Dorothy's Web

Budget Christmas Gifts

2011-12-08T09:07:00.002-05:00

I have found Christmas to be oh so very hard to budget. My husband and I have never been able to afford to buy each and every person a gift on both sides of our family. Here are some things I have found make easy and thoughtful gifts, even when I have desired most of all to buy those very nice and shiny gifts you see in department stores and malls.

Make a gift basket for the couples in the family. Be creative. Get a small gadget for the guy and make something pretty for the girl. If you sew, knit, or crochet, make something small for the lady. Put together a movie night basket with a bag or two of popcorn and one of those cute $5 movies from the Wal-Mart movie bins (you can always purchase the movie on a separate tab and put a receipt in an envelope and stick it under the tissue paper in the basket, in case they have that movie already).

Make your own hot cocoa mix, put it into miniature mason jars with marshmallows on top, use pinking shears to make lid covers from fabric or buy pre-cut fabric, and tag the with instructions written in your neat handwriting on card stock. Buy dollar store mugs to go with it. Nice Goodwill purchased mugs will also work fine (and you can get them for as low as 50 cents!).

Bake! My mom has been baking her lovely crescent rolls every Christmas since I was three or four years old. It never gets old and everyone loves to use them for their Christmas dinner and day after Christmas dinner (she makes a lot). Last year I made braided bread loafs and cookies. I am told they were enjoyable.

If you knit, crochet, sew, or do any sort of craft, make nice items for loved ones. This does take a lot of preparing before Christmas. I like to start a few months in advance normally. It is an investment buying the equipment and materials to make these gifts. Fabric can be expensive, but buying sheets and leftovers at a thrift store or Goodwill is a good start. I have been purchasing fabric, yarn, and tools since I first started my hobbies so this year I have a lot less material I have to purchase to make them.

Make a kit for that family member that does sew, crochet, or knit. If you have a quilting or craft magazine, purchase the amount of fabric, yarn or other material needed to make that item and throw in the magazine as an extra gift. Keep it simple though. Try kitting a ten-minute table runner, throw pillow patterns, and small items like pin cushions from scraps.

For those who have husbands who are good at woodworking, or if you are good at it yourself, come up with ideas for shelves, benches, small tables or coffee tables, or jewelry boxes even. It means a lot when you tell them who made it! Refinish an old wood chair or furniture you find in a thrift store or flea market. Paint it in wild colors.

Give an indoor or outdoor potted plant and decorate the pot.

Whatever it is that you are giving, of any type of budget, put it with a nice and thoughtful note, letter, or card telling that person how much they mean to you.

This year I am keeping things much simpler than the previous years. I have found only "under 1 hour" items to make for the most part. All other longer-to-make items I have either already had put together months ago, or am finishing UFOs from earlier this year or last year.

I hope this was helpful and that you have a very merry and blessed Christmas!!

Sigh...I love my Job!!

2011-11-15T21:50:00.003-05:00

I realize I have something very rare! The ability to say with a happy sigh, "I love my job!" I also realize that it is rare for someone to be living out their dream job twice in a lifetime. My first one being the position in my library back at home, the second and current dream job in the quilt shop!

In the past year I have been blessed more numerous times than I can count, but among those blessings I have been given one that was very unexpected for me.

It started out as simply a small email from a friend of mine saying she found out through her daughter's piano teacher that a position became available at A Stitch in Time. In that email there was a copy of a Facebook status (from the owner's daughter) which held the description of what exactly the shop was looking for. It said in brief, "Can you sew, like computers, and need a job?" The email had a brief description of times, days, and an email address to send the resume as well as the shop's physical address.

From midnight until 3:00 AM, I spent my time researching and composing a resume that I felt was professional enough for applying the next morning. I tried to sleep, but only woke up every so often to check the time.

By morning time, Nathan got up and I was awake in mere minutes with, "I wrote a resume, there is a position available at A Stitch in Time, the quilt shop by the antique mall, I am going to drop it off soon after they open at ten, I want to make sure to get it there as soon as I can, I don't want to be the last person to hand one in, do you think I might have a chance?" I did not need coffee that morning. I also did not want to get my hopes up, but I was just a wee bit excited. Ok A LOT excited.

Not only did I get there at exactly 10:00 AM, but I also emailed a copy to the owner's daughter. By Saturday afternoon, I received a phone call from the owner asking when would be best to interview me. I had an interview that very next week.

I do not remember much of the interview but felt like I had not said enough or made much of an impression. I left the store not knowing when I would hear back and if I had any chance of either a second interview or being hired.

About two weeks passed and I was asked to come in for a second interview, this time with two of her employees. The interview went well, was comfortable, but the more I replayed the interview, later, the more I felt I had not really said or done much to make any impressions at all.
Later that night, or maybe it was a day and night later, I received a call saying I got the job! I still remember the shock. I was feeding ducks, emptying a duck pool full of brown water, gathering eggs, and walking around in grub clothes and rubber boots at my sister-in-law's house while talking on the phone with my future boss. Could she hear the ducks in the background? was all I could think of while listening to her voice. They were rather loud!

I never would have dreamed of this! I did not feel professional, had only answered the job listing because I thought "it couldn't hurt to try," and had never before in my life written a resume and really had no idea if it came close to professional enough to get me hired!
I had planned on just enjoying a summer free from school and then one day go around job hunting. My summer was still school free, that part of my plan went through well, the next part was a God send! I didn't job hunt for one minute. It came to me and forced me to go out of my comfort zone and make that resume I was "one day" going to write.

I have been working for Maxine at A Stitch in Time for nearly four months now, have been enjoying my job immensely, and get to experience the joys that come from working under a beautiful Christian lady and Christian co-workers. And to think there was a time when I used to say, "I could never sew, it looks so boring!" I only added a sewing machine to my wedding registry because I thought I might need it for hemming and mending Nathan's pants! That it would be a house-wifely thing to do and I hated hand sewing!

I have come a long way, but none of it would be possible without those who pitched in to get that machine, however lower end of a model and brand it is, and my mother-in-law for showing me the basics of sewing and inspiring me to go further in my sewing as I began to dream bigger. She still supplies me with her grocery-store-trip, quilting magazine finds, for which I am eternally grateful! I also owe a lot to my husband for standing by my side and encouraging me in all my sewing projects and especially the encouragement he gave when I felt I was not cut out for this job.

I had a lot of people rooting for me and telling me they knew I could do it. Thanks for all who believed I could do it when I thought I was not good enough for any job, much less a dream job!

One last thanks goes to a friend of mine who loaned me her copy of a rag quilt, tote bag pattern while I was in my first semester of college at SCC. My love for bags and the sheer need for distraction and therapy from the looming and sometimes overwhelming amounts of homework drove me to my fabric, rotary cutter, and machine for a few minutes at a time each day for one week. After that bag, I was working on a new project once every other week. It was viral for me.

I now fear putting away my machine like I used to when I had finished a project. It now takes up permanent residence on a desk height shelf of our dining room closet. While it is a lovely sight to greet each day, I await the day I upgrade to a Babylock machine and say good-bye to my worn-out Singer. It has served its purpose well, but is drawing close to its end. We are saving as much as we can toward my new "baby." (For those who were thinking about buying me anything for Christmas, rethink the gift and see Nathan!)

God has truly blessed me in this job. I get to help people all day long, whether by keeping things straight in inventory, shipping items to the lady who orders something over the phone or the internet, cutting fabric, ringing them up, or simply walking around the shop helping a customer find that perfect fabric that will complete the current project in hand.

Life is for living!

2011-06-01T12:18:00.006-04:00

Recently, Nathan, our friend Jake, and I took a week's vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We had been planning this trip since last October. I do not think I really knew just how beautiful the coast of NC was until last week. It was a refreshing week, full of excitement, new discoveries, and sand. Haha. From the moment we embarked on our journey to the time we set foot on the beach, I knew it was going to be a great time for all three of us.

Never would I have though that something as simple as sand and water would bring on much excitement, energy, and laughter. Nathan discovered a hobby of sand castle building, while Jake and I watched and photographed those memories. I may not have had the best time with my sun burn from day one, but I sure got a lot of laughs watching Nathan play in the sand and try to get us to join him. I did help gather shells for his second castle, provide a pen and sticky note for the planning of his ziggurat, and help build a barrier wall for his last sculpture, the Coliseum, though I did complain that the breeze, sand, and sun were making me miserable.

One of my favorite past times at the beach house was cooking the meals, when the guys allowed it, and watching the faces of Jake's and Nathan's as they savored the bites or inhaled the meal, depending on what I cooked and how hungry they were! Breakfasts were either at Sonny's Restaurant or home cooked French toast. Lunches were usually simple and dinners spontaneous. The kitchen was perfect for whatever meal I planned.

I find myself trying to think up what my high lighted moment or day of the week was, but I cannot. I enjoyed every moment and every day. Sure I may have been miserable before discovering a trick that helped me handle my sun burn, but I still found myself living the life of a beach vacationer. Going to the beach was a lot of work to trudge out over the dune, while carrying a camping chair and stumbling over my feet in sand filled crocs, but the glorious view, the sounds of children laughing, and the smell of salty sea was what made the work worth it. Not to mention the relaxing times I had sitting in the chair or walking beside the lapping water. I regret not getting out in the water more often than I did (just once).

Some of the things we enjoyed that week were discovering the history of three of the light houses, enjoying spontaneity, going on a forty minute free ferry ride, watching crabs play hide and seek with the people and dogs on the beach, sitting in the hot tub relaxing, laughing, and reminiscing on life, playing Smash Brothers on Jake's Wii, watching movies and shows after dinner, going out to eat for breakfast some mornings, visiting Kitty Hawk, flying/walking Nathan's kite, flying/putting together Nathan's foam Wright Flyer, and never once planning any farther ahead than one day!

We are now saving up for next May and another trip to the Outer Banks. It is a long drive, but part of the fun is in the anticipation of the vacation. Nathan is planning his next sand castle, better ziggurat, and more elaborate Coliseum. I am setting aside titles for audio books, looking into making a better camera case, and investing in better beach shoes (crocs make me even more clumsy than I am already!).

I look forward to next May and all the memories we will make. God was so good to us that week and gave us some awesome moments with each other.

Plans

2011-01-07T00:18:00.003-05:00

Since getting my driver's license, I have so much I want to do now. For lack of time, I will just list them. Remember, this is a list of wants, not musts. I may never get to do or maintain some of these all the time, but I certainly look forward to being available whole heartedly when I can.

+clip coupons and find grocery deals around town in one go (even if it means splitting the shopping up into two stores stead of one)

+make soup for the broken hearted or sick and drive it to them

+babysit =-)

+visit loved ones and dear ones

+be a part of a Bible study

+take more library trips!!!!!

+spend more time in a store than I am normally able to (remember, my husband formed the "slow wives club" on Facebook)

+meet friends for coffee

+get out more often as a way to chill and just get out when I need t0

+get to doctor's appointments faster and easier.

+save stamps and pay some bills in person (three of which can be done in town with no fees)

and

+and just be available to help or be there for the beck and call of loved ones and dear ones.

these are things I have always aspired to do if I ever had wheels. I think Nathan may have to fight to get the car for a while. I promise to keep all my aspirations within reason and within a certain limit!!! I realize gas is not cheap and easy.

I also realize I do not even know how to pump gas and cannot remember when the last time I did it!! I won't be able to get far without. Will I even remember to check the gas meter? Is that even what it is called? lol. It is funny how much I did not notice until I truly became an independent driver on this day. It is all so surreal still. Still has not sunk in yet and still I feel it was not me that drove myself home and to the grocery store alone and even to pick up my own husband from work (in the dark!!) while snow flakes were floating to the ground.

Well...It is off to bed now. If I can sleep.

New Hair and New Trials

2010-11-14T20:23:00.004-05:00

As some may know, for about a year now I have tried selling my hair online on auctions. I had several interested buyers and one serious buyer, who at the last minute backed down.

I figured that if I was going to cut my hair short for my next cut, why not at least try to get money for it? I was going to re-list my hair this week after reading an email telling me that my auction had ended, for the umpteenth time. But then I thought, "why re-list? I could just get rid of it now!" No one could tell me not to. After all, it is my hair and my choice. I made my decision somewhat on Monday. I repeated my decision in my head over and over again. Wednesday I told my husband I was going to get it cut. No auctioning it off! I could not wait any longer. Saturday morning I was grumpy. When Nathan asked what was up, I said, "I want my hair gone, it is too much!"

"OK! Make and appointment and I will drop you off and you can instant message me from the phone when you are done." We share a cell phone and have not been able to afford two phones.

A friend of mine suggested a small place behind our Hardees in town. I found it on Google Maps and dialed the number. The owner and beautician set aside 11:30 AM for me when I described that I needed a shampoo, cut, and style. I had printed off my picture nearly a year ago of Reece Witherspoon from the movie Sweet Home Alabama and took it with me. After kissing Nathan goodbye, I entered the little hut of shop with a bounce and a beaming smile. This was it; no turning back!

My hair went from a total of approximate 25 inches, from roots to tips, to around five or six inches in an hour when it took me over two years to grow it to the length it was. I messaged Nathan with exclamation points and waited for a response.

Ten minutes rolled by and Nathan did not respond. Twenty minutes later I called our next door neighbor and asked if he was in town and if we was had he seen Nathan's car parked in our lot. He said it was when he was there a while ago and that he had walked up to our apartment to give us some jalapeños. Nathan had not responded to his knocking. I began to worry. Was he still alive? I had sent several messages by this time. Should I walk?

I no longer cared how my hair looked. I just wanted to know that Nathan was still alive and well. I decided to walk home but could not cross the river. My legs shook when I tried crossing the bridge. I began to feel dizzy.

I turned back and sat at McDonald's to think. My phone beeped and meant only one thing to me:"Low Battery!"

My phone vibrated, which meant that Nathan had messaged me, and I sighed. Surely he had seen my messages. "Are you done?" Well, apparently he did not see my previous messages. At least he was alive. I messaged him back, with no response. Another five minutes passed and he messaged again, "Are you there?" My question to him had been no different only fifteen minutes before. No matter how many times I messaged, whether I logged off or back in again, he still asked me questions as if he had no idea I was responding.

I had to think fast. The more I waited the closer it was to a dead battery. I began to wish I had a pocket of change, a pay phone, and memorized phone numbers for when it died.

The first person I thought of was my mother. I called her and asked if she would log into gmail and chat with him. This was something she was familiar with. She tried gmail and called me back to tell me he was not logged in. My phone was beeping out low battery reminders every two minutes, or so it seemed. I stepped her through signing me into Meebo told her what to say to Nathan. His name did show up as being "online." She typed word for word what I had asked her to say and was telling me something when my phone died. I had no way of knowing if he got the message.

I refused to give up then. I could not walk home as I told him through my mom that I would be at the Dollar General. I could not borrow a phone to call anyone because all my contact numbers were in my dead phone. I could hitch hike or ask someone to give me a ride to downtown Main Street. There was still a good possibility that he did get my Mom's message. It was best to sit at the intersection of the street by Hardees and Main Street. Staying there would be true to my word of meeting him at Dollar General.

Eventually he would think to get me. Nearly two hours had passed since I last saw him. Did he really think a hair cut would take that long? I sat down in the dirt at the corner of the Dollar General parking lot, thinking that it would be best to sit on a soft area, if I was going to be sitting for a while. I knew he would come, it just was a matter of time before he did show up at that intersection. I prayed and just sat there watching traffic. A calmness spread over me as I sat and just enjoyed the warmth of that day. Any other day and it may have been cold! God was on my side.

In ten minutes of watching and praying, I did see his car. Nathan was on his way! I jumped to my feet and waved. He made a hand gesture to the parking lot! He saw me!! I would have no need to cross the street and walk to the hair shop where I may be too late if he turned around and headed back.

What happened next, I cannot explain. I broke down and sobbed as he pulled into a parking lot. I don't know why I cried or why I became hysterical. God had answered my prayers. I do not remember the ride home at all. It is a blur in my memory. I may have tried explaining to him why I was crying or what I had been thinking or that I had no way of getting over the bridge safely on my wobbly legs. I really do not remember. The only thing I do remember is this: Nathan asked me the question that pulled me back to earth, "well, do you like your hair?"

I do not remember how I responded to that. I am sure it was in the affirmative. I do like my new hair style. Nathan led me to the bedroom to sit and talk. He left me alone and I cried some more. I needed reassurance that I really was home at last. That it was not a dream.

He came back with the Oreos I had hidden in a kitchen cabinet. I smiled weakly and told him I really just wanted to be held tightly. I ate an Oreo anyway and held onto him tightly while he patted my back in gentle strokes. I began to tell him, between tears and sobs, what had happened while I waited for him. What I had thought, what I felt, and how I called my mom. Nathan told me he had received the message from my mom that my phone was not working and dying and that I was at the Dollar General waiting for him.

I felt better, but needed to rest. After a short rest, Nathan made me sit with him and watch an episode of Stargate SG-1 while we ate lunch. I was not very hungry, but did eat to please him. I did enjoy the episode, curling up under a blanket, sitting in our living room in his arms, and not having my hair snagged every time he moved his arm.

From that point on, I had a better day and played around with my hair enjoying the short length. I laughed much, danced to music while taking care of house work, hugged Nathan every time my path took me to where he was, continued to count my blessings, and remembered to call my mom to thank her for rescuing even from another state!

God was watching me. I never lost hope. I knew Who was sovereign, in control, and a mighty God. I could handle this trial again if I had to. Even if all that remains is to sit and pray. I cannot help but think of Christ's disciples and the one task He asked them to do at the Garden of Gethsemane: "Watch and Pray."

Being stranded could be far worse. I have it easy living near downtown. Maybe next time I will have my pocket Bible in my purse. I had moved it just that morning to make room for a brush!

Romans 8:28 remains my "motto" for every situation. Meaning, it is the verse I keep close to my heart when anything has occurred that is not according to my plans.

"28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Things That Go Bump in The Night

2010-11-09T12:02:00.007-05:00

It was a calm and peaceful night. A man and wife were sleeping sound, the cats were curled up purring at their feet. The wife was enjoying a beautiful dream when she heard a shout and felt the bed shift. It was with heavy eyelids that she opened her eyes in time to see the silhouette of her husband's body soaring overhead. She did not cringe nor scream because she was still unsure if this was part of her dream.

CRASH!! The tap lamp on the bedside table flickered to illuminate the explosion of events. Her husband cleared the edge of her side of the bed, landing into the wicker end table and crushing it beyond recognition. Books slid off the broken table, bouncing into each other on their way down. Pens were flung in many directions. Though in reality it lasted merely seconds, the wife felt that the event was never ending.

Concern swept over her as she tried helping her confused and bewildered husband up onto the bed to check for cuts, scrapes, or her fear: broken bones. Finding the tap lamp on the floor she shed some light on that corner of the room by their bed, to see again the mangled state of her end table and various objects that had rested on the table now all over the floor in heaps.

She did not care about the table though. Her only interest at that hour lay in her husband's health.

He lay with his head in her lap mumbling apologies and sounding sincere. "Never mind about the table, dear, are you hurt?"

"No. I'm fine. I am so sorry! I can fix it." It was obvious he was still in a sort of sleep-like state. The old table had seen its last days, as it was broken beyond repair.

Her husband's back had a scratch and his hand was scraped a little, other than that, he was fine. Tucking him back into bed beside her, she turned off the light, and marveled that he did not sail through the window, which stood directly beside the location of his crash landing.

They slept for the remainder of the night, awoke to a new day, and lived as though nothing out of the ordinary happened the night before. To most, this would be horrifying. To this couple, every night is a new adventure and a mere obstacle they encounter in their life together.

The Crash Site

Location of Window

Beyond Repair

A Replacement

*not the end*

Essay

2010-09-16T11:26:00.003-04:00

I am currently writing an essay on William Faulkner: his life, work, and awards. It is no easy task and is a tedious process when I must pay close attention to at least twenty different grammatical forms while composing. With all the guidelines I have to take into account before I finally submit the essay, I feel there is hardly any room for my own writing style. Sometimes I wonder if some rules are just for political correctness. I realize some of it, like the citations, are for legalities. Most of my teachers keep saying things like, "When you are in a university,...."

My mind is currently swimming (or drowning) with these terms, phrases and rules: ellipsis,... flagged quotation,... son of citation machine,... publishers,... copyrighted,... date in which you obtained the website,... fifth space indentation,... L7 (in my writers handbook),... see page 389 for the rules on what to do in case there is no page number, author, or publication date,... MLA formatting,... May, June, and July are NOT abbreviated in MLA format citation all other months use only three letters and a period....and most importantly, after all rules are stated, DO NOT MEMORIZE THESE RULES. I believe it is a little too late for that.

I am so OCD about it all that I am afraid to forget a rule. Yes, yes, I hear my teacher's voice telling me, "Do NOT worry about the grammar until AFTER you have written the first draft." Well, I guess should have written my first draft before she said that in class. :-) Truly, I am one who has become paranoid about forgetting a punctuation mark, how to quote in text, and whether I will find an author of a citation or not. And what is that rule about URLs? One cite mentions that website citations require URLs while our writer's guidebook tells us an URL is not required. Another source tells us it is up to our instructor.

Ok, for real, I just need to take a chill pill and throw all rules out the window and just get it down. Haha! "Good luck with that one, Dorry!"

Ok, back to work...after a coffee break! ;-)

A Present from Australia

2010-09-03T09:11:00.005-04:00

Last night was perfect. A dear friend of mine from across the world sent me a most lovely, thoughtful, and perfect gift for my birthday. I did not expect anything from her.

Sometime in February and March, I had to give up eating gluten and wheat. Karen sympathized and knew how much I was saddened by this. I had bought a $30 bread machine the previous springtime season and was in love with making breads and baking home made gifts.

Giving up gluten myself made it hard to enjoy baking when I wanted to taste it, make special breakfast breads for toast with our eggs, and rolls to accompany our dinners. I gradually stopped making it altogether to avoid eating bread and gluten. I had looked into getting a grain mill and making rice flour to make gluten free breads when I found how cheap it is to make rice flour. All I would need is a bag of rice!

My dreams of baking gluten free were dashed when I found that the mills were not conforming to our budget and too big for our lack of kitchen storage. My bread maker has stood sadly in the corner next to my KitchenAid stand mixer collecting dust together. I often would couple the two together and make four loaves at one time. I knew I was going to miss those days of baking.

Karen, bless her heart, really hurt for me that I had to give up my favorite kitchen art. In the meantime, She and everyone around me were plotting a birthday surprise. She told me I would receive a card instead of her previously planned care package she kept speaking of to me on aim. She had no money to send a gift like she had wanted to after all. I never wanted much from her to begin with and was eager to receive a card, handwritten all the way from my dear Australian friend!

For a week and a half, Nathan and I planned to have our friend Jake over for our favorite pot roast night. I wanted to make it very special. I meticulously, as always, set about planning the order of how I would make it all, set the table early (but not too early that the cats would have time to play all over the table), and even pulled out my handmade table runner. I had not suspected a thing at all.

Arriving merely seconds before Nathan did, Jake brought with him a package in blue, red, and yellow paper with "happy birthday!" block lettering all over it.
I asked him, "um, what is that?" I was unprepared for his (now obvious) thought through and careful answer with a broad smile to go with it,
"A late birthday present from Karen New."
I remember shouting a little unnecessarily loud, "WHAT?!? but HOW? You have got to be kidding me!? You knew?" I was quite taken aback and in complete disbelief.
He smiled. I may have screeched or squealed as I took it out of his hands, I can't quite remember. He never said "for you" so I still had doubt. Nathan's birthday after all is only four days before mine.
"For me?" I think he laughed and Nathan entered.

As I set it down on my kitchen table, I had a feeling I was supposed to wait for a special timing of hers to open it. I ran to my laptop to leave a message on her Facebook wall still in disbelief and shock.

For a moment it lay there forgotten while I finished preparing dinner, eventually transferring it to the dining rook while I mashed the potatoes and whisked the gravy some more.

Dinner was a hit, the package lay on the dining room table and, momentarily, I would look at it and wonder why Jake and Nathan did not give me a sign of some sort, motion me to the box at least, and ask me if I wanted to open it or why it was still wrapped. This box was perfectly square, wrapped very neatly (Jaker style), and beckoning my fingers.

For the moment, however, I enjoyed dinner with the boys. A meal meant for an entire family that lasted mere minutes for only a setting of three.

Sarah called me then. Apparently she had tried calling several times while we ate, likely a bit frustrated that I did not hear the phone ring nor answer it. I finally heard it ring and upon answering, received frantic tones of "Get on Skype, Karen wants you to open the present!"

Wait, WHAT?!? I hung up with her shortly after she accepted my apologies and love, pulled out my laptop, logged onto Skype, and had everything set up while Nathan brought out my camera. I was a bit nervous at this time. What was I supposed to do when I opened this gift? Cry? Look shocked? Would I look shocked? What if I already guessed what it was during my fits with the potato masher and gravy whisking? If my guess is right can I still sound believable? I think she would have liked it if I cried. I can't fake a cry though!

With the Skype successfully working and set up and with Karen and her babies watching me, I opened my package and saw the first words of "KitchenAid" and nearly died! I knew what it was. An attachment for my stand mixer that would grind away my multiple bags of rice I had put away when I found out I could not afford a mill. I am pretty sure my jaw dropped. I know I screamed/squealed/screeched a bit. I never expected anything from Australia for my birthday to begin with, but even though I wondered about a mill, when Jake showed up bearing the gift from Karen, I never guessed it would come in this form!

Nathan proceeded to film and take pictures of me, Jake, and Copper, who positioned himself in the "head-of-the-house" chair (which he quite looks like he belongs there, too). Words can simply not describe the gratitude and love for Karen that I feel now. She gave me a most delightful gift. Not just in the present, but in the thought and concept of what she knew meant a lot to me. She not only gave me a mill, she gave me bread and future gifts to those with whom I love and want to share my baking.

Here are some photos Nathan took during the surprise. I now know why he took them and why Karen wanted to see me open the "pressie."

setting up the Skype video call to Australia and glaring at Nathan a bit

"All set, Nathan?"

peals of enthusiasm

disbelief and shock that she did this.

~~~

Today, after taking care of my morning chores, I emptied all bags of brown rice I had pushed to the back of my shelves and ignored all these days. I cried while watching the rice trickle down into fine dust and collecting in mounds in a bucket under the mill. I cried not because of the process or the gift, but that God had arranged such a bizarre meeting that occurred nearly two years ago and a friendship that is lasting and forever!

As the tears rolled down my cheeks, I asked "why? Why Lord do you see fit to bless me?"
Without Karen's perfect planning, with Jake's, Sarah's, and Nathan's assistance, I would not have enjoyed fully that night I will remember. I wished I could have hugged Karen and Sarah while I did hug Jake and Nathan for the planning.

Thank you Karen! You gift and friendship mean so much to me! God has blessed me in knowing you and I look forward to meeting you in person one day. I only hope I do get a chance before I die, but I know I will be worshiping Christ side by side with you in heaven even if it is never possible to fellowship together on earth during our lifetime.

Today...

2010-07-21T15:45:00.004-04:00

Today is finally here. Today is the day I delivered our last car bill to our waiting mail box. All too excited and eager, I had to snap these photos.

I feel like celebrating! I have been waiting three years for this moment and now it is finally here. Do I feel any different? I have to say I think my expectations for this moment is not quite how I had imagined, but I definitely have trouble believing this day. Just a few moments ago the mail car drove down the dirt road to make its rounds and take away the anticipated last bill. I eagerly wait for the online statement to tell me it has been taken out of our bank account. I feel like shouting and squealing. It feels great to be debt free and fully own our car!

This is the month I have been waiting for.

2010-07-02T15:27:00.002-04:00

I should be getting our last car bill in the mail any day now. I have trouble believing that this is the month we pay it all off. "Can it be real?" I keep asking myself. Never have I been so eager to get that bill in the mail than right now.
Nathan teased me this morning on aim, telling me he wants to get the car he has been drooling over every time we pass the Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep car dealership. The one that is red with white stripes and has only two doors. He claims it will take six years to pay it off and that it will be a good economy car for just two people. I did take him seriously. I also got a little bit upset when he said that in two weeks he will test drive it. After going on for a few minutes, he finally said he was only teasing. It is one joke I never laughed at.
He does still, however, desire to test drive it for fun during our stay-cation. So when people ask me what we did on our vacation for fun, I will definitely tell them that we found a new hobby: test-driving red cars with white stripes.
We are hoping this will help us save money for a deposit on a home. I also pray I may be able to sell items I have made or find a part time job. For sure, with the car paid off, we will finally be able to afford for me to get my driver's license (insurance is expensive for first time drivers).

Five Bags

2010-06-30T19:20:00.002-04:00

I still cannot believe I have finished these and that they all turned out well! They are sling bag purses. I am going to design larger ones eventually for market bag/tote bag size. I also hope one day to find a one-hole hole punch and add snaps to the design instead of velcro. I think it may sell better if I do it that way. I would add magnet clips, but it costs around $3-$5 per magnet fastener whereas around 10 snaps come in a package at wal-mart for about $2. For now, velcro works well and is easy to add to the design.

These bags I worked on in an assembly line, cutting out the fabrics per bag on day one, sewing the lining and outer shells, adding Velcro, and basting and pinning on day two to get it ready for finishing, and then early this morning between breakfast and saying goodbye to Nathan I added the bottoms to the bags and was finished. Even though they are complete and tagged with labels, I am at a disadvantage. I do not know what to do with myself. I could design more, but my hands cannot take any more. They have had all they can take these past three days. I have always had cramps from knitting and crocheting, but never from sewing. Maybe five at one time was too much. But then again, my #2 bag motto is "there is no such thing as too many bags!" My first one: "you do not hold a bag, you wear it!"
This one is my favorite. I am going to make another one just for me.

This one turned out nicely.
I have been using this fabric for a long time now and I think this may be the last of it! Hooray!!
I took this fabric from an old skirt. It looked ugly as a skirt, but I like it better as a handbag. The first one I made was with this material and is my current purse. I can match it with anything.

I wished there was more of this material. It is the cutest one in my opinion and would look great as a market bag.

I hope to make more once my hands have healed.

Sew Cuffs onto Capris from An Old Pair of Jeans

2010-06-24T22:26:00.011-04:00

Tutorial

I recently was given a bag full old jeans from a friend of mine. She thought I might fit into them, but they ended up being too long for my legs. Instead of hemming them, I thought I would add style to it by converting them into capris and adding cuffs. I have been wanting to try this for a while now. I found it to be very easy, fast, and relaxing. It was a nice break from the usual routine.

I hope this makes sense...

What you need:

small amount of leftover fabric
blue jeans or old pants
thread
pins

Instructions:

Mark where you want to cut your jeans/pants to your desired capri length.

Lay the pants flat and draw a straight line at your marked position and cut across. Trim them if you feel they are lopsided.

Measure the circumference of the cut edge. Add 1/2" to your measurement. Decide on a width of your choosing adding in 3/4" for seam allowances. Mine was 16" long by 4" wide.

Turn your capris inside out and pin the right sides of the fabric strips to each leg making sure to match raw ends together all the way around. I like to place the ends of the fabric lengths are as close to the inside seams of my capris.

It should overlap where the two ends meet. Pinch the width ends of the fabric together and pin. Sew a 1/4" seam along the pinched width ends to close the gap.

Sew a 1/2" seam around the capris. Fold down and press. Fold up a 1/4" of the bottom of the cuffs and press. Flip the pants right side out and fold the cuffs up all the way. Press the folded edge. Sew a 1/8" seam at the fold of the cuff before sewing an 1/8" seam at the top to set the cuff in place.

You now own a "new" pair of capris that no one else has! How does it feel?

The Method to My Madness

2010-06-17T13:24:00.004-04:00

This morning,-doesn't it always occur in the mornings?-I felt stir crazy and did not feel like sewing. I don't know, maybe I needed a break from sewing or maybe it was my hair being loose, my feet bare, or the fact that I was still in my pajamas. Whatever the cause, I needed to do something and I could not sit still. I was tired of Facebook and the internet. Tired of sitting, tired of working on homework, and just plain tired of the ordinary.

I began pacing and trying to come up with an inspiring and colorful new bag to sew or sew one from my list of "musts," but found that nothing I appealed this morning. And besides, the room was terribly messy with too many chairs and objects I had to step over or around. Why can't I seem to be organized with all my fabrics and supplies?

A light bulb of inspiration turned on at that inquisition. There must be some place I can put ALL my material and tools! I began to reach far into my mind for some brilliant idea of a place or nook I could keep all my fabrics. At the time, they were all scattered and in several rooms. Our chairs, table, end tables, coffee tables, dresser drawers, closets, multiple tote bags, and a china hutch side door were all hosts to mounds of fabric and sewing supplies.

I did not used to be in this predicament. The only fabrics I owned were scraps as I did not sew often and when I did sew, it was only to make a small something or a pillow: the only objects I could master. Then in March, I became infected with a bug. A tote bag bug. And then it became a problem.

This is what I did to solve my problem and satiate my hunger to do something.

To put things into perspective for you: Scrabble, our small cat demonstrates just how small of a place I used to keep the majority of my fabrics before I turned into the tote bag monster.

Here is what I did with my china hutch, side-door nook. Cute, isn't it? These are only a portion of the machine sewing books people have given me. I use these more frequently to gain ideas, learn techniques, and be inspired.

And here is where I put my stash of fabric. That's right! Inside my dining room "pantry" where I keep extra pots, pans, dishes, and tea sets. I did not think I would ever finish. But here it is!

Look! Look! My mess is hidden! I am completely thrilled!!

It feels great to be able to look at ALL of my fabrics in one time and in one location. Now I am able to see what I can blend together in a pattern instead of marching around in circles before giving up and just making something with whatever I touch first.

One day I would like to have those stack-able white metal shelves meant for dishes and pantries, maybe for my birthday? They are expensive to get in one go even using Wal-Mart, Big Lots, or the Dollar General as my supplier.

"Why are you cast down, O my soul?And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance."
~Psalm 42 :5

our third

2010-05-14T01:35:00.007-04:00

As I sit here next to Nathan who is sound asleep and snoring (somewhere around 2:00am), I think to myself, "is this real?" I am in constant awe of all the blessings God has bestowed on us these three years. I still find myself marveling that God chose him for me. Why me? I love him so much, even with his snoring, teasing, and picking on me. He is truly a blessing. Nathan and I both agree that we cannot talk about our daily life or events without using "us" and "we" or "our." Our lives belong together and we do pray God grants that we remain alive together in marriage for many years to come.

To celebrate our anniversary, Nathan took me to the Jarrett House of Dillsboro, NC and kept it a secret until arriving there. I was truly amazed and had no idea we would be dining there! The food was amazing, southern style, and delicious. The style being simple made us feel at home. We found ourselves talking over the food and praising the restaurant and all the work that was put into it. I was truly pleased. It was expensive dining, but an anniversary calls for out of ordinary and going all out once in a while.

(the porch at the Jarrett House. Sorry no indoor shots, I forgot to bring the camera in amid all the excitement and squeals as Nathan pulled up next to the sidewalk and I hopped out. I beat him to the restaurant from our car!! A first!)

Last year we ate at a barbecue restaurant in Dillsboro and though that seemed like the lowest, I truly enjoyed sitting in a booth that had Harrison Ford's and Mickey Rooney's signatures on menus laminated and mounted on the wall beside us. The style was very simple and southern at the Smokehouse, but that is barbecue style for you and even still, I remember having a great time. All you need for a good time is a wonderful person with you. And truly each anniversary has been wonderful and we look forward with anticipation and secrets to each one.

Nathan, after dinner, still had a secret up his sleeve. We drove all the way to Asheville on that beautiful day. Not knowing where we were headed I sat back, talked my head off like usual, and took some pictures of the lovely scenery and the tall overpass just before reaching Asheville. I wasn't sure we would be stopping in Asheville, Waynesville, Cherokee, or beyond all, but as we came to the Builtmore Park exit I guessed we would be visiting either some shops or the theater.

(Nathan enjoying his sneakiness and surprise. )

(Somewhere in the direction of Asheville, as I was guessing aloud and taking photos. )

(A freak of a tall bridge over the highway near Asheville. )

We do not go to see movies often, well to some standards, and so it was a special occasion that we did go to the very nice Builtmore Regal Cinema. The tickets, though $10 per adult for later than 6:00 showings, were worth every moment to be there comfortably next to my hubby and watching what we had been waiting for: Iron Man 2. Call me crazy for wanting and hoping to see that film on our anniversary, but really, being comfortable, non formal, and having a great time is all that really matters when I am with Nathan on a date.

We really did have a great night! I hope I never forget all these great times of our first years together.

(what is it with cats and cameras?)

Here is a picture of the bouquet of flowers Nathan gave me for our anniversary (the small pot of flowers beside the vase was a mother's day gift from my father-in-law. He gives to everyone on Mother's Day, even the non mothers). I have no idea the name of the flowers and neither does Nathan. Anyone?

a little behind lately

2010-04-12T19:34:00.002-04:00

I have been so busy all of a sudden. Sometimes I wish I could catch up. But as soon as I think I am going to have time, I get lost. At least that is how feel at the moment.
I went to Wal Mart today to shop and got a few things to help relax. I bought toile (pronounced twall) material for the first time, cut it into squares to make a tote, and then got to work on homework. I fear the homework will never be done by the day it is due. Why then am I spending time on blogger instead of doing more homework? Everyone needs a break now and then and I type super fast.
prayer request: I am battling migraines and all the usual tricks are not working.

Lovely Times and Breezes

2010-04-07T20:56:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, Nathan and I pried open our old windows, ignored the old paint chips spewing, and put up the wood props. Oh how wonderful it is to have fresh air circulating our large apartment.
So today I did homework with the windows up, two room fans blowing and my hair feeling like it was blown by the wind. Ahhhh...spring is now truly here!

Baby Hat Project

2010-03-31T14:20:00.003-04:00

Currently I have been knitting baby hats just for fun and maybe for Etsy. They are a lot of fun and easy to whip up in no time. Here is one I created as my "couch-potato, no-brainer" pattern. This one in particular can have the brim folded up to fit an infant's head and taken down and stretched to fit as the baby grows. For a cute alternative, add stripes every few rows or do the brim only (ribbing section) in an alternative color.

Yarn: small amount of fingering weight yarn(I used Caron Simply Soft)
Needle size: US 8 5.00mm straight needles

Pattern:
Cast on 54 stitches.
K1 P1 ribbing for 2 inches in height (aprox. 10 rows)
SS (stockinette stitch*) for 4 1/2 inches (aprox. 20 rows)
decrease rows:
row 1: (P1, p2tog) across to end
row 2 K across
row 3: p2tog across
row 4: k2tog across and break off yarn

draw yarn through all stitches on the needle and pull off the needle. Pull tight and sew down the seam. Weave in ends.

*stockinette stitch explanation:
row 1: k all sts across
row 2: p all sts across
repeat rows 1 and 2

It must be my month...

2010-03-22T18:35:00.003-04:00

Since Nathan got the job at The Tech Place and has been working three hours extra per day, we have run into loopholes in our system. First thing is dinner time. We have to eat at 8:05 on the dot. That is when he gets home. Our second loophole. Groceries. By 8:00, Nathan gets off work. Five minutes later he is home, changes into casual attire and eats dinner before settling down for the night. No more grocery shopping at 5:30 with him.

Today I decided to go walk to the store for a change. I hadn't done that in nearly two years. It is a half mile walk round from our apartment to the ghetto Ingles (store #14) and back. I had a small shopping list anyway, so I thought, "why not?" Getting to the grocery store was no problem. Getting back is all uphill. Still no problem. The problem was that I needed another tote bag to bundle all my bags together. I ran into the Dollar General and bought a second market bag and readjusted my items for the trip home and shouted blessings to the lady who helped me find the bag.

At the beginning of the road leading to our driveway, I stopped to catch my breath, drink some water, and prayed, "Lord give me strength and help me home." Like I always do. Not too long after that, two cops pulled off the side of the road. One in front of me and one behind. Great, what did I do now?!?

I paused and the lady in one of the cars got out walked toward me and said "someone called asking if you needed a ride home." The only problem here was they asked me too late. I was in front of our apartment.

"Oh they were sweet" I exclaimed with a smile, "But that is my home. I made it!!"
Did I look that pathetic while walking home? I bet I looked funny. I had two market bags and an Ingles sack and my shoulders may have been sagging. Who was it that called? I thank God the person calling was a sensitive and ever so kind person. I tear up right now just thinking about them and the kindness they showed me. I will never know who, but I thank God for them and pray He shows them mercy and kindness. Somehow I wish I could meet them and thanked them.

God did help me and was watching out for me for sure!! My prayer was answered. I did make it home and I now have a story to tell. How often does a street walker get pulled over by two cops?

Life is Good

2010-03-22T07:12:00.003-04:00

This morning I awoke to Nathan dragging me across and out of the bed by my ankles, like normal, with no more than a brief, "Dorry-it's-time-to-get-up" warning. I grumble and moan, like usual, because I do not want to get up. I try really hard this time to hold onto the bed covers and pillow and "will" myself into being stronger than Nathan for once. To no avail. He gets me to my feet and pushes me down that long and everlasting hall to take care of business. The cats are already waiting for me in the bathroom, like always, with Copper on the sink and Scrabble pacing in front of the toilet, meowing. I smile weakly. Their job is to force me into giving them both their morning affection during my most inconvenient time. It is their version of a wake up call.

Dragging myself into the kitchen, I spot Nathan scooping aromatic coffee grounds into his French press. I wish for once that I could have caffeine this morning, as is my desire each morn. Nathan leaves the room calling orders to me that are not necessary, because I do them each morning anyway. Still, I nod and mumble a sleepy "ok." With that, I wait for the kettle to sing before filling his little French press.

Zombie-like, I shuffle my feet across the kitchen floor making breakfast preparations. I pause to stretch my arms and arch my back. All of a sudden breakfast is on the table with Nathan is in his seat across from me looking like an angel of morning-time, with his coffee mug full and steamy and a broad smile I want to smack off his face. Somehow I cannot recall the steps we took to get to this point. And as normal, I fold my right hand into his left while he blesses our breakfast, provided for us from above. We eat, transfer the dishes to the sink, and then sit at the table once more. The climax of each morning.

He lifts our Bible from the kitchen dresser and flips it open to the bookmarked location in Hebrews. Today's verses were of our Great High Priest in chapter four. What a burden that was!! I listen carefully, taking in as much as I can for morning time. All the while, Scrabble is pushing herself at my feet and legs, yearning for more attention and Copper sits proper like watching us. We talk a little about the verses while clearing up the kitchen and preparing for our day.

It is a beautiful morning, an untainted day, and lovely altogether. Life is good. Nearly forgetting to check the news online, I pull out my laptop and discover Obama's bill passed, however unconstitutional. I find myself very calm at the moment of discovery. I know it will no ruin my day. Life is still good, because God is still in charge of our world and His justice will prevail. Nothing happens in life that God did not already know would happen. This is a comfort. He knew that last night's bill would pass. He has plans already. I would never have voted for it, yet I know this has happened because of the sinfulness of men and that God will work through it all for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Our part in life as His children is to remain faithful to Him. All we can do is pray and continue on our journey.

I hope and pray all who read this is having a blessed day and that you will go about your days while enjoying your little routines in life like I do. God Bless you!

Another interesting episode in my life.

2010-03-16T22:27:00.003-04:00

While working on my math homework, a friend of mine was passing through the student lounge. I waved to him and shouted, "How are you?"

"Doing great, beautiful day out, I love the sun being out! Well I am heading out to eat, food is great!"

I proclaimed, "yes it is!" to which he replied, "I get to eat three meals a day. God is good!"
And with that he pushed opened the door and left the building. I had to smile to myself and think, this is the second day someone has proclaimed a simple truth about God to me.

In a small way I am encouraged to speak up on anything that can proclaim God's majesty and not feel ashamed. I am finding out more and more that there are more people out there who stand for the truth.

Monday...

2010-03-16T22:25:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I went to school to take a Geography test.

After the test, while waiting outside the library for the transit and munching on mixed nuts a young fellow in his twenties stepped out of his car onto the sidewalk and stopped at the entrance. He looked at me and asked, "Did you hear the birds?"

I was taken aback. I never have guys his age ask me that question. Taking him for a flirt, but not knowing how else to respond I say, "yes, they are pretty aren't they?" I did notice they were singing more often since the warmer weather came. Surely he is just an observant and flirtatious male; can he see my rings?

"Do you know what they are telling you?" I nearly laughed at this one and I am sure I looked a bit confused, yet I had to ask him out of curiosity,

"What are they saying?" Here goes; he surely must be wanting to ask for my number in the strangest way possible or tell me, through the birds, that I am pretty or something.

"They say, 'God is watching over you.' "

Of all the things strangers have said to me, this one tops them all!!!

"Yes He is!" I agreed, smiling.

He continued walking toward the library and said to me "I thought you might like to know that."

"Thanks." I had to reply, still smiling. It is a simple message and true enough. God's birds are evidence of His watch-care as the Bible tells us. And He is watching over us. I could find no fault in His message.

After he entered the library, I turned back to watching for my bus and laughed a little. God does work in mysterious ways, as we often tell ourselves. But does He work in the most bizarre ways too? My day had been going fairly well up to that point. But still I needed the encouragement and reminder that it was going well because of Him, how often we forget His hand in our lives especially when things are going the best. Nathan and I had just discussed this during our morning devotional.

I do not believe I will ever forget this young man...

My Mother's Prayers

2010-03-10T07:56:00.006-05:00

As I look back on my life, there is a memory that I cherish and hold dear to my heart. The moments when, as a child, Mom would take me to bed, whisper with me, and end the day in prayer. We never called it "tucking in" as most did. It was the moment Mom would "pray with me." No night was complete unless Mom kneeled at my bedside to pray. It was a security thing for me, at first. After her prayer was finished, she would hug me tight and kiss me. Then before she would leave the room, I would call to her, "I love you Mom" while she replied, "love you too!" "Goodnight, Mom!" "Goodnight!" And yet I still wanted more of her before sleep came. I never wanted her to leave my room. Was there a way I could stall her from leaving the room? "I love you!" I would say quickly and she would poke her head back in the room with that sweet smile and soft reply, "I love you too!" To my regret, she would leave again and for the last time I would say, "Goodnight, mom, I love you!" But it would be too late and she would reply from the hallway, her words reverberating off the high ceiling and walls from the front entrance.

If Mom was busy and told us to go get in bed she would never need to forget to pray; we always reminded her. Though I do not remember any of her prayers, I know they meant a lot. Whenever I had a nightmare and awoke crying, she would be there to tell me about God and that I needed to trust Him. Before leaving me, after I was calmed down, she would pray one last time and my night was complete. I remember one night, after another nightmare. Mom whispering to me that I was not alone, God was with me always. I recalled the words of a song by Judy Rogers about God being like the wind and how I couldn't see it. Often Mom would sing it softly to help sooth me of my fears.

My mother is a very precious woman. Caring, sweet, beautiful, and best of all, comforting. My favorite memories of her when I was ages two to six years old were those blessed moments she spent with me by my bed. She was always there for me when I needed her most. Never a day went by without her songs, stories, meals, and best of all, the bedtime prayers. After leaving one bedroom, she would move to the next room to pray with my brothers. I hated the departure, but I knew she would be there the next night to tuck me in. Later, when I was older, I prayed by myself. I grew up and missed out on the times when Mom would put me to bed. For with the moments before bedtime she also would tell us about Jesus and his dying on the cross and how we needed to believe in him. I still remember telling Mom, "but I do believe in Jesus; I know he died for me." I don't remember when Mom stopped praying with me before bedtime; the transition is lost in my memory, but I know that those were beautiful times I hope never to forget.

I was richly blessed by my mother and our bedtimes prayers. Most children get bedtime stories before going to sleep and a kiss on the forehead, but I would never have desired that over her prayers. My life, as it is now, may never have been the same if it hadn't been for those precious moments with Mom before sleep. God used those times in my life. They were a gift. If the Lord sees fit to provide children in our life, I plan on continuing the legacy of bedtime prayers.

Thank you Mom, for sharing those times with me. They meant and still mean a lot to me. I love you more for the beautiful "tucking in" experience you gave me during my childhood. That was the true love of a mother. When all other items you put on a back burner to be with me.

recent accomplishments

2010-03-03T10:09:00.005-05:00

On Monday, I found myself itching for change! Not the money that jingles in your pocket, but the term referring to an event or idea that makes life or home different. Since moving into the Henson apartment we have been enjoying space and being able to sprawl out and breathe. The reason I wanted change was because of one room that isn't breathable or livable, at least not to me. The place Nathan spends most of his time while I am busy doing homework or kitchen work. The guest room/office/laundry room. Yes the three are one!

I have tried time and again to make the place cozy, bright, and welcoming. Yet each time I enter that room to get Nathan for breakfast or dinner or to spend time with him, I find myself claustrophobic and raring to get out of the "dark hole" as I have begun to think of it.
I feel that I have accomplished the transformation of "dark hole" into "home." These are just a few snapshots of this feat.

I feel like it is now a new place, all bright and cheery. I still have some work to do, like hanging pictures in place and organizing the shelves better, but here is what I have completed so far.

So first thing was that I moved the small shelf from this corner

to here.

The following is the way it looked before this moved.
Well...there is a bit of a someone in the way, but you see what this wall looked like before :-)

Next I moved this shelf to over....

There.

I then put this in the entrance to the guest room/laundry/ office.

And where the dresser used to be, is now the above! This is what I did just for my cozy corner where many hours will be spent reading aloud to Nathan! He is probably more excited about this than I am.

At nights he craves our reading time. I did not like being in the guest room because it was dark, plain, and cramped. Not to mention I had no real space to read that was comfy. To read aloud in "his room" while he was at his desk, involved a ten minute struggle with the trundle bed in order to be relaxed enough to enjoy reading. The effort was too much for me and reading time became dreaded. I just couldn't bear the thought of him alone! The thought makes me feel lachrymose and depressed just imagining how lonely it would be having your own spouse not want to spend every opportune moment together all because of a silly discomfort!

I like to think that this room will now become "our room" where we can spend precious times discussing politics, relishing moments of joy, laughing together, and just being in each others company. Though I meant the corner of the room to be for our reading time, I know it will be a multi-functional spot. As Pooh would call it, my "thotful spot."

Breathless Moments and Snow.

2010-03-02T09:39:00.005-05:00

There is something refreshing and exciting about the calm just before the snow; the anticipation of a few inches as you watch the weather channel's prediction the night before while curling both hands around a warm and soothing cup of coffee.

When in the morning, you glance out the kitchen window straining to see something in the black out there, adrenaline kicks in, you think you see a flake here and there falling. Could it be? You struggle to finish making breakfast for wanting only to give the window your undivided attention while wishing the visibility outside would improve. Will it snow today? you wonder as breakfast is on the table, prayers are lifted up before the Lord and plates squeak beneath the forks. If only the table were closer to the window to peer out in the dark in hope of a glimpse of white.

Finally after getting plates scraped and cleaning and silverware put up, you realize it is lighter than before, though still dark. Waltzing to the bedroom and opening up the bedside curtain, you see the street, the cars, and what's that? Is it possibly snow, or is it just rains. Focusing harder, you see what you had hoped for the night before. Soft small flakes sparkle before your eyes.

It turns a shade lighter outside and you know for sure there is no rain or sleet mixed in the snow, it is all snow!! When you call your husband to sit with you, he shares in this moment of gee. And yet you feel that he isn't truly drinking it in enough or feeling it just right so you get a poem about snow and read it. Still, the poem pales in comparison to how it truly is so you sigh and vow to station yourself by that window as long as you can and enjoy the moment while it is there. You are reminded that you are a minority in your town and wonder what it is about the snow that causes people to hate it. You lift a prayer of comfort for those people that they may see His glory among the snow they so strongly distaste.

Tomorrow the snow won't be the same as today. Today's flakes fall only once. Cherish these breathless moments of today knowing that God only gives you today for a short time. You hear this often, but does it truly sink in? Can you ever truly embrace the moments and really enjoy them as they are meant to be enjoyed?

For Sale on Etsy

2010-02-22T17:09:00.002-05:00

Recently, I have had to find ways to save money and make money on a very low income and budget. I am trying to get into selling on etsy. I hope that I can make enough products and crochet/knit fast enough, but I pray that if this is what God wants me to do for a time being, that I will stick to it until I can get my drivers license and get a job elsewhere. If anyone has input or ideas on what else to make and sell on Etsy, I am open for opinions. I have posted all that I am selling currently on my etsy page I just created today. If anyone has any suggestions at all I greatly appreciate it. Please be in prayer for me as I try to commit myself to this.

Happy New Year!!!

2010-01-01T08:03:00.003-05:00

To beginnings. The wonderful times in life to start something new. A new life, a new book, a new commitment. Plans that may never come true, but that are fun to plot anyway. For me, I start thinking about beginnings around Christmas time. How will life be like next year when Christmas rolls around again? What gifts will I make next time? I never know those answers but hold on to the thought that it will be joyous times no matter what. Family and friends will each be greeted with warm hugs and promises of prayers.

A few thoughts I have always pondered around Christmas times were : will I be driving next year at this time? Will I have met the man of my dreams and have promises of a marriage? and will my family still be together like this?

Already two of these questions are no longer ones I reminisce. I still am not driving this Christmas but it is most likely I will be by next year. I did meet my match and am married. And my family, since the last time I asked that question, had three family members leave the home within nearly a years time, including me. I never would have seen that coming and never would have imagined it, but still I couldn't help but know that we were growing up and moving on in life. If I could only have known and held on longer to those precious moments in life.

The questions I ask myself now have changed: Will I have a child, be expecting a child, or planning for one next year? Will we be living in a different apartment this time next year? and will I have completed a New Year's resolution I made from the begging of the new year? Most of the time I do not complete them or I just skip resolutions altogether. I do remember completing one once. I vowed to read over 21 books before my 21st birthday. I even have a list of the books I read that year. Other than that, no other resolutions I have made has ever been completed. Still I make resolutions. Just because I don't complete them, doesn't mean that I can't complete them. A teacher in high school once told me something I have never forgotten. "If you really want or like to do something, you make time for it." If I truly want to complete a resolution, I will make time for it. Where my treasure is, there also will my heart be. (Matthew 6:21)

I now no longer worry much about whether any of my questions I ponder or write down at the end of the year will come about next year. I pray for guidance and wisdom to carry out my duties for the next year and I know God will bring about His Providence just like every year.

I welcome a new beginning in life. New books to read, new adventures to overtake, new life to see, I do not know what life holds for me for the new year, but not knowing the moments to comes is the adventure of it all. To begin a new year is always exciting. It never feels different the with each passing day, month, and year, but in the end when all is reflected, there are differences I see in my past and there are changes that will happen in my future. And though I will still look back on the years past with sentiment, I will charge forward into my new years expecting new challenges and prospects to battle and overcome around each bend in the road.

For my new year's resolution, I plan to work harder at being organized with my time; something I struggle with daily.
I also have made a smaller resolution. I know someone who always asks me a particular question each time I visit this individual. My answer is always "no." I want this answer to be "yes." But I do not want to accomplish it because of this person or what it means to the individual, but because it is truly something that I should be doing which is good for me and helped me in my past. I dropped it and have struggled picking it back up. Due to recent circumstances in my life I have a need to do my best at accomplishing this resolution for good and not just for this year, but many more years to come.
I leave out the specifics for my own personal reasons. I merely write this down so that I won't forget and to have it here to ponder again at the end of this year.

Remember who made you.

2009-10-27T14:15:00.009-04:00

Remember next time you want to complain about the rain to be thankful for having a car, a driver's license or someone to get you around town. Today I had a wonderful day at school, Nathan dropped me off around 7:50 at SCC and I was there until around 1:15. It happened to be someone's birthday today so he was giving out banana nut muffins that a teacher made for him. He must be a star student or something. I don't know. I happened to be starving as I had forgotten my granola bar I put out on the counter at home. I take this as a great blessing to prepare me for my journey home. I was weak before getting that muffin and knew that I would have a ways to go before getting home. It takes me over an hour from the time I get out of my last class to the time I can set foot at home where all my earthly comforts are.
I trudged out of the building into a pouring rain, unprepared. I happened to forget my umbrella even with the knowledge of rain in the forecast for the day. Nice one, Dorry! Well I walked to the library to wait for the bus, wishing and praying I would happen to run into someone I knew. That didn't happen and it is probably best it didn't. I have been exposed to the swine flu, though I am not sick and won't know until it happens.
The bus showed up, I got on board. The ride took 45 minutes of torture and time. I do not like the bus. It smells awful. I finally got off at the stop at main street and walked from downtown to home in the pouring rain. It didn't let up at all. Being a mountain town in a valley, pools of water gather by the sides of the streets in every direction and down every street. There is no avoiding them.
I found myself heading in the direction of home, water soaking me in an instant and my feet buried in these pools and streams of water. My shoes are mostly material and completely porous. My socks, after two minutes of walking under the weather, were soaked. My feet grew numb pretty fast. By the time I got home, water was dripping off my hair, the tip of my nose, and was beaded up on my eyelashes. I secretly thanked God I do not have to depend on glasses in order to walk as that would have been a pain to have water streaking down the lenses. If it were summer time I would have welcomed this walk in the rain. It was cold today. The rain felt numbing, and there was no avoiding it. It felt like forever before I finally arrived home, soaked to the bone and shivering.
One day I will own a light rain jacket and one day I know I will be a driver, but it seems when events like this happen to me, things could not get any better. I know we all have a hard time seeing the good in things like this especially during the moment it happens. I wanted so much to be angry at all those who drove past me at break neck speed splashing me with one of the many unavoidable puddles of water. I also wanted to be angry at those who had no sympathy while driving through the four way stop making me stand there for a long time just to find a moment to walk across the street.
I know that these trials must happen to soften me and mold me to God's will. To see His purpose. It can be hard when it happens and I always want to try putting a smile on my face when it does. But it always happens unlike how I imagined it. It is always later that I see the rainbow among the clouds. I know see why it is important that we live near downtown while I am not a driver. I have so many things nearby. I can walk to my bank, my doctor, the hospital, the store where I sell water bottle carriers, the ice cream and pottery store to visit some dear friends, and also where I can go to pay our internet bills. I have walked there to get a card last minute, a Christmas present, a book, and knitting supplies. If I had had a mile to walk home or more, it would not have been possible to get home safely on a day like today. A long walk would have been harsh and sickness would have been the result.
So please, next time you complain about the rain, remember what you have, even if it is very little. Your heart is beating and it is all because of God. Even those who hate him still have a beating heart. He still sustains them. I am alive! And all because of Him! Rain is the very least of my problems.

vegetable noodle soup under $5.

2009-09-22T19:53:00.005-04:00

I was out of everything dinner like in my refrigerator last night and was planning on eating cereal as a last resort. We never go to the grocery store on Mondays because that is our night to go out to eat at the karaoke bar to support our local singer and friend Ray. Ok so we only eat an appetizer and drink lemonade and sweet tea, I don't know if this counts for "eating out." Anyway, so we usually eat cereal. Nathan told me he needed something warm to eat instead of cereal. I racked my brain and told him, "ok."
Here is what I came up with:

Beef stock, broth or bouillon
Two Carrots Sticks, peeled of outer ridges and chopped
Two Red Potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1"cubes
Two Celery Stalks, washed and diced
and
A bag of Raman Noodles, without the spices

Boil water and add beef stock etc. I used stock and no-sodium, no-msg-added bouillon package or two. The amount really doesn't matter. I use a package per cup of water and then add the stock or broth to give more volume depending on the amount of soup I make.
add all vegetables and boil until the potatoes are soft. Add noodles and simmer for about thirty minutes before serving. It makes a lot of soup surprisingly. I would say that it would be enough if you have one to two of the above veggies per person. And one bag of the raman noodles per two people.
This was a last minute "crazy plan" of mine made out of the bare essentials. I had no noodles so I used raman noodles. I will try it with egg noodles and cubes of beef in it next time.
Hope you get to try this one!

Very busy lately.

2009-08-20T00:19:00.002-04:00

Somehow between homework and house work I have found time to give a little bit of an update.
Math has somehow become a monster for me, with so many complications! I can only dream of catching up already on my first week of school. I am not complaining though. This is what I wanted! A busier, fuller day in my life. General Psychology is fun and enjoyable. History is so far my favorite. Western Religions is frustrating when the book is written all politically correct, but I expected that much. I have yet to experience Expository Writing, but I welcome it wholeheartedly and with great anticipation.
Yesterday was Nathan's thirtieth birthday. Lovely him decided to take ME to dinner. Fatz Cafe was our only choice since he got an email from the Fatz fan club saying that he gets a free Calabash chicken plate. Yummy. I got the free plate and he chose to get a $15 plate. We ate cheap for an outing. Being his birthday, I gave him a laser pointer though my cat knows it is hers!
Tomorrow I have classes again, so I am off to bed! I'll try to update again soon! So much to say, so little time to do it! Ahhhh gotta love busy life!

Since June...

2009-07-31T09:45:00.002-04:00

A lot has happened.

I have...

...Become a college student

...full time!!

...helped Mama (Nathan's mother) start a ministry.

...been getting yarn donations for the ministry.

...gone through my yarn to give to the ministry.

...started way too many projects than I can handle.

...discovered the Macon County Transit

...which is only $1 one way to the library and college campus.

...been frustrated a lot with things that haven't worked out.

...prayed a lot!

...not slept much.

...really not slept at all some nights.

... honestly, it has been a week since I have slept all through the night.

...been given a very generous donation for my college tuition by an anonymous someone in our church.

...cried a lot for happy, sad, and angry moments, but that is not out of the ordinary.

...been attending a ladies Bible study for the first time in my life and I have been thoroughly enjoying it! Very refreshing!

...overall been blessed with more than my heart can understand. I am overwhelmed by joy and love right now. God is so good to me.

swagbucks.com

2009-06-15T16:56:00.003-04:00

I want to see how many people I can recruit to using swag bucks website as a search engine. All you have to do is click this link http://swagbucks.com/refer/Dorrylady sign up for free, use the search and you get swag bucks while you are using it to search. save up enough swag bucks and you can get free stuff. It is legit. No fees. Also if you order stuff through swag bucks you can earn more swag bucks. The more friends you have on swag bucks, the more you get. And when your friends and friends' friends gain swag bucks, you get swag bucks also. How cool is that? Instead of using google, you can be using swag bucks and searching online and earning just by searching. It is pretty neat.

Just give it a try! I figure if every day you search for a swag buck and get two or one per day that is 365+ swagbucks a year, and if you have friends who are searching and they were your referrals, that is multiplied by two or more. http://swagbucks.com/refer/Dorrylady it can't hurt to try.

My cats are missed

2009-05-12T16:38:00.003-04:00

You really don't know how much life is around you when you are at home until it isn't there. In my case it is my cats whom bring so much life in my dwelling. I am accustomed to being at home alone all day, but I didn't realize just how much I wasn't alone until we actually made the decision to leave our cats in Cashiers for an entire week. This was not an easy decision for me at all. There are times when I get frustrated with them for all the mischief and mayhem they display, but that is my preference over the silence I have been experiencing for two whole days now. Our house feels so dead right now. My reason for leaving them in Cashiers was merely to let the hairs settle and vacuum them up before my family comes to visit on Saturday. Dad is allergic to cat hairs. Is it worth not having the cats here a whole week in order to make my dad comfortable? Absolutely! But this doesn't mean I can't miss my cats something fierce. My constant companions aren't here by my side, the cat bowl is empty, the tub is empty of the small pool of water I have accustomed myself to seeing, I don't have a cat to snuggle with in bed. When I practice piano, Copper isn't there to walk up and down the keys! Where are those swishing tails to greet me when I enter the room they abide? where are those meows to greet me when I wake up in the morning? where are the claws that so lovingly scratch me to announce cuddle time? why won't they come when I call? Though today Nathan and I celebrate our second anniversary, it really isn't the same without cats to interrupt. Until I have children of my own, they are my kids and joy when I am alone all day. I do look forward with eager anticipation to bringing them back home again!

Nathan: my gift from God

2009-05-12T15:16:00.003-04:00

for
NATHAN

Thank you for all that you are to me! I cannot thank you enough. You have been a splendid light and joy in my life.
When you are there to wake me up in the mornings, I don't thank you because I don't know how. Grumbles are all that ensue and the only way I know how to respond. I am sorry that I don't thank you then, but I am thanking you now!
Thanks for the roses you give to me on my birthdays and Valentine's Days.
For the understanding you show when I am down and dreary.
For the times when you have been there to cry with me.
Thank you for the tickles and laughter.
For reading together with me. Those times are my favorite!
Thanks for all the smiles and goofy remarks to help me smile too. You have no idea how much they mean to me!
Thank you for the late night cuddles and whispers when I can't fall asleep.
And for taking time to understand and sort out my problems, even when the problems are silly ones to you; you know just how to make me feel better!
Thank you for showing me how to think outside the box. That was the beginning of our adventures together!
Though I may get angry or upset with you some days, it is wonderful that you understand me even still and will be right by my side at the end of the battle. Thank you ever so much for that!
For the care you show when I have fallen, tripped, stubbed my toe, fallen again, slipped on nothing, etc., etc., I am truly grateful! Thank you for showing me I can laugh at my blunders and clumsy mistakes.
Thank you for showing me that my mistakes don't have to be my worst enemy and nightmare. That I can either overcome them or live with them and move on in life.
When you give me your undivided attention, and amaze me by it =), I am blessed and especially thankful for it.
Even in times when I want to be right and you show me truth, though I may not at first admit I am wrong, I do thank you for giving me the time to come to my understanding of the truth.
Thank you for your patience in listening to my constant chatter during one of my most blissful days.
Thanks for knowing how to be romantic.
And for scooping the kitty litter; it isn't a pleasant job!
For holding hands with me in the grocery store even though you don't want to be there.
Thank you for taking me grocery shopping. You have no idea how much I hate walking to the store to do the shopping!
And for coming home to me everyday! There are many husbands today that aren't faithful and make up lies of where they need to be instead of home. You are not one of them!
Thank you thank you thank you for your contentedness! It is an inspiration to me when I find little things here and there that I want or feel that I need.
Thank you for going to work everyday, that we can have food, clothing, and a place to sleep. Though some days you wish you had a higher income to provide more, how much money you make isn't what creates the strong bond that we have in each other!
And most of all I thank God for creating you! That you are who you are and that you aren't anybody else but you! That you are mine! The joy I have for you wells up in me and grows ever stronger by the moment.
You are my knight in shining armor, my hero, my sweetheart, my prince charming, my first boyfriend, my dream come true, my best Christmas present of 2006, and most of all, my husband! Thank you for the best two years of marriage I had never thought I would live, but was given anyway! God gave you for me to be my other half and to complete me. And that is just what you are and do! No one else could do it better than you!

Happy Anniversary!

Aches and Panes

2009-04-28T10:06:00.003-04:00

This morning around 6:40, Nathan helped me out of bed to get me started on breakfast. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just the simple routine I am used to by now. Also something that is ordinary is for me to be groggy and slow. My stomach decided to have a bit of aches and kinks in it this morning, causing me to be extra slow. Looking at the time, I discovered that the clock read 7:15 and the bread wasn't buttered. I called to Nathan to butter it for me while I cracked the eggs into the frying pan. Nathan usually leaves for work every morning around 7:35 or 7:40. Breakfast is usually on the table by 7:10 or 7:15 at the latest.

While we were working on breakfast, Scrabble showed up meowing louder than usual and seemingly begging for attention. Not a big surprise to us. Nathan finished buttering the bread and sat on the floor Indian style to give her the much needed attention. After standing up, Nathan chatted a bit with me and all the while, Scrabble meowed as if to say she wasn't ready for all that loving attention to end. We talked to her and looked at her while she proceeded to talk and meow back at us and again, very loud! This was a bit out of the ordinary. I told Nathan she probably wanted him to hold her on his shoulder and walk around patting her back like she likes it. Nathan didn't have time for that and breakfast was nearly ready. In the meantime Scrabble continued meowing and rubbing herself against my legs while I stood at the stove.

Breakfast on the table, we ate quickly, Scrabble meowing the whole time, and pretended this was normal. After Nathan got ready for work, we exchanged goodbye hugs and kisses. Finally, I had the time to give her the special attention that I thought was all she wanted. I picked her up, cuddling her against my right shoulder and perceived that she was shaking! I realized something traumatic must have happened and patted her back while walking the length of the house.
During the second lap, as I walked closer to one of our living room sofas, I noticed the quilt had fallen off the back of the sofa in the right hand corner. I remember thinking it must have been Nathan who did it, if he had been reading in that sofa, but it wasn't an ordinary reading spot for him. Scooping up my furry bundle in one hand, I tossed the corner of the quilt back into place and at the same time noticing our storm window behind the sofa was covered in cracks and missing a whole chunk of glass.

Scrabble leaped onto the sofa again and meowed loud. I gave her reassuring pats and strokes while trying to figure out how this happened.

The best I can figure out is this:
Sunday night upon returning from Cashiers, we began opening up as many windows as we had wood support props. The last window we opened was the far right window behind that sofa. Later that night, before settling in bed for the night we lowered the inner window only and left the storm window as it was: the screen lowered and the glass pane that is on the outside of the screen, we kept up for when we wanted to open the window the next day.

Some time this morning, Scrabble was sitting in the window sill enjoying the morning breeze. Gravity had already been working on the window and the outer glass pane dropped to the down position, cracking the entire window pane while one huge chunk flew out of position and crashed on the pavement three stories below. This happened possibly while we were making breakfast, as I recall Scrabble racing into the kitchen meowing.

I imagine it happened while she was in the window because of the quilts state of array. I know for a fact that our cats do not race through the living room in the mornings and therefore it cannot be caused by the cats, but rather by gravity and it being an old window that often comes off its track sometimes when we raise and lower it. A heavy breeze may have caused it to fall off its track and plummet like it did.

Scrabble did get over it once she knew I had seen the window and reassured her it was ok. She has recovered well and is currently sleeping with Copper in the guest bed in safety. God is good to us and protected my cat from any harm. Through all this we got some extra giggles over Scrabbles behavior this morning and some extra cuddling time.

Bread Maker!

2009-04-10T16:30:00.005-04:00

I bought myself a deal of a bread maker on Friday. Actually I left a check with my mother-in-law as Nathan and I were heading down to Ga to visit my family and former church for the weekend. And she paid the used furniture and houseware store for me and picked up my $30 clearance bread maker. Boy am I loving it!! I have used it nearly every day this week except Tuesday. Here you will see a picture of a roll I made using the bread maker to make the dough while I formed it into miniature herb bread loaves and baked it in the oven. Well, ok I lied, the picture is of me eating the roll.
I wish I could have taken a picture of the first loaf I made. It had arms and a head!!! Not a pretty one, that's for sure! My second bread was a banana bread. Then today I made four pizza crusts using the machine to make the dough and afterward I made a lovely smelling maple oatmeal bread. I am told that there is a bread maker cookbook waiting for me in Cashiers! Originally, the cook book that I discovered with the bread maker was dropped off at the store by a lady claiming that it "was too much work!" Whatever! Well my mother-in-law came back without the book and I began to wonder. This week she went back and the lady didn't seem to recall saying that it came with the bread maker. My mother-in-law went to pay for it and the lady gave it to her. Maybe she remembered my enthusiasm over a simple bread maker? Maybe she just wanted to be nice and give it anyway? Who knows, but I am ecstatic over everything bread machines nowadays and will have to remember to thank her for the bread machine cookbook.

what tastes great on a cheese pizza?

2009-03-13T16:31:00.002-04:00

Tater tots!!! No totally! I promise it does! Last night I made pizzas and put pepperoni on Nathan's and tater tots on mine. I cut them up into small pieces, topped it all over the pizza, and cooked it. MMMmmmmmm. I loved it! Really you should all try it. It is like a breakfast, hash brown pizza. I even was brave this time and put pizza sauce on my pizza crust. I normally hate pizza sauce, but when I spread the sauce thinly over the pizza crust and topped it with lots of cheese I didn't have to taste thick sauce and was ok with it. But really, the tater tots on top were heavenly! Now go make pizza and get some tots, believe me, you will be impressed with the flavor!

a year from now..

2009-03-03T11:16:00.004-05:00

...our car will be paid off.

cold

2009-02-23T16:31:00.002-05:00

So today was really cold. 15 degrees outside is hard to endure inside. I have been bundled up in front of our heater and knitting nearly all day. Tomorrow is scheduled to be warmer, and Wednesday even warmer. In four more weeks it will be spring. I can't wait to transform my screen porch into my knitting, tea sipping, and book reading haven.

An Old Hobby of Mine

2009-02-19T18:56:00.002-05:00

It has been a while since I have knitted. Last week I was hunting down all my knitting books and tools to consolidate them. That was when I found my favorite knitting needles. I probably shouldn't have picked them up. Now I am planning an afghan and trying to endure hand cramps along the way. I can hardly type this, cut the chicken up for our soup dinner tonight, sweep, wash dishes, wash my hands, or merely hold any object with my right hand without it cramping and contorting in pain. I have experienced this with crocheting. I thought for sure that knitting would be different. I just never have gotten this serious over knitting before. Do you think four hours of knitting is too much for one sitting? Probably. But it is addicting when I can see the end result of my afghan and the anticipation of it is what pushes me to keep at it.

OK so I am sure I am boring you about afghans and cramps. Life hasn't had too many turning points or life changing events for us much right now. I did enjoy a wonderful Valentine's week with Nathan last week.Wednesday night I made him a special chicken noodle soup with candle light, doilies, and fine china attiring the table. Thursday, Nathan took me out to Fatz and gave me a teddy bear with chocolates. Friday, he drove me out to Waynesville for my first time. We mainly went to the Walmart and for the beautiful drive. Saturday, Valentine's Day, I had a rose delivered to Cashiers where we stay on weekends. Nathan had to work that day so I was sorry we couldn't spend that day together, but I did have a wonderful time babysitting Cici and being with Mama and Daddy (my in-laws). Sunday we had a church soup and sandwhich gathering to celebrate the addition of a new elder.

It was a wonderful week for us and very enjoyable at that! This week is much slower. The most I have done is just housework and knitting around our house. Not much else has been needed. And it has been cold out so not warm enough for walks. I will be glad when spring comes along.

My hand tells me I need to quit.

lack of inspiration today

2009-01-30T10:39:00.002-05:00

This morning, I sat by my kitchen window like I do when I need inspiration to write in my blog or journal. I sat expecting that I would know just what to write. On this beautiful sunny morning, nothing came to mind. Usually drinking coffee in my favorite mug helps me. I even had a blanket wrapped around my shoulders and was all cozy. Nothing came to mind. A big blank. hmmm. I want to write something beautiful and rich, but fuzz is in the way. I have of lately, been experiencing a longing to write from my imagination, and the one things that usually inspires me to write, has failed. Was it because my hands needed to be wrapped around bigger mug? Maybe I should try tea instead of coffee? I sighed to myself and prayed to God for a peaceful heart and mind and when I opened my eyes I found contentment and thankfulness for the beautiful trees, mountains, and the bright blue sky. I decided just to drink it all in and not worry about writing anything beautiful. Instead, I would enjoy what is before me and know that not everyone can share this view or this moment. I am living in a home, with food on a daily basis, clothing, and even though it is cold in our home in this season, I have ways of warming myself. Writing is the least of my worries and is just something I do for pleasure. I am not unfulfilled if I can't think of something to write. If tomorrow comes for me, I can always try again! God is wonderful to me in giving me today and sustaining me through the night. He is all I need in life, but yet I still am richly blessed with all the material blessings I have. I dont need them, but He cares for me and provides them for me. What a wonderful life I have in Him.

doilies, drapes, and a USA flag pillow

2009-01-27T12:44:00.004-05:00

Currently I am in the crafting mood and have been enjoying planning and creating things for our home and for gifts. I had finished a doily for a Christmas present back in December for and extra gift "just in case!" I enjoyed making it so much that I found myself wanting to crochet some more doilies. A visit to a friend's house gave me the desire to crochet smaller doilies and frame them to give them the antique look. I have yet to get frames, but I have found dozens of small and antique looking doily patterns. The vintage style will look just wonderful on the wall and in frames. All I have to do is glue some scrap material on top of the cardboard backing of a frame and spray a fixative to the material where I will place my doily. So far I have completed three doilies and am nearly done on a fourth one. Two of these are small enough for framing.

Living in an old apartment complex has proven cold on winter days when the cold fronts come through so Nathan and I have been trying to find ways to make it warmer. Next after buying a propane heater we found a fleece blanket to use for a drape next to my side of the bed over the nearest window. Nathan was going to tape it, but I refused. Instead, folded the fleece down five inches and used my sewing machine to make a "pocket." I hung it on a metal curtain rod over my window, which currently has an air leak. The blanket had only cost us 3.79 at walmart. The next day Nathan and I returned to wal mart to get four red blankets and found that they were down to $2! I sewed them into drapes and had them hung that very night. The look of the red wine drapes was magnificent to our eyes. I have plans of adding lace edging to the bottom and at the sewn seam. Because we liked the results, we went yet another day and picked up four more fleece blankets. two blue, one red, and one tan blanket (the color of our original drape that was for my window). I had them all sewn and hung the next day. The blue for our guest bedroom, the tan for the dining room, and the extra red for our bathroom. Already I have noticed a huge difference in the temperature indoors. I have not had to use the propane heater, but only four days.

Friday, after I had help hanging the drapes in the dining room, I decided I wasn't done sewing and wanted more to do. I remembered I wanted to make a USA flag pillow for our guest bedroom, which is our red, white, and blue room. I already had a small hand flag I had found for a quarter at a thrift store in Cashiers. I used a stitch ripper to take off the white loop that kept it to the plastic flag pole and then sewed a better edge in its place. I happened to have an antique pillow form my Mom had covered with three or four layers and had given to me when I needed throw pillows for my apartment. After taking off all the layers, I had stuffed it in a closet and forgotten about it until now. Placing the flag over the pillow, I was shocked to find that it would fit perfectly without having to sew scraps of fabric to add to the flag's width and length, which I was planning on doing if I chose to go the route of using a pillow form. Using a navy blue fabric and lace I pinned everything together once I cut out the shape for the back of the pillow. It took me nearly an hour to pin it all and get ready to sew it. I wanted it to be perfect. I remember making a note to myself about backwards, inside out and right side in for pinning it and sewing it, knowing full well it has to be flipped right side out for the inserting of the pillow later on. I have done this many times and have made several pillows. No sweat, this will be a piece of cake, I thought to myself. HA! When I had finnished sewing three sides to the pillow cover and flipped it right side out, the flag was wrong! I had spent the past hour and half getting it all right, and now THIS!!! It was depressing. "I will be known for being a USA hater if I leave it like this," I told myself. I made my way to the guest bedroom, groaning the whole way, to show Nathan how "cute" the pillow is. I hugged it to myself with stars and stipes on the inside and blue backing facing him. I flashed him a huge smile as best as I could muster and then flipped the pillow around. He smiled too! Right before putting his hand over his mouth and laughing! I showed the pillow to my sister-in-law later that day and got the same results. *Sigh* It is really cute! I just wish I hadn't pinned it together wrong. The part about the flag slippped my mind because I was so worried about the lace boarder being perfect I didn't stop to think about the flag being BACKWARD when I flipped it out. I did however do research to make sure it didn't make me a USA hater if I went ahead and left it the way it is and sew up the fourth side to complete the pillow. I am not a USA hater and am not carrying around satanic signs of conspiracy against my country. There is no "backward" flag, it is only the perspective of being on a different side of the flag while it is waving in the wind. If you notice the USA flag patch on the right shoulder of USA troops, the flag is with the stars to the right instead of the left. This is a symbol of courage and also signifies the flag as a soldier runs to battle with the flag flying back in the wind as one stares at it from the right of the soldier.

I now plan to find another flag and do a seperate pillow and have them both on the same guest bed. There will always be a story behind this pillow. Only this time the other pillow I plan to make will have the stars on the left top corner. Though I won't call it the "right" way and I won't call the one I have now, "backwards" because when on a flag pole it is all relative and can't be bawkward. So how can it be backward when really they are meant to fly on a pole in the first place, I just happen to put it on the pillow instead.

I hope to post pictures of the doilies, drapes, and the pillow. Right now my camera batteries are dead.

Christmas Blues and New Years Resolutions

2009-01-06T12:39:00.002-05:00

I really enjoy the Christmas season. Really, I do! Following shortly after Christmas, I have found myself down in the pits and wondering what the cause of it is. I had not felt this way before? I wake up, make breakfast, kiss Nathan goodbye and hold onto him for as many seconds as I have left before we tear apart and go our separate ways for the rest of the day. Immediately following Nathan's departure, I am in a cloud and can't get out of it. What is wrong with me? It dawned on me yesterday that it is just the simple case of the Christmas Blues. Where after Christmas, I am left with nothing more to do than take down each Christmas ornament one by one while remembering where I got each one of them and hoping I don't break any of them.

This year Nathan and I got a real Christmas Tree. Nathan didn't get to go with me to pick it out, but he helped me set it up and put the lights on it. Not only that, but he saw to it that I got a Christmas angel to put on the top instead of last years gaudy blinking star! Today, I took down all the pretty tree ornaments and put them in their boxes slowly and carefully. I thought about all of the wonderful memories of Christmases in times past and all the warmth and sharing that came with them. I also thought about my family and all that they mean to me.

I don't have many Christmas ornaments since last years Christmas tree was three feet tall and this years tree was five feet. Not to mention we have only had two Christmases as a married couple. So it didn't take me long to take them all down and put them in their rightful boxes. It did take me long, however, to pull off the lights since this time Nathan wasn't here to help me. The tree being up against the wall makes it hard to walk around it. But, I was able to go partway around the tree, hang the wound up lights on a branch, go around to the other side, pull them toward me, wind some more, and get them all completely off the tree. I hated taking down the ornaments and lights. Stripping the tree of its skirt, I felt so sad and almost moved to tears that it had to end to suddenly. I didn't even have time this past Christmas to make hot chocolate with whipped cream on top and sprinkles on the whipped cream and sit under the tree reading my favorite Christmas story. I didn't even get to read a Christmas story. I stayed so busy.

I had wanted to watch Little Women at least once for a good Christmas movie. That didn't happen either. (And by the way, the newer movie has a Christmas feel to it for those who never watched that for a Christmas movie.) There were so many Christmas traditions I wanted to start, but none of them happened. I did however get to bake cookies, drink hot coffee on cold mornings while gazing out the window, bring out my best sweaters and wear them, host a Christmas party, see my best friend for three or so hours, but all in all, it is the before Christmas Day time that is more exciting than the day of Christmas. As soon as everything is opened and paper is thrown away and food is eaten, its over! It happens too fast, and this year much much too fast. I do enjoy watching people open their gifts from me and seeing the looks on their faces, but even so, it seemed like so much more in the box with paper and a bow around it.

I thank God for all the times spent on Christmas Day or any day that I spend with family and friends, but it is the weeks after Christmas that are so sad. Especially the un-lighting of the tree and un-hanging the ornaments. I know in another week I will be over the Christmas blues. I look to God for comfort in these lonely and quiet times.

I now know why people come up with New Years resolutions, to get on with their life after Christmas and to help get over the Christmas blues. It has helped me. This year, my resolutions are to start on Christmas presents right away, doing three gifts or more a month, and to read through the Bible in a year. So far so good. I have nearly completed one gift and I have been keeping on track with the Bible reading schedule and enjoying it. I don't remember if I have ever on my own read through using one of those schedules. So this year I am going to see how I do. It has been an adventure for sure.

I do look forward to the coming months ahead of me and what this year has in store for me. Nathan and I will be married two years this May, I have hopes to start selling books on ebay here shortly, and hope to help Nathan rebuilt and sell a computer of his and raise money this way so that one day we might be able to build and sell computers to help out with the finances. We have just been discussing the possibility of making money this way. It is worth a try. Since my salsa idea really hasn't made much to count for anything, I have been a little disappointed in that field, but I have to move onward and keep trying new ways. There aren't many openings for employment in our area for either of us to make more money so that one day we can have a home and kids. And we really have no desire to live elsewhere. We like living in the mountains where we get all four seasons and snow comes with winter. Prices of living may be higher up here, but jobs sure are hard to find. So I really do hope I can start selling items that we have, and don't need, on ebay. Then if I make sufficient amounts of money and do well with ebay I would love to put it aside and save for a downpayment on a home and second car.

I have great exepectations for our future this year.

Why Christmas comes only once a year.

2008-12-29T08:53:00.004-05:00

Christmas is over and I am hoping to be back into routine schedule this week. I always enjoy Christmas, but with this Christmas came hectic and leaving me frazzled most of the time. Christmas will never be the same and will never be easy again like it was when I was living with Mom and Dad. I no longer have just one Christmas to plan for. I have four Christmases! No joke either.
My first Christmas this year was our Christmas party we hosted the Thursday before Christmas. We were given a free turkey from a member of our Church the end of November. Putting it into the freezer to save for a later date, became our plans for a Christmas party at our place. I never thought I would ever see the day when I would roast my first turkey. I never imagined it would be this early in our married life. It proved to be the best turkey I had ever eaten and the most fun time I have ever hosted. We had corn, stuffing, turkey, green beans, sweet potato praline, rolls, and chocolate coated pretzels for the h'ors-doevres. Afterward, we drew numbers for the white elephant gift exchange. I was the only one there who had ever played this game so I explained the rules and then we had fun picking out our gifts.

My second Christmas was with Mom and Dad and the kids on Christmas morning. We drove down to GA the night before Christmas Eve and told all the kids we would only be spending Christmas Eve with them and leave after dinner. Well on Christmas Eve during dinner, we told them we couldn't open presents that night, but that we could in the morning. I loved the looks on their faces and the sputtered questions when they still didn't understand that we were staying for Christmas. Presents were opened the next morning. We received mostly home decor gifts and one book for Nathan. I enjoyed all my gifts and enjoyed giving our gifts to the kids.

The third Christmas happened at 10am at Gam's house. We all drove up to her house, brought our gifts to her, and exchanged gifts. Gam gave us a plant stand, a cookbook, two small bird houses, and an item that has slipped my mind at the moment. Nothing really that Nathan could enjoy, but he was a good sport about it and told me he was happy we got things for our sunroom. Most of all the decor we received is because everyone knows that we have a sunroom and wants to help us dcorate it. I got a kick out of all the sun room items we got out of the GA gifts. It really tickles me to think of how Mom and Gam thought of my sunroom when buying gifts for me. Ends up that I left half of my sunroom decor in Mom and Dad's house by accident. We remembered everything else, just not the ones that I could use the most right now. The watering can meant for a plant, a wheel barrow that is oh so cute. A cow bell that would look cute hanging on the wall. And one other item I am forgetting. Oh well! We will be down there hopefully in February. Mom is holding onto those items for us.

Finally, our fourth and last Christmas came Christmas afternoon and after our trip back to NC.
We dumped out our stockings and watched Cecilie open her gifts around 4:30 and 5 (really can't remember exact time). We then greeted the Greer's as they showed up soon after Cecilie opened her first gifts. Actually they greeted us since we were told to stay seated and not get up. I won't mention any names, but we were instructed not to go to the door as it was interrupting our stocking openings and Cecilie's first Christmas. That was very harsh on Mama and I. We wanted so much to go say "hello" and be at the door. After Cecilie went down for naptime, we ate dinner and cleaned up. Jake arrived and we all sat down to open presents together. Nathan got a new shirt and over jacket, a couple other items, and, his favorite of all, a flat screen LCD monitor for his computer. This, he didn't ask for and didn't expect, but we knew he wanted it. Oh the look on his face!! I couldn't express my joy for him enough. Everyone was excited to see him open that. He didn't know what it was at first and didn't read the box until he turned it over to see the other side (which looked exactly like the front side). I got a cookbook, photo frame, a coat, a much wanted book called Dewey, and a Zune mp3 player.

All the gifts we gave for Christmas were: two movies for Chad, two teddy bears for Susanna (I made the scarves for them), a book for Nathan, plates for Mama, a clock for Daddy, a scarf for mom, a covered brick bookend for Dad, books for Sarah, Hannah, and Marjory, a kite for Laura, Hannah, Marjory, and Alaina, a book for Michael, a chopping block for Jack and Miranda, cookies for all my siblings, a movie for Gabe and Lacey, cookies for the Greers, a Monopoly game for Jake, a scarf for Samantha, a picture in a frame for Gam, and a picture in a frame for Aunt Laura. I think that covers it all. I have to say the framed photos were the easiest gifts. But now that my camera doesn't work, I can't do that for Christmas next year, unless I get one for my birthday. My favorite gifts I gave this year were the cookies, the book for Nathan, and the teddy bears for Susanna. My favorite gifts I received were the book Dewey, my Betty Crocker cookbook, and my mp3 player. Though I enjoyed all the gifts I received and all of them involved a lot of thoughfulness put into them.

My new years resolution for 2009 is to work on the presents starting in January. That way we aren't broke working on Christmas just in December. I agreed with Nathan that I will at least work on two or three gifts a month. That isn't too bad and isn't hard at all. Even if a gift is bought, it is the smarter way to go. Only one or two gifts bought a month is not going to put us on the streets. I really like this idea aned am going to start right away at writing a Christmas list.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

How would you like your salt?

2008-11-21T09:28:00.003-05:00

Last night, I made a crock pot roast beef for dinner. With it I made mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits, and a side of mixed vegetables. Our all time favorite southern meal.
After Nathan blessed the meal, I grabbed a biscuit and was buttering it while Nathan was cutting his roast beef and salting it using our dove salt shaker. I started for the beef plate, when there, in the middle of the beef juice, was the dove shaker looking much like a duck in a pond. "Nathan!" I shrieked his name. We both stared at the salt shaker, like it just happened to land there, then we burst into uncontrollable laughter while Nathan wiped down and replaced the shaker to its stand. I would expect this out of my brother, with no surprise, but never Nathan! What was he thinking?

What we have!

2008-11-05T09:54:00.009-05:00

When I woke up this morning and found that Obama had won the election, I was sorely disappointed, but I began to think. Will this really change things for us? Will it make us completely different people? Obama speaks of changing things. He cannot change our voice as Christians. I have hope that America can become better than this. That we can change things for better in this nation. We need to quit hiding and being embarrassed to stand up for Christ.

I wanted to be angry at all those who refused to vote altogether and at those who refused to vote for the lesser of two evils in order to assure that Obama didn't become president. But I must not let my anger drown out what I, as a Christian, should show the nation. The light! We mustn't let our anger drown out what an awesome opportunity we have to share His light to the nation. We still have the freedom of speech here! Be thankful for this!

I know that God still is. "I AM that I AM." He is the Alpha and the Omega; the beginning and the end. That gives me hope. Romans 8:28 reminds me that He brought this about, he knew Obama would become president. He allowed this to happen. It will bring about good in our Nation. I have Him to thank for that! I can thank God for this newly elected president, because of our opportunity we have to proclaim His Word to our nation. Obama may try to stop our voices, but he will fail. God never fails! We shouldn't be afraid of what will happen to us, but what will happen to those around us we care about that are not saved. The everlasting result is what should be our concern today. Please remember this.

As I was going about my morning routine, I was reminded of a hymn that is most familiar to us.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.

'Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed!

Through many dangers toils and snares, I have already come;

'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

And when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess within the veil a life of joy and peace.

These stanzas John Newton wrote in 1779. They are still words we remember today, 230 years later! And they are a reminder that God's grace will still be with us. Romans 8:28 comes to mind when I sing the line "The Lord has promised good to me." I am reminded of this verse daily.

God's grace will prevail! His Words shines ever on! It will never fail! We must not be angry and must not let our anger get in the way of using this time to witness to those who don't see the light and who want to give up on America. We shall not give up! We have God on our side! What a wonderful opportunity it will be to show our faces and let His light shine through us! We must remember to "Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice!" Do not forget His voice!

What makes unpacking a house similar to Christmas?

2008-10-31T09:20:00.004-04:00

You never know what you are going to unwrap when unpacking boxes labeled 'breakables' and 'knick knacks.'

Yesterday I found sea shell after sea shell and other treasured collectibles that had so many memories attached to them. This has truly been the highlight of unpacking. Remembering much of my past in these object. I am nearly done with the un-boxing and I almost don't want to see an end to it. Every little item boxed up has an event and memory I treasure. It is the memory behind it that makes it more special than the object itself, ho

wever ugly or knarled it may be.

Yesterday, I came accross this small, tan, and ugly donkey statue that my Mother once had in her bathroom and that previously used to belong to our Lake Burton house. No one else had wanted this donkey when Mom's siblings divided the possessions among themselves after the lake house sold. Mom reluctantly took it home with her remembering that it used to be hers. She came to find out that Dad really liked it, so we kept it in o

ur living room for the longest time until Mom decided to put it in her bathroom.

Since then, there have been so many memories attached to this donkey, but the most memorable one happened when Hannah was just learning to use the potty...

Hannah was 2 or 2 1/2 years old. Because Mom showed her how to use the potty in her bathroom and because that was where

her step stool was, she only used Mom's bathroom. One day Hannah was needing to use the bathroom and had run to the the toilet, but came running back sobbing and shouting out, "Mommy, he is looking at me." Hannah took Mom's hand and led her to the bathroom pointing emphatically to the donkey statue that was posing by the sink and facing the direction of the toilet with that whimsical smile on his face. Thinking that Hannah was merely scared of the donkey, Mom removed him from the bathroom momentarily while Hannah was in the bathroom and placed it back where it was when Ha

nnah had finished washing her hands.

This went on for a couple of weeks. One day, Mom happened to be in her bathroom cleaning or taking out the laundry from the hamper, when she noticed the donkey was turned with its face to the wall. Hannah must have had to use the bathroom so bad that she couldn't wait for Mom to take Donkey away from the room so she turned it around instead. What we had all mistakenly thought of as a fear of the donkey itself, was really just the need for privacy. For several weeks Mom had grown accustomed to seeing the donkey faced away from the toilet and often would forget to shift it back to its original position. Then Hannah grew out of her ways and the donkey was forgotten and later put among a pile of give-aways in the hallway. In memory of Hannah and the donkey, I couldn't resist and adopted him as my own.

Truly a Miracle

2008-10-28T12:24:00.001-04:00

Now that I have a little bit more time to relax, let me tell you what has happened in my life recently.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008 started out like most days for me.

We had our friend Jake over for dinner the night before and he had asked about the apartment for rent of which the sign at the top of our drive was announcing. I knew it wasn't one of our apartments in our complex. So I told him I hadn't a clue.

On Wednesday, I told him I would call and ask for him. His friend needed an apartment that was affordable and that was a little more private than the one she is living in now. I called and found out it was $450 a month and a $200 deposit. I was shocked at this information. Surely she would be able to afford that! I began to get excited for her, hoping I would be her neighbor. I relayed the information to Jake and left it at that. The next day, I found out that she wasn't interested, but I thought maybe I could take a peak at the apartments just for curiosity sake. I called the owner and asked more detailed questions. "How many bedrooms?" was my only curiosity about the apartment for rent. She told me there are really two apartments with two bedrooms, one is a cottage and one in the complex and they are both the same price and deposit. I set up an appointment for the next day to see both of them. I thought about our friend Keith and how he has been wanting to move into a more private apartment. I knew that the cottage would be of interest to him.

Friday, October 17, I met with Helen Henson and saw the complex apartment and was in shock that for two bedrooms, a bigger kitchen than ours, a sun room, dining room, living room, screen porch, and washer and dryer it was still only $450 a month. And still just a $200 deposit. Even though I was in awe, I knew it wasn't for us. And that is how I was going to view it, no more, no less. The cottage came next. It was just two bedrooms, a screen porch, kitchen, and living room area attached to kitchen. Nothing big, nothing fancy, but cozy. Just a tad bigger than our apartment. I went home and relayed the information to Nathan. Keith had already set up an appointment with Helen and was going to see both as well around 5:00. Nathan told me, "let take the big one." He didn't have to see it to know he wanted it. I had already asked the lady about cats and found out she didn't want animals in her apartments. I decided not to tell this to Nathan and called the lady up. I asked her if I could please pay a pet deposit on top of the $200, because my husband really wanted the apartment but would be broken without the cats. After thinking it over, she told me we could keep the cats and only pay the $200 deposit. Nathan saw the apartment, didn't say anything about wanting it, and went on to the cottage and spoke with Keith. Keith was taking the cottage. I was so happy I could cry. I was getting a dear friend for a neighbor as well. When we got to Helen's house, Nathan spoke up, "We'll take it." I quickly replied to him, "really?!?" My excitement overflowed. Tears were unstoppable at this point. On our walk to the car, I do believe a tear escaped. We talked it all over on our way to Cashiers for the weekend.

Saturday October 18, we paid the deposit and started packing some of my knick knacks. Monday and Tuesday all our possessions except our bed and cleaning solutions were moved. Wednesday we were officially living in our new apartment. This was a miracle that it even happened. Truly a miracle. Nathan and I had always planned that he would have to get a better job in order to be able to live in a bigger apartment. Never did we think we could get a bigger apartment with a second room on what we make now. And with a second room, we can have guests, a baby one day and still have room for another baby another time. There are two rooms right now, but our sun room will convert into a bedroom as soon as we can get rid of one of the sofas in our apartment one day. It belong with the apartment. I am going to ask if I may buy it from her. If that happens, then I will trade it at a thrift store for a chair. God has provided us a miracle that I never dreamed would happen. And it only took three days to get moved into our new home. Though it is new to us, the apartment complex is an old old building built in 1929. It was built with cement walls and floors. No need to worry about termites. We went from having one window and a sliding glass door, to having 27 windows. Literally, I am counting my blessings one by one. I was happy with where I was and saw no need for another place for a long time, and here I am sitting in a miracle that happened in our lives. I call it a miracle and that is what it is. Truly a miracle!

Busy!

2008-10-21T10:09:00.002-04:00

Well, we are moving! Up the driveway to a bigger complex where we live on the third floor. Well depending on which side you look at. On the one side, we are the third floor, but on the other side, our entrance is up one flight of stairs and on the second floor. Because of a bank on one side, we are the second floor up through the entrance. I will be very busy for the next couple of weeks.

Sorry...

2008-10-14T11:31:00.002-04:00

I know I haven't been updating as often as I should. Lately I haven't had much happen in my life. I applied for three jobs at the Macon County Library, haven't heard from them yet. I will be applying for a job at a bank as soon as they post the job on their website. I know it is available through a friend who works there, but I just haven't seen it on the website yet and online is the only way to apply. Besides that, I don't really have much to talk about here. So I am sorry you don't have an interesting update. I have been cooking, cleaning, eating, making sure Nathan eats only the good stuff, finding ways to preoccupy myself now that I am not working at the chocolate store. They aren't doing a lot of business. I do struggle to find things to do all the time. I can't read all day, and I can't clean all day either. And there is no driving if I don't have a licence. If I get one of the four available jobs, I will go ahead and take the test and put my name on Nathan's insurance and start driving Nathan's car myself since he doesn't use it. He carpools with a friend and saves gas. Well that is really all that I have to say right now. I wish there was more for me to write about.

well I am hungry. When I am inspired to write something I will do so, until then, this is it!

Christmas preparations must begin now!

2008-09-22T15:50:00.004-04:00

I can hardly believe that Christmas is just a few months away. Although I have trouble imagining that we will already have elected a president by then, I know that Christmas time will come no matter which candidate is in office. For now I must not worry but leave all things into God's hands and begin on Christmas presents. I have already wrapped one Christmas present and set it aside and am working hard on hand-crafting most of my gifts for this year. Last year's plan for Christmas presents were a success in my opinion and so I have already come up with new ideas for hand-crafted presents for this year. I have written out my ideas next to the gift receivers' names and have embaked on a journey that will probably last me until Christmas time at the rate I have started and at the looks of the list. This should keep me busy for the "home season," as I have decided to call the cold season where I have to stay indoors until spring rolls around or until I get my drivers license. As long as a list is made, it will get done. The feeling of accomplishment is worth it in the end.

I believe that there are only a small handful of people on my list for whom I am buying gifts. The rest get hand made items. And then there are those on my list that I have no idea what to get them. Generally that means it must be a male gift receiver. Guys are just too difficult to get gifts for and generally have no clue what in the world it is they just opened up on Christmas day. It then becomes the present of the day he least wants to open because of the guilt in not having the knowledge or understanding that it takes to be able to say, "thank you so much for this _____, I am looking forward to using it!" If I make anything for those few guys on my list, I will be sure to attach instructions to the gift!

For now, I have only one hour left of the day before Nathan comes home. Although I enjoy the sound of the door opening and Nathan's greeting to the kitties at the door, I know that I won't get much done with my big baby being home. :D He is a big distraction and will attempt to foil my plans of trying to accomplish anything important!

A blessing from God

2008-09-04T10:36:00.004-04:00

Thursday September 2nd I went to my chiropractor for and adjustment of my lower back, upper back and kneck. It was while he was feeling my spine that he said the words to me that I hace been longing to know all these months of going in and being adjusted. He described to me that what he felt now and what he saw on the x-ray were not the same, that he knows if I had an x-ray done sometime soon that it will show that my scoliosis is going away. He believes that it is much different than it was when I had x-rays taken. He also thinks that in time my scoliosis will be completely gone. Some of it will depend on my body and how well I take care of it. I did nearly cry while sitting there with a dumb face while he told me all these things. I had been wanting to hear those words for some time now. My scoliosis came about because of my horse accident when I was 14 years old. I just didn't know that my hip would come out of place and cause all that at the time. I used to wish none of that had happened to spare me from all the pain I suffered to my hip and lower back. But as Nathan tells me again and againg, if that had never happened, I may not have become the person I am now. That God causes these things to happen for a reason. I may not have been content with what I have now and how I am now. I truly believe Nathan is 100% correct when he tells me these things.

He is right. I know it in my heart that God wanted me to feel the full effects of a blessed Christian by going through what I went through in order to get better and know that He is the one who heals and takes care of me. At the beginning of my visits I had my doubts and the chiropractor had his doubts that my spine would ever allign itself to the normal spine curvature. I know that even if it doesn't completely return to the norm, I will still have gone through all this for

a reason. To see God's hand in all this. He truly is an awesome God. He can heal me where other doctors don't believe there can be a change! Through my chiropractor, God is healing me. Most doctors will tell you that there is nothing that can be done about scoliosis. They don't always tell you that there is the option of chiropractic care. Most doctors don't really believe chiropractors will help. It is only in the last few years that chir

opractors have been accepted by medical and health insurance companies.

I pray that my scoliosis will completely go away.

Even if it doesn't, I know that all this did happen

for good and was not in vain.

I recently got a laptop (as of yesterday) and am having so much fun with the web cam included. It is fuzzy and not the best camera, but it works!

plans of poundcake and how it turned out...

2008-08-19T08:08:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, between five loads of laundry, I pulled out Nathan's mother's sour cream pound cake recipe and got to work making his birthday cake. After making a royal mess and enjoying the work, I filled up my castle bunt pan with the wonderful smelling pound cake batter and put it into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let it bake for an hour. During that hour, I cleaned the kitchen and folded clothes, every once in a while checking on the cake and the next load of laundry. And to add to my growing list, I still had yet to get him a birthday card or birthday cake candles. Not only that, but I had no idea how I was going to sneak getting ice cream to go with his cake, since Nathan was going to be going grocery shopping with me. It wasn't until an hour before he got off work that I found the perfect plan. It happened like this...

Nathan got off work, came home to me, dropped me off at the grocery store while he went to Wal-mart to get the second season of Stargate SG-1, picked me up at the grocery store, then drove home where I unloaded all the groceries without him ever noticing the ice cream. Not to mention that I sneaked the card by walking to town at 3:50 to purchase one in a local gift store.
The first surprise came when we were sitting down to eat his birthday dinner, an egg and sausage quiche. I had ordered him the third season of Stargate SG-1 thinking we would already have ordered or bought the second season, but not knowing that Nathan would be getting it on his birthday. This I had placed, fully wrapped, by his dinner plate just prior to him getting off the computer to join me in his birthday dinner. After he had finished his second helping and gulped down the rest of his milk, he unwrapped season three and was totally surprised and had quite a joyful expression on his face. After the kisses I received, we cleared the table and called my mother to ask her how she was doing. Just prior to Nathan's departure from work, I had called Mom to ask her a question only to receive a hurried explanation that she had been in a car accident. She is ok and all the kids that were in the car with her are fine as well.

Earlier in the day, a package had come in the mail (from my family) for Nathan and me. We opened that package but only Nathan opened his present. A G.A. Henty book that he didn't already own. I had several presents wrapped, but a message telling me "Please on the gifts on the birthdays 18th and 22nd." While I was on the phone with Mom I asked her about this message and she replied, "I had to rewrite that message two times because of Alaina and it still isn't right?" The first "on" of the message was supposed to be "open" as I had already figured out. I liked it better the way it was though, knowing full well that love was spend in writing it and besides, that is the mother I remember. I will never forget seeing her handwriting on a grocery list saying "pink ponk balls" and knowing that she wanted us to get ping-pong balls.

After "happy birthdays!" were shouted over the phone to Nathan, I spoke to Hannah on the phone until the phone's battery started chirping its dying "beep" song. Saying "good-bye," I hung up the phone and plugged it in to the charger and then cleaned up the dinner mess and threw away the gift wrap while discussing with Nathan which we would watch that night, Walking Tall or SG-1. It was decided that we would watch a few episodes of SG-1. I figured that would be the birthday decision. Just prior to going to the bedroom to watch, I pulled out Nathan's hidden castle, inserted a lemon votive candle in the middle, and lit it singing "happy birthday" and walking to Nathan's computer chair. Sitting in his chair, Nathan's face showed complete ecstasy and surprise at the castle cake. I don't think he knew that I would make it in my castle cake pan, but I am sure he was expecting a dessert of some form. Nathan blew the candle out slowly and said "thank you, Dorry. I don't think I can top this!" He was referring to my birthday this Friday. I told him, "well I did have all day to plan this, but I am sure you will do fine!" While he had his back turned I hurried to the freezer and popped out the pint of vanilla ice cream and quickly served the plates of cake, topping it off with the ice cream. That was another surprise for him. I still had two more surprises left.

Upon finishing the dessert, Nathan gave me a big hug and kiss and expressed his love and appreciation for what I did to make the end of his day special. While he put the cake back in its place, I hid in the bathroom to write on his birthday card. I placed it in front of the tv, where he would surely see it while he inserted the dvd into the player. He did discover it and enjoyed it. The last surprise of the day was our newly washed sheets. I had been behind on changing them and finally got around to doing it and washing it. Upon slipping his feet under the covers, he sighed and told me he loved me so much and that he was proud of all that I had done for him in just one day. We cuddled up together in bed and watched two episodes of SG-1 then turned off the light and tv, snuggled up, said our "I love yous," and somewhere between giggles and kisses, we fell asleep.

a break...

2008-08-18T13:52:00.002-04:00

While working at the chocolate store just last week, I noticed a huge slow down and change in the days. Hardly anyone was coming into the store and buying products or gift merchandise. I suspected that I probably wouldn't be needed for awhile until tourism picks up again in October. My suspicions proved correct and so I offered to be considered an "on call" employee of Chocolate Obsession. This brought relief to Sharon, since I could tell that having to let me go for the rest of the season would not have been an easy thing to tell me. I am glad that I spoke up and suggested it first. This way she knows that I am ok with her decisions and nothing she says will hurt me or cause our friendship to end. After giving her a hug on Thursday afternoon and leaving, I knew I would miss being busy all day everyday during the weeks, but I also knew that this means that I have more time for making salsa. It is my prayer that I will be able to make enough money through selling salsa in order to live a little more comfortably financially. I have already dropped off my first batch at the chocolate store where I hope they will sell. Now I just have to wait. Until they sell, I will not be canning any more. These two recent happenings are sad for me, but are for the best. However, I am enjoying planning out different ways to please my husband! Today is his birthday. I have lots to plan and lots that I have already accomplished. So far five loads of laundry are complete, the kitchen is clean, the bedroom is clean, and my plans are already set in motion and working, only they won't be done for a good bit yet. I will get back to you on how the day goes, seeing as Nathan may read this (then again he may not). God's timing is perfect. If I hadn't taken off for the season at the Chocolate Obsession store, then I wouldn't have been able to accomplish all that I have done today!

wish I were working

2008-08-13T11:02:00.002-04:00

SO I get to stay home today from work, but I really needed to make the money. We are trading our new tv for a better and bigger one tomorrow, but we may not be able to afford it then. I hope we can sell some salsa soon. I am making several batches today since I am home, and will have Nathan take them to my work place tomorrow to display them for sale. Maybe they will sell well. I think they will, I just need to get them all made. I am not looking forward to cutting the onions! I have seven onions to cut by hand! At least I don't have to cut all the jalapenos by hand as well. That part is easy since i have a food processor attachment on my Kitchen Aid mixer. I just don't do onions that way because it becomes liquid onion, and makes the smell take over the kitchen. One day soon I will get myself a vegetable hand chopper to make things easier.

ok, so I do need to get to chopping onions. Any suggestions as how I can do it faster by hand????

earwax candles... do they really work?

2008-08-09T21:00:00.001-04:00

Recently, I have been battling an earache off and on for about three weeks. I figured that maybe it is due to earwax buildup and that I needed to use earwax candles that many people speak so highly about. Nathan had never used one before and thought we could give it a try, but he first decided to read a little bit about it by typing "earwax candle" into a google search. Have you ever tried typing it in and looking up all that there is to know about those things? THEY ARE A HOAX!!!!! Anyone that swears by those candles or says that they really work, then they are falling for those things and are blind to what really is going on behind those things. If you take an earwax candle and burn it while it is in your ear and then unravel it, there is a whole bunch of orange "earwax" sitting in the cone. Well, if you take another candle and burn it into a glass jar, the same orange "earwax" globs/balls will still be the result!!!

When the earwax cones/candles are made they are coated in a clear wax. When the candle burns, the wax itself melts and forms into orange balls on the inside, thus creating the "earwax" on the inside. The earwax candle companies claim that the candle will remove earwax and toxins all in the same burning. Don't believe this!! Even though some people will say that they hear much better after their earwax burning sessions, it is probably just from the pressure created by the burning of the candle, not from removal of earwax though. If you need to have earwax removed, then see a doctor or get ear droppers that are for dissolving or loosening earwax. Our family favorite is garlic droppers. The old fashioned way of loosening the compacted earwax. I had Nathan put droppers in both of my ears, and I have had over a period of weeks relief from earwax buildup. Earwax is good for you so you don't need to have all of the earwax out anyway. The purpose of the earwax is to protect the inner ear.

I would not reccomend earwax candles to anybody and highly suggest you either see a doctor and/ or get ear dropper at your local pharmacy for much cheaper than an earwax candle and save your money!!

Here is an informative site you can read about earwax and the different methods of removing it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earwax

Finally ...

2008-08-01T08:46:00.002-04:00

I get to relax! But even in my relaxation I have to crochet a gift I promised myself I would get done by today. I am so glad the weekend is here and that hopefully I will get to sleep in tomorrow and not worry about keeping to a tight schedule. This week has been crazy!! I am a bit sleep deprived! I go to bed exhausted from a full day to have Nathan sleep walk twice or three times in one night and every night this week! I know he can't help it, though, and he doesn't know he is doing it. I want to help him, but I am too exhausted to figure out how. Last night, I just let him sleep walk and didn't even try to wake him up, and he went back to bed on his own time. But I found objects where they don't belong and some objects I didn't even know we owned all astray in our room. Not to mention that my razor that is usually on the sill of the shower was on the floor with the cap off and missing. Weird! Nathan has no cuts as far as I know, but I know this, the cats wouldn't have done that! I can't ignore him when he sleepwalks. I don't remember him sleepwalking, but I remember looking at my clock after he got back into bed and finding that it was 3:20am. I wonder what else can be done to prevent his sleepwalking. I sometimes wish I had all the answers to that question.

sorry

2008-07-30T17:11:00.003-04:00

I have been so busy lately!! I just haven't had much time to write. Recently I made a Boston Cream Pie, which actually is a cake. A lady had called and asked us at work if we make it and Sharen told me about it the next day and asked me to make one and sell it. So I made the cake Monday, and put it together this morning. I was working on the chocolate frosting when Sharen called me and needed me to make brown rice, her dog was sick and someone told her to feed her brown rice. So of course I would say yes, while I am up to my elbows in custard filling and chocolate frosting. I had also promised to make fresh salsa to the lady who wanted the cake made. So that still had to be made. I hurriedly cleaned up my mess, put together the cake while I had the rice cooking in the pot. And on top of this, I had laundry in the the dryer! Somehow I managed to get the cake down to the store (I walked) and not drop it or fall flat on my face. And it is all in one piece and by now probably in the family's stomachs. I did enjoy making the Boston Cream Pie (Cake) and hope to make another one soon, but this time for ME and nobody else!!!(I might share some on a Friday night, maybe ;) ) It smelled like an éclair or a cream puff.
Well now I have to make dinner. Tonight is vegetarian dinner night, so I am making broccoli soup.

Plans

2008-06-17T07:52:00.003-04:00

Nathan and I are going to be having my sister Hannah up on the 27th of this month through the 6th of July. I am bubbling with excitement and Hannah is counting down the days. I didn't think we would be able to get this far along with plans, but so far everything is going smoothly and is all set for her to come stay with us. She will be sleeping on the sofa with sheets and her own pillow I believe. I have already sat down and written a list of our favorite things to eat for dinner and have asked her what she has thought about it. She can't wait to start helping me in my own home. Hannah and I will be making dinner every night with a possible night where we will eat out. We are leaving one night open for a movie theater and a special dinner at either the Motor Company Grill or the Sunset.

One thing that she will not be used to is getting up at the crack of dawn and dinner being later than she is used to. My family eats dinner no later than 6:00pm, and we eat somewhere around 7:00 and at the latest 8:00. If I had to wait longer for Nathan, I would. Basically, I run a very loose schedule when it comes to meal planning. It doesn't matter when I make dinner as long as it gets made and is going straight to our bellies. Dishes are usually left in the sink to sit in water until after breakfast. That is the time I get them all washed because by the time I am done with the meal and we have eaten, I am tired. Mom always made sure the kitchen was cleaned the minute everyone had eaten.

There are quite a few things around here that will take Hannah the entire visit to accustom herself to, but I am sure she won't mind the change in environment for ten days.

Friday the 27th we will be picking her up at my Dad's work in SC and from there will drive back up the mountains and show her all the waterfalls that we can see on our way back. Saturday we plan to take her to our lake: Fairfield Lake. The location where Nathan proposed. We plan on walking around the entire lake with her and then going back home for lunch. After that, we have no other plans yet except on one of the days that Nathan has a half day off the next week, we will go to see some waterfalls. I don't know if Dry Falls is opened to the public yet or not, but that was one of the places we wanted to take her.

I look forward to planning more for our week with Hannah, but I am going to make her feel comfortable, relaxed, and make it worth while. I don't get to spend a whole week with any of my siblings anymore and finally, for the first time since I was married, get to spend a week and three days with one of them. Sarah will be the next one to spend time up here with us for a week. I will have to wait until Alaina is older to be able to have her up, but Marjory would be next in line after Sarah. I would have to ask Michael if he would want to spend a week up here or not. He may prefer just coming up for a weekend one of the times the Greer's come up.

I need to get back to a few chores before I go to work for the day. I have a bed to make, a couple of dishes still in the sink, and a cluttered cork board I want to clear off and throw away.

House Centipedes!

2008-06-16T09:11:00.007-04:00

I had found this unidentified bug in our apartment and had previously assumed that they liked moisture for as far as we knew, they were hanging around our tub and sinks. Well our assumptions weren't that far from the truth, but they don't come from the drains like we thought they did. I found out today that these bugs are called house centipedes!!!! They have 15 sets of legs that are long and have white bands on them. The centipedes get to be around 2 inches long. They are grey and love the spring! Oh and the main place where they are found are in basements, dark and damp places, and always on ground floors. Well, now I wish we lived upstairs!!!

house centipedes are now what haunts my everyday living since Saturday! I was sitting in the computer chair minding my own business and checking my email. I was also waiting for 11 o'clock to roll around so that I could go to work. I saw from the corner of my left eye a quick movement. I turned my head to look and saw my enemy from last year! I had already seen five of these insects in the apartment from the day that I first moved our stuff into this apartment. It was running across the floor and scuttled under the desk! I was in no mood for this creature! Oh how I hate these things and had hoped we had gotten rid of them. No! They are back for the spring! EW EW EW EW EW! That is all I can say about them. I shudder at the sight of the pictures of them. EW!!!!!! SO I am mortally terrified of them now and Nathan wants me to clean behind the shelves and behind all furniture so that we can get rid of them by keeping the place clean, but all I can think about is their long legs and how gross and scary they look to me. I know that my sister in law and Nathan like to pick at me and make fun of me about this new fear of mine, but they can pick on me all they want, it won't change the way I feel about them. I am in no way offended or upset by their picking on me and rather like to laugh with them both, but I shudder when I think about those legs and what they must feel like when crawling over my body.

So this house centipede was under our desk and I didn't know what to do. I had frozen in my place and couldn't move. I of course had my feet curled up on the desk chair and had the desk chair removed from the original location up against the computer desk. I waited a while and called for Scrabble repeatedly. Only I was afraid that this bug was able to hear me and may run out from the desk at any moment because of hearing my voice. What if it knew my plot was to destroy it by way of my kitten? Well finally ran out, and I mean ran!! And this time Scrabble saw it. I shouted for Scrabble to get it! I sounded like I do when I am watching one of the memorial day backyard baseball games. "Get it Scrabble Get it get it get it!!!!!!!!!" I was desperate! Scrabble heard me as she was crouching to get the monster and turned her head to see me and then ran up and sat in my lap. She was distracted and forgot about the centipede. It had now gone under the piano where I couldn't see it. And that is far worse than seeing it and knowing where its exact location is. I wanted it dead but was deathly afraid of killing it myself. Besides I had no idea if it could jump high like some weird insects can. Or if it would bite me. And I didn't have sock on under my crocs. There are breathing holes in my crocs that are big enough for that bug to crawl through and I didn't like that idea.

Scrabble decided she wanted to go to the couch and nap with Copper. This was no help to me. Two minutes later and I spotted the critter beside the coffee table. I didn't know how to get Scrabble to see it when I was between the cats and the monster. Thinking fast, I grabbed a piece of cat food and rolled it across the floor purposefully missing the insect but just to where I got both Copper and Scrabble's attention. It worked! After the third piece of food, they were both interested in this game and wanted to catch the cat food pebble as it skidded across the floor. Another piece and they both found the centipede and pawed at it. With no success though! It got away and was under the piano again. I am not deathly afraid of practicing the piano and using the damper pedal. I prefer playing without the pedal for now and curling my feet up under me or sitting Indian style on the piano bench.

Now anytime Scrabble is chirping at me or at something in the room, I assume that she has found my monster and haunter and I jump to the nearest piece of furniture in mortal fear. Was it caught and killed while we were gone on Saturday and Sunday? Will the cats kindly communicate? I search Scrabble for evidence that she ate it, but I have no idea whether it was found or if it is still here. They live their wholes lives in houses! I don't want them living a second in my house! Oh I hate the looks of them and can't stand to look at even pictures of them. Even now as I search for a picture to show you, I close my eyes while I right click on the pictures and copy it.

The first time I saw one I wasn't afraid of it, until I saw how fast it could move and when I used the zoom on the camera to find out that it was very creepy looking up close. No amount of looking at one or seeing a picture of one will help me be cured of this new phobia of mine. I really just picked the closest picture on a google image search to come up with this picture. I can't stand the sight of them. I will have to write a lot of blogs soon to get it so that it is farther down on the screen when I go to view my blog. That is also why it is at the bottom of my blog entry and not the top. Ok enough said, I can't bear to be reminded of this any longer. Nathan and I will definitely be getting something to spray the house with. Only my body doesn't handle pesticides well so we will be trying natural sprays that can be found until we find one that works. I have heard that MQ7 works. So we will see. Until then, I am supposed to clean the house from top to bottom but I don't want to discover one hidden in the closets or under the bed or behind and between books and bookshelves. I feel like the apartment has become my enemy! I don't want to be here any longer until I am assured that they don't live here!!! EW EW EW!!!!!!!

Movie Theater and Bagpipes

2008-06-14T16:43:00.003-04:00

It has been nearly two years since I have been in a movie theater with just Nathan. We went to see the Incredible Hulk last night and loved it! It was a lot better than the first one! A whole lot better. Liv Tyler played as Betty Ross, and Edward Norton played as Bruce "the Hulk." The whole plot was great! I would recommend it as a movie to see. The only thing I didn't like about the movie was that there was another scene of brief nudity of the backside of Bruce. They had that in the first movie also. Other than that it was pretty clean, some brief cussing, but a great movie to see in theater screen.

Today was the second day of the Taste of Scotland in downtown Franklin, NC, so there was a lot of people in the street. I took some pictures and even took a short video of the bagpipe players on the green platform in the middle of the gazebo square. I wished I had been able to see the Irish Dancers. That was a great show to watch, from what I have heard. I had to work soon after I took some videos and photos. It was a busy day! We had so many people come in and get ice cream and chocolates. More people came in for the chocolates than the ice cream, but there were still plenty of people that came in to get ice cream as well. It was a pretty hot day! Then it started raining around two o'clock. The show still went on and people still came in and stayed around town. I left to go home around 3:45 when the rain slowed to a drizzle. Just as I got home the rain picked up. I am tired now. Nathan kept me up by sleep walking. He thought that there were bread crumbs in the bed and he wanted to brush them off with our lent remover. Ugh. I told him to go back to bed and that I would be fine with the bread crumbs, that we will deal with it later. He went back to bed, while I struggled with falling asleep again. Then we woke up around 6 something so that I could make him breakfast, pack our bags, and make him a lunch. He ended up leaving his lunch here on accident. I think I will stop now. I am pretty sure I am rambling...

First Day of Work

2008-06-11T17:00:00.003-04:00

Today I went to work at 10:45 and ended up stepping onto a thorn on our path from the complex to the side road. It went through my right Croc shoe and into my toe. That took me ten minutes to get out of my shoe so that it wouldn't hurt my feet while I walked. My big toe was bleeding from the puncture, but I didn't care about that, I was fretting that I would be late to work for my first day! Finally I was on the road and walking again. I just had to stop by the pottery store to say thanks for my tea cup that is oh so cute! And happened to be there when the pottery man was taking a mug off the shelf to take home because the rim of it was uneven and he didn't want to sell it to a customer so he handed it to me and said "you want it, we're tossing it!" I said, "sure, you better not toss that, I'll keep it." So for now I am going to use it to keep loose change in it. It will make me feel rich.

After those five minutes of talking I ran across the street and was at work right before the town bell rang 11 times. She showed me around the store and showed me the cash drawer and how to use it. I followed her around for a bit until we had customers. I made some waffle cones!
Just like old times! They smell wonderful! It reminded me of all the times that Jack and I would be making the waffle cones and would have three of the waffle cone makers going at one time! Sharon took this picture and told me I should post it. I will have her take more pictures and I hope to takes some myself.

The store has to have pictures for some advertisement and for their website that they will have to develop for the down town Franklin advertising. All of the shops in downtown Franklin get together once a month and discuss things for further development of the old town look. This is a historical location and a tourist town. They are all trying to promote downtown shopping.

Anyway, I had so much fun! All of the work I experienced today brought back wonderful memories of the days when I worked at Bruster's Real Ice Cream store. We are both putting together our ideas from our past experience of working at ice cream stores (she worked at Baskin Robbins once) and coming up with new things we could make and sell to help the store's business.
gotta go eat dinner! I'll update later. I will be working every day except Saturday and Sundays.

I have a job

2008-06-11T10:34:00.003-04:00

So Friday, I went to pay our Dnet bill and came back home with a possible job. I ran into a dear friend of mine who owns a shop in town and was chatting with her when the owner from the Chocolate Obsessions store came up to us and chatted. I found out that she needed help, so I spoke up and said that I used to work at an ice cream store and since she sells ice cream also I had experience in that field of work. She got excited and straight out asked for my number. I gave it to her and then went over to her shop just to talk. Yesterday I was in her shop to get a smoothie and then today she called. She wants me to work at 11. That is in 20 minutes. It takes me two minutes to walk there. I better start getting ready early though. I will keep you all posted on how things go today!

Shortbread recipe (This one is for you, Zanna!)

2008-06-09T11:47:00.006-04:00

This is an easy recipe. After familiarizing yourself with this recipe, it will become faster to make. Cleanup is faster if you form the dough shapes on a cutting mat rather than on a cutting board or just your counter top. Cutting mats can be bought at Wal-mart cheap and are easier to pull out and put away for when you are baking and cutting. They are found in the kitchen aisle with the other cutting boards and chopping blocks.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C flour
3 T. Sugar
1/2 Cup butter (softened)

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Mix the flour and sugar in a bowl and cut in butter. Knead the mixture with your hands until the dough starts to cling and form into a dough substance. You may have to play with it a bit ;). Form into a 10x6 inch rectangle and cut into whatever shapes you like. I prefer cutting them into smaller and equal size rectangles. Place them an inch apart on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Place the pan on a rack and let cool for 10 minutes before transferring the shortbread from the pan to a plate. Enjoy with your hot tea or with a glass of milk!

Spring Cleaning

2008-06-03T09:00:00.003-04:00

I am doing spring cleaning this week and the next. I recently bought a book called Mary Emmerling's Quick Decorating Book and was inspired to redecorate a bit and organize. So that has lead me to do spring cleaning as well. I am enjoying it and looking forward to acquiring some more baskets to help my clutter control (as Mrs. Emmerling calls it). Clutter control is just another term for collecting together junk, putting it in some sort of pretty or old container or basket and therefore transforming that junk into a whole new form of decorative flare. This will be fun. I will be taking pictures when I get to the point where I am satisfied with my accomplishments.

Here's to the beginning of a new form of clutter control and redecorating...

stupidity and refrigerators don't mix very well....

2008-05-27T12:59:00.005-04:00

Well, can you guess what I did recently? Well actually Saturday? I went to shut the refrigerator door after putting away the orange juice. We left to go to Cashiers for the weekend and when we got back home Monday night (5/26/08), the refrigerator door hadn't been shut all the way! Our "new" refrigerator door doesn't shut unless you actually use your brains. I apparently wasn't using my brains and didn't make sure it was all the way shut. Everything in our refrigerator is ruined now because of my stupidity!!! Yep, I have had to throw out everything! And now am going to be writing a huge grocery list of all the necessities that were ruined.

Here is what my list looks like so far:
~ milk
~ eggs
~mayonnaise
~ketchup
~mustard
~ cheese
~ italian dressing (yes this is a necessity to me since I am a salad queen)
~ orange juice
~ lunch meat
~margarine
~vegetables (the ones in the fridge turned brown and black)

Our apartment complex is not level. It is a bit inclined. Not enough to notice it when walking, but if you were to pour out a cup full of water directly onto the floor, it wouldn't spill in all directions it would head south in a straight line. So when we got our replacement refrigerator, its door was hinged on the wrong side and now it no longer closes on its own when it is open. It won't close when being swung closed. It has to be manually closed all the way in order to insure its sealing. I have been promised by our landlady that she will get a guy to come and rotate the door so that the hinges are on the other side (making it easier to move in our kitchen as well). That was about three months or so that I was promised that. I beginning to wonder how easy it is to do the whole thing ourselves...

I've been tagged

2008-05-24T11:05:00.002-04:00

Here are the rules:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I am deathly afraid of heights. Even seeing other people go near balconies and lean against the rail makes me nervous that they will fall. It is mainly a neurotic problem of mine. Haven't really found out what it is. Something to do with my terrible gait and balance. I have nearly fainted being up four stories high at the High Museum of Art in downtown ATL. We were finished touring the place and had to walk down the narrow ramp four flights down. I had to sit down because I felt dizzy while Mr. Price asked the elevator man if I could go down with the old people. I could, and I did. Mr. Price and that elevator man were my heroes!!! I found out, that the reason the man was on elevator duty was because he too was afraid of heights!

2. My hobbies consist of: crocheting, knitting, cooking, playing the piano, talking, sewing, reading, getting involved in unique and different crafts, home decor, and blogging.

3. I am obsessed with bricks. When I see a stray, unclaimed brick, I grab it and plan on using it for a bookend. And let me tell you, I even have my Mom and Dad asking for me to make bookends for them out of bricks. All because one day I decided to crochet around a brick and call it a bookend. I do not have a brick bookend in my name anymore because I have given them away as presents to Mom, Dad, Sarah, Hannah, and one to Brittny (who used it as a door stop). If you see and know of stray bricks, I would love them!!!! I own two door stops, but no bookends (YET) and have a couple that I will crochet around soon and dub as bookends. I can't have enough bricks. I have used even half of bricks and make bookends out of them. Even half of a half has been useful to me as a paperweight.

4. When my fingernails grow long enough to where there are the natural white tips on them, I must clip them soon or it distracts me. I can feel them when they are that long and they feel annoyingly strange. I have been this way since I was eleven. It used to distract me on Sundays and I would end up biting them until they were short enough and then I could concentrate on the sermons.

5. I can't sleep without socks on my feet and haven't been able to since I was two years old. I have had to wake my Dad and Mom up in the middle of the night, while we were staying in two hotel rooms in Virginia, just so that I could borrow a pair of socks because I had left my socks in the car. I was 18 when that happened!

6. I have two cats and am now a cat lover and wish I had another cat, but because of living in an apartment that is small and because of the rules, we can't have more than two. Life isn't worth living without cat hairs in my life even though I am allergic to the hairs.

7. I love books and owned just over 700 before getting married. Between my husband and I we have over 1000 put together!! Most of his are in his parents garage attic, and mine are mostly around the apartment with only three or four boxes full in my closet.

well I am not going to list anyone, because most everyone has already been tagged once and twice.

So far...

2008-05-23T11:32:00.003-04:00

~I have done two loads of laundry today
~I have not eaten breakfast because I am lazy and don't want to make it
~I have made up the bed
~I have washed all dishes
~I have not mopped the floor like I said I would yesterday
~I have not made tea cakes like I promised I would for tomorrows tea party with my neighbor
~I have utterly failed at writing a to do list for myself today but am enjoying this list
~I have one load of laundry left to do
~I have read six chapters of The Last Battle for the first time in my life and am enjoying it greatly
~I have practiced piano everyday this week
~All week I have successfully prevented Nathan from getting into his violent sleep walks just by asking him random questions that make him think!
~I have succeeded in producing a second blooming on one of my Kalanchoe plants!!!
~I have also succeeded in blooming my African Violet
~I have been very happy with married life
~I have been blessed by God in so many ways and am truly thankful for all that I have been given in my life

May 21,2008- how my day is going so far

2008-05-21T11:48:00.002-04:00

Ok so I wake up and guess what I find out? That I was supposed to be at the chiropractor's office YESTERDAY at 2:00!!!!!! Clumsy me! I had thought it was supposed to be today that I was going! This is the first time that I have forgotten and I have been going there regularly for two months now. I called up the office and left a message apologizing for my forgetfulness and pleading for forgiveness while wondering if it was possible to reschedule. SO I will be waiting in torment until next Tuesday to go in to the chiropractor for an adjustment.

Aside from the horror of missing an appointment, I am happy to share with my readers that I am going on a picnic with my husband today!! Nathan is getting off work at 12:30 and we will be spending nearly the rest of the day all by ourselves and all over Franklin, NC. We plan to go to Wal-mart after lunch and buy some clothes. Yippeee!!!!! I love clothes shopping. I used to hate it, but I love it now. This will be the first time that I have gone clothes shopping since before Christmas. Even though it is Wal-mart. But hey, they do have some cute clothes. I probably will only be buying one article of clothing, because of our financial struggles we have had for about two months. A five dollar shirt is affordable though.

After the Wal-mart trip we will scoot ourselves back into downtown and just meander the among the shops, probably deposit the $20 check we were given on our anniversary that I have neglected to deposit all this time. If I can remember to bring it with me. I am looking forward to this happy occasion of getting to spend precious time with my husband. We don't get to spend much time with each other at all except for a couple of hours in the evening and hardly any time on the weekends.

Oh, and I almost forgot, we will be having Jake over for dinner around 6:30 and will be going to see Prince Caspian in the Franklin Ruby Cinemas at 8:00. That I really look forward too, but will enjoy every minute I get with my husband alone before dinner and the movie. Jake has been waiting to see this movie and really doesn't like going alone, which I don't blame him. It is nice that we don't have to travel far to get to a theater. Even if it is a small and not stadium seating theater. The nearest "nice" theater is an hour away.

Most things up here you have to travel far to get to. Like the nearest mall, theater, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Starbucks, Borders, American Bread Company, and any kind of mall type shopping. The only thing we have up here is Wal-mart, K-Mart and Lowes. Then the local shops and chain fast food restaurants like Hardees, Wendy's, and Mcdonald. There are three Ingles and one Bi-Los for grocery shopping in Franklin. And surprisingly, the K-mart is more popular than the Wal-mart and they are both old stores. Not the super marts like they have in GA. Our thirty minute drive neighbor town, Sylva does have a super Wal-mart thankfully for when we do need something that none of the other stores have.

Ok I am rambling and need to get lunch made and dinner in the crock pot.

News from the Forrester Front!

2008-05-20T12:58:00.006-04:00

So I am currently reading Three Musketeers and have found it an incredible adventure and so amusing to read. I have found also that I may have a talent for baking homemade bread!!! I didn't get an excellent shot of the bread and had forgotten to take one before eating a slice of the warm bread. The braids did not come out like the pictures in the book showed, to my dismay, but it was still fascinating to see the end results of my efforts. I will try to perfect this one!

What I heard when I woke up!

2008-05-12T08:40:00.004-04:00

Today, I woke up feeling special and knew in my heart that today would be a wonderful day! And indeed it already has been a wonderful day. Today is a milestone in my husband's and my history. Today, we celebrate our first year anniversary. It has taken months of waiting and counting for this day, but it has finally come and I don't want it to end. Nathan woke me up at 6:45 with whispers in my ear, "Hello, my one-year anniversary wife! I love you! Did you sleep well?" What a wonderful way to be woken up. All these months Nathan has been the most loyal person in my life. He has woken me up every morning, helped me to my feet, and assisted me to the kitchen in order for me to make our breakfast. I couldn't have done it without him and often wonder how I managed to walk immediately after waking up each morning before I was married to him. There are so many things that I love about being married and rejoice that the Lord gave us to each other. We hold a special relationship with one another. One that will last until death parts us on earth.

I want to share with you a few things that I love about Nathan.
Nathan, like his name means, is a gift from God to me and those around him.
Nathan is special, talented, has a wonderfully big heart, knows how to make me smile even when I don't want to be cheered up. He is comical. And even though he does splash water all over the mirror when he wets him comb to fix his hair (creating smears all over the mirror), he still remains my best friend and I could never get angry at him for the little things he does that may drive me a little bit crazy. I love all those things he does that are a bit wacky or insane. Everyday, he loves me and I love him back. Everyday, he not only tells me that he loves me, he shows me that he loves me. Not a day goes by where we don't share true loves kiss and hug.
Nathan likes to pick on me nearly every day, but that is what makes him even more love-able and cute. He knows when he needs to be serious and when I am hurt.

How can I tell him enough how much he means to me? I love him for all that he was, is, and will be. I love him in our everyday and all day. Even if I am frustrated or upset with him, which is not often, I love him. I could never see us separated and know that our love is deep and will last. Not even in my dreams am I angry with him. He is the only man I care to love like I do now. And the only man that I want to grow old with. God bless him! He deserves so much for what he does for me and for loving me as much as he does.

Recent Accomplishments

2008-05-05T11:29:00.004-04:00

About two weeks ago, my husband Nathan asked me why I hadn't been on my sewing machine in a long while. Good question! I don't believe I have been on it since Christmas. I decided it was best for me to bring out my sewing machine and try to get something done. The problem was that I didn't exactly know what I wanted to sew. I remembered that I had bought eight bandannas for a tablecloth idea I had seen in a Martha Steward book. I walked into my bedroom and spotted them on my chest of drawers still folded and waiting to be ironed. There were four red and four navy blue bandannas of the common paisley pattern. I fetched my iron and table top ironing board out from our linen closet while tucking the can of nearly empty starch under my arm and plodded to the kitchen eager to start on my new project.

I really don't enjoy ironing too well, but do it only when I find I have to or am excited about something that I want to do. This project needed to get done, but had been stalled at the time because I didn't want to iron the wrinkled bandannas. Upon taking out my sewing machine, I had found I really did miss sewing and was eager to plunge into this project. Ironing took all of five minutes to accomplish plus wrinkled napkins that had been waiting to see the iron for a month.

I cleaned off the counter and got everything set up and ready for me to begin. The foot pedal and electrical cord installed and the bobbin and needle already threaded, I began a little journey that ended in a cute-as-a-button red bandanna tablecloth that I placed immediately on our small, round kitchen table. This was too much excitement for me to handle alone. I couldn't wait for my husband to get home and see. When he did finally get to see it, we were using it for lunch and then later for dinner. I have been using it for breakfast and dinners since the day I installed this new luxury into our kitchen. I hadn't used the table since my "monster" of a kitten ;) had taken over that table as her own. This time, I fought back and showed her that it is my table and squirted her incessantly with a mister bottle for the next couple of days until she finally came to understand that it was unsafe to go treading in that territory.

A day or two later, I covered the seat cushions for the chairs around the table by pinning down navy blue bandanna around each cushion to complete the ensemble. I now have a doily in the middle of the table on the tablecloth and a fake vase of red flowers to complete the centerpiece. I am in love with this new look to our kitchen and want so much to have a tea party for two on this table.

I am now working on a seat cushion for my piano made out of bandannas and quilt batting. It may take more effort and a lot more energy and thinking, but I will carry it out to its end and not stall and procrastinate on this one. It will cost my back the more I stall. When I sit down at the piano for longer than thirty minutes, I can feel the stress in my back and neck from the hard seat of the bench. I needed a seat cushion and had looked online for some, but in the end bandannas from the dollar store only cost me $4 and a huge bag of quilt batting was given to me for free. That is a far greater deal than what I had seen on the internet. I hope to be done with this project in a couple of days. After that, I plan on making a reversible lap quilt that is blue bandannas on one side and red on the other. It will only take me eight bandannas to make that and very little time.

It has been easy sewing with bandannas because the bandannas already have a hem. The casualness of a simple bandanna has never looked more luxurious or formal to me than it has been over the past few weeks since I have discovered this new hobby and obsession of mine.

What's in your quesadilla?

2008-04-05T11:55:00.003-04:00

Recently, I was sitting at our bar reading through a cookbook called "How to Boil Water," very much wanting to make something new for dinner and something I had never made before, when I came across a section on how to make quesadillas. On that page, it instructed me step for step how to make one. I was much impressed and enthusiastic on this idea. I threw the rest of the ingredients out of the list and decided that no cookbook was going to tell me what to put into a quesadilla. I would do that part my own way.

Nathan came home from work just as I was ready to come up with my own concoction of what I wanted to see in my quesadilla. I realized, "what kind of quesadilla would Nathan want?" So I informed him, "I am making quesadillas for dinner tonight and would like to know what you want in yours." Nathan of course first had to hear my story of how I stumbled across this idea for dinner. Before getting his answer, I informed him that he may have anything he likes, that we have in the refrigerator and cabinets, in his quesadilla.

He answered me and with a few suggestions on my part and decided that he would have his quesadilla with cheese, stir fried chicken, my homemade hot salsa and sour cream. He was brave to try his this way, but I was dead set on him getting his quesadilla just the way he liked it, no less than that. It was to be just the way he wanted it and I was going to make sure of this.
I decided that my quesadilla was going to go first in case of mistakes, though I was doubtful of this. I knew from the minute I layed my eyes on the cookbook page that I could do it and with flying colors. But still, I had to do mine first so that my husband got the best one.

Following the instructions from the cookbook, I melted cheese in my biggest frying pan and made sure it coated the bottom and a bit of the sides of the pan. I then Placed my white corn tortilla on the pan and sprinkled shredded cheddar cheese on the surface of the tortilla. I placed a portion of the chicken, that I had stir fried in olive oil previous to buttering the frying pan, onto one side of the tortilla and then smothered that chicken with sour cream. I had to do all this quick like so that the tortilla wouldn't brown before its time to brown. I then folded the softened tortilla in half covering the chicken and sour cream. Waiting about a minute or two I checked to see if the bottom of the quesadilla was browned a little and when it was just that I flipped it and let the other side brown.

When it was finished crisping up, I transferred it to the preheated 200 degree oven and let it rest on a cookie sheet to keep it warm while I cooked Nathan's. In order to cook his, I put more butter in the pan, after first wiping out the pan a with a paper towel, and let his butter melt. Keeping to the instructions I proceeded to follow in the same manner as I had done before and cook his quesadilla.

Placing his along side my quesadilla, I shut the oven door and set the table in a jiffy while letting my computer geek of a husband know that it was time to finish up his game and come eat dinner with me. Actually, I probably only said, "dinner is ready my love." But of course that is understood that he better be done with his game for the moment. I have no problem with him playing computer games while I am making dinner, but when dinner is served, my stomach waits for no one. :)

It was a hit and a favorite instantly at our table. I made the decision right then and there, that we would try many different quesadillas and that I would search for the perfect filling for a quesadilla until I found one. But I found out that our first quesadillas we ate were the ones that both of us thought highly of and felt was the perfect ones for us. It fit us like a glove.

I have discovered that quesadillas shows the character of the one who is eating it. Each eater of a quesadilla will let you know how he/she likes their quesadilla. It is as if each quesadilla was imprinted with a tell tale mark of the person eating it. Some prefer theirs with meat, some with veggies, some without. When you go to a mexican restaurant, you can go up to any person eating a quesadilla, and I bet you will find that each person out of the whole mass of quesadilla eaters is going to have a different quesadilla than the rest. When it comes down to it, not one of the mass of quesadilla eaters will have the same quesadilla as any of the others. Each person is unique in their own way and their quesadilla will tell you that!

Each person likes their own quesadilla the way they prefer it. Their own favorite quesadilla. It may take them time to find their perfect quesadilla for them, but if they truly are into quesadillas, they will spend the time to look for that perfect quesadilla. And I promise you that quesadillas are worth the time to try to find the perfect concoction for the perfect flavor for you.

And now I ask you this, "what's in your quesadilla?"

A replacenment for our refrigerator!

2008-03-18T12:07:00.003-04:00

Yesterday evening, after deciding that I would cook my chicken after going to rent a 99 cent movie at the movie rental store. Mondays are 99 cent days on all movies even new releases so we take advantage of it every Monday. We were heading out to get a movie called the Ultimate Gift when I remembered that we left our weekend movie at home that we needed to return. We turned back and was passing our landlady's house when I noticed her waving to me as if signaling to me. I shouted at Nathan to back up the driveway. Rolling down the window, I heard her say, "we're coming down the hill, we have a strong man to help with the refrigerator."

He was about Nathan's size only with more muscle than flab. (Sorry Nathan, it is true!:) So we drove down to our apartment and after moving furniture aside from the doors and after locking the cats in our bedroom so they wouldn't escape, I pulled everything out of the refrigerator and freezer in a flourish. Just in time too! Nathan and the muscular man, whom I figured was the Landlady's future son-in-law, had brought the refrigerator through the sliding glass door and set it down in the hall to make room for pulling the other refrigerator out of the way. I swept up cobwebs and dust that had gathered behind and beneath our old refrigerator and then took a wet rag to mop up old liquid residue.

After that, they had the refrigerator in there in no time and I was set to put everything back into the refrigerator after thanking them for everything. I am sure I was glowing by this time. I had a newer refrigerator and it was a lot bigger too! I have way more space than ever now. The only thing I don't like about it, is that the door opens the opposite way and gets in the way, and the top shelf on the door to the refrigerator has little egg dimples where eggs are supposed to sit. I think I prefer leaving the egg carton in there without taking them out each time that I buy eggs. I will find a use for it. And no, the egg dimples do not detach or I would have given it to the landlady for holding until we move out.

Finally I told Nathan I was finished putting everything in its place and was ready to go to the movie store. This time we grabbed the other movie before forgetting it again. We got to the movie store and waited in line for twenty minutes and asked for our movie that we had reserved for us for that day. Come to find out they didn't get it reserved after all. But the lady working remembered putting one on the shelving cart to be shelved. So we got to see Ultimate Gift finally after waiting nearly a month or two to be able to get a hold on one of the four copies that they own.

To end the day off Nathan and I watched that movie and thoroughly enjoyed it. I enjoyed crying at the same places in the movie with him and laughing together at the good clean humor in the movie. Not one single cuss word either. I highly recommend it! Great storyline too!

Well, Nathan will be getting home for lunch soon so I need to plan his meal.

My freezer quit on me...dinner time!

2008-03-17T16:43:00.003-04:00

Well my freezer quit on me today and all my ice melted. I do not have a cooler that will fit everything that is in the freezer at the moment. And even then, I can't get ice until tonight when Nathan comes home from work. I think it may have been melting on us since last night when we got home and discovered that the ice had melted again. This has been happening for nearly three weeks now. I would notice the ice cube trays with water in it instead of ice and then they would freeze up in the next three hours. So it was working a little. My landlady still hasn't been able to get two guys together to move a fridge she has for me in the garage. I had cleaned out our fridge about three weeks ago in anticipation of an exchange of refrigerators. I was right. We are getting a used new refrigerator. I am grateful for this. Because I really didn't want to have a man in our apartment working on a refrigerator that is older than me and me be alone with him here and only cats that I could sick on him if I needed to.

So anyway, it has been nearly twelve hours since I discovered all of the ice melted instead of just the top two trays. And I am wondering, do I do chicken on the Foreman grill for dinner tonight or hamburgers? I have chicken breasts that have thawed in the freezer that need cooking, and then I have beef in the refrigerator that really cannot go another day without me cooking it. Nathan says "HAMBURGERS!!!!!" And I want chicken 'n dumplings. Or marinaded chicken grilled. And then I get Nathan telling me, "make a HUGE meal, and then heat it up tomorrow for more. " I can't have chicken and hamburgers for dinner tonight!!!! Oh and I also have a wedding cake in the freezer that I am scared to see what it looks like. Our top piece that we were saving there for our first anniversary. I think we will be using over the weekend for when the Greer's will be coming up. No sense trying to freeze it up again when it probably already has thawed out in the freezer.

Oh on top of this, I just got our electric bill and come to find out, it is higher this month that we have had it in the past six months because our freezer decided it wanted a helicopter's motor, to a freezer's compressor! Really! It sounded like a helicopter from in my bedroom with the door closed and with our fan on high. I could still hear it. And I really did think it was Big Mama, the hospital helicopter that belongs at the hospital that is walking distance from here. The freezer only made that noise when it was running. And that was usually every five to six hours. I counted. And then we no longer heard the noise for most of the time and that is when it began to die. Well our monthly bill we have worked hard at keeping it $50 for the electricity. And now it has gone up to a $70 bill. Yeah, we haven't used the heater at all in winter and haven't needed to what with cooking, neighbors who are old and cold in all seasons, computers, laundry room next door, and only one wall being an exterior wall. That has been nice. All winter long and just a $50 bill each month and sometimes lower.

I love to cook dinner, but am in a dilemma for what to use, beef? or chicken? I have so many ideas, but I really don't want to mix chicken with beef for dinner. I only want to cook one meat to go with dinner tonight, not two. Otherwise Nathan will gorge on more that he really needs. He is picking up hamburger buns, he insists, so that I have no excuse for why I can't make hamburgers on our George Foreman grill. Of course he would get buns if he wants it, but that doesn't mean I will make it. :)!!! Nathan is cute when he insists on getting a meal that he likes. He doesn't do that often, but when he does, he knows that is what he will get for dinner. LOL. I can't resist those big eyes and that face. When he asks for a meal, I have to give in and make it his way. Hamburger mixed up with seasonings and marinaded with Worcestershire sauce with mustard and ketchup smashed between wheat buns.

Well I need to plan the sides to go with dinner, but all of our vegetables are mushy from being in the freezer and thawing out!!!! Hopefully we will get our refrigerator tomorrow and no later! Nathan has volunteered to help move the refrigerator and so has our landlady's daughter's fiancee. The problem is it can't be moved before 6pm on any given day because they both get off work around 6. Otherwise it is an early morning before-the-crack-of-dawn exchange of refrigerators.

Hopefully, something will be worked out, or we are camping out in our own kitchen for another day.

Another chiropractic visit

2008-03-14T13:53:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I went for my second visit to the DC (doctor of chiropractic) and had adjustments made to my spine, neck and hip.
Living two minutes away from downtown is a very convenient thing for me right now since I don't have a car and can't drive legally. I have found it can be enjoyable taking strolls through downtown or going to the dollar store and grocery store on days when the weather permits it.
Yesterday though I had an appointment to see my DC at 4:30. I planned my whole day around this time and made sure that everything I needed to get done, would be finished before at least 4:00. In case you didn't know, I have a fear of being late and prefer not to think of what would happen if I was late.
I was ready a long time before 4:30 and wanted it to come so that I wouldn't have to look at the clock constantly making sure that I didn't loose track of the time. Well 4:00 came and I was ready, but since it only takes 5 minutes to walk to the DC office it wasn't time for me to go yet. My instinct was telling me "oh it may take longer though because of the traffic lights and having to wait for the crosswalk signs to tell me to walk!" But I just had to ignore instinct this one time. I decided to place my tote bag at the door and then sweep the floor to pass the time. When I was finished sweeping the floor it was still only 4:10. I then decided to wipe off the counter tops for the second or third time in the past hour. By 4:13 I decided it was time to go.
I walked fast down the street and got to the two crosswalks in perfect timing. It was as if they both were in sync to my walking and changed right when I needed to make the crossing. Well this was great. I made the walk in two minutes getting to the office with 15 minutes to kill. Good thing I brought Johnny Tremain along with me. I read about two chapters into it after signing in and sitting in one of the waiting room's ergonomic chairs.
I ended up being admitted five minutes early only to talk for about ten minutes on the topic of the book I was reading. He happened to see me put the book into my bag while he was helping an old lady patient of his into her jacket and out the door and had inquired of what I was reading. It turns out that my DC has two children that are home schooled and that are reading through the Little House On The Prairie serious with their mother. She happens to enjoy reading out loud to them and Dr. Barnes happens to be interested in knowing what kind of books they would be interested in. He kept apologizing and trying to get on with asking me questions, but then he would ask again, "now are there gory details and battle scenes in this book?" I would assure him it was great for kids and adults and that it didn't describe gore at all. He was fascinated with my account of the book and couldn't wait to get his wife the book to read to his kids. I told him I would write down the name of the book and author for him.
Finally we got down to business and he took me to get three x-rays done of my spine. One from the side, strait on, and from the neck up front on. After they were developed, he spent time studying them and telling me exactly what he saw and the numbering of the lumbars. He then counted my lumbars and put pin marks on the ones that he needed to adjust so that he wouldn't have to recount them to find them.
It turns out that I not only have scoliosis in my lower back, but also a bit of a curve in the upper spine and then my neck is straight instead of curved with the top most bone of the spine, the atlas, being off to the side. The rest of the time he spent adjusting the pin marked bones and then asking me a little more about the book. I wrote down the title and author of Johnny Tremain on a business card of his.
It ended up that he was a bit concerned that Nathan and I would have trouble paying for the x-rays and decided that he would give it to me free and I ended up paying $24 for spending a little over an hour in the office, half of which was spent discussing books. I asked him how long he thinks it will take for my spine to be straightened out, knowing in the back of my head that I want it to be straightened out before a year is up, but not thinking it possible. He said he didn't know for sure and that it all depends on each person as to how long or short it takes. He knows that Nathan and I want to plan on having children, but he can't tell me an exact time period.
I told him I understood, but inside I was screaming to know. How long will it be? A year? Two years? My mind goes crazy with not knowing the unknowable. Only God knows. And only God can know. But still I wonder if a DC could know an estimated time based on experience. I will work hard to have our first child and I will promise to do whatever it takes. Exercising it half of the healing process, and the adjusting is the other half of it. But ultimately it is up to God himself.
I pray that I may have the patience I need.

10 Months

2008-03-12T13:53:00.002-04:00

I sit here thinking back to the times Nathan and I had when we were dating and then when we were engaged, married, and life as it is now, and I see that God has truly blessed our lives! Today marks ten months of being married. Nearly a year now. I am excited and can't wait to celebrate our anniversary.

One of my favorite memories with Nathan were the ones where we were still dating and the excitement behind knowing that God had placed Nathan in my life for a reason. I didn't deserve this! Yet he still blessed me with him. I still think back to the circumstances in which we met. How his uncle John thought to put together a dinner for us to meet. And how it worked out beautifully! He and I talked the next day during the Sunday covered dish dinner and sat together. He opened the car door after I accepted his offer to drive me home. I was so giddy over the fact that he asked me in such a sweet and gentlemanly way. I remember being impressed that he actually opened the door for me. I laugh remembering my giddiness and how I took him the long way home so that we could talk longer. He told me he would see me again on Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving was two and a half weeks away! That was a long time. But we gave out our email addresses. On Monday night he asked if he could call me on the phone, and I said yes he could. He called me up and we talked until midnight. This happened every night that first week only the time that we hung up got later and later until one time it was 3:00am and we decided to set a limit. Then we both got Verizon Wireless cell phones on that Friday after meeting. This way we wouldn't have to wait until 9pm when I could receive his phone call in order to get free minutes. And he could call me anytime he wanted. I remember watching for shooting stars at the same time over the phone. And we often saw the same shooting start. Well it was really just a meteorite shower, but we called them shooting stars. It was very romantic. By the time Thanksgiving came around, I felt like I knew him so well. And I had. We learned to love each other over the phone and learned to know each other very well. The only thing we hadn't told each other yet was "I love you!" We both would think it in our minds and hearts. But we couldn't say it yet. I was waiting for him to make the first move, and he was waiting for the moment when he got my father's blessing.
He asked my father on Thanksgiving night first if he could date/court me and then he said that he already knew that he wanted to marry me. And Dad said yes to both. We were engaged Decemnber 23,2006. I knew he would be asking me soon and just had no clue I would get it as a Christmas present. Nathan was my best Christmas present I had ever known. I had no idea, in the beginning of year 2006, what was coming, but I welcomed it with an open heart and arms.
Nathan truly has been one of the best things to have happened to me. And even though there are times when I am lonely and when I wish I had more friends up here, I know that Nathan will be here for me and will be an encouragement to me when I need it the most. I love him very much. I look forward to growing old together with him and wouldn't want to grow old together with anyone other than him.
I enjoy every moment I can get with him and miss him every time we have to say goodbye again. It is the hardest thing to say goodbye in the mornings and afternoon when he goes to work. But it is worth the waiting to have him come back home to me in the evenings with open arms. I thank God for him daily.

Chiropracttor visit today

2008-03-11T17:31:00.001-04:00

I just came back from the chiropractor today and had discovered in depth about what is really happening with my hip and back. I have scoliosis, which an MD had told me probably happened when I was born, and I have a hip misalignment which happened around the age of 14 or 15 falling off a horse. Dr. Barnes my chiropractor as of today, was able to tell me a lot about my hip and back that even Dr Mitchell my former chiroprator hadn't told me.
I showed my year old x-rays to Dr. Barnes and he was able to take measurements and be able to tell me that my whole hip has been rotated so to say and that it is causing my spine to curve. He knows for sure that falling off a horse at the speed it was going (gallop) would cause my hip to do that and as a result would cause my spine to curve to make up for the hip being out of place. His first question after taking measurements on the x-ray was, "do you and your husband plan on having kids?" Of course we plan on it. I told him yes, we want kids. And then he told me right out, that it wouldn't be a good thing to have kids with the way my hips are right now. This wasn't what I wanted to hear, but I am glad that he had told me this. I asked him why an MD would tell me that it was fine and his response was, "because an MD isn't trained to do chiropractic care and doesn't have to know all about chiropractic work, so they are ignorant of a lot of what chiropractors are trained to know." I am angry that an MD would tell me that "yes it is ok to have kids, it isn't a problem." That gave me a false hope. And now I am glad to hear the truth even if it does hurt me a little to know that not only does our plans for having children rest on Nathan's job situation, but also on my hip and spine alignment.
The hardest lesson in learning this news is patience in waiting before we can plan on having children. My fear is that it will take longer than two or three years before we can have children. I live alone all day and have trouble dealing with loneliness because I only have Nathan. I don't have a car and can't drive yet. So on rainy days and cold days I stay home all day. I do have cats, only they sleep all day.
Please be in prayer for me.
I am very thankful that I was warned about the problems with childbearing with my condition. I regret that I didn't visit a chiropractor immediately after the accident, but I was ignorant of that kind of field of doctors and probably never had heard of them before. As Nathan told me recently, I probably would have been a completely different person at the time that we met if I hadn't had these struggles with my health. He is right I am sure. I learned to pray more when I was sick than when I was healthy. And when I was in pain than when I was subdued. I am reminded of Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to happen for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose."
My prayer is that God will work in my heart through these times of bliss at knowing that we may have to wait longer than we want in planning a family. Also I pray that God will grant me peace to be able to bear being alone, during the days, for however long it takes for me to be physically fit for childbirth.

Cookie Monster!!

2008-03-07T15:05:00.002-05:00

When Nathan arrived home from work last night, he was excited and animatedly told me about some strange caller he spoke to at work that day. He sat down in the computer chair and proceeded to talk until he noticed the arrangement on the table with the cookies being the center attraction. "Cookies!!"was his own personal interruption of his story. Grabbing one, he proceeded to chew and I decided to make fun. "Nathan, don't eat that! It is for a picture I am taking!" His eyes got big and remorseful. He took me into his arms and apologized ever so humbly while I tried not to laugh. I couldn't last long and laughed and told him that I got bored and decided to find something new to photograph. When I couldn't find anything interesting enough, a picture popped into my head and I proceeded to make cookie and find things to arrange around the cookies. So then I showed Nathan the pictures I had already taken and the blog. He laughed at me and then ate some more cookies and asked about dinner. He thanked me for the cookies and said that he had been craving them for sometime and that they were perfect and chewy in the middle just like he liked them.
Today I decided to make soup and photograph it. Nathan's lunch became my photographic experience and this time he had to suffer cold soup and nuke it a little in the microwave to get it to where the cheese would melt. Sadly enough, I forgot to take a picture of Nathan while he was eating it.

Tasty Morsels

2008-03-06T17:59:00.000-05:00

Yep I can get distracted with taking pictures, but I decided to make cookies in order to have this picture taken. And, no, not all of the cookies were able to fit on the plate so I ate a couple! MMMM! Sugar cookies turn out nicely every time so I made these moist sugar cookies from one of my random cookbooks called "Where's Mom Now that I Need her?" I collect cookbooks and happen to have this one. Even though I didn't need Mom for much after I was married. I knew how to do everything. There may have been little things like which shaker does the salt go in. The one with two holes? Or Three? LOL. Yeah that was one reason I called Mom. Another may have been about bread. I had made bread a few times before and just needed a question answered that my book didn't address. Anyway here are some pictures that I had fun taking.

"Is your refrigerator running?"

2008-03-06T11:31:00.000-05:00

Do you remember when you would get a call with that question asking if your refrigerator was running? And if you responded yes, the next line was, "well you better go catch it!" Well if I got a call from someone today asking if my refrigerator was running, I would say, "I don't know." Honestly, I am not sure half the time if my refrigerator is running or not. When it is running it sounds like someone is cranking up their car and trying to get it to stay cranked. I believe that the compressor is trying to quit on our refrigerator. I have to make a call to our landlady at 10 and tell her that our refrigerator is making really loud noises when it is running, and that the ice in the freezer melts and then freezes and then melts again and that there is water dripping from our refrigerator ceiling. I was supposed to call her yesterday, but was not feeling all that great and decided that our refrigerator will last another night. Yesterday, I decided that if I was going to call Jerry our landlady, then it probably would be best to clean out our refrigerator of past due leftovers.

Have you ever kept a leftover in the refrigerator for so long that when you go to take it out to clean it, you can't recognize or even remember what you had for dinner that night. I found a lot of those in our refrigerator. Cooked carrots do not look like cooked carrots when they have seen months in the fridge. And cream of chicken soup is no longer chicken soup, but something that died and decided to grow wings again. ICK!!!! I couldn't believe the things I found in the back of our refrigerator!!! I don't think you would believe it either. If it wasn't for Nathan, there would be no reason to keep leftovers anymore. He eats them for lunch now, so it isn't as bad. Before I started feeding him leftovers, the leftovers got pushed to the back of the fridge and forgotten until now. As I pulled out a leftover pasta, I thought to myself, "I don't remember ever making anything like that!!!" Although with the mold growing on it, it's no wonder I don't remember it.

OH the smells that I smelled that day!! I wish I had had a gas mask it was so pungent in the kitchen. I scrubbed hard and long on each gladware and ziploc container that I emptied of its deranged contents.

I don't own real tupperware so I use and reuse the gladware that contained food from our wedding day that we took on our honeymoon for snacking on. Whenever I bought deli meat, I bought it in ziploc or gladware storage boxes and reused them after using up all the meat for sandwiches. And recently I bought some more ziploc containers for storing home made salsa so I now have more than enough food storage containers for leftovers and salsa. We haven't had much leftovers recently, since I have been making less meat with dinner and more vegetables. We eat all of the meal each dinner and if we are still hungry, we eat salsa and drink a lot of water or tea. It has helped Nathan in loosing weight now that I have stopped making all the fattening beefy dinners I used to make and have gone to only one night of beef dinner and the rest of chicken and veggies. Also, it has been several months since he has last seen a dessert of mine.

Anyway, our refrigerator is now nearly spotless and looks strangely empty. I have room!!!

Our clean refrigerator and nearly empty too!

The freezer is also cleaner!

The ceiling of the refrigerator will drip and then freeze up and drip and freeze. It is a constant cycle.

It takes only two or three days for all this to build up in the freezer

a close up shot of where it drips when it melts

A visit to our favorite place (03-01-08)

2008-03-06T09:38:00.001-05:00

My favorite place in the world. Where Nathan proposed to me
December 23, 2008. It is nearly a year ago that we were married.
Almost a year ago that we had our first kiss here. Two weeks
before our wedding on a Saturday we kissed on the spot where he
proposed. We didn't kiss until two weeks before, because we had thought
we wanted our first kiss to be our wedding kiss. Then I decided it
wasn't something that would be a romantic story for my kids when
I tell them our story later on in life.

I drove Nathan out to the lake Saturday the 1st of March. It was
pretty windy, but I am glad we went back there. We stood in our
spot where he had proposed (and I said "yes") and also where we
shared our first kiss. While standing there we hugged and stood
there talking about our moments while looking out at the beautiful
cliffs. And then we kissed again and both said how much we loved
each other. *Sigh* It is still as romantic now as it was then. We
Hope to live in NC always and be able to visit our favorite place
whenever we want.

Maybe next Saturday we will go back and actually get a picture of
of our exact spot of where we shared our first kiss and where he
proposed. If only I had a tripod. Maybe for a birthday present.

Sweet Memories

2008-02-12T13:59:00.000-05:00

I was recently reminded of how much fun I used to have living at home. The walks I would take with siblings on our family farm, the things we would bake together, the stories we would read. How I do miss those moments, but I am now making moments that I will remember and look back at as moments I wish I was in. I am thankful for all that God has given me. It truly is wonderful to wake up in the arms of the one God gave to me. Even if he sleepwalks often and nearly every night, I wouldn't trade his sleepwalking for the days that have already passed me by, however sweet those memories are.
Yet there are some days where I wish I could have all my siblings with me sharing moments that I know we would love sharing. There are little things here and there that remind me of each one of my family members. The morning sunrise reminds me of my father our common love for all kinds of weather, folding clothes and doing laundry remind me of my Mom and how she would tell me that I wasn't folding things the way she wanted me to fold them. Or how an adventurous day reminds me of Hannah and our love to go exploring in the woods or in the pastures and even roll around in them even if there may be ant piles. Then there is the walk to the grocery store that reminds me of how Sarah likes to go shopping and how much fun she and I would have in the grocery store. I can't forget about the Library. Every time I go to the library I remember the days when I worked in the Library and how Mom and all the kids wanted to come pick me up and check out new books. When I am drinking tea or coffee I am reminded of how much fun Laura, Hannah, Marjory and Alaina would have with our tea parties. Then of course when I am reading a book out loud with Nathan I am reminded of all the times I have read out loud to siblings and how even Gabe would come in the room and would think he would be able to get the kids out of there long enough to talk to me alone and yet he would end up listening to the long chapters of The Silver Chair. He even asked me to read another chapter to my surprise. Gabe doesn't like to read fiction or any book requiring turning the page (aside from the Bible) :).
When I go hiking somewhere with Nathan, I am reminded of Jack and his love for the great outdoors.

There is never a day that passes when I don't have something that reminds me of home and the joys of a big family. One day Nathan and I hope to share in the joy of raising kids. Whether it is soon or a long wait, I know we will cherish the moments just like we cherished our childhood and the memories therein.

The dryer is now beckoning me forth to its presence, but it won't tear me away from my memories. I will write some more later.

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Laundry today...

2008-01-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

Well, today is laundry day. I have four loads of laundry to do today. I have cleaned everything in this home that needs cleaning and am now sitting here wishing I knew what to do... Laundry takes time and waiting. The hard part. I don't really want to read right now or crochet. SO here I am. I have had a hard time adjusting to Nathan's new schedule of working from 8-6 everyday. Waking up early isn't a problem anymore. The days just are a bit longer than I am used to having. I can now say that I see the sunrise and the sunset behind the mountains up here. What a beautiful sight it is!!!

Nathan's sister has finished updating his resume so now we can start searching and applying for jobs for him. I am thinking of asking her if she wouldn't mind putting together a resume for me. Mine will be a lot easier and simpler than Nathan's since I have only had two jobs in my life. Bruster's and Braselton Library. I guess if you want to include working at the Town Hall of Braselton that would be a third. I did a bit of filing for them and helped printing the water bills and using the folding machine and stamp machine. I was pretty good at all the jobs that I worked and was quick to learn. I am sure that I can get a job easily, but it is finding a place that is looking for help is the hard part. I know of only two places that might hire in springtime. The ice cream store and the bookstore. I laugh thinking that the only two places offering a job in summer happen to be in my area of expertise.

I want so much to work at the library here, but I have no way of getting there until I have a car. And it will take having a job to be able to afford a car. So I need a job in walking distance. I hope to get a job over the springtime if Nathan hasn't found a job and if it doesn't require moving. I pray that he finds a job within commutable distance from the Church where we are members. Where his father is the pastor. I love that Church and would hate to leave it now that I have become a member (as of November).

As I write this, I am remembering my plans for tea when I next go down to GA to see my family. I am so excited. So far I have received a donation of six tea cups, saucers to match them, a tea pot, creamer, and sugar bowl. I was not expecting this!!! I am now looking for a platter to match the tea set that was given to me. The tea set is all white. I have a white platter, but it is too big for tea cakes. All I need is a white dinner plate and my tea party will be set. I am going to make a table cloth to go on the round table where my sisters and I will be having our tea. As well as I hope to get a folding table in case more can join us for tea. I am going to look for a children's book to read to them while we have tea.

I have spoken to Mom about the tea party I am planning on hosting in GA and she thinks it is a great idea. I am waiting for her to call back letting me know when Dad might be working on a Saturday in the month that we plan to go to GA so that we can avoid that weekend. I want to be there when Dad is there. Nathan is going to plan something to do with Ben and Michael while I am having tea, that way he is not left with nothing to do and Michael has something as well.

We want to be able to visit the library where I worked and I want to show Nathan the stairway to nowhere. An old overgrown field that used to be where the old Braselton High school used to be. What is left is stairs leading to the empty field. I want to take a picture of the field and the stairs and have it blown up and then I want to sketch it and paint it for my own pleasure. I enjoy sketching and recently have gotten back into it. It has been nearly two years since I last sketched or drawn or painted anything. I have forgotten how much fun I used to have. Now I am just lacking in the equipment and in things to sketch.

I need to go wash up and plan our next meal.

Getting ready for Christmas

2007-11-07T16:49:00.000-05:00

I have to say, I really enjoy Christmas time for the giving of gifts and trying my hardest not to let anyone know what I am getting them. This year it is a lot different than last. I am making nearly all of my gifts that I am giving to family members! I wish I had started earlier. I have 23 more coasters to make, and they all take about an hour or two to crochet. Then I have around 6 or 7 pillows I am making with my sewing machine. *sigh* This is not going to be easy. And then yesterday Nathan asked me to make two more coasters for two of his online buddies. We have never met them before, but I am agreeing to make them. I have started on of them just to get it out of the way, but even after spending two hours on it, it is still only a little bigger in size than a half dollar!!!!!!! I hope to be able to get it done tonight. I don't know if I really want to make another one of that kind. It is a pattern I am making up as I go to fit the description of what Nathan wants. He wants me to make a blue round coaster with a gold boarder and a gold W embroidered in the center. "Sure, that will be easy!" I said to him last night as we were on our way to Wal-mart at 11:00 only to find out that they close at 10 and are not a 24 hour Wal-mart. Yesterday was not my best day, but it ended well enough. So today I am taking it easy, sitting back, relaxing, and crocheting while listening to albums of U2 that a friend gave to me on an MP3 formatted cd.

I have already bought a few gifts for those whom I don't know what I could make for them. I have a few family members whom are hard to come up with gift ideas to give to them. I am kinda glad Nathan has a small family compared to my side. On my side I have 14 people I getting gifts for. That's right, 14! And then add Nathan's side, and that is a total of 24. Getting ready for Christmas will never be the same. But then, I am going to enjoy seeing the looks on the faces of the gift receivers.

Well, enough of that, I need to get back to working on the coasters and then dinner around 7:00.

2007-08-11T16:20:00.000-04:00

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our wedding May 12th, 2007.

I believe Nathan was asking me a question and I just happened to make a face as I was talking

This kiss was posed for the camera, and yes we were really kissing more than posing! lots of fun! : )

The get away! Our favorite part...

My kitten

2007-08-11T13:19:00.000-04:00

For my birthday all I wanted from Nathan was a kitten or cat. So yesterday, Nathan took a day off to take me to an animal shelter called Forever Farm. We had an appointment to go to the cat house. Nathan and I truly believe that you must let the pet choose you and not the other way around. SO, I went into the house and walked around repeating to myself "he/she must choose me." There seemed to be millions of cats walking around the trailer. This was not easy. All of the friendly cats came up to us anyway and rubbed themselves against our legs. There seemed to be four adult cats that I really liked and that liked me. But I had already told myself I wanted one that was young, frisky and also one that would pick me.
So Nathan and I were escourted to the kitten room by one of the workers. Upon opening the door, the lady knew immediately to put her feet in first and make the kittens back up and stay in the room. One started to get away, but I scooped her up and cuddled her as I entered into the kitten room (aka the bathroom). Upon putting the kitten down, she tried to climb up my jeans to get back into my arms so Nathan and I sat down so none of the kittens would think they had to climb up us to get our attention. There were 7 other kittens in the room and quite a few of them loved playing with my smock shirt that I was wearing. So it became a hard decision. But the one that I caught trying to escape, kept coming back to my lap me even when Nathan tried to pick her up and spend time with her. She would squirm out of his grasp, leap to the floor and scurry back to be in my care. Even though she seemed a little rough with me and had scratched me several times climbing up my back, I knew it had to be her. Upon making this decision the lady said that the owner (Kathy, Nathan and his family know her well) was giving my cat/kitten to me a wedding and birthday gift. Well, so much for Nathan giving me a kitten as a birthday present!!!

Upon, signing papers, Nathan got out Copper's carrying case and we took the kitten to his parents house, where we had spent the night on Sunday. On the way there, I was still wondering what I would name my kitten. I had wanted to get a male kitten and name it Scrabble. I ended up with a female Tortiseshell Domestic Short Hair and well, she just looked like a Scrabble to me and Nathan agreed. So Scrabble it was and still is.

She is very hyper nearly all the time and on our first night of owning her, she woke us up at 2:11am by biting on Nathan's and my ears and scratching at our faces. No matter what I tried, she still came back up to attack at our faces, so we found that the best way to get Scrabble to leave us alone is to pull the covers over our heads. She slept at the end of the bed when that happened but came back two other times until it really was time for us to get up and eat breakfast.

Pins and Needles

2007-08-02T12:51:00.001-04:00

Currently, my favorite thing to do when I am not cleaning, cooking, spending time with my husband or reading outloud with him, is sewing.
Yes, that's right! I have another hobby to take up space and time in our little "home." But, I am loving it. Sharon Forrester is my teacher and is really good at it too.
I have found that one of favorite things to sew is pillows. Well...that is about one of the only things that I have sewn. My first project was a tablecloth for our two person, round table. It is red checked and round. Then I went on to coming up with ideas of pillows. My favorite pillows I have done is the heart shaped one and the patchwork pillow. I really enjoy doing the lacework on the pillows and hope to learn new techniques for edging.
Soon I will be sewing squares together for a quilt project I have been working on for a couple of weeks. I have all the squares completely cut out and stacked in the proper order that I want them on the quilt. All I have to do is iron and sew. That is the easy part.
I am of course doing this all on a sewing machine and not by hand. The pinning that has to take place before the sewing is the tedious part, but I find it relaxing and enjoyable especially if Nathan is home and we are talking together or listening to an audio book together.
As I am typing this I have two heart shaped pillows that are all pinned and ready to be sewn together and then stuffed with Poly-Fil. He he. Actually, on one of them, I got to the very end of pinning the lace on one side and had taken nearly 30 minutes of frustration around the curves, when upon placing the last pin in place, I found that I had totally pinned the lace on the wrong side of the material instead of the right side. This, of course, makes all the difference in the world. When sewing two pieces of material together to make a pillow, you must place the right sides together and if there is lace it must be pinned upside down and in between right sides so that when it is turned inside out, the lace is on the outside of the pillow and not the inside!!! Quite funny, byt also stupid on my part to do so. I have done several pillows thus far, and know better than this!! So I unpinned it and instead of fretting for 30 minutes, I merely pinned it on the right side of the material and in nearly 10 minutes. Now I have already pinned the other side to it and am ready to sew it up and stuff it. Then comes the hand sewing that I am getting better at by now. I have to hand sew the gap that I purposefully leave in the pillow when I am sewing by machine.
I'll leave pictures up of the finished product if I am pleased with it instead of embarrased, as I have been in the past by my tragic blunders of pillow sewing. Well...to sewing I must go...errrr after lunch, I mean. I know it says I wrote this at 9:50am but it is really 12:50, I can't correct it, sorry.

Here in NC.

2007-07-10T18:29:00.001-04:00

Well, people keep asking me, "how are things going for you in NC.?" To those who are curious, life is going great. Nathan and I are getting along swell and enjoying sharing life together. Some of you know that Nathan has a sleep walking problem. Yes that is right, he walks in his sleep on unpredictable times. They are quite funny and sometimes scary as it happens. But so far only Nathan has gotten hurt. He also likes to talk in his sleep too! That can be quite fun. I have been able to talk back to him and hear the most hysterically funny answers from him. I have woken him up just from laughing at his sleep talking. A couple of nights ago he pulled me close to him and said he needed a kiss. So I kissed him and he said he wanted another kiss. Well, after I kissed him lightly again, he sighed and told me I was the most beautiful woman in the world. I knew he was totally asleep, and so I chuckled to myself and rolled over to fall asleep. The next morning I told him what he had done, and he said he didn't remember that at all. One of the funniest sleepwalks was when he woke me up by shouting "Dorry, turn on the light!" I asked him if he was okay and all he said was "turn on the light and get out of bed I know it is in the bed, but I can't find it." So I turned on the light and got half out of bed when I saw he was under the covers at the foot of the bed. I asked him what was the matter and he said he lost his comb! He thought he had brought his comb into the bed and he declared that he knows it was in the bed!!! I laughed and said, "Nathan, your comb is in the bathroom where you always keep it." he didn't believe me and still kept feeling in the bed until I told him that he can go back to bed now because it was not there. Finally he came to his senses and understood it was just a dream. We had a wonderful laugh over that the next morning. Another night I coughed only once and apparantly woke him up by the cough. He yelled "I'll get it! I'll kill it!" He began smacking his bedside table really hard with his hand (not sure which one, it was too dark). I asked him, " what are you doing?" and his response was "there's a bug" "No , Nathan there is not a bug." "are you sure?" "Yes, Dear, I am sure." and with that I turned on the light and let him see that it didn't exist. Poor Nathan! He has a hard time comprehending reality from dreams when he first wakes up! But God has kept us safe and thankfully there is no window he can jump out of in his sleep!

A new kitchen experiment of mine-- "Fried Oreos"

2007-06-04T15:24:00.000-04:00

Well as some of you all know, there is such thing as a fried oreo! Tonight for dessert, that is what Nathan wanted me to make. Fry some oreos or just attempt to it.

Every Monday night Nathan and I plan on having his best friend Jake over for dinner. Monday's used to be the night that Jake and Nathan would go to this small but popular restaurant called Bogart's. Well one time I had the privilege of witnessing Jake and Nathan (on very full bellies) eat fried oreos and ice cream. They kept making appropriate noises saying how much they loved it. It was the first time Jake ever had a fried oreo. This platter only had like half a dozen fried oreos. That is six for those of you who can't count. Anyway, I have never had one, but Nathan kept telling me I should try them sometime, or even fry them myself one day. So I had all these left over oreos from when I made an oreo pudding for dessert on Thursday. Nathan's suggestion was that I make some fried oreos for dessert tonight with the leftover oreos. I had no idea what kind of batter I was supposed to use when he told me "oh it is made with pancake batter!" Of course! I will use pancake batter! I thought to myself in a slightly amused manner.

I didn't think I would really do it. But after I talked it over with Nathan and then with myself, I decided "OKAY Dorothy, now is the time to do something different that you will always remember." Well I made them, just dip a frozen oreo in pancake batter put in a frying pan with heated vegetable or canola oil and once it is brown put it on a plate. Simple. Now I have a kitchen mess with pancake batter all over my clothes, my floor, my stove, and my counter top.
But other than that, I think fried oreos are delicious and I can't wait to see the looks on the boys faces when they eat them. Cooking is my pleasure, cleaning, well cleaning is just part of having fun in the kitchen!

So for dinner we are having a pasta I have called "It's not Wednesday" pasta with corn on the cob as a side and since the pasta is very filling that is all that will go with the dinner. And then fried oreos for dessert! I hope all goes well tonight.