Can you say 90% off?

Yes, people... Can you say 90% off? Oh my!

I ventured into Hobby Lobby this week and look what I found! Hello Valentine!

Y'all, I just could not resist. Especially since I eyed this stuff in January but decided that I didn't need to spend that kind of money of ceramics. But, at 90% off... well, that's a different story! And I know it will go to good use, since the girls host a V-day Tea Party every year.

Oh! And don't go into Hobby Lobby expecting to find anything like it. Because I bought it all. I even went to the Hobby Lobby in Round Rock and bought up all of their stuff too.

I'll do the math: $12.00 total. (I think even Randy would be proud. Sort've.)

Pickles, parties and plants

This is going to be random, but here goes...I want to can cucumbers and make some homemade pickles. But, I've never heat-processed any fruits or veggies for canning and so, I worry I'll go to the effort and expense only to discover after 8 weeks of "ripening" my cucumbers that, lo and behold... they are yucky. Anyone ever do any canning? Anyone want to experiment with cucumbers with me? Anyone? Anyone? Now, y'all don't all jump on your email and message me at one time now.

I still haven't heard from anyone regarding a trip to the fancy Goodwill in Austin. I'm going whether anyone joins me or not. But, it'd be fun to have a guest... so, if you even thought for a moment you'd like to go... let me know.

So, I was at a birthday party for one of Kyla's kindergarten friends on Saturday, and one of the moms there mentioned going to another classmate's party that afternoon. When that mom walked away, I turned to another mom friend at the table and mentioned to her that Kyla had not been invited to the other kid's birthday party. She said that her little boy had not been invited either. Hmmmm, so I mentioned to her that this is the second time Kyla has missed out on a birthday invite from a fellow classmate.

Don't get me wrong... one less birthday party means 2 less hours of my life spent at a birthday party and 15 less dollars spent on a birthday present. That part doesn't bother me. The part that bothers me is that in Kindergarten the birthday invites are becoming selective and secretive. I thought in Kindergarten that stuff didn't happen.

I do understand that some parties have limits and perhaps kids can only invite 5 friends, etc., etc. So, while I may be a bit sad that Kyla didn't get an invite to a party, I can understand the premise behind it. Or, perhaps Kyla is a ring-tailed tooter and doesn't have a lot of friends in class. Either way... I'm fine with it. Just fine.

We had fun in "Blizzard 2010" yesterday. The snow is quickly melting as I type, but I'm so glad the girls got to enjoy a bit of the white stuff before Winter comes to a close. Amazing how we were all in shorts on Sunday and building snowmen on Tuesday. Like the old saying goes, "If you don't like the weather, stick around a few minutes." It's gonna wreak havoc on our tree that was just beginning to bud. Poor trees and plants. They just don't know what to do around here. (Check out that teeny tiny green spotted bug on the bloom.)

So I guess that is all for now. I have plenty more to say, but this post is rather lengthy as it is.

Y'all have a great day!

Redneck Sled

They are sledding on a swim floaty ring.

Snow Day a.k.a. "Blizzard 2010"

Fun stuff!

Sunday Breakfast

Sunday morning breakfast at the Haphazard house means Sausage Kolaches (or Pigs in a Blanket for the unsophisticated.)

I use a package of Eckrich Smok-y Breakfast links and cut them in 1/3's. (The links are 75 calories each, but cut in 1/3's, they are only 25 calories.)

The biscuits are canned Pillsbury Grands Jrs. Golden Layers "Buttermilk" biscuits. I cut the biscuits in 1/2, then slice down the middle to make 1/4's. (The biscuits are 100 calories each, but cut into 1/4's, they are.... yep, you do the math... 25 calories.)

I wrap each sausage 'third' with a biscuit 'fourth'. (Are you keeping track? Each assembled Kolache is now 50 calories each.)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and cook for about 15 mins, or until golden brown.

Using this recipe, you are looking at making 40 Kolaches. These are great the next day too and you can also freeze them. My girls love to help make these. We often have leftovers and they will eat them for breakfast on Monday morning.

Simple. Easy. Yummy.

Oh, the timing of it all

Kyla lost her front tooth last night. Today is class picture day.

This should make for an interesting picture.

Blog Award! Me?

I have been awarded the "Beautiful Blogger Award" by my friend IRL and fellow blogger, Anna at "A Little Birdie Told Me". Anna has a wonderful DIY blog ranging from cooking to crafting. I love looking at all of the wonderful ideas and recipes she posts. Anna is both beautiful on the inside and out and I'm honored to be her friend.

With this award, I am to tell you 7 interesting things about myself and then pass it onto another Beautiful Blogger.

I've put off writing this blog entry because I think I've confessed just about everything about my life in the pages of this blog. I honestly can't think of anything I haven't already spilled the beans about... but I'm up for a challenge, so here goes.

1.) I have 7 registered blogs to my name. I only make 2 of them public. In the ebb and flow of my life, I've tried out several blogging ideas and none of them have worked out according to my liking. But, they are still out there in cyber-universe.

2.) I have been blogging since June 2005. My first month of blog entries are my absolute favorite. Short and sweet. If you have time, you can check them out here.

3.) I love to write, but my grammar is horrible. I have often thought I'd like to write professionally, but my fear of grammar and dangling modifiers is holding me back.

4.) I have a tendency to "put too many irons in the fire" at one time. The problem with this is that I am not a high capacity person (anymore... or really, was I ever?) and I end up quitting (whatever) and letting a lot of people down in the process. So, I've learned to "just say no" and now... and it feels so good! This has been a learning process that I attribute to my age and experience.

5.) I wish I had listened when people told me "life goes by fast." It does.

6.) Speaking of age... nothing pleases me more when someone says to me, "Wow, you don't look your age!" One of my friends at the gym, an 80-something man named Louis, said he thought I was in my mid-20's. I could have kissed him! But, that would have been strange.

7.) I'm having a hard time coming up with this last item... so this is going to be very lame. Most of you know I enjoy working out. What you've probably wondered is why I focus my energy on lifting weights. It's because I don't like to run, cycle, swim, Zumba and I'm barely coordinated enough to make it though a step-class. But, weight lifting? It's much easier and requires no coordination. So, THAT'S the real reason I do it.

Now, it's my turn to pay this blog award forward. I'd like to send it along to my friend Kris at Casa De Martinez and Rachel at Baby Cakes, who are two of the sweetest women I've ever had the privilege to be friends with.

Week End Recap

So, all week long I've compiled a list of things I wanted to talk about. And now, my list is long. I know, I know... I should just blog every day about whatever is on my mind, but life has a funny way of getting in the way of my blog. Weird, huh?

As if I needed another reason to love HEB, here it is:

This pack of fruit cost $.92 cents and it is a wonderful assortment of fruit. Because let's be honest here... I don't buy fresh pineapple because it is a mess to clean and cut, but I'll buy a fat quarter of it any day! Anyway... this container of fruit (papaya, cantaloupe, strawberry, pineapple, grapes) made up the amount on the paper plate! Perfect. Also, think...smoothie. Yum!

I am not bringing this up to stir any debates, political or not, but I just found this very interesting that I wanted to share. I hardly notice the political ads that filter through the house during the primaries, but this one caught my eye.

The ad says Kay "with her daughter Bailey and her son, Houston." I thought, ooops, that's a big typo... shouldn't that have read "granddaugther and grandson"?

(Dang... I hit publish by accident... bear with me people! Sorry feed readers...)

Anyway...Don't ya find it odd that a woman who is 67 has two young adopted children? Just throwing that out there...

Apparently taking a Facebreak was timely, unbeknownst to me. I just started a book study at church called "The True Measure of a Woman" and one of the key verses from the second chapter was Romans 12:2. The Message translates this verse in such an eyeopening manner that I just have to share.

"Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking."

Now, I'm not suggesting that giving up Facebook is for everyone... OR, that if you are on Facebook you are not serving God. Please don't even think I'm going there because I'm not. This is for me, by me and because of me. That's all. I think God is telling me to cut the culture clutter from your brain and focus on me! So, God, I'm looking forward to what you have to say.

So, Randy installed low-flow shower heads in all of our showers. Let me just say, this did not go over well. I am not a high maintenance woman. I'm really not. But, I do like my hot showers with good water pressure. I mean, I have 100x more hair than Randy. Surely he must understand that I need a powerful blast of water to rinse my thick hair. But, no... he installed it anyway. Lucky for him, the one he purchased has a lever that you can adjust from low-flow to normal flow. Lord have mercy, we'd had a throw down for sure had it not had that magical lever. The girls on the other had will face the wrath of Randy's low-flow shower head. Because they stand in the shower and sing... Yep, just stand there. Singing. It's kinda cute, but still... lots of water is wasted.

I've had some great Goodwill trips this week and I'll be posting about my Goodwill finds on my other blog. But, I wanted to throw this out there... Is anyone up for a GW trip to Tarrytown in the next week or two? Maybe stop by Central Market for lunch? Send me an email if you are interested and I'll plan a trip!

Finally, I have to tell you how very proud I am of Elisan. This week, she stood up against two other girls at school who were trying to get her to do something that was inappropriate. She not only said no, but she also walked away and refused to play with them any longer. Wow. I'm so amazed at her. See... she sees the world in "black" and "white". What they were wanting her to do was wrong. She knew it and she walked away. What she doesn't know, is that that kind of peer pressure is only the beginning. But, Randy and I repeatedly praised her for standing up for what is right and let her know how proud we were of her. And, how proud her teacher was of her. Her attitude is, "What's the big deal?" But, I know it's a big deal, as peer pressure will only get worse as she gets older. Thank you God for giving Randy and me wisdom on how to raise our girl. My prayer for her is that she will continue to use good, sound judgment and stand up to those girls who are only up to no good!

Facebreak

After much deliberations (in my mind) I've decided to take a much needed Facebook break... would that be a Facebreak?

I know you must all think I spend the entire day in front of my computer scouring FB and that is truly not the case. However, I have realized and been convicted as such, that I spend a lot of fruitless time in front of the computer and that is not what God intends for me.

I will still blog, I will still check email, I will still shop online if I need too, but FB is taking a backseat for now. I feel God is telling me to step away for a while... reestablish what is important...get back to the basics.

So, with that said, I've turned off all email alerts from FB, so if you need me... please email me.

And for your further reading pleasure, read why this author took a Facebreak.

Blasé Blogs

I just can't help myself. I changed the look of my blog... again. I'm helping a friend with her blog design and I just couldn't help but change the look of my blog in the process.

In other news, Randy came home last week and said, "I read an article online today that said that blogging is blasé because so many stay at home mom's jumped on the blogging bandwagon and it's watered down now." I reminded him that I began my blog in 2005, before it was cool to blog and that made him stop and ponder the fact that I was cool before it was cool to be cool. (What?)

Wish I had more to say. I'm tapped out for today. More to come this week as I'm sure something that I will not be able to contain will happen and I'll race home to blasé blog about it.

Time Sink

I'm about "this" close to shutting down my Facebook account because of the colossal waste of time that it is. Wow. I didn't realize when I signed up for FB that it would take up so much of my precious time. I mean, seriously, do I need to know half of the stuff that shows up in my Facebook "news feed"? No. I don't. But, it's enough to suck you into whatever someone else is doing on Facebook when you look at their pictures, click on their profile, read comments on other people's statuses, blah, blah, blah. I don't care that a friend of my brother's family is taking a trip to Disney World next Fall. I don't know the friend. Why do I care? (That's totally made up, by the way... but you get the gist!)

Facebook is modern day voyeurism.

• "What is 'so&so' doing."
• "Wow, look at 'so&so'."
• "'So&so' gained/lost weight"
• "Check out 'so&so's house/kids/husband/wife", etc. etc.
• "Did you see what 'so&so' wrote as their status?"
• "'So&so' plays a lot of games on Facebook. Look, they just found a baby cub for their zoo."

And realistically, FB is another way for us to show the world what WE want them to see. The good neighbor, the good friend, the happy couple, the wonderful kids, etc. And I'm just as guilty as the next person. I'm not immune to the allure of having a perfect life/family/kids for the world to see.

I recently whittled down my FB account by 35 people. And honestly, I need to whittle it down by about 200 people. Maybe more. And, in fact, I may just do that rather than go cold turkey. I dunno.

Some may say... rather than go cold turkey, just turn it off. Don't look at it. Turn off the email alerts, etc. No. That's not possible for me. I just can't delete the bookmark from my computer and delete the app from my iPod. It doesn't work that way for me. It's all or nothing. I worry that even if I whittle my friend list down by 2/3's then I'll still succumb to the time sink factor.

So, my question is this:

Am I the only person that feels this way? Or do you love Facebook and why?

Finally, I enjoy the fact that I've reconnected to old friends and have connected more with new friends. That part is great. But really... what would I be missing if I hit the delete button?

We have a winner!

I would have drawn a winner of my latest giveaway yesterday, but my computer decided to die. Thankfully, Randy was able to resuscitate it last night. I have a feeling a new computer is in my future... There are so many mixed emotions with getting a new computer. The shiny newness is awesome! The installing old software, backing up old files and about a bazillion pictures... not so much. Here's hoping this computer is repairable.
Without further ado... the winner is Erica! Erica and her family are stationed in Okinawa and she just had a new baby girl named Blythe. But, Erica is no stranger to little girls, because baby Blythe makes girl number 3 for the McMillan family! You can check out Erica's blog here. Yay Erica... I'm so glad you won! Email me the base address and I'll get these in the mail pronto!

Valentine's Party Rewind

REMINDER: Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway here!
Today is the last day to sign up!

We had such a fun time at this year's 3rd Annual Valentine Tea Party!

A special thank you to my friend Rachel, who made the fabulous cupcakes. You can read all about Rachel's baking on her blog Baby Cakes. She is also for hire! So, if you have any special events and you need cakes or cupcakes, Rachel is your gal. Rachel also helped all of the girls at craft time. Thanks so much.

I would also like to thank Natalie. She stayed to help and jumped right into the mix and helped all of the girls with their card crafts. Natalie also helped in the kitchen. It's so good to have great friends.


We had 17 girls (including Elisan and Kyla!) and it was a great time. Each girl made 5 Valentine's cards. We provided the blank cards, envelopes and craft supplies like scissors, glue sticks, hole punches, stamps and ink pads and the invitees each brought a craft item to share with the group. It's fun to see the different stickers and embellishments.

After craft time, we served up the yummy goodies! We had strawberry cupcakes, brownies, assorted cookies and cinnamon popcorn. Oh, and lots and lots of candy!

This is such a fun and easy girl party! I highly recommend organizing a party like this one if you have a little girl!

800

According to blogger, this is my 800th post. Oh my! 800 times I've logged on to this computer and shared intimate details about my life. By now, I hope, you either love me or hate me. Either way... today, I celebrate with a giveaway!
Okay, people, I'm not going to lie. I originally bought these earrings for myself. I just loved them. Aren't they darling? Well, I got home, promptly tried them on and decided that they were a bit too heavy for my delicate lobes. And, I couldn't return them because of some store policy about refunds/exchanges on "sale" items. Hmmmph!

So, I thought to myself... why not give them away! So, that's what I'm doing.

If your lobes are more weight worthy than mine, feel free to enter a comment on this blog post and I'll draw a name on Monday. Not just for "locals" either... come one, come all!

A takeaway

I still feel horrible. When my head doesn't feel like it is about to pop off from all of the pressure, then my chest feels like it is literally on fire from all of the coughing. I know, I should be laying down, soaking up the peace and quiet and I will... But, a thought occurred to me today and I wanted to share it.

See, I believe there are times when God uses this blog to minister to others. Sure, most of the people that read my blog are my close(r) friends who tend to run in the same circles as I do. But, every so often I believe that God will give me a thought or an idea that he wants to me to convey to someone who may or may not be a Christian. And in my crazy, scattered, ramblin' way, someone will be touched by what I write. In other words, if I'm hearing from God, I want to obey what he wants me to do.

So, with that long-winded introduction... here goes...

I have a friend who says she lives in a "bubble". We laugh and laugh about her "bubble" which in reality is her neighborhood in Sugar Land, a suburb of Houston. Her kids go to the neighborhood school, they participate in the neighborhood league sports, her marathon training "running buddies" live in her neighborhood and she attends a church where a lot of people live in her neighborhood. She readily admits to living her in bubble and she loves it.

It got me to thinking... do I live in a bubble? At first, I was thinking, nope, not me, but then it dawned on me today, that yep, that's me too. Oh, we may not have the neighborhood bubble with the neighborhood schools, or the neighborhood league sports and if you boil it all down, I do not socialize with people from my neighborhood, because honestly, who has the time?

No, my bubble is the bubble that I've created for myself. My safety bubble. I tend to hang out with people I know from church and I gravitate to people who are Christians. Hey, I even took a job at my church! And, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, I know that we as Christians receive strength from other Christians, especially walking the walk we face today.

It's HARD being a Christian. It is. It's hard telling your kids they can't do something with another family because you just don't agree with how the other family lives. It's hard going out to eat with friends and everyone orders up a drink, while you sit at the table with your water in hand. It's hard trying to find clothes for your prepubescent little girls that don't look like she is a streetwalker. It's hard living a life led by Christ. And the bible said it's not meant to be easy. That's where God's grace steps in. The bible says we must be in the world, not of the world - meaning, the world is going to hate us because we live by God's terms.

So, I say all of this to say... to boil it all down... THIS is the "takeaway". Have your eyes open to those around you. Don't be so quick to step back into your bubble, just because it is easy. No. Look around you, smile, make eye contact and interact with someone who doesn't fit your bubble criteria.

It's hard. I know.

But, God may have placed you there, for that time and purpose alone. Just a kind word and a smile goes a long way to reach the heart of someone who is hurting. Because, afterall, we are in this world too, ya know.

A couple of firsts

I should be on the couch, lying there listlessly while I hack up mucous, but no... I have a blog to tend to and that means that even in my Mucinex induced state, I will live to tell another story or two...

So, Friday on the way home from school Elisan said, "Mommy, something happened today at school." This is usually the opening sentence for a number of topics... who played Princes Leia during recess, who got on "red" for misbehaving, who was "Music Master" in music class... you get the gist. Oh no, not THAT day. No, she dropped a bomb-shell on me. She said that while they were lining up for library, Kevin (not his real name) stood beside her and told her that he had something to say to her. He then proceeded to say, "I love you, Elisan." And you know what she said back to him? She said, "SERIOUSLY?" (Priceless, right?)

So, of course, since I have been rolling around various thoughts pertaining to pre-teen issues, I grabbed the chance to tell her that while it was nice he loves her, he probably really only "likes" you a lot. That love between a man and a woman was reserved for more mature people, like Mommy's and Daddy's. She agreed with me (or at least she said as much) and that was pretty much the end of that conversation. Of course, I could hardly wait to tell Randy. I mean, this is HUGE. A boy professing his love for my baby. Randy didn't react as whacked out as I did... he just shrugged and said, "I knew this day was coming, I just didn't think it would be at 8 years old." (Men. Why can't they overreact like we do?!)

Truth be told, this little boy is so sweet. And nice. And cute. And if there was any boy in her class that I would want to show an interest in her first, it would be Kevin. And, he goes to our church. Double points!

Speaking of church, Sunday rolls around and she was primping more than usual. She even sprayed some bath spray on her neck on the way to church. Hmmmm.... perhaps in the off chance that Kevin would be there? (But alas, they attend the second service and we attend the first service... no such luck!)

And today. Another first...

Wow, this pre-teen business is going to drive me crazy. Lord, wisdom! That's all I'm asking.

Today she told me that her good friend Carly (not her real name) has a cousin who is 13 years old and she just had a baby. (WHAMMY!) She also said, "It just happened to her, right?" (DOUBLE WHAMMY!)

I listened to the voice of my friend Leigh Ann (that is her real name!) say, "Seize the opportunity to talk about sex when it comes up!" So, I did. I told her that no, it did not just "happen" to this 13 year old girl. I told her that she chose to have sex with a boy. And because she chose to have sex, she got pregnant. I then explained to her that there is an order for these such things to occur. I told her that God's plan for babies is this: a woman and a man get married because they love each other very much and then they pray about starting a family. Then, after that, they have sex (yes, I used the word sex) to make a baby. It is a decision made by both the mommy and the daddy.

I told her the little girl made a wrong choice to have sex with a boy and that she now has a baby. I told her that just because you can make a baby, doesn't mean it's the right time to make a baby. And for good measure, I threw in the analogy of shoplifting... saying that just because you get away with stealing something, doesn't make it right.

And then, she started talking about something entirely different and that was that. Whew!

According to my friend Leigh Ann, her daughter stewed on the sex thoughts for a long time and then brought it up to her again. I suspect the same thing will happen with Elisan. So, we are not done... not by a long shot, but at least the door has been opened for frank discussion.

Wow, I survived. Barely.

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.

Blog Break?

I guess I'm taking an unintended blog break this week!

Randy is off work this entire week and he has me helping him with various projects around the house. No more tapping away at the computer for this girl... I'm working!

What are we doing? Well, after spending all of Sunday shopping with the family for various project items, here's what we have going on:

• Hanging our flat panel t.v. on the wall (Anyone want to buy a flat panel tv stand? CHEAP!)
• Installing a new toilet (um, yep, that's me)
• Putting up radiant barrier in the attic (brrrrr...)
• Working on the car (I'm hoping I can get out of this one!)
• Rearranging the office

And, I have my own projects too:

• Clear out Kyla's closet (that child is messy!)
• De-clutter (toss, keep & donate)
• Assemble Gingerbread house with the girls ($1.50 at HEB - couldn't pass it up!)

Oh, we had a wonderful Christmas! We were able to see our families in Orange, then rush back home to open presents on Saturday morning. The girls and Randy assembled the trampoline and it has been non-stop jumping for them since then! (It's raining now, so they are checking out their other toys today!)

Here's a Christmas morning recap:

Christmas Challenge! Day 25

Christmas Challenge! Day 24

Time to fess up... This has been the most difficult blogging challenge to date! I'm just not that interesting people!

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the Christmas Blogging Challenge! Even if you started and didn't finish... you are still my friend!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas tomorrow. Despite all of the Christmas festivities, rushing around, spending money, eating too much, etc., etc., the message is still the same. Christmas is the celebration of CHRIST's birth. His arrival on earth, in flesh, as a baby to bring salvation to a dark and dying world. We need Him now just as much as the world needed Him over 2000 years ago.

Never has one baby caused so much of a stir (both positive and negative) in the history of man. Have you ever stopped to wonder that... to ponder that thought? Could it be, because Jesus Christ IS who HE says he is? The Son of the Living God? The Savior? The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords and the Prince of Peace? YES! He is! He most certainly is.

Christ is alive, He loves you AND He is coming again. Don't waste a single minute of your precious time here on earth pondering whether or not Christ is the Savior of the world. He was, He is and He will forever be!

Christmas Challenge! Day 23

Thank goodness Randy doesn't read my blog!

Our yearly tradition!

Christmas Challenge! Day 22

I'm done! I'm done with shopping, I'm done with wrapping, I'm done with packing and I'm done with baking. Done, done, done! Now, I can sit back and relax and enjoy the next few days.

I have a lot on my mind and could do a complete brain download dump that would take up a lot writing, editing, deleting, etc... so I'll refrain for my sanity's sake. I mean, why rock the sanity boat, right?

So, I leave you with this.... Here's Elisan and Kyla with their Happy Birthday Jesus cake.

Christmas Challenge! Day 21

Quick! Do you need a super fast last minute gift idea?

On Friday, one of the kids at school was wearing a scarf made out of fleece material. By taking one quick look at the scarf I decided that the girls would love a super soft fleece scarf to wear and that it would be our weekend craft project!

Off to the store we went! As you know, fleece blankets are very popular right now. Just look at the SNUGGIE rage... and the homemade Snuggie rage! So, as you can imagine there are bolts and bolts and bolts of fleece out there to choose from.
The fleece was around $7.50/yard at Walmart. I only needed 2 feet of fleece since I was only making two scarves. You can make them as fat or as skinny as you want. I would rather start off fat and then trim off as I deemed necessary.

I cut the fabric in half --lengthwise, then added "fringe". You could cut the fringes longer and tie off each individual fringy, but the girls didn't want their fringes tied.

I kinda like this idea! I'm thinking a funky houndstooth print for me! Maybe after Christmas I'll make one for myself!
Be sure to check out Goodwill Gal too! I'm posting for the 25 Days of Christmas Blogging Challenge there as well!

Christmas Challenge! Day 20

We took these pictures this morning before church.

We all took turns in front of the tree getting out picture taken, but the girls are the only pictures that made the cut!

Again, I edited these pictures with Picnik which is free photo editing website.

Christmas Challenge! Day 19

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse!
(Well, Elisan and I were, but we were being really quiet!)

Christmas Challenge! Day 18

I've been wanting to blog about this since Thanksgiving. But, I've had so much other stuff to talk about... you know, like hairspray and karaoke machines that I put this one on the back burner, until today. It's not that I don't have millions of things to gab about, but I wanted to at least post these pictures while they were still relevant!

Here's my nephew, Brandon, who is 15 years old. He will be 16 in February. He is nearly 6'4" tall. He wears a size 15-16 shoe. Let me say this again... HE IS 15! And for the record, he has not stopped growing. In fact, you can very nearly see the boy growing, he is growing so fast.

And, as you can see... he's a cutie. And, he's hilarious. I mean... sooooo stinkin' funny. And, on top of all of that... he's a good kid. Just plain good. Minds his mama and his daddy (my brother). They raised him well.


Not to be outdone, I also have another nephew named Brady. He's adorable in his own right and he's an excellent athlete and so very smart. He was showing us card tricks that had Randy's jaw dropped to the floor. And, give the boy a Rubik's cube and he'll solve it in a matter of minutes. We sat and watched him do it TWICE!

My brother and sister-in-law have done an excellent job with both of them. I hope I will raise my girls in the same fashion. I'm proud to call them my sweet nephews and I love both of them!

Be sure to check out Goodwill Gal too! I found an item today that I'm so excited about!