not a basketcase. What caught me off-guard more than anything was my physical reaction...after hearing the due date thing and for a couple hours afterward I felt so weak, shaky, dizzy, and at times a little nauseous. Sigh.

Natural Insecticide?

2010-07-16T18:19:00.002-04:00

I saw this on my calendar...has anyone ever tried this?

Add onions and garlic to a jar of water, let it stand for a week, and spray garden plants with the water.

And, if so, does it work? If so, what a great option!!!

(((HUGS)))

2010-07-08T21:48:00.002-04:00

This is beautiful! Look at how much joy is brought to the recipients of this one, simple, FREE, and yet priceless act.

Shel Silverstein couldn't have said it better!

2010-07-06T21:29:00.003-04:00

On the East Coast, we're having a bit of a heat wave. Okay, so a lot more than a "bit". Today we got into the triple digits and it's just ridiculous. It reminded me of a poem by one of my all time favorite children's authors..."IT'S HOT!", by Shel Silverstein:

It's hot!
I can't get cool,
I've drunk a quart of lemonade.
I think I'll take my shoes off
And sit around in the shade.

It hot!
My back is sticky,
The sweat rolls down my chin.
I think I'll take my clothes off
And sit around in my skin.

It's hot!
I've tried with 'lectric fans,
And pools and ice cream cones.
I think I'll take my skin off
And sit around in my bones.

It's still hot!

Goodbye May...Hello June

2010-05-31T21:01:00.002-04:00

I'm saying a hearty "goodbye" to May 2010...a month that saw more stress and tears than it did joy and smiles. I'm hopeful and confident that June will be a much better month all around. Of course, knowing that I'll see my fam after more than a year is a great start!!!

Do you remember?

2010-05-18T12:27:00.002-04:00

30 years ago today...

Mt. Saint Helen's blew her top! Although I was only 7 years old at the time, I still remember all the ash that came down (and we weren't even in the wind direction). I remember not being able to play outside for what seemed like a couple weeks (I'm not really sure how long it ACTUALLY was). And I remember having to wear a mask over my mouth and nose when going outside.

I went up to Mt. Saint Helen's several years ago when back home...hmm, maybe it would be good to go back for another visit when I'm back home this year. We'll see.

So, where were you when she blew? Do you remember?

The Power of Music

2010-05-13T20:42:00.003-04:00

After going through what can only be described as one of the worst weeks I can remember, I was remembering a post on my dear friend Dirkey's blog, which she posted last year. I re-read this blog post and I have to agree with her 100%. Everyone turns to their own form of comfort during difficult and painful times, some healthy...some not so healthy. But music has also been a source of solace for me when I have a weary heart.

This past week has been no different and, on a couple occasions (namely on my long drive to work) I have driven in my car listening to certain tunes that I can either identify with or that serve to reassure and restore me. The one that really stuck with me this week is the song "Get Me Through December", sung by Alison Krauss. I've listened to it so many times, I almost constantly hear the following lyrics in my head (put to music, of course):

"I've been to the mountain left my tracks in the snow
Where souls have been lost and the walking wounded go
I've taken the pain no girl should endure
Faith can move mountains of that I am sure
But faith can move mountains of that I am sure

Just get me through December
A promise I'll remember
Get me through December
So I can start again"

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of music. I can hear You through the medium of music...one place I can always go to seek Your comfort. And thanks to Dirkey for sharing through your own pain...it has helped me in mine.

Reading List update and "book reports"

2010-04-26T20:16:00.009-04:00

I've been a little behind on updating against the reading list I posted several months ago. It's not that I haven't been reading...just haven't been in much of a mood in the evenings to stay on the computer and keep up with my blog. I have read a couple more books on my list and have read another that's NOT on the list. So here are my thoughts on the latest books I've read:

The Color Purple by Alice Walker
This was a wonderful book. Many portions were very close, if not exactly like the movie, with other parts being very different. Isn't that to be expected though? The book explored the relationship between Celie and Shug MUCH more than the movie ever did, which was good for the book but there were some parts that I thought were overdone. My favorite difference between the book and the movie is the process of reconciliation between Albert and Celie. The movie interpretation shows the reconciliation as being sudden, as soon as Celie's kids come home. In the book, its a slower, more realistic, and much more touching and personal account of the reconciliation. I definitely appreciate how the book handles this better. All in all a fabulous book that I would highly recommend!

Captivating: Unveiliing the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John & Stasi Eldridge
I have to thank my dear friend Dirkey for giving me this book. After 3 years, I have finally gotten around to finishing this book. Although there are a few portions which I think go to a bit of an extreme, my overall impression of the book was uplifting, inspiring, and encouraging to me as a woman. It also gave a bit of a look into the heart, mind and soul of a man which, in the first year of marriage, I found quite helpful. On a more personal level, this book really spoke to my heart and soul when I was going through some rough patches in my life in the past year. This is a book I could see myself reading again and possibly giving it as a gift to others. Two thumbs up!

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
This one wasn't on the list; however, ever since I saw the movie series, I've wanted to read the books. So, a couple months ago, when I saw the series on a stand in a bookstore...I just had to pick them up. I started reading the 1st book of the series almost immediately. I am very impressed with how well the folks that made the movie stayed true to the story and character of the book. This is a rare event. But what I appreciated even more in reading the book was really getting into the mind, heart and character of Anne. She is such a precious little soul and her metamorphosis is obviously impressive. A book can always capture more of the actual character, so reading this was priceless. In reading this, I decided it would be a great book to let my 10 year old cousin borrow so, when I see her on Wednesday, I'll be passing the torch.

So, with those books crossed off the list, here's an updated list (new books added):
1. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
2. Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson
3. Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik
4. Emma by Jane Austin
5. The Flight of the Romanovs by John Curtis Perry & Constantine Pleshakov
6. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
7. Me: Stories of My Life by Katherine Hepburn
8. The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer
9. Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
10. The Nancy Diaries by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Klaus
11. Shindler's List by Thomas Keneally
12. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
13. Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery
14. Have a Little Faith: a true story by Mitch Albom
15. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (recommended by my mom)

As always, I welcome recommendations for more reading. HAPPY READING!!!

Words to Live By

2010-03-30T12:46:00.003-04:00

My mom just sent me this beautiful quote...seems like some words that need to be hung up in the house as a constant reminder:

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Happy rainy Tuesday!

(I'm grateful for the rain as it means pretty flowers next week:)

Rike rotarry, rude!

2010-02-08T11:52:00.006-05:00

Translation: Like totally, dude!

I know I may be dating myself here but, doesn't she look like a valley dog in this pic?

Ok, before you think I'm nuts for dressing my dog in a T-shirt, first know that we don't typically do that...she's usually all natural. Little Abbey was spayed a few days ago and a T-shirt is much more acceptable prevention (in her opinion at least) to her licking her wound than the E-collar. This picture was taken the day after her surgery, when she was already up and around and driving us crazy!

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T22:44:00.003-05:00

A quote I got from someone at work (slightly modified by me):

May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy; may the problems you had forget your home and work addresses. In simple words...may 2010 be the best year yet!!!

Happy New Year all!!!

Good thing she doesn't have free run of the house!

2009-12-28T21:30:00.007-05:00

We did our normal Christmas routine this year...morning and early afternoon with B's family and late afternoon and evening with my family. The difference this year? A 5-month puppy at home. Here's a pic of our little Abbey Rose, since I haven't written about her yet.

A couple days a week, she's at home by herself (in her crate) for about 9 hours. But, since our families live over 1-1/2 hours drive away (one way), she was cooped up in her crate for 13-1/2 hours! And this is what we found...

Thank goodness for crates is all I have to say...Lord knows what she would have done, had she had free reign of the house:)

Book Report: "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" by Mitch Albom

2009-12-27T21:15:00.002-05:00

It's taken some time to get completely through one of the books on my reading list, but I have accomplished it at last. It was my intention to read "The Color Purple" first and, although I am most of the way through, I picked up "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" by Mitch Albom and I struggled to put it down ever single time I picked the book up!

First off, I have to say that Mitch Albom wrote this book beautifully. It was not at all what I expected the book to be. I never expected that it would be a fictional story, but that it would be more of a "how to" or "spiritual" book of sorts. The story of Eddie (the main character) was exceptional...great in concept, well written, and it taught a couple valuable lessons about life.

There is this question that many of us might ponder from time to time...what is heaven like and how will it all happen? Many people may have an idea of what it's like and/or how the transition from this life to the eternal life will happen. I've never had any ideas about this, so it was easy to use my imagination while reading Eddie's story and this idea of what the experience in heaven may be like.

I don't want to give the story away as I think it's much better to leave the twists and turns for the reader. All I can say is, if you haven't read the book...please do! It's 200 pages of easy reading with deep and thought-provoking concepts and lessons along the way, with a few surprises chucked in there. Mitch Albom has a way of writing that is tender and engaging...so much so that today I picked up his latest book "Have a Little Faith" (a non-fiction book about an event in his life) and I can't wait to read it and his other non-fiction "Tuesdays with Morrie".

If you've read "The Five People You Meet In Heaven", I would love to know what you thought of the book!

My Ever-growing Reading List

2009-09-29T11:51:00.007-04:00

While packing for my move from NJ to PA last March, I realized how far behind I am on my reading...TONS of books! Fortunately, I've had opportunity to read a few over the past 6 months; but, my reading list has also grown during that time since a friend at work and I have begun to recommend books to each other and have begun a little book exchange between the two of us.

I love to read, even if I'm not the fastest reader so, in an effort to keep myself reading, I decided to post my reading list (or at least a portion of it). And, I thought I'd post little "book reports" as I finish the books, since I know how I hate to pick up a book without it first being recommended. Maybe the 3 or 4 people who read my blog could benefit from the books reports. So, here's the list (in no particular order):

Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John & Stasi Eldredge (I'm actually about 1/2 way through this one)
The Color Purple by Alice Walker (I think I'll start this one next)
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
Fair Game by Valerie Plame Wilson
Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Emma by Jane Austen
The Flight of the Romanovs by John Curtis Perry & Constantine Pleshakov
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
Me: Stories of My Life by Katherine Hepburn
The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Klaus
Shindler's List by Thomas Keneally
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (I'm actually about 1/2 way through this one, but will need to backtrack a couple chapters...it's been awhile since I picked it up)

Well, that's my starter list...there are others in my pile at home, but I thought I'd limit to 15 so I don't get too overwhelmed. I don't have any particular timeframe to complete these...that would drive me crazy...just want to have a method to stay on track.

Hey, and if you have any suggestions for books that I should add to my list, please share. I don't mind adding to the list...like I stated earlier, I LOVE to read:)

Beauty in the Storm

2009-09-21T20:12:00.005-04:00

I've been thinking of writing this blog for several weeks, but life has gotten in the way. After events in my life in the past couple weeks, I can put this off no longer.

Several weeks ago, "B" and I were enjoying a quiet evening and I looked outside and saw this:

Probably one of the most beautiful storms I've ever seen...to attempt to show the sheer size of these clouds:These pictures barely begin to capture how beautiful the sky was that evening, but I knew there was a blog post in my future. When I started to think of what the blog might be titled, I came up with the title you see above. Then my mind started working overtime, thinking in the abstract of the other types of storms we experience in life.

I've been through my fair share of "storms"...the past couple of weeks haven't been the biggest storms, but I feel like I've gone through a storm nonetheless. Our household has faced what felt like the plague (in actuality, a REALLY bad flu/cough thingy), I had a rash which turned out to be an allergy to a lotion, we've had little things breaking left and right around the house, normal daily stress, and the worst of all...our dog got away at the park and has been lost for over a week now. Again, small compared to the storms that some people face in life but added all together, these things wear you down.

So you might ask what "Beauty in the Storm" has to do with this? I'm a true believer that God has a plan for all things, even the "storms" we go through in life, meaning that all things happen for a reason. What that reason might be varies greatly, whether we ever see the reason for going through life's storms is not always certain, who benefits from God's plan for those storms is not always the individual going through the storm. But as I look through the storms I've been through in life, I nearly always can see the beauty...just like that storm several weeks ago that took my breath away. The difference is that the beauty we can see in life's storms (and, yes, it IS there) is the lessons we learn, growing closer to God, growing closer to friends and family, teaching others about God, learning more about ourselves, etc.

Oh, it's easy to sink into a pity party (at one time over the past couple weeks I told "B" that it felt like someone had a voodoo doll of me) but, even now, coming out of these rough couple weeks, I'm starting to see hints of the reason(s) why I've gone through this.

I'll leave you with this thought...there IS beauty in EVERY one of life's storms. The beauty can be found in any number of ways, but it is most certainly there, many people just often choose not to look and see. It's like the person who complains about the pouring rain, but forgets of the beautiful flowers that are the result. Or the person who can't stand the cold weather in the winter, but doesn't realize that we need the cold to reduce the bugs the next year. EVERYTHING happens for a reason, we just need to weather the storm and then look for the beauty on the other side (and sometimes even as you go through the storm). The beauty is not always obvious, sometimes needing to be found. So, the next time you are going through a life storm, I encourage you to look for the beauty. You might be surprised about what you find and oh how wonderful to know that there is a purpose to all the craziness!!!

Welcome, Sadie!

2009-07-11T21:45:00.010-04:00

We did it! "B" and I are now the proud owners of a very sweet (though a little shy), 3-4 year old yellow lab. It all started 2 weeks ago when we stopped in the shelter we saw as we drove past. "Glenda" (her former name) wasn't even available for adoption yet but stole our hearts so we completed the application and found out just this past Monday that we were approved. So we made the trek today to complete the adoption.

We have renamed her "Sadie". She's shy with new people so is still warming up, and she's afraid of some sounds, but I'm already seeing her relax. We think her shyness comes from not getting any affection earlier in life, until about a month ago when she was rescued. She's warmed up to me pretty quickly probably mostly because I sat in the back seat with her on the 2 hour drive home, petting her the entire way. By about half way home, her head was in my lap and she kept inching closer and closer to me. Now she follows me around the back yard like a shadow.

So, here are a few pics of our first 1/2 day with Sadie.

On the car ride home, while she was still far enough away from me for me to take a picture:)

Bonding time with "B".

Just chillin' in the back yard.

Another pic with "B".

I love how it sometimes seems like she's smiling:)

Welcome to your new home, baby girl!!!

Getting ready for the pitter patter...

2009-06-23T21:13:00.002-04:00

...of little PAWS!!!

B and I broke down and started looking for a new addition to our family...a dog (awww). We both knew that we'd be taking this step in a matter of months of getting married, since I just can't go for too long without a furry friend. Well, I've been without a furry friend for 3 months now and I'm hankering for a little wet nose to be running around and that clickity-click of the paws across the tile floor.

So, we officially started looking for a dog this weekend. We accidentally found a purebred that we both thought was so sweet but we would much rather adopt from a rescue. We're just leary about the type of mix we might get with the rescue since when I was looking previously, most of the puppies were lab/pitbull mix (no Pit please!) Today I looked some more and found a few very sweet looking puppies for adoption and put in a request for an appointment to meet them in person. There is one in particular that we like the looks of but, personality speaks volumes so, we'll see.

We're looking to get a young, female lab mix. I prefer a more yellow or brown dog, but we'll get whichever ones is "the one". We're hoping that we'll have a new addition within the next month. We have a little work to do around the house to get ready for the little girl but I'm just tickled that we've taken the first steps!

"Flavorful"...

2009-06-12T21:14:00.002-04:00

...That's how my hubby described a new recipe I tried out this week. He also said that he wasn't sure which part he like best, the chicken or the sauce. I was a very yummy recipe, so I thought I'd share. Oh, and it's easy too (bonus!).

Cumin Chicken Breasts w/ Latin Citrus Sauce

Rub for the chicken:
2 tsp packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp olive oil

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp honey
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
3 Tbsp fresh mint (finely chopped)
salt to taste

Combine the brown suger, cumin, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub all over the chicken. Cook in the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for ~5 minutes per side until chicken is cooked through and golden brown. Put chicken on a plate and cover, set aside.
To make the sauce, add the garlic to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly for about 15 seconds. Stir in the lime juice, orange juice, and honey. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and mint and season with salt and cook another minute.
Serve the chicken on a plate (goes wonderfully with black beans and rice). Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

It's easy and will stimulate your tastebuds. Oh, and did I mention that it's pretty darn healthy too!

P.S. I have to thank my brother and future SIL, because this recipe comes from a cookbook they got me. It's a fantastic cookbook. I've tried 3 recipes from it and they are all healthy, delicious and easy! Thanks guys!!!

...A Mighty Good Man

2009-06-04T21:15:00.005-04:00

When "B" and I got married, I moved from NJ to PA. What used to be a 1 hr commute (each way) into work is now a 1 hr 40 min commute (each way). So, I bargained with my boss and I now work a few days from home and commute just 2 days into the office. To make the commute even easier AND to spend time with family, I spend the night every Wednesday in NJ with family and am away from my new hubby.

With the long commute, I get home late from work on Thursday nights (usually around 8:oopm) and there is always a fresh green salad ready and waiting for me in the fridge when I get home, made by my hubby.

Well, tonight here's what I came home to:

It put quite a smile on my face after a long, rough day at work. Isn't he sweet?!?

Mmmmm, flowers

2009-06-02T20:36:00.007-04:00

Although I can't take credit for 99% of the flowers in our yard (they were planted by the prior owners), I do get 100% of the pleasure in nurturing them, watching them grow, cutting a few for the house, and enjoying the wonderful aroma of some. I'm planning a few changes to our floral abundance:

Thin out the irises that are starting to take over the yard.
Move around some of the daffodils...some clumps are too much, others too sparse, and I'd like to make them juuussst right.
Thin out one of my climatis plants...it's downright unruly!
And next year I'll corral in our lovely peonies so they don't fall over.

But for now, I thought I'd share some pics of our floral bliss. Here are some Blue Flags and our unruly Climatis:

Here is my favorite of our 4 Climatis bushes (mind you, only 2 of them have flowered so far, but this is SO FAR my favorite). Just look at that color!

This is a strange Peony bush, it grows both pink and white blooms:

Another of our Peony bushy, this was such a perfect bloom, I couldn't resist!

And here is a picture of a bloom on my unruly Climatis bush, such a nice white, with a touch of purple:

Missin' my hook

2009-05-01T13:42:00.007-04:00

Now that the wedding is done and I've begun to settle back into a more normal sort of life. Part of that normal life is one of my all-time favorite hobbies...crocheting!

I had to set down my crochet hook after the summer ended so that I could focus on the increasing deman for my time to be spent on organizing all the wedding details. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I picked up my crochet hook a little over a week ago to begin work on a stuffed animal (my first real stuffed animal, btw). What a wonderful feeling to crochet once again, to peruse the aisles of the craft store for that perfect yarn, to feel the softness of the yarn and the relaxation in my shoulders that occurs when I settle in...ahhhh, pure bliss!

I have many friends who are expecting (babies, if you didn't guess) between now and the end of the year, so now that I've picked up my hook I'm armed and ready to create fun animals and blankets!!! I don't think I'll get all the goodies done by the time each baby gets here because 3 of them are due within 4 months of each other (rain checks anyone?) but I've started and will be a crocheting fool for the next several months!

I'm so happy with how my first stuffed animal turned out that I just had to share some photos. Here he is...

Just peeking my head in...

2009-03-17T23:00:00.003-04:00

I know I've been M.I.A. for a couple months now, but everything has just gotten a bit hectic. So, I thought I'd poke my head in to say "HI" and briefly let my few readers know what I've been up to. Of course, most of my readers probably know 'cause it's my friends and family:)

This past couple weeks has been a complete whirlwind...what with packing boxes (for my move to PA) and having the final meetings with wedding vendors and getting the last wedding details all sorted out, printed out, and worked out. On top of that, work has really picked up, which is great, but it's been a challenge to find that balance. I'm now realizing that I did absolutely the right thing in deciding to take a full week off work prior to the wedding. It won't all be relaxation, but at least I'll be able to focus on the move and the wedding and I'll have my entire family from Oregon here to help with stuff.

I think I'll do a couple posts on the honeymoon (yeah wifi!)...reflecting on my wedding planning experience. It is so much more than I ever thought it would be. I don't mean the stress (although that's a little bit of it). I'm more referring to the many things God has taught me through the process...which was completely unexpected. I just figured it would be like planning a big party, but God has shown me so much and has blessed me in countless ways. The whole process has not been without its trials, but even those have been learning experiences. Like I said, I will share more from the honeymoon when my brain is emptied of all the craziness and I can completely reflect on my experience.

For starters, though, I have found that God has provided me exactly what I have needed, exactly when I need it. Should I know that He does this? Yes. But my being human sometimes gets in the way of what I should know and tucks itself back into the deep recesses of my mind. And I don't mean that He just provides what we need financially (though that's a little piece of it), what is even more important is how He provides for me spiritually, emotionally, mentally. The times when I've felt that I didn't have an ounce of strength to carry one more box down from my 3rd floor apartment, "somehow" I make it...the time when I felt I didn't have enough energy to handle the noise and activity of the 25+ kids at AWANAS, "somehow" the night flies by and I'm energized...and just recently when one of my bridesmaids (and myself) experience a great loss and I don't know how to pick the pieces back up enough to enjoy the last few weeks before my wedding, "somehow" my work just happens to throw a surprise wedding party for me, reminding me that it's ok to be happy. I have no doubt in my mind that the "somehow" is God.

Putting Oregon on the map!

2009-01-16T13:37:00.002-05:00

Now everyone has heard of popular states like New York, Texas, California and even Maine and could point them out on a map. But I come from one of the lesser talked about States...Oregon. I was appalled the first year I moved from Oregon to N.J. that one of my well-educated colleagues thought Oregon was in the midwest (I guess "well-educated" is a relative term).

So, imagine my surprise to open my Snapple All Natural Green Tea bottle today (yummy, btw!) and see the following under the cap "There is an underground mushroom in Oregon that measures 3.5 miles across." So I looked it up and found out more information here! Just a little something to put Oregon on the map:)

Here's a little public service announcement about my home state from yours truly: Oregon is a beautiful state with lots of outdoorsy type stuff to do. The far western side is quite rainy, but once you get past the Cascade Mountain Range, the weather is desert-like in the summer and quite snowy in the winter.

Fragile (fra-gee-lay)

2009-01-16T00:02:00.004-05:00

And this is why you never, NEVER mark a box "Fragile"!!!!

This is the box that one of the favors for the wedding came in. These pictures show EXACTLY how it was when I got it. Yes, that includes the top being open! Thankfully, the inside packing was fantastic and nothing was broken. Whew, crisis averted:)

So, take this as a lesson to never mark a package "fragile" no matter how fragile it is. Just make sure to pack it really well.

Holy wedding bells, Batman!

2008-12-29T11:23:00.003-05:00

I woke up this morning and realized that it is exactly 3 months before the big day! I feel a mix of satisfaction and trepidation as I realize that I have so many tasks complete, yet so many tasks yet to even get started on. I feel very good about what I've accomplished (with the help of friends and family) but I definitely need to kick it into high gear...I DO NOT want to have a ton of things to get done at the last minute!

I'm also feeling a tremendous mix of emotions. The excitement I have for beginning my life with "B" is just boundless but, at the same time, I have so many other emotions mixing with it:

Fear - of all the changes that will be taking place in my life...new home, sharing a home with another person (pets don't count for preparing for this day), getting to know each other in the day-to-day humdrum of life. And the thing I'm always the most fearful of...the unknown and that whole not knowing what the future holds.
Sadness - that I'll be further from friends and family than I've been in the past 12 years. They are SO important to me and I get sad thinking that I may not see them quite as much (sniff sniff). I must say, I'm truly bless that "B" totally understands how important my friends and family are to me and has been very sympathetic to know how difficult this change will be.

As I ramp up for the next few months, I'm daily becoming more aware and appreciative of all the wonderful people in my life. My deepest thanks and love to my friends and family for all that you are, all that you do, and for all your love and support...you know who you are!

Prayers and raffle

2008-12-22T15:01:00.005-05:00

I covet your thoughts and prayers for a friend of a co-worker. Here's the story, from my co-worker's words:

A friend of mine was in a serious accident over the Thanksgiving holiday. He was critically injured when struck by a hit and run driver while crossing the street. Thankfully he is making major progress in his recovery and was just discharged to Magee Rehab but he has suffered major brain trauma and has a long way to go. As you can imagine, he and his wife will be faced with some serious bills in the coming months as Brian will most likely need constant home care after his month at Magee.

Brian's local hangout has organized a raffle to help his family mitigate some of the financial burden during this difficult time. I've offered to help my co-worker in selling some of the raffle tickets so, if you're in the area and are interested in purchasing one or more raffle tickets, let me know. Here's the details:

Cost: $3 per ticket or 2 for $5
Prizes: 1st prize = Basket of Cheer; 2nd prize = sports memorabilia (probably Eagles-related); 3rd, 4th, and 5th prizes = gift certificates
When: Drawing will be on January 25th

Just shoot me a note or call me if you're interested in participating in the raffle. And please be thinking and praying for this couple and their family and friends as they learn to adjust and cope with the added stress of not only the financial burden, but also the changes this will have on their lives.

A home for the holidays!

2008-12-19T12:44:00.006-05:00

For anyone interested, I thought I'd post an update to my earlier post about my most recent foster cats. I am so happy to say that they have found their forever home which just happens to be a woman a work with. I could hardly believe it when she told me she wanted to adopt them BOTH.

What a great success story and I know they are in a wonderful, loving home. So, no more living on the streets or abuse for these little wonders.

Oh, and I get visitation rights!!!

I get my next set of fosters on the 23rd and will have them over the holidays. It's a set of 3 young, tortoise-shell calicos. I'll post pics once I get them.

Straight No Chaser

2008-12-10T11:48:00.001-05:00

These guys are pretty clever and I hear they now have a Christmas CD out. Check them out!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8

How could anyone do this?

2008-12-05T12:06:00.007-05:00

A few weeks ago, a got a new foster kitty. Her name is Brenda, but I call her Mama Bear (because I'm also fostering her son). Here's an pic of the 2 of them (Mama Bear on the left, Bruno on the right):

When I got Mama Bear, one of the heads of our rescue, Res-Q-Pets, let me know that she had a limp and a swollen paw that had been injured prior to her being rescued a couple months earlier. She has been to the vet and had her wounds treated and the vet said it looked like something had been wrapped around her paw real tight (like string, wire, or a rubberband). So, we were waiting to see how it healed.

Fast forward about a week, I get home after being away overnight, I pick Mama Bear up and notice something on her nearly black little paw. I could hardly believe my eyes when I realized that she had a rubberband coming out of her paw!!! Well, I immediately was furious and emailed Lisa and asked her what we needed to do. Within a couple days, Mama Bear was taken to the vet, sedated, and the vet removed an ENTIRE RUBBERBAND from inside her paw. It had been wrapped around her paw several times, evidence that it was done by a person and not just something she had tripped into. Here's a pic of her paw after removal of the rubberband.

So, my question is, who in the world would possibly do this to a helpless creature?!? You have to understand, Mama Bear is one of the sweetest cats I've ever had the pleasure to care for. I just really don't understand what goes through a person's mind to think they even have the right to hurt another creature, especially those that are smaller. Do they not realize that God's put His creatures in our care?

Anyways, Mama Bear is only ~1-1/2 years old and spent who knows how long on the streets of Trenton in one of the worst neighborhoods, yet her demeanor is still so gentle and loving. I had a greater part in her rescue than I have with other of my fosters and I feel a great sense of joy to know that I've helped in even the smallest of ways. Now, 2 weeks past her little surgery, Mama Bear has virtually NO limp, her paw is normal size, and she now stands correctly on it. There is evidence of some permanent damage in that she doesn't put out her claws on that paw and it seems to be a little bit twisted, but none of that seems to ever bother her and she no longer seems to have any pain or discomfort. With that, I think this is a true success story!!!

Oh, and there is someone at my work who is thinking of adopting her so double bonus if that all works out!!!

Oooouuuuurrr house...

2008-12-02T22:37:00.011-05:00

...is a very, very, very fine house. Okay, so there aren't 2 cats in the yard, but the house is a very nice house (and we do have a crazy squirrel). "B" and I closed on our dream home in mid November. "B" is living there now and I'll move in a few days before the wedding in March. So, it doesn't exactly feel completely real to me yet and probably won't for a few months, but he's settling in and I'll slowly start moving small stuff over the next few months.

So, long overdue, here are some pics of our new home:

Beautiful silestone countertops and appliances that are only a couple years old (yeah!)

Family room, which gets lots of light (picture taken from the loft).

Now, lets take a trip down the beautiful wood floors in the entryway.

And up the stairs to the loft and the bedrooms. When at the top of the stairs, the loft is to the left and looks down into the family room (you can see the opening in this pic).

Here's one of my favorite rooms...the loft. It also gets lots of light and it will be my room to relax in, read a book, whatever. The princesses are going to go eventually...once we figure out what we want to do in its place.

And last but most certainly not least, the back yard. Here's a picture of our biggest "lawn" ornament. It's great to have, but takes up such an enormous part of the yard that we're going to dismantle and relocate the equipment. Then our biggest project (for next spring) is to put in a lawn instead of bark dust.

I'm sure I'll have more pics later. Right now the house is pretty empty and probably will be for quite some time as we make it our own.

Freakin' hysterical!

2008-11-11T13:50:00.001-05:00

A girl at work shared this link with me, being the fellow cat lover that I am and I was seriously in stitches. My favorite is the second clip, but they are all just freakin' hysterical. Oh, the joys of being a cat!

Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday - Mmmm, pears!

2008-11-05T11:22:00.007-05:00

What was my mom doing this fall (and the rest of the fam that she recruited to help)? Canning, canning, and more canning!!! Those are pears, btw.

This brings back memories of my teen years when we would spend the greater part of the summer and fall canning (beans, pears, peaches, tomatoes, pickles...) I don't know that I'll ever carry on this family tradition, but the pears were always one of my favorites. My job with canning pears was washing and inserting pears in the narrow mouth jars.

Mom - Send me a pic of your new venture (cheese) and I'll post that one too!

Join in the fun on this Wordless Wednesday!

Vote People, Vote!!!

2008-11-04T09:15:00.008-05:00

I'm not a "political" person or someone that typically gets excited about or likes to discuss politics. But I do recognize my right and responsibility to vote. It has always been important to me to vote; however, with the significant challenges that our country (and the world) is facing these days, I think this could possibly one of the most critical elections in our nation's history.

If you are registered to vote, PLEASE get to the polls today. But, more importantly, take a few minutes to do your homework and make an educated vote.

'Nough said!

P.S. Thanks to Dirkey for advising of all the freebies today!

They did it!!!

2008-10-29T22:39:00.007-04:00

Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies, our 2008 World Series Champions!!!

I work in Center City Philadelphia and I'm looking forward to going to work tomorrow because I'm sure that the atmosphere will be electric. And even more exciting is that the parade on Friday will be going right past my office, so I'm looking forward to attending that as well. What an exciting time for Philadelphia and what a cool experience to be in the thick of it all!!!

Wordless Wednesday - My boys

2008-10-29T13:46:00.010-04:00

Since I can't seem to get in gear with posting to my blog, here's a Wordless Wednesday for you.

For those of you who know about "B", this is an interesting picture since he's ALLERGIC TO CATS!!! The two cats are my current ~6-month-old fosters, named Colby (all black) and Pepperjack (a little white on neck and belly).

If I could keep Colby and Pepperjack, I totally would, but they make "B" sneeze (sniff, sniff). If you know of anyone looking for a couple wonderful, loving, fun, and entertaining cats, please drop me a note.

Join in the fun on this Wordless Wednesday!

Good thing I'm not superstitious!

2008-10-19T23:13:00.007-04:00

I've never been very superstitious and, after the crazy events of today, it's a good thing!

So, "B" and I ordered our wedding bands a couple months ago and they came arrived a few weeks ago. We've been very busy and so were finally planning on picking up the wedding bands today. Well, that's where the craziness begins!!!

To set the scene, the jeweler is on "Jeweler's Row" in Center City Philadelphia, which is about a 50 minute drive from my house (on a weekend, that is). We headed out in the late morning with the plan to hopefully be back in the afternoon and get the chance to relax. HA! We arrived at the jeweler and they couldn't get the lock on their drawer to work. As chance would have it, we were the first customers that arrived to pick up anything and the key just kept spinning in the lock. Well, after our 50 minute 1-way drive, we were a bit hesitant to just leave. Especially since we really can only make it into Philly once every other week (when "B" visits me). So, I explained this to one of the ladies and she suggested that they could mail us the rings. Although I appreciate that gesture of trying to make things easier...was she seriously thinking that we would go along with that?!? I said absolutely not, we were not about to pay the balances on the rings until we were sure they fit. So, we left our names and my cell # so they could call us when they got the drawer open.

Hoping beyond all hope it wouldn't take too long to accomplish, "B" and I headed outside the city to a mall about 1/2 hour drive away, had a late lunch, then ran a couple other errands, then called the jeweler to check the status (since we hadn't heard anything). They still didn't have the lock open so we decided to just head back to my house, still hoping that we might be able to pick up the rings today. Oh, I forgot to mention that, when "B" was paying for lunch, the lady ahead of him was paying with her credit card and her card wasn't working. Not typically a big deal but, with all the other crazy things of the day, it was just par for the course.

We headed home, relaxed for about 1/2 hour or so, then we got the call from the jeweler. Draw was open, but now we only had 1-1/2 hours before they close for the day and we had a 50 minute drive ahead of us. So, we hopped in the car and headed on our way. We got to parking garage and, you're not going to believe this...the ticket machine read "OUT OF ORDER". Well, we had just been there earlier in the day, so I pushed the "help" button and a lady came out to help get us a ticket so we could get into the garage. Now, remember, this whole time the clock is ticking and it gets closer and closer to closing time for the jeweler. UGH! About 10 minutes or so later, the lady gets the machine working and we park.

We could only imagine that the next problem would be for the rings to not fit but believe it or not, they fit perfectly (yeah!) We got the rings, went back to the parking garage and there were like 30 people there trying to leave at the same time!!! I'm NOT kidding! By that time, we were just wanting to get out of the city and home safely. Well, we did but not without a little scare on the roadways with some traffic that stopped suddenly, then a tractor trailer that was leaking rocks right onto my windshield. So, we get home, walk through the door and what do we smell, but NATURAL GAS!!! So, I shut off the gas to my stove, let some air through the house, then successfully re-lit the pilots and all is now safe.

What a WILD day! I'm so glad it's over and extremely thankful that we were at least able to get our rings. One more thing to check off the wedding "to do" list.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-01T12:38:00.005-04:00

I've seriously been out of bloggy-touch lately due to a very busy schedule that hasn't made it possible for me to "play" on the computer. I'm finally coming out of it a little, so will hopefully get back on track. In the meantime, I thought I'd post a Wordless Wednesday that's just plain adorable!

This is one of "B's" best man's golden retriever puppies...notice the tongue! He's about 4 months old in this picture that was taken during our vacation the last week of August.

Join in the fun on this Wordless Wednesday!

The fruits of our labor...

2008-09-10T22:36:00.008-04:00

I had my Wordless Wednesday partially done, but decided to forego it this week because I thought this post was more important for two reasons: (1) it's a very real reminder of how God uses His people, and (2) i think this is a worthwhile cause.

I went to a rally for the Children's Ministry volunteers at church and they had a guest speaker. The guest speaker told of a cause that is close to his heart. Why? Because the founder of the organization, Scott Harrison, was one of the speaker's Sparky's in the Awanas program. Well, this brings it near and dear to my heart because this will be my 4th year as a volunteer in the Sparks group (that's K-2nd grade) in my church's Awanas program. It was a great reminder that, even through we may never see the fruits of our labor or know how our faithfulness in God's service is used to help others, that God does use us to accomplish His work here.

No, it's not like our speaker went and told the child that he needed to go save people. But, by teaching the children about God, God's love for all people of the world, and about being in service to God, Scott Harrison a former Sparky who put his faith in God a long time ago has gone on to see a need and follow the cries of his heart to give other people of the world something that we take for granted...clean water. Another reason this is close to my heart is that I've been to Kenya. I've walked through the slums of Imara Daima. I've seen the children who walk to school everyday and fill their daily water containers with water from a river where the cows bathe. I admit that I take my accessibility to clean water for granted just as much as the next person. But this has been a reminder to me that there are some that don't know that clean water exists. I can't imagine a life without clean water...it is my beverage of choice.

The cause that Scott started is called Charity: water. Scott started out with what was in his heart and he came up with a simple and unique way of raising money for his initial project. His goal last year was to raise enough money to go back to Kenya and drill a well so the people could have clean water. After the success of last year and their live airing of the drilling project, the organization has decided to take on much more this next year and the goal is to raise 10x as much so they can drill more wells for 33 villages in Ethiopia to be able to have clean water.

So what is his unique waay of raising the money? For the project in Kenya, it was the year he was turning 32 so he asked all the people he knew that have September birthdays to give up their birthday gifts and ask for small donations ($32 for his 32nd birthday) to help people in need. Since he is turning 33 this year, he's asking for $33. 100% of the money raised will go directly to building wells. Of course, everyone is welcome to donate and everyone is encouraged to spread the word. You can visit the link to find out about Scott's story and, if you feel inclined, about how to help his cause.

Please join me in praying for Scott and his organization. If you are a September baby, please consider doing as Scott has done. If you were born in any other month, please consider donating or just sharing this story with others.

Family recipe - Dinner-in-a-Dish

2008-09-09T21:15:00.007-04:00

This weekend I made one of my all time favorite family recipes and thought "I should share the yummy goodness". This one comes from my grandma and is healthy (lots of fresh vegies) and delicious! Hint: I don't really use exact measurements...I just eyeball it.

Dinner-in-a-Dish

4 Tbls. butter/shortening
2 medium onions, chopped
1/4 tsp pepper
2 green peppers, chopped
2 cups fresh corn, cut off the cob
1 lb. ground beef (or you could use ground turkey)
4 medium tomatoes, sliced thick
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Saute green peppers & onion in butter/shortening, add meat. Add seasonings & remove from heat. Stir in eggs & mix well. In 9" x 13" baking dish, layer corn, meat mixure, tomatoes (repeat). Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake @ 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes.

Enjoy! And, if you decide to try it out, let me know what you think.

Vacation - Part 1

2008-09-08T13:57:00.056-04:00

By popular demand, I'm going to do a little recap of our trip down south. Since we fit so much in, I'm going to split this into 3 part...one part for each leg of the trip.

We started out with a beautiful drive (all 11 hours of it) to Pigeon Forge, TN to visit the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The few days we were there the weather was not tremendously cooperative so there were many things we would have like to do but couldn't because of the rain. We made the best of it, though. During the times that it didn't rain:

1. We took a ride on a sky lift (scary!)

2. We hiked up to Grotto Falls (a less traveled hiking path). We didn't see any bears while hiking but we saw plenty of evidence (very fresh) that they were near! And, of course...Grotto Falls...And a few other things along the way. 3. Then we decided to head up to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Smoky Mountains, where there's supposed to be a terrific view. But the weather showed up before we got there and this is what we saw:Notice the bottom half of the picture shows what we should have seen! Here are a couple more from Clingman's Dome. 4. The next day we went to Cades Cove which was a beautiful drive! The highlight were the mama bear and her cubs. See my bear post from last week for the pics. And we ate lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. -- yummy food!!!

5. We went to the Ripley's museum and saw the longest gum wrapper chain which stretches over a mile.

Here's one for the road:

Okay...I just couldn't resist...it was there just begging to have it's picture taken!

How do you kill the time while 10+ hours in the car?

2008-09-03T22:35:00.008-04:00

You crochet cat toys, of course (as long as you're not prone to car sickness that is). Well, really I only crocheted during some of the 2 to 3 hour stints when I WASN'T driving:)

So how did I decide this would be a good car riding activity? I've often brought crocheting along when I've been a passenger in lengthy car rides and I've had a project due. But this time I was inspired by the pet rescue that I volunteer with (Res-Q-Pets), which is participating in the Plainsboro Flea Market on September 20th (in Plainsboro, NJ). They will be selling homemade goodies, most of which they want to be usable by pets. So I decided to offer up my services.

I elected to spend my time crocheting stuffed mouse toys with catnip inside. Well, of course I didn't bring the catnip and stuffing along so I crocheted each mouse up to the point of stuffing (which is literally up to its ears). During the trip south and back and between locations (combining to ~28 hours on the road) with me driving about 40% of the time and sleeping or just observing another ~20% of the time, I managed to crank out 23 mice (up to the ears).

I have since finished stuffing them all and have done the last bit of stitching on a few.

This was a great way to make the driving time go by quickly. However, I do caution anyone who tries this...make sure you look up at the scenery every couple minutes and take a break every once in awhile. Otherwise, it gets difficult to focus far off and you might even get a little dizzy.

If you are interested in making your own mouse toys, click here for the free pattern. They only take about 20 minutes or so to make each one, once you get the hang of it.

Wordless Wednesday - Bear Hunt

2008-09-03T12:50:00.023-04:00

Now back from a bit of a break because of vacation, over the next few Wordless Wednesdays I'll be posting pics from vacation to Tennessee and Alabama. The theme this week is our hunt to see the black bear in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

Here's the first one we saw...a "cub" about 1 year old high up in a tree:

Here is a pic of the largest bear we saw. It was in this tree literally breaking off branches and eating from them. I didn't get a great picture of him because I wasn't about to get too close!

And the highlight...a mama and what we initially thought to be 1 cub, but turned out that there was a second cub in the tree that came down later. This family of bears was about 20 feet from our car. No, we did not get out of the car like some of the crazy people in cars behind us!!!

Join in the fun on this Wordless Wednesday!

Learning to be more gracious

2008-08-21T17:34:00.002-04:00

I think God is trying to teach me something...to be more gracious and not whine!

There have been several situations occur over the past few weeks that have brought my attention to how things seem to "just work out". Well, I believe 100% that God is in control and that there is a reason for everything. However, I still find that sometimes it's just so much easier to go straight to the thoughts "Why is this happening to me?" "Not now, God!" "There's just too much on my plate, I can't handle one more thing!"

Last Saturday, "B" and I were sitting in my living room talking about little Sheeba and discussing how I missed her already (after only just a couple hours) and how things were so quiet, etc. Then I said to him that one very good thing (other than Sheeba getting her forever home, of course) was the timing of her adoption. I said something like "Isn't it strange how no one has been interested in her until now, just 1 week before our vacation? Now I don't have to figure out who will take care of her while I'm gone!" And "B" just looked at me and said "Don't question when things work out. We (people in general) so easily complain when things go wrong or don't work out, but rarely thank God when things do work out. We need to learn to thank God more."

I'm in total agreement to what "B" said and already knew that it was God's hand in it all. But it made me reflect on how God's hand has been so visible the past few weeks...all of the hassle with my car that could have been crazy worse than it was (I haven't even shared the whole story yet!), Sheeba's adoption, and the latest is the destination of our vacation. We originally had planned to go to the Grand Canyon, had planned to leave on August 23rd and even got the days off work. Since then, we have changed our destination twice, having never made any arrangements for Arizona. Well, I was watching the news the other day and saw the crazy flooding and dam breakage in the Grand Canyon and I realized that we would have been going at a time when it's not quite at its best (nevermind the rafters and hikers that had to be rescued). So, just one more thing where God's presence is obvious and known.

With all of those events over the past few weeks I've realized that I think God is trying to tell me something. Ya' think?!?

Wordless Wednesday - Engagement photos

2008-08-20T12:26:00.015-04:00

Here is a sampling of some of "B" and my engagement photos. Photos were taken at Valley Forge National Park in Pennsylvania on July 19, 2008.

A friend at work, we'll call her "Kel" took these photos (she also does wedding photography on weekends). I'm am 110% thrilled at how great they turned out. To see more of her fab photography, check out Kel's site.

Join in the fun on this Wordless Wednesday!

A new home for Sheeba!

2008-08-17T23:46:00.017-04:00

I had a very good weekend, productive and fun (most of which I'll fill you in on in a Wedding Update post later this week). But there was one event that happened which makes me super sad and overjoyed all at the same time. The event? Sheeba (my first foster cat) found her forever home and was adopted on Saturday!!!From day one, Sheeba had me wrapped around her little paw. Now my house is once again quiet and I don't have a cute little face looking up at me when I walk through the door. :( But my sadness is all around me. I am overjoyed for Sheeba. When dealing with my car troubles just over a week ago, I worked from home for a couple days and I realized just how much Sheeba would thrive in a home where someone would be home most of the day. Well, she was placed in the home of a retired woman who recently lost her dog of 15 years. I've also had the feeling that Sheeba would do best without other pets around and this woman stated that that is exactly her tintention (for Sheeba to be the only pet). The woman came to meet Sheeba and we finalized the adoption on Saturday. After meeting her, I know that Sheeba will be spoiled and treated like the queen that she is! Through this experience, I was reminded of how God takes care of even the smallest of creatures. Just think of Sheeba's case for a minute:

Sheeba was found by sewer workers and turned into the rescue for fear that she would get trapped and die.

Sheeba was given to me at the age of 9 mths to foster until she found her forever home. She was skinny but oh so lovable.

For 3 months, not one person inquired about Sheeba. She was difficult to take to the adoption days, because she would spazz out in the cages and needed me to sit with her. So, she only went to a few adoption days and we pretty much were hoping for some "hits" on Petfinder.com.

When her new mom starting looking at Petfinder.com, she came to Sheeba's picture and just stopped. She just knew that she wanted "that cat". Then, when she saw her in person, the woman was smitten. And, don't forget that the home that Sheeba was placed in was the exact scenario that I thought would be best for Sheeba (based on my observations over the few months that I had her).

With that I have to ask...if God takes care and can find the perfect home for a small cat, how much more then does He care for us, who are made in His image? It's just another reminder to me of God's love and provision for me...a reminder that I need quite often.

So, what's next for fostering you might ask? I've decided that the foster thing may be a little tough for me...I just get attached too easily. So, when I get back from vacation, I'm going to start giving "cage breaks" to the cats that essentially live in the cages at the PetSmart that are with Res-Q-Pets (the rescue I volunteer with). I think this will be a great service to these little ones. It breaks my heart to see them in there for weeks on end in the tiny cages, even though I know they are visited often by the very loving volunteers and are very well taken care of. I may occasionally foster when there is an emergency foster situation, as well, but I'll have to play that by ear.

For now, I'm pet-less again and already missing the pitter patter of little paws:(

One more for Michael

2008-08-15T23:41:00.007-04:00

Now that Michael Phelps has earned his 7th gold (by the skin of his fingertips, mind you), he just has one more to make some SERIOUS Olympic history. These have been some very exciting games.

You go Michael...we're rooting for you!!!!

"Pause"

2008-08-14T10:02:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to put up a quick post to my 7 bloggy readers to let you know that I'm on a brief hiatus from blogging. Not intentional, have just had too much other stuff going on the past several days to get on the 'puter with some bloggin'. I'll send an update on everything in the next couples days and will be posting some additional engagement photos next Wednesday.

Car update

2008-08-07T10:04:00.002-04:00

I just got the call from the shop where my car is at and, although it's going to certainly be a blow to the pocketbook, the problem was nothing too major and they should be able to have all repairs done by the end of the day. I'll have to figure out a way to go get my car, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

So, in summary...my timing belt broke and I need a new water pump (~$550 for parts and labor...yikes!); there are other belts that are about to break as well so they are going to fix those while they're in there (another ~$50); and I needed a new headlight and license plate lights which I had an appointment set up for tomorrow, so I'm going to go ahead and have them do those too (~$20).

What I'm thankful for...that it was nothing where I would need to get a new car (like my engine blowing up or something); that I have a job where I can work from home and a boss that is completely understanding and supportive; but most of all, that I know that God will provide both the means to get my car back and the funds to replenish my emergency fund. And, I'm just so grateful that, in 12 years of have my own car(s), this is the first time that my car has flat out broken down in the middle of the road. I have only had one other time that my car didn't start and it was probably because it was too cold and there was water in the gas. I think that's a pretty good track record (especially since my car has over 125,500 miles on it.

I'm looking forward to having my wheels back!!!

Scary situation!!!

2008-08-06T23:28:00.002-04:00

Tonight I experienced a first...my first REAL car breakdown! I was on my way home from work (running about 10 minutes behind, as usual) and my car was zipping along quite nicely. About 1/2 way home, I stopped at a red light then, when the light turned green and I stepped on the gas, my "check engine" light "binged" and my car stalled...in the fast lane...on a main thoroughfare!!!

Well, I quickly tried to start it back up but, even though it was making a concerted effort, it just wouldn't turn over. So, dial AAA and I got a very slow talker. Very sweet but, when you have cars barreling down on you at 60MPH in daylight so that they can't see the hazards that well...you start to get a little worked up and impatient. I finally had to let her know what a dangerous place I was in and she sped it up a little bit...though, I must say, not much! After about 10 minutes on the phone with her, we were finally done and she did put it in for a rush, which meant someone would probably be out within 1/2 hour. Well, by that time, I was starting to FREAK OUT, because there had been about 10 too close for comfort moments with other cars.

So, then I dialed 9-1-1 to get some cops out there to help. After an exasperating 3-5 minutes talking to the 9-1-1 lady, she FINALLY figured out approximately where I was. Even though I could tell her EXACTLY the road I was on and 2 cross streets within ~100 yards, she needed the town...which I wasn't sure of (UGH!). Thank goodness for the fastest police officers in the East...the first one was there in 3 minutes or less...amazing! And the 2nd was there about another 3 minutes after that! The lovely police officers helped move my car to a gas station across the street...no fun ordeal with no power steering or power brakes when you have to cross not one, but TWO roads in heavy traffic. But with some stellar assistance from the nice policemen, I was in safety in minutes. I did have a dumb "blonde" moment, but I won't go into that!!!

Once I was in safety and waved goodbye to the officers, the tow truck driver came not more than another couple minutes later...about 20 minutes ahead of the estimate (yay!) He was able to tow my car about 10 miles closer to home to his shop at no charge (the shop waved the 9 miles over the AAA allowance...whew). Tomorrow they will run diagnostics on my car and provide me with an estimate (cringe). A couple people thought it might be my fuel pump, which I guess isn't a huge expense, so I'm hoping for something like that.

Well, this whole ordeal was very stressful. I was certain someone was going to plow into the back of my car with me in it, but God just did not have that planned for my day. What I did learn is how helpful people can be:

2 cars stopped in the lane next to me to make sure I was getting assistance
The police officers were great and didn't even make me feel stupid with my dumb blonde moment.
The tow truck driver was ever so sweet and helpful and the other guys at the shop were so nice too.
My friend, who I was supposed to make dinner for, drove ~20+ miles to pick me up and take me home.
And thank good for the Vincentown Diner and for comfort food...diner's make the absolute BEST grilled cheese sandwiches!

Now car-less, I will have to work from home tomorrow (thank you God that I have a job that I can do that with!) but, unfortunately, I will miss our company's afternoon at the Phillies game. It's a free 1/2 day off work but, since I don't have any way to get there, I'll have to work the whole day and will not get the bonus of connecting with my colleagues. Oh well, again, I guess that's just not what God had planned, but still it's a little disappointing.

I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow...and for relatively good news about my car and the amount of $$$ that I'll have to fork over (another cringe).

Wedding Update #6 - Save the Date

2008-08-05T12:06:00.007-04:00

Wow! Has it really been a couple weeks since I've given an update on the wedding planning? How time flies. I can't believe that the big day is now only 8 months away...YIKES!!!

I still feel like I'm on target with the planning (for the most part), but I'm getting a little panicked about getting a photographer in place, so that's really my only real stressor at the moment. So here is the latest and greatest:

"Save the Date" cards: They are ordered and should arrive in about a week. I need to get these sent before I go on vacation (Aug 23). Totally do-able, but we're still gathering a few straggler addresses. Since there is a pretty good handful of guests that haven't seen either "B" or I, we decided to go with photo cards, which I did through Shutterfly. Here's a sneak peek of one of my favorite pics that is on the "Save the Date"!
I'm also trying to figure out if I can use labels or if I have to hand address the envelopes.

Photographer: My helper is currently gathering some information from about 6 or 7 photographers. Most I found on line, but a couple came recommended. My goal is to have all info gathered before end of this week and spend some time this weekend narrowing down to 3 photographers with which I'll set up appointments with to meet in person. I would love to have a photographer signed up before end of this month; however, with vacation coming up I'm not sure that I'll accomplish that.

Florist: I'm in the very beginning stages of gathering information about florists. I'll be using the same approach as with the photographer.

Invitations: I've been looking at invitations and am still deciding whether I will take on a little DIY here. Just doing some cost analysis and deciding what exactly I'm looking for. Invitations just seem so over-priced and I'd like to avoid paying too much, without compromising quality, of course.

There are a lot of other details milling around in my little head and I continue to watch the wedding/design shows to get ideas. Oh, and I need to schedule a Saturday in August (only 2 left) for my aunt and I to go try on the younger girls' dresses (my Jr. Bridesmaid and my flower girl). It will be much easier on them to get this taken care of before the school year madness begins!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2008-07-31T05:00:00.002-04:00

Today is my mom's birthday. The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful family and friends, but I'd like to take today to recognize my mom. Here are just a few of the things I am thankful for about my mom:
- the way we continue to draw closer to one another, even with 3000 miles between us;
- my mom's loving and wonderful heart
- the love my mom feels for her children and how I know she would give her eye teeth for every one of us, including those that she's "adopted"
- her honesty
- her gentle prodding during my formative years, yet letting me find my own direction in life
- her health...I've been too close to losing her two too many times before
- her faults...because, after all, that's part of what gives us character right?

I found a poem that stated very well what is in my heart today and every day. So here it is:

You Were There
You were there when we took our first steps,
And went unsteadily across the floor.
You pushed and prodded: encouraged and guided,
Until our steps took us out the door...
You worry now "Are they ok?"
Is there more you could have done?
As we walk the paths of our unknown
You wonder"Where have my children gone?"
Where we are is where you have led us,
With your special love you showed us a way,
To believe in ourselves and the decisions we make.
Taking on the challenge of life day-to-day.
And where we go you can be sure,
In spirit you shall never be alone.
For where you are is what matters most to us,
Because to us that will always be home...
- Author Unknown.

So, Mom, I hope you enjoy your birthday. I love you and wish I could be there to celebrate with you, but know that I will be celebrating with you in spirit!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Wordless Wednesday - OOPS! Almost forgot!

2008-07-30T16:03:00.007-04:00

Venturing out this weekend, "B" and I found a butterfly house. Look at the beautiful monarchs!

I didn't know butterflies were part of the circus...

Close up...

Picture taken by Em on 7/27/08!

Join the fun on this Wordless Wednesday!

Relay for Life

2008-07-25T23:25:00.006-04:00

On July 26-27, 2008, my mom, brother, future sister-in-law, and family friend will all be walking in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, in Milwaukie Oregon as part of the Curves for the Cure Too team. Relay for Life raises money to fight cancer and raise awareness of cancer. It honors cancer survivors and remembers those who have lost their lives to cancer.

I don't think there is one person whose life hasn't been touched by cancer. My family has experienced the emotional and physical challenges with two members of our family having fought the battle. My grandma lost her fight after a long, hard battle when I was only 7 years old. My brother never got the opportunity to know her. My mom will be honoring her with a Luminaria candle.

But cancer hit me the hardest when my brother Matt was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at the young age of 8. I was 17 yrs old when he was diagnosed and it completely shook my world (as it did everyone in my family). When asked what the worst day of my life was, there is no question in my mind...I remember it vividly like it was yesterday. Shortly after finding out that his tumor was malignant, my brother was admitted to the hospital for testing. His tumor was in his throat and, since they couldn't start chemo until they finished testing, the tumor continued to grow until it nearly blocked Matt's airway. I will never forget one day toward the end of his stay shortly before they would begin chemo, my mom had gone down for coffee and I sat in the room alone on a counter. I was watching that little tiny boy with his "ET finger" on (the pulse-oximeter). In his sleep he would gasp for air, then hold his breath and I would just wait to hear him breathe out. That is probably the most scared I've ever been in my life. I truly thought I would lose my brother.

Now, when people ask me the best day of my life, I can also remember that day like it was yesterday. About 6 months after his chemo started, my brother's treatments were done. He had gone through the post-treatment testing and we were waiting to hear the results. My brother stayed with the next door neighbor after school and I would always come home after school, then go get my brother. This particular day, I went home and checked the answering machine. I'll never forget the voice of the doctor as she told how Matt was better, no sign of cancer anywhere! So when I went to pick Matt up at the neighbor's house, I was able to tell Matt that he was all better. Well, Matt is now a healthy 26-year old and has been clear of cancer for 18 years! His recovery was largely because of the new medicines, protocols and diagnostic techniques resulting from cancer research. If we had faced his Lymphoma 10 years earlier, he would not be here with us today.

Finally, my future sister-in-law I'm sure will be walking in honor of her dad, who lost his fight in the recent years. We all have family, friends, co-workers or acquaintances who are dealing with or have dealt with cancer in one way or another. There is so much work left to be done. The Relay for Life is a great way to participate physically and/or financially. All money raised is used to support research locally for all types of cancer and important patient oriented programs.

I am asking that you consider supporting this worthwhile cause. Either in prayer, by participating in a local Relay for Life, or by sponsoring one of my family members who is participating in this event this weekend. The donation is tax-deductible and can easily be made by clicking on the link provided above. Your contribution, large or small, will be greatly appreciated and benefit this very worthy cause.

If you would like to sponsor one of my family members participating in the event this weekend, please click on the link above before August 10, 2008 the click on one of the following names on team Curves for the Cure Too page and it will direct you to the individual sites where you can make your donation:
Ann Nodurft
Matt Arneson
Esther Duggan
Jeanne Lang

Thank you for your support.

Wordless Wednesday - Summer Beauty

2008-07-23T09:24:00.004-04:00

Picture taken by my Mumzie...I so DID NOT inherit her green thumb (bummer)!

Join the fun on this Wordless Wednesday!

Prayers for Tricia please

2008-07-23T00:29:00.004-04:00

Please keep Nate, Tricia and family in your prayers today and for the many weeks to come. I have been following their story since April, when Tricia received her new lungs. Nate and Tricia have graciously shared their story with the world through all their ups and downs, but they have continuously put their lives in God's hands and will. This new development is just a reminder that it is important not to take any day for granted...every day is a gift from God.

Wedding Update #5 - Gown down

2008-07-18T10:27:00.004-04:00

My major achievement this week: wedding gown is ordered...woohoo!!!

It really took a lot less time in stores than I ever could have hoped or imagined. That is probably due to the countless hours browsing the web. In the end, the dress that looked the best on me was the one that I fell in love with online. It is a beautiful Alfred Angelo design which is so incredibly flattering, it looked great even a few sizes too small :) Did I mention I LOVE the Alfred Angelo designs?!? The dress is scheduled to arrive in mid-October, so now the waiting begins.

Work has let up a little, which has helped lower my stress level a bit. That, and the fact that I discovered that I have 4-1/2 vacation days which I still have to plan against. I'm looking forward to taking a day off here and there just to keep the sanity and I might need them to go meet with florist, photographer and the like.

I'm actually really enjoying the wedding planning right now. It's fun to think of the fun details and find the best bargains, while not skimping on taste. I've found that I do best by taking all the big pieces one step at a time. First I worked on determining the reception venue, then the ceremony location, then the dress. Now, it's engagement photos (this weekend), following by "save the date" cards. In conjunction, I'll be working on narrowing down the photographer, florist, and DJ. I'm hoping to have most of those selected by end of August.

I also find it helpful to have a target date for finalizing certain details. It helps to keep me on track, especially with such a busy schedule with work, volunteering at the pet rescue, visiting my love, and house hunting. I missed my target for booking the reception venue by about a week (no biggie), but was way ahead of schedule on the gown (target was end of July:)

I can totally see how people can get overwhelmed and hire a wedding coordinator, but I don't think I could ever be satisfied doing that because I would miss out on the fun of planning.

"Green" with envy

2008-07-18T00:00:00.007-04:00

I can't wait to have a house of my own so I can have a garden. I've been hearing from Dirkey and my mom about how beautiful their gardens are this year and then I see pictures and I'm "green" with envy (not really, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to throw in a terrible pun).

Starting in my high school years and thereafter, we always had a garden. Then I had to go and move 3000 miles away so now I cannot enjoy the spoils. Leave it to my mom to make me homesick:) Although I didn't fully appreciate at the time all the benefits of having a garden (maybe it was the incessant weeding, canning, etc...hmmm). But now that I'm older, I am looking forward to having one of my very own. Not sure about the canning, though...jury's still out on that one.

Check out Dirkey's blog to see pic of her beautiful garden and first harvest. And here are some pics of my mom's garden:

My brother put the stone wall up...talented, huh?

And check out the green beans...

Is there such a thing as a safe house?

2008-07-14T22:48:00.005-04:00

In addition to planning a wedding, "B" and I are also looking for a house. We're hoping to have something that he can move into sometime in the Fall (sooner if we find a "gem"), then I'll move in once we're married. We went to 5 open houses on Sunday and only one of the houses was even worth considering. However, as we were leaving we decided to check out the sides of the house and "B" noticed a Radon-elimination system. Yikes! We had already decided not to go to one open house that day because it stated that it had one of these. So, we were starting to wonder a little more about the whole Radon thing.

I did some research today and found that pretty much all of Eastern Pennsylvania averages higher than acceptable levels of Radon (a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is tasteless, odorless, and invisible that can cause lung cancer when not detected and in higher than acceptable levels). Every home has some level of Radon, the question is the amount. So, in my research, I learned a lot more and I'm thinking that maybe it's a GOOD thing if a house has a Radon-elimination system, instead of a bad attribute of the house. This way, we wouldn't need to install it...it's already set up, especially with the elevated levels of Radon in many homes in Eastern PA.

What an eye-opener, though. A few days ago I had no knowledge of this house problem and now I know probably more than I ever would have liked. It got me thinking of all the crazy things that you have to keep your eyes out for when looking at houses: Radon, mold, foundation and/or sinking problems (we actually looked at a house where it was evident that the garage had "sunk" about 4 inches!), vermin (the same house with the sinkage also had a dead mouse on the back porch...hmmm, somebody needs to watch "Sell This House"), etc. There is just so much to think about that it can be overwhelming.

I don't think we're being overly picky, but we certainly want a house that will be safe for our future family. And, although neither of us minds doing a bit of work, we don't want to have to do a major overhaul either. It's fun to look at the houses but, when you are looking seriously and want to buy one in the next 4 or 5 months, it can be a little overwhelming, especially with the additional stress of wedding planning activities.

I'm already imagining the craziness that this coming weekend will bring. "B" is working to schedule appointments to view some homes we're interested in (2 or 3, I think), we are finally getting our engagement photos taken on Sunday afternoon, and I'm going to a BBQ at a friend's house. Whew! I don't think I'll be getting much rest:)

As I write this I realize it sounds like I'm complaining about the stress, but I really am SO incredibly thankful for these events in my life. I mean, I asked God for all of this...loving husband, family, home of my own, friends...ALL of it. Yes, it's a lot of life change in the course of a year, but it is also very exciting and, dare I say, fun?!?

Wedding Plans - Update #4

2008-07-10T15:19:00.004-04:00

Well, it's been a couple weeks since I've posted an update on the planning, not because there hasn't been any progress, but because of my work schedule and the holiday weekend (which seems a million miles away at this point!) So here are the updates for the week:

Guest List:
I have to give props to the "B" man. He gave me his list a few weeks ago, so we've had a consolidated list for awhile. Both of us pared down a few names at the beginning so we really don't need to do so at this point. I read a great tip for estimating a percentage who will actually attend instead of the random flat percentages you hear that vary about 20 points. This method is to assess your OWN probably percentage for each individual and calculate the cost as a percentage of the per head based on the probability. It's actually quite clever and makes much more sense than a random guess.

Gowns:
My bridesmaids and I are all going out this Saturday for me to try on bridal gowns. I have a pretty good idea of the "tone" of my dress but have been frustrated that I can't find a single store in the area that carries 2 dresses that I fell in love with on a designer's site. Yesterday I emailed the designer's consumer service to find out if there's a way for me to locate a store with the 2 dresses so I can try them on, but I haven't heard back yet. We'll see. I'm ready to try on dresses on Saturday and am actually getting excited. Still a little nervous about fit because I'm short and curvy...what a lovely combination. I'm obviously expecting alterations, I just hope that I can visualize the dresses.

Other "stuff":
I've started researching some photographers and florists and will probably start calling around next week. I've expanded my color palette a little to make it clearly spring and it will also give the florist a good idea of the color of flowers I want for the girls. In order to actually show people my colors, I went to Wal-Mart and picked through their paint swatches, picking the approximate colors that I want. I'm LOVING the combination.

Engagement Photos:
Oh, and don't let me forget the engagement photos. "B" and I are getting our photos taken next weekend. Once we get those back, we will be getting the "save-the-date" cards out in the mail.

A little anecdote to leave you with:
I was at Party City the other day looking at invitations and there was a couple there also looking at invitations. They were having some difficulty agreeing on a style and pricing seemed to be an issue, so I mentioned to the bride that there are DIY invitations that you can buy much cheaper than the printed. She said they don't have time to print their own because they need to get the invitations out the door. They are getting married in OCTOBER!!! Wow! It may be a bit painful for me some days as I stay up late at night doing my research and planning, but I think it will pay off in the end...I pretty much on target with what you're "supposed" to do by certain dates. I just can't imagine being in this couple's shoes and I could tell they were both stressed. Not to mention that their 2 kids were running around the store playing with all they stuff while they are looking at invitations. Wowee!

Quote & Scripture of the Day

2008-07-09T23:47:00.006-04:00

I read the below "Quote of the Day" and "Verse of the Day" on the Lancaster Church of the Nazarene website and it felt that God was speaking to me. Boy, I really needed these words! Check them out...I've included the links as well:

Quote of the Day: “The church of Christ has been founded by shedding its own blood, not that of others; by enduring outrage, not by inflicting it.” —Jerome

Verse of the Day: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” —Ephesians 3:20-21

The Simplicity of Childhood...ahhh

2008-07-02T15:01:00.002-04:00

Last night I visited my aunt, uncle, and 2 no-so-little-anymore cousins for dinner. I also had on my "to do" list to personally ask each of the girls to be in my wedding (the 9-yr-old as my Jr. Bridesmaid and the 6-yr-old as my flower girl). I had been perceiving that the 9-yr-old (we'll call her "Kat") has been fully aware that the 6-yr-old (we'll call her "Ky") would be the flower girl, especially since Kat has already been one before. Although Kat was completely accepting of this, I could tell she was sad because she wanted to be a part of the wedding.

So I took Kat aside and explained how a Bride needs to pick certain very special people to stand by her when she gets married. Then we talked about how Ky was going to be the flower girl (and Kat got sad) and then, I asked Kat if she would be my Jr. Bridesmaid. She gave me a funny look, not really knowing what that means. Then I explained that she would walk down the aisle by herself, that she would wear a dress similar to that of the big girls (little grin), and that she would carry the same bouquet as the big girls (eyes open wide). Here's the dialogue that ensued (approximately):

Kat: Real flowers?
Me: Yes.
Kat: Do I get to keep the bouquet?
Me: Yes.

Then Kat was smiling ear to ear and she became very excited. There was a little more discussion about how she had just turned the right age to be a Jr. Bridesmaid and she was SO thrilled about that too.

I knew that I had to make asking her a little more special and to explain the importance of her role. What I didn't know is that the thought of carrying a REAL bouquet and getting to keep it would be the final selling point. It was a sweet moment that I will treasure always!

Beautiful Bougainvillea

2008-06-30T13:40:00.003-04:00

I've read many books that are set in the southern United States. Many of these books mention the plant/flower bougainvillea. Growing up in the Northwest, I didn't have a clue what these books were referring to until I saw a plant in a conservatory, at which time I was taken aback by the unique characteristics of the "petal" and the sheer beauty of the plant.

Notice that the "petals" look like leaves. I'm not sure whether to call them petals or leaves!?!

When I was in Florida I saw an enormous bougainvillea plant and it made me happy to just look at it. If I didn't have such a brown thumb I might take a stab at my own plant in New Jersey, but I guess I'll just have to visit the south a bit more often.

Wedding Plans - Update #3

2008-06-27T08:00:00.002-04:00

While work is still unbelievably crazy, I have found some relief this week in having made significant progress in solidifying some of the wedding plans.

Ceremony site:

We've pretty much selected a church and are going to visit this Saturday to check it out. The church is available and the pastor is very accomodating to our having the wedding on Sunday afternoon, so I think this is a winner!

Reception site:

The reception site and room are "booked". I'm waiting to receive the contract and should have everything set within a couple weeks. I'm pretty impressed with how reasonable the site and site coordinator are. I called with a bunch of additional questions a little over a week ago and the site coordinator was ready with all the answers, which ended up solidifying my desire to go with this site.

Next up? Gown shopping! I have mixed feelings about this venture. I'm kind of excited, but am dreading it also. I definitely need to lose some inches around the waistline and upper arms, so I'm worried I won't look good in anything. I would like to just be able to relax and have fun with it, but I don't typically enjoy trying on clothes anyways. I'll have to work on getting in the mindset and who knows...maybe it will all be a hoot:)

I will also now start researching some of the smaller things like flowers, photographer, etc. Wow...there is just SO much to think about, but I feel tremendous relief that the reception and ceremony sites (what I think are the biggest aspects) are pretty much set.

Woah!

2008-06-26T17:38:00.008-04:00

Okay, now this is going just a bit too far on the whole TP wedding gown contest (one of those crazy, yet fun, bridal shower games). I thought the one done up on me was pretty good at Dirkey's shower...

but this one hits it out of the ballpark. Some people just have too much time on their hands!

Check out MamaK as a "TP Bride":

You go girl!

7 hours then...FREEDOM!!!

2008-06-19T10:47:00.004-04:00

I can hardly contain my excitement. Just over 7 hours and I will be officiallly on vacation...for a few days anyway. Things have been so hectic at work that this vacation is much needed. I'm heading to sunny (with the occasional thundershower) Florida so probably won't be posting until I get back on Monday.

I'm going to visit with my dear cousin and just "chill" and recharge my batteries. I haven't seen her in about 7 years, so this visit is LONG overdue. Wow! Looks like 7 is the lucky number today :) It is difficult to stay focused and I can hardly sit still, but still so much to do before I leave so I better run and get to work.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-06-18T09:53:00.002-04:00

Her Royal Cuteness!

This picture was taken shortly after "B" popped the question. We were outside taking pictures of the ring to send to my mom and when we walked back inside my foster cat, Sheeba, had stuffed herself into her "toybasket".

http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

Picture taken 5/25/08 by Em.

Let's salute our veterans

2008-06-16T22:35:00.006-04:00

I've been thinking about writing this post for the past week, but haven't had 2 minutes to sit down and write. However, there hasn't been a day that has gone by in the past week that I didn't think about a WWII veteran that I heard speak on Sunday, June 8 at the Reading WWI Air Show. If you are anywhere near Reading, PA, I would highly recommend this fantastic air show, which isn't JUST an air show, but a look back in time, to the days of WWII. I will try to recount what I heard but will mostly focus on the points that have really stuck with me.

The Story
His name is Mike Kuryla. He joined the Navy at the young age of 17. He was stationed on the U.S.S. Indianapolis and, by the age of 19, now a Petty Officer, he had already fought in 8 major battles. I don't know the timespan from the 8th battle to the end of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, but Mike told his personal account of what he and his crew mates endured through one more battle, a few more missions, and the sinking of a ship.

One of the missions was to carry a crate from one location to another. What was in the crate was secret so, as people often do, the crew started to speculate what could be in that crate and of such importance. I don't know if it was a joke or the truth, but Petty Officer Mike told us that they thought it was toilet paper in the crate. After the ship had sunk and the survivers were rescued, they would learn that they carried the A-bomb in that crate.

The most amazing, terrifying, and heart-wrenching part of his story was his detailed account of the sinking of the U.S.S. Indianapolis. He told of his experience while the ship was listing (tilting to one side). As he was describing it, I envisioned something like the Titanic, had it sunk sideways. He described how the ship eventually was over his head and he was just holding onto a rope, making a plan that he would swim to one side so as to not get sucked under by the powerful suction of the sinking ship. He tried once and got sucked back under the ship. He tried a second time and got sucked back under the ship again. Then this man told how his family of many siblings and his parents passed before him, similar to how you would see your life flash before your eyes and he just prayed to God right there, asking for forgiveness for his sins. He blacked out and, when he came to, he was holding onto one of the life rafts.

In the end, only a few rafts of men made it out alive, but their ordeal didn't end there. They had to endure the horrors of being at sea. Petty Officer Mike told the horrendous story of their several days at sea, where he saw men go crazy, hallucinate, drink salt water, and get eaten by sharks. He said that he tried to tell the men not to drink the salt water, but many times it did no good. All they could do was pray. He said many men came to know God during that time. Isn't it amazing the circumstances that God uses? Eventually, some 300+ men were saved (of a crew over 1100).

But his story didn't stop at his survival. Petty Officer Mike had, at the age of 19, lived through more horrors in his life than most of us will ever experience in our own. And he still had to go home and live the rest of his life with the images of what he had lived through. He had a difficult time, as do many of our veterans of war. He married and had children, but never spoke to anyone of his experiences. Then, a group of survivors got together to try to get a memorial of the U.S.S. Indianapolis and one man tried to convince Mike to tell his story to others in order to raise money for the memorial. Mike refused, until the other man told him that the 880 men who died couldn't tell their story, so it was up to the survivors. That's when Mike started telling his story, which he still does to this day, even though the memorial already exists.

I wasn't planning on listening to this man tell his story. "B" and I were actually heading over to the concessions to get some lunch but, I was somehow drawn to this man and I asked if we could just sit and listen to him for a few minutes. We sat through his entire story and I have been blessed and humbled by his story. It is a perspective on war and our veterans that I have never heard nor experienced and it was certainly eye opening. I know that he probably will never read this post but, in my heart I want to thank Petty Officer Mike for sharing his story. I think more veterans need to share their stories and, well, the rest of us? We need to listen and thank our veterans for all they have done to protect our country.

I don't think I'll ever be the same after hearing the story of Petty Officer Mike and I thank God as well, for pointing me in the direction of his voice. Please take a moment today, and every day hereafter, to say a prayer for those who have served and those who continue to serve our country. And, if you see a soldier in the airport, on the street, wherever...take a moment to thank them. For a more detailed account, read a transcript of Mike's story, though I think that transcript leaves out some of the details he gave us of the time at sea.

Wedding Plans - Update #2

2008-06-10T23:42:00.004-04:00

I only have a couple updates this week:

Site:
Still haven't settled on a site quite yet. I saw another site on Saturday, which I really liked, but I think the price is slightly high and they don't seem to be real keen on helping to bring the price down much. I have a few more questions to ask another site that we visited a couple weeks ago and I may want to visit that one again. I also have an appointment to meet with 1 last site (the NJ site) on Thursday night. I'm still hoping to make a choice before I head to FL on the 19th.

Guest List:
"B" gave me his guest list this weekend and I consolidated the 2 lists. We have a little paring down to do, but not too much. We do have a surprising number of children on the list! I guess that happens when you get married a little later:)

Colors:
I think we're settled on the colors. "B" wasn't completely sold, but that's because I hadn't clearly indicated my vision. He said he needed to see some pictures and, as I looked for pictures, it became clear that he just couldn't envision how the girls' dresses would look in the colors. That's when I clarified that the girls dresses will be just 1 of the colors, not both. Well, I think he's jumped on board with the colors...red and yellow. Not my original choice for colors, but definitely more "Spring-like", so it's probably a better choice.

Other Stuff:
A woman I work with is a wedding singer on the side and she's going to hook me up with the good bridal shows that will be coming up in the summer. She'll be letting me know which ones are worth going to. I think that might help me with a few things, like the flowers, getting more ideas, DJ (though I already have 1 in mind, but need to do due diligence).

That's it for now. And, in response to MamaK and Kitten.mom's comments last week to help, you can bet I'll be asking you both for your creative expertise. You are both awesome at the creative stuff so I can definitely use your help. :)

Don't be intimidated...

2008-06-06T09:59:00.007-04:00

Let's talk about Medical Flex Spending (MFS) and Dependent Care Flex Spending (DCFS) accounts. Many people are afraid of the "use it or lose it" rule around these, and some people have never even heard of them. Well, let me tell you...they are a fabulous "hidden" way of saving moulah.

For those who don't know what these are, here's a brief synopsis. These are only available to those whose employers offer as part of their benefit plan. During the open enrollment period, you designate an annual amount, which will be split evenly across the year and withheld from your (or your spouse's paycheck)...don't stop here...the good part is coming. As you incur either medical (for MFS acct) or dependent care (for DCFS acct), you submit for reimbursement and you get the $$$ you paid out of pocket back, up to the amount that you designated for the year. Sound complicated? Well, it's really quite simple, but I won't go into tremendous detail. It is important to know that each account is separate.

How do these accounts save you money? Well, instead of just paying your out of pocket expenses with post-tax money, your designated amount is withheld as pre-tax dollars and reduces your taxable income. Then, when you are reimbursed, you are reimbursed with money that hasn't been taxed. So you are saving the taxes. Depending on how much is withheld under the plans and on how close you are to a specific tax bracket, there is a potential that by having the account(s), you could even potentially be bumped into a lower tax bracket.

So what do you get reimbursement on? Here's the low-down on each:

MFS - Every plan is different but most plans allow for reimbursement for the following patient out of pocket expenses (not covered by insurance): co-pays, eye exams, contacts and eyeglasses, necessary dental expenses, necessary medical expenses, perscriptions, and many OTC meds.

DCFS - I'm not as familiar with this since I don't have any dependents myself (and pets don't count) but I do know that it counts for child and adult dependents.

I have saved lots of $$$ over the years through the MFS account because I have a good deal of expenses not covered by insurance, some of which are: contacts ($480/yr); a couple perscription co-pays (~$350/yr); and OTC meds (which on my plan cover saline solution btw). Just so you can see how this might work, let's look at an example. Let's say someone makes $50,000/year pre-tax, estimates $500/yr in out of pocket medical expenses, and $200/mo in childcare ($2400/yr). Since I don't know the tax percentages, let's just say it's taxed at 25% for sake of this example. Here's the comparison:

without MFS and DCFS:
Pre-tax Income: $50000
Post-tax Income: $37500 (subtracted $12500 - tax on $50000)
After med & cc exp: $34600 (subtracted $500 and $2400)

with MFS and DCFS:
Pre-tax Income: $50000
MFS & DCFS w/h: $47100 (subtracted $500 and $2400)

Post-tax Income: $35325 (subtracted $11775 - tax on $47100)

Annual savings = $725

You can see the benefit but just be aware of the following:

There is a "use it or lose it" rule; however, with good estimating and making sure to get your reimbursements in, this is easy to avoid. Also, most plans now have a 3 month grace period in which to submit for reimbursements. If you find at the end of the year you have $$$ left in your account and nothing to submit for reimbursement? Get perscriptions filled, stock up on OTC meds, fill that contact perscription. Some plans even have a card that you use so you don't even need to submit for reimbursement for some items.
If you use a private person for day care, make sure you talk with them first. You do need to disclose their SS# or EIN on the election form. If they are private you will need to make sure they are reporting the income they make from you. If they don't and you put in for DCFS, they will get in trouble for not reporting the income. This is not a concern if you use a facility, but you will need to get the EIN.
Both of these accounts must be re-elected every year. Unlike insurance, which will just renew if you don't change anything, if you do not select an amount to be withheld, you will not have the benefit.

Okay, so that's my extensively long Frugal Friday tip. I hope you've found it helpful. I'm a huge advocate for this benefit which takes very little effort to save literally hundreds of $$$ each year.

Ridiculous!

2008-06-05T12:14:00.002-04:00

I can understand losing your eyeglasses, cell phone, keys, pocketbook. Heck, I can even understand losing your child in the grocery store. But someone, please tell me how in the world you lose a lighthouse!?!?! And then to find it over 3000 miles away some 80+ years later!?! I guess if they disassembled it, then it wouldn't be as obvious as moving a house...but still, how did noone figure this out sooner? And how would you go about looking for a lighthouse anyways?

Wordless Wednesday

2008-06-04T16:05:00.003-04:00

http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

How did that get there? Yes, that's a tree (or maybe enormous tree branch) dangling from other smaller trees. Quite a sight from my trip to Hawk Mountain a couple months ago. Picture taken by Em on 4/19/08.

Planning for our shindig - #1

2008-06-02T12:18:00.005-04:00

Since my immediate family lives 3000 miles away and can't share in the day-to-day progress of planning for "B" and my wedding day, I decided that I'll post any relevant updates once a week. So, here's where we are today:

Site:
We're mostly looking in the Lancaster/Reading, PA area, but we also are checking out 1 facility in Jersey...my uncle's church and a lovely restaurant down the road from it for the reception. The church is very old and has a lot of charm, as does the reception site, so I'm going to work to schedule an appointment this week sometime. I have an appointment to visit a site in Reading this coming Saturday. We're hoping to book a place within the next couple weeks.

Officient:
My uncle is a pastor (of the church mentioned above). We went to his church yesterday and then to lunch and he accepted our request for him to conduct the ceremony. It will make the day just that much more special:)And, bonus...it was a special service at their church. They had a great opera singer (Paul Pitts) give a concert and share. I heard him sing and visited with him several years ago, but I was excited when he joined us for lunch...such a great man, and SO funny!!!

Gown:
I've simply been looking at what I like on line at this point. I probably won't go out to the stores to try on anything until early July, though. My aunt (and Matron-of-Honor) has a busy June, as do I with trying to get a reception site booked.

Engagement photos:
I wasn't planning on getting engagement photos, but a friend at work who also photographs weddings on the weekends (can you say CRAZY!!!), has offered to take engagement photos for me as practice for herself. So now we're working on figuring out when and where.

That's the main activities from this past week. I'm doing a lot of other little pieces of research as well. But, of course, I can't give everything away on the blog...have to leave some of the details a mystery;-)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-05-28T09:10:00.002-04:00

http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/

Posing for the camera...taken by Em on 5/25/08.

It's official!

2008-05-26T21:14:00.015-04:00

Woohoo..."B" and I are now officially engaged!

As my friends & family know, we recently surpassed the 3 years dating mark have been talking engagement/marriage/ring for a while now. So, as of noon time on Sunday, May 25th, "B" got down on 1 knee, shared his sentiments, and proposed to me. We both got a little teary-eyed (something I wasn't sure would happen since it wasn't a surprise, but he was just SO sweet). And I accepted! I'm grateful for "B"s concern that I should absolutely love my ring and his insistence that I should choose the ring I want. We ended up doing a lot of shopping, he had input, and we did A LOT of research on diamonds...a step that I highly recommend! In the end, we got a fantastic ring that fits me perfectly, in size, style, and personality. We both think so."B's" family has been impatient for this announcement, so "B" decided to have a little fun with it. On Sunday we went to a BBQ at his sister's house. I put the ring on the other hand and turned the diamond inward...because you know where they were going to look first!!! Then, when everyone got settled, I put it on my left hand to see how long it would take before anyone noticed. It took awhile but, when everyone found out the questions and excitement started to fly and "B" was so proud of himself that he fooled his family. :-)

At this point, I must give all thanks and praise to God for His faithfulness, even through my impatience. I can see some of the things God has been doing in "B" and I to fine-tune us and prepare us for marriage and for a lifetime with each other. But I guess it's always easier to see these things after the fact. Not so easy to see while your in the midst.

Frugal Friday - Something Intangible

2008-05-23T09:16:00.004-04:00

When you think of being "frugal", what do you immediately think of? Right, $$$$ (cha-ching!) As my life gets more hectic with about a million things going on (okay a slight exaggeration, but that's what it feels like), I keep thinking about how I can be more frugal with my TIME. I haven't always been a good steward of my time, spending it watching TV, playing computer games, or just doing non-productive stuff. Now that I'm working long days at work including a long commute, house hunting, taking care of a foster kitty, etc, life is getting more busy and I find that when I don't use my time wisely, I feel frantic.

So, my Frugal Friday tip this week is about time. How can I make myself more productive (other than making about 3 clones of myself, that is)? The first step is to identify personal "time-wasters". That will likely be different for everyone, though we may all have some in common. Mine are as I've just mentioned: (1) too much TV time; (2) too many computer games; (3) not doing other other things when I'm on the telephone; (4) being inefficient with how I run errands. I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Next step is to determine a plan of action for how to minimize personal "time-wasters". I'm not saying cut them out completely as, just like food, that can cause a compulsion to "binge". My plan of action for each is as follows: (1) gradually reduce TV time time and computer games; (2) be productive while on the telephone (e.g. wash dishes, iron clothes, clean the toilet, the possibilities are endless); and (3) write down my errands each week and determine what I can group together to be more efficient.

So, that's my plan. What's yours? Oh, added bonus: depending on what your time-wasters are and your plan of action, you may find that you end up being more financially and environmentally frugal as well. Example: by combining errands, I can save gas and a little less pollution; by watching less TV, I can reduce electricity consumption.

Don't forget to check out Dirkey's blog for all the other Frugal Friday tips! I hope everyone has a fantastic and relaxing holiday weekend (in the U.S., that is :)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-05-21T09:43:00.002-04:00

This is me at work for the past few weeks. This long weekend can't come soon enough!

Tagged!!

2008-05-20T22:01:00.004-04:00

I've been tagged by Dirkey to list 10 weird or random facts or habits about myself. So, here goes...

My last year of college I played on the Women's Rugby Team in the position of hook, more affectionately known as the "hooker". We had a fantastic year and made it to the Regional championships, where I believe we came in 2nd. I wish I would have joined the team earlier because it was a great experience.
I didn't get the joy of going to a theme park or riding a roller coaster until I was 22, on our Rugby team's trip to Six Flags Great America in San Jose. I have since had a love affair with roller coasters and try to get on them at least once a year.
I'm a pretty crafty person, but my all time favorite craft is crochet. There was a period a year or so ago that I crocheted around 7 or 8 blankets in the course of a year. When I decided to take a few months off, I actually went into withdrawals!!! Well, at least it's a healthy addiction:)
In the 30 or so crochet projects I've worked on over the years, the only thing I've ever made for myself is a washcloth...and that was just a few weeks ago.
I, like MamaK, LOVE shoes!!! I used to be a straight loafer girl, but then I found DSW and it's all been downhill from there. Now I can't get my feet into enough pairs of fun shoes. My favorites are Steve Madden (for his classic funk) and LifeStride (for their comfort).
I love to cook for others (my boyfriend, friends, family, etc.), but no so much for myself. I hate spending a bunch of time cooking a meal, then eating it by myself.
My all time favorite food is Mexican. REAL Mexican, not Tex-Mex, or Southwestern...I'm talking handmade tortillas and the like. Authentic Mexican restaurants are difficult to find on the East coast, but I've lucky enough to find a few...yummy!
I hate, no, absolutely DETEST the game of Monopoly. We had family game night when I was a teen and I was made to stay up till all hours of the night to play Monopoly, which I knew I wouldn't win (I don't think I ever did). So I doubt that I'll ever play Monopoly again until, perhaps, when I have kids and I can play the non-wheeling and dealing type of game:)
I love to travel to other countries and experience different cultures and different kinds of food. I've had the great privilege to try all sorts of different foods, albeit not always so tasty. I've had zebra, eland, crocodile, horse, goat, lotus flower, octopus (sort of), and lots of other weird stuff. And in every country I visit I absolutely MUST try the ice cream. My favorite ice cream was in Italy...gelato...mmmmmm!
I love to paint rooms in houses. I don't know why, maybe it's the fumes, but I find it relaxing and fun.

Frugal Friday - small savers

2008-05-16T13:01:00.009-04:00

This week I just have a couple quick small savers. Neither of these will save oodles of $$$; however, if a bunch of small money savers are implemented, it can make a big difference over time.

When to use cash and when to use credit at the gas pump?
Well, it depends. If you use credit to purchase gas, make sure you are using ones with rewards programs (like cash back or frequent flyer miles, etc.). Otherwise, it actually saves you more to pay with cash, if the station offers a discount for paying cash. For example, using Discover can actually save you at least 2x what paying cash would because of their cash back program.

So, when is it better to pay with cash? If you spend a lot of time on the road and use either a debit card or credit card without a rewards program then you could probably save more by paying cash at the pump. Even though using your debit card is the same as cash, it tends to be treated as credit, so you would end up paying more $$$. I typically pay for just about everything using "cash" (physical cash or debit) and save credit purchases for larger or online purchases. I'm going to switch to cash for now so I can save the few cents each time I fill up. Since I have over a 30 mile commute each date (one way) and I visit my boyfriend every other weekend, who is over 80 miles away, and I visit friends once in awhile who also live a bit of a distance, that all adds up. I figured that with my basic weekly driving alone (not counting visits to friends or special trips), I could save around $100/year by doing this. I'm also going to look into switching to a credit card with a better rewards program.

It's funny that Dirkey's post was along similar lines of paying cash. I started this last night, then debated whether or not to post but I decided to go ahead. My brain is too tired to try to think of another Frugal Friday tip:)

Home playdough & cookie cutters:
I don't have many memories of my maternal grandmother, but one of my favorite memories is her making us kids her homemade playdough. Just writing about it I can smell it. Why pay for playdough from the store and all the nifty cutters, when kids will be just as thrilled to have homemade playdough with cookie cutters. I found some great playdough recipes on line. My grandmother always made uncolored playdough, which was great. But I love that the recipe on the link actually has ways to color the playdough. BONUS - Not only will you save a little $$$, but homemade playdough is easier to clean up than store bought and you will know what's in it!

Again, I realize neither of these tips is going to save you oodles of $$$, but every little bit counts, right?!?

Weekly Weigh In

2008-05-16T10:20:00.003-04:00

I'm a little bummed that I didn't lose anything more this week. I still have 9 lbs to go to meet my goal of 10 by June 15. My weekly update is about the same as last week (except no cookie binge this week), so I really need to work on those areas I'm struggling with, which are:

Exercise abs and arms 6 days a week: I only did this once this week. I WILL do better next week!!!
Resistence exercises at least 2 days a week: I have a program that has worked fabulously in the past, but I've been struggling to be motivated to exercise in the evenings (long work days and all!) I think if I could get into this habit, I will see the best results.
No more than one bite sized candy per day: I caved on this a bit this week...lots of chocolate cravings, so I think I had ~2-3 a day. Need...to...have...self...control!!!

I'm still doing great in the following areas:

Walk (briskly) at least 3 days/wk (total of at least 2-1/2 hrs/wk): Exceeded this goal this week, despite having a few rainy days, like today (yuck!).
Eat more fruits and vegies: I'm still eating LOTS more fruits and vegies. Ate salad for lunch all but one day this week but, I gotta say...I'm getting tired of salad. I need to get creative in how to get my raw vegies in without eating a salad. Any suggestions?

I'm hoping for some better results next week and am committed to meet more than just 2 of my weekly goals.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-05-14T08:57:00.004-04:00

A collage painted by my sister...beautiful!!

For all the Moms out there, this one's for you

2008-05-13T22:26:00.002-04:00

I heard about this article on the radio today. Although many (if not all) of my regular readers know that the value/worth of a mother is absolutely priceless, I think it's worth sharing this article. It's interesting what Salary.com has done. They have calculated what SAHMs and working moms would get paid for their "mom" duties...IF they actually got paid. LOL.

Read the whole article and you'll see how many hours moms work each week. It puts a little perspective around how much the moms out there (working and stay at home) actually do for their families and children. This is just ONE of the many reasons we need to celebrate and thank our mothers on Mother's Day!

I have always believed that the most important job in the world is being a mom. I'm not even a mom yet! Although this article is just concrete dat and doesn't capture all of what any mom does, I'm hoping that by sharing it here we can open the eyes of the people who think SAHMs have it easy.

Keeping it Simple - new recipe

2008-05-12T12:35:00.003-04:00

I stumbled on a recipe this week and, in the process of making it created my own. The recipe was for Salmon with potatoes, peas, and tarragon. Well, I didn't have any tarragon in the house (can't remember ever cooking with it) and I reduced the amounts, but didn't keep track so the potatoes and peas turned out a little funky. Still working on that recipe and will post once I have it perfected.

However, I decided to use the seasoning for the potato/pea combination and put it on the salmon, substituting dill for the tarragon. All I can say is...YUMM-EE!!! Best salmon I've ever made! So here's what I did...measurements will depend on # of fillets you cook.

Ingredients:
6 oz salmon fillets
minced garlic cloves (~ 1/fillet)
lemon zest
dill weed (fresh or dried)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Mince lemon zest and combine in a bowl with garlic and dill. Salt and pepper the salmon to taste. Pat the lemon/dill seasoning on the salmon.

3. Put olive oil in a stove top AND oven-safe skillet or dish. Heat oil on high until nearly smoking hot. Put seasoned salmon in the skillet and sear on both sides.

4. Put the salmon in the preheated oven and bake until cooked through (6-10 minutes, depending on # of fillets).

This is an incredibly quick and easy recipe that is scrumptious and healthy! Doesn't get much better than this.

Food for thought

2008-05-12T11:22:00.003-04:00

Over the past month, I've known or heard of so many people who have been experiencing loss, struggles, and/or pain. Then today I received a random forward from a friend, with quote:

'When You're Down to Nothing, God's up to Something'

I just thought it was pretty cool, and oh so true.

Use what ya got

2008-05-09T19:15:00.004-04:00

My Frugal Friday tip this week is somthing I'm trying to do more of. It's simply this...when planning your menus, use what you have and/or only buy ingredients that will get all used up. This will also avoid waste. Before I started focusing on this, I would find a recipe that sounded yummy, I would buy the stuff to make it, and there would be leftover ingredients which would ultimately spoil because they were not ingredients I commonly cooked with.

Try to avoid planning menus that use ingredients that you'll only use for one recipe. Leave those recipes for special occasions, entertaining, or making a special dinner for your special someone. Instead, cook using "core" foods in your pantry, in your fridge, and buy only those ingredients for which you can plan additional menus to use up any remaining portion. I like what kitten.mom says about using as much as possible that is in the fridge.

If you want to kick it up a notch try to "coordinate" your menu so that you end up using similar incredients in some of your dishes. It's kind of like coordinating your wardrobe so you can mix and match.

1 down, 9 to go

2008-05-09T14:27:00.004-04:00

I've lost 1 lb since Friday, May 2nd. It's not much but it is one step closer to my goal to lose 10 lbs (or 1 dress size) by mid-June. So how did I do on the weekly goals? Here's the tally:

The good:

Walked 4 days for total of 2 hrs, 40 minutes
Ate LOTS more fruits and vegies, vegies being a huge feat for me. I ate salads for lunch M-F and kept it interesting by varying the kind of salad.
Only ate a couple bite-sized candies through the entire week, but see the "ugly" below.

The bad:

Only did abs and arms 2x this week (yikes)
Didn't do any resistance exercises (double yikes)

The ugly:

Even though I did well with the bite sized candies, I ate 3 homemade chocalate chip cookies today...bad, bad, bad!!!! I had no self-control, they just looked too good.

All in all, with the exception of the cookie-fest today, I have exercised more self-control, will power, and improved eating habits than in most of my life. If I can keep this up and improve on the resistance and toning exercises I think I'll be in line to meet my goal.

Hopping on the bandwagon

2008-05-06T22:37:00.005-04:00

My close friends KittenMom and Dirkey have both been working on trimming up. With a short vacation to Florida coming up in June, I've decided to hop on the bandwagon. I'll be weighing in on Fridays, along with the others, with the goal to lose 10 pounds (from my weight on May 2) or 1 dress size by June 15th. That may seem like a small amount but the pounds don't just melt off me, even when I'm doing everything right. So, I'm going to be tracking myself against the following weekly goals:

Walk (briskly) at least 3 days a week for a total of at least 2-1/2 hours per week.
Exercise abs and arms 6 days a week.
Resistence exercises at least 2 days a week.
Eat more fruits and vegies.
No more than one bite sized candy per day.

If I follow the above diligently, hopefully I'll be successful in meeting my goal.

Welcome Sheba!

2008-05-05T22:01:00.007-04:00

Welcome to my new furry friend, Sheba!

I've only had her a few hours, but she has already stolen my heart. Sheba has adjusted very well and is making my home her own. She is curious about all the new sounds, sights and smells and she's quite the mouser.

She is EXTREMELY affectionate and I would definitely have to classify her as a lap cat. We're enjoying some bonding time now. Makes it a bit tough to type this out on my laptop, though:)

Isn't she sweet? And just look at that precious spot on her nose!

If you know of anyone who may be looking to adopt a cat, Sheba would make a perfect pet!

New Addition!

2008-05-05T10:17:00.004-04:00

It has been a very lonely few weeks in my house without my "Copper" around :( So, now that the overwhelming grief period is over and I've experienced the joys of mice, I finally signed up to be a foster parent to a cat. I get my first foster cat tonight and I'm so excited that I'll have a furry friend again.

She is a 9-month old female calico named Sheba. It's actually a bit eerie because my aunt had a calico cat named Sheba...WEIRD!!! She just got spayed last week so I'm not exactly sure what to expect, but I'm still excited. I hear that she is very lovable, my favorite kind:) When I get her, I'll post pics and a little more about the organization.

Frugal Friday - brown bag it

2008-05-02T08:56:00.003-04:00

My Frugal Friday tip is a quickie that most of us know, but many times either get too busy or plain forget to actually implement...bringing a "brown bag" lunch to work.

Brown bagging it can save loads of $$$, especially if you work in an expensive area. I work in Center City Philadelphia where the average salad can costs ~$10!!! I'm typically very good about packing my snacks but I've gotten a little lazy about packing my lunch. So now I'm on a mission to pack a lunch at least 4 days of the work week...I'll allow myself a "treat" on the other day.

In addition to the $$$ savings, when you pack your lunch you'll find that you will eat healthier. You have greater control over portion size and content which for me are the 2 biggest factors to maintaining my weight and eating healthy. So, if you work outside the home don't forget to pack your lunch.

And thanks to Dirkey for her Frugal Friday tip...my favorite so far. I, too, have been on missions trips and have seen the unthinkable, but I find myself constantly slipping back into the daily humdrum of life and forgetting the emotional impact of seeing people who literally have nothing. Thanks for the reminder Dirkey!

The Tall & the Small

2008-05-01T22:00:00.002-04:00

Today, as usual, I took a walk at lunch. I was walking at my usual brisk pace when I noticed a man up ahead. He was absolutely ENORMOUS. Not too much overweight, just incredibly tall. At my slight height of 5'0", most everyone is tall. But this guy must have been pushing 8 feet tall! As I got closer, I noticed that my nose came up to about his waist and the tops of his legs were probably at about my shoulder. As I was walking next to him for a minute or so, I realized how funny it must have looked with the two of us...one tall and one small. What struck me as even crazier is that, even with his legs being about twice as long as mine, I still passed him!!!

So it got me thinking about how we all see the world a little differently, from our own perspectives. When I climb on a stepladder or a chair, I get to see the world from a tall person's eyes...the physical anyways. So I thought how much different the world must look from the eyes of a "giant". Just a little food for thought.

Have you ever "tasted" yarn?

2008-04-29T22:58:00.015-04:00

My close friend MamaK and I went to a "Yarn Tasting" this past Friday, hosted by Woolbearers, a yarn store in southern New Jersey. It was their 2nd Annual event, though the first of its kind for MamaK and I. So "what is a yarn tasting" you may ask? Well, it goes something like this:

At each seat there was a box filled with goodies, lots of little balls of yarn to try out. Oh, did I mention that all the yarns were "green"? Since I've never been exploratory in my yarn usage, this was a great way for me to get my feet wet...well, my fingertips, anyways. Each of the little balls was labeled with the kind of yarn and there was a sheet of paper to take notes.

All the ladies just dug right in and started working with the fun yarns, while the waitress came around with coffee and tea. Lots of talking, lots of knitting, and then there was me...crocheting. I got a lot of flack from the knitters, but all in good fun.

As the ladies got further into the night with their knitting (and crocheting), the waitress came around with a scrumptious dessert platter and took our dessert orders. Mmm, the chocolate-peanut butter dessert :-p The ladies fell in two camps, those that put down their crafting to enjoy dessert, or those that left their dessert for their crafting.

After dessert, more talking, more knitting (and more crocheting) and boy how the time flies! Since crocheting uses up more yarn, I was able to finish my sampler of all the "tasty" yarns while we were there. Check out the Mini Me pic...crochet vs. knit (though I did have a bit of a headstart). I kept all the tags on the yarns so I can refer to it later to decide which yarns I want to try out on an actual project.

My favorite of the "green" yarns were the Baby Boo (so soft), the Royal Bamboo, the Tapes (both the Soy Silk and the Bamboo), and the Wool Bamboo. Can you tell I'm a fan of Bamboo?

Since neither MamaK nor I were quite ready to call it a night, we decided to go to a nearby diner. MamaK did more knitting, we ate grilled cheese (mmm, comfort food!), and more talking of course. We hung out at the diner until MamaK and I both became incoherent due to sheer exhaustion just before 11:00pm...boy, I'm getting OLD!

Thanks to MamaK for sharing in the experience and making the night extra fun. Thanks for taking all the pics, too! I'll keep my eye out next year and hope we can do it again!

Oh, and here is a pic of my completed sampler.

Keeping it Simple

2008-04-26T13:44:00.004-04:00

Since I began a new job about 16 months ago, I haven't been cooking dinner as much at home. And when that happens I usually end up eating much less healthy food for dinner...if anything at all. I'm away from home for at least 12 to 14 hours a day (and that's on days when I go straight to and from work and home). By the time I get home I'm tired and quite frankly I'm not in the mood to spend a great deal of time cooking for just me, since I live alone.

That being said, I'm on the hunt for simple, healthy, tasty recipes that I can quickly throw together and that don't leave tons of leftovers. I thought that others out there may be interested on the hunt for the same so I decided to share my progress on my blog...the good, the bad, and the ugly. But mostly...the TASTY!!!

This week I tried a recipe that was absolutely delicious and so simple it's ridiculous! As I nearly always do, I modified the recipe so below is how I made Lemon Parsley Pork Chops:

Ingredients:
1 lemon, zested
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I used dried, but added water to soften)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper (it might also be good to try lemon pepper)
~2 Tbsp olive oil
4 boneless loin pork chops

Directions:

Mince lemon zest and combine in a bowl with parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Put olive oil and about half of the lemon-parsley mixture in a large skillet over high heat. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper and put in skillet. Cook in skillet until browned (2-3 minutes per side).
Add 1/2 cup water to skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer gently until pork is cooked through (8-10 minutes).
Transfer pork chops to platter or plate; drizzle with pan juices as desired and sprinkle additional lemon-parsley mixture to garnish.

Want to amp it up and simplify even more? At step 3, I set some zucchini spears in the water and simmered along with the meat. They were perfectly done at the same time as the pork and they tasted delicious! You could probably do this with green beans, instant rice, carrots, etc. Prep time took me about 5 minutes and a little over 10 minutes cooking time.

If you try this recipe, let me know what you think. Stay tuned next week for another Keeping it Simple recipe.

Oh, I almost forgot the nutritional information, per serving (minus the zucchini): 271 calories; 3g carbs; 1g fiber; <16g>

Earth Day Contest

2008-04-22T19:42:00.004-04:00

The new growth of Spring...that's what makes me smile. I look forward to the green "glow" that the trees get when Spring arrives. Here are my examples of Spring's new growth:

Thanks to Dirkey for sponsoring this contest!

Time to get a new cat!

2008-04-21T23:02:00.011-04:00

So, Copper has been gone for just 2 weeks now...it feels like it's been forever (sniff). I've lived in my apartment for over 7 years and the only vermin problems I've had are bees and stink bugs...until now. I came home Sunday to find mouse droppings on my counter (YUCK!!!)

I bought some old fashioned traps and my boyfriend kindly set one with some yummy PB bait (choosey mice choose Jif...LOL). We went to dinner and when we walked in the house, heard the trap snap and, sure enough we got a little Mickey. So, just in case Mickey had a mate, we set another trap and my boyfriend headed home. This morning I checked and there were more mouse droppings (again, YUCK!) and the trap was licked CLEAN...not a spec of peanut butter left...and no dead mouse. This is what the trap looked like after PB, round 1...

So, I re-baited the trap and still haven't gotten the little thing, even though PB, round 2 is nearly gone! Hmmm, me thinks the little guy is getting way too comfortable. I think I'll try some cheese next.

I'm wondering if perhaps the mice plotted against my cats? I don't think it's a coincidence that less than 2 weeks after my house is cat-less I have a mouse problem. I guess it's time to get another cat...only this time I'm going to foster, since the boyfriend is allergic.