Tradition!

It's November 1st.  Halloween has been fully celebrated (I'm still recovering) so now it's time to focus on Thanksgiving and Christmas. This particular West Texas autumn has been more like a mild summer and temperatures haven't even dipped into the 60's during the day. Actually, we haven't even been close to 60. It's 90 degrees outside as I type this.

Since the weather isn't making it easy to get into the holiday season, I've been having to find other ways. I'm going to try and do Fat Mum Slim's photo a day again on Instagram with a 'Thankful' twist. I want to make an attempt at focusing on that idea this month. And I really have so much to be thankful for, so it really shouldn't be all that hard.

I might start wrapping some Christmas presents. Don't look at me like that! Maybe if it was cold outside and I could actually drink hot cocoa and wear a dang scarf this would not be happening. I have to find my holiday cheer where I can.

Hallmark Holiday Movies. Enough said.

How on earth do people in Hawaii do this?!?!?! I guess they just suffer through it.

Look at them. Don't they look real sad?

Anyways, all of this has me thinking about traditions. Traditions are another great way to get yourself into the holiday mood. There are just certain things that only happen at certain times of the year. Like my mom making us banana pancakes. That is a Christmas morning even only. So, I associate banana pancakes with the holidays. My mom started the tradition of letting us pick out or buying us new ornaments every year. I've started that same tradition with my nieces and nephew.

I have fewer traditions that focus on Thanksgiving or traditions that Jeremy and I have started together. Maybe it's time to change that. I'm still thinking on it, but I'd like to start something for Thanksgiving for us. A new tradition. Something else to help me get in the holiday spirit every year.

Tell me, what are some of YOUR favorite holiday traditions (Thanksgiving traditions would be most helpful). Did they start when you were growing up? Or have you and your spouse started new traditions? What sort of events or food make you think of the holidays?

It's August!

People! It is officially my birthday month!

Two months ago, I told everyone want I want for my birthday this year. For my 36th birthday I am raising money for animal rescue. So, for June and July I have badgered and begged all over social media for pledges.

My goal was to raise $496, equal the $ amount for every day of this month. And as of right now, I have collected $703.50 in donations! *que the glitter cannons*

We blew my initial goal out of the water. I am amazed and humbled. But, I don't want to call it good. We still have a whole month. And I'm feeling ambitious. So, I'll still be badgering and begging all over social media for this month. Who knows, maybe we will manage to raise $1000.

If you'd like to donate to my big birthday fundraiser, you can do here: gofundme.com/bigbirthday
Every dollar counts and it's all going to a very worthy rescue.

Sometimes..

It's the 4th of July. My Facebook and Instagram account are full of pictures of people doing the normal 4th of July stuff. Everyone is out at the lake watching fireworks, gathering for the family BBQ, getting ready for the pool party. But not us.

Sometimes, when the world gets to be too much..when life gets a little too stressful...we retreat to our love cottage. So, we made big plans for the long weekend which revolved around not having to step a foot outside our house.

We did yard work. We read books. We watched some of our favorite shows. We bbq'ed and made s'mores. We listened to music. We enjoyed our back patio and hammock. We picked vegetables from our garden. We stayed up late and slept in (or at least I did..lol). And each night, we crawled into bed saying 'That was the best day ever'.

Sometimes, doing "nothing" is exactly what we need to recharge so we can turn around and face the world again. Not all the time, but sometimes.

Big Birthday Fundraiser

Is anyone else tired of all the bickering on social media? I do not want to see another thing about public bathrooms or gorillas. It's not that I don't think topics should be discussed...it's just that on social media rarely does anyone ever really discuss anything. It's more like a bunch of people being in a big room just screaming their opinion at the top of their lungs.

I want to talk about something else instead. Animal rescue. Anyone that knows me knows that I have a huge soft spot for rescued animals. I don't really agree with breeding or purchasing "designer breed" animals for a ton of money. I am 100% pro-rescue/shelter adoption.

My birthday is coming up....in two and half months...but I need the time to try and get this set up and get the word out. Usually I am a pretty big diva princess when it comes to my birthday. I want to celebrate all month and I want ALL THE PRESENTS. And cupcakes. And cake. But this year, I want to try something different.

I want to try and raise money for an animal rescue. I want to try and get pledges, at least one for each day of the month of August. $1 for day 1, $2 for day 2, $3 for day 3, and so on. If I can get one person to pledge for every single day of August, we could raise nearly $500. But if I get more than one pledge for a day, I'll gladly accept that. More pledges equal more money. After collecting pledges for the next two months, I would set up a Gofundme account to be opened at the first of August and hopefully start collecting the pledged donations. At the end of the month, I would announce how much was raised and donate it to my animal rescue of choice.

And that rescue would be A Place to Bark, located in Tennessee. Bernie is an animal rescuing machine. Along with a handful of worker bees she makes magic happen for many, many animals. Please feel free to check out their Facebook page, read the posts and watch the videos. It really is a worthy rescue that can use every single bit of help.

SSSoooo, that's my big birthday fundraising idea. I'm officially opening up the fundraiser to pledges. Just comment your name, email, and which day you'd like to place your pledge. If you don't specify a dollar amount, I'll assume you are pledging the amount of the day you select (August 6th would be a $6 pledge). Remember, a pledge is just that...a commitment to pay the pledged amount in August. To kick it off, I'm pledging to pay $36 towards my fundraiser..since that's how old I'll be!

Happy Mother's Day

 

Mothers are the gardeners of the human race. ~Anna A. Rogers

 



My Mom is a pretty good gardener. I know she probably doesn't think so (what mother ever thinks they are doing a good enough job?). But she watered us and nurtured us, made sure we were growing in the right direction, made sure we got enough sun to help us bloom.

I just hope she is proud of her garden.

 

Well, It's New Years Eve

I don't really do resolutions anymore. What's the point, right? I never, ever keep them. Instead of looking forward, I've been looking back on this year. It hasn't been sensational..and now-a-days, thanks to social media, to have anything less can sometimes make a person feel inadequate. But it has been a good year.

For one, I'm still alive! Hey-YO! That's something, right?

I'm still married to the love of my life.

All of my babies are still happy and healthy, even if they are showing their age a little.

I still have my job. It's was a little dicey this year.

I still have my adorable, cozy, love cottage. Even if the storage space is reaching max capacity.

We purchased not one, but TWO, vehicles this year.

I've finally found the perfect technique of curling my hair with the straightener.

I'm pretty excited that we are at the point in our adult lives where we can replace a water heater without charging it.

I still have fab health insurance...thankfully, since Jeremy had to have surgery this year (it was minor, although the bill would not have been).

I've grown closer to the women in my family.

I drank a beer (or part of a beer) with my husband and my sister and my cousin, after visiting the very peaceful FT. Worth Botanical Gardens.

I made my first quilt top with my brand new sewing machine my mom and Grandma bought for me.

We grew our own vegetables...which we used in our dinner salads! Fresh cherry tomatoes are the bomb.

I broke the 10,000 word mark on my novel. Who knows how long it will take me to finish it, if I ever do. But you know what, I'm ok with that.

Overall, it's been a fantastic year. And I didn't have to make and/or keep one New Year's resolution to make it so. It just was. I'm hoping for more of the same in 2016. I want to keep my family closer, hug my babies longer, sew all the things..even if I mess it up, grow more veggies, keep working on the love cottage, write more, create more, laugh more, and love more.

And, in 2016, I wish for you to find more of whatever makes you happy. Whatever lights up your world and fills up all your cracks. Be it big or small, a new start or a continuation of the same, cheap or expensive. Whatever it is that brings you the most joy...I want you to find more of that.

 

Happy New Year's!

And they lived happily ever after

Hey gang, is everyone gearing up for Thanksgiving?! I hope you all have safe travels and a wonderful day with family and/or friends, with loads of delicious food (and maybe a little football thrown in). I know I'm ready for some sweet potatoes (my favorite).

Even though Thanksgiving is tomorrow, I'd like to talk about something Christmas related.

The Hallmark Channel. I love, love, love the Hallmark Channel's Christmas movies.

Stop laughing.

I am a hopeless romantic. And I love a happy ending. Two things that are satisfied with every single Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel.

My husband gives me a real hard time about this. He will be in the kitchen, where he can't even see the TV, and can successfully predict what is happening on the screen simply by the music.

"Oh, I heard that music change...I bet they are kissing, aren't they?"

Yes, they are! Now shut up and let me watch my show.

Ok so, the movies can be just a teensy bit cliché.

You have your traveling fiancés, ending up spending Christmas with someone other than their current boyfriend...but turns out to be their TRUE LOVE.

You have the pet owners who fall MADLY IN LOVE.

You have the kid's Christmas wish {which usually involves a parental figure falling in love} MAGICIALLY COMING TRUE.

You have the small business owner overcoming the big corporate takeover, it's a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE {and finding love in the process...bonus points if it's the mean mugging executive from the corporation}.

I get it! They aren't very complex. There are no twists and/or turns. No cliff hanger endings. And you know what...I am good with that. Because in all the normal stress of the holidays (PLUS the added on social media stress from all the angry people out there), it's so nice to watch something that is simple, something that I don't have to think too hard about, something that is straightforward, something that makes me feel good...every.single.time.

My thanks giving project

I came up with this quick little Thanksgiving project at work this week. I asked for my coworkers to send me what they are thankful for. Then I put them on leaves and decorated a bulletin board with them.

My leaf says, "I am thankful for my husband and the home we have made together. He is my safe haven".

Tell me something you're thankful for.

Hey-yo! I'm back and I have something I need to get off my chest.

This month is just whizzing on by.

Just in case you have been living under a rock, or you don't really "do" social media (which if you don't...its really annoying for your family and friends...however....I am slightly jealous..because I can't seem to quit). We are all suppose to be mad about the Starbucks red holiday cup. {insert eyeroll} Apparently it is not "Christian" enough. I don't see what any of their other holiday cups had to do with little baby Jesus in a manger, but that is neither here nor there. The solid red cup is, according to some, the sign of the debil and the heathen ways of this country.

I don't buy my coffee at Starbucks, except for a rare instance here and there. But I'm not really in the habit of buying my coffee anywhere other than at the grocery store to then prepare at home. For the record, I do not drink my homemade coffee in a holiday mug during the holiday season. I'm not sure what that says about me as a Christian.

There have been many, many funny meme's that have come out of this whole situation. And I have snorked out loud at a few.

But for the most part, I've sort of kept my opinion to myself over on the old book of faces. Mostly because, sharing something...for or against it, doesn't really DO anything. There is no action is telling other people on Facebook how ridiculous they are being while reminding them that there are much bigger problems in this world than a coffee cup.

I want to know what those people did, even in the tiniest way, to help fix those problems they keep reminding everyone else of. My view on my faith is that I cannot argue people into believing in my God. I cannot shame them...or belittle them...or guilt them. And I should not be trying to sway them by angry protest.

I can only try and love them.

Whoa! Hold on...I said the L word. I know that is really scary for some people. I don't really mean love them in the sense of trying to be overly kind to all those crazy people on Facebook. Some people are going to think and feel what they want.

What I mean is, instead of arguing back and forth about what the REAL meaning of Christmas is on Facebook, I'm trying to think of what ACTIONS I can take to SHOW what the real meaning of Christmas is.

And its all about the love and kindness and giving, people.

I am not trying to say I am the next Mother Teresa. I haven't taken any action to show what I feel the meaning of Christmas is...yet. But the thoughts are brewing in my mind as I type. So what I'd like to propose, although I'm sure tons of you will think this is way less fun than re-sharing something on Facebook, is that instead of posting to Facebook about the Great Red Cup Debate of 2016 (or any other seasonal debate that may come along...hello Target Ugly Sweater)...why don't you stop and think about something you can do for your community instead.

There are food banks near you that need food.

There are Toys for Tots that need toys.

There are Angel Tree recipients that need someone to be their angel this season.

There are homeless shelters, soup kitchens, church pantries, women's shelter, animal rescues..all right there in your community...that need your help.

So pick up a local newspaper or google your city...and find a way to SHOW people (that actually really need to see it) what the true meaning of Christmas is.

The couple costume that almost wasn't

The day before the Halloween party Jeremy starts making noises about not wanting to wear the costume we bought for him. {insert grumpy face emoji here} We had spent good money on two costumes and they were both getting worn...by somebody. So I decided that after I wore the first costume to work if he still didn't want to dress up I would just wear his costume to the party.

My half of our couple costume. At work with my chain gang.

After work on Friday, when we started getting ready to head out to the party, Jeremy tried on his cop costume but he wasn't happy with how it was fitting. I took off my stripes and put on the cop uniform and I was ready to rock and roll. Jeremy put on the prisoner costume and even though it was a little small, he was willing to work with it. So...we ended up being in costume together after all.

I had a receipt book that I used to hand out tickets all night long. People got tickets for not being in costume, for being scared of spiders, for not being scary, for being too cute. I even wrote a ticket to subtract 10 points from Ravenclaw. It was a lot of fun to be both prisoner and police office all in one night.


Ravenclaw Wizard singing the blues.

This is the proper way to take down a perp.

Our hosts, Holy Cow and Mr. Beer-b-gone.


 

Gearing up for Halloween

Halloween has been a bit of a bummer holiday for the last few years. We have no kids so there are no school festivals or trunk-and-treat events. Door to door trick or treaters are rare in our neighborhood. And we aren't ones to hit the bars.

So usually we just pull the curtains, turn off the lights, and hide in the back of the house to avoid those random (as in one every other year) trick-or-treaters.

But this year...this year we are actually getting dressed up in costumes and going to a Halloween party. Our friends are hosting it and we wanted to have some fun games for the kids, so I handled the bean bag toss.

First, I stitched up some bean bags.

And then I worked on the board. I'm no artist, unlike my husband, and this is my first attempt at making anything like this. I am NO professional, but I think it will work ok.

Can't wait to show y'all our costumes! What do you have planned for Halloween?

Looking out, looking in, looking up - Happy New Years

I bundled up to venture out in the backyard to snap a picture of the sky. I didn't want to do it because the sky is a never ending sea of nothing today. I wanted to capture something beautiful....something I consider beautiful. A lovely sunset of pinks, oranges, and purples. Or whispy white clouds against a backdrop of blue. But there won't be any of that today....just cold, stark white.

But as I wondered around my little back yard, with my camera pointed at the sky, I did find a little beauty in the stillness of the cold. And I couldn't help but notice how lovely the ice covered branches were against the bright white sky.

It made me think about this new year, how everything can be considered new. A true blank slate. A quiet moment to just stop, take a moment to breath and decide how you want to start this new chapter. And it also made me think of this last year. I've been telling myself 2014 has been the year of the holding pattern. Not much has changed, on the outside. But I feel like I've learned more about myself this year. I've stripped away many of my long held notions of how people should act, how I should act and my confusion about why those things didn't make me happy. Things that didn't make sense for a very long time have started snapping into place. I'm sure my friends and family are just about sick of me using the term "introvert" but I am just so excited to finally have some idea of why I have always acted the way I do...why I feel the way I feel. And the more I learn about what it means to be introverted, the more comfortable I have become with saying no, with walking away, with staying in, with telling people what I need.

I can't say that walking away from things and having no one notice hasn't hurt my feelings. I might be introverted but I still crave to be needed and wanted and important to others. I'm still dealing with my feelings of being inadequate, feelings of rejection when I'm not recognized for the things I do. Those things are on me to deal with, not the people around me.

I can say that having a better understanding of how I gather and dispense my energy makes a world of difference to my psyche. I've learned to pay attention to things and people that make me feel good, that make me happy. I'm still trying to get better at or continue to acknowledge those in my life that I love and appreciate. And I've become better at getting rid of things and people that stress me out or drain my energy.

Overall I am coming into this year peacefully hopeful. I'm not looking to dramatically overhaul my life, I don't want to make any grand resolutions or plans. Always reaching for the next thing makes me tired and wears me out. So, I resolve to find my happiness in the very moment that I'm living, I don't need any more or less than what I have right now.

I hope you find your perfect balance this year of peace, love, and hope this year.

1 Halloween Costume

Day 31. Halloween Costume Reveal 

I haven't dressed up for Halloween in a couple years now. I really haven't had a reason to. So, instead, I'll share my costume from several years back. I threw it together super last minute to go to a Halloween party.

I is for...Illegal

Day 9 - Best/worst Halloween memory

Some of my favorite Halloween memories are from high school. My friends would all pile into someone's car and go egging houses. I'm sure my mom loves reading things like that. Ha. I was a good kid, but I wasn't a saint. I'd post pictures, but there isn't any photographic evidence of our activities. And this was pre-cell phones and social media.

My worst Halloween memory has to be right after we moved into our house. I was so excited about Halloween and getting all the trick or treaters. We went all out with the goofy decorations and bought a ton of candy. And then we didn't get any trick or treaters. We never did get many visitors so now we just turn off all the lights and close the curtains.

What is this wet stuff falling from the sky?

So, it's been raining.

Doesn't really seem like a big deal to most of y'all, I'm sure. But around here that is all anyone has been able to talk about for months. Water. And how we are running out of it. We haven't had a solid rain in months and months. Burn bans have been in place along with very strict watering restrictions.

But for the last two days it has been raining. Non-stop.

The end of our street on Friday evening.

Catching the rain, also Friday evening.

Our backyard today.

I can't knock the rain, since we need it so badly, but it has kept us home bound for the weekend. There isn't anything, short of a hospital visit, that would warrant driving around in flooded streets. So, we've been keeping ourselves busy inside.

That 'S' has been up there for years and years.

Finally getting around to putting up more letters.

Love it!

As always, I'd like to say that even though I don't usually agree with the politics of war and I could never enlist, I am forever thankful for those that can and do and have served our country. Happy Memorial Day.

To all menfolk of the world

It's that time of year again...the dreaded V-day. Men all over HATE thinking about or planning for Valentine's day. I know romantic gestures do not come natural to a lot of y'all. And I also know that its easy to be taken in by certain advertisements running right now. Jewelry stores? Check. Floral shops? Check. Everyone is looking to get a piece of the clue-less male action.

But for the love of all that is sexy and sweet do NOT buy your lady a life-sized teddy bear. Do not do it. I don't care how much the commercial tells you it's a good idea.

 

Do you see how that poor woman is gripping the counter behind her? You are freaking her out right now, Creepy McCreepier.

They don't show her face because she is crying. And not happy tears.

 



What on earth is a grown ass woman suppose to do with a life sized bear anyways?





 

New Years Inspiration - 2014BloggerChallenge

This isn't a resolutions post. I don't really set any "New Years resolutions". But I do think about what I want out of this new year. And what I want is to be more giving of myself and less expectant of others. No one else controls my happiness but me..I'll have to keep reminding myself of that this year, especially during the bad times. I don't want to be hateful or spiteful or resentful or envious, those emotions serve no good purpose in me.

Instead I want to be more loving and thoughtful and caring and thankful and healthy and happy and content. Here's to making it happen.

Imagine me talking a million miles a minute while reading this..and that's about how it went.

SSooo...let me just give you a quick run down of what's been happening in my hood. First off, there was a wedding. The flower girl at my wedding had her own wedding last Friday. I'm trying not to let it make me feel too old.

There was a 3-year-olds birthday party. That was fun! Lots of Veggie Tales and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles stuff. His older brother was just as excited as he was to "help" open all those gifts.

Our kitchen faucet started leaking {so did NOT have time to deal with that last weekend}

I sent Pumpkin {read about him here} to his new home in Oklahoma. HUGE shout out to my cousins, Patrick and Elisha for driving him from here to there and hand delivering him into his new home.

We went to the late showing of The Hobbit. It's a long ass movie. There were six of us and I think it was a contest to see if we could all keep ourselves awake. LOL. Great movie.

Sunday it was CHRISTMAS!!!! The traditional Christmas breakfast with banana pancakes.

 



Of course, we had to try out all our new goodies. My sister was trying to be sneaky, but I would have smiled (or tried to smile) if she would have said something. This was a Glamglow mud mask.

This...this was JUST my weekend. Loads more has happened this week. I think I could crawl under my covers and sleep for a week!!