Today's Excitement

Today was an exciting day at our house! (Not really... I just wanted you to think that we live our lives to the fullest around here!

This morning, Kyla came downstairs complaining that her tummy hurt. I asked the typical questions you ask a 6 year old. "Do you need to go to the bathroom?" and "Are you hungry?"

I wasn't satisfied with the answers she gave and then she laid on the couch for about 10 mins still complaining about her tummy. She finally ate a bit of cereal, but was still whiny. About 5 mins before we were leaving for school, she said to me that she didn't want to go to school because her tummy still hurt.

By the time we arrived at school, MIRACULOUSLY... her stomach stopped hurting. But, alas, we had no backpack, no lunch, no coat and hair wasn't brushed. So, she came back home with me.

This is what we found when we arrived home.


This kept Kyla busy for at least 20 minutes.

Then, we napped.

Then, we ate.

Then, we ran errands.

Then, we did a craft.

You get the gist...

The right path? Or just a detour?

What do you do, when you pray for God to open doors and direct your path... and then all this "stuff" begins to come your way? What do you do when you believe in your heart that it (the stuff) is a "distraction" to keep you from fulfilling what God has truly intended for you?

Seems like as soon as I clear my plate with one thing or another, a new item pops up. Is that from God? Or is it a distraction?

Clearly, I want to be used by God, but at times, I feel as if I invest my time in the wrong "good" stuff. Meaning... it clearly is a good thing to do, but is it the right thing for me to be investing in. Does that make sense?

I'm praying for wisdom and clear direction.

Other than prayer, can anyone offer any insight or past experience?

Two things

Last night we were watching "24". LOVE THAT SHOW. Oh my... Jack Bauer. He's the man.

So, anyway, there's this storyline about this gal named Dana, but who's real name is Jenny and apparently she's freaked out because this dude-from-the-past shows up threatening to tell everyone who she "really is"... which apparently is some kind of ex-con, who was sent to prison for accessory to murder as a minor, blah, blah, blah... The storyline is really lame and the dude-from-the-past is a real LOO-SER with a Southern accent. Because, yes... all people from the South are loser rednecks with a thick accent. Plus, we dumb.

But, what really brought it all full circle for me last night was when dude-from-the-past was with a friend and she was like, "Who's this and why is he in my apartment?" And dude-from-the-past says, "This is (so & so). A friend from Beaumont." HELLO! Ding-ding-ding-ding! It all makes sense now! Beaumont is the poster child for rednecks from the South. The "24" producers nailed it.

The second thing...

For the record, I too am guilty of this. I'll admit it.

I have a new pet peeve. Want to know what it is? I am getting tired of people emailing me via Facebook. I don't like getting an email that I have to click on a Facebook link to reply to. I mean... that's such a waste of time. And every subsequent email you receive and they receive... same thing. I don't need Facebook knowing the intricacies of my very important emails. I'd prefer it if only Google were privy to that top secret information.

So, that's my rant. (Of course, now I've probably just angered everyone one of you and you will now begin emailing me through Facebook exclusively, because you're funny. Hah. Joke's on me!)

And the winner is...

Pam wins 30 Custom Valentine Cards! Yay Pam!

Valentine Card Giveaway!

Don't forget to sign up for the Valentine Card giveaway! And just so you know, this is not only for local people, I'll mail it all the way to Denmark... right Charlotte? Charlotte is my international friend and commenter!

So, please go to this post and make a comment and I'll include you in the drawing! I'll pick a winner by random on Sunday!

Maybe I should rename my blog to "Haphazard Ramblings"?

Again, another ramblin' post, because, I'm a ninja and that's how I roll... Or, because I am in need of serious help, whatever, ya know? But y'all be sure to hang on 'til the end, because I have a fab giveaway to sign up for!

So, I got my boots! Yes, my FRYE boots. I resorted to purchasing them on eBay. I had been scouting out serveral pairs of boots and this pair just spoke to me. So, I waited and waited and finally at the last minute (or rather second) I outbid the last bid and now... they are mine. They were in near perfect condition when I got them and let me say... they are beautiful and I love them. But, because I've hardly taken them off my feet since they arrived at my doorstep, they are now scuffed and not so beautiful anymore. But, hey... they are cowboy boots. They aren't supposed to be pristine! I did however sell two pairs of my previously owned boots to make up for the expense of this purchase so I wasn't "out" a lot of money to purchase them! But, God got a hold of me and I did something else with the cash...

Haiti. Wow. I'm just stunned at the sheer magnitude of this catastrophe. So, I was driving along one day last week, thinking about how I needed to deposit the cash from the sell of my other boots when I felt God impressing upon me to give that money to the special offering at church for Haiti relief efforts. I mean, the money isn't mine... It's God's, so if he says to give it to Haiti relief efforts, then who am I to argue? So, that's what I did. I'm so blessed to serve a God who is in control and loves us.

I was cleaning out my craft room last weekend and I came across a picture of me that was taken back in 2006. It's a picture of my BFF Cyndi at her going away party. I brought the picture out to Randy and he was like, "You look like Monica (from "Friends") when she wore the fat suit." Now, before you go thinking that Randy was cruel for saying that... I wasn't offended in the least. I mean, Look. At. Me. I was overweight. And the sad part was... I didn't realize it. My friend Cyndi looks smokin' hot now, but I will say for the record, she had just had a baby and is carrying extra weight in this picture. So, for additional record keeping purposes, here is an "after" picture of Cyndi that I ripped off from her Facebook page and one of me, for a quick comparison. You know, if there is any incentive to lose weight, it's seeing before and after pictures, right? I mean, who can deny actual results?

Not that I'm obsessed with my weight! Truly I'm not. What I am now is aware. Aware of what a healthy diet and exercise will do for you, not only in how you look, but in how you feel.

Elisan began volleyball at the YMCA this month and had her first game on Friday. It was fun to watch and I think she really enjoyed it. Randy is co-coaching the team and loves volleyball too. He played intramural men's volleyball at Texas A&M. Here's hoping Elisan learns the techniques and basics of the game, so when she can play at school, she'll be a step ahead of the other girls. There she is on the end... #5 (my lucky number!). She actually served the ball over the net on her first attempt! We might be onto something here!

So, I've updated the look of my blog! I love hearts. And since V-day is around the corner, I just couldn't help myself! And... don't look for this style to change after V-day is over... I'm just sayin'.

Speaking of hearts, I'm going to be giving away 30 Customized Valentine Cards for Valentine's Day. The drawing will be held in ONE WEEK from today to allow for plenty of time for delivery, etc by V-day. So, be sure to comment on THIS post to enter to win and tell your friends! I love freebies and I'm sure your friends do too! I'll notify the winner by email, so if I don't have a way to contact you, then leave your email address for me.
And finally I leave you with this. This has been sitting in my backyard for 2 weeks. I've never said we ain't rednecks 'round here and THIS proves it to you! Because we are rednecks and the voices in my head told me so...


Y'all take care now! Ya, hear? And don't forget to comment on this post to enter to win the drawing!

Ramblin' on and on about nuthin' in particular

You know what keeps me from blogging every day? It's because I feel guilty when I ramble on about nuthin' in particular, rather than focus on a topic.

But, those who know me IRL, know that I'm a talker and that I tend to ramble on and on, jumping from topic to topic, trying to fit it all in before we bid adieu. That's just me. Not only that, but I'm a fast talker too.

I figure if I ramble on, jumping from topic to topic, you will get bored and move on down the road. That scares me people, because honestly, I have important stuff to say and I don't want to scare anyone off!

With that said... I like to forewarn you when I plan to ramble... and so it goes like this...

So, I saw a pair of Frye boots the other day at Marshalls. Apparently it was a close-out deal because they were drastically reduced. They were also olive green (albeit a beautiful shade of olive green) suede leather. They were also NOT in my size. But, I managed to squeeze my foot in them just to see what a nice pair of boots looked like and felt like. It was goooood. I decided I wanted a pair of Frye boots then and there.

A couple of years ago, my friend Angie, bought a pair of Frye boots. I'll admit... I had to Google Frye boots. What I found was a lovely collection of authentic, true to life, beautiful leather boots! So, I emailed her a week ago and asked her if she still loved her boots and would she recommend buying them. She (of course) said yes. After researching the boot that I wanted, which incidentally, is the most popular of the Frye boots, I came to the conclusion that I could not afford the pair of boots that I wanted. And, the only way I'd ever be able to obtain enough funds to buy them, would be by selling off some of my stuff on Craigslist to 'earn' enough money to buy them.

Then, I did a poll on Facebook to determine what the most anyone has ever paid for a boot. A few brave souls (I seriously just wrote soles and had to go back and correct it!) admitted to having spent over $100 for boots before, but some of you don't even own boots because the ones you want are too expensive. Wow... talk about restraint! I mean, I own about 5 pairs of boots. Granted they aren't the be-all to end-all boots, but I still own them. Anyway.

So, here I am, selling off some stuff to see how much money I can scrounge up to buy a pair of boots. Knowing me, I'll get the money earned up and I'll change my mind because the temperatures will be back in the 80's and who in their right mind would wear boots when it is 80 degrees outside? Mark my words people. I know me better than I know myself. (Huh?)

I had lunch with one of my friends this week and she confided in me that her daughter wrote the word that rhymes with hex in her diary in regards to something another classmate said. (Don't judge... I'd read Elisan's diary if she kept one! It's a mother's gateway into the minds of our children...) Anyway, her daughter is in 3rd grade too. I was floored. I know, 'wake up Erica... kids learn about this kind of stuff early on, so you might as well take your head out of the sand and get with the program!' Yeah, yeah, I know. But, 3rd grade? Do I really need to begin the ahem... hex talk with my precious little girl in 3rd grade? Wow. So, how much do you talk about at this age? I mean, there will bound to be questions! I don't want to freak the child out! I don't want to get freaked out! I mean, honestly, I'm almost 100% positive she doesn't know how babies are made, much less that it requires a man. Any suggestions on books that guide a mother through this process from a Christian perspective?

I guess that's enough rambling for now. If you promise not to leave me, I'll promise to blog more... only if I'm allowed to ramble.

Prepare to be amazed!

I saw this recipe a couple of months ago. I think it was Woman's Day, not sure. Let me tell you... it is quick, easy and oh so yummy!

Super Fast Chicken Pot Pie (that's my title)

• 1 can of chicken breast
• 1 can of cream of chicken condensed soup (I used the "healthy" variety)
• 1 cup of frozen mixed veggies (Use more or less)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 can of "crescent" rolls
• Poultry seasoning or salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix chicken, veggies and soup in a bowl. Add milk to reach your desired consistency (more or less than a 1/2 cup). Season mixture.

Here's the secret to making it fast! Heat mixture in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. Remove from microwave and separate into two oven-safe dishes/ramekins, etc. (Or you could make a medium sized pie in a small/medium oven-safe dish).

Press seams together of two unrolled crescent rolls and place on the top of each pie. If the crescent rolls overlap the dish, just press the dough to the sides of the dish.

Place in the oven and cook until the crust is golden brown.

OH MY WORD... it's chicken pot pie in MINUTES people! It's delicious and if you don't count the 2- 100 calorie crescent rolls on top, it's not THAT bad for you!

Hello New Year!

Sadly, I've waited until late afternoon to begin a 'what-should-be-a-very-long-post', so it'll have to wait until tomorrow... or the next day...

I have to say, I was a bit depressed (okay, A LOT depressed) this weekend after coming to the realization that our little family vacation was coming to a close. Randy headed back to work this morning after having 12 consecutive days at home, which is virtually unheard of around here. It was wonderful having my husband home, enjoying the sleeping in, the lazy mornings and the late night movie watching. We watched sooo many movies, I can't keep track! (Thank you "free HBO for a year!")

The girls had a great time too. They played and played and played some more. They really love their trampoline too. That was definitely a great Christmas present!

And I decluttered every single nook and cranny in our home, with the exception of the spare bedroom/craft room. That room will require a lot more time and thought. We hauled two bags of stuff to Goodwill, a whole lotta hand-me-downs to pass along to a friend and at least 7 bags of trash sitting out on the curb as we speak! It was a good week to get rid of a bunch of stuff we don't need or use anymore!

And that about sums up our week after Christmas!

The girls head off to school tomorrow. They are ready to see their friends and get into the groove again. I'm ready to get back in the gym. After more than two weeks out of the gym, it'll be like starting over again... sigh.

And that's really it. For now.

I couldn't resist!

It only took me a week to attempt a back flip on the girls' trampoline.
I was a little scared to try.